# Planning on Getting Betta(s)



## fishtankguy (Aug 3, 2012)

I want to get a betta fish. I have a 10 gallon tank with nothing but gravel in it. I have had fish in the tank for about a month, but I recently moved them all to a bigger tank. I have a few questions that I will list, but if anybody can think of something else that might be important for me to know please tell me.

How many bettas can I fit in a 10 gallon tank?
What should I feed them?
How often should I feed them?
Live plants for fake plants? 
Do they need places to hide?
Will the light stress them out?
Can I breed them in a 10? 
Can the fry be left with the other fish if i were to breed them?

Sorry I have so many questions, but I want to make sure that I can take care of them well. Thanks in advance!


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

*How many bettas can I fit in a 10 gallon tank?* You can fit a max of 8 females in a 10. 
*What should I feed them?* I would recommend a variety of foods. Maybe 3 different foods. One flake, the other pellet, and bloodworms for treats.
*How often should I feed them?* Once a day fasting twice a week works well for me. I fast mine on Sunday and Wednesday. 
*Live plants for fake plants?* I prefer live, but fakes will do. If you get fakes, buy silk plants at the dollar store. They are much cheaper and last a decently long time in tanks. 
*Do they need places to hide?* All fish should have places to hide. It doesn't have to have a lot, just maybe a couple of plants in there, and some fake caves or rocks.
*Will the light stress them out?* I have left my light on 10-12 hours a day and it hasn't bothered them. I don't really think it will.
*Can I breed them in a 10?* You can breed them in a 10. I have bred them in about half a gallon. It didn't work out, but sure. I currently breed them in a 10 gal as it is large enough to keep the fry in until they get aggressive. 
*Can the fry be left with the other fish if i were to breed them?* The fry can be left with the male until the males are mature and aggressive. I personally would not advise that as the male is most likely going to eat them after a few weeks. I left my male in for 2 weeks.
If you want to breed bettas, you will need 70+ quart jars for the males, you will need a way to heat the jars, and you will need a minimum of 20 gallons for the female fry. I would not advise breeding bettas unless you have a lot of cash (over 100 bucks unless you already have most of the materials) and several different foods. The more the better. Bettas are decently easy fish to get to spawn, but their fry are extremely hard to raise. When they first hatch, some will be too small for baby brine shrimp. IMO, they poop like crazy and make your tank filthy. Before you try to spawn, I'd advise reading my spawn log. http://www.fishforums.com/forum/bettas/32067-spawn-log.html? 
You might find something useful in there. Also research twice as much as you think you need to. It can be tricky to induce some bettas to spawn. Make sure you condition!!!


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Hi fishtankguy, I'll try to answer some of the questions you posted. Hope this will help.

Q: How many bettas can I fit in a 10 gallon tank?
A: If you plan on having an undivided tank you can only keep one betta male as they will kill each other on sight. If you divide the tank however you can keep two male bettas on seperate sides of the aquarium. Both sides should be filtered seperatly and heated if you use a divider that doesn't alow water to flow through (i.e. plexi glas.
Q:What should I feed them?
A: Betta pellets or flakes. SOme bettas only exept pellets so it is better to buy a small portion of each untill you know what your betta likes
Q:How often should I feed them?
A: Once or twice a day. I would recommend a total of 4 pellets
Q: Live plants or fake plants?
A: This really is up to you. It depends if you want to have the work of maintaining real plants or not. If you go with fake plants make sure that they are soft and your betta can't tear its fins on it. I personally prefer real plants
Q: Do they need places to hide?
A: I think so. My betta loves to go hide in his little rock cave. I think all fish need the option to draw back.
Q:Will the light stress them out?
Aepends on what light you have. Normal aquarium light wont stress your betta out unless it is lighter inside the aquarium than outside. That way the betta will be able to see its own reflection and flare at it, and get stressed.
Q:CAn I breed them in a 10?
A: You can't keep betta males and females together in one tank unless you seperate it. I would say a 10g is to small for breeding and keeping a pair of bettas in so I would forget that. Talk to Betta man or someone with experience breeding bettas about breeding bettas.
Q: Can the fry be left with the other fish if I were to breed them?
A: If you mean their parents I don't think so. Again, speak with someone who has experience breeding bettas.


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## fishtankguy (Aug 3, 2012)

Thanks for answering all of my questions. I don't think I'm up for all of the work it takes to breed them. What's the difference between a male and female?


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Damm, guess we had the same idea. I thought I was gonne be the first to answer, but once I posted I saw you already answered betta man.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Males are the ones you see sold in jars at the petstore. They are highly aggresive towards each other. They are not called fighting fish for nothing. The males also have longer fins and are generally the ones people keep in aquariums. Females have shorter fins and are not as aggresive towards each other. They can be kept in groups.


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## fishtankguy (Aug 3, 2012)

Betta Man said that I could keep 8 females. Can I keep 7 females and 1 male?


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

No! The male would beat the fenales up trying to breed! Males and females cannot be kept together.


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## fishtankguy (Aug 3, 2012)

aight, thanks. Ima just get 8 females then


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

But, before you get them, make sure that non are too aggressive. I said a max of 8 females. Because you are a beginner, try getting 5. Also, you have to do regular water changes on the 10 gal. (once every week). Make sure that the females you buy aren't too aggressive for each other. Some females are more aggressive then others. Try adding only 2 or 3 at a time. Make SURE that the females are all about the same size so that one big on doesn't beat up on all the little ones. good luck!


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## fishtankguy (Aug 3, 2012)

Thanks! I am going to buy 3 tomorrow.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

I don't have any experience with female bettas, but wouldn't more be better? I'm saying this because if you only get three and one constantly gets harrased by one of the others it might die from stress (this is happening with my group of three male guppies right now which is why i'm suggesting this). I would also start with a small group just for cycling purposes but would have a bigger group in the end.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Female bettas will sometimes band together and beat up on just one female. That's why I'd recommend 3. If there's more, than more females are more likely to beat up on one. I've had experience with this and let me tell you, it was HORRIBLE! I had to buy net dividers, and spent a lot of money (for me as I have no steady income except allowance) and I lost my former prize female because of it. Some people may disagree, and some probably have had different experiences, but that's just my experience. Btw, make sure you add the 3 females at one time so that it doesn't become one female's territory. Also, the females WILL beat each other up. For the first week or two, you have to be watching them to make sure the aggression levels don't get too high. My current prize female is very aggressive towards new females, and when she was new, she beat every other fish up. After a month, she's finally gotten peaceful to one of the females and no longer attacks her. Also, if they gang up on one female and try to kill her, you can adjust them with a net breeder for a while. They will get used to each other after a while.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Ahh that makes sense. With my guppies it is just one beating up another one constantly but they never team up. So you suggest three so that the "Attack team" isn't big?


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Yep. It might be the way you were thinking sometimes, but that's just my experience with them.


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