Soon to be betta owner with questions...

[bellasly]

I've been interested in getting a betta for a long time now. Tomorrow I will be getting my tank, filter, heater, AP test kit etc. but not the fish. I know all about cycling and am very eager to start it. But I have a few questions...

I plan on getting a 5 gallon tank. This is more due to finances than anything but since most websites I read says not to go below 1 gallon, i think this should be alright. That being said, I don't know what kind of filter to get. My sister once had an under gravel, and I absolutley hated it so thats out of the question (not to mention, from what I've read, not recommended). I was thinking a sponge filter but alot of tanks come in kits with some sort of filter, usually the ones that contain carbon inserts. Do you recommend these?

Second, I've read a 25 W heater is sufficient for a 5 gallon. Would you recommend this or smaller/larger?

Also, when cycling a tank, do you recommend putting your decorations and plants in first (I plan on using silk plants for now as I'm not confident enough yet to try living) or do you wait until after your tank is cycled? I've read varying opinions on this...

Finally, I plan on feeding my fish a varied diet of pellets (pre-soaked) and freeze-dried bloodworms (or other, any recommendations?). Possible, twice a day, switching back and forth every other day with a day of rest per week. Does this sound reasonable? How much food would you give following this routine? 3 pellets? 4 worms? etc.

Thanks in advance for your replies! As you can tell I'm very detail-oriented and incredibley excited to get this thing going!!!

[cocoa_pleco]

Okay.

You can add decor before or after cycling, it doesnt matter. For filters, you can use a sponge filter or a small whisper is best. A 25W heater is good since its 5 watts/gallon. Bettas eat pellets daily and bloodworm once weekly.


Sounds like youre gonna have a happy betta!

[Rue]

Ditto what Cocoa said!!!

That will be one happy betta!

Just check the tank size on the thermometre wattage...25W is likely just fine....

I'd put all the ornaments and stuff in first...but if you can't, you can put it in later...a 5g is easy to manipulate...

[kimmers318]

Check out the Eclipse 5 gal tanks....they have a nice filter that all sits under the hood and a biowheel. I personally love bio wheels and any filters I buy will have them.
As for whether to go with sponge or regular filter, consider that a sponge filter doesn't really grab the gunk like a regular filter would. Although they are great for fry tanks and shrimp tanks where you don't have much waste anyway.
I have had very little success with small thermometers for smaller tanks in the betta tank and now just let the light heat it. The tank is in the warmest room in the house and all seems well so I don't even worry about it anymore. The betta and panda cory are quite happy in there.
Kudos to you for researching and planning first. A well cycled tank will be a happy healthy home for your betta!

[bettaboy691]

a sponge filter and weekly vacumming or sucking up gunk, or a wisp filter that doesnt creat much water movement.
25watt heater should be fine for 5 gallons, i use 50 watt turned lowest, but its the same as a 25 watt at full.
5 gallons is a perfect size for a betta.i have my bettas in 5 gallons heated anf filtered and they do very well.ALL betta tanks need to be heated and filtered. also, please ignore what sites have told you, 1 gallon for a betta is too small IMO. 5 gallon is the lowest gallons i would ever go, 3 minimum for anyone i would say, but i know others will disagree.
it doesnt much matter about adding decor and plants before or after, you will find yourself rearanging the stuff anyway, so adding first is probally better. live plants aret that hard i dont think, easy to grow ones such as java moss, moss balls and other mosses are easy, as are most floating plants like frogbit, plus the betta will enjoy the floating plants.
as for the foods, betta pellets, tetra prima or sometimes flakes (most bettas wont eat them) should be offered everyday, i give them twice daily, once in morning and once in afternoon. freezdried my bettas never liked, but frozen for live they loved. i would suggest looking into frozen bloodworms. also, brineshrimp, daphina and glassworms are popular with bettas. i feed live/frozen usally every 3 days or so, varing which i gave (bloodworms,brine shrimp, daphina or glassworms). i feed 3 pellets per feeding, and usally about 4-6 worms, or a small pipet full of brineshrimp/daphina. with live, i usally only feed that all day, adding a small amount in the morning, as it swims alone, the betta "hunts" them, add a little more in the afternoon, then the rest late afternoon. he then is usally fasted for the day after.
give him 20-40% water change weekly, adding water treatment, and he should live happy and well.
also, i want to say well done for doing plenty of research and finding out a lot of information, it helps a lot, and unlike many people, you will be prepeared and equiped in looking after your betta. im sure, like me the betta bug will bite you and you will be after more bettas, lol. good luck

[Tails]

I've been interested in getting a betta for a long time now. Tomorrow I will be getting my tank, filter, heater, AP test kit etc. but not the fish. I know all about cycling and am very eager to start it. But I have a few questions...

Yay congrats! :19:



I plan on getting a 5 gallon tank. This is more due to finances than anything but since most websites I read says not to go below 1 gallon, i think this should be alright. That being said, I don't know what kind of filter to get. My sister once had an under gravel, and I absolutley hated it so thats out of the question (not to mention, from what I've read, not recommended). I was thinking a sponge filter but alot of tanks come in kits with some sort of filter, usually the ones that contain carbon inserts. Do you recommend these?

I went through these same questions before I got my tank lol I ended up getting a 15gallon tank with a HOB filter (which will need to be cleaned sometime). The downside to this insert type filter is that the good bacteria that helps your tank goes when you replace the insert, and your tank will have to "start over" to a degree. My friend recommends the sponge filters, and she's halved her sponge (I havent seen it, but this is how she explained it) so she cleans out the first sponge, leaving the 2nd one as-is. Next time, she cleans the one she didnt clean in the 1st place, and leaves the 1st one. This way, there is always some good bacteria helping your tank :) Oh, and I would not recommend an UGF (under gravel filter)...from a beginner's point of view, these filters seemed like too much work for me :P



Second, I've read a 25 W heater is sufficient for a 5 gallon. Would you recommend this or smaller/larger?


This is fine :thumb: Some people recommend even getting a 75w one, as the higher they are, the less frequently they'll have to turn on and off, but I'm no scientist so I dont know how true that is haha. To me, 80 F is 80 F whether you have a 25w or a 100w heater?



Also, when cycling a tank, do you recommend putting your decorations and plants in first (I plan on using silk plants for now as I'm not confident enough yet to try living) or do you wait until after your tank is cycled? I've read varying opinions on this...


Hehe I put everything in at once (after washing everything of course). I would highly recommend living plants - they're not as complicated as they seem. They also help with your tank cycling, and keeping your tank clean once its cycled (not in a huge way, but they help). Try to find hardy, "beginner" plants like Java Fern or Anubis which pretty much grow under any circumstances (low light, etc). Speaking of lighting, what lighting do you have?



Finally, I plan on feeding my fish a varied diet of pellets (pre-soaked) and freeze-dried bloodworms (or other, any recommendations?). Possible, twice a day, switching back and forth every other day with a day of rest per week. Does this sound reasonable? How much food would you give following this routine? 3 pellets? 4 worms? etc.


I feed a flake mix called TetraBetta which has bits of shrimp and krill in it too (but I dont feed too much brine/krill cos it can cause constipation problems from what I've read) twice a day (once when the lights go on at 9.30am, and just before the lights go off at 5.30pm) and will be feeding my guy a bloodworm or two every 4 days or so (in place of his 9.30am flakes). It is very easy to overfeed a betta, so just be cautious when feeding. I like to wait for my guy to eat each piece before I drop more in (and subsequently have taught him to jump a little out of the water to grab the krill/shrimp from my fingers :P)



Thanks in advance for your replies! As you can tell I'm very detail-oriented and incredibley excited to get this thing going!!!

That's great! I too am VERY detail-orientated so I know how you feel :thumb:

Oh, and of course, pics please :18:

[riverfish81]

5 gallon I think is perfect....The bettas that I've had that did the best were in 5 gallon tanks. My tank set up is a 5 gallon with a Whisper bio sponge filter. I don't have a heater because I have a light that warms the water temperture to 78 degrees all on its own. I don't have to clean my tank very often because I always keep one black mystery snail in my betta tank. My first starter live plant is a java fern and it works great....very hard to kill unless you keep it out of water. It does great in absolutely any light and if you put a snail in there it won't eat it. Freddy loves to hide in it. Sounds like you've done great researching before you purchase your betta:19: