new betta in a new tank

[titho87]

I bought a betta about a week ago and I recently bought a 10 gallon tank, i have plants and gravel and they are live plants i didnt want fake plants i wanted something that would be useful to him,
so would it be awhile till he gets used to being in a huge tank like this cause, he was kept in such a small space before? cuz all he seems to do is swim around and then just chill on top of the larger plants leaf like its his bed, in a way its kinda koo, i jus wanna make sure he is happy.

P.S. my tank is unfiltered and unheated everything is just old school

[FishMomma]

The simple fact that you went with a 10 gallon tank is excellent! I have several Bettas in 10 gallon tanks and they all are very happy. They are alone in each of them but have plenty of hiding places so the space doesn't seem to bother them. It is normal behavior for Bettas to swim for a bit and then rest on a surface for a bit, too. As long as you don't see big behavior changes, then usually your fella is fine.

Let me give you several suggestions regarding your new tank. First of all, in a tank that size, I would recommend using a heater for it. Bettas are tropical fish and like their water temp to be around 78-82 degrees F. If the water is below 72 degrees, then definitely get a heater. For a 10 gallon tank, you need a 50 watt heater. The problem with having chilly water is that it adds stress to your fish while he is trying to stay warm which can weaken his immune system causing him to be more vulnerable to diseases. You also will not see him being as active in a cooler tank. Where I live, I only have to heat my tanks in the winter since they stay around 80 degrees F during the summer months. The next suggestion is to get a filter. While Bettas don't require filtration it would help keep your tank cleaner longer and you would not have to do such large water changes. With unfiltered tanks, you would need to change 75% of the water weekly which can be stressful for your fish. (Don't ever do 100% water changes! This takes all the beneficial bacteria and dumps it right down the sink!) If you filter your tank, then you only have to do 25%-50% water changes every week. I usually do about a 30% water change every week and this keeps all of my 10 gallon tanks in pristine condition! Also, in a new tank, you will get ammonia and nitrIte spikes while you are waiting for the beneficial bacteria to take over and keep those levels down. Add some Java Moss to help with this. Most local pet shops don't stock it so you can purchase it from an online store called Aquarium Gardens. It is very easy to grow and since it lives off of your fish's pee and poo you will not get such severe ammonia and nitrIte spikes especially in a new, unfiltered tank.

There are several links below my signature that will give you some good information about new tanks. You might find some of that info interesting. Hope this helps answer your questions! Good luck!

[titho87]

should i buy a flouresnt light for my plants since the tank is in a tv stand that gets some light but not alot and as for a filter what kind would u recommend cuz im gonna go back to petsmart on weds. to get more supplies for him like a thermometer to see how cold or warm my tank is, but my house usually is around 75 degress or higher year round so would that be ok, or should i still get a heater, i jus wanna make sure i dont spend money on things i dont need and would u recommend a water softner cause i already have hard water stains on my tank.

[titho87]

What would you recommend as a good filter i was thinking of Whisper In-Tank Power Aquarium Filters from Tetra - Filtration & Circulation from petsmart and would a heater really be necassary if my house is usually around 75 degrees and up year round. im going to petsmart tomarrow to get a thermometer to see if i need one or not.

could i put a couple of Dwarf Gourami, because i put some neon tetras in before i got the 10 gallon tank while i was keeping him in a vase tank till i got the 10 gallon tank, an he really didnt bother them to much. however one of them did die and i dont know what from i was told that the betta could have killed him but i watched him with the others and he swim right by em and didnt even peck or attack he jus flare showing he was dominate in the tank, and then i heard of the neon tetra disease so i took them back, so now im a little skeptical bought putting other fish with him, i want my aquarium to be beautiful and lively. So would it be best to just let him be on his own, because i do have a lot of plants for either to hide and if i can, how and what do i do to make sure that the fish don't give my betta any diseases or parasites, i bought a pack of anti-parasitic med powder, could I add that in after i add the new fish in, i want him to be as happy as possible and have some buddies in the tank yea know

Please help me out here

[Sharon]

Bettas and Gouramis don't do well together...As for tankmates, it depends on the individual Betta. Some will tolerate tankmates, some won't.

[VickieB]

I just put my Betta in a 15 gallon tank..his buddies are 2 Cori Cats.
They seem to get along fine.

[BettaLu&Meg]

[Registered users only can see links. ] heres a good filter for your tank. or a filter of this type. Look around for one that suits your tank, its also good for breeding and for fry also. and heres a compatability chart for tank mates, in bigger tanks!(10gal+)[Registered users only can see links. ]
Tank Mates/Fish Compatibiliy
[Registered users only can see links. ]
[Registered users only can see links. ]
Fish Disease&Cures
[Registered users only can see links. ]
Care/Supplies/Food
[Registered users only can see links. ]
[Registered users only can see links. ]
[Registered users only can see links. ]
Breeding
[Registered users only can see links. ] (<--- the basics ^_^)

[FishMomma]

Gouramis are a no no with Bettas since they are distant cousins and usually don't get along very well.

On the neon tetras, if you just had them in a vase with the Betta until you transferred them to the tank, it might have been that ammonia or nitrIte levels got too high for them. Depends how long you had them in the vase. I've had the neon tetras before and while they are pretty, they don't offer much excitement in watching them. (At least I don't think so, but then I'm partial to Bettas and Goldfish.)

For the filter, I've had best sucess over the years with the AquaClear 20 which is made for tanks 5-20 gallons. It is quiet (after it runs for several days and gets going well) and alos has an adjustable flow rate. All of my tanks stay in pristine condition with that filter and weekly water changes. It provides the mechanical, chemical, and bio filtration. I've not overly impressed with the Bio-Wheel although some people swear by them. If you are going to do any breeding, however, I would go with a sponge type filtration system so that you don't suck up any baby fish! I don't have trouble with diseases or tail rot, either. I do have one Betta (Jezebel) that is quite prone to tail rot and I've decided that it's just in his genes. With the AquaClear it at least keeps his tail in relative good health.

When adding new fish to your tank, don't add any medication. Meds can cause stress to your fish as well as lower oxygen levels in the tank. Instead, treat the water with a one time dose of AQUARIUM SALT. (Don't use table salt since it contains iodine.) Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water and then add to the tank. This will give the fish some extra protection against any diseases because it will cause them to produce a thicker "slime coat." Of course, if you want to be truly safe, isolate any new fish in another tank before adding them to their permanent home first.

Try adding some Java Moss to your tank, too, if you don't have any. Local pet shops usually don't stock it so you can purchase it online at Aquarium Garden. It will help keep ammonia and nitrIte levels low since it lives off of your fish's pee and poo. It also provides great hiding places, too!!

Below my signature is a link for fish compatibility. Check that out for more help, as well. Good luck!

[titho87]

i bought the 3 Dwarf Gourami and so far they keep to themselves and the betta will go past them flare up and thats about it they really dont seem to fight at all, i was wondering if i should buy some neon tetras to finish of my tank or would that be to many fish in a 10 gallon tank

P.S. i have three plants in the tank as well and it covers bout 50% of the tank so they do have some hiding places, and i've read that when putting bettas into community tanks they start having a pecking order as who the boss of the tank is and thats what i think my betta is doin to the others i mean he flares nips a little bit and thats all. he kinda of reminds me of dogs when a new dog enters the pack the alpha male nips and nudges at the other to show dominance.

[BettaLu&Meg]

That is definitly true about, show whos the dominant one in the tank. Bettas are territoral and are know for that. Especially in breeding, the male WILL pick on and harass the female to show his dominance. As for the neon tetra, u already stated that the plants take up 50% percent of the tank already. I'm not sure if that would be a good idea for the fact of rooms sake. But... The neons are very small and i think, if i'm not mistaking they like to travel and be in schools. so u would have to buy 3 and up to make them happy. You usually want to have 2 Gallons per fish for a healthy life. and u already have 4 In that tank, if i was goin to put more by no more than 3 just to keep the population and crowding-ness(lol) down. as for the plants FishMomma is good with that! Maybe she can give advise on leaving or taking some of the plants out for room or it being fine for them.