hello all~ i just recently purchased a couple of beautiful male crowntails from walmart, and i was wondering if anyone out there can give some tips and tricks of taking care of them!
i'm currently keeping them in a bowl (seperated of course) until i can get my hands on a proper tank for them-
hello all~ i just recently purchased a couple of beautiful male crowntails from walmart, and i was wondering if anyone out there can give some tips and tricks of taking care of them!
i'm currently keeping them in a bowl (seperated of course) until i can get my hands on a proper tank for them-
...why are you buying animals you're not prepared to care for?
...why are you buying animals you're not prepared to care for?
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thefrostmonster
First of all, bowls are not so great. Walmart generally has ten gallons for only $15, but Petsmart will have the same tanks for about the same price as well. You will want to get a sponge filter and pump, or a filter that hangs on the back plus stuff for inside the filter. That will range roughly $20-30. Then, due to them being tropical, they need a heater that will cost about $20, and needs to keep the water about about 75-80 degrees F. Hides, gravel, and plants all really depend. Just make sure you purchase things that aren't hard or rough, as those will tear up your fishs' fins. I personally like small gravel and live plants, but the live plants require special lighting.
For water, tap water with Prime, or some other conditioner, is best. Prime you can get on Amazon for cheap if you can't find it in stores. I recommend it.
Food, pellets work better than flakes, and the more REAL fish in the ingredients, the better.
@
thefrostmonster
First of all, bowls are not so great. Walmart generally has ten gallons for only $15, but Petsmart will have the same tanks for about the same price as well. You will want to get a sponge filter and pump, or a filter that hangs on the back plus stuff for inside the filter. That will range roughly $20-30. Then, due to them being tropical, they need a heater that will cost about $20, and needs to keep the water about about 75-80 degrees F. Hides, gravel, and plants all really depend. Just make sure you purchase things that aren't hard or rough, as those will tear up your fishs' fins. I personally like small gravel and live plants, but the live plants require special lighting.
For water, tap water with Prime, or some other conditioner, is best. Prime you can get on Amazon for cheap if you can't find it in stores. I recommend it.
Food, pellets work better than flakes, and the more REAL fish in the ingredients, the better.
if you have multiple betta fish do not, ever, house them together. if you plan on keeping all of them you will need multiple tanks because bettas will absolutely fight and eventually kill eachother (either through outright killing or through constant harassing and resource hogging until the weaker one dies, so it may not be immediately obvious), especially males.
if you have multiple betta fish do not, ever, house them together. if you plan on keeping all of them you will need multiple tanks because bettas will absolutely fight and eventually kill eachother (either through outright killing or through constant harassing and resource hogging until the weaker one dies, so it may not be immediately obvious), especially males.
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yrosx hi there! i've researched for many hours preparing for this, i just wanted to see what other things people here would say- i'm sorry if it sounded like i wasn't prepared at all, i just want to make sure these bettas get the proper TLC they deserve! OuO
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DalphiaRose what kind of plants would you recommend? and thank you so much for the advice! i'll keep everything in mind ^^
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Kaijuru yes i understand(: thank you!
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yrosx hi there! i've researched for many hours preparing for this, i just wanted to see what other things people here would say- i'm sorry if it sounded like i wasn't prepared at all, i just want to make sure these bettas get the proper TLC they deserve! OuO
@
DalphiaRose what kind of plants would you recommend? and thank you so much for the advice! i'll keep everything in mind ^^
@
Kaijuru yes i understand(: thank you!
@
thefrostmonster
Well, depends on what kind of light you have. I have med-low lights, and in my tanks I have marimo moss balls, duckweed, cabomba, rotala, anubias nana, amazon sword, cryptocoryne, and more that I can't think of. Bamboo, mondo grass, and other plants sold in Petsmart are actually terrible, or not aquatic, so just do a quick google search before purchasing plants.
@
thefrostmonster
Well, depends on what kind of light you have. I have med-low lights, and in my tanks I have marimo moss balls, duckweed, cabomba, rotala, anubias nana, amazon sword, cryptocoryne, and more that I can't think of. Bamboo, mondo grass, and other plants sold in Petsmart are actually terrible, or not aquatic, so just do a quick google search before purchasing plants.
ahh i really miss having my aquarium. eventually i got to the point where i didn't have the energy to maintain one anymore, but i still really miss having pretty fish.
for bettas, bowls are a big no-no. they may be fine for temporary housing (like setting up a tank) but the thing with bettas are that they're tropical fish, which means they need a tank heater to maintain a comfortable temperature for them. i've learned the hard way that betta fish are very sensitive to cold water, and while they may be hardy fish, they really need a well-maintained water temperature in order to thrive.
the smallest tank i'd house a betta in is a 5 gal, but i think a 10 gal is ideal. that's what i had my fish in.
like others said above me, NEVER house two male bettas together, and even housing a male and female generally isn't a good idea unless you absolutely know what you're doing. however, there are plenty of fish capable of sharing a tank with a betta. my favorites to mix in with my boys were neon tetras because if your betta ends up trying to attack them they can easily outswim them. plus they look really nice. my last betta shared a tank with an otocinclus catfish and not once did he try to attack it.
those are just some of the basics tho. maintaining an aquarium is a LOT of work and i wish i was still capable of doing it because i really miss my fishy babies.
ahh i really miss having my aquarium. eventually i got to the point where i didn't have the energy to maintain one anymore, but i still really miss having pretty fish.
for bettas, bowls are a big no-no. they may be fine for temporary housing (like setting up a tank) but the thing with bettas are that they're tropical fish, which means they need a tank heater to maintain a comfortable temperature for them. i've learned the hard way that betta fish are very sensitive to cold water, and while they may be hardy fish, they really need a well-maintained water temperature in order to thrive.
the smallest tank i'd house a betta in is a 5 gal, but i think a 10 gal is ideal. that's what i had my fish in.
like others said above me, NEVER house two male bettas together, and even housing a male and female generally isn't a good idea unless you absolutely know what you're doing. however, there are plenty of fish capable of sharing a tank with a betta. my favorites to mix in with my boys were neon tetras because if your betta ends up trying to attack them they can easily outswim them. plus they look really nice. my last betta shared a tank with an otocinclus catfish and not once did he try to attack it.
those are just some of the basics tho. maintaining an aquarium is a LOT of work and i wish i was still capable of doing it because i really miss my fishy babies.
you really think someone would do that?
just go on the internet and tell lies?
We keep each of our bettas in 2 gallon tanks and we have 3 of them. That seems to be plenty of space for each of them - not too big, not cramped like the little squares they have in the store. Right now it's cold, so we have heaters and filters for their tanks.
Here's a couple big tips that we learned while we keep the fish:
1. Only use silk or real plants. They can tear their long tails on plastic flora or sharp decor.
2. Keep the tank clean. We clean ours once every two weeks and do a half change every week.
3. Betta fish love bloodworms. I suggest getting some! They're not expensive. Crumble them up a little bit if they are too big. c :
4. Make sure you use betta safe or some other type of water treatment when changing them.
5. Watch for stress lines! Our girl was cold, so we put a heater in her tank and they went right away.
I'm not an expert but we take really good care of our fish. They seem very happy. I hope you enjoy your crowntail. They're one of my favorite tail types. c :
We keep each of our bettas in 2 gallon tanks and we have 3 of them. That seems to be plenty of space for each of them - not too big, not cramped like the little squares they have in the store. Right now it's cold, so we have heaters and filters for their tanks.
Here's a couple big tips that we learned while we keep the fish:
1. Only use silk or real plants. They can tear their long tails on plastic flora or sharp decor.
2. Keep the tank clean. We clean ours once every two weeks and do a half change every week.
3. Betta fish love bloodworms. I suggest getting some! They're not expensive. Crumble them up a little bit if they are too big. c :
4. Make sure you use betta safe or some other type of water treatment when changing them.
5. Watch for stress lines! Our girl was cold, so we put a heater in her tank and they went right away.
I'm not an expert but we take really good care of our fish. They seem very happy. I hope you enjoy your crowntail. They're one of my favorite tail types. c :
@
DalphiaRose alright, i'll hold off on buying plants for now so i can see what would fit nicely in my tank. once again, thank you so much for all your help! OuO
@
vaporwaves yes of course, they are going to stay there for only another couple hours while i'm setting up their new tank(: right now i'm having them in a 2.5 gal tank (i know, it's quite small >.< but i'm saving up money so i can afford a much bigger tank in the near future) and yes, both male bettas are in separate tanks/rooms so i'm not too worried about them fighting ^^ thank you very much for the advice and help, i hope that one day you can maintain another aquarium!
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Jolted silk or real plants, got it. for the bloodworms, i saw that they had the frozen ones and the live ones, which one do you suggest? i have the "aqueon betta bowl plus" water conditioner- it came with the tank! and i'm planning to head out and grab a heater tomorrow, i'll be sure to watch out for stress lines. thank you so much for all the help!! OuO i really appreciate it!
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DalphiaRose alright, i'll hold off on buying plants for now so i can see what would fit nicely in my tank. once again, thank you so much for all your help! OuO
@
vaporwaves yes of course, they are going to stay there for only another couple hours while i'm setting up their new tank(: right now i'm having them in a 2.5 gal tank (i know, it's quite small >.< but i'm saving up money so i can afford a much bigger tank in the near future) and yes, both male bettas are in separate tanks/rooms so i'm not too worried about them fighting ^^ thank you very much for the advice and help, i hope that one day you can maintain another aquarium!
@
Jolted silk or real plants, got it. for the bloodworms, i saw that they had the frozen ones and the live ones, which one do you suggest? i have the "aqueon betta bowl plus" water conditioner- it came with the tank! and i'm planning to head out and grab a heater tomorrow, i'll be sure to watch out for stress lines. thank you so much for all the help!! OuO i really appreciate it!
[quote name="Jolted" date=2015-12-19 17:49:45]
We keep each of our bettas in 2 gallon tanks and we have 3 of them. That seems to be plenty of space for each of them - not too big, not cramped like the little squares they have in the store. Right now it's cold, so we have heaters and filters for their tanks.
5. Watch for stress lines! Our girl was cold, so we put a heater in her tank and they went right away.
I'm not an expert but we take really good care of our fish. They seem very happy. I hope you enjoy your crowntail. They're one of my favorite tail types. c :
[/quote]
@Jolted
Wrong.
Bettas are tropical fish. They require tropical temperatures year round. Not just in the winter. You should [i]always[/i] have a heater and filter in the tank, not just when it suits you. The filter provides biological filtration and prevents ammonia poisoning.
2 gallon tanks are also too small by about 0.5g. The [i]absolute minimum[/i] required for bettas to thrive is 2.5g. I suggest you start saving up and getting these fish properly sized homes, such as a 5g.
@thefrostmonster
That was very irresponsible of you. Animals are not decoration or playthings, they are living creatures with certain basic needs. And you have failed to provide most of them. Your research was erroneous, otherwise you would have know that bowls are torture devices that are unsuitable for any fish regardless of time spent inside.
Save your money and forget the 2.5g right now.
Your best bet right now is to either get two 5g, one for each betta (with heater and filter in each), or get a 10-20g long and properly divide it (that way you only have one filter and one heater).
I [b]strongly[/b], [i][b]strongly[/b][/i] suggest that both of you take the time to read the following articles. They will be much better at explaining than I can at this moment.
[url=http://scalestails.tumblr.com/post/53150684212/betta-myths-debunked]Betta Myths Debunked[/url]
[url=http://scalestails.tumblr.com/post/62341846334/on-the-left-the-lies-on-the-box-on-the-right]Corporate Lies About Betta and Goldfish Bowls [/url]
[url=http://scalestails.tumblr.com/post/48704182289/what-is-aquarium-cycling-how-to-cycle-your-tank]What is Aquarium Cycling and How to Do It[/url]
[url=http://scalestails.tumblr.com/post/96204264199/common-misconceptions-about-keeping-aquariums]Common Misconceptions about Keeping Aquariums[/url]
[url=http://scalestails.tumblr.com/post/17680649714/betta-care-sheet]Betta Care Sheet[/url]
[url=http://scalestails.tumblr.com/post/83417739289/betta-tank-reviews]Betta Tank Reviews[/url]
[url=http://askscalestails.tumblr.com/post/112143749055/im-going-to-be-dividing-a-tank-but-nowhere]How to Set Up a Divided Betta Tank[/url]
Most aquarists start the hobby off like this, making simple (but highly correctable) mistakes. This is okay, no one is perfect. What you must accept is that you goofed, and that you can fix it. Your best course of action now is to do everything you can to provide a healthy, safe home for these animals.
Jolted wrote on 2015-12-19:
We keep each of our bettas in 2 gallon tanks and we have 3 of them. That seems to be plenty of space for each of them - not too big, not cramped like the little squares they have in the store. Right now it's cold, so we have heaters and filters for their tanks.
5. Watch for stress lines! Our girl was cold, so we put a heater in her tank and they went right away.
I'm not an expert but we take really good care of our fish. They seem very happy. I hope you enjoy your crowntail. They're one of my favorite tail types. c :
@
Jolted
Wrong.
Bettas are tropical fish. They require tropical temperatures year round. Not just in the winter. You should
always have a heater and filter in the tank, not just when it suits you. The filter provides biological filtration and prevents ammonia poisoning.
2 gallon tanks are also too small by about 0.5g. The
absolute minimum required for bettas to thrive is 2.5g. I suggest you start saving up and getting these fish properly sized homes, such as a 5g.
@
thefrostmonster
That was very irresponsible of you. Animals are not decoration or playthings, they are living creatures with certain basic needs. And you have failed to provide most of them. Your research was erroneous, otherwise you would have know that bowls are torture devices that are unsuitable for any fish regardless of time spent inside.
Save your money and forget the 2.5g right now.
Your best bet right now is to either get two 5g, one for each betta (with heater and filter in each), or get a 10-20g long and properly divide it (that way you only have one filter and one heater).
I
strongly,
strongly suggest that both of you take the time to read the following articles. They will be much better at explaining than I can at this moment.
Betta Myths Debunked
Corporate Lies About Betta and Goldfish Bowls
What is Aquarium Cycling and How to Do It
Common Misconceptions about Keeping Aquariums
Betta Care Sheet
Betta Tank Reviews
How to Set Up a Divided Betta Tank
Most aquarists start the hobby off like this, making simple (but highly correctable) mistakes. This is okay, no one is perfect. What you must accept is that you goofed, and that you can fix it. Your best course of action now is to do everything you can to provide a healthy, safe home for these animals.
