# What are the best products?



## camerafreak (Jan 23, 2011)

I have been searching this site for about 2 weeks now and I keep seeing that multiple products are great. I am looking for the best products out there! I am ready to turn my horrible betta mom habits into FANTASTIC betta mom habits. I am just needing your help to do this. What are your ideas on the best water conditioner, pellets, test kits, and aquarium salt (if there is a best kind of aquarium salt lol.) I plan on going to PETCO tomorrow since my new betta will be here soon.


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## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

camerafreak said:


> I have been searching this site for about 2 weeks now and I keep seeing that multiple products are great. I am looking for the best products out there! I am ready to turn my horrible betta mom habits into FANTASTIC betta mom habits. I am just needing your help to do this. What are your ideas on the best water conditioner, pellets, test kits, and aquarium salt (if there is a best kind of aquarium salt lol.) I plan on going to PETCO tomorrow since my new betta will be here soon.


Top Fin and Marineland are the brands I find myself going back to a lot..
I'd stay away from all things Tetra as far as heaters, etc go though. Ive had such awful luck witht their stuff :s
For food, people on this site seem to really love Hikari Betta pellets, I hear theyre tasty (lol) and help ith coloration. I have some tetra (I know...) brand pellets, and theyre actually great too.
For conditioner, eh.. Theyre almost all the same stuff, essentially ^~^; I guess find one that suits your tank needs best (Like, dont get one you measure for 1 drop per 20 gallons in a 5 gallon tank lol ) 
I use API aquarium salt, it comes in smallish milk-box looking things and seems to do just dandy.
Test kits..ummm.. Depends on what youre testing? Ive heard strips can be innacurate :c I use them, but dont test my ammonia with them. I use a brand PetSMART sells, but PetCO doesnt. I have an API kit for ammonia and its great. Ive seen lots of other memebers with the master kits from API, too. 
Good luck on your better-betta-mama hunt <3


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

I'm rather fond of Aqueon and Marinland as far as heaters/filters/tanks go. Top Fin is OK, and Tetra is indeed horrible.
Hikari and Atisons seem to be favored brands for pellets, though I've used HBH for as long as I've had bettas and like them. For frozen foods though, definitely go Hikari.
Seachem Prime(They really need to pay us for promoting this...)is definitely the best conditioner out there, no questions asked.
Liquid test kits are the way to go, strips are indeed quite inaccurate,,,.and therefore really kind of a waste of money. The only brand I've ever seen/used is API, so I can't comment on others.
AQ salt(API is indeed a good brand)is always a must to have on hand, but not to use for regular maintenance. Long term use does more harm then good. However, it should always be there on your shelf, and should be used before resorting to stressful medication. Sometimes a little salt and clean water is all you really need.
Hmm....I think I covered it all xD Hope I helped some!


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

Water conditioner: Prime (also the most economical).
Test Kit: API Freshwater Master Test Kit (Again, the most bang for your buck).
Foods:
-Atison's Betta Food
-Atison's Betta Pro
-Omega One Betta Food
-HBH Betta Bites
-Hikari Micro Wafers (the crude protein is up to scratch, even though its a tropical fish food)

The other 2 good ones I have not been able to lay my hands on are 
-New Life Spectrum
-Ken's Betta Crumble

...*NOT* Hikari Betta Bio Gold. The were great, but then they changed their formula to include wheat germ as the first ingredient. If your betta a big carbohydrate eater? Neither is mine


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Water conditioner- Prime.
Test kit- API freshwater master test kit.
Food- Hikari betta bio gold, Wardleys pellets
Atison's betta pro


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## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

Ohh, yes DQ- Wardley's are great too! I forgot!!


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## BettasForever (Jan 18, 2011)

I totally agree with whoever said Top Fin.
I currently own:

Top Fin 4" Net 
Top Fin Color Enhancing Betta Bits (pellet food)
Top Fin Freeze Dried Blood Worms
Top Fin Betta Water Conditioner
Top Fin 2 Gallon Aquascene Desktop Aquarium with Light and Airstone

Yeah, even my little Comet's TANK is Top Fin.

They make some awesome stuff. Check it out.


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## neekis (Mar 1, 2010)

*How much Prime*



kelly528 said:


> Water conditioner: Prime (also the most economical).
> 
> How much prime do you use for your 5.5 gal when you do a partial changel of water?
> 
> ...


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

I heard its 2 drops per gallon.


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## ChicagoPete (Dec 27, 2010)

2 drops per gallon Neekis! so doin a half a change whould mean 6 drops or 5 if you feel like your not rally at half removed and always add it to the new water not the water in the tank now, so it thuroughly mixes.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Prime for water conditioner is all I'll ever use.

I also like Seachem's Flourish line if your going into plants.

Stay away from topfin heaters. I used to like them but I've found that after about 6 months they ALL crap out. I've had to buy two heaters in one week because both broke. One stopped heating effectively and the other had my tank at 90*F. I now use Marineland Stealth pro heaters if I need to buy locally. If I have time to order online I get hydor theos... awesome heater!

Foods.. live is best. My guys die over their white worms.. they love them to death. 

For dry...
NLS Betta, Small fish, and Grow.. I feed a mix of these
Attinsons Betta and Betta pro
HBH Betta Bites 
Kens Crumbles

(the last two I haven't actually tried but I really want to.. just too expensive for me right now).

Frozen.. I stick with hikari brand.

Filters.. Marineland is great and I also like Aqueon.

Plants... www.bobstropicalplants.com is where I got my plants from. Nice plants but not labeled was my only issue. Great snails too!

Eclipse tank kits are great. I'd love to have another eclipse 3 (or two).

Eco-complete is my favorite substrate (if your going planted).

I like these air pumps.. extremely quiet.


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## FishyFriend1 (Oct 29, 2010)

on an unrelated, note. I use test strips (im a bit lazy) but i use *jungle brand. I *find that its relativity accurate. and mess free, fast*. 

Just my opinion.
*


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## StarSpun (Oct 19, 2010)

I second the Hydor Theo heaters. Best heater I've ever used. And they have the best reviews at Amazon


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## FishyFriend1 (Oct 29, 2010)

oh sorry double post.

Food; Top fin Betta color enhancing pellets
- HBH color-bright betta flakes
- frozen blood worms

Heater; Elite 25 watt mini heater. (partially submersible)

Filter; don't use one. Regular water changes

Plants; Silk. i use the one with the rocks on the bottom instead of the cups.

Tank; 5 gal marineland hex eclipse.(they are great and come with filter!!!)


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## neekis (Mar 1, 2010)

Thanks Bettafish15 and ChicagoPete! I really appreciate it.


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## camerafreak (Jan 23, 2011)

As for live food goes can I just get it at my local petco? I looked around when I went and got my pellets, water conditioner, and water testing supplies ( I couldn't find the liquid ones). I dont know if I'm not looking hard enough or what but a lot of things that were mentioned weren't at petco. I found Aqueon and Hikari but that was about it.


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

1fish2fish said:


> Plants... www.bobstropicalplants.com is where I got my plants from. Nice plants but not labeled was my only issue. Great snails too!


Do you remember what the shipping was like at bobstropicalplants ?
I have never seen that store before, but it looks pretty cool.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I don't remember but it wasn't too bad. Maybe like $10 or so.


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