How Long Will My Betta Live Given Adequate Conditions?

[Kmin LionHeart]

I just bought my little red male Betta yesterday. I named him Robin.

So I did some research before getting him, of course.


So here's what I do for my Betta:
1) I'll give him 3 SMALL meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) (small meals equivalent to 3 pieces of bloodworms per meal. Not saying that I feed him bloodworms for every meal!)
2) I give him 3 different types of food for 3 different meals (freeze-dried bloodworms, freeze-dried daphnia and Betta flakes)
3) I change 90% of his water per day after lunch, to keep ammonia levels down. (I did not cycle the tank)
4) I use blackwater on the tank water, as the pet shop staff advised.
5) I'll test the water every week.
6) I have 3 pieces of Indian Almond Leaves in my tank, to contribute to blackwater. (I even made one into a leaf hammock)
7) I have no filter (because my tank has a wire-mesh cover that gives him adequate oxygen to take in)
8) I have no heater (because my tank is ALWAYS in between the temperatures of 25-29 degrees Celsius. I live in Singapore, a humid country with no winters.)

That's all the information I have. The Betta isn't showing any signs of disease/illness. Its colour is great. I play with him by chasing him around my 10-gallon tank with my fish net for less than a minute (I'm careful not to harm him). He's very attentive when I'm near the tank. He eats 95% of the food given always (I take out excess food with my fish net).

If you think that I might be doing something wrong, please feel free to leave a response. And I don't want to hear any comments about how I should get a filter and a heater, because 1) I don't have the money, 2) It's not necessary for my Betta 3) As I said, I live in a humid country, not Alaska. A heater's not what I NEED.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Chad]

Betta generally live 2-5 years depending on how they are kept. Mine generally go for 2.5-3.5 years on average.

 

[Kmin LionHeart]

I bought him at a really cheap price of S$3, though. I can't help but wonder whether there's anything wrong with him.

 

[SchottayB]

7) I have no filter (because my tank has a wire-mesh cover that gives him adequate oxygen to take in)

Never heard of that

The filter would be for your water and bacteria crew to grow amongst, not for you're fishies oxygen levels? Tho a filter will create oxygen in ways of use.

I'm not sure with bettas, but i'm sure they don't like big water movement so a small or adjustable filter would be good? Or people still keeping them in 5cm x 5cm tanks?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

If you add a filter, after the period of cycling you'd not have to change the water daily anymore (the tank won't ever be cycled without a filter).

 

[Flute]

He's lovely!

As per the others, a filter isn't used to add oxygen to the tank, it's to process harmful ammonia and nitrite into less harmful nitrAtes It's possible for you to keep him without a filter, but this means you will literally have to carry on with the 90% daily water changes for the whole of his life. Some filters can be very cheap these days thankfully (have a look at something like a sponge filter). If he lives in ammonia or nitrite even for a short period of time (for example, you go on holiday), it could see his overall life span dramatically shortened. With a cycled filter, you could be looking at having him for about 3 years

 

[Kmin LionHeart]

7) I have no filter (because my tank has a wire-mesh cover that gives him adequate oxygen to take in)

Never heard of that

The filter would be for your water and bacteria crew to grow amongst, not for you're fishies oxygen levels? Tho a filter will create oxygen in ways of use.

I'm not sure with bettas, but i'm sure they don't like big water movement so a small or adjustable filter would be good? Or people still keeping them in 5cm x 5cm tanks?

If you add a filter, after the period of cycling you'd not have to change the water daily anymore (the tank won't ever be cycled without a filter).

He's lovely!

As per the others, a filter isn't used to add oxygen to the tank, it's to process harmful ammonia and nitrite into less harmful nitrAtes

It's possible for you to keep him without a filter, but this means you will literally have to carry on with the 90% daily water changes for the whole of his life. Some filters can be very cheap these days thankfully (have a look at something like a sponge filter). If he lives in ammonia or nitrite even for a short period of time (for example, you go on holiday), it could see his overall life span dramatically shortened. With a cycled filter, you could be looking at having him for about 3 years

Hmm ok... haha well I said that because I always think of the word "oxygen" when I think of filters.

Many people have recommended sponge filters for bettas. May I ask how a sponge filter is different from a hang-on filter in which I have right now? And also how it works, maybe?

And apparently, my tank isn't 10 gallons. It is 3 gallons. I can't believe this.

 

[Bluesand1313]

3 gals are okay in my opinion for a betta. So don't worry to much. Quite honestly, although some people go and get big tanks for their betta, the average is only 5 gallons for one betta. So you had thought you had gone the extra mile!

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I'm not an expert on filters, but a sponge filter is a hang on the back filter far as I know. At least, I have 3 tanks and all three have hang on the back filters.

On my smallest tank I have an extremely basic fluval mini filter, its very affordable (not sure if you have that where you are or not) but it does the job, it only has a sponge. That tank has just shrimp (and the occasional newborn guppy fry from time to time). My next tank has an Interpet Filter (I forget the precise make, P2 or 3 maybe?), that one has a bit more inside, sponge, carbon and has an adjustable spout which I really like... and adjustable spout might be a good thing for a beta who may not like a lot of current.

 

[Kmin LionHeart]

3 gals are okay in my opinion for a betta. So don't worry to much. Quite honestly, although some people go and get big tanks for their betta, the average is only 5 gallons for one betta. So you had thought you had gone the extra mile!

I sure did!

I'm not an expert on filters, but a sponge filter is a hang on the back filter far as I know. At least, I have 3 tanks and all three have hang on the back filters.

On my smallest tank I have an extremely basic fluval mini filter, its very affordable (not sure if you have that where you are or not) but it does the job, it only has a sponge. That tank has just shrimp (and the occasional newborn guppy fry from time to time). My next tank has an Interpet Filter (I forget the precise make, P2 or 3 maybe?), that one has a bit more inside, sponge, carbon and has an adjustable spout which I really like... and adjustable spout might be a good thing for a beta who may not like a lot of current.

Do I need to connect anything to the sponge filter?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Here is a picture of the very basic filter that I have in my smallest tank.

Basically, when you buy it, you pop the sponge inside that comes with it then secure the filter to the side with the suction cups. You'll want to play around with the positioning a bit so the current is just right for your beta. With a basic filter like this it doesn't provide much surface agitation (that is what helps oxygenate your tank)... the instructions say to fully submerge this one, but I fill the water up until only half the spout where the flow comes out is submerged, then it agitates the water nicely.

Really, its just a plug in and it works filter. You'd still need to keep up with your daily water changes for probably 4-6 weeks until your filter has cycled but things would be a lot easier after that.

Also, you need to maintain your filter properly so the flow stays strong and your bacteria stays alive.

To clean a sponge (which you can do once muck has begun hampering the flow) you need to use old tank water only in a bowl and squeeze your sponge in it. You can scrub the rest of the filter (all the plastic bits) thoroughly as muck builds up on there too afterwhile. You can also clean the impellor (thats the little spinner at the bottom that makes the water circulate), it pops out and you can clean the entire thing.

 

[Kmin LionHeart]

Here is a picture of the very basic filter that I have in my smallest tank.

Basically, when you buy it, you pop the sponge inside that comes with it then secure the filter to the side with the suction cups. You'll want to play around with the positioning a bit so the current is just right for your beta. With a basic filter like this it doesn't provide much surface agitation (that is what helps oxygenate your tank)... the instructions say to fully submerge this one, but I fill the water up until only half the spout where the flow comes out is submerged, then it agitates the water nicely.

Really, its just a plug in and it works filter. You'd still need to keep up with your daily water changes for probably 4-6 weeks until your filter has cycled but things would be a lot easier after that.

Also, you need to maintain your filter properly so the flow stays strong and your bacteria stays alive.

To clean a sponge (which you can do once muck has begun hampering the flow) you need to use old tank water only in a bowl and squeeze your sponge in it. You can scrub the rest of the filter (all the plastic bits) thoroughly as muck builds up on there too afterwhile. You can also clean the impellor (thats the little spinner at the bottom that makes the water circulate), it pops out and you can clean the entire thing.

Hmm.. I will try to find this particular filter in my local pet store. But this is what they have

: http/www.petloverscentre.com/products.php?by=category&DepartmentID=4&DeptCategoryID=61&Brand=FLUVAL&image.x=33&image.y=11

These are the list of OTHER filter brands available. May wanna have a look and suggest to me which is best? Many thanks!

: http/www.petloverscentre.com/products.php?by=category&DepartmentID=4&DeptCategoryID=61&Brand=&image.x=42&image.y=3

And I always thought you were talking about THIS sponge filter! haha

 

[PrairieSunflower]

The filters on the first link are far too big if you have a 3 gallon tank. Basically, you want to figure out how much water your tank holds (some packaging mentions liters some gallons) and you want to get a filter that handles slightly more water than your tank holds. For example, the fluval mini handles 45 litres of water, so that is good for a tank that holds a bit less than 45 liters.

3 gallons is just over 11 litres.

Just wanted to add, my shrimp tank is there about the same size as yours is, I believe mine is 12.5 litres. I use the fluval mini pointed the width of the tank rather than the length of the tank else its too strong and creates a swirl in the tank.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Do you have Interpet products over there? They also make some really small basic filters... the first model on this page might be good for your tank. http/www.roukenglen.co.uk/interpet-internal-power-filter-pfmini-pf1-pf2-pf3-pf4.html

 

[Kmin LionHeart]

The filters on the first link are far too big if you have a 3 gallon tank. Basically, you want to figure out how much water your tank holds (some packaging mentions liters some gallons) and you want to get a filter that handles slightly more water than your tank holds. For example, the fluval mini handles 45 litres of water, so that is good for a tank that holds a bit less than 45 liters.

3 gallons is just over 11 litres.

Just wanted to add, my shrimp tank is there about the same size as yours is, I believe mine is 12.5 litres. I use the fluval mini pointed the width of the tank rather than the length of the tank else its too strong and creates a swirl in the tank.

Do you have Interpet products over there? They also make some really small basic filters... the first model on this page might be good for your tank. http/www.roukengle...f2-pf3-pf4.html

You're right, the current shouldn't be too strong. I made one very big mistake of buying a "dry and wet" filter a few weeks ago. The flow was so strong that water kept spilling from my tank. Biggest mistake ever.

I will try my luck on finding a suitable sponge filter for my tank.

No, I don't think Singapore sells Interpet filters.