Betta Help

[fi$hys]

Hi all,
I have always wanted a betta but i have never known what to keep them in that is small but atleast a gallon. I now know that you can get great cheap stackable containers i think i will get one of them but what i want to know is what do they eat. What ph and temp do they need the water ect.It will eather be kept by my tank or on my desk.
Please give me some advice please.
thanks
Mat

 

[fi$hys]

can anybody help me please i am lookin at 2.5 g ones but i still need help please.
Mat

 

[WILDER]

I would go for the 2.5gal rather than a one gal.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=39386

 

[majid83@gmail.com]

Betta's can live in a gallon tank, but the bigger the better space for them to swim in. You should go with a 2.5G tank, this way you can add little bit more decorations (if you want to). You can also add in a bottom feeder. They like to eat frozen worms or dried shrimp, anything that is not vegetarian. I found them to be carnivores. You may perform a 25% water change on the tank after it has been well-established. With just one fish in a 2.5G tank you wont' need weekly water changes. I am assuming you will be adding in a filter too.

Good luck with that, and please send me pictures after you add the fish in a bowl or tank (which ever you decide). I love to collect pics of fish tanks.

Take care.

 

[MegTheFish]

A 2.5 gallon tank would be fine, but there is no point in filtering it, just do 100% water changes every week or two.
And Majid, when you say bottom feeder, what kind of bottom feeder are you talking about? There are a bazillion different kinds of bottom feeders out there.

 

[majid83@gmail.com]

Pleco, Algae eater, Cory catfish.

 

[Synirr]

Pleco, Algae eater, Cory catfish.

Not in anything less than 10 gallons, no way. Maybe you could have pygmy cories in a 5 gallon, but cories like to be in groups of at least 3, so you have to consider how crowded they'd be at the bottom. Most commonly found plecos get very large. Common plecos can get a foot long or more and require 55 gallons minimum. Assuming the "algae eater" you mention is a Chinese algae eater, they require a minimum of 25 gallons and become quite aggressive as adults... I'm sure one would gladly shred and munch a betta.

The best tankmate choices for most bettas, in my opinion, are:
- 1 gallon -- nothing
- 2.5 gallon -- small snails or ghost shrimp if the betta will allow them (some like to kill shrimp and snails)
- 5 gallon -- a couple of African dwarf frogs, shrimp, snails, or possibly a trio of pygmy cories (assuming the tank is filtered)
- 10+ gallon -- African dwarf frogs, cories, khuli loaches, shrimp, snails, otos, possibly small species of pleco depending on the tank size and aggression (research the specific needs of the species you're interested in first.) If you have a docile betta there are other options, but these are the ones that generally work well