Novice Seeks Information On Bettas?

[beginner]

Hi Friends, I am new and novice. While going to work, I see these Bettas sold in small cups. I was desiring to buy one and keep them in a big glass bowl since I understand they require still water. (I don't wish to keep any other fish).
• Can anyone please guide me as to whether I should keep a pair or just the male? (Would a single male get lonely as I don’t wish to keep any other fish?) Or should there be many female Bettas & a male?
• Should the glass bowl have plants? Or rocks?
• Do they need any oxygen pump? Or being labyrinth, they don’t need oxygen pumps?
• Any other important information I need to know about Bettas since I am new?
Bye

 

[OohFeeshy]

If you're using a bowl, try to get one that's about three gallons. You could keep either one male or one female in it, with no other fish, they don't get lonely at all. Although if you want tankmates, some people have success with dwarf frogs (make sure they're dwarf), shrimp or snails. Decoration can be whatever you like, they enjoy caves and plants to rest on, just make sure nothing is too sharp as it can damage fins. You don't need an airpump but you can if you want for decoration and/or some water movement. Water chould be changed completely once a week and the temperature should be about 24 degrees Celsius.

 

[Ravenwing]

I agrree with OohFeeshy, if you check out petsmart they have a few nice tanks that come in either 1 gallon or 2 gallons. 2-3 is ideal, 1 is the minimum.

I have small glass beads at the bottom of my bowls. With decorations, you want to be sure of these things:

1. designed for fish (particuarly be careful of plastics, aka - nasty chemicals on things not made for fishies)
2. make sure any decorations don't have sharp edges, you can do the "pantyhoes" test. (run a stocking over the object, if it rips, it's too sharp for your betta (for this reason many ppl choose to use silk plants)
3. make sure that your fish can't get himself stuck in either the substrate at the bottom of the tank or any decorative objects you use for the tank.


Hope this helps! And good luck!