betta care for beginners

[lumber]

I've got a spare 20L/5g open top tank that might be perfect for a betta setup, but I'm still weighing my options. Since I'm new to keeping bettas, I thought I'd get some advice before deciding.

Assuming I go ahead with the setup, the betta would be the only fish in the tank.

Here are my questions:
1) Is a 20L/5g tank sufficient for a single betta, considering it'll be the only inhabitant?
2) What's a suitable heater for a 5G open top tank? I'm worried about water evaporation – do I need a cover to prevent this?
3) I'm thinking of using an Eheim in-tank filter, like the Pickup 45, with a gentle flow – is this a good option?
4) Are silk plants okay for betta tanks, or are there better alternatives?
5) I plan to use gravel as the substrate – I have some in the garden that I can wash and clean. Is this a good idea, or is there a more suitable option?
6) If I keep on top of water parameters and regular water changes, are there any specific concerns I should be aware of when keeping a betta?

[gripit]

I've got a spare 20L/5g open top tank that might be perfect for a betta setup, but I'm still weighing my options. Since I'm new to keeping bettas, I thought I'd get some advice before deciding.

Assuming I go ahead with the setup, the betta would be the only fish in the tank.

Here are my questions:
1) Is a 20L/5g tank sufficient for a single betta, considering it'll be the only inhabitant?
2) What's a suitable heater for a 5G open top tank? I'm worried about water evaporation – do I need a cover to prevent this?
3) I'm thinking of using an Eheim in-tank filter, like the Pickup 45, with a gentle flow – is this a good option?
4) Are silk plants okay for betta tanks, or are there better alternatives?
5) I plan to use gravel as the substrate – I have some in the garden that I can wash and clean. Is this a good idea, or is there a more suitable option?
6) If I keep on top of water parameters and regular water changes, are there any specific concerns I should be aware of when keeping a betta?

1. A 20L/5g tank should work for a short-finned betta, but bigger is always better if you can swing it.
2. You'll need a heater, 50 watts is a good starting point, but I don't have a specific model to recommend - just be sure to get one that's suitable for a 5g tank.
3. Sponge filters are your best bet, they're gentle and won't create too much flow - I'm not familiar with in-tank filters, but HOB might be too much for a betta.
4. Live plants are the way to go, they're all good as long as you place them carefully so your betta can't get stuck - silk plants are probably fine too, but live plants are always better if you can manage them.
5. Gravel is okay for a betta, they're not bottom dwellers, so just make sure to wash it thoroughly before adding it to the tank.
6. I'll let the betta experts weigh in on this one - @Deanasue @kingrise might be able to give you some more specific advice on what to watch out for with a betta.

[lumber]

Thanks for the input @gripit. I'm not too familiar with sponge filters, my experience is mainly with canister filters. I've been looking into it and I found something that I think might be what you're talking about - Zorchzon link. It seems to be air pump driven, but the one I have for my QT tank is really small and I don't think it would be enough for this setup.

I also wanted to ask about lighting for the tank. The area where it will be is always changing in terms of lighting, sometimes it's ambient and other times it's from bulbs. I'm wondering if I need to get an LED light that hangs over the tank, or if that might be too much. I do have a desk light with warm white bulbs, but I'm not sure if that would be suitable for a betta tank. If I do decide to go with live plants, I'll definitely need some kind of lighting. Sorry again for all the questions, I'm just trying to get a better understanding of what I need for this small tank.

[kingrise]

I've got a spare 20L/5g open top tank that might be perfect for a betta setup, but I'm still weighing my options. Since I'm new to keeping bettas, I thought I'd get some advice before deciding.

Assuming I go ahead with the setup, the betta would be the only fish in the tank.

Here are my questions:
1) Is a 20L/5g tank sufficient for a single betta, considering it'll be the only inhabitant?
2) What's a suitable heater for a 5G open top tank? I'm worried about water evaporation – do I need a cover to prevent this?
3) I'm thinking of using an Eheim in-tank filter, like the Pickup 45, with a gentle flow – is this a good option?
4) Are silk plants okay for betta tanks, or are there better alternatives?
5) I plan to use gravel as the substrate – I have some in the garden that I can wash and clean. Is this a good idea, or is there a more suitable option?
6) If I keep on top of water parameters and regular water changes, are there any specific concerns I should be aware of when keeping a betta?

1) No, a 20L/5g tank is fine for a single betta, though bigger is always better.
2) A cover is definitely recommended for open top tanks as bettas are notorious jumpers, and it'll help slow down water evaporation.
3) I'm not too sure about the best filter type for this setup.
4) Silk plants are okay, but live plants are generally better for the fish and the tank's overall health.
5) Any substrate works, but I personally prefer sand over gravel.
6) As long as you keep up with regular water changes and monitor the tank's parameters, bettas are pretty hardy and can thrive.

[lumber]

I've got a spare 20L/5g open top tank that might be perfect for a betta setup, but I'm still weighing my options. Since I'm new to keeping bettas, I thought I'd get some advice before deciding.

Assuming I go ahead with the setup, the betta would be the only fish in the tank.

Here are my questions:
1) Is a 20L/5g tank sufficient for a single betta, considering it'll be the only inhabitant?
2) What's a suitable heater for a 5G open top tank? I'm worried about water evaporation – do I need a cover to prevent this?
3) I'm thinking of using an Eheim in-tank filter, like the Pickup 45, with a gentle flow – is this a good option?
4) Are silk plants okay for betta tanks, or are there better alternatives?
5) I plan to use gravel as the substrate – I have some in the garden that I can wash and clean. Is this a good idea, or is there a more suitable option?
6) If I keep on top of water parameters and regular water changes, are there any specific concerns I should be aware of when keeping a betta?

1) No, a 20L/5g tank is fine for a single betta, though bigger is always better.
2) A cover is definitely recommended for open top tanks as bettas are notorious jumpers, and it'll help slow down water evaporation.
3) I'm not too sure about the best filter type for this setup.
4) Silk plants are okay, but live plants are generally better for the fish and the tank's overall health.
5) Any substrate works, but I personally prefer sand over gravel.
6) As long as you keep up with regular water changes and monitor the tank's parameters, bettas are pretty hardy and can thrive.

I've got some leftover black Limpopo sand, might use that instead. Was thinking bettas prefer bigger gravel though.

Still on the lookout for a cover, will see what I can find before making any decisions.

Would love some advice on filters and lighting, still a bit unsure about those.

[kingrise]

I've got some black Limpopo sand leftover which I could use, I was thinking betta prefers bigger gravel but I've been told that's not the case. Apparently, large pebbles can trap food and even cause injury to the betta.

I'll look into getting a cover for the tank before making a final decision. Still, I'd appreciate some advice on filters and lighting, any suggestions would be great.

[lumber]

I've got a spare 20L/5g open top tank that might be perfect for a betta setup, but I'm still weighing my options. Since I'm new to keeping bettas, I thought I'd get some advice before deciding.

Assuming I go ahead with the setup, the betta would be the only fish in the tank.

Here are my questions:
1) Is a 20L/5g tank sufficient for a single betta, considering it'll be the only inhabitant?
2) What's a suitable heater for a 5G open top tank? I'm worried about water evaporation – do I need a cover to prevent this?
3) I'm thinking of using an Eheim in-tank filter, like the Pickup 45, with a gentle flow – is this a good option?
4) Are silk plants okay for betta tanks, or are there better alternatives?
5) I plan to use gravel as the substrate – I have some in the garden that I can wash and clean. Is this a good idea, or is there a more suitable option?
6) If I keep on top of water parameters and regular water changes, are there any specific concerns I should be aware of when keeping a betta?

1) No, a 20L/5g tank is fine for a single betta, though bigger is always better.
2) A cover is definitely recommended for open top tanks as bettas are notorious jumpers, and it'll help slow down water evaporation.
3) I'm not too sure about the best filter type for this setup.
4) Silk plants are okay, but live plants are generally better for the fish and the tank's overall health.
5) Any substrate works, but I personally prefer sand over gravel.
6) As long as you keep up with regular water changes and monitor the tank's parameters, bettas are pretty hardy and can thrive.

I think I'll stick with what I know, sand it is then.

[squidman]

I've put this filter on my 3 gallon cube that houses a betta and it's been working great. Adjustable flow and super quiet, which I love. Plus, loads of room for media. And the best part - it's not too pricey. I've had it running for a while now, about seven months, with no issues to speak of. They do make larger sizes, and I liked it so much on my betta tank that I ended up swapping out the internal filter on my community tank for the bigger one. For smaller tanks, I'm a fan of avoiding internal filters since they take up valuable space.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X6 ... =ff0d01-20

As for lighting, it really depends on whether you decide to go with plants and what kind you choose. I've got this one on my betta tank, which has water sprite and java ferns.

[lumber]

I've had a great experience with the filter I've got on my 3-gallon betta tank. It's adjustable, quiet, and has plenty of room for media. Plus, it's affordable. I've had it running for months with no issues, and I liked it so much that I ended up putting a larger version on my 20-gallon community tank. For smaller tanks, I prefer not to use internal filters since they take up valuable space.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X6 ... =ff0d01-20

As for lighting, it really depends on the plants you choose. I use this one in my betta tank, which has water sprite and java ferns.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QQ ... =ff0d01-20

[squidman]

Sounds like a solid plan to me. The Interpret Mini filter seems like it'll work just fine, its footprint is pretty small and the flow is adjustable which is a big plus. I can see why you'd like it, it's definitely not going to take up too much space in your tank. For comparison, I've got a pretty heavily planted 3 gallon cube with a few medium-sized Java Ferns and Water Sprites, and I've got to say, I really like the jungle look it's got going on.