# New Betta



## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

I just got a king betta from petco and was wondering if you guys could give me help on taking care of it.


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## Elry (Jan 15, 2011)

Well, for basic care, many people consider 2.5 gallons the minimum for a betta. They should have a heater as they are tropical fish. The ideal temperature is between 76-82 Fahrenheit. Their stomachs are only as big as their eyes, so feed only what should be cleaned up in a minute or two.

For full care, here's a good care sheet: http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=18097


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Get a one gal bowl. Keep it over 72 degrees. Feed it once a day. I feed my three bettas thrice a day, but I'm conditioning... It's better to keep it skinny then to get it bloated... Message me! I have a scout requirement for helping someone with a betta!


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Betta man said:


> Get a one gal bowl. Keep it over 72 degrees. Feed it once a day. I feed my three bettas thrice a day, but I'm conditioning... It's better to keep it skinny then to get it bloated... Message me! I have a scout requirement for helping someone with a betta!


NO! Stop giving people sub-par advice about bettas! We know you "love" them... but if you truly cared about them and their welfare, you would stop telling people to put them in bowls and other craptastic advice. 

A betta should have a heater and a filter, do you understand that? You might be able to fit a small heater in a bowl but it's a lot harder to fit a filter in there too. 

They should be kept in filtered, heated TANKS, not bowls. It's not kind to a fish to cramp it in a bowl when you can provide a much better home for only slightly more money. You can get a 2.5 gallon or 5 gallon tank for about what an actual "fish bowl" would cost... and without a filter or heater, you're not providing it with a good home in a bowl anyway. 

Quit telling people to cut corners! If you're not learning from this forum when YOU ask questions, then don't contribute answers to other people that ask the same ones.


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## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

Thanks for the help guys


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Jumpman808 said:


> Thanks for the help guys


Sorry for my rant. I felt it was necessary. 

You could do a very nice tank for one betta alone if you got at least a 5 gallon. 2.5 is doable, but kings do get bigger and it's harder to fit a heater and filter into one. 

I'd recommend either a sponge filter or a regular filter with a sponge over the intake tube... it lessens the suction and the output, both of which can bother a betta. And of course a heater, no plastic plants if you can help it (real floating plants or fake silk are best) and whatever gravel/sand you desire. 

Hope that helps.


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## Fishy Freak (Jun 1, 2011)

Hello what have you got it in?


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## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

I just got a 1gal tank I had laying around with a filter not the best but it works, black sand with a fake plant


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## Fishy Freak (Jun 1, 2011)

Sounds nice, are you getting a heater, he will be happier with one?


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## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

Yeah just looking for a good one right now


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## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

A great heater is a Hydor mini heater. I have it in my bettas 5 gallon and it keeps the water around 82. Also, what kind of filter do you have? Bettas cant have strong currents because of their long fins. I suggest a sponge filter with a check valve so you can set how many bubbles you want. Your betta will also love a cave. I have a cave with a SILK (thats another thing ill talk about...) sticking out and he loves it but... the otos have kinda taken it over LOL xD So about the silk plant thing. Any plant you get HAS TO BE SILK!!! Bettas love swimming through plants and plastic ones will tatter their fins. Live plants are even better! You should feed him 3-4 pellets a day (I feed mine Hikari Betta Bio Gold), depending on his size. They also love bloodworms, brine shrimp, fruit flies, and mosquito larvae.


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## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

Alright I'll go check out that heater. I have slik bamboo plant in there. Does a cave really help out? I feed him pellets also but thinking about freezed dried bloodworms.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

I have a male betta in a 1 gal bowl and he's happily building a bubble nest and of course, flaring at the female, but if you clean out their jars every 3 days, They'll be happy. I is not "craptistic" advice. I have kept bettas for 3 years.


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## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

Betta man what do you have in your bowl?


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## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

Yes my betta loves his cave. He loves swimming through the holes. Its also good because my cories can hide in it if my betta is being mean. Bettas are carnivores so I suggest you get freeze dried bloodworms. If its the summer and it rains a lot, go outside and find some mosquito larvae. He'll LOVE it!


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## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

Honestly, bettaman I could never put my fish in a 1 gallon bowl. My betta loves swimming around (he goes on top, bottom, middle of the tank). I cant imagine taking that away from him.


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Well, good for you, Bettaman! Any fish can make do in less than great conditions, but for how long? Why put yourself through the trouble of doing 100% water changes when you could have a filtered heated tank that needs less maintenance and is less stressful on the fish? Let's see how long it takes before this betta croaks. 

My husband and I learned our lessons on betta keeping... when will you?


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Bettas need to move. My bowl Is warm. I don't do hundred percent water changes. That would not be good for the fish. lol, I can predict what your going to say, "what is good for the fish is heated and filtered tank" and it's going to go on and on until one of us gets mad ad puts the other one on his/her ignore list and the other one doesn't like that and does the same! It happened with funlad! Now, my male betta is happily swimming about his tank. I kept a betta in a 5 gal and then a bowl and I noticed he was happier in the bowl. Why? He felt secure with plants and thing so hide behind without so much open water. Bettas have characters and some need plenty of space and others are happily building bubble nest and dreaming about pretty females in their half gallon bowls!!!


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## jlpropst00 (Jun 12, 2011)

I hereby award this thread "my favorite of the week". Thank you Betta Man, hXcChic22 and Fishielover123 for your contributions. Keep up the good work.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Thank you, thank you very much! (I sound like a politician) I now have 2 bettas in a 5 gal for breeding, is that better HXcChix22?


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## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

Again thanks for the help guys


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Lol!!! What do you want to know?


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2011)

i keep all my betta in beanie case  for show my friends ...


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## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

I got problem with my Betta. When I first got him he was flaring an stuff at the store, then when I put him in the tank he stops flaring when I put a mirror or my other Betta near him why is that?


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

My new halfmoon doesn't even flare at all except at a pretty female!


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## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

What does that mean is something wrong with him?


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## Elry (Jan 15, 2011)

It just means that not every betta flares. My two VTs and my CT rarely ever flare while my delta tail flares at almost any given second. I don't think there's anything wrong with him. As long as he's still active and responsive, he should be fine.


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## Jumpman808 (Jul 20, 2011)

Yeah he's always moving everytime I come around the tank and when I feed him


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Some bettas are SO mellow. Bettas have characters!


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