New To Bettas

[AshP1986]

So, I have a tropical tank, and have had one for over a year. but the other day I saw the most beautiful betta so I decided to use my 1 gallon tank to rehome this beauty. Anyway, I was under the impression that they should be kept at room temperature... is this wrong? Why are they sold at room temp if they should really have a heater?
Should I have a filter in the tank? Or just do weekly water changes?
 
Any advice would be much appreciated!
 
Thanks

 

[Wildbetta]

2.5 gallons is the bare minimum I would keep a betta in with 5 gallon really being better.  Bettas so need a heater to keep their temperature steady so to prevent them from getting stressed and sick.  A filter is a good idea but not necessary.  Waterchanges in a 1 gallon need to be 100% every day(some people say every other day) and every couple of days in a tank 2.5 gallons or larger without a filter.  They are sold at room temp (which really is normally quite cold for them) because a lot of places do not realize that since they are tropical fish they need warm( 79F being the lowest; 82-84F  being best) steady temperatures. Most places are also under the impression that they don't need spaces bigger than the cup they sit in at the store since they breathe surface air.  This makes no sense because gourmanis who are similar do not get the same bad advice given about them.

 

[RCA]

I agree totally with Wildbetta, except I do like a filter with all of my Bettas.  Your signature states you have an underwater ornament.  A quick and
simple filter for your Betta would be a sponge filter which you could run by splitting your airline with a T-Junction and a small regulator, if your pump is strong enough.
 
Do you have a picture of him?
 
With your main tank, I see you have guppies.  Now some may not agree with me, and I am not 100% sure myself about doing this, but I have seen Bettas kept with Guppies, but it depends on the particular Betta as there is a risk that they will nip the fins of the guppies, or vice versa!  Also, you would not want plastic but silk or live plants with Bettas as their fins rip easily.  So there is a slim chance your Betta could maybe go in your larger tank, but be aware there is a risk in doing so.  Others may have different views which I am happy to accept as I have not done it myself, but have seen it done successfully.
 
Can you put your location into your profile please as it will assist in advising you further.

 

[AshP1986]

Wildbetta I will consider upgrading to a larger tank. I am weary of putting a heater in such a small tank because I do not want to overheat the betta so I will be looking around for a heater too. I would use a splitter but the tanks are in 2 separate rooms... however I believe I have an extra pump or two around here somewhere, I may look into the sponge filter thing... though I have no clue what they are or how they work... but I am sure I can figure it out. 
 
I don't think putting the betta in with my guppies would be a good idea... my 10 gallon is pretty heavily stocked already and bettas are known to mistake guppies as another male betta. I don't want anyone fighting and getting hurt. 
 
I totally thought my location was in my profile, sorry about that! It is now fixed

 
Here are some pics

 

 

 

 
He is supposed to be a dragon scale. With that plant in there it is hard to tell but in certain lights he has this beautiful purple hue to him.

 

[Paradise3]

He's not a dragon scale and that plant will rip his fins up pretty badly.
I'd personally get him a 5 gallon tank, filter, heater and some nice live plants so he has places to hide. They need a heater and need a filter as yes they breath air but it's the ammonia build up that will harm him without a filter. No amount of daily waterchanges is going to keep the ammonia at 0ppm constantly so it would be always fluctuating and stressing him out. 

 

[RCA]

Wildbetta I will consider upgrading to a larger tank. I am weary of putting a heater in such a small tank because I do not want to overheat the betta so I will be looking around for a heater too. I would use a splitter but the tanks are in 2 separate rooms... however I believe I have an extra pump or two around here somewhere, I may look into the sponge filter thing... though I have no clue what they are or how they work... but I am sure I can figure it out. 

 
Here is how a sponge filter works and looks. 
Basically just attach it to an air pump, quick, simple and cheap. 
Bettas do not like a lot of current so if your pump is fairly strong, slow it down, with a clamp.
 

He is supposed to be a dragon scale. With that plant in there it is hard to tell but in certain lights he has this beautiful purple hue to him.

 
Re: the plant or anything else you wish to put in with a Betta, you can use a stocking and if it snags on the object then a Bettas fins will rip on it too.  I personally only use live and occasionally silk plants but not plastic.
 
Thanks for the pics, hard to see his real colour at present as you say.  I also would be surprised if he is a dragon scale, they generally have thicker scales and are metallic looking, like the boy in my profile.  He looks fairly chilled out though.  Hopefully you can find him a reasonably priced larger tank.  Keep us posted on his progress.

 

[AshP1986]

I happen to work at a pet store, and I grabbed him the day he was shipped in. His bag said dragonscale and in the right light he might be, but I agree that he doesn't really look like a dragonscale. He must be pretty happy as he is building a bubble nest, and I have NEVER had a betta do that before... of course, I was young so who the heck knows how his water was . 
 
I like the stocking idea. I will have to do that. I ordered a betta leaf online, as soon as it gets here that plant will be removed. I have been monitoring him to see if he has any trouble, but he seems to be fine with it so far. 
 
I have seen a plant at the store that is called Baby Tears. Anyone know about this? I would love to have it in a tank. I am afraid of plants though... I don't want them to die and kill my fish. 

 

[RCA]

...I have seen a plant at the store that is called Baby Tears. Anyone know about this? I would love to have it in a tank. I am afraid of plants though... I don't want them to die and kill my fish. 

 
Just looked it up, this is a carpeting plant so would be ground cover.  A better plant for Bettas is something like an Amazon Sword, or other broad leaf plant, that is tall enough to reach the surface.  You will then find him lying in the leaves for a rest now and again.  My old boy used to rest a lot on the top of the heater.  They all find their rest spots, near the surface.  They also like floating plants.
 
Re: the plants dying, that is not a problem as you can take out the old leaves with your WC's, it would be very rare for the plants to "kill" your fish.
 
Also check out IAL (Indian Almond Leaves) they love them, and they keep the water natural for them as well as a natural disease prevention.  Be warned though, the water may go a slight tea colour, but the Bettas do not mind this.

 

[Paradise3]

No he's not a dragonscale, you'd be able to tell straight away even on a white betta

 

[This Old Spouse]

I almost got a betta yesterday, but couldn't decide if he'd do well in my 20g cory tank. Decided to pass for lack of knowledge ... yours is very nice!

 

[AshP1986]

Grr the stinkin distributor lied to us! Lol thank you! If only you could see him in person he truely is beautiful

 

[Paradise3]

Grr the stinkin distributor lied to us! Lol thank you! If only you could see him in person he truely is beautiful

 
No problem, they tend to do it a lot. I once went into my LFS and they had a "halfmoon" betta in at £12.99... I took one look and went "That's not a halfmoon and is definitely not worth that price". It was a veiltail and was a yellowy colour. The colour may have bumped his price up but he still wasn't worth £12.99

 

[RCA]

I almost got a betta yesterday, but couldn't decide if he'd do well in my 20g cory tank. Decided to pass for lack of knowledge ... yours is very nice!

 
Just for future reference I have had no problems with my Betta's and Cory's.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Thank you! I may get one someday. The one yesterday was one I've never seen. Thought he was gorgeous. He looked just like this, only pitch black.
 

 

[AshP1986]

What about an ozelot sword plant for the betta?