#betta tank

[itsharrisonjay]

[headlessandhellbent]

I really don't understand people who own fish but get obnoxiously upset when you try and tell them you need to care for fish.

I'm not talking about forcing someone from plastic or painted decor to a fully planted tank... I'm talking about people who don't cycle and then change water once a year. Or continually dump fist fulls of food into the tank to the point it's accumulating and decaying. Or the people who don't think fish need water conditioner or heaters or filters in general and are happy in a vase. Or flush live fish because they're bored of them. Or who stock carnivores and prey in the same tank and cry all their money got eaten overnight.

Bonus points if people post their stupid fucking opinion that vases are great and their vase fish is happy and thriving to actual fish groups and try and discredit actual fish care.

Like the same people so quick to rush any other sort of pet to the vet will also physically fight you to d e a t h if you even hint that a fish tank needs any sort of routine care.

I can't comprehend how people don't realize fish are alive.

Fish are PETS???? Take care of your fucking pets

/rant

[mcmadcanvas]

Here's the full split betta tank setup!

The left side has my fish, Satin Dragon and my snail, Chestnut Charlie.

The right side has @batvillageidiot 's fish, Silver Silk and his snail, Odd Willow.

[jellyfishparade]

paprikas feeling festive

[digitalslug]

BETTA FISH CARE

Can anyone help me with this!! I want to get a betta fish but make sure I have all the supplies/do it right. If you have anything I need to add or remove let me know, Also comments about cycling helps to!!! Anything is appreciated, I’m also not sure what size betta fish I should get, so anything truly helps.

[pals-pet-project]

Pal's Pro Pet Tip #2: Setting Up a Betta Tank

The betta fish is my favorite fish of all time. They're spunky, they're sassy, they're smart. But there are so many misconceptions about them that most don't get the quality of life they deserve.

Step One: Choosing a Tank

When I worked at a pet store, so many people came in and would tell me "I have a betta in a half gallon tank/vase/cup :)" and I would have to tell them "Hey. That's no good." The analogy I like to use is to imagine living in just your bathroom. You don't have much space to move around and you're surrounded by your own grime and waste. Is that how you'd want to live? Why would your fish want to live that way?

The bare minimum I recommend for a betta is 5 gallons, and even then I would only recommend that for a long-finned betta. Their fins weigh them down and make swimming harder. If you have a short-finned/plakat betta, I'd go 10 gallons or more. I had a plakat in a 36 gallon, and the only reason I moved him was because he was getting bullied (and tank mates are a whole other can of worms). But he used every inch of that space.

Bowls are not appropriate tanks for any fish! Including bettas!

Step Two: Supplies

Bettas need, at the bare minimum, a filter, a heater, and a thermometer.

Filters are important because they keep the water flow going and because they help establish a nitrogen cycle (there will be a separate post on this later) to keep your betta safe and healthy.

Wild bettas live in bodies of water with little to no water flow. They're not good at keeping up with a current. So if your filter is too strong, it's going to stress out your little guy and make it hard for him to swim. Especially in a smaller tank, I highly suggest a sponge filter! They limit the amount of flow in the tank while still cleaning the water.

As for heaters, I suggest an adjustable one. They're a little more than the preset ones, but they're more... you know. Adjustable. The ideal temperature range is 76-82 degrees Fahrenheit.

I prefer glass thermometers, but I hear digital ones are relatively accurate as well.

Step Three: Decorations

Bettas love clutter!!! It gives them things to do! Imagine an empty room. Now, imagine a room full of places to explore. Which room would you wanna live in? You can't really overcrowd a betta tank!

Some rules of thumb for decorating your tank:

Avoid any decorations that are rough or sharp. If you wouldn't be able to drag pantyhose across it without it ripping or tearing, it isn't appropriate for a betta's fins.

Lots and lots of plants! Live plants are best because they better replicate the natural environment of the betta. They're also WAY easier to keep alive than people realize! I don't have a green thumb with dry plants, but both my tanks are fully planted and it's one of my favorite parts of fish keeping. Still, if the idea is too intimidating, stick to silk plants and not plastic ones. The plastic ones can be too sharp for the little guys' fins.

Give them hiding places! I have driftwood for my little guy to swim in and around, as well as a few cute little swim-throughs and hides. There are so many hides out there--both natural and artificial--that you'll have plenty of options!

Have stuff towards the top of your tank! Bettas--especially those with long fins--are not the best swimmers. They also have an air-breathing organ called the labyrinth, so they need to have easy access to the top of the tank. I personally have some anubias plants on suction cups and a floating betta log, but you can also buy artificial leaves meant to stick to the side. Bettas love to sleep near the surface, and it's really cute!!

Step Four: Chemicals and Water

When you are finally ready to fill your tank with water, it's still not ready for a fish. First off, tap water has chlorine and other trace minerals in it that aren't safe for your fishy! So they need to be removed. Pet stores are really good about branding products specifically for bettas--but guess what! You don't need betta-specific products! They're usually lower quality and higher price. Some even contain aloe, which can coat the labyrinth and be harmful to bettas.

Get yourself some Seachem Prime and call it a day. It's a water conditioner that I trust above all others for all types of fish, bettas included (but there's no affiliation between me and them beyond how much I enjoy the product). You're gonna add one drop per gallon of water into your tank.

Then, you're gonna cycle your tank completely so it's safe for your fishy. Again, I'll make an in-depth post on this later--but basically you're establishing an ammonia cycle, so you should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and somewhere between 20 and 40 nitrate. It can take a month or two to get here. But it's worth it to keep the little guys safe and healthy, right?

Oh, and another thing--don't use distilled water! It doesn't have essential minerals in the water--because it's been distilled--and can actually be harmful to your fish.

And that's it!

Put all of that together, and you've got a perfect little Betta house. When they're happy, you can really see their personalities come out, and their colors will be more vibrant!

[fendof]

yall i just got a 6 gallon off of some really nice dude on fb marketplace my sweetheart nishiki (plakat koi betta!) is getting a humble but peaceful abode... my baby has a chromatophroma tumor and while it doesnt affect him at all id like him to get some peace with a no filter solo tank instead of my community 20gal where he might get prone to bullying from his tankmates. so excited! checking for leaks until tmr!

[bbs-artcorner]