Newbie with questions

[Samakah]

Hello everyone! ^_^

I plan on getting a Betta tomorrow, and I'm wondering if I've done everything right, or what else I should do.

I have a 1.5 gallon with some gravel, two fake plants, a filter, a heater, and a thermometer. I've got the water in there now, I put conditioner in earlier. So it is sitting around waiting to house a Betta. Should I test the water at the store before I purchase the Betta to make sure everything is alright?

Once I put the Betta in there, when should I do my next water change, and how much? How often should I test the water chemistry for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate?

I've read various things about what and how often to feed a Betta. What do you guys think? Betta bits? Freeze dried bloodworms, frozen bloodworms? Anything else? Do they touch vacation feeders?

How often should I change the filter?

[Brhino]

Hello and welcome to the AC!

Please read the free ebook here ([Only Registered Users Can See Links.]). Your newly set up tank is not cycled. It will be very hard on your betta if you just add him to the tank as-is. That link will teach you about cycling with or without fish and give advice for testing and water changes.

1.5 gallons is unfortunately smaller than most people will recommend keeping a betta in. 3-5 gallons would be much better. I'm sure that's not what you'd like to hear now that you've just got your tank started, but it is what it is. If acquiring a larger tank is possible, it will definitely result in a healthier, happier, longer-lived betta.

Sorry I haven't answered all your questions, but those are probably the most important things.

[Northernguy]

Welcome to the Fabulous AC!:22:

The ebook is a great start.Your tank must have an established tank to be safe for your fish.
You can do a fishless cycle by adding bottled ammonia to the tank.Here is how you do that.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]


The bacteria booster you added to the tank is meant for cycling with fish or to help your tank out of a mini cycle.They are suppose to be added when you add your fish.They help keep the toxins from killing the fish but there is a lot of other work to do
If you are planning on cycling this way you will have to do a lot of testing and a lot of water changes,probably daily.Smaller tanks do get high readings of ammonia fast because there is so little water.Ammonia is very poisonous to the fish.So are the nitrites that come after that.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Don't forget dechlorinator.

[Irish2539]

Ill answer some of the other Q's.. bare in mind tank is a bit small and id do what the other 2 guys have suggested.

Well as for feeding, Betta's need meaty food like bloodworms ect... A varied diet is best... I use flake food as a stable diet,, and i feed bloodworms.. 2,3 or 4 times a week...

vacation feeders..? Goldfish, guppy..? Well no, They generally wouldnt eat fish... maybe Little fry... I keep mine with Guppies and fry which he leaves alone, and also shrimp... However some Bettas may attack guppies and eat fry and shrimp.. It all depends on the individual Betta..