# New baby betta 😁



## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

I got this little guy today from my local pet store. He was labeled “baby boy” but I don’t fully trust that he’s a boy. I’ve named him Valentine. I think Valentine is a crowntail but I’d like a couple more opinions on it. For now I’m keeping him in my 1.4 gallon to quarantine him and will put him in my 10 gallon later on.

I have a question though, I have 4 types of food I can feed him but I don’t know which and how often to feed him.

I have freeze dried bloodworms
Fluval color enhancing flakes
Aqueon betta pellets
And hikari Betta bio gold.


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## box.of.fish (Mar 20, 2021)

Your fish has a male gender and to your question frozen bloodworm is better. greetings from Indonesia


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

box.of.fish said:


> Your fish has a male gender and to your question frozen bloodworm is better. greetings from Indonesia


Greetings and thank you.


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

Hania41806 said:


> View attachment 1028117
> View attachment 1028118
> 
> I got this little guy today from my local pet store. He was labeled “baby boy” but I don’t fully trust that he’s a boy. I’ve named him Valentine. I think Valentine is a crowntail but I’d like a couple more opinions on it. For now I’m keeping him in my 1.4 gallon to quarantine him and will put him in my 10 gallon later on.
> ...


Okay, now I'm thinking he might be a combtail. So i'm pretty sure either combtail or crowntail.


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## aidan_1549 (Nov 28, 2020)

Awww. The baby bettas are always cute. Glad you rescued him. Everything you need is here! PetCo Baby Betta Care
And I recommend not waisting your time figuring out the type until he is a bit older, its easier to tell!


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

aidan_1549 said:


> Awww. The baby bettas are always cute. Glad you rescued him. Everything you need is here! PetCo Baby Betta Care
> And I recommend not waisting your time figuring out the type until he is a bit older, its easier to tell!


Alright, thank you so much!


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

ok, so, I have Valentine in my 1.4 gallon tank, it is at 76 degrees, (cant get it to go higher, thinking of putting blanket or towel over tank to trap more heat) There is no water movement because i dont have a filter for him yet, and i put a couple hides and some java moss inside, but he is acting stressed. Hiding, clamping his fins, and not eating. Is this normal behavior? is he just adjusting to the new environment? I've had him in for a couple hours now and he seems to be getting more and more stressed...


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## aidan_1549 (Nov 28, 2020)

Hania41806 said:


> ok, so, I have Valentine in my 1.4 gallon tank, it is at 76 degrees, (cant get it to go higher, thinking of putting blanket or towel over tank to rap more heat) There is no water movement because i dont have a filter for him yet, and i put a couple hides and some java moss inside, but he is acting stressed. Hiding, clamping his fins, and not eating. Is this normal behavior? is he just adjusting to the new environment? I've had him in for a couple hours now and he seems to be getting more and more stressed...


Id say its normal if you just got him. Give him some time. But baby bettas can be fragile and is recommended to keep the tank warm, with a heater or by other means. Baby bettas need smaller food, and it id hold off on blood worms until he is a bit bigger, imho. 1.4 gallons will be great with your little friend. When he is full size I personally recommend 2.5 or bigger, but he can thrive in a 1.4 if treated right. When budget permits if you can get a heater, that is great. A small sponge filter is all you need for that small of a betta, because even the betta flo betta filter can be strong on those tiny guys.


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## aidan_1549 (Nov 28, 2020)

I edited a special version of the emergency form you can fill out. It will give us a sense of your care, so we can help improve to baby betta needs. 
*Housing:*
How many gallons is your tank?
Does it have a filter?
Does it have a heater?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?

*Food:*
What food brand do you use?
Do you feed flakes or pellets?
Freeze-dried?
How often do you feed your Betta? How much?

*Maintenance:*
What percentage of water will you change?
What is the source of your water?
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water?
What additives do you use other than conditioner? What brand of conditioner?

*Water Parameters:*
What are your water parameters? Please give exact numbers. If tested by pet store please get exact numbers. "Fine" or "Safe" won't help us help you. Important: Test your water _before_ the regular water change; not after one.

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:


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## aidan_1549 (Nov 28, 2020)

And if you are interested in a heater, I recommend this aqueon for your tank size. https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Heater-Aquariums-Under-Gallon/dp/B07DTH7F3F/ref=sr_1_4?crid=12OYMPLV2JD62&dchild=1&keywords=1+gallon+fish+tank+heater&qid=1616221046&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=1+gallon+,pets,860&sr=1-4 Its on sale right now so it may be good for limited budgets. 


Also, this is the filter I have heard good things about for small tanks. Its an internal power filter, for 1-4 gallons. Its 10$. https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-AQ-780...a+filter&qid=1616221129&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-3 I have had good experiences with tetra filters in the past and it has great reviews, so if you are considering a filter I recommend this one. 

Hope these are helpful for you!


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

*Housing:*
How many gallons is your tank? 1.4
Does it have a filter? no
Does it have a heater? sort of. not an aquarium heater but has a seedling heat mat underneath it to raise water temperature.
What temperature is your tank? 77 degrees (I put a towel over the tank so now the temperature is climbing)
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no

*Food:*
What food brand do you use? Hikari betta bio gold, Aqueon betta pellets, Tetra freeze dried bloodworms
Do you feed flakes or pellets? pellets
Freeze-dried? yes, bloodworms
How often do you feed your Betta? How much? I've fed him 2 times today 1 hikari pellet and 1 bloodworm (will be feeding him 3 times a day 4-6 pellets with occasional bloodworm treat)

*Maintenance:*
What percentage of water will you change? 50% every other day
What is the source of your water? tap
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water? dont have substrate yet but when i get it i will vacuum
What additives do you use other than conditioner? What brand of conditioner? API stress coat and Imagitarium betta water conditioner.

*Water Parameters:*
What are your water parameters? Please give exact numbers. If tested by pet store please get exact numbers. "Fine" or "Safe" won't help us help you. Important: Test your water _before_ the regular water change; not after one.

Ammonia: No clue :/
Nitrite: I'm working on
Nitrate: getting the API
pH: Freshwater master test kit.


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## aidan_1549 (Nov 28, 2020)

Hania41806 said:


> *Housing:*
> How many gallons is your tank? 1.4
> Does it have a filter? no
> Does it have a heater? sort of. not an aquarium heater but has a seedling heat mat underneath it to raise water temperature.
> ...


Stress coat is a water conditioner, so you don't need to use both : )


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

aidan_1549 said:


> Stress coat is a water conditioner, so you don't need to use both : )


I ran out of Imagitarium halfway through so had to finish it off with API 😅


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## aidan_1549 (Nov 28, 2020)

Hania41806 said:


> Thank you but I won't be buying
> 
> I ran out of Imagitarium halfway through so had to finish it off with API 😅


Oh right. I just noticed that the 1.4 gallon is a quarantine tank. Nice job for quarantining


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

aidan_1549 said:


> And if you are interested in a heater, I recommend this aqueon for your tank size. https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Heater-Aquariums-Under-Gallon/dp/B07DTH7F3F/ref=sr_1_4?crid=12OYMPLV2JD62&dchild=1&keywords=1+gallon+fish+tank+heater&qid=1616221046&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=1+gallon+,pets,860&sr=1-4 Its on sale right now so it may be good for limited budgets.
> 
> 
> Also, this is the filter I have heard good things about for small tanks. Its an internal power filter, for 1-4 gallons. Its 10$. https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-AQ-780...a+filter&qid=1616221129&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-3 I have had good experiences with tetra filters in the past and it has great reviews, so if you are considering a filter I recommend this one.
> ...


thank you but I won't be buying anything for the little tank. He is in there only because I'm quarantining him from my other fish and watching to see if he will poop.  I am picking up a 20 gallon high tank tomorrow and am going to move my fish from my 10 gallon into it and moving my boy into the 10 gallon.


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

aidan_1549 said:


> Oh right. I just noticed that the 1.4 gallon is a quarantine tank. Nice job for quarantining


Yes haha


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

You might find help in this sticky.








PetCo Baby Betta Care


So most of us have come across the Baby Betta's at PetCo or perhaps you've just stumbled across one on your travels! You pick it up and don't see anything in those cups until you turn it and there's a tiny Betta! You marvel at the size and perhaps it breaks your heart because the poor baby is...




www.bettafish.com


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## aidan_1549 (Nov 28, 2020)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> You might find help in this sticky.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes that’s the one I sent above at the beginning of the thread.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## box.of.fish (Mar 20, 2021)

Hania41806 said:


> Okay, now I'm thinking he might be a combtail. So i'm pretty sure either combtail or crowntail.


This is a halfmoon betta, but at the end of the tail it may look like a crowntail, but not too long


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## box.of.fish (Mar 20, 2021)

check my Instagram @box. of. fish. You can send messages, and we can share about betta fish, in Indonesia there are a lot of betta breeders, including me.


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

Just a small update on valentine. Doing his first major water change right now and I’ve noticed his color has improved quite a bit. 😁


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## The Halfmoon Lover (Mar 7, 2021)

AGHHH he is adorable!!!!!! He looks very healthy and happy, can't wait to see him all grown up! Keep us posted 😄


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

The Halfmoon Lover said:


> AGHHH he is adorable!!!!!! He looks very healthy and happy, can't wait to see him all grown up! Keep us posted 😄


will do!


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

He's very cute! One thing to note is Tetra, Aqueon, and Hikari are all pretty low-quality brand foods so I would switch him/her over to fluval bug bites with him being so small 1x daily and frozen foods (bloodworms, mysis shrimp, carnivore medly, brine shrimp etc.) 1x daily.


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## AlphaBettas (May 12, 2020)

Gosh he's absolutely ADORABLE! He looks so small and cute


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

KekeTheBettaDoc said:


> He's very cute! One thing to note is Tetra, Aqueon, and Hikari are all pretty low-quality brand foods so I would switch him/her over to fluval bug bites with him being so small 1x daily and frozen foods (bloodworms, mysis shrimp, carnivore medly, brine shrimp etc.) 1x daily.


yes, I know that they are low quality brands, I'm trying to get my hands on fluval bug bites and frozen foods but my local fish store keeps selling out of them before I have the chance to grab them . Thanks for the advice though!


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

AlphaBettas said:


> Gosh he's absolutely ADORABLE! He looks so small and cute


I know, right? I have to stop myself from giving him all the food he can eat every time I see him because I remember how sad and hungry he looked in that little pet store cup and I just want to make him the happiest he can be. In a couple weeks I'm moving him out of his quarantine tank and into a 10 gallon with a few female guppies and snails.


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## AlphaBettas (May 12, 2020)

Hania41806 said:


> yes, I know that they are low quality brands, I'm trying to get my hands on fluval bug bites and frozen foods but my local fish store keeps selling out of them before I have the chance to grab them . Thanks for the advice though!


Have you checked online? I got my Fluval Bug Bites on Amazon. Frozen foods are treats and aren't mandatory, but bettas can benefit from them!


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

AlphaBettas said:


> Have you checked online? I got my Fluval Bug Bites on Amazon. Frozen foods are treats and aren't mandatory, but bettas can benefit from them!


I'd rather not order online. I've had bad luck with ordering things online.


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## AlphaBettas (May 12, 2020)

Hania41806 said:


> I'd rather not order online. I've had bad luck with ordering things online.


Oh okay. Is there a way for you to "reserve" a container of bug bites for when they go back in stock?


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

AlphaBettas said:


> Oh okay. Is there a way for you to "reserve" a container of bug bites for when they go back in stock?


I don't know, I could ask but I won't get my hopes up.


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## AlphaBettas (May 12, 2020)

Hania41806 said:


> I don't know, I could ask but I won't get my hopes up.


Okay. I mean the foods you have should be fine for now!


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

AlphaBettas said:


> Okay. I mean the foods you have should be fine for now!


for now.


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## MABetta (Jan 10, 2021)

AlphaBettas said:


> Have you checked online? I got my Fluval Bug Bites on Amazon. Frozen foods are treats and aren't mandatory, but bettas can benefit from them!


My bettas are picky eaters.....they don't gobble bug bites up like I think they should! Mine are spoiled on black worms which my LFS runs out of fast!


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## AlphaBettas (May 12, 2020)

MABetta said:


> My bettas are picky eaters.....they don't gobble bug bites up like I think they should! Mine are spoiled on black worms which my LFS runs out of fast!


My male is picky too...but my female eats everything. She doesn't gobble them up-
she *inhales* them O-O


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

A video of Valentine jumping for food! It’s great because when I got him just over a week ago he wouldn’t even accept a couple bloodworms, and now his appetite is splendid! 😄


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## HowrdJns89 (Apr 5, 2021)

what a cute baby! Beautiful but so beautiful!


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

I finally got my hand on Fluval bug bites! yesterday I went to the store to grab some sand for the tank i'm setting up (of course none of the stores I visited had it) and I saw an employee putting Fluval bug bites on the shelf! 

To be completely honest I kind of hate them, but my baby likes them and they're a lot better quality than hikari or aqueon. I just don't like how they sink so fast. My lil dude tends to only eat things at the surface of the water and will rarely chase things down to the bottom. Still happy I got them though!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Often times they will not chase to the bottom but go back later and hunt for the pellets. At least, that's what most of mine have always done. It's as if they're waiting until they're sure no more food is coming from above.


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Often times they will not chase to the bottom but go back later and hunt for the pellets. At least, that's what most of mine have always done. It's as if they're waiting until they're sure no more food is coming from above.


Yea not mine 😂. He refuses to hunt/scavenge for food, spoiled little thing that he is. still love him though😊


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## imaal (Aug 10, 2014)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Often times they will not chase to the bottom but go back later and hunt for the pellets. At least, that's what most of mine have always done. It's as if they're waiting until they're sure no more food is coming from above.


That's a precise description of what mine do and have always done. In all my betta tanks I have an almond leaf on the bottom above the gravel in the drop zone so that food that does make it to the bottom falls on the leaf and doesn't seep into the gravel. I've never seen a piece of food of any type sit there for more than a ten minutes after I stop feeding.


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## itsme_bettafishlover (Mar 16, 2021)

AHHHH! He's so adorable. I want to get a baby betta so bad


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

itsme_bettafishlover said:


> AHHHH! He's so adorable. I want to get a baby betta so bad


I know, right?? They are quite a bit of work though with their very frequent water changes.


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

So my plans have changed as my parents said that I can only have 1 fish tank running at a time. Valentine is going to be housed in a 20g high with guppies, neon tetras, and snails instead of a 10g with guppies, pygmy corydoras, and snails. I really hope he won't be aggressive later on, but only time will tell!


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## itsme_bettafishlover (Mar 16, 2021)

Hania41806 said:


> I know, right?? They are quite a bit of work though with their very frequent water changes.


I bet! I really wanna start a betta soroity! Can you do it with baby females?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Hania41806 said:


> Yea not mine 😂. He refuses to hunt/scavenge for food, spoiled little thing that he is. still love him though😊


Ah, so you watch him 24/7, then?


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Ah, so you watch him 24/7, then?


no, but I count out all the pieces of food i put in his tank (to make sure i don't overfeed), and every piece that he doesn't eat stays at the bottom of the tank until i siphon it up. 
He is peculiar.


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## Hania41806 (Dec 10, 2020)

itsme_bettafishlover said:


> I bet! I really wanna start a betta soroity! Can you do it with baby females?


I believe so, but i've never kept a sorority, so i dont have the knowledge or experience to give you advice about it.


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## imaal (Aug 10, 2014)

itsme_bettafishlover said:


> I bet! I really wanna start a betta soroity! Can you do it with baby females?


That's among the best ways to do it, with young females. Just be sure they are actually females--it can be tricky to determine when they are young. Even better would be if they were actually sisters--siblings who have always been together since birth.


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## Mother Of Fish (Feb 11, 2021)

I would go with veil tail bit it is extremely hard to tell at this age. I would guess a male but again super hard to tell at this age so nothing is for sure. Oh, he will be really happy in the 10 gallon! Glad he is with you. I think its terrible that they sell baby betta's though. They need way more care then adults and need to be fed more often. I would feed him a mixture of the foods listed until you can get him a better brand. Bloodworms feeding the most often. Feed him 4-5 times a day or more (if you can) in supper tiny meals. Make sure the food is small enough to fit in his mouth though. You need at least 4 girls in a sorority, a heavily live planted 20 gallon+, and 8+ hides. I personally wouldn't do baby's bought from a pet store because if they are boys you will have to separate them all. I would weight until egg spots are visible. 🙂 Sororities are also alot of work and I wouldn't recommend them for betta noobs. If you want some more information on starting a sorority PM me! U would be happy to help!!


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