# am I a bad fish owner? :'-(



## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

everybody here has nice roomy, filtered, heated tanks with live plants for their bettas, and my two boys are stuck in half gallon tanks with cheap plastic plants at a chilly 74 degrees. I want to get them nicer tanks, but there are numerous reasons why I cant:
1. I'm 12 and can't afford even a 2.5 gallon aqueon mini bow which is close to $50!
2. I am a complete weakling and would not be able to lift it to clean it.
3. I am paranoid about glass tanks because of a previous incident of a glass jar breaking. (my fish was OK but it was scary! :-()
4. I don't have the slightest clue about cycling, and I'm afraid I would mess up and hurt my fish.
5. I tried to explain to my mom that a betta needs at lest two gallons, but she keeps insisting that what I have is "good enough" and says that a larger tank might "damage my dresser" :evil: (I love her, but she gets on my nerves sometimes! :evil
so what should I do? am I mistreating my fish? I figured at least a half gallon is better than those tiny cups at the store. I love my bettas and I feel really bad about keeping them in such small tanks.  I saw that a user by the name of tharbepirates used a plastic animal craker jar as a tank, If I can find something like that that holds about one gallon (so that It wouldn't be too heavy to lift) would that be any better? oh, and sorry for the really long post lol!


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## ForbiddenSecrets (Aug 15, 2010)

I'd try to upgrade them so they don't develop neurotic problems from boredom. If you got a bigger tank like 5 gallon you could do partial water changes [50-60%] a few times a week so you won't have to lift it c: [or even with a smaller tank that you want to do 100% changes on you can still cup for boys and siphon the tank into containers] 

I know you said your afraid of glass tanks but they really aren't that weak and if you aren't shifting them about it won't be too much of a problem. [And they are rather cheap and since Betta's don't 'need' filters it would be a good way to go for now]. Also with more water you could eventually get them nice little heaters by saving up to make them even more happy. A step at a time since being young means limited funds. 

You aren't a bad fish owner though hun. You want to do whats best for them and are being held back mostly by the lack of freedom that comes with being young. Maybe you can show your mom this site and get her to know the recommended 'minimum' for the fish and find the cheapest way to go about it.


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Don't worry! There are some cheap ways to upgrade! 

Look in kitchen sections of stores--one person here uses a giant 2 gallon plastic cookie jar, and some people have found other similar tubs and things that were cheaper than the tanks! Petco has some kritter keepers and you can find 2.5 gallons of them for decent prices! 


You can't even really properly cycle anything under 5 gallons anyway, so until you move up in size, that isn't even something you need to worry about! It isn't as hard as it sounds-- Ammonia is bad, it is 'eaten' by NitrItes which is less bad but still bad, and those are eaten by NitrAtes! So you get enough ammonia to feed the nitrites, and when the nitrites build up the tank gets enough nitrates! With those good bacteria you will have fewer water changes because you have those invisible helpers eating away the ammonia for you! 

As far as 'good enough' from your mother goes.. a 2.5 really isn't that big, and if it is one of these plastic not-really-a-fish-tank tanks.. they are light weight too! It wouldn't damage your dresser I don't think! And show your mom this site, I agree. if you can show her you can do this cheaply, and that it is better for your pets, she should come around!


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## puppyrjjkm (Aug 2, 2009)

I just quickly skimmed so sorry if I repeat anything. I was 15 when I got into the hobby, there's plently of "cheap" ways to do things. Kritter Keepers are multiple gallon containers with lids sold at your local petsmart for under $10, those would be great for your guys! I have never cycled a tank and haven't had any problems. This may not be the best way to do it but everything has been fine for me. As for getting extra money, maybe ask if there are any extra chores you can do around the house? Maybe washing the car or something like that. As for being able to lift, you shouldn't need to lift entire tanks if you do partial water changes. Plus a two gallon kritter keeper is pretty light even with water in it. You are doing the best you can for your little fish and I'm sure they appreciate it!  Just as ForbiddenSecrets says just take it one step at a time and gradually buy a larger tank, heater, etc. So over time you'll get to where you want with your fish! Trust me I started with one betta in a vase, now have 10 with 4 large tanks haha! Good luck, it'll all work out in the end!  Oh and maybe ask for the tanks for Christmas, it's only 2 months away!


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## metalbetta (May 17, 2010)

If you want a cheap 2.5 gal, I know Petsmart has basic glass ones for $15... Comes with a glass top... You'd have to buy the light seperately if you want it.

That's what Cameron has and he loves it. I get the being broke thing. It doesn't get much better lol


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## celine18 (Sep 25, 2010)

as has been said, critter keepers are fairly cheap (you might have to save up and buy one at a time, but hey, you'll get there!) you could always voulenteer to do more chores also (if you get an allowance based on chores, this works great! )

you can also go to walmart and buy some sterite tubs that are pretty big for under $5, and i think you can heat those, so you can get a little $10 heater from petsmart!

if you're worried about something being too heavy, i completely understand. i'm weak, and when my 10 gal is filled with 7-10 pounds of gravel and even one gallon and i had to move it i about died, haha. but you can always take a little cup and empty water from the tank into a bucket until the tank is light enough for you to move to finish the wc. also, if your mother's worried about the dresser, just put a towel under the tanks, or you might want to suggest to her that you get a glass cover to put over it. it's just a sheet of glass cut to size that protects the wood under, and it shouldn't cost too much (depending on the size of your dresser)

i think you're a wonderful fish owner for being so concerned about your babies and wanting to make them as happy as possible!!


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## kfish (Oct 5, 2010)

Hi! I have my fish in a 5 gallon uncycled (as of yet) tank with a filter. Lifting it for water changes is completely impossible for me, as I'm also really weak/small! Since it has a filter, I don't need to do 100% water changes, but if I did, I'd do it the same way!

Someone else mentioned siphoning - here's a more detailed description of what I do, in case you're not sure how to go about it.

For the sake of price (rather than buying a gravel vacuum), I use an 8 ft long bubbler tube (a tube for an air stone to go from pump to airstone - it's like 3 mm MAX in diameter). The tube was less than $2 at Petsmart. I put one end in a bucket on the floor, hold the other end in the tank, and suck just enough water on the end going in the bucket (yeah, with my mouth - oh no!) so that it juuuust reaches over the top of the lip of the tank. After that, it starts flowing on its own (you don't actually get any water in your mouth as long as you make sure to blow out any old water and clean the tube first). Now you have a siphon! 

If you want to vacuum the gravel/substrate/whatever just kind of move it above the gravel/mix up the gravel a bit and point the siphon at the goodies. It's more powerful than you'd think. If you have small gravel, some gravel might get stuck in the siphon. Try to keep it far away enough from any gravel that this doesn't happen. Might have to cut a bit of the tube off if you can't wiggle a piece of gravel out. Of course, if you want to do 100% water changes, you can always just let the siphon run its course on its own, then carry the empty tank to the sink to rinse out the gravel and decorations. Or use a cup to empty the tank, but then you have to actively do something the whole time. 

BTW, I leave my fishy in there when I do my 50% water changes where I vacuum the gravel.

ALSO, I don't know how much you can afford, but I got my tank online from Walmart. It was 27 dollars (I think the price just went up to $30) and came with the five gallon tank, hood with light, and filter. Might be a good goal for you to save up to. I couldn't find any kit cheaper than that! http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-5-gal-Tank-Aquarium/14660258 You can have it shipped site to store for free if you can't pay online. Try to buy some aquarium filter sponge (I got some random Fluval stuff for some filter, it's basically just white sponge with pores; it was $5) to baffle the filter if you get that tank. I had to rubber band lots of sponge into the filter output waterfall.

My heater was $16.79 on Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-THEO-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8 Of course the price of that also just went up.

Remember that you don't have to get everything at once. You can even just buy a tank by itself then buy a separate filter later then buy the heater. The important part is just getting something big enough so that it's easier for you to maintain your fish's water quality, without breaking your back.

Don't feel too badly about leaving your little fishy in his small tank. Just make sure to keep up with your water changes.  I think most of us have made the small tank mistake at some point!


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## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

At least you acknowledge that there's room for improvement. That is the first step--some of the other suggestions posted were definitely helpful. You can save money on the tank by going with a kritter keeper, or even a rubbermaid/sterilite plastic storage bin, but don't go cheap on the heaters. This is where you need to invest more of your money and get a higher quality product. I recommend a 25 watt heaters with an adjustable thermostat, such as the hydor theo in the above post. Cheaper mini-heaters, heater pads, and pre-set heaters don't work well, and more than likely if you get those you'll end up throwing them out and getting an adjustable heater anyway. Don't waste the money. If you get tanks that are three gallons or larger, you can get sponge filters--these are only a few dollars and they can help you cycle your tanks along with live plants.


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## Everlark (Oct 16, 2010)

When it comes to kritter keepers I know everyone's saying 2.5 gallons, but the stores seem to label them in inches, so how does that translate? I could really use an upgrade from what I have now, and I'm in a dorm so my options are limited.


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## Jupiter (Aug 30, 2009)

1. I'm a college student with no current job, so I feel you...fortunately, there are lots of cheap options. Any clear container (some already mentioned here), or critter keepers, which are a lot cheaper than tank kits.

2. No worries! It's not like I haul my 10 gallon around for cleaning too, epescially with 100 pounds of water in it. This is where a siphon and a bucket comes in handy. 

3. So far I have had no problems with glass breaking. These things are durable, you know...Plastic tanks are fine too, though they are prone to scratching. Actually, it was my 5 gallon plastic tank that formed a huge crack.

4. That's what the forum is here for! You can ask questions, even if you think they are stupid ones. Everyone starts off somehwere! My first cycle (with fish in), was pretty intimidating, but both my fish and I got through it with the helpful advice of the members here. 

5. A two gallon tank weighs around 20 pounds, I think. Most dressers should be able to hold that. Mine is holding my 10 gallon which, as I already said, is about 100 pounds! Show some care sheets to your mom and see if she changes her mind.

But in the current situation, you're doing the best you can. Don't be too hard on yourself.


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## Capricorn (Sep 4, 2010)

You can tell your mom that I keep a 29 gallon aquarium on a dresser that belonged to my grandmother (it's quite old) without any problems. Two small tanks won't hurt it. xD

As for everything that's been said, yep- critter keepers are great investments. They're super easy to clean.. I have a very weak left arm from surgery a couple years ago, and I can change all three of my tanks without help.


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## buzzbee (Oct 8, 2010)

you should know they sell heaters under $10

also, put a towel under anything wet you have on your dresser


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## Strigiformes (Sep 15, 2010)

buzzbee, most of those $10 heaters are preset and don't work very well so they are a bad idea


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

I just use plastic tubs, they're cheap and at Walmart...heck a nearly 20 gallon one is like $5.

I also use 1 gallon Critter Keepers from Walmart and gallon pickle jars.


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## KandiiPanda (Oct 1, 2010)

Actually, my fish thrived for almost a year in a tank like yours before I upgraded the tank c=
It doesn't make you a bad owner at all; you know you'd give him the best if you could and I'm sure they know you love them

Skimming over what people have already said, I don't think there's much else I can add to this...my new tank is a 2-gallon, its a Go Diego Go tank I got from Meijer's for twenty dollars (came with gravel, stickers, a cheap plant and a decoration of him riding a turtle, haha). You basically need a heater with a bigger tank, but I also advise against the cheap 10 dollar ones because they can easily cook your fish. A filter isn't completely necessary as long as you're cleaning the tank enough


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Strigiformes said:


> buzzbee, most of those $10 heaters are preset and don't work very well so they are a bad idea


 The Tetra preset heaters work really well. My 4 gallon plastic tub (which has like 75 little baby bettas in there....gotta move them to the growout in a few days) is like 78-80* F at all times, I really like not having to mess with them.


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## wystearya (Sep 27, 2010)

I just want to say that in my experience, the Tetra HT10 heater is a good pre-set heater. It was about $16 at my local pet store.

The HT10 is for tanks from 2-10 gallons. I have one in my 2.5 gallon tank and now one in my new 5 gallon, it keeps both at 78 degrees without wild temperature fluctuations. Here in WV the temperature has already been cold some nights, and these heaters have worked. There is a light on the heater that is green while the unit is plugged in, the light turns red when it is actively heating the water.

It's not pricey and (for me at least) it sure does the job!

-------

Edit - MrVampire beat me to it. lol!


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

wystearya said:


> I just want to say that in my experience, the Tetra HT10 heater is a good pre-set heater. It was about $16 at my local pet store.
> 
> The HT10 is for tanks from 2-10 gallons. I have one in my 2.5 gallon tank and now one in my new 5 gallon, it keeps both at 78 degrees without wild temperature fluctuations. Here in WV the temperature has already been cold some nights, and these heaters have worked. There is a light on the heater that is green while the unit is plugged in, the light turns red when it is actively heating the water.
> 
> ...


 hehe. I use the 2-10 gallon version and the 10-30 gallon version. Sometimes it swings a little low but mainly that's because the lid isn't clapped on tightly enough.


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## Capricorn (Sep 4, 2010)

I actually have preset heaters in my two small tanks, and even with the drop in outside temperatures lately I haven't had a problem keeping them warm.. I check them every couple hours or so since the tanks are in my room. If they start to fail on me I'll go out to purchase a better one, but they've worked fine for me so far.  I have one Hydor (I think that's what it is, lol) and one Tetra preset, and then an Aqueon adjustable one for my 10gal.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

"I just want to say that in my experience, the Tetra HT10 heater is a good pre-set heater. It was about $16 at my local pet store."

Ok, here is what I don't get. WHY would anybody pay $16.00 for a pre-set heater (which aren't all that dependable, IMO) when they could go to Ebay and get a 25 watt ADJUSTABLE, fully submersible Jebo heater for $15.49 IN THE DOOR????!!!! 

I have two from this seller and could not be happier with them AND the entire transaction (VERY fast shipping):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...914&var=600004195895&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

BTW, if anybody is interested the 50 watt heaters are the same price.


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## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

ForbiddenSecrets said:


> I'd try to upgrade them so they don't develop neurotic problems from boredom.


 so they will go insane from boredom? :shock: 


ForbiddenSecrets said:


> You aren't a bad fish owner though hun. You want to do whats best for them and are being held back mostly by the lack of freedom that comes with being young. Maybe you can show your mom this site and get her to know the recommended 'minimum' for the fish and find the cheapest way to go about it.


thank you!  *sigh* its hard to be 12... oh, and I will show my mom the betta care sticky!


celine18 said:


> as has been said, critter keepers are fairly cheap (you might have to save up and buy one at a time, but hey, you'll get there!) you could always voulenteer to do more chores also (if you get an allowance based on chores, this works great! )


yeah, I do get an allowance of $10 per week. I could get a critter carrier, but I would be afraid to put a heater in a plastic tank...


celine18 said:


> i think you're a wonderful fish owner for being so concerned about your babies and wanting to make them as happy as possible!!


 thank you! :-D


Jupiter said:


> in the current situation, you're doing the best you can. Don't be too hard on yourself.


 thanks! yeah, it's hard to upgrade with betta food and water conditioner prices going up, and a good portion of my allowance goes to that...


puppyrjjkm said:


> As for getting extra money, maybe ask if there are any extra chores you can do around the house?


 yeah, I could do that... I bet my mom would give me some extra money... 


puppyrjjkm said:


> maybe ask for the tanks for Christmas, it's only 2 months away!


 yeah, and my birthday is three days before Christmas too! :-D YAY!


Capricorn said:


> I have a very weak left arm from surgery a couple years ago


 oh no! I hope it gets better...

thanks to everyone for helping me  I went to target yesterday, they had this: http://www.target.com/Anchor-Hockin...om_size-bin,target_com_brand-bin&frombrowse=0 it's one gallon, lots of swimming space. hopefully soon I will upgrade even more, like a 2.5 with a filter... anyway, yeah, I know I said I didn't like glass but I think I learned from my mistake (never put the jar on the edge of the sink!) and I should be O.K. plus they didn't have anything plastic. so I was a little concerned about the lid, if I open it daily for feeding, will that be enough air circulation? again, thanks everyone!


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## zelilaa (Jul 31, 2010)

Everlark said:


> When it comes to kritter keepers I know everyone's saying 2.5 gallons, but the stores seem to label them in inches, so how does that translate? I could really use an upgrade from what I have now, and I'm in a dorm so my options are limited.


5 inches deep, 12 inches long, 8 inches tall :3 or something along those lines


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Lion Mom said:


> "I just want to say that in my experience, the Tetra HT10 heater is a good pre-set heater. It was about $16 at my local pet store."
> 
> Ok, here is what I don't get. WHY would anybody pay $16.00 for a pre-set heater (which aren't all that dependable, IMO) when they could go to Ebay and get a 25 watt ADJUSTABLE, fully submersible Jebo heater for $15.49 IN THE DOOR????!!!!
> 
> ...


I've had weird issues with adjustable....they raise the temps slowly after awhile, and they break really easily. The Tetra preset heaters are excellent...how do I know? Because baby bettas can't stand temperature fluctuations, if these heaters weren't reliable my 2 week olds would be dead..but they're healthy, growing well and eating a ton of live food. I have an adjustable heater that's been getting super hot, as in the water is like taking a hot shower...luckily it's in a 2 gallon half filled where my brine shrimp hatcheries are so they hacth super fast now :-D

AND the Tetra ones are like $10 at Walmart...


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## zelilaa (Jul 31, 2010)

peaches3221 said:


> so they will go insane from boredom? :shock:
> 
> thank you!  *sigh* its hard to be 12... oh, and I will show my mom the betta care sticky!
> 
> ...



noooo dont buy that! first of all- you cant use the lid anyways as it would block out the air. 
second of all- one gallon is still too small 
third and biggest reason- please just go to petsmart. They sell 2.5 gallon tanks for 13 dollars! thats cheaper and better then some glass jars. 
fourth reason- the 2.5 gallon tanks look nicer and have more horizontal swimming room (a foot long)
fifth reason- its curved and the glass is real thick, so seeing your betta will be hard and obnoxios
sixth reason- the glass is thick and its curved so its hard to get a filter unless you custom build something to adapt it like i have to do for my 3 gal bowl.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

zelilaa said:


> *noooo dont buy that! first of all- you cant use the lid anyways as it would block out the air. *
> second of all- one gallon is still too small
> third and biggest reason- please just go to petsmart. They sell 2.5 gallon tanks for 13 dollars! thats cheaper and better then some glass jars.
> fourth reason- the 2.5 gallon tanks look nicer and have more horizontal swimming room (a foot long)
> ...


 Bettas don't need that much air. I know one breeder who ordered in some bettas and they were two weeks late but they came alive in their bags. My jars have lids that are always kept tightly screwed on, it also helps with humidity which bettas like. Plus your unscrewing it once or twice a day for feeding which adds more air and gets rid of the old air.


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## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

so my jar is ok to use? *crosses fingers* :-D


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## Jupiter (Aug 30, 2009)

Lion Mom said:


> "I just want to say that in my experience, the Tetra HT10 heater is a good pre-set heater. It was about $16 at my local pet store."
> 
> Ok, here is what I don't get. WHY would anybody pay $16.00 for a pre-set heater (which aren't all that dependable, IMO) when they could go to Ebay and get a 25 watt ADJUSTABLE, fully submersible Jebo heater for $15.49 IN THE DOOR????!!!!
> 
> ...


Because I'm not allowed to buy online. 

Plus, from my experience, they work just fine in smaller tanks. They keep the tank at a steady 76-77 degrees.

The jar should be okay to use. I'd leave an inch or so of air for him to breathe, and since you'll be opening it regularly it should be okay...

And btw, heaters are totally fine to use in plastic tanks! Otherwise a lot of the bettas here would be scrweed.


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## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

thank you! I will give the jar a try then, until I can ask for a bigger tank for my birthday/Christmas.


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## SilverCaracal (May 9, 2010)

I think those jars should be fine as long as you open them a few times a day. Don't worry-I started out just like you  Now I have a filtered 2.5 Minibow. Eventually, you'll upgrade.

Jupiter and MrVampire181 - Do they sell Tetra preset heaters at Petsmart? Or is it only Walmart? I could go to Walmart, but they don't have a fish section, so I'm not sure they'll sell heaters...


Edit: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4056279 This is the Minibow I got from Petsmart. It's only $25!! But at the store it might be priced higher, so you'll have to report it to an employee. Comes with a filter too, so you won't have to worry about that


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

SilverCaracal said:


> I think those jars should be fine as long as you open them a few times a day. Don't worry-I started out just like you  Now I have a filtered 2.5 Minibow. Eventually, you'll upgrade.
> 
> Jupiter and MrVampire181 - Do they sell Tetra preset heaters at Petsmart? Or is it only Walmart? I could go to Walmart, but they don't have a fish section, so I'm not sure they'll sell heaters...


 I haven't seen them at PetsMart...but then again I don't go to the aisle with the heaters, unless I'm looking at plants. They might but I get mine from Walmart.


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## Jupiter (Aug 30, 2009)

I've seen them being sold at Walmart and Big Al's.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

peaches3221 said:


> so my jar is ok to use? *crosses fingers* :-D


 I've used several kinds of jars...jelly, applesauce, peanut butter, mayo...all were fine once being washed out. Yours should be fine.


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## ilovebunnies (Oct 11, 2010)

I have that glass jar with my betta in it for right now from walmart. They had two sizes, a one gallon jar which cost around $7 and a two gallon jar which cost around $12. I had gotten the one gallon jar. I don't keep the lid on the jar because I have a heater and the electrical cord won't allow the lid to stay on. If you are worried about the fish jumping out, put plastic wrap tightly over the top and rubber band it around. Then make a hole for oxygen exchange and feeding.

I wish I had gotten the two gallon so he had extra space, but he is doing just fine in the one gallon jar. I have a plant, some stones, a glass thermometer, and heater in his setup. It's the bare minimum setup and he is happy and healthy. The most expensive piece of his setup was the heater. It cost $17 from petsmart. I got the Marineland Stealth Pro Shatter Proof heater 10 watt for up to 3 gallons. It is preset and keeps the temperature 78-80 degrees. The glass thermometer cost $4 from petsmart also. Walmart also sells glass stones and pebbles in their craft section which cost a lot less and looks nicer than buying the stuff that is specifically marketed as gravel.

If you plan on getting a larger tank later I would buy things that you can use in that setup in the future. So if you are planning on getting a heater, I would make sure that it will be appropriate for the size tank that you will be getting in the future. It will save you money so you won't have to re buy things again once you upgrade.

I also plan on upgrading to a bigger tank with a filter cause I hate having to do 100% water changes every few days.

Hope this helps


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## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

thanks for your help, everyone! I have one more question: when I got my new guy, I had him in a temporary bowl while I was cleaning out my critter carrier. so a week later, I put him in the critter carrier and he's been in there for about three weeks, so will it stress him out to move him again? especially after his "accident" about two weeks ago... http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=53275


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## Jupiter (Aug 30, 2009)

He'll be fine, don't worry.


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## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

ok, thanks! :-D I'll put him in the jar on saturday probably...


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## wystearya (Sep 27, 2010)

Lion Mom said:


> "I just want to say that in my experience, the Tetra HT10 heater is a good pre-set heater. It was about $16 at my local pet store."
> 
> Ok, here is what I don't get. WHY would anybody pay $16.00 for a pre-set heater (which aren't all that dependable, IMO) when they could go to Ebay and get a 25 watt ADJUSTABLE, fully submersible Jebo heater for $15.49 IN THE DOOR????!!!!
> 
> ...


 
Because, as other people have already stated, the Tetra pre-set heaters WORK. I could have bought a CHEAPER adjustable at the pet store, but it looked fragile. I felt the Tetra looked like the better product, and as I said before, it has been working wonderfully for me. Last night the temperature outside was in the 30's, my house temperature was set to 68. Both my 2.5 gallon tank and the new 5 gallon were 77-78 degress. I check them both with the tank LCD thermometer and a digital meat thermometer I have. I know the temperature in my tanks are stable and plenty warm.

I'm sorry if you have had problems with pre-set. All I know is that the two Tetra HT10 pre-set heaters I have work great. At least in the 2.5 and 5 gallon tanks. They are supposedly good for anywhere from 2-10 gallons, though I might worry about using one in a 10 gallon. I'd go to the larger wattage Tetra heater.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

wystearya said:


> Because, as other people have already stated, the Tetra pre-set heaters WORK. I could have bought a CHEAPER adjustable at the pet store, but it looked fragile. I felt the Tetra looked like the better product, and as I said before, it has been working wonderfully for me. Last night the temperature outside was in the 30's, my house temperature was set to 68. Both my 2.5 gallon tank and the new 5 gallon were 77-78 degress. I check them both with the tank LCD thermometer and a digital meat thermometer I have. I know the temperature in my tanks are stable and plenty warm.
> 
> I'm sorry if you have had problems with pre-set. All I know is that the two Tetra HT10 pre-set heaters I have work great. At least in the 2.5 and 5 gallon tanks. They are supposedly good for anywhere from 2-10 gallons, *though I might worry about using one in a 10 gallon.* I'd go to the larger wattage Tetra heater.


 I had a small spawn of VT bettas earlier this year and I moved them to a 10 gallon growout tank with the small Tetra preset and they did fine


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## celine18 (Sep 25, 2010)

hey, so i was at a local walmart today and saw that the 10 gallon tanks were on clearance, they only cost $13!!! i totally thought of you when i saw that, but idk if itd fit on a dresser, maybe you could find a different place for it...but if your store has them, you should deffinetly look into getting one, and returning the jars, and it would save you some money and give your boys tons of room!


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## wallywestisthebest333 (Nov 30, 2009)

Well I think most of your problems have been answered and I
ll just give my 2 cents on the heaviness aspect of it.

If you scoop your bettas into cups (like the ones they came in or a couple cups that've been rinsed in REALLY HOT water several times so that there's no soap residue) then you can completely empty the water out of your enclosure into a bucket, take it to be cleaned in the bathroom/kitchen, bring it back to where you want it, then fill it with water after you've set it back down where it's supposed to be. This way you never lift your enclosure when there's water in it so you won't have to worry about dropping it or anything. =]

Also you can get 2 gallon jars at Wal-Mart or Target for $8-$15 dollars. =] They're by Mainstays and they're often labeled as 2 gallon Heritage Hill Jars. The label is on the bottom though so just look for a really big clear glass jar with a glass lid that comes all the way off and chances are that'll be it. =]
Here's a picture if it helps:









Genie's in one of those right now and he loves it. =]

Or you could get a critter keeper for about $10-$15 and it's lighter and a lot less breakable. =]

Good luck! =] And no you're not bad. =P I'd try to bug your mom as much as you could though for a heater. =]

EDIT: I agree with Celine! If they're on sale at your Wal-Mart too then TOTALLY go for it! =]


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## nomoretickets (Sep 29, 2010)

wystearya said:


> Because, as other people have already stated, the Tetra pre-set heaters WORK. I could have bought a CHEAPER adjustable at the pet store, but it looked fragile. I felt the Tetra looked like the better product, and as I said before, it has been working wonderfully for me. Last night the temperature outside was in the 30's, my house temperature was set to 68. Both my 2.5 gallon tank and the new 5 gallon were 77-78 degress. I check them both with the tank LCD thermometer and a digital meat thermometer I have. I know the temperature in my tanks are stable and plenty warm.
> 
> I'm sorry if you have had problems with pre-set. All I know is that the two Tetra HT10 pre-set heaters I have work great. At least in the 2.5 and 5 gallon tanks. They are supposedly good for anywhere from 2-10 gallons, though I might worry about using one in a 10 gallon. I'd go to the larger wattage Tetra heater.


I tried one for a while when i moved up from the one gallon bowl to a ten gallon tank. It kept the tank around 72-74* so i wouldn't recommend it for any more than 5 gallons.


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