# Help with a betta tank



## GalaxyGirl (Feb 1, 2007)

Okies, I am going to get a 10 gallon and divide it in half for my two bettas. I have never kept them in anything more than a bowl, but since they will be with me for awhile (or hoping) I figure they need some space.

-What type of filter can I get? Can I get another Aquaclear and just have it set to the lowest filtration? If its on one side right next to the middle will it filter and cycle the water through the whole tank?

-What type of plants can I get? I would like to get live plants, and I am not sure which ones are ok for them.

-Should I get a heater? If so, will it heat the entire tank evenly if its on one side of the divider?

-This applies to all my fish, but can I burn incense in my room? I generally crack a window and its not THAT strong a smell, but I miss having it.

Thanks =)


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

A sponge filter with a tank being bare-bottom is sufficient. It should be able to circulate the whole tank. I'd recommend making a small slit near the top of the divider to allow circulation to the other section. A bare-bottom tank will make cleaning of tank much easier.

Try _Elodea densa_, _Hygrophila difformis_ and some floating plants like Salvinia.

A heater is recommended if your room temperature often falls below 24 degrees Celsius or if your area experiences winter season. I live in the tropics so the heaters were never necessary until December.:lol: Make sure the heat is circulated by placing the heater above the sponge filter. Sponge filters employ stream of bubbles so circulation to the other side is possible.

I wouldn't try burning an incense since you'll be using airpumps to make the sponge filter work. Neither is it advisable to burn the incense even without the airpump as the smoke may find its way to the tank.


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## GalaxyGirl (Feb 1, 2007)

Thank you, do you have any good links on sponge filters? I have seen something about them around here but I cant remember where. 

And thats stinky about the incense  I stocked up on my favourite kind before I got fish.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

I used the one-second from the left.
Click here.


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## GobbleDog (Mar 6, 2007)

After reading a lot of these Beta posta, one thing is becoming apparent. Either I'm a horrible Beta owner or yall baby your fish too much. I change 100% of my Beta's water every 2 weeks, I don't use a filter, and everyday I feed him til he won't eat anymore.








It's me, isn't it?


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## GalaxyGirl (Feb 1, 2007)

GobbleDog said:


> After reading a lot of these Beta posta, one thing is becoming apparent. Either I'm a horrible Beta owner or yall baby your fish too much. I change 100% of my Beta's water every 2 weeks, I don't use a filter, and everyday I feed him til he won't eat anymore.
> 
> It's me, isn't it?


Well, let me put it to you this way, if I were to feed my mare until she couldnt eat anymore, she would eat 40+ pounds of hay, mix in some grain and carrots, and completely colic with have liquid diarrhea. 3-4 pellets everyother day is good, and 3-4 bloodworms the other day is about what one betta needs, give or take bloodworms or pellets, add flakes, etc. Fish have teeny stomachs, but huge eyes (dont we all?) so you have to set their diet, not them. 

As for water changes, I would every week, because yours is unfiltered, and im assuming its a bowl or tiny tank, it gets dirtier quicker. Stans was disgusting last night, and it had been 7 days. 

But yes, I do spoil my bettas, they are both my babies  

And thanks Blue!


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## shavon (Feb 3, 2007)

My betta must be extremely spoiled. He usually has a ten gallon tank to hisself. Currently he has 5 scissortail keeping him company. I am trying to find another tank for them.


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## GalaxyGirl (Feb 1, 2007)

Haha, if it were up to me they would get 10gallons to themselves too. Unfournately no space, and its more money that I dont have O.O


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## GobbleDog (Mar 6, 2007)

GalaxyGirl said:


> so you have to set their diet, not them.


Meh. I think fish are like cats - they know when they're full.


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## scottysgirl (Jan 10, 2007)

I think not.


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## Falina (Feb 25, 2007)

i would have to agree with scottysgirl on this. my fish (including my betta) are all quite greedy. when i first set up my tank i had one fish that wasnt eating, so i thought to put that wee bit more food into the tank that was necessary so that she could get some before all the others ate it. the result was that she still didnt get any, but everyone else had a fat belly. wilma, the fish in question, has now since recovered and is now greedy like everyone else thankfully though.


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

GobbleDog said:


> GalaxyGirl said:
> 
> 
> > so you have to set their diet, not them.
> ...


then i think you should do more studying

Fish wont stop eating, in the wild they dont have people to feed them, they are left to hunt for themselves, and there arent millions of bloodworms for there disposal, they will find one and immediatly eat it, they might not even find another one for a few weeks, so whenever they see one, they will eat it. Very rarely will a betta die in the wild from over-feeding since there isnt all that much food, most of them probably die from underfeeding. They need all the food they can get since they dont know when the next meal will be

in captivity the same instinct stays, they will eat as much as they can (sometimes even eat themeselves to death) since they dont know if there next meal will be in a day or in a month. Your betta wont last long if you feed that much in a day, plus it will be expensive for all that food, it will litterally eat itself to death. If you wont accept that then i suggest you end this hobby.


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

I have to agree with fish eating themselves to death, especially betas. I had them very healthy in their own little beta tanks feeding them sparingly then moved them to the community tank and both of them becamse bloated and eventaully dies. I couldn't get them to eat the peas or other foods to help the constipation because they would seek out the pellets on the bottom for the cories and any other food they could find. I actually don;t feed my feed at all once a week, sometimes twice and they have have actually been more active and the tank has been healthier because of it. It also has to do with the fact I overfeed when I do feed but to feed middle and bottom dwellers the food has to get down to the bottom feeders. 

As for cats and dogs, it is recommended to only give a dog or cat the amounts that have been found to promote a healthy weight and size. If you have all the food a dog or cat can eat down all the time they will eat all the time and become fat and lazy. I have seen people do this to their cats and dogs and it is a shame.


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## Follow It Home (Feb 26, 2007)

Keeping up with the same topic, Overfeeding actually has an affect on a fishes immune system. Overfeeding makes a fish much more prone to disease such as ich and other fungal infections.


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

There is also a concern I didn't mention. With two male bettas in a tank with a divider, there could be a major issue of them flairing at each other all the time and stressing each other out. If this become and issue, you could find a solid colored divider, unless you already thought of that.


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## GalaxyGirl (Feb 1, 2007)

fish_4_all said:


> There is also a concern I didn't mention. With two male bettas in a tank with a divider, there could be a major issue of them flairing at each other all the time and stressing each other out. If this become and issue, you could find a solid colored divider, unless you already thought of that.


Actually I hadnt thought of that, but ill look into it. I had planned on having plants covering up the divider as best as I could, I am worried they will stress eachother out as they seem to REALLY hate eachother.


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

Plants may do it, just make sure they are thich enough that the fish can't casually see each other. A good wall of Elodea or maybe even plastic canvas filled with Java Or Christmas Moss, it will fill in and also block their view until it does.


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## enderbender (Feb 7, 2007)

Hi GalaxyGirl, I have a 10G tank 40%-60% split with a clear divider and a male beta and an algae eater on each side. The tank has a gravel bottom and lots of live plants and Java moss. Each side has its own rock structure so the fish have somewhere to hide; these little caves are usually occupied by the algae eaters when they are not swimming around eating like crazy. Due to the setup of the aquarium canopy the AquaClear water filter is on the right (60%) side of the split as well as the heater. I placed the thermometer on the opposite side of the tank to ensure the temperature is right for the entire tank. The divider has lots of plants along it on the larger side of the split in order to give the betas some privacy, and I have an air stone running along the divider on the smaller (40%) side to provide water circulation and aeration. This setup is working well each of my betas are doing well and seem to really enjoy themselves. They do flair at each other at times but very seldom. The tank needs very little cleaning and only needs weekly top-ups and bi-weekly 30% water changes. The algae eaters are on top of things. Each side has its own feeding ring which helps reduce waste; the betas are well trained and immediately get under the feeding ring as soon as they see me.


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