# King Betta



## mkayum (Jul 5, 2012)

I plan to get a king betta for my good friend's birthday. It's in a few months. 


However.... I have to make sure I get the right supplies for his fish. 

Supplies listed:

1x5 gallon tank

1x a sponge Filter for 25 gallon

1x a bag of white gravel

A few live java ferns

Of course the dechlorinator

Could a king betta be happy in his 5 gallon tank? 

If not, I would get a small plakat for him.


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## ngrubich (Aug 1, 2012)

I know a lot of people keep them in 10 gallon tanks, but I have read up on a few people here and there that keep them in a 5 gallon (only fish in the tank).
The only other thing that the betta would absolutely need is food.


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## LittleWatty (May 13, 2012)

I have a king in a 3 gallon currently. I plan on putting him in a 10 gallon, but I opt for the larger options for betta tank sizes. All of my regular sized bettas will be in 6.6 gallons. A five might be acceptable, but a plakat would be happier in there than the king, most likely.


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## Enkil (Jan 15, 2012)

I have a true giant in half of a 10 gal. They have a heater and regular filter. He's happy, healthy, and active.
Would recommend looking into a hiding place. When I first got my Uther, he just wanted to relax where he was completely hidden. Gave me a couple scares when I couldn't see him.

Also, I recommend larger betta pellets and plenty of frozen/live foods.


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## gossipgirl1031 (Dec 7, 2011)

I had my king in a 2.5 to start with & quickly upgraded to a 5 gallon. He was the only fish and seemed pretty happy in there. Lots of hidey spaces-mine was shy. He sure did eat a lot though


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

They sure do eat a lot...and put out a lot of ammonia. In his 5 gal, I was changing water 50% every other day or so to keep my king's ammonia down below 0.25ppm.

Mkayum,
I didn't see a heater on your list. Many keepers feel that white gravel is stressful.

Are you sure your friend wants---and is ready for--- the responsibility of fishkeeping? If so, I wish you both well...also as the fish.


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## gossipgirl1031 (Dec 7, 2011)

I also had to do frequent water changes-he hated them. Had to be done anyway. And yes-heater for sure!


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

My king betta is very happily living in a planted 5.5 gallon :thumbsup:


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

HallX - 2nd time I've noticed you mentioning the white gravel thing. I glad I met a person that's using white gravel, but hers was coated with algae & poo. That was enough to make me scoop all the white gravel and rinsed out the tank before going with mini river rocks.

Mkay - look into a bag of pool filter sand. I gotta stop by the hardware store to check it out how much they retail for. 

Actually I'll just call ahead.

Heard a 50lb bag is $12-$14

Here's a link to a visual.
http://bestaquariumfilter.org/pool-filter-sand-aquarium


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## mkayum (Jul 5, 2012)

Hallyx said:


> They sure do eat a lot...and put out a lot of ammonia. In his 5 gal, I was changing water 50% every other day or so to keep my king's ammonia down below 0.25ppm.
> 
> Mkayum,
> I didn't see a heater on your list. Many keepers feel that white gravel is stressful.
> ...


Me and my friend went to petco and we wanted to look at the betta section. He said that he liked the look of the king betta. It reminds of himself! (my friend's taller and bulky than me lol) 

My friend is prepared to have the responsibility for it because I bought him a veiltail and a 1.5 gallon tank and all the stuff. He changed the water one or two times a week and fed it three times a week. It lived almost a year and but died. I think that veiltail was probably older when I bought him because it has very long and wide tail and also he has this bulky face and the body. His tank is 1.5 gallon and heated up to 78 degrees. I think that heater was Betta Zooo Med something like that.


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## mkayum (Jul 5, 2012)

MSG said:


> HallX - 2nd time I've noticed you mentioning the white gravel thing. I glad I met a person that's using white gravel, but hers was coated with algae & poo. That was enough to make me scoop all the white gravel and rinsed out the tank before going with mini river rocks.
> 
> Mkay - look into a bag of pool filter sand. I gotta stop by the hardware store to check it out how much they retail for.
> 
> ...



I meant the Petco white sand. But I might go for pool filter sand. I need it to cover the most floor space of my 20 gallon tank. 

I also have a bag of organic peat moss mixed with the pool sand for my carnivorous plants. 

Thanks for the link! Helpful info definitively!


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

mkayum said:


> I also have a bag of organic peat moss mixed with the pool sand for my carnivorous plants.


Carnivorous plants? Cool. What kind?

I have pitcher plants in my backyard. Being wild, they require no care.


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

Never realized they used PFS in the soil with the venus fly traps. I've noticed the little granules in the substrate before when I looked at terrarium type enclosures. 

That's another reason I'll get myself a giant bag. I'll use it to mix into gardening soil.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

You may want to feed him daily.. they benefit from eating a few small meals a day rather then once every few days. They are like us.. we like to eat daily, and so do they. Feeding once every few days can cause them to become malnourished and lower their life span...


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## goldfishyman (Jun 8, 2012)

Actually calorie restriction has been found to keep humans and mice younger. I have no doubt the same could be true about fish. lol


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

goldfishyman said:


> Actually calorie restriction has been found to keep humans and mice younger. I have no doubt the same could be true about fish. lol


While it may enhance longevity in mammals, calorie-restriction is not calculated to maintain optimum health, fitness or activity.


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## homegrown terror (Aug 6, 2012)

i've got my king Odin in a ten-gal planted tank with two mollies and a platy. he's extremely happy, loves the long leaves and investigating the occasional snail that pops up. i've noticed he's a LOT more docile than most bettas, when we put him in, he spent a minute or two chasing the other fish just out of curiosity but after that he leaves them alone. they're wonderful fish, but i wouldn't recommend putting one in anything less than a five-gal. even if you change the water every day, bigger fish need more space to feel comfortable.


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## Bethydan (Mar 22, 2012)

Honestly, I have Magwitch in a 20-gallon all to himself. And sometimes it seems like he's cramped cause he's such a beast. But he's a happy little monster. For a King, I wouldn't consider less than a 5-gallon, and 10 would be even better. I'm just a weirdo who likes to give her little scaly-beasts a palace. :lol:


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## gossipgirl1031 (Dec 7, 2011)

Ty definitely needed at least the 5, I was considering bumping him up to a 10, but then he passed on.


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## Enkil (Jan 15, 2012)

I would definitely recommend at least 5 gallons for a king. Also, daily feedings. Kings and Giants eat more because they're bigger.
I have a true giant who eats twice daily and I vary his diet with: large betta pellets, frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, live/frozen mosquito larvae. I also keep frozen daphnia on hand in case of bloat/constipation.


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Are there any marble colored King Betta ? I am thinking of getting another Betta this coming Spring and if I do that is what I would love to have. What type tails to the King have ?


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## mkayum (Jul 5, 2012)

MSG said:


> Never realized they used PFS in the soil with the venus fly traps. I've noticed the little granules in the substrate before when I looked at terrarium type enclosures.
> 
> That's another reason I'll get myself a giant bag. I'll use it to mix into gardening soil.



It's great for any plants! It helps with draining.


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## Jessie1990 (May 21, 2012)

I have two Kings in a divided, planted 10 gallon and they seem to be very happy and active all the time. I also have a King in a 5 gallon because he was alot more aggressive than my other two. I thought he needed his own place but now I think he seems to be a bit more bored than the other two. The other two like to look at each other through the screen (They don't flare, they just go to see what the other one is doing on the other side.) All my bettas have a nerite buddy too. Roku is VERY attached to his snail... he tail bites if I take it out. 

So! I think that 5 gallons is okay, but I would like to give them 10 gallons. Two of them seem very happy in their 5 gallons. I have to play with Seraph A LOT to keep him happy. We tried the ping pong and bottle cap idea. He just LOVES people attention. He is also my betta that will flare if he isn't fed right when I wake up (he's in my room so he sees me get up) Anyway, I don't think that his boredom has anything to do with tank size. He just really loves attention


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