# will soon be a first time betta owner



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

i been wanting a betta fish for a bit now been doing a lot of research and found your guys forums. great info here. i wanted to link what i plan on getting see what you guys think. 
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-Aquarium-Starter-Kit-5-Gallons-Fish-Aquatic-Pets/12177653
this is the 5 gallan tank i am thinking of purchasing do you think this will be big enough? would he filter that comes in it be to strong? also i would like to add a fern or 2 and mayby later on a aferican drawf frog.... not entirely sure on this but seems like live plans is the best way to go. i am only wanting 1 betta fish by t he way. to start off on at least i may get antoher tank and another fish later on if everything works out on the first one. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10291808&findingMethod=rr this is the heater i am thinking about getting think it be to strong ? water condinter and gravel and so on is there anything else you guys think about i should buy? o see someone else on the forums selling gravel a filter fake plants for 20 bucks think that be a good starter for me?


----------



## darkangel216 (Jan 27, 2010)

Seems like a good tank to me, and 5g is plenty of room for your betta. Live plants are good, though I can't tell if the tank comes with a flourescent bulb or not. Fake plants are good as well if you don't want to go the live plants route.


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

it seems to come with a incandescent bulb


----------



## darkangel216 (Jan 27, 2010)

I probably wouldn't put any live plants in it then, unless the tank is near a window where it can get a little natural light. If that's the case, then you'll want low light plants like anubias and java fern/moss.


----------



## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

Thank you so much for researching before buying your fish!! Your betta will love you for it! <3 Thank you so much! 

If you're going for big, low maintenance live plants, I'd go with Java Ferns! I have some in my tank in my dorm, and they're doing great! I have no special lighting, I don't add plant food, nothing. They also don't need to be planted in substrate (planting them too deep can actually kill them!), and can be attached to other decorations in your tank. Very cool plants! 

That's a very nice tank you've picked out, I'm sure your betta will love it! You might want to buy the tank first and get the nitrogen cycle going in it before you buy your fish, we have a sticky on it at the beginning of this section.

I wouldn't buy that heater, it's not adjustable, so you can't set it to whatever temperature you want. Some people on this forum have also had issues with those heaters, sometimes they don't even get the water above 76 degrees.


----------



## darkangel216 (Jan 27, 2010)

Wow, I didn't realize that java ferns are able to thrive without sunlight or a flourescent light. I always assumed low light plants would still need a little bit; I learned something new today!


----------



## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

Well, I have an LED desk lamp above the tank, which really shouldn't work on plants, and the rest of the light they get is just ambient light... Which their isn't much of in a dorm.

The get some light, but very little.


----------



## darkangel216 (Jan 27, 2010)

Ah, I see.


----------



## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

go for an adjustable 25 watt heater, those are probably best. 

Water conditioner, I would advise Prime by seachem, it' only uses 2 drops per gallon, so it'll last a while.

1Fish2fish is selling pretty cheap gravel and fake plants for a good price, you should look into that  . 

live plants wise, you should look into getting some fluorecent lights if you are going to buy other live plants apart from java ferns, java moss or anubias.

As for tankmates, make sure you have a lot of hiding spots, bettas can get aggressive.

You'll definately want to baffle the filter that comes with it, or find a way to keep the intake tube lifted up to slow down the current, which is pretty strong unbaffled.

Take about a month once you get it to set it up and cycle it before getting your betta, cycled tanks only need one water change per week.


----------



## SemioticSleep (Mar 31, 2010)

Your going to be such a great betta owner, most people don't even care to get them a big tank first and put them in small ones (like me-.-) I had mine in just 1g tanks but now my hunny's have been upgraded to a 5g tank. Your awesome!


----------



## nomoretickets (Sep 29, 2010)

Get the java fern. Plants can get the light they need from incandescent lights, it's just not optimal lights for plants. However java fern is pretty much indestructible so It will be fine as long as it gets some light. Just pay the extra money and go get an adjustable heater from petsmart or your local fish store


----------



## fav74 (Nov 16, 2010)

Not sure if you have bought an aquarium yet or if you live near a Petco store but i was in the the store on Friday the 3rd and they have this guy on sale. I believe that it is the Deluxe Aquarium kit which includes a heater also. I am trying to figure out how to convince the better half that we need it. 

http://petco.shoplocal.com/petco/de...eeid=569048&featuredcategorydropdown=1:569048

http://www.aqueonproducts.com/products/deluxe-aquarium-kit.htm#


----------



## serenarenee (Nov 9, 2010)

I have the same heater... the tetra whisper 25 watt, and it keeps my 2.5 gallon at an even 79. I seldom see even a 1 degree fluctuation, despite the 10 degree temp swings at my house... 
So it works for me. However, I don't know that it would work as well in a larger tank... and it WOULD be nice to be able to bump it up to 82 when I'm treating for illness (like now). 
So if you can get one... adjustable heaters are definitely preferable.


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

Thank you guys for the great advice i have not bought anything yet. wanted to make sure before i did. i read the cycling the tank before getting a betta and i planed on doing that. way i see it how pretty btta fish are 1 gallon tank is just not big enough for them to streach those pretty fins out confortably and to hide in if they feel they need to . java ferns is actuly the plant i was looking at for the simple reason i think thye look realy good and i read they are very good in a betta tank i had a little concern about fake plants . tunnels and such tearing up there fins probaly would want smooth surface stuff? like not a jagged rock tunnel but a smooth porclian one? ill check out those packages at petco i have none not even a block from me.


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

well i went to petco bought the 14 gallon one on sell there instead of the 5 gallon ...... mayby its to big was on sell for the whole kit for 35 bucks comes with a heater filter and such just need to buy the plants and such i decide to go with fake plants for now and see how we do and jsut 1 beta male if things go good ill add some of the stuff that can posably go with the beta fish in this size of a tank later. thanks fav74 for the tip on the tank i did not have a petco card nether so since i bought the card at 20 and that thye knocked 15 dollars off my purchase. i went with a asian theme i may add more stuff later kind of worried it may be over croweded or under i am not sure. i am cylcing my tank as per the sticky i am goign the fish food route since my tank came with free samples plus i realy do nto want the dead shrimp smell in my room ... or i would gone that way 4 more weeks into i can get a fish then. next task tomorrow is to fix the filter with the water bottle cut off so the over flow i s not so bad. here is some pics from my iphone of my tank not very good i know on the pics sorry.


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

hmmm photo did nto work trying this way 
http://flic.kr/p/8YZRP4
http://flic.kr/p/8Z3VEj


----------



## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

Wow, pretty tank . in a tank that size, you have a lot of different options on what you could do with it.


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

thank you yes i was thinking some school fish if my betta i get is not to aggressive to them months down the road will depend on my beta perosnality. i was thinking mayby africa drawf frogs or mayby a certian kind of school fish thats compatable. mayby even a snail. but it will all depend ont he betta


----------



## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

It's not quite big enough for most schooling fish, but a school of pygmy cories or just regular cories would be cool.  AFDs would be good too if your betta is gentle, but you'd need more hiding spots than what's in your tank at them moment.  You could also divide the tank and have another boy if you wanted to.


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

thanks for the info


----------



## ilovebunnies (Oct 11, 2010)

Nice tank so far! I would get some taller plants or floating ones that will fill some of the empty space at the top. Plus your betta would love to lay in them at the top. I love the little building.

 Can't wait to see the updates!


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

i went ahead and baffled my filter today does this look about right? seemed to cut the water current to almost 0 
http://flic.kr/p/8ZqZpp
http://flic.kr/p/8Zu431
still cylcing the tank so no fish yet probaly be a few more weeks


----------



## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

Nice tank! You could add in a few cories. Maybe a school of small tetras. Like neons or black neons. Do you already have your betta in there? Because if you do, when you want to add new fish you may want to take him out and redecorate the tank and add him last. Or else he may think the new fish are intruding in his territory.


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

thank you no fish yet still cycling. plan on adding some floating stuff as well like some sugestid a betta log and i saw some fake silk plants that float on top a bit mayby a few of those to.


----------



## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

I have that first tank. It's a great tank. The filter is great.


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

well i got my fish today have had him for like 5 hours very active ate the 3 pelets i gave him swiming all over the tank. checking everything out i bought a few java ferns a java moss ball and a banana root plant i think its called. he seems to go and flars at the filter every so often not all the time hope thats nothing to be worried about. 
http://flic.kr/p/8ZD8J2
http://flic.kr/p/8ZD8W2
http://flic.kr/p/8ZGdom
very pretty fish i think


----------



## Tomsk (Mar 4, 2010)

Nice tank & very nice fish!.
A big thank-you from me for researching on fish keeping before buying your little fella 
Enjoy!

Tomsk


----------



## fav74 (Nov 16, 2010)

I bought the aquarium just putting it up until the holidays have past so I can have some time to work with it. I believe that I am going to split in half though and I would like to us the Asian theme on one half. Your aquarium and fish look great.


----------



## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

I LOVE his color - VERY nice!!!


----------



## wallywestisthebest333 (Nov 30, 2009)

darkangel216 said:


> I probably wouldn't put any live plants in it then, unless the tank is near a window where it can get a little natural light. If that's the case, then you'll want low light plants like anubias and java fern/moss.


I have this tank and you can fit a compact fluorescent in the socket. =]

Get a 6,500 Kelvin rating (A.k.a. _*Daylight*_) CFL bulb with a low wattage. =]

your plants will do well. =] you might want to look at my thread about the best place to buy your plants from. =] You'll get 10% off. =]

If you get fast growing plants it will help you cycle your new tank. =]


----------



## jpicking1 (Dec 5, 2010)

i was actualy looking into those bulbs this is the one i was thinking of getting 2 http://www.petco.com/product/111943...ct-Fluorescent-Bulb.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch
are these the ones you were talking aobut that will work in the hood for this tank?


----------

