New To Betta Help Please.

[Dav]

Hello all, this is my first post so hi.

I'm new to keeping Betta and want to get a nice male. I'm lead to believe they can live fine alone? How true is this? If this is true i intend on getting a tank and keeping him alone, but one more question is what tank size would be a good size for my new boy? And what plants do they like? Want him to have a pretty good relaxed life and maybe after keeping him for a while i would like to look Into breeding but that is way off just yet.

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply.

Regards Dav.

 

[s1141665]

Well Dav, i havnt had a betta myself but i have other fish but i read up on bettas for awhile and i no you could leave a male by himself and a 1 gallon filtered system tank should be good. but you should never have 2 males in one same tank.

 

[lilfishie]

Hi Dav, welcome to the forum and the world of Bettas

tank size is 1 of those questions where we all disagree with each other for me you want a minimum of 3 gal, i have 2 bettas living happily in there 3 gals, then i have a larger tank divided into sections holding 4 gals.

They can live alone yes, some actually prefer to live alone and will attack/kill anything else so we are always cautious about tank mates

You will need a small heater (25watt is great) and filter (sponge filters are good they run of an airator)


Plant wise if your wanting fake plants then get silk, plastic will tear the bettas fins, if your wanting real theres plenty of easy grow plants that we can tell you if you decide to go real

 

[katcetera]

I had a betta live for 6 years in a regular fish bowl when I was a kid and quite uneducated about them. It never had a heater or filter and had a silk plant. Was it the best housing? Probably not, but it did live along time!

 

[Fishy friend2]

6 years? thats pretty long for a betta

 

[Dav]

Hi Dav, welcome to the forum and the world of Bettas

tank size is 1 of those questions where we all disagree with each other for me you want a minimum of 3 gal, i have 2 bettas living happily in there 3 gals, then i have a larger tank divided into sections holding 4 gals.

They can live alone yes, some actually prefer to live alone and will attack/kill anything else so we are always cautious about tank mates

You will need a small heater (25watt is great) and filter (sponge filters are good they run of an airator)


Plant wise if your wanting fake plants then get silk, plastic will tear the bettas fins, if your wanting real theres plenty of easy grow plants that we can tell you if you decide to go real

Thanks for the welcome lilfishie I know the age old question about tank size is a hard one but thought I best ask. . I shall go look today think I will go with say 3 gal up over I want him to have swimming space I would really like real plants but silk would be fine, I will also pick up a 25watt heater and filter I've already got a little 5 gal tank downstairs with my little albino cory. (pictures to follow) would I be able to house some female Betta in with the cory? Or would they not get along or more to the point would the tank be big enough?

Bunt the hardest choice of all has got to be my male Betta there are so many wonderful choices. Pictures will follow when all is up and sorted.

 

[lilfishie]

A female will be fine with cories, i have 13 females with my group of cories However your 5 gal is not big enough for cories in the long run, how many do you have?

look forward to seeing pics

 

[Dav]

I currently have 2 little cory measuring 1" in length, I was told they would be fine in a 5 gal what have I done to my little albinos.

 

[lilfishie]

Dav its not your fault, ideally Albinos need a 3ft tank as they get to 4-5" they also like to be in groups of 6 +

there are cories that are suitable for your tank size, there just a bit harder to find, Dwarf/Pygmy cories work great in small tanks as they only get to 1" max

 

[Fyurae]

You can keep bettas (male or female) with other tank mates on a fish-by-fish basis. Some are fine with tank mates, some are not. Some are happy with certain kinds and not others. For example, I have one betta that is perfectly happy with bottom-dwellers like his pygmy cories or ottos, and loves snails, but other fish make him sullen (even a guppy that is 1/5 his size... ). My other betta is living in a 20g with about a dozen cories, and a pair of dwarf gouramis. It's hit or miss with every fish.

Males should be the only betta in a tank, however. There are extreme exceptions to this, but none that would come your way anytime soon.

Females can be kept in sororities, with multiple females in a tank, but I wouldn't suggest you try this for now.

So, either of your tanks would be fine for a male or female betta, assuming that particular fish takes to the environment.

Your cories are probably okay in that 5 gallon for right now, so don't loose sleep over it. Just make plans to upgrade them soon, as they will want a bigger group, grow much larger, and need more floor space to graze.

If I were you, I would use the 5 gallon for your betta (its a fine size for a single) and look at getting a larger tank, and more cories, rather than purchasing another small tank.

 

[Dav]

guys thank you for taking the time to guide me, The infomation that i got at my local aquatics center is so way off its not even funny, i fell pretty upset with how misleading they are with people.

When i went into the store today they where selling what they call "Betta starter kits" they where 1L boxes with gravel and fish food for £7.99 they where not much bigger then my iphone, the guy said there where fine in there his words where "you've not seen how they live in the wild".

thanks again guys glad i found this forum really lots of helpful people.

 

[lilfishie]

yes in the wild they live in rice paddies that are very shallow but they are miles long/wide

Your in the right place Dav

 

[Dav]

yes in the wild they live in rice paddies that are very shallow but they are miles long/wide

Your in the right place Dav

Yeah he failed to mention the part about how wide and long they are

i'm just glad i never took his advice

 

[Fishy friend2]

i hate when people tell you that they know about bettas and then you ask them a question and then there like ummmmm i dont know

 

[Dav]

i hate when people tell you that they know about bettas and then you ask them a question and then there like ummmmm i dont know

very true you find this alot when you go into most local pet shops that stock them.