New Bettas!

[Chickerdoodle13]

Last semester both of my bettas passed on in an unfortunate overfeeding incident. I had left them with seven day feeders when I went away for a weekend and my room mate (who was trying to help me) fed them. It was just too much for them and I cam back to dead fish!

Yesterday I moved back in to my apartment and went with a friend to pick up two more lovely boys. Originally I was going to buy two crowntails, but I ended up finding a gorgeous steel blue veil tail with red highlights under the light. The other boy I got is a black bodied crowntail with blood red fins. They are each adjusting well to their new tanks. They can't see each other (separate tanks), but they keep trying to fight with their reflections. hopefully they calm down in a few days, but I'll have to keep an eye on them so they don't become too stressed out.

Pictures to come soon!

 

[Buster]

I like betas and want to get more eventually. They are a pretty fish to have around without a lot of maintenance.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Yeah, I do think they are beautiful! With a large enough tank you can get away with doing ONLY water changes for a month or so. I have a filter in the one tank and that water will stay clear for the whole semester without completely changing it. In the other tank I don't have a filter (my previous fish would freak out with the water current) so I have to do complete water changes in that tank. Its large enough that I don't have to do it often though.

At petsmart they are having a sale on their 2.5 gallon tank with lid. I then bought a small filter for about $10 at Walmart. It cost me about $30 total for the setup, but I'm glad I spent the money for a larger tank so I don't have to see them suffer in a small bowl. The other tank was given to me by my grandmother, but I'd like to ungrade sometime in the future. I think that tank is 1.5 gallon. Once you have the fish all you have to do is keep a clean tank and feed them every day! I have two beautiful, low maintenance desk ornaments!

Probably my favorite thing is watching them perk up and get brighter colors in after "rescuing" them from the pet store. It's amazing what a little TLC can do for anything!

 

[SterlingAcres]

I'm considering buying my oldest a pet fish for his 4th birthday, he loves fish. I had bettas for years and I love them to death.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Oh yeah! That would be a wonderful gift! Like I said, petsmart is selling those 2.5 gallon tanks for $10, but they also have an entire set up for sale at walmart for $20. I think the tank at walmart is 1.5 gallons...possibly 2. it comes with the rocks for the bottom, a plant (I hate using plants because my bettas always cut their tails on them), and an LED light for the top. I recommend getting a little cave or something for the betta to hide in. Mine LOVE hiding in the caves! I use those in place of plants.

ETA: The tank for sale at walmart would make a great night light if the fish is kept in your son's bedroom. I always wanted to do that, but my mom always said no fish in the bedrooms!

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

Bettas are great fish ..I always have at least one here

A few years ago, I bred Show Quality B. splendens ..Melano HM and CT type ..and Yellows/Golds HM and BF types ..both longfin and Plakad (short fin). The rescue took over and I no longer have time to dedicate to breeding and caring for them by the 100s, but I still love them.

I even picked up a little guy yesterday ..a HM Yellow. He'll be moving into a 9g Eclipse today.. fully planted and possibly a crew of Pygmy Cories for clean up and company.

 

[Chef]

Can you put cories and betta together? I have an albino corie in one tank and the betta in the other, but if I can put them together I can get a few more fish.

Chef

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

Quote:
It depends on the Betta ..they are very individual in what they will tolerate in their space... but I have always kept Cories in the tanks that can accommodate a few fish. I even kept Cories in my fry and grow out tanks ..for clean up purposes.

I never had an issue with the Cory terrorizing the Betta, but I have seen adult Bettas terrorize them.

I would say, if you have a 10g*, at least, you could give it a try ..and just be prepared to rehome the Cories or the Betta ..in another established tank in your own home, or elsewhere.


*Keep in mind, the general rule of "an inch per gallon" ..and the fact that Cories do much better in groups of minimum THREE.

 

[Chef]

Cool. Good to know. I think I will keep them seperated. They are in a 2.5g tank so I think that would be to tight. I almost bought a 10 gallon tank recently but opted not because I'm going to save for a little bigger tank. I will get one very soon though. Thanks for the info.

Chef

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
I'm considering the small tank for a night light... I've got climbers though and I know someone would try to feed the fish themselves and most likely drop the whole tank. Unless I put a shelf up specifically for the tank, which might work...

Get some live plants. Those little bulbs they sell in the aquarium section actually grow VERY fast and VERY well with town water. They won't rip the fins and it gives some extra food. The last betta boy I had was in a 10 gallon aquarium with 2 females and tons of plants. He lived a happy life.