Getting My First Betta Tank Tomorrow

[Luke_e]

I'll be going to wilkinsons tomorow to get a large kritter keeper for my future betta. I might get the gravel too, and set it up ready.
Question, if i set up a tank with gravel, plant, water inside, with no fish but a lid ontop will it still be fine for when i get the betta?
Also, are there many small heaters with built in thermostats so they cut off when they reach the correct temp.
Thanks.

 

[Durbkat]

Yes and Yes. The water will be fine until you can get a betta and it depends on the size of the kritter keeper if it was bigger than 2.5g then get a 25 watt heater I believe they make some that have a built in thermostat.

 

[GSD]

i have an empty two gallon and am debating weather to put in a heater.It depends on where you live and how warm your rooms are but yes and yes are the answers as Durbkat said

 

[Luke_e]

Well it is gona be around that yea, so you say a 25watt? I'll look for some with built in thermostats.
Thanks for your help.

Yes and Yes. The water will be fine until you can get a betta and it depends on the size of the kritter keeper if it was bigger than 2.5g then get a 25 watt heater I believe they make some that have a built in thermostat.

I live << (see side), and i was hoping to have my betta in my room which is the warmest room in the house, but with winter coming it will need a heater.
Thanks for your help.

i have an empty two gallon and am debating weather to put in a heater.It depends on where you live and how warm your rooms are but yes and yes are the answers as Durbkat said

 

[Durbkat]

Now in England they might not offer it their so you may have to buy it online.

 

[Luke_e]

True true, but in another thread a person from England, said they had them in their local Wilkinsons, so i presume (or at least hope) that they have them there. If not, they have loads of tubs and other sorts of containers which are suitable for bettas even though it isnt the purpose.
Thanks.

 

[Luke_e]

Well, i got a tank today.. wasnt a kritter keeper, but was a tank never the less. Its 11 liter - 2.42gallon. I bought some gravel for it today, and a plant.. so total spend £10.00 so far, need a heater too and the actually fish, i'll probably get the heater on friday and the fish on sunday maybe. It looks very bair at the moment, its got some nice blue gravel in, and a plant (just a cheap one from the LFS, looks a bit ragged but not too bad), so what ornements do people recomend? Do bettas like hiding in caves, as i could look for a small cave or something along those lines. I am not sure about which betta i am getting yet, but do the males still like to hide in the caves even though they have long fines?
Thanks.

 

[GSD]

yes bettas love caves.You can buy one or make out from slate,you have to be really careful what you put in a betta tank because their fins can get easily ripped.Alot of heaters have on the side do not use in tanks under 5gallons so be carefull which one you get good luck with your new betta.
You should get decholorinator if you havent already aswell

 

[Luke_e]

Cool, i'll have a look for them when i have time. And yea i'll be carful about their fins.

I'll check for the 25w heaters that can go into tanks under 5 gallon, thanks for the warning, i appreciate it.
thank you.

 

[Betta*b*Happy!]

Hello!

Welcome to the world of bettas!

You can get a visitherm 25w heater at pets @ home for under £20. I have one in my spawn tank which is 5g but only 1/2 full. Is your tank like a kritter keeper but with a blue lid and kind of curvy?

The good thing about the visither is that you can set the pemerature on the actual heater, it has a slider on it so you can see what temp it is at. It's not too accurate but it gives you an idea as to whether you are turning it up or down. I have mine set a 79 and it gets to 77.

As for caves if you have gravel there are some curvy pipe things in the plumbing section of B&Q that they love. White pipe and a 90 degree slow bend about 10 cm long mine think they're fab. Mine also love those small tubs you can get from tescos that you put food in like tupperware. They are the very small ones about 10 cm diameter and I float them upside down with a little air in the top.



Edit - here have a look at my tank. In the third post you can see the wild chillin out in his pipe. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=110592

 

[Luke_e]

Thanks for the reply, found it very useful.
I'll check at pets at home on the weekend and have a look, i currently have one in my tank like you mentioned, it has a red slide part that shows you the set temp, has a built in thermostat (very useful), not sure on the make but i did get it from Pets at home when the other heater broke, so could well be.
Its an 11liter - 2.45g tank (picture below)


But the only worry is the grill bit ontop:

I'm worried about dust etc getting into it, so would it be best to cover it up?

Also, any ideas on how to improve my tank for my betta.

Thanks.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I have a red one The grill is fine, I don't notice any dust getting in, but I'd reccomend not undoing the plastic flap and instead beaking out the circle bit and using that for feeding. Lots easier, and thats where the cabble comes out of (for heater).

 

[GSD]

i have the exact same one exept the lid is yellow
i dont think that dust gets in although you should rinse the lid once a week to get any food or whatever that has got stuck in the grids.I dont have a heater in mine but i might get one next time i pop to pets@home
good luck with your new betta

 

[Luke_e]

Rite, my mind is at rest now, and i'll use the circle bit instead, but once its broken out can you place it back on?
Thank you.

I have a red one The grill is fine, I don't notice any dust getting in, but I'd reccomend not undoing the plastic flap and instead beaking out the circle bit and using that for feeding. Lots easier, and thats where the cabble comes out of (for heater).

I'll rinse the lid once a week thanks.
Also thanks for the good luck .

i have the exact same one exept the lid is yellow
i dont think that dust gets in although you should rinse the lid once a week to get any food or whatever that has got stuck in the grids.I dont have a heater in mine but i might get one next time i pop to pets@home
good luck with your new betta

 

[Betta*b*Happy!]

Looks good!

I'd have a look at a tunnel or cave or something. You can get amall plant pots too they're good, just make sure you fill/make bigger any holes or he may get stuck.

Your heater sounds like the same as mine. Little red turny bit to adjust. << so technical