Planning For A Betta Tank

[JoshuaA]

Hey there!

Been helping my girlfriend get her tank up and running and decided it was about time for me to get one too. I have wanted a male betta for a while and wanted one in her tank but due to the fact it would limit what else could be in there meant I couldn't

Anyway currently I have Acquired a Stingray 15 Filter, 75w Heater, Sand or Gravel Substrate (I have both)(A spare Eheim Aquaball 2206 Filter (coming soon)) and an air pump. I still need a proper aquarium light and I'm currently looking at a Arcadia Pod 11w. All for a 40L tank.

I aim to have one Male betta and 4-6 Panda or Peppered Corys in the tank (although other fish if possible but will get to that later in the topic). I want this to be quite heavily planted but not too heavily planted that I need to dose with CO2 and I also want the tank to be open so I am somewhat compensating for that using a 75w heater. I plan to use some sort of cover though like a thin fish net, not to fine that it may damage fins/gills.

What I'm looking for is a bunch of advice on particular layouts of tanks, the best way to aquascape a 10gallon tank for a Betta? Should I give it a small/big cave where should I place it? How easily can a betta swim through a densely planted tank. What additional products I may need specifically for bettas? What foods and live and dry. What water parameters? WHAT TEMPERATURE TOO!

Oh it will be a cycled tank! I am in the process of "Modding" my Stingray Filter, have removed the carbon zeolite chips from the filter, bought a bag of Biomax ceramic chips (for Fluval Edge tanks) as well as a small coarse sponge. I plan to make two pouches with fish nets and fill them with equal amounts of ceramic media and place them in place of the Carbon/Zeolite inserts. I also don't fully know what I'll do if anything with the sponge I may place it between the "tail" part of the filter and the triangle sponge for those familiar with the Stingray Filter.

I have the ceramic chips being seeded in another tank that is going through the cycle process which is nearly over, the ceramic chips are placed in the ceramic media basket of the filter currently under a cycle (almost finished). I will then remove them once the tank is ready and then complete a cycle with them. Hopefully not disrupting the first tank.

Finally tank mates... I'm under the impression we're very limited and I happily abide by that also from talking to a well trusted member of this forum they inform me Panda Corys will get on fine (I love the look of those guys!). So I want to be placing those as bottom feeders. I've heard of mixed success stories with Neon Tetras or any other Tetra I may be willing to try it but I don't want to if the general concensus is the Male betta will lose its fins! My girlfriends tank would be able to take the neons though if such event did happen (if I got them anyway).

So will Male Bettas eat shrimp or snails? I mean I don't want to add them to find out the next day theres no trace of them and I simply think they're hiding.

As much advice from personal experiences will be gratefully welcomed, especially on mixing additional fish!

Finally where did you buy your Betta?

Thanks a lot!

- Josh

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Betta's dont generally like strong currents. I have a weak filter in mine and it blows him over when he gets in front of it (he then goes up to it and flares).

I think a cave/hiding spot would be ideal, you want him to have "his" terretory.

Cories are a good mix, shrimp are not (well it depends on the betta but I wouldn't advise it). Put the cories in first and then add the betta so it's not "his tank"; he should be less terretorial. Try not to buy brightly coloured fish with long fins or nippy fish; it'll not work out.

In a 10 gallon you could always get 5-6 female betta.

I got my betta from a local garden centre; they had a good selection in. You can buy them from an LFS, online, e-bay, via breeders on here etc. I actually have a bit of a dodgy shop near mine which sells lots of betta; their males aren't all that special but they have nice females; the shop has lovely clean fish and tanks I just can't stand the staff (as with a lot of the customers); ironically the staff do know what they are talking about as well.

 

[BethK]

Shrimp are fine, I would sway towards Amano shrimp as they are big enough that the betta would leave them be.

It's amazing how easy it is for a betta to swim inbetween things, they seem to like heavily planted tanks and caves (coconut caves) to swim in and out of. I have pebbles in mine in two corners of both betta tanks (female and male) and they love poking about in them. This is my tank, although now it has more plants in it;

You will need to have movement ontop of the water surface,flow of oxygen and bettas like to chasing their food in that.

If you have a male with long fins, steer clear of fake plants, they might rip his fins. If you are getting corys, ensure you have a couple of hiding holes, incase your betta gets slightly narky.

 

[Jonty]

Peppered Corys are too big for that tank - you could have 6 pygmy corys though.

 

[JoshuaA]

Peppered Corys are too big for that tank - you could have 6 pygmy corys though.

Good call, I think its going to be a 40litre tank I'll have my mind up tomorrow if not it will probably be bigger haha.

Thanks for the responses so far, so coconut caves good for Bettas to hide? I might go buy one to eat and then cut a hole into the side for an entrance. Is this the way its usually done?

I thought about the females but because in my eyes they aren't as attractive I would prefer to have the one male than house 5-6 females which I would be less satisfied with. I have been quite for having a male betta for sometime but held of it but as my circumstances have changed I believe I should strike while the iron is hot.

Does anyone know.. the breathing habbits of a Betta. The betta's labyrinth gland allows it to breathe from the surface, if it is doing this constantly would it be a sign of low oxygen content? I am looking into CO2/Plant Nutrient in the tank as the more I think and read I feel like a heavily planted tank with the Betta + Corys would be quite nice. It will give them plenty of hiding places and a lot to swim around.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

A coconut cave would be a perfect hide; I would imagine that you make them by eating them first - just make sure there are no sharp edges to it.

If you wanted a male betta then definately go for one. I never liked them, saw one in the LFS, loved him, bought a tank, set it up and went back and bought him . My mam when I first got him said "he's minging, he doesn't do anything" - he was in the dirty tank water in the bag....now she thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread; so much in fact I'm getting another one.

I would imagine if the betta is at the surface contstantly there will be a shortage of oxygen but that would be the same with any fish.

Halkari (spelling?) betta pellets are recommended for feeding them, for some reason the shops don't sell them in the UK but e-bay has them cheaply.

Bettas are full of personality too (I read somewhere online "once you get a betta you'll never go back"...it's so true).

 

[JoshuaA]

Bettas are full of personality too (I read somewhere online "once you get a betta you'll never go back"...it's so true).

Do they recognise their owner? As in react when you walk in the room or up to the tank as opposed to when someone else does it? I've heard this has happened with quite a few people.

I think I will do just that with the coconut! I might have a glass of coconut milk , but remember coconut milk is made from the flesh the liquid inside is coconut water! - There's a fact if you didn't know it already !

 

[Paradise3]

Betta's dont generally like strong currents. I have a weak filter in mine and it blows him over when he gets in front of it (he then goes up to it and flares).

So your betta basically get angry and tries telling it whos boss? Bet it's funny to watch though.

Alessa x.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Bettas are full of personality too (I read somewhere online "once you get a betta you'll never go back"...it's so true).

Do they recognise their owner? As in react when you walk in the room or up to the tank as opposed to when someone else does it? I've heard this has happened with quite a few people.

I think I will do just that with the coconut! I might have a glass of coconut milk , but remember coconut milk is made from the flesh the liquid inside is coconut water! - There's a fact if you didn't know it already !

I'm not sure because when I'm there he always gets excited; it's funny if he's been relaxing and sees me and gets super excited. My boyfriend did say he doesn't get the same reaction as I do; but then when I see them together I am there. My fish (Paddy) gets excited when he sees my mam too; as she likes to overfeed him. He's allowed 8 pellets a day and she is allowed to feed an extra one (any more and she gets a good telling off) - she once said "I gave him some food cos he was looking pretty". When she has fed him I can tell if he's been overfed or not lol. My dad will be looking after him for 3 days next month and he thinks I starve him; I'm dreading thinking what he'll feed him .

I already knew about the coconut milk; I made the mistake of years ago buying a tin of it thinking it was the milk from inside of the coconut . I love the milk inside a coconut .

Betta's dont generally like strong currents. I have a weak filter in mine and it blows him over when he gets in front of it (he then goes up to it and flares).

So your betta basically get angry and tries telling it whos boss? Bet it's funny to watch though.

Alessa x.

Oh yes and when he does that the filter generally blows him over again (as he has all of his fins out flaring so it's more surface area to get blown with). You can see him thinking "I'll go tell it; but my mam is here; she'll feed me...telling off or food?"

 

[JoshuaA]

So... this coconut thing is more problematic than I imagined. Where the hell sells coconuts!?

I went to Sainsburys, tesco and two local fruit & veg dealers and they don't stock them! What!? Well I once bought a Coconut whilst I was in China and I was shocked to see that it was bigger than my head, hairless and green and had more coconut water than a carton of milk. I had to carry it with two hands!

 

[BethK]

Waitrose sells them, failing that, you can buy an already made hut on ebay for £3

 

[JoshuaA]

Waitrose sells them, failing that, you can buy an already made hut on ebay for £3

Put it this ways... I've never seen a waitrose in my LIFE lol.

I'd feel harshly ripped off if I had to buy a hut for £3 , I will find a coconut and I will eat that coconut and then I will make a hut. It will happen!

 

[BethK]

I'm an accident waiting to happen,so I had to buy pre-made huts, I got 2 for £3 on ebay.

 

[JoshuaA]

Ooh I see that's not so bad then for 2, well the tank is confirmed at 38L. Got it for £13... not so bad I got a little over zealous on the bidding. If its #106### I'll hold it back as a quarantine tank and just buy a blank tank from P@H for £20.

Came with substrate + Filter + Hood/Light. Though I will be replacing all and just using the tank haha.

 

[BethK]

That's a great deal