# My entire Betta collection



## Pod (Mar 11, 2012)

Just to start off with a few things;
All the betta's in the small containers/cups are very happy, receive weekly water changes, and constantly produce bubble nest. My newest male is in the cube thing.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...06443_100002164460572_596063_1268662187_n.jpg Since I dont know how to make the images bigger, I'll just link them. This is half of my room, which is the perfect room for them, thanks to the abnormal heat.
If people are curious to see what my betta's look like, I'll gladly post pictures of them.

To be honest, I was scared to post pictures, since I don't wanna be scolded for having them in such tiny tanks. Though, all my betta's are happy and well cared for, receiving 100% water changes weekly, this way I can remove any excess poop that builds up.


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## mattoboy (Feb 4, 2012)

Very nice collection! I would love to see pictures of them individually when you have time! Welcome to the forums!


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## sparkyjoe (Feb 27, 2012)

You know, I've kind of come to the conclusion that if I'm getting a betta from the local pet store; one who's been kept in a tiny cup in that (often) cool, filthy blue water, that the little tyke would probably be better off with me. (S)he would be in a warm home, with a nice environment and clean water, rather than die an ugly, slow death at the pet store.

Sure, it would be great if we all had room for 5+ gallon tanks for every one of them, but that's not always realistic. Heck, it would be *fantastic* if every person who bought a betta was gonna keep it in the perfect home, but that's not very realistic either.

I'm new here myself, and new to proper betta care, but at least I'm here to learn. Annnnnd, I'm about to get my 3rd boy. (Yeah, already thinking about where I could possibly put a 4th! Sigh)

I think these little fish must put off some sort of "potato chip" hormone so you can't stop at just one!


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## Pod (Mar 11, 2012)

I have like, 12 Betta's total.
6 boys
6 girls.

I have two CT males, 2 VT males, 1 HM, 1 DT.
For females I have no idea. I only know that I have 1 true VT female. I think the others are PK mixes. One PK has the traits of both a VT and a CT female, another has CT traits, so. I just call them all females. I'll be sure to get pictures when the females fin's are mostly healed.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

I would love to see individual pics of them too 

Have you though of using storage containers for the ones in the cup? They are cheap and come in various sizes. I have 2 living in them myself. Just be sure to poke some holes in the lid so they can get air..

You can also divided a 5 or 10 gallon tank, that way one tank can house 2 or 3 males - and you only need to use one heater (which is a plus when plugs are limited).


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## betta lover1507 (Aug 6, 2011)

1+^ agreed, don't worry all of my betta's are in 1 gals


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## LionCalie (Sep 24, 2011)

Pod said:


> Just to start off with a few things;
> All the betta's in the *small containers/cups* are very happy, receive * weekly water changes*, and constantly produce bubble nest.


Wait... you aren't using the cups as permanent housing, are you? Also, you really need to be doing water changes twice a week on anything under 5 gallons that is not cycled/filtered. I'm sorry to sound blunt, but what I highlighted in bold is very concerning.


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## Pod (Mar 11, 2012)

When I do water changes, they get 100% water changes, and this happens at the end of the week.

The cups are not permanent housing, the only fish in there is my VT female, Sam, and shes in the cup as a floater for the larger tank, since she can't play nice with the other girls. She was removed so I can do a 100% water change on the 6 gallon, due to an outbreak of brown algae.


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## betta lover1507 (Aug 6, 2011)

you could get a snail  or an algea eater, they could help with the algea


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## Pod (Mar 11, 2012)

I had a CAE, but, it was slaughtered by the current girls in there. And it is a 6 gallon tank, so, I cant get any good algae eaters. I also don't want a high bio-load, so. But, I enjoy cleaning out the tanks and watching my betta's flourish in nice, freshly cleaned water. They love it.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...439701_100002164460572_596064_198199644_n.jpg This is the boy in the cube. He has a split in his tail, but, it kinda looks like he was born with it, since there is no tearing and I got him from a good breeder yesterday.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

It seems kind of unjustifiable to me to be buying new fish before getting proper tanks for your existing ones. JMO. I also have to agree with LionCalie, one 100% a week just doesn't seem like enough, especially when some of those containers look to be less than one gallon. Have you tested ammonia levels prior to your water change?

How are you heating the smaller tanks? To keep them warm enough, your room must be uncomfortably hot. 

I'd love to see some individual photos - your little (green butterfly?) boy under the cups look beautiful!


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## Jessicatm137 (Mar 22, 2012)

Wow that's cool...


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## Pod (Mar 11, 2012)

Yes, the room is VERY hot. I refuse to allow my mother to put an air conditionar in, because I know that the tanks are too small for a heater.

Yes, I check the levels and stuff. Though to you guys the 100% weekly water changes isn't good, it works fine for me. And all my betta's are quite happy with it. I've tried to keep them in the 6 gallon without the females in separate times. They hated all the space with a burning passion. It was notable by how they were acting.

Honestly, yes. I know the tank's are too small. But, I've also tested to see if they'd perfer a bigger tank. The result was that all of the males hated being in a larger tank. In the smaller tanks, they receive constant care, and constant watching to make sure there are no sickness or other issues.

Though I have them in small-medium containers, I assure you, they are very happy fish. A few constantly build bubble nest. They seem to like to do this during water change day especially.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Bubblenests aren't a sign of health - they can be prompted by a variety of things, and an influx of new water is one of them. Just sayin'. 

If the levels are good, then I'm no longer worried about your cleaning schedule, or your heating. I just wanted to check.  

One thing I did notice, though, is that your containers are quite bare - that could be a reason that your fish weren't comfortable in the bigger spaces. I've found that bettas are terrified of larger spaces only when they don't have enough cover. When I first transferred Odysseus from the one litre (one quart) tank he'd been in at the shop to his 5 gallon, naturally he freaked. So I took him out, packed the space with plants (I'd only have a few in there at first) and after a day of being nervous, he took to it really well.  Now that he's used to the space, he has less planting and is still really confident. It's a case of building them up to it. 
I'd suggest putting a little something in the tanks that are currently bare (like the little cube) for your fish to interact with.  Even a bed of java moss or a little anubias nana petite on a terracotta pot.


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## Pod (Mar 11, 2012)

Hmm. We at the moment have no money for plastic plants, unless there are cheap fake plants you recommend. . .


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## mattoboy (Feb 4, 2012)

Those will do, as long as they are silk! I went to a PetSmart (Canadian version of Petco) I few weeks ago and they had packs of silk plants for like $12 or $13 and you got 5 or 6. They were pretty big, so you could always cut them in half as well!


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## mattoboy (Feb 4, 2012)

Those will do, as long as they are silk! I went to a PetSmart (Canadian version of Petco) I few weeks ago and they had packs of silk plants for like $12 or $13 and you got 5 or 6. They were pretty big, so you could always cut them in half as well!


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## TheJadeBetta (Mar 31, 2010)

Looks good, although the cups worry me. It clearly states: "This cup is no a means of permanent housing." or something like that.

If you local dollar store, craft store, or flea market has silk plants. Those will work just fine. Just wash them in HOT water and then rinse them off in COLD water. I do it all the time and haven't had any problems.


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## Pod (Mar 11, 2012)

Yes, I know about the cups. Like I said, the only fish in a cup right now is my bad girl Sam, who is currently having swim bladder issues due to a slight miscalculation with feeding, and she is floating in the tank in said cup.

And yes, I think I'll go to walmart and buy those small betta plants, or, go to petco and buy them. I'll most likely go to walmart.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Java moss is cheaper than plastic plants...just saying


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