Betta care

[hitbystars]

Since my betta came from a petstore with those 3 inch bowls.. he isn't in the best shape. This petstore insisted Betta fish were "supposed to live with nothing" but I really doubt it :rolleyes:

I'd love to get him healthier, in better weight, non-dull colors, etc.

Does anyone have experience with doing this to Betta fish?

[Nell]

You've come to the right place! A lot of people here keep bettas and can give you some good advice.

You're right that bettas aren't "supposed to live with nothing." Bettas, like any fish, will do best when in a comfortable and suitable habitat.

If you'd like to give your betta a really nice home and be able to see him at his best, I would suggest getting him his own small tank with a filter and heater.
Bettas are tropical fish and do best if their water is kept at about 80 degrees. A filter will also help to keep your water parameters at a healthier level. I would suggest going with something like a 5 or 10 gallon. With anything smaller, you run into the problem of not being able to have a heater. If you get a 10 gallon, you could also have a few other fish friends.

I'm not sure how much money you've budgeted to spend on this project, but if you can't afford a tank right now, then I'd suggest keeping your betta in nothing smaller than a 1 gallon jar. If you keep him in a jar, you'll have to be very dilligent about water changes. Keep the jar out of direct sun and drafty areas. Adding a live aquarium plant to the jar (not a plant like you see in those typical "betta vases", but an aquatic plant such as java fern or java moss) will help to keep the water clean of the toxins produced by fish waste (but that doesn't mean the water should be changed less often.)

Bettas are carnivorous fish, so they should be fed a high protien diet. Some companies make special betta food. You can also feed him frozen or freeze-dried blood worms and brine shrimp. Feed once or twice a day and only what he'll eat in a couple of minutes.

And if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask! :)

[mr gerbil]

The best thing to do is to get a 10 gallon tank with heating and a filter. They're not that expensive, although that depends on your budget.

For now, the best thing to do is buy:

10 gallon tank
Filter
Heater
Gravel
Water conditioner
Commercial nitrifying bacteria (bio-spira or Nutrafin cycle are good)
Water test kit

Do you know about tank cycling?

[hitbystars]

I have him in about a 3 gallon fancy tank right now.. the one where a live plant came in, but I took it out. It was so heavy in roots I figured he couldn't breathe when he went up for air.

My current food blurrs up the water, so I'm thinking about getting the blood worms.

What fish can he get along with?

I'll probably get a 5 gallon with a heater (and filter) since the temperature here is dropping real quick. I won't feel like changing the water when its 40 outside and our heating is awful inside the house.

I've only heard about tank cycling with salt water.. so no, I probably don't know much about it with fresh water fish.

[Nell]

Bettas will get along with other small non-nippy fish, such as corydoras, platies, mollies, and neons.

If you're thinking about adding a few more fish, I would suggest going with at least a 10 gallon. With a 5 gallon it would be difficult to keep any other fish in there, and the cost between setting up a 5 or 10 gallon would be about the same (typical cost is usually about $50-$100 for either).

[mr gerbil]

Cycling: nitrogen cycle: ammonia is broken down by nitrifying bacteria into nitrites before being broken down into nitrates.
Ammonia: most harmful
Nitrite: second most harmful
Nitrate: not harmful, but best to keep levels low.

When fish are first put in the tank, they produce ammonia that needs to be broken down. If the ammonia levels build up, it's harmful to them, and they can die.
This is why fishless cycling is used- cycling a tank with pure ammonia instead of fish. Google it.