Bettas...
- Thread starter hcgirl80
- Start date
java moss for bettas
You might try to locate some java moss for your betta tank or bowl.
Java moss is very soft and sinks to the bottom of the bowl. It makes a nice comfy bed and if there is some light available it will use any ammonia in the water to grow, plus every surface on the moss is covered in biofiltration bacteria. Live plants are home to tiny live critters that fish like to eat, I can't see what the betta is eating, but he is hunting something in the moss.
The moss is easy to push aside to clean the bottom of the tank if you siphon the tank, or if you have a large bowl, it is easy to grab and pull out all at once so the bowl can be dumped and wiped down.
I think it is far superior to gravel for use in a small betta tank or bowl.
You might try to locate some java moss for your betta tank or bowl.
Java moss is very soft and sinks to the bottom of the bowl. It makes a nice comfy bed and if there is some light available it will use any ammonia in the water to grow, plus every surface on the moss is covered in biofiltration bacteria. Live plants are home to tiny live critters that fish like to eat, I can't see what the betta is eating, but he is hunting something in the moss.
The moss is easy to push aside to clean the bottom of the tank if you siphon the tank, or if you have a large bowl, it is easy to grab and pull out all at once so the bowl can be dumped and wiped down.
I think it is far superior to gravel for use in a small betta tank or bowl.
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Heres what I would do. Put gravel in if you dont have a filter, but dont put gravel in if you do have a filter. Why? The reason I say this is because if you dont have a filter, the gravel will provide most of the surface area for your beneficial bacteria to grow on. If you do have a filter (I recommend a small air driven filter if you go this route), then you wont need gravel for your bacteria to grow on. IMO/IME, gravel in a small tank is a bit harder to clean than in a bigger tank, and isnt really neccessary unless you dont have a filter (as I said before). Of course your friend could still have gravel with a filter if they like the look, but try to have a very thin layer, just enough to cover the bottom will be enough. I actually have a small aquarium on my desk (2 gallon hex), with a betta. It has a thin layer of gravel (but no filter), and one java fern about 5 inches tall. At the moment I am watching him build a bubble nest. The betta will of course be going into an aquarium with a heater when the weather starts to cool down.
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Don't buy riccia. It needs very high lighting and co2 and it will be a waste of your money if you can even find it.
To clarify a few things:
ADF's will NOT usually tear at a bettas fins unless they aren't fed enough. It is not an aggressive behavior. It is as a result of their poor eyesight. They see something wiggle in front of them and if they're hungry they'll bite.
A 25w heater can and will work in a 2.5g. I use the Visatherme adjustable heaters and they work a lot better in my experience than the 8w - most of which are not adjustable.
Bettas actually prefer warmer water than most other tropical fish- they're comfortable between 78-82F
Guppies and Bettas are a huge no no.
No more than one betta in a 2.5g tank. Maybe a snail. Just one. Even at that there is usually not enough surface area to sustain its nutritional needs.
They also make heating pads for small betta bowls that you could use if you find them.
It is fine to use gravel and a filter. Get something like an azoo palm filter ($6) that doesn't take up internal space since it's an HOB - www.drsfostersmith.com.
When to do water changes on the tank and how often? Monitor it the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels and go from there.
Jacblades - I mean this in the nicest possible way because I know you care about your animals....(Unless you bred them and sold them...) Do you think it says something about the betta conditions of yours if you've kept hundreds of them? Surely you do not still have hundreds, so I assume they've died?
To clarify a few things:
ADF's will NOT usually tear at a bettas fins unless they aren't fed enough. It is not an aggressive behavior. It is as a result of their poor eyesight. They see something wiggle in front of them and if they're hungry they'll bite.
A 25w heater can and will work in a 2.5g. I use the Visatherme adjustable heaters and they work a lot better in my experience than the 8w - most of which are not adjustable.
Bettas actually prefer warmer water than most other tropical fish- they're comfortable between 78-82F
Guppies and Bettas are a huge no no.
No more than one betta in a 2.5g tank. Maybe a snail. Just one. Even at that there is usually not enough surface area to sustain its nutritional needs.
They also make heating pads for small betta bowls that you could use if you find them.
It is fine to use gravel and a filter. Get something like an azoo palm filter ($6) that doesn't take up internal space since it's an HOB - www.drsfostersmith.com.
When to do water changes on the tank and how often? Monitor it the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels and go from there.
Jacblades - I mean this in the nicest possible way because I know you care about your animals....(Unless you bred them and sold them...) Do you think it says something about the betta conditions of yours if you've kept hundreds of them? Surely you do not still have hundreds, so I assume they've died?
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My Heater Keeps My Water 78-82 DEpending On Wether Or Not I Have My Windows Open.
A Long Time Ago In This Thread, Someone Said They Liked To Use Clay Flower Pots As Caves For A Betta? I've Never Seen Bettas Paying Much Attention To The Decor. What I Have So Far On My List For This Future 2.5:
A Lighthouse Aquarium Decoration
A Few Silk Plants
A Small Bag Of Gravel.
Do You Cycle An Aquarium That Small, Or Can You Get Away?
A Long Time Ago In This Thread, Someone Said They Liked To Use Clay Flower Pots As Caves For A Betta? I've Never Seen Bettas Paying Much Attention To The Decor. What I Have So Far On My List For This Future 2.5:
A Lighthouse Aquarium Decoration
A Few Silk Plants
A Small Bag Of Gravel.
Do You Cycle An Aquarium That Small, Or Can You Get Away?
Well, bettas like to be lazy lol. Some will like to sleep/rest on plants (which is why someone suggest silk plants. Plastic ones can be sharp and cut their fins). Following this pattern, many like to sleep/rest underneath things
I had a betta who liked to sleep in a cave - and many would probably use the clay pot Just make sure it is aquarium safe.
I had a betta who liked to sleep in a cave - and many would probably use the clay pot
Just make sure it is aquarium safe.
