betta temperature

[alabaster]

Will bettas be okay at 70 degrees? Is that too cold? Will they be lethargic? Whats a minimum temperature for bettas that they will still be active and healthy at?

 

[BettaMomma]

70 is a tad bit too cold.
All of mine are always about 78 and they love it.
They say they really like being in the high 70's and they're most active then.

I would say that the bare minimum acceptible temp would be 74, although I think as long as it would stay steady, that'd be better than fluctuations...

 

[eudielynn]

I agree with BettaMomma. 70 is a little cool for them, but I have read that 68 is the absolute minimum. I keep my tanks at 78 and my bettas seem to be more active at the higher temps. Mine haven't really said anything one way or the other but BettaMomma's seem to talk a little more than mine do.

 

[OohFeeshy]

LOL, how did you manage to get the thermometer in their mouths

 

[alabaster]

OK thanks. Here is what I plan to do (since I want to get some bettas soon, and I can't contain myself much longer lol):

For each betta (I plan on getting about two and going from there) I will buy:

2 1/2 gallon glass aquarium

a heater...any cheap suggestions-I need one that has a thermostat

an Azoo palm filter (is this ok for bettas)

some java moss and a small piece of driftwood or rock

possibly some java fern also

Oh, and I already have enough natural pea gravel for several 2.5 gal tanks


How does this setup sound? Any heater suggestions? Is the palm filter OK? ABout how much should this cost? Comments?

 

[BettaMomma]

Okay, you smartypantses.
When I said "They say....." I meant humans in general, not the fish. LOL


For your setup - it sounds fabulous!
The heaters I use aren't necessarily really cheap, but they work like a dream and they're not super expensive for what you get... I use 25 watt neptune heaters and I love them. They cost around 12$ or so. They have gauges on them so you can set the temp you want them to be.

 

[alabaster]

Are the neptune heaters fully submersible?

If they are, that's great, since they are pretty cheap and they have them at my LFS.

 

[BettaMomma]

No - they're not fully submersible unfortunately.

 

[alabaster]

Also, if I got a ten gallon, could I get a small AC or a penguin mini?

 

[alabaster]

ok thanks. Do bettas pick on apple snails? I have a snail that is being bullied by my mollies and was thinking of going for a ten gallon and having a betta, one or two (may buy one more) apple snails, several ghost shrimp, and some dwarf cories or otos. Will that work?

 

[Kiarra]

Some Bettas pick on Apple Snails. Many don't. It really depends on the individual Betta.

They do have a tendency to eat Ghost Shrimp. If this doesn't bother you, then that's fine. If it does...you might not want to put them together, or your Ghost Shrimp will have their days be numbered.

Cories and Otos are fine. I've kept both with Bettas, but, again, it does depend on the temperament of the individual Betta. Some are just mean, and others adapt quite well to life with other critters.