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A new pet betta
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 4:16 am
by Breezey
Hey everyone,
I'm setting up a new 25-gallon tank for my betta and I want to make sure I'm giving it the best life possible. I've got some questions to help me make that happen.
Food-wise:
What are some top-notch flake options out there?
Are there any pellet options that really stand out?
For live/frozen foods, what brands should I be looking at? (Specific brands would be awesome, thanks!)
Water care and illness prevention:
What's the best way to treat ich? (Brand recommendations would be great!)
How about fin rot?
What other diseases should I be aware of, and how can I treat them?
Betta hides and enrichment:
What hides and toys do your betta's love? (Links would be awesome if you've got them!)
Should I introduce a betta mirror, or is that a bad idea?
Any other tips or tricks you've got to share?
Live plants and substrate:
What plants are betta-friendly?
What substrate should I use?
Is sand safe for my betta?
Aesthetics:
How can I make the tank look amazing without compromising my betta's happiness?
Lastly, is there anything I'm missing or anything you think I should know?
Thanks in advance for all your help and advice!
Re: A new pet betta
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:23 am
by sSjey
Breezey wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 4:16 am
Hey everyone,
I'm setting up a new 25-gallon tank for my betta and I want to make sure I'm giving it the best life possible. I've got some questions to help me make that happen.
Food-wise:
What are some top-notch flake options out there?
Are there any pellet options that really stand out?
For live/frozen foods, what brands should I be looking at? (Specific brands would be awesome, thanks!)
Water care and illness prevention:
What's the best way to treat ich? (Brand recommendations would be great!)
How about fin rot?
What other diseases should I be aware of, and how can I treat them?
Betta hides and enrichment:
What hides and toys do your betta's love? (Links would be awesome if you've got them!)
Should I introduce a betta mirror, or is that a bad idea?
Any other tips or tricks you've got to share?
Live plants and substrate:
What plants are betta-friendly?
What substrate should I use?
Is sand safe for my betta?
Aesthetics:
How can I make the tank look amazing without compromising my betta's happiness?
Lastly, is there anything I'm missing or anything you think I should know?
Thanks in advance for all your help and advice!
For food, I'd recommend floating pellets specifically designed for bettas. When choosing a brand, just make sure to avoid those with wheat or cereal as one of the top three ingredients, and also steer clear of products made with fish meal.
Regarding water care and illness treatment, the same principles apply as for other fish, but there's one key exception: avoid using Melafix or Pimafix, as they contain aromatic oils that can harm bettas.
As for betta mirrors, they can be useful, but only for short periods outside the tank. I wouldn't recommend having a mirror inside the tank or using a mirrored back, as some bettas can get fixated on their reflection. In fact, I had one betta that wouldn't tolerate even a matt black backing on the tank.
For live plants and substrate, sand is a safe option, and I've had no issues with it in the past. Any plant type is fine, but some bettas do like plants with large leaves to rest on, such as certain anubias species. Floating plants are also a great idea for a betta tank.
Re: A new pet betta
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 12:10 pm
by fineman
For dry food, I suggest checking out Northfin Betta Bits - they have a great ingredient list. You can find them on Zorchzon.
I had this one ornament that really caught my eye, and it's colorfast to boot. My betta would curl up in it every night, only to dart out as soon as I approached the tank. It's a great addition to the tank, and I like to think it keeps the bad juju away.
As for plants, I've had great luck with Anubias in my betta tank. I also got creative and attached a small Anubias to the flat part of an upside-down wine glass. My betta would often take a load off at the base of the glass, near the top of the tank.
Re: A new pet betta
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 4:04 pm
by tidebrook
Breezey wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 4:16 am
Hey everyone,
I'm setting up a new 25-gallon tank for my betta and I want to make sure I'm giving it the best life possible. I've got some questions to help me make that happen.
Food-wise:
What are some top-notch flake options out there?
Are there any pellet options that really stand out?
For live/frozen foods, what brands should I be looking at? (Specific brands would be awesome, thanks!)
Water care and illness prevention:
What's the best way to treat ich? (Brand recommendations would be great!)
How about fin rot?
What other diseases should I be aware of, and how can I treat them?
Betta hides and enrichment:
What hides and toys do your betta's love? (Links would be awesome if you've got them!)
Should I introduce a betta mirror, or is that a bad idea?
Any other tips or tricks you've got to share?
Live plants and substrate:
What plants are betta-friendly?
What substrate should I use?
Is sand safe for my betta?
Aesthetics:
How can I make the tank look amazing without compromising my betta's happiness?
Lastly, is there anything I'm missing or anything you think I should know?
Thanks in advance for all your help and advice!
My betta's in a tank with this awesome fake wood piece that's got tons of holes in it - he loves swimming through them and weaving in and out of the leaves on the outside. Keeps him pretty busy, which is great.
I'm with you on the mirror thing - I don't think it's worth the stress. If you want to get your betta moving, there are other ways to do it without risking a territorial meltdown. Just follow your finger around the tank or set up some rings for him to swim through - that sort of thing.
I've got some large leaf anubias in my tank that my betta, Bleu, loves to hang out on. I've also been looking into getting some floating plants, but haven't found the right ones yet. And yeah, I've always had good luck with sand as a substrate.
Re: A new pet betta
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 5:28 pm
by sSjey
One thing to keep in mind with betta-friendly decor is their tendency to try squeezing through tiny gaps - if a piece has holes that are slightly too small, it's a good idea to fill them in with a blob of aquarium-safe silicone.
Re: A new pet betta
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 11:19 pm
by WildFins
sSjey wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:23 am
Breezey wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 4:16 am
Hey everyone,
I'm setting up a new 25-gallon tank for my betta and I want to make sure I'm giving it the best life possible. I've got some questions to help me make that happen.
Food-wise:
What are some top-notch flake options out there?
Are there any pellet options that really stand out?
For live/frozen foods, what brands should I be looking at? (Specific brands would be awesome, thanks!)
Water care and illness prevention:
What's the best way to treat ich? (Brand recommendations would be great!)
How about fin rot?
What other diseases should I be aware of, and how can I treat them?
Betta hides and enrichment:
What hides and toys do your betta's love? (Links would be awesome if you've got them!)
Should I introduce a betta mirror, or is that a bad idea?
Any other tips or tricks you've got to share?
Live plants and substrate:
What plants are betta-friendly?
What substrate should I use?
Is sand safe for my betta?
Aesthetics:
How can I make the tank look amazing without compromising my betta's happiness?
Lastly, is there anything I'm missing or anything you think I should know?
Thanks in advance for all your help and advice!
For food, I'd recommend floating pellets specifically designed for bettas. When choosing a brand, just make sure to avoid those with wheat or cereal as one of the top three ingredients, and also steer clear of products made with fish meal.
Regarding water care and illness treatment, the same principles apply as for other fish, but there's one key exception: avoid using Melafix or Pimafix, as they contain aromatic oils that can harm bettas.
As for betta mirrors, they can be useful, but only for short periods outside the tank. I wouldn't recommend having a mirror inside the tank or using a mirrored back, as some bettas can get fixated on their reflection. In fact, I had one betta that wouldn't tolerate even a matt black backing on the tank.
For live plants and substrate, sand is a safe option, and I've had no issues with it in the past. Any plant type is fine, but some bettas do like plants with large leaves to rest on, such as certain anubias species. Floating plants are also a great idea for a betta tank.
Make sure floaters don't overtake the surface, leaving enough space for the betta to easily access air.
Re: A new pet betta
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:35 am
by Breezey
The water will be well-oxygenated, thanks to aeration and filtration.
Re: A new pet betta
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 1:15 am
by WildFins
Breezey wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 4:16 am
Hey everyone,
I'm setting up a new 25-gallon tank for my betta and I want to make sure I'm giving it the best life possible. I've got some questions to help me make that happen.
Food-wise:
What are some top-notch flake options out there?
Are there any pellet options that really stand out?
For live/frozen foods, what brands should I be looking at? (Specific brands would be awesome, thanks!)
Water care and illness prevention:
What's the best way to treat ich? (Brand recommendations would be great!)
How about fin rot?
What other diseases should I be aware of, and how can I treat them?
Betta hides and enrichment:
What hides and toys do your betta's love? (Links would be awesome if you've got them!)
Should I introduce a betta mirror, or is that a bad idea?
Any other tips or tricks you've got to share?
Live plants and substrate:
What plants are betta-friendly?
What substrate should I use?
Is sand safe for my betta?
Aesthetics:
How can I make the tank look amazing without compromising my betta's happiness?
Lastly, is there anything I'm missing or anything you think I should know?
Thanks in advance for all your help and advice!
sSjey mentioned the labyrinth organ, which is key to a betta's unique ability to breathe air. Since they originated from low-oxygen waters, they've developed this organ to adapt to such conditions. It's essential for them to have access to the surface to utilize this feature effectively.