Intro

[STEPHANIE11]

Ok well I just got my first pet fish last week its a betta fish. Right now im keeping him in a 5 gallon tank but I was looking in the newspaper and saw an ad for a 20 gallon for only $30 (love at first sight) its in perfect condition so I bought it :D ok well before I put the fish in it any tips as i am pretty much new to this entire fish thing still. :rolleyes:
what other fish get along with bettas?
oh and if none of you mind posting pics of your tanks so i have some decorating ideas:)

[mr gerbil]

A 20gal's going to be far better for him ;) . As for tips...how much do you know?

[honeythorn]

Right now im keeping him in a 5 gallon tank but I was looking in the newspaper and saw an ad for a 20 gallon for only $30 (love at first sight) its in perfect condition so I bought it

At last at last!!!! someone who has a shred of sense!!!! good on you for getting a 20 gallon:D

Your betta will have loads of room in that.

Species that have been mentioned to get along with bettas are as follows:

Platies ( 4-6 )
corys ( small species, at least 4)
some types of tetras like lemons and maybe silvertips just keep an eye on the bettas fins because tetras have been known to fin nip. ( at least 8 )
You could try swordtails, but again, keep an eye that the betta doesn't take exception to the "sword" and think it's another betta. (4-6)
Khulie loaches, at least 3, as they are social. Also nocturnal.

Avoid fish like gouramis, they don't always get along with bettas, and since this is fairly new the last thing you will need is a fish fight.

Don't get guppies either. The flowing brightly coloured tails of males in perticular will more than likely provoke a fit of pique in the betta and it's bye bye guppy.

All in all just stick to fairly small peaceful fish, that don't have long or brightly coloured fins that will provoke an attack.

Don't forget you will need a heater, filter, test kit and dechlorinator


You must treat all water with dechlorinator before you even put a drop in the tank. When the tank is set up, you will need to cycle it, preferably using bottle ammonia, which I believe you can get over there. I will leave someone else, Nell or Sora maybe to explain further on the cycling process. In the meantime, I found this to be a good website for general information.

http://www.thekrib.com/

Don't underestimate the value of books either. I have at least 10 on fishkeeping that I like to dip into on occasion to refresh my memory and gain alternating viewpoints.


I cannot resist an offer to post a pic of my tank!! here it is now, I just bought an ornament for it, an arch on the left hand side. It will be the only non natural ornament I shall have in there, as I really hate those tacky bright neon cartoony figures and shipwrecks ect..

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i148/honeythorn/meagain005.jpg

And this is the tank a couple of months before. Not much different really, a bit less bushy perhaps:)

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i148/honeythorn/clairepicsfish006.jpg


Good luck with your tank, I'm sure it will be great:D

[STEPHANIE11]

Ok well so far I have a filter and water conditioner I havent bought the heater yet.
Should i just leave the tank with the water and the filter and water conditioner for a couple of days before I put any fish in ?:confused:

[honeythorn]

No, you need to leave it at least a week. You need to cycle the tank. Look up cycling tanks on the net. I have never cycled a tank using pure ammonia, as we can't buy it here ( strict regulations) . I had to cycle with fish.

You start off with 1-3 fish ( say 3 platies for example ) you put them in the tank after leaving it all running for a week. After the first couple of days I tested the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels in the water. Then after a few more days I tested again. You keep testing every few days until the ammonia peaks ( a high reading) and then drops to 0. When all 3 levels ( ammonia nitrite and nitrate have reached 0 the tank is cycled.

During all this time I did a 25% water change every 2-3 days. Don't let the ammonia build up, it will kill your fish. This is just the way I did it. Others do things differently, so you will hear many methods:D

[STEPHANIE11]

ok thanks !

[Sorathien]

honeythorn, there is no purpose to letting the tank run empty for a week. if you use a water conditioner, the only reason to let the tank run empty for any length of time would be to let it get up to the right temperature. water conditioners work instantly and remove chlorine and chloramines.

do a google search for the Nitrogen cycle and read up on it.

personally i would setup the 20g and put the betta in it by itself. go to http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444177 6772&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030068&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1155444142646&itemNo=1&In=Fish&N=2030068&Ne=2 and choose the "freshwater master test kit" from the drop-down menue, then print out the page and take it to your local petsmart and have them price match that item. that will save you about $10.

liquid test kits are so much better than the dip strips. they are more accurate, last about 10x as long.

once you get that test kit, test your water daily for ammonia. if the ammonia begins to register on the test, do a water change until its at MOST .25ppm and try to keep it that low. do not change the filter or clean it whatsoever. the filter is where good bacteria form that process your fishes waste and make it into less-harmful nitrates, which you remove through water changes every week.

once your cycle finishes with just a betta, then you can very slowly start adding other fish. for tank mates, any fish that doesn't have long fins and bright colors like a betta (the betta will think its another male and try to kill it) and any fish that isn't agressive or nippy (that fish will pick on the betta and nip at his fins)

some suggestions would be a school of glowlight tetras or harlequin rasboras (6 or more to form a school), perhaps some dwarf corydora catfish (3 minimum). usually shrimp and snails don't last very long with bettas in my expirience.

[PooingCavy]

Lucky! I have mine in a 9 gallon setup, and trust me, its a hassle trying to get compatible fish, nothing seems right in the tiny tank! Good luck!

I have a hunch ill be upgrading.

Your fishy is lucky, it only had to live in a 5 gallon for a week before getting a nice upgrade. Mine had a rough start, my mom impulse bought, had to move from a cup to a bamboo vase to a more appropiate 1 gallon, which still wasnt good, to then a 9 gallon without a heater, to one with a heater.

Good luck! I have to admit im a bit jelous.

[Tazwell]

I just mentioned this on another thread somewhere, but I would recommend Seachem Prime as a water conditioner. I love the stuff, and you get a lot for what you pay for. It detoxifies ammonia (and nitrites, or so it claims), while still making it useable for your cycle. It won't save your fish from ammonia poisoning or anything, but it sure will help, especially while cycling with fish :) It doesn't mess up your test results, like other ammonia detoxifiers, which is really great for cycling!

[mynoven]

Mines kinda plain (actually my daughters) she is getting all new stuff next month with her allowance...NOT looking forward to the gravel change.

He is in a 29 gallon by himself:

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i53/mynoven/P1090035.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i53/mynoven/P1050002.jpg