# LOTS of Betta Questions



## KCalNeon (Jan 8, 2013)

LOTS Fish questions:

Hello Everyone! I have a lot of questions about my future Betta fish. I have read almost all of the sticky's in the Beta care and the habitat forum but I couldn't find the answers to my questions. I apologize if I repeat some stuff that was already mentioned in the stickys. :|

I plan to get a male Betta in a couple months after I've researched, cycled the tank, etc. I plan to get a 5 or a 10 gallon tank with only one Betta. I don't want to use live plants or add any other fish, or snails yet because i'm a newbie and I'd like to keep it simple. 

Questions:

I already have a hamster in my room and I've heard that Betta fish like it dark at night and bright in the morning? I'm not sure about when and when not to turn on the light or why a Betta would need a light?? Do I need a separate tank light?
My hamster wakes up at around 10pm and I take him out in my room for about 30 minutes. Plus I'm walking back and forth turning the light on and off at night to get things like homework, get hamster supplies.. etc. Will this stress out my Betta? My room lamp will be right next to the tank (tank will be on my dresser) and lamp on my chest. About 20 inches above it, but right next to it. I can't really move it otherwise the lighting is all messed up.


What's the best diet? I can't find a thread about diet anywhere  What brand of Betta pellets is the best and how often and how much should you feed your Betta? Does it matter? What other treats as foods can you give? How much and how often?

I heard your not supposed to feed your Betta fish the first day home to let their system clear out.. Is that true? And what else do you usually do with a new fish? They are coming from a totally different environment so how can you reduce that stress?

Our sticky says if you clean under the decor, you might need to follow up with a second change later in the week but will it be ok if I just siphon that spot a couple extra times? I'll have silk plants and bridges. No live plants. How often should I clean under accessories with a siphon?

Do you use 2 separate buckets for cleaning? One for the dirty water and another one for the clean water that'll go in the tank after you do the weekly water changes?

Weekly you'll also need to squeeze out your sponge in the dirty water so you don't loose the beneficial bacteria... Do you ever need to replace that sponge and get a new one?

Do you ever need to fully change the gravel in a tank? Do you Wash the gravel before setting up a new tank? Also, are those magnetic algae scrubber recommended for weekly 'cleanings'

I'm also kind of confused about rinsing your decor with hot water. Some people say it'll ruin the beneficial bacteria and others say it won't.

How long do you let your tap water and added conditioner sit in your bucket before putting it into your tank? Also, are you supposed to add the water into the tank slowly to let it mix in, or does it matter? 

When you Siphon the gravel/ take out the water with the clear tube, Do you just go over all of the gravel very quickly like for a couple seconds, or do you actually thoroughly clean it and clean each section and go around the tank a couple times?

I've seen some topics about Bubble nests, flaring, and playing with your Betta. How often do they do these behaviors and what do they mean? Any other behaviors they do? Do you guys 'play' with your Bettas and how often? Any other ideas for mental stimulation?

Here are the supplies I am planning on getting not including food...

-plain square 5 gallon tank with black border

- Heater 

Conditioner

Thermometer

Filter

Liquid test kit

Aquarium Salt

API general cure

Tube/Siphon 

Algae cleaner

I'll also get some nice looking silk plants, 1 bridge, and 1 hide. I'll make sure they're not too pointy. 

I'm also not able to find epsom salt. 

Am I missing any stuff? Do I need a fish net? I've seen these products around the forum And all of these all seem like good products. Any suggestions?


What do you do for your weekly water changes? Please be specific. 
Any suggestions?

This may be totally wrong but I'm guessing  Feel free to add anything on. Are the components of Betta care:

-Tank and decor
-Understanding how the water cycle works like Ph, Nitrate, etc
- Care, like weekly changes, feeding, other stuff you do regularly
-Diet- what to feed
-And Mental stimulation like playing with your Betta, feeding them, and so on...


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## Gryphon (Aug 24, 2012)

I'm not sure about when and when not to turn on the light or why a Betta would need a light?? Do I need a separate tank light? *Usually, people will recommend a 10-12 hour light cycle. This mimics the natural light cycle in the wild. It is debatable on whether or not it is needed when there are no plants needing the light, but most people provide a light. The easiest way to do so is to get an aquarium light or put a desk lamp next to the tank and put it on a timer. If your main light is going to be right next to the tank and cannot be accurately timed every day, I'd suggest either moving the tank or putting something between the light and the tank to block some of the light. Too much light can be stressful. In my house, if the main light to the room is on, the tanks still stay relatively dark compared to the aquarium lights that are on during the day.*

What's the best diet? I can't find a thread about diet anywhere  What brand of Betta pellets is the best and how often and how much should you feed your Betta? Does it matter? What other treats as foods can you give? How much and how often? *A lot of people on here will reccomend either Omega One betta pellets or New Life Spectrum (betta). Both of these are made with quality ingredients and provide a complete nutrient balance for bettas. I feed ~5 pellets once a day, 6x a week. Yes, it does matter for quality and quantity. Inferior foods will not allow your betta to thrive as much as it could, and over/under feeding will contribute to health issues and water quality in the tank. You can give frozen/freeze dried bloodworms or daphnia as treats. These can be given maybe 1x a week.*

I heard your not supposed to feed your Betta fish the first day home to let their system clear out.. Is that true? And what else do you usually do with a new fish? They are coming from a totally different environment so how can you reduce that stress? *Yes, most people decide to omit food on the first day home. Usually it is to let the betta settle down after having a very stressful day. Most bettas will refuse to eat the first night anyway, so the food is not wasted/polluting the tank. When you bring your new fish home, it can go in the tank if it will be living by itself, otherwise it is suggested to quarantine a new fish for ~1-2 weeks to make sure there is no disease that will be put in a tank. It is also easier to treat medical problems if the fish is by itself in a smaller tank. To reduce stress, gradually acclimate the fish to his new home by floating him (in the bag/container) in the new water to adjust to the temperature difference. Slowly start to add new tank water to the bag/container to let him adjust to the new water quality. WHen the water temp is the same between both areas, and he is fully acclimated, net him and release into the new tank. Try to keep the tank dark for the first night to let him relax and get used to his surroundings. *

Our sticky says if you clean under the decor, you might need to follow up with a second change later in the week but will it be ok if I just siphon that spot a couple extra times? I'll have silk plants and bridges. No live plants. How often should I clean under accessories with a siphon? *Yes. This sticky provides a very detailed description of water changes. The 2 back-to-back water changes are only necessary if moving decor stirs debris into the water column, which would require a second water change to pull out the newly fouled water with fresh water. I'd say every other to every 2 water changes to clean under the decor.*

Do you use 2 separate buckets for cleaning? One for the dirty water and another one for the clean water that'll go in the tank after you do the weekly water changes? *I do. I actually use 1 gallon milk/water jugs instead of buckets, but it is the same theory. *

Weekly you'll also need to squeeze out your sponge in the dirty water so you don't loose the beneficial bacteria... Do you ever need to replace that sponge and get a new one? *Filter media only needs a swish/rinse in old tank water a couple of times a month. If you do it too frequently you risk losing your beneficial bacteria. I've never replaced my sponge, but I have planted tanks.*

Do you ever need to fully change the gravel in a tank? Do you Wash the gravel before setting up a new tank? Also, are those magnetic algae scrubber recommended for weekly 'cleanings' *No. Not unless you are completely stripping the tank down and redecorating. If you fully change gravel, you will kill off any beneficial bacteria that live in the gravel. If it is just regular gravel, yes, I'd recommend rinsing (water only) new gravel before putting it in the tank. This will remove unnecessary dirt/debris before it goes in the tank. I don't use the magnetic cleaners, so I won't recommend them. I don't believe they are needed unless you are fighting algae. *

I'm also kind of confused about rinsing your decor with hot water. Some people say it'll ruin the beneficial bacteria and others say it won't. *Unless you are doing a 100% water change or stripping the tank, there is no major reason to need to rinse decor that has been established in the tank. Definitely rinse new decor before putting it in the tank though.*

How long do you let your tap water and added conditioner sit in your bucket before putting it into your tank? Also, are you supposed to add the water into the tank slowly to let it mix in, or does it matter?  *I use it immediately. It sits for maybe 1-2 minutes before it gets used. If the fish is still in the tank, definitely add new conditioned water slowly. Adding it slowly also reduces disturbance to the gravel, but other than that I don't think it matters too much.*

When you Siphon the gravel/ take out the water with the clear tube, Do you just go over all of the gravel very quickly like for a couple seconds, or do you actually thoroughly clean it and clean each section and go around the tank a couple times? *Read this sticky on how to vacuum the gravel.*

I've seen some topics about Bubble nests, flaring, and playing with your Betta. How often do they do these behaviors and what do they mean? Any other behaviors they do? Do you guys 'play' with your Bettas and how often? Any other ideas for mental stimulation? *It all depends on the fish. Bubble nests are indicators of territory and a male's readiness to breed. It is by no means an indicator of happiness, and not all bettas will make a bubble nest. Same goes for flaring, bettas will show off to make themselves look bigger and to defend their territory. It is good stimulation and exercise to encourage your betta to flare. Putting a mirror by the tank for a couple minutes a few times a week will encourage flaring. Some bettas can be trained to follow fingers, jump through hoops on the surface, and generally be their goofy, fishy, selves. *

*As far as products go, I'd suggest the Hydor THEO adjustable heater. I personally have never had good luck with the aqueon brand. Hydor THEOs are one of the best adjustable heaters on the market. For water conditioner, I like prime, but people here use stress coat and it works for them. 

Most drugstores sell epsom salt. Pet stores (at least those around me) do not carry it. 

Personally I don't use nets, but if you are going to be doing 100% water changes, I'd suggest one. You can also use a small cup and just catch the betta in the tank as well. 

As far as water changes go, this article again is going to be one of your best resources. I think every one will have a slightly different way of doing it, so you just have to find what works best for you. 

*


*I hope this helps a little bit, it is just off the top of my head. If I am mistaken somewhere, I apologize. Good luck with your betta! ;-)*


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## BettaPirate (Nov 20, 2012)

So, I think most of your questions were just answered excellently. The only comment I have is that some pet store betta are so super bred and distanced from their wild origins that they can have weird quirks.

Both my tanks have their own lights but the one my VT is in has multiple settings and he hates total darkness, I know this because the only time he has ever nipped at his own tail was when I turned his light ALL the way off, so I leave his tank on the super lowlight setting which is supposed to mimic moonlight. My CT has a 12 on and 12 off cycle that seems to be working so far but he's new so I'm still learning his likes and dislikes.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

1. As long as your betta has a day and night cycle he'll be fine, it doesnt matter the time of day, just as long as he can recognise when its supposed to be light, and when its supposed to be dark. Its just to keep them on a regular cycle. you dont necessarily need a seperate tank light, as long as the tank is lit up well enough with another light source. They aren't real fans of natural light though, I'd do something artificial.

2. Best diet: NLS is the best food out there thats readily available. 5-6 pellets a day...you can split that up into 2-3 feedings. you can supplement with bloodworms or other frozen/live food 1x/week, and give them a fast day each week as well. 

3. If your betta will eat then let him eat on his first day home. Some wont eat because they are so stressed from the travel, or being in such a tiny cup for so long, or the adjustment from a cup to a tank, (or a plethora of other reasons) I myself always offer food the first day though because I feel like if they were in a cup they probably didnt eat that day anyways, or if they were shipped they havent ate since the day before they were boxed up.

4. I myself would only clean it maybe like every other change, just because If theres a decoration there, I'm not sure how much would get under it?

5. Nope, no seperate buckets. I'm sure it would probably be a good idea, but I just rinse out the bucket after I'm done emptying the tank and before I add clean water to it. 

6. Squeeze out the sponge in DIRTY tank water after every change, but dont replace it unless its falling apart. When you do replace the old cartridge with a new one, leave the old one next to the new one for a few days before you remove it just so you can seed the new sponge. You'll more than likely end up with a bacterial bloom any time you replace the filter media so you want to avoid it as much as possible, just for the fact that bacterial blooms are ugly. (IMO)

7. Dont replace the gravel unless the paint is chipping or you want a different gravel. Some benificial bacteria grows on the gravel as well as filter media which is why you never want to perform a 100% change on a cycled tank. 
I only use the algea scrubber when I start to see a lot of algea on the walls. A little algea here and there is to be expected. I'm not sure how often they are recommended for.

8. It probably would ruin the BB, but there will be enough of it in your tank that you really dont need to worry about rinsing it off of a couple decorations every now and again.

9. I put my conditioner in a few minutes before adding the water to the tank and just swirl it around really well before I dump it. You do want to add your water slowly but not because of conditioner, its so that if your fish is in the tank he wont get thrown around by the current, and so that decorations and gravel arent stirred up too badly.

10. Thoroughly clean. Food and waste slips in through the cracks and makes its way through gravel really well, so you want to make sure you clean thoroughly and get everything you can to avoid ammonia spikes.

11. bubble nests mean they are ready to breed. Flaring is them defending their territory. Thats really it that's out of the ordinary. My playing is showing them a mirror for about 10 minutes a day each, trying to get them to follow my finger, and when its blood worm day I try to get them to follow the worm through the water.

You can find epsom salts at your local pharmacy. get the plain nonscented kind.

Am I missing any stuff? Do I need a fish net? I've seen these products around the forum And all of these all seem like good products. Any suggestions?

You'll definitely want a fish net, and some extra filter floss and pantyhose just in case you need to baffle your filter.

my water changes:: I get my vaccuum out, start siphoning from the left and work slowly over to the right getting what spots look dirtiest the best. It's really simple, you'll know what to do when you do it. Make sure you dig in deep and work through it well. my tank gets to be a nightmare when I slack on vaccuuming.

hopefully this is helpful to you


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## KCalNeon (Jan 8, 2013)

Thank you both so so much! You guys have been so helpful and in just a few days I've learned so much! 

A couple follow up questions:

what is filter floss?

why do we make our Bettas flare? 

and about how many blood worms/ shrimp a week? I also heard of brine shrimp (?) but not sure on what other meaty foods can be given.

Does fish food expire? where should it be stored?

can I use just frozen bloodworms/ other treats? Mom is really freaked out by live things.. but if its important I'll try to convince her


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## Gryphon (Aug 24, 2012)

The petco near me carries both Omega One and New Life Spectrum (betta), and petsmart carries Omega One. I think they print a 'best by' date on the containers, but I've never had a container expire. The only reason I can really think of food going bad is if it gets wet and starts to mold or something. I keep my food on a shelf below one of my tanks. 

Usually a betta can take ~3-5 bloodworms before his belly starts to get pudgy. Just make sure to rehydrate freeze dried foods before feeding. I've never fed daphnia or brine shrimp, so I'm not sure there. 

Mental stimulation and exercise are reasons that we encourage bettas to flare. It allows them to stretch their muscles and fully extend out their fins. 

Filter floss is used in in conjunction with carbon, usually in hob (hang on back) filters. It provides a place for beneficial bacteria to grow and water flows through it as the filter works. It is essentially just polyester batting (like for quilt making), so getting a bag from a craft store is a cheap alternative compared to specialty fish 'filter floss'.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

what is filter floss? --the spongey stuff that encircles the carbon in a filter packet...they sell it just by itself as filter floss 

why do we make our Bettas flare? to give them excersize. keeps them in shape and healthy. 

and about how many blood worms/ shrimp a week? I also heard of brine shrimp (?) but not sure on what other meaty foods can be given. Brine shrimp is also good, there are a lot of different frozen foods, most are okay, the only ones I would stay away from is beef heart and other warm blooded animals just because it's hard for them to digest the different tissues.
I feed about 3 max one time a week.

Does fish food expire? where should it be stored?
It doesnt have an expiration date but it's best to replace every 6 months. a dry space -- I keep mine in a cabinet under my tank -- as long as moisture doesnt get into it it'll be okay.

can I use just frozen bloodworms/ other treats? Mom is really freaked out by live things.. but if its important I'll try to convince her  
You dont need to use live. Frozen is just as good. She might freak out by finding a frozen block of bloody worms in her freezer though lol. I dont feed anything besides babies live food, its not necessary. If you cant get live then you could get freeze-dried, but that's last resort, and you want to pre-soak so it'll swell up before it gets in your bettas belly so they dont bloat up. 

You want as much variety as you can get into your betta's diet to keep them healthy and active, so the more options you have the better.


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## KCalNeon (Jan 8, 2013)

aemaki09 said:


> what is filter floss? --the spongey stuff that encircles the carbon in a filter packet...they sell it just by itself as filter floss
> 
> why do we make our Bettas flare? to give them excersize. keeps them in shape and healthy.
> 
> ...


Thank you both! Oh lol I completley forgot that your probably gonna have to freeze 'frozen' worms 0_0 I know for a fact that she won't let me put any insect in any fridge in the house. She gives me a hard about putting some of my hamsters seeds in the fridge. 

I might have to go with freeze dried worms and shrimp. Why is freeze dried bad? Omega one freeze dried seem fine. And how would you thaw it out?


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

Lots of questions is a good thing! I'm sure others have answered, but I will go ahead and throw my hat in too. Btw, I'm on my cell, so this will take a few posts to answer ;-)

1. Fish need 8 hours of direct light and 8 hours of complete darkness every day. It helps their sleep cycle and other things. What to do with the other 8 hours is up to you. The cool thing about a schedule is that their eyes will begen to adjust to the time which they know that that you are turning their lights on/off so they don't go through that confused/blinded phase.

2. Omega One Betta Bufet is a great pellet. Feed 1-3 pellets 1-2 times per day. Feed only what he gulps up and scoop out the rest. Bloodworms work as a once a week treat. Feed 6x per week and fast on the 7th

3. Fasting on the 1st day is up to you, but from what I've seen, they are usually too stressed to eat that 1st day anyway. And a day without food doesn't hurt them unless they are starving (look at his belly)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

A couple follow up questions:

what is filter floss? It's a mechanical filter media that kind of looks like the stuff you put in a quilt

why do we make our Bettas flare? We don't unless we are trying to check out their tail type. Other times, they do it on their own to look macho

About how many blood worms/ shrimp a week? 3 or less

Does fish food expire? Yes, in about 6 months to a yesr depending. where should it be stored? A cool dry place out of direct sunlight.

can I use just frozen bloodworms/ other treats? Mom is really freaked out by live things.. but if its important I'll try to convince her. While they do attack the live stuff, I'm not about to keep it in my house myself, so my boy gets freeze dried and gulps them down just fine ;-)
Also, rather fresh, frozen, or freezedried, do NOT handle them directly. You could have alergies, so either shake them in, use tweezers, or wear a glove just to be safe.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

Back to massive questions! :lol:

3. With a new fish, you need to have his tank ready and waiting with nice, clean, warm water. You will get your betta in a cup, so this is perfect to float in a tank. Fill up the tank a little more than you need to and turn the filter off so that Mr.Betta wont be swirling around everywhere. After he has floated a few minutes, take a turkey baster (bought specifically for your tank. It comes in handy. Trust me!) and use it to take a bit out water out of his cup (don't put it in your tank! dump it). Then, put some of his new tank water in the cup. This gets him use to the chemistry and temp of his new water so that he wont be shocked. Do this every few minutes until you feel most of his water is tank water and let him loose in his new home. Don't forget to top off the tank and turn the filter back on.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

4. That is again why the turkey baster is so important. It's like a spot vac. You do the bulk of your gravel cleaning with the gravel vac, but around plants and decor, use the baster. It's also good for sucking up food that your betta will miss which will keep the tank cleaner. 

5. I do in fact have 2 buckets because I have found it works MUCH better and smoother than way. I turn off my filter as the lowered water will increase the current. I go in the kitchen and fill up my 1st bucket with clean water and add the needed treatment. I take the thermometer out of my tank and put it in my bucket to make sure it is about the same temp. I then toat the water in my room, grab my mixing bowl (perfect shape for scooping and pouring), and start tanking old water out of the tank and dumping it in the dirty bucket. When I get enough out, I start dipping my bowl in the clean bucket and pouring the fresh water in my tank.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

...5. I have found that pouring the fresh water in the back of the filter cuts way down on the rip-tide effect that just dumping it in there causes. When you get the fresh water bucket low enough, you can pick it up and pour it in. I actually do 3 pwc a week like this and it doesn't stress my betta out a bit 

6. Not unless it it literally falling apart. It is just there to hold bacteria.

7. The only time you change out or completely gravel established is when you...
a) Get a new fish/invert that needs sand
b) a disease has gotten in the tank
c) the paint has warn off

Now when it comes to new gravel, you have no idea what it was shipped with and what it was exposed to, so stick it in a strainer and wash it like you have OCD! In fact, treat everything you put in your tank like that.

8. New orniments should be rinsed with hot water several times. I even soak mine in a weak vinager solution and rinse some more, but that's just me overdoing it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

...8. Now, once the orniment is in the tank, no hot water! This isn't just for the bacteria, but because of the stuff in your untreated water that you don't want in your tank. If you want it to stay looking pretty, buy a cheap toothbrush, take it out when it looks icky, and scrub a bit with the toothbrush. Also, I have never used those magnet things. I always just grab a papertowel and wipe down the glass when I notice it needs it.

Also, I really do recomend getting a snail or a few shrimp at the same time as your Betta so that he will be okay with cleaners in his tank. My Mystery Snails do an AMAZING job at cleaning everything (save brown algea).

9. Depends on the treatment and see previous.

10. I gravel vac like I vacume my carpet. In sectors. Back and forth. I quit when I feel I have sucked up the majority of the dirty stuff.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

11. Bubble Nests are when a male blows bubbles at the top of the water to make kind of a foamy spot when he can place his future children. If a male is mature and happy, he will do this.
Flaring is when a Betta is trying to look macho or show their ego, domanance, or health. They spread out their many fins to look bigger and stick out their gills! It's cute and a funny sight. Males will do this a lot if they see another male (or what they think is another male but is actually just their reflection :lol: ) or a cute female.

There are many ways to play with a Betta. They can be trained to follow your finger, jump for food,
or swim through hoops. Some enjoy swimming through mazes (like those made for a hampster), bumping pingpong balls, or rolling around Marimo Balls. My friend once had one that interacted with her cat! There are lots of things you can do :-D 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

12. Good job going for the adjustable heater. I learned that lesson the hard way!

You have a SaltWater kit for your test kit btw. You need freshwater for a betta. To get it the cheapest, go to Amazon. You will only pay $20 there. 

If you will just have the hose to clean the gravel, I would suggest that you google DIY gravel vac to learn how to make one that will make cleaning a little less of a pain.

You have aquarium salt and that's enough for now. Salt in a freshwater tank is strictly for treating illnesses. Making it an everyday thing can actually kill your fish! Especially Bettas and Snails. At best, it does some crazy stuff to your pH. Salt is good to clean new decor before you throw it in the new tank though.

13. Nets are handy when you need them

14. See previous for details. I take out 2 gallons per pwc 3x per week (2x off the top and 1x gravel vac) for a total of 6 gallons per week and my 10 gallon does fine and my fish don't get stressed
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

With freeze dried, just let them soak in water for like 5 minutes before you feed them. This is so they absorb moisture and your betta is less likely to become bloated.
They aren't BAD they just aren't the best choice, the freeze dry process makes them lose a lot of their nutritional content


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

aemaki09 said:


> With freeze dried, just let them soak in water for like 5 minutes before you feed them. This is so they absorb moisture and your betta is less likely to become bloated.
> They aren't BAD they just aren't the best choice, the freeze dry process makes them lose a lot of their nutritional content


Very true. When it comes to fishfood, frozen is better than dry and fresh is better than frozen (most of the time). However, you just have to weigh in on what kind of pet owner you are. My dog and cat eat very high quality kibble with good nutrition and ingrediants. I love my pets, but I can't spend the extra money on frozen/refregerated or fresh foods and even if I could, where would I put it all? Plus, all those extra trips uptown! Now would I feed my babies the cheapest stuff they make? Heck NO! That stuff is 9/10ths fillers and the nutritional equivalant of a bar of soap! That's why I pay a little extra for the good ingrediants. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## KCalNeon (Jan 8, 2013)

Thank you everyone who has taken the time to answer. It really means a lot. *

Of course, more questions 0_0

Will you have to change the filter or gravel completely in a Betta's life time? If so, how do you bring back the beneficial bacteria? Same thing with the 100% water changes that needs to be done when you're Betta is sick.. How are you supposed to keep the full changes 'Betta friendly' ?*

How often do you test the water levels? And is it best to test before or after water charges? Should you do a water change when you're Betta is awake or asleep?*

Say you do a weekly water change... You vacuum out the necessary amount of water, fill your bucket with conditioner and tap water, and slowly add it to the tank. After adding the water, you test the water and your results are good. Everything is the amount it's supposed to be. Does that mean you still have to test your tap water or worry about it being not safe or is your tap water considered safe if the levels are ok?*

Is filter floss necessary? I don't see it mentioned in the list of things that you'll need for a Betta. The plants, gravel, and top of the tank already have the BB established.. But then again, maybe FF will be good sense I don't have live plants. Is filter floss really necessary?*

I'm confused about algae? A lot of people say that it's a good thing, and other completely remove it. Is there a thread about algae anywhere?*

Sadly the only treats i'm able to get are freeze dried. My parents said no live or frozen food in the house. But I am allowed to buy freeze dried. I'll be sure to soak it in water for a bit before feeding. I am aware that freeze dried isn't the best option, but with a good pellet brand like New life... Will it be ok? Thawed freeze dried brine shrimp, and worms is what I'll offer. Also, when giving your 'treats' once a week, can you give them at different times throughout the day when you're Betta is awake? It doesn't have to be all at once? I think this would be a good way to bond too.*

I might consider getting a Mystery snail with my Betta. The tank will be a 5 gallon due to the lack of room in my bedroom. What other things will I have to do to care for the Mystery snail? What do they eat?*

Well that's it for now. I'm gonna try to finish reading and re-reading all of the stickys and some topics around the different boards so some of my other questions will be answered.*

Is it ok that I'm asking this much? I feel like a bother. :{


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

Lots of questions are fine hun. Best to be well informed I say ;-)

Now, changing out gravel is a personal choice that is usually only done for astetics or to add something finer for plants or digging tankmates like Corys. If you change out the substrate, bacteria should still be on the decor and everything else, so you can't change out everything in the tank at once, or you will be starting your cycle over.

Honestly, we don't do 100% pwc. More like 90%. You have to keep the substrate, decor, and filter media wet to keep the bacteria from dying and a major chem or temp change will shock your fish! And then theirs cuping and floating the fish. Truthfully, I never do a pwc over 50% because larger ones are just a pain. 3x 50% pwc a week should be plenty. Try to do it a while after a meal so you wont stress them after they eat. I feed in the morning and pwc in the afternoon or evening myself.
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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

When you 1st get that fish in there, that liquid test kit will be your best friend! Once you have the levels good, you can test once a week, but those first few weeks, don't be surprised if you do it almost daily! It's normal. That's why we all love the liquid test kits so much. It's not just accuracy, but how cheap it is to use as much as we need it!

Tap water should only be tested once to find your perimeters or anytime you suspect there is something wrong with it (like getting an amonia spike out of nowhere).

Feed at the same time every day and the same number of times. The rest is up to you.

Snails eat algea waffers and/or sinking pellets. I alternate between the 2.
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## KCalNeon (Jan 8, 2013)

you're not supposed to wash anything that has to due with your betta with soap and water right?
But what about storage containers that will hold your betta's food? If it was used for something like my hamsters food can you wash it with warm soap and water before putting in the betta food? or is warm water and vinegar good for things like that?

Are you supposed to cup or net your betta when you take them out? When is it necessary to take out a betta from their tank?

People have been saying that when doing a water change, the new water you put in should be the same temp. as the water inside of the tank.. how do you make sure of that? Would just slowly accumulating the new water into the tank after a water change be fine?

Is variety best for a betta diet? Some people use a variety, but are 4 New life pellets, and freeze dried blood worms/ brine shrimp once a week a good diet? (Im not allowed to buy frozen or live)

what do people mean by 'I just bought more carbon' lol you buy carbon?


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

Soap leaves a resedue. Even with humans, if you wash dishes and don't rinse well enough, you get sick and have diarrhea! Imagine the impact it has on a little fish! Use white vinager and warm/hot water to clean. It will disinfect and not hurt the fish.

I usually used my net to chase him into a cup if that makes sense. Take them out for substrate changes, massive water changes (under 3-4 inches of water), or introdusing new stock to their new environment (either putting him in a new tank or others in his tank). You can avoid the pwc cuping by just doing several smaller pwc a week. I do 3x50% and my small one does fine.

To get the new water to be about tank temp takes practice and a termometer. I can get the water very close by feel now, but I also use a mercurey tank termometer to test the temp before I pour it in. I like that one because it floats so I can just pull it out of my tank and throw it in my bucket!
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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

DP


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

When you put in fresh water, try to guard against currents which stur up substrate and stress the fish. Put water in carefully either pouring it in slow with a cup against the wall or in the filter (depends on filter!).

Diet depends on the fish. A good pellet for 5 days of the week and freeze-dried bloodworm (or the like) on 1 day of the week is just fine. Just soak the freeze-dried food to keep from causing tummy trouble. Having a good flake on hand might be a good idea just in case you have a picky eater or a little one that can't fit a pellet in his/her mouth! Flakes are cheap, so it shouldn't hurt your budget.

Don't concentrate on the amount that everyone else feeds THEIR fish. Every fish is different. My little Cami eats 1 pellet a day while Gus eats 7! Just remember to only feed them when they are hungry (they may spit out new food the first few times they get it while they assess it, but after the 3rd time they've had it, they should attack it),
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## KCalNeon (Jan 8, 2013)

Bluewind said:


> When you put in fresh water, try to guard against currents which stur up substrate and stress the fish. Put water in carefully either pouring it in slow with a cup against the wall or in the filter (depends on filter!).
> 
> Diet depends on the fish. A good pellet for 5 days of the week and freeze-dried bloodworm (or the like) on 1 day of the week is just fine. Having a good flake on hand might be a good idea just in case you have a picky eater or a little one that can't fit a pellet in his/her mouth! Flakes are cheap, so it shouldn't hurt your budget.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thanks so much for your help Bluewind! I really appreciate the time you take to answer my questions. 

I looked through some pinned topics and answered some of my own questions, lol. 

At this point I have a basic idea of what fish keeping is, and I know most of the new 'terms'. By the way.. do we have a topic about new fish terms like cycling, ammonia, Epsom salt, all those terms? If we don't, I highly suggest putting one together! I think it would be very useful to new fish owners who don't have a clue about fish (like me )

Oh! and is it necessary to keep a snail or something with you're betta? Like it doesn't affect quality of life?


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

, only feed them 1-3 pellets at a time (depending on their size. You don't want to overstretch that tummy!), feed about the same time every day, and watch for bloating or a "sunk in" look.

The carbon is what is in your filter. Some filters have places where you directly add carbon while others have a cartrage that you replace.
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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

lol! I'm glad I could help hun. I gotta say that I love your enthusiasum and I hope it never goes away ;-)

As far as all the terms, I have yet to really find a place myself! I had to ask, google, or guess when I first started out. I know that it can be confusing sometimes :-?

You need at LEAST a 5 gallon to have shrimp or snails. They are good little cleaners, butif you get an agressive betta, he or she might see them as a snack! Bettas can pester snails, but they are okay for the most part. Shrimp can be if a betta is fed properly and non-agressive. They can be just fine on their own as long as you have a well decorated tank to keep them engaged and goof around with them a bit.

Btw, what is you hardness and pH? You can go by your local fish store with water and they will test it for free! Also, what do your parents think about adding a plant or 2?
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## KCalNeon (Jan 8, 2013)

Bluewind said:


> lol! I'm glad I could help hun. I gotta say that I love your enthusiasum and I hope it never goes away ;-)
> 
> As far as all the terms, I have yet to really find a place myself! I had to ask, google, or guess when I first started out. I know that it can be confusing sometimes :-?
> 
> ...


Hmmm.. I have yet to test my water because I'm actually not getting a fish yet. In a few months from now. For my birthday and once my room gets rearranged. And once I research like mad  I guess I could do live plants but I'm just so overwhelmed with fish keeping right now. :-( Some things are optional, some things aren't. Some people do it, some don't. Fish keeping is totally different from keeping a furry pet. There's still LOADS to learn like diet and such but the water, and temperatures don't have to be perfect. Its a weird transition you know? I'm still relatively new and I know as I read and read and look around the forum for a couple months, and get my first Betta, I'll 'get it' and understand how everything goes together. That's exactly what happened with my hamster! I joined a forum and read up, looked around for months, asked loads of questions, and eventually I got used to the forum and it all clicked. Then I got my first hamster (every pet is indeed different and you can't really go by what others say other than the basic facts and care. It's what works for you and you're pet. ) and everything's great! 

lol I'm a bit tired now. Time to go to bed and come back tomorrow! My brain has had enough for today


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

Well go unfry your brain hun! ;-)

Your water chemistry straight out of the tap is very important because it will let us know if you can have snails or shrimp and what kind of plants you can have. And when it comes to plants, there are easy ones and hard ones. Marimo Balls are simple plants that are kind of like a sponge. Anubias is slow growing and easy care. Water Sprite is eatable and works tied down or floating. Java Moss grows like crazy and you can scoop some out and toss it if need be. All of these are easy care level plants. All they need to grow is a good light (10w cool cfl work well) and one weekly fertalizer (which is not bad nasty stuff. it's just what the plants can't get from the fish poop ;-) ). Some of those bulbs you can buy just about anywhere also grow fast and I've had pretty good luck with them.

Also, if you get the 10 gallon, the shrimp and snails should be fine. Shrimp have a very low bioload, so you could put like 20 in it!
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## KCalNeon (Jan 8, 2013)

More questions:*

This might be obvious but will my tank be just fine without shrimps and snails and live plants? For now, I just want a single Betta fish, silk plants, hides, heater, filter etc. I think if I keep up with water changes and everything else... It'll be fine? Also, my tank will have 2 silk plants and 2 hideouts (bridge and something else) is that a good setup?*

I've seen a lot of topics that say when something changes (like you add something new to you're tank) you'll have to do more frequent water changes. In what cases do we do the more frequent water changes and why do we do them?*

Can you change you're fishes decor (the fake decor) to make it look nice? I heard it might stress out the fish. How often do you change out your decor and what precautions do you take?

Am I right in saying once the sponge in your filter falls apart, simply replacing and putting in another one is fine? There's already enough BB, or do you have to do something else?*

Say you're on a long vacation.. How would you take care of the feeding and water changes? I don't know anyone who would be able to do a water change properly. :/ No one I know has experience with fish. *

Is it really bad if you do a water change too early or too late? What's the worst that can happen? I know some things might come up and I might have to do a water change a day later or earlier. *

How would you disinfect and reuse *a 5 gallon tank if you're Betta passes away and you want another one? What about a Pet store Betta that passes away suddenly... How would you prepare the tank for a new Betta? and do you have to cycle again?*

Where do you get you're Bettas from? Are Pet store Bettas unhealthy?*

How many watts for a 5 gallon Heater? And what kind of light is best for a 5 gallon?*

The light cycle... Well I'm kind of confused. I go to school from 8:00am-3pm should I leave the light on while I'm at school and when it gets a little dark (at around 6pm) turn it off? That means I can spend about 1hour of time with him because of homework and other stuff in the afternoon. So is it ok if I turn the light on all day while I'm at school then a couple hours after coming home, I spend some time with him and then turn it off to let him sleep? Do I have to turn the light on at the same time everyday or is it ok as long as he gets 8-12 hours? On the weekends I wake up later so I won't always turn it on at the same time.*

The only concern I have is that my lamp is on my chest*
(which will be right next to the tank on my*dresser)*
*Would a small piece of wood in between the two be good? Because after I turn the light off to let him sleep, I'll have to turn on my lamp a couple times which might bug him.*My lamp lights up my whole room because my room is small so won't the light still bug him even with a divider?*

I've seen videos of people using exercise mirrors for their Bettas and almost all of the comments say they're cruel. I'm not too sure about mirrors. How do you exercise you're Bettas and how much time do you spend with them?


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## KCalNeon (Jan 8, 2013)

Also, do tank backgrounds stress out Bettas?


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

Sorry! Missed your new questions...
*This will take a few posts

1. You don't have to add these things, but plants add oxygen and suck up amonia (good for long vaca to answer another question) and snails and shrimp clean algae. My Mystery Snail does a great job of it, but it's your decision

2. When we add new fish/inverts to remove the extra amonia and when we treat for illness to remove meds or salt

3. It is actually a good thing to do as long as your fish is not blind because it is a form of enrichment and most say once a month, but doing it more or less doesn't hurt anything as long as he has 1 piece that never changes (Gus's is a pink rock) to leave them something farmiliar.
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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

...
3. (part 2) Rinse all orniments well with warm water and let them soak (some also let them soak in salt water or even weak bleach/vinager water, but that's up to you). Rinse like crazy. Place them in a covered bucket (or any container) of treated water for a few days to a week. Try to use a white or clear one. Then, test the water. If the pH, hardness, color (some pieces can leach dyes into the water!), and everything are what they should be, you know that the orniment is most likely aquarium safe.

When it comes time to change orniments, wash and rinse your hands and arms well (how much will be in tank), rinse the pieces you will be adding, and have fun. I always turn off my filter to keep the water from sturring. It's also a good time for a gravel cleaning (btw, get the siphon type because you don't want suction so powerful that you suck up your fish!) You might also have to take a bit of water out to not slosh any around and you will need a clean towel
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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

...
4. I can't comment on sponge filters persay, but benificial bacteria is in everything in your tank. The surfaces, the substrate, the filter, everything has it. I have always been told to never change 2 of these at once because it will crash the system. I'm not sure if all that's true or not, but I do follow it just in case it is.

5. Feeding with pellets is very easy and fish can survive without eating for a while. Leaving him alone and unfed for a long weekend trip wont kill him, but he will sure be happy to see you! Just don't overfeed and make him ill. Longer and you can have a friend come over and tell them how many pellets to feed him. Do lots of pwc leading up to the trip, gravel vac, and add plants (if you can) and he will be fine in his cycled tank. Also, put his light on a timer to keep his day/night cycle so he wont stress
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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

...
6. A day early or late in an understocked cycled tank is NOTHING to worry about! Overstocked? Maybe. Uncycled? DEFINITLY! Just watch out for amonia spikes as new tanks will do those first few months. Even cycled, that first month will leave you scratching your head as to how something got so wrong so fast. But if you make it though all of it, it's a breeze after that (most of the time).

7. That's a hard question to answer and mainly it depends on how the fish died. If it had a disease that other fish could get (like paracites), most of the time it's just easier to disinfect the tank than treat it. Also, make sure you disinfect according to the disease. If it was natural (constapation), injury related, or from a defect (swim bladder), then the fish can be removed and after a gravel vac and a few days of pwc (to get rid of the amonia), a new fish can be added.

To clean a new tank, you can mix water with either bleach or white vinagar. Rinse very well
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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

...
8. Stay away from WalMart as their bettas as extreamly unhealthy in most cases. Mom and Pop stores are almost always the best. Petco/Smart is kind of a store to store deal. Find out when they get in fish and pick out your betta 1-2 days after that so you can see how active and healthy they are.

Gus was from walmart. Horrible shape when I got him. Half dead, pale, fin rot, and amonia burned, but he had sprit. It took some special treatment, but he made it and is a beautiful little man. I worry though about how long he will live as walmart bettas usually die young because of everything they have to go through. Just don't support it even if you want to as they will keep doing it as long as they can make money.

Cami is from PetSmart. She came home happy, healthy, and wiggling like a puppy! She also was younger and adapted faster than Gus did.

9. The type of light depends on rather you have plants or not.
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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

10. Your fish needs 8 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness to have a sleep schedule. The other 8 are up to you. I do 10 hours of light, 9 of dark, and 5 of ambiant (4 is sunrise til lights on and 1 is lights off til bed). You need to have a scedule that is the same (give or take) for several reasons. One is that it sets up their sleep schedule and without that precious down time, they will hid during the day, get stressed out, not be able to get into a rythem of and routine, and so on. Another one is that fish don't have eyelids. Now I know that sounds random, but imagine what it would feel like to walk around in your home and have it go from pitch black to beaming bright or visa versa at random points during the day? It's a bit stressful huh? And you have eyelids! So at least you can blink and squint until your eyes adjust. Fish can't. But, if they know just about when lights off or on is coming, their eyes actually start adjusting an hour before! And it's much less stressful when you can see it coming


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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

...
11. Having a light on in the room after the tank light is turned off is good because his eyes can adjust to the darkness. The piece of wood would block the direct light. It would depend on how bright it got. Too bight could mess up his schedule. You can put up a makeshift curtain or wrap a towel around it (or something similar) to keep it dark at night. Just don't cover the hood. (also, if I haven't said before, a timer for your tank light is a good idea for vacations and lazy days)

12. A mirror makes a male betta think their is another betta close and makes him want to strut and show his domanance. When the betta "leaves" he gets an ego boost out of it. Doing this for a few minutes (no more than once a week) is fine. Don't it for a long period of time (over 15 minutes) will exhaust the poor guy. Doing it for an excessive period (hours or even days!) will not only exhaust him, but he will loose intest in it and have a deflated ego.
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## Bluewind (Oct 24, 2012)

...
12. part 2: You can float ping pong balls for them to bump around, temporaraly add hampster tubes for them to swim through, redecorate the tank, teach them to follow your finger or jump for food, give them a tankmate to pester (like snails or shrimp), add a marimo ball (which many betta play with or sleep on), blow bubbles with a turkey baster, and so much more! And I interact with him every day although I'm not sure what is exercise and what is just goofing around.

13. Not that I've heard of. Why do you want a background? Bettas are very social and enjoy interaction. I don't think it would hurt though
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