Advice Needed!

[Callie84]

Hi guys,

Could really use some advice.
One of my mates bought a male betta, (she killed her first one) and now she is bored with it. So im going to save him from getting flushed.
I have other tropical fish but have never had a betta. I have a 7L tank i can put him in but i have a few qestions.

What pH would he prefer? pH is very high here, i adgust it to 6.6 for my other fish.

What temp in Celcius do they tolerate? (its winter here)

What substrate would be best? i have gravel or sand

Could he survive on tropical fish micro pellets and freeze dried blood worm for a couple of days? til i can get to the petshop to buy betta food?


Thanks for taking the time to help.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

What pH would he prefer? pH is very high here, i adgust it to 6.6 for my other fish.

Neutral (7.0) pH is what I keep all my betta tanks at.

What temp in Celcius do they tolerate? (its winter here)

24C-26C is best.

What substrate would be best? i have gravel or sand

There's really no preference. I keep all my tanks bare-bottomed because they're esier to clean, but gravel and sand are fine too.

Could he survive on tropical fish micro pellets and freeze dried blood worm for a couple of days? til i can get to the petshop to buy betta food?

Yup. I feed my bettas betta pellets and freeze dried food so that should be fine.

 

[joycould]

What type of tropical fish do you have? Some fish will bother the betta and others the betta will bother, every fish is different so have a back up plan even if it is a gallon bowl for the betta.

 

[branjie]

Congrats on your new Betta. My Betta is happy in a tank at 26 degrees celcius. I have gravel in my tank, but I don't think he really cares about the gravel. He's not really one to go pecking through the gravel for food left overs or anything. I aim for a pH of 7 in my tank, but it was really acidic when I checked today. I think it was down to 4!!!! Mind you my Betta seemed happy as Larry in there. I've done a 40% water change, and the pH is up to 6. I'll change more water tomorrow to get it to 7. He likes the frozen blood worms, and brine shrimp for tea. I also feed general tropical fish flakes in the morning, and he'll eat those if he's really hungry.

 

[Callie84]

Thanks for the replies guys

Mommyof2bettas thanx so much! I have no idea when she is going to bring my new fish over, so at least im prepared now.

Have to admit i was starting to panic, just a little

So now i have a little 7L tank with sand a silk plant for him, i dont think i will add the water til i get him so i know it is fresh.
Its a small tank, but its got to be better than those tiny cups or vases people put them in.

And he will be in there by him self, so he should have enough room( she says he doesnt move much)
Is that normal?Or is it coz he is in a small space that is probably too cold?

I also have a small corner filter im going to try in there. its one that has an air stone running it. but i can take it out if it stirs the water up too much.

Is there anything else i should know?

 

[mommyof2bettas]

1) Bettas build bubblenests. They do this when they're breeding, but it is also a sign they are comfortable in their new home. This is a bunch of bubbles at the surface of the water. Not all bettas make nests though, so don't worry if he doesn't.
2)If the water gets cold bettas will become lethargic, and more susceptible to diseases, so it's best to keep his tank at a stable temp. That is probably why the betta doesn't move much atm.
3) filters are good, but bettas don't like high currents, they get annoyed and the currents will rip their fins. If the current is too high, puy a piece of plastic over the water that's coming out ( like from a pop bottle) to make the current slower.
4)Bettas are labyrinth fish. Don't be alarmed if you see him taking gulps of air at the surface.
5)Males and sometimes females will flare at their own reflections or at other males. They open their gills and spread out their fins. You can put a mirror in front of your betta every day for a couple of minutes to help stretch his fins...
HTH!

 

[Callie84]

Thankyou for your help.

I will have to post some pics when he is all set up.