A bunch of questions I want to know for my new Betta tank

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RainGamma

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So Iā€™m looking to buy a 50 gallon tank for my Betta. I love my Betta and I want to give him a good home. So I found these two filters, itā€™s going to be in my bedroom so I hope it will be quiet which ever one I choose. I am coming here to talk to the pros about it because I think there are some people here better than me.
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aquaclear-50-aquarium-power-filter Or https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aqueon-quietflow-50-aquarium-power-filter



If you have other suggestions for filter please post! Also I might be adding in some tetras as well which if I recall correctly they are pretty good swimmers better than the Betta. Also might be getting an algae fish and Iā€™m wondering which one and wondering if gravel would be good for Bristlenose pleco. Also I need a light and heater so if anyone can help me on that, that would be appreciated. Also Iā€™m kind of scared of ick and just wondering how to prevent it from happening.

Thanks for reading and have a great day.
 
So Iā€™m looking to buy a 50 gallon tank for my Betta. I love my Betta and I want to give him a good home. So I found these two filters, itā€™s going to be in my bedroom so I hope it will be quiet which ever one I choose. I am coming here to talk to the pros about it because I think there are some people here better than me.
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aquaclear-50-aquarium-power-filter Or https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aqueon-quietflow-50-aquarium-power-filter



If you have other suggestions for filter please post! Also I might be adding in some tetras as well which if I recall correctly they are pretty good swimmers better than the Betta. Also might be getting an algae fish and Iā€™m wondering which one and wondering if gravel would be good for Bristlenose pleco. Also I need a light and heater so if anyone can help me on that, that would be appreciated. Also Iā€™m kind of scared of ick and just wondering how to prevent it from happening.

Thanks for reading and have a great day.
I have the Aqua Clear filters and really like them. I never notice mine as far as noise. Regarding plecos, I have one of mine on gravel and one on sand. I see the one on gravel out a lot more. The Hydor Theo is probably my favorite heater although I have several different brands. The Hydor stays on cue with proper temp year round. Iā€™m going to leave the stocking issues to others as I believe bettas should be kept alone. You do have a large tank however. Good luck!
 
AquaClear is the better brand of filter. They come with 1 sponge, 1 bag of ceramic beads and 1 bag of carbon. Leave the carbon and beads in the box and get 2 more sponges when you buy it, and just have 3 sponges in the filter.
 
So Iā€™m looking to buy a 50 gallon tank for my Betta

Do you mean 50 gallon or 5 gallon?



Bettas are not good community fish, they should be kept alone, with maybe a snail for company. A 5 to 10 gallon tank is perfect for a betta. If you want a 50 gallon tank, fill that with fish that you like but don't put the betta in there as well.
 
AquaClear is the better brand of filter. They come with 1 sponge, 1 bag of ceramic beads and 1 bag of carbon. Leave the carbon and beads in the box and get 2 more sponges when you buy it, and just have 3 sponges in the filter.
I agree in throwing the carbon out but I would keep the beads.
 
I have a zacro heater in my betta tank and it keeps the temp at a constant 80 degrees. It does heat a lighter higher then what I set, but you can easily set it lower.

As for fish, harlequin rasboras are super peaceful and would ignore your betta. What I would be more concerned about though, is whether your betta would leave the other fish alone. Does he flare often? Mine often flares when people come look into his tank so I know he would never be suitable to go in a community tank But not all bettas are the same. Also, if it is a 5 gallon tank and not a 50, I would not put any other fish in with him. The only "companion" you could put with him would be a snail. Nerite snails are good because the can't reproduce in freshwater and they are really good algae eaters.
 
Do you mean 50 gallon or 5 gallon?



Bettas are not good community fish, they should be kept alone, with maybe a snail for company. A 5 to 10 gallon tank is perfect for a betta. If you want a 50 gallon tank, fill that with fish that you like but don't put the betta in there as well.
Well Iā€™m not sure if Iā€™m going to have a community tank, I just got the 50 gal because it was a good price. I might add some ghost shrimp because my Betta was being passive towards them.
 
AquaClear is the better brand of filter. They come with 1 sponge, 1 bag of ceramic beads and 1 bag of carbon. Leave the carbon and beads in the box and get 2 more sponges when you buy it, and just have 3 sponges in the filter.
Good thing I already have some sponges I bought
 
I agree that a smaller tank may be better.

Generally, the larger tank the better, but it doesn't quite make sense for a beta for a few reasons.

Beta's are generally not community fish, they are best left in a tank alone many fish nip at bettas fins or are just too fast moving. A 5 or 10 gallon would be great.

If you are indeed getting a tank, I'd recommend going for a 55 instead of a 50....its the same size just a couple inches taller. The price should be about the same, so why not? Unless of course the price is right on the 50.

The aquaclear is by far a superior filter and arguably the best hang on back you can get. I have been using acuaclear filters for a very long time. They are quiet and effective. I always toss the carbon, and either double up on sponges or bio rings. I prefer more sponge, but use 1 layer of bio ring in 1 of the 2 filters.

Another problem with larger tanks that you with a betta is the filter itself. A larger tank needs a larger filter which has a much stronger water draw on the inlet and your betta may get stuck to it. (This can be fixed with a prefilter) The outlet will also be stronger and will push your betta around.

For a 50 gallon+ tank, I'd just go all out with an AC110 or even 2. I would however not recommend a powerful filter like this for a betta though.

For heaters, I have used many over the years. Many of them have not lasted very long. Currently I have a fluval heater and an aqueon in 1 tank. These heaters have lasted me much longer then any other heater that I have used. There are better heaters out there, but these have been working well for me.

https://www.petsmart.com/fish/heating-and-lighting/heaters/fluval-submersible-heaters-16575.html

I don't remember what I paid for my heaters, but that seems like a good deal. Amazon also has some great prices on the aqueon heater I use

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YACE0K/?tag=ff0d01-20

I have a larger version.

Sounds like you have a lot to think about. What tank is the betta in now?
 
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Well Iā€™m not sure if Iā€™m going to have a community tank, I just got the 50 gal because it was a good price. I might add some ghost shrimp because my Betta was being passive towards them.

A solitary Betta in a 50g tank will make the tank seem empty I would think.

Do not put other fish in with a male Betta, regardless of tank size. Bettas are not community fish. And it is not being kind to the Betta to risk its well being just to experiment. Bettas often take a dislike to certain other fish, and other fish find the Betta's flowing fins and sedate nature too tempting.
 
For stocking, I think it depends on the temperament of the betta, so long as the other fish arenā€™t fin nippers or otherwise aggressive. Some bettas hate everything and everyone while others can coexist with other species. The giant tank would probably also help that. I think that 50 gallons is just fine for a betta, with or without other fish. Even if it looks bare itā€™s not like itā€™ll be bad for the betta to have that much room to itā€™s self. If you already have the betta, does he flare a lot? If you donā€™t already have the betta, maybe put him in by himself first to get a feel for his level of aggression? If heā€™s not very aggressive put in the other fish that you want. Re arrange everything and put them in. I might be wrong on some of this.
 
For stocking, I think it depends on the temperament of the betta, so long as the other fish arenā€™t fin nippers or otherwise aggressive. Some bettas hate everything and everyone while others can coexist with other species. The giant tank would probably also help that. I think that 50 gallons is just fine for a betta, with or without other fish. Even if it looks bare itā€™s not like itā€™ll be bad for the betta to have that much room to itā€™s self. If you already have the betta, does he flare a lot? If you donā€™t already have the betta, maybe put him in by himself first to get a feel for his level of aggression? If heā€™s not very aggressive put in the other fish that you want. Re arrange everything and put them in. I might be wrong on some of this.
Well my Betta was fine with some ghost shrimp. But they died after a year cuz thatā€™s how long they live
 
For stocking, I think it depends on the temperament of the betta, so long as the other fish arenā€™t fin nippers or otherwise aggressive. Some bettas hate everything and everyone while others can coexist with other species. The giant tank would probably also help that. I think that 50 gallons is just fine for a betta, with or without other fish. Even if it looks bare itā€™s not like itā€™ll be bad for the betta to have that much room to itā€™s self. If you already have the betta, does he flare a lot? If you donā€™t already have the betta, maybe put him in by himself first to get a feel for his level of aggression? If heā€™s not very aggressive put in the other fish that you want. Re arrange everything and put them in. I might be wrong on some of this.
I had him for a while. For maybe a year from what I know he isnā€™t aggressive but is curious of other fish he sees like he would chase my ghost shrimp not to harm I guess to play with it.
 
Well, I would guess it would be fine to keep him the 50 gallon with those other fish. It would be good to have a back up plan for if he does become aggressive towards the other fish. I've read that having large schools/shoals of fish help with aggression with in the school/shoal because there are more fish to be aggressive to. Maybe this would be the same but with the betta being aggresive, if he does harass(?) them. I've never had a big enough tank to keep fish together so i don't know how aggresion really works.
 
I would never keep a betta with other fish. Either he'll nip the other fish or they will stress him either by nipping him,by their swimming behaviour or by just being in 'his' territory. Bettas are solitary fish.
 

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