Getting A Betta! Can You Tell Me A Bit About Them?

[lil-x-me...x]

Hiya,

have decided to set up my 15ltr biorb

(by the way do i need to cycle it as it hasnt been used since about 1 year ago.)

am putting a betta in, thinking royal blue coloured. love them. However could you give me some basic info on them as i am totally new to them.

Thanks x

p.s i now this sounds daft, but i need a hood for 15ltr and a plug for 15ltr and a thermometre suitable for it. as lost the hood and plug and need a thermometre.

thanks a bunch feel free to email me if you have any of the things i need thanks x could do with them soon if planning to get a betta soon if tank doesnt need to be cycled x

 

[Nikkig85]

I'm pitty new to thw fish keeping thing. I got my betta about 4 weeks after i set up the tank and he's really happy and healthy. I found him really easy to care for, some can be a little slow to eat but once they have chilled in their new tank they are fine. Infact mine it the first to the top when he sees the yellow tube come out of the cupboard and i haven't even opened the feeding hatch.

They are great to watch just a word of warning tho keep with placid fish if you put any in with him!! I mage the mistake of putting barbs in on the advice of a so called expert!!! They went back after 3 days! He gets on really well with the neons.

Hope this is a bit of help but to be honest they are the same as most fish, keep them fed and they seam to be happy!

 

[lil-x-me...x]

oh thank goodness they arnt picky fish

im not putting anymore fish in with him, the tanks too small. for a biorb would anyone recomend sand to put in it from my other aquarium, before i start washing out some gravel i have? thanks for the advice x

 

[tibby25731]

Hi! welcome

As you have another tank already set up, grab a bit of mature filter media from there to seed your new tank with. You need to do this once you already have the betta acclimatising to the water in his bag, as bacteria will die off pretty quickly with no ammonia source. I'm not too familiar with BiOrbs, but I believe they are undergravel filters? Hopefully someone with more experience of this sort of filter can help you with where to place the mature media - doing this is called 'cloning' and instantly cycles the tank for a small amount of fish. make sure to replace the bit of filter media that you take out of your other tank though, it will seed up again withing 48 hours.

As the BiOrb is undergravel filtered I would'nt reccommend sand. Stick to gravel. When you sort out your heater, set it for 80 degrees, bettas like warm water. Also, make you wiat till you get a hood before buying the betta, as they are notorious jumpers!Buy some plants, real or fake, as bettas love plants, especially ones with broad leaves that they can rest on. And a cave is usually appreciated, a half coconut one is great.

when you go to buy a betta, pick one that is active and taking notice of you. Don't buy one with clamped fins or tail, and look out for signs of fin rot - black or red edging to the tail. He should have clear eyes. Watch him for a while first, check he swims OK, and watch for him flaring out his fins so you can get a good look at them. The longer you watch for, the more likely he is to come and take a good look at you too!

Buy some betta pellets. He eats about 6 of these a day, some people feed these over 2 sittings. And get some frozen bloodworm to give him as a weekly treat. You can give these to your other fish too, just chop a little bit off the chunk and defrost. only give him about 4 or 5 bloodworms. I also have Tetra Betta flake to feed occasionally, but a lot of bettas refuse flake!