I have a 15"*10"810" tank sitting in the garage and I was thinking of setting it up for my Dwarf Frog and a Betta.

Now I have 2 tropical tanks but know nothing about Bettas and I keep being told different stuff live they don't need heaters filters gravel etc so I thought before I do anything I'll ask here.

The room where I plan to place the tank is about 20oC so I was thinking I might need a small heater I also have a small filter.

I also know very little about bettas in general so I have read the FAQ's on here and know a little more but I'm confused what to look for in a fish the girl in me just wants a pretty one oh yes my husband knows nothing about this well he did give me some money and tell me to buy something nice

Also I know nothing about what I should pay for a betta every shop I've been in has widely different prices and some had them in tiny tiny plastic bag inside bigger tanks so I was thinking a breeder might be the way to go.

So feel free to educate me.

Oh yes I've also seen heaters that are like a pad rather than a tube are these any good in a acrylic tank?

This post has been edited by moll: May 23 2008, 08:45 PM

ohhhh welcome to the betta world the tank is a perfect size for a betta, basically its normally a general thing that people will pay anything as long as its a betta they want, when your searching through pet shops dont buy anything that is not moving, the betta must be atleast having a good nose at you, look at the eyes and they should be alert and look healthy, the scales and colouration must be good, its obvious really to what is a happy and healthy fish compared to one that isnt. dont be put off by buying one at the top price range, go for the quality only thats more important, as we dont want to give money to the sellers that dont care do we ?
Anyhow, im not gunna plug my sales on here to you b/c in general when first new to bettas its best to go for a basic veiltail from your local shop and see how it goes, im sure you can find one that you can give a good home too. a veiltail is the type you usually see in the shops, just in case your wondering but please dont shout at me if you feel insulted by that comment as i dont mean it its just hard at times to know what people already know.
oh and yes he needs a heater and filter for sure as with being new to them it will help you loads, the flat heaters that your on about are good, they allow the temp to be a few degrees above room temp so that should be fine

This post has been edited by modaz: May 21 2008, 10:25 AM

Welcome to the world of bettas. You will need to have gravel and I suggest a live plant. I keep mine in a 2 gallon. I find that my light and filter maintain the tempature at the tempature they like.

you don't "need" to have gravel, in fact many people with small tanks prefer not to, as its easier to see when to clean, and easier when doing 100% water changes. its really worthwhile getting a heater too, bettas do better with a constant temperature

I've used marble in the bottom of one of my tanks. Gravel is certainly not a necessity.

That flat heater will work, but if it's anything like mine, it may not be powerful enough. Definitely consider filtering a tank that size. I don't know about you, but I'm not too partial to changing that much water weekly (and i'm lazy ). Just keep in mind that most bettas do horribly with any sort of current. So buy an appropriate filter that has adjustable flow. There are other methods of killing the current that I can point you to if you need to go that route.

The thing about bettas is that they are pretty hardy fish and CAN live in just about any environment that you throw at them. Most people just keep their bettas in sub-par homes just because they are oblivious. It's much more fun to have a large, heated tank to watch them explore and thrive in. Good job getting on here and asking questions instead of just buying one and crossing your fingers!

About picking a betta: I usually go for the smaller, active guys in the stores. You can get a general idea about the betta's age from the size and more importantly fin length. Just use common sense and get a fish that is responsive and moving. IMO veiltails in the stores can be VERY good looking. Ordering online from a site like aquabid can be a bit risky (in terms of getting a healthy fish that is actually the same as the picture). There are quite a few breeders on this site that are very reputable though. For a first betta, a store bought guy would probably be your best bet, but it's entirely up to you. You shouldn't have to pay more than $5 or so for a good veiltail.

It's a pretty simple fish to keep in all honesty. You should be a great owner.

Thank you all I have a filter that is sitting around from the last time the tank was in use I have some media maturing in the other filter just in case we nedded a hospital tank.

I told my husband and he is ok about it all

so today I'm off to look at fish I probably won't buy but I want to see what is out there and the choices and to learn what to look for.

I plan to use play sand as a subtrate and if it works well then I' going to change my fry tank to it as well.

How do I go about feeding once I have him I know they like bloodworm as do frogs but what sort of routine do I need?

I'm also going to look out for small heaters.

Just get some betta pellets from your lfs. Some pellets are better than others... i recommend Hikari Betta Bio-Gold if they have it. Feed 2-4 pieces twice a day. You can throw in some bloodworms every once in a while, but I personally don't make it a primary diet.

I have 2 frogs in with my betta. I ffed the betta the Hikari betta pellets, 2-3 at a time, and Tetra betta flakes, just a tiny pinch. i try to feed him 3 times a day if possible.
I feed the frogs on frozen bloodworm twice a week, and I pop the piece of cube into a turkey baster and aim the food at them. I do this while the betta is eating some pellets, this means the frogs get a fighting chance to eat before the betta spies the bloodworm!