Thinking Of Getting A Betta...

[ChilliPepper]

I have a hexagonal 21L (6USG) tank going spare which looks like it could be an ideal home for a Betta. Though, I haven't had one before so have a couple of questions

The tank was originally bought as a quarantine tank, so I have a heater and filter for it. The filter is the one I used on my old 60L tank, a Stingray 15. Would this create too much current for a Betta?

It has a condensation tray and a plastic lid - no light. Any ideas whether this would be OK? The tank would go in my office which gets some natural light so may not be a huge issue. Don't see how I could fit one really as the lid is plastic. Would fake silk plants be OK due to the lack of light? I would get some wood or something for him to hide in. Would I need to pierce holes in the lid for him to breathe?

How high maintenance are they as I already have a 190L tropical tank downstairs to look after Are they worth the extra effort and £? Also, any recommendations of where to buy one, I'm in Suffolk UK.

 

[Darkerwhite2]

Yes they are worth it, and 6gal is more than enough for a betta, as for light i have had a tank with no light before, and the natural light seemed to do fine, although i did eventually have some problems with algae, so i moved him to an area with less light. Still enough for the tank just less than before.

Now i dont know anything about that filter but i can say, as you probally know that bettas arn't a huge fan of too much current. I'm assuming that this sponge filter is an airpump powered filter, am i right? if so it may be okay this i what i was using and mine didnt seem to mind, he built his bubble nests all the time, they wouldn't last long but he built it again. Also if this is such a filter then you shouldn't need to worry about the fish getting enough air, as i beleive bettas can both take air out of the water and the surface. I should be quoteing the book i read that from.

Another solution is to just let the water level down a little so there is room between the hood and the water level.

And yes the fake plants will be fine, also less work not as good looking but still very nice

Hope what i've said was helpful and correct im wondering about the betta breathing thing now, going to find that book.

Good luck and have fun with your new betta if you so decide to get one.

Ben

 

[loraxchick]

Sounds perfect for a betta...and the sponge filter is JUST what a betta would like...i just made my two betta tanks homemade sponge filters in like, 10 minutes the other day and they do not mind them at ALL! virtually no current whatsoever!...fake plants are fine as long as there are no sharp/pointy edges to catch long flowing fins on. silk plants are better then plastic because of this... Bettas are super easy to keep and have increadible personalities...but we forewarned... you will not be able to stop with just one! its like an addiction-seriously.
but good luck with the tank. id say GET THE BETTA!!!

 

[Ally555]

I agree with loraxchick. GET THE BETTA!!!

 

[JustKia]

Can I just say that the stingray 15 isn't a sponge filter.
A sponge filter is powered by an airpump and looks like THIS (obviously you get variations)
The stingray filter looks like THIS.
I've got one in my 35L (well, it came with the tank) because I got really poor circulation with the sponge filter.
So what I've done is turned the outlet of the stingray to the back, so the flow diffuses off the glass. You could also poke a bit of sponge into the outlet to difuse the flow as well.

Oh another thing is ditch the carbon & zeolite cartridges that come with the filter and replace them with some sponge filter media
I cut a couple of pieces of sponge from my cycled filter and wedged them in place of the cartridges

 

[ChilliPepper]

Thanks for everyone's help So my setup would be OK, plus some silk plants I won't be getting real ones for this tank as it wouldn't get enough light and plus I have enough maintenance with my big planted tank.

I'll keep an eye out for a Betta that catches my eye and go from there

Where has everyone else got their Bettas from? None of my LFS stock them I'm in Suffolk.

 

[Honeythorn]

If you did decide you wanted a light you could simply cut the appropriate sized hole in the plastic lid and attatch an Arcadia clip on light . Also, natural light may cause an algae bloom, espescially if the window the light is coming from is facing south.

 

[ChilliPepper]

If you did decide you wanted a light you could simply cut the appropriate sized hole in the plastic lid and attatch an Arcadia clip on light . Also, natural light may cause an algae bloom, espescially if the window the light is coming from is facing south.

Thanks very much Honeythorn, I will get one of those Would definitely prefer a light

 

[ChilliPepper]

Just to add: the clip on lights are OK in a hexagonal tank aren't they? Any fitting issues? Would I be better off getting a submersible LED light?

 

[Honeythorn]

The Arcadia light just clamps onto the side of the glass. Since each side of the hex tank is straight you should have absolutely no trouble at all. It's a simple light to assemble and fit.

The only type of tank this light wouldn't really fit is one with curved glass sides. Any straight edge/side is fine.

 

[devon_charm]

I would def go for a sponge filter over the stingray but sounds perfect to me and has been said already they really are worth it but be careful they are addictive

As for the light the clip on ones work fine, my partner zip tied mine to the inside of the lid so i didn't have to cut a hole in it, it work brilliantly.

Good luck with it all and do keep us posted

 

[JustKia]

Can now add my personal experience on the filter as my betta is in a tank with one.
I have the flow outlet turned back to face the glass and just below the water level and my betta doesn't even notice it.
The stingray is defnitely better at circulating the tank and keeps it much cleaner than the sponge filter did - but I did get rid of the cartridges in it and replace with mature media from my community tank instead.