Fish Frenzy Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Hey everyone I was thinking about getting my cousin a betta tank for christmas. Her sister has fish and she likes them and since she has no pets I think a betta would be very cool. After a long time trying to find nano, LED or cube tanks, I was a bit disapointed at the lack of variety of small tanks and high prices around my area. I started browsing the auctions for bettas and came across a breeder in whangrei. He said he may have some small tanks I could look at and buy! :happy1: So, I am planning on getting something from a 9L-15L in capacity. No bigger, as my cousin's mum won't be too keen :roll: I really want the little guy to be happy, and have a nice home, so I am going to have a low-flow filter, heater and a large amount of live plants. Do you guys have any ideas for the setup? As in what kinds of plants, what filter would be best, substrate? I was thinking about using daltons aquatic mix, which I use in my planted 200l, with some silica sand on top, some ambulia or cabomba and java moss. Filter brands? No clue. any help would be appreciated :bggrn: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Frenzy Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Hello guys, just updating- tank comes with heater, so that's good. No need to buy that but will need filter. I have a spare, mini aqua one filter I think that could be good for this tank... anyone have any advice?m Also will be using Silica sand for the base, maybe some daltons mix underneath but I'm afraid it might seep up through the sand/into the water and make the tank a huge mud puddle. Any body who has a betta set up please post your pics so we can see them/I can get some ideas! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totara Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 A good cheap idea for a filter would be a simple sponge filter, which you could make yourself. Its quite effective and you can put biomedia in some designs making it even better. Any small power filter in a tank like that I would worry about creating too much flow. To be honest, I prefer having Betta in larger tanks but it is a heavily debated issue. If it isn't too expensive or large I'd highly reccomend going with something like this http://www.trademe.co.nz/pets-animals/fish/fish-tanks-aquariums/auction-788554978.htm plenty of room for the Betta, can fit in lots of plants and has good filtration and flow for a Betta. For substrate I am not sure, it really depends on what you spend. Black Fluorite is nice but quite expensive, you can even take multiple sized sifters and just go to a river bank and get some nice gravel. Try your local landscaping store and ask if they have any sand for aquariums, sometimes they do and it is really good. Just wash it thoroughly and plants will grow nicely in it, especially if you use something like Flourish Excel. Good luck with the tank, ~Will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Frenzy Posted October 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2014 Hello, thanks for the advice Yes, I usually get sand for my fish and turtle tanks from the local landscaping store so that would be fine. They usually give me a couple of free large stones and pieces of driftwood too For the 28L nano tank you showed me, thanks very much. I have been watching that one for a while now and the seller sometimes has some 1 dollar reserve auctions up for sale, so I will keep checking that one. However it does seem a teeny bit too big, (not for me!) I would love that for a betta set up, but cousin's sis already has a 30L + cats and her mum refuses any other pets (she doesn't like having caged animals, although I try explain the fish we buy are mostly bred in tanks so are used to them. And other than having a heated pond or un-chlorinated pool outside, there isn't really any other way to keep tropical fish.) Anyways will look into the filter, I would usually place a large object such as driftwood/rock in front to break the current, but in a small tank like this, I'm not too sure. Probably place a large and hardy plant in front, but will try find a suitable filter. I think the one I have (spare) can be regulated to a suitable current... will check Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanityChelle Posted October 4, 2014 Report Share Posted October 4, 2014 If the mum is refusing more pets, it might be a good idea to check with her before you get a live creature as a 'surprise gift'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totara Posted October 4, 2014 Report Share Posted October 4, 2014 Yeah good point SanityChelle I didn't think of that. Or another option could be suggesting upgrading his sisters 30L tank to a 50L tank or something and they could both look after it. That wouldn't take much more space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Frenzy Posted October 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2014 Hello, Well the mum is refusing any other pets for her sister... but my cousin (the sister I am getting the betta for) doesn't have any pets for herself apart from the family cat... and all she does is read all day.. her mum nearly said yes for a little axolotl tank last year.. which gets me confused because axolotl need bigger tanks than betta???? But then theydidn't get one because it was "too expensive". So anyways since she will most likely say yes for the betta, because it is smaller and less ugly (she thought the axolotl was kinda ugly!), and if she however doesn't, which is highly unlikely, my mum said it would be fine for us to keep the tank and fish. My mums always wanted a little tank with a betta... So thanks guys, any pics of your tank and any other suggestions would be appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Frenzy Posted October 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 hello guys pls check out my new post/thread for the betta tank I am planning on getting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjansss Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 Betas can get very bored in tanks that small which usually leads to depression os it would me a good idea to have a school of at least six ember tetras in there as well because all other kinds of tetra in nz will out grow a tank that size if their in a school and every tropical fish keeper knows its very cruel not to keep tetras in school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJWooble Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Hey! I have two betta tanks for my two betta boys -- a 40 litre and a 9 litre. My bettas are an HMPK dumbo white male and a HM dumbo cross male Both have silica sand as substrate, with ambulia, java fern, christmas moss, indian fern and duckweed in there with them and some driftwood, with pothos with its end in the water and the rest hanging out the top of the tank. Some betta's can get bored, but others seem to do well in the small tanks. Keeping an eye out for boredom cues such as inactivity, not coming up to see you, tail biting etc. is a good idea. My boy in the 40 litre is less active than the one in the 9 litre (personality difference, also he has a longer tail so tired more easily)-- I do not believe the one in the 9 litre is bored though, he gets plenty of attention from me as is situated next to where I spend a lot of time, and I mix the set up of the tank up once a week a bit to give him something new to explore-- having hidey holes and interesting objects in their tanks makes some bettas really happy Momo lives next to a window and I often catch him watching, and sometimes flaring at, the neighbourhood cats running through the garden. Flare training them helps keep them active and interested as well, and you can teach them tricks such as jumping out of the water to get food off your finger. Main issue with small tanks tend to be the potential for the bioload to get out of control-- though with lots of plants and regular water changes, this is rarely a problem. Both are really friendly, will come up to the front of the tank to say hi when you walk into the room/move towards them, and Momo is an avid bubble nest builder. If you want some more info, SFNZ facebook group is always awesome. Ferdie's 9 litre tank https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/10678722_748948371809687_4758246038548624935_n.jpg?oh=b97a849d393bce69b03eee42f930d673&oe=54AD091F Ferdie https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/1962792_748134045224453_1441821356445349435_n.jpg?oh=d2433d762744080b5b245c4ed193f686&oe=54B43F50&__gda__=1421893632_62d2c85875376424efe5b8902dadc46a Momo's 40 litre tank https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10645281_748948418476349_369236990954846811_n.jpg?oh=bab204ab57c7ce310fc03d2f7448714b&oe=54C2333B&__gda__=1422374002_b2d25a15548e8b612c1b6b7c9b49400e Momo https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10649649_748134135224444_475185346785532194_n.jpg?oh=8fae26b529d6dc40945713aa00d890f9&oe=54C699B7 *edit: I'm going to rescape Momo's tank at some stage, its mainly like it is because he seems happy with it bit messy tho lol, but will put in things like a statue and semi-emersed plants such as acorus which I will have sticking up outta the tank, along with anubias or dwarf hairgrass, not sure. **edit: I would also not recommend putting in ember tetras unless you had somewhere else to put them in case the betta gets aggressive-- some are quite territorial and will kill other fish, others are quite placid but you never really know. Also, I wouldn't put embers in a 9-15 litre as it is too small in my opinion-- I may try some in Momo's 40 litre but 30 litres is the smallest I would go with them else you aren't giving the space that the embers need to school and swim and space for the betta to get away if he feels threatened. They also like being in bigger groups-- 8 or upwards else they seem to be very shy....Furthermore, the more fish you add, the more bioload you're putting on a tank, so theres that to consider too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Frenzy Posted October 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Hello JJWooble, Thanks so much for sharing your tankscape and the photos...Momo and Ferdie are so adorable! It seems like they get a lot of attention Thanks for letting me know the kinds of plants you have, I really like the semi emersed idea. Will try that in future betta tank. I would really appreciate it if you told us a bit more about flare training / tricks for bettas. Sounds really neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJWooble Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Hey Fish Frenzy No problem, hehe they probably get a bit too much attention, spoiled wee things Gotta love em. Re: flare training, what I do is just put a pocket mirror up against the tank-- the betta comes up and starts strutting, putting out his beard and pulling faces this is Ferdie doing it: Its a good idea to build up how long you do it, as they have to be 'fit' enough to do it for longer-- I started at 3 mins with them each morning, then after a few days stepped it up to 5 mins, etc. til you get to 5-10 mins. If you flare them too much it can cause tearing or strain on their tails. Once they're up to the 5-10 mark I just put the mirrors up next to their tanks in the morning after feeding them; I do it maybe 5 times a week Momo also flares when I wave at him, so you can train them to flare at pretty much anything after a bit-- just get them to flare at the mirror, then move the mirror so they can see you want them to flare at-- in this case, waving, but could also be a particularly distinct pen, or just your finger. They soon associate that stimuli with flaring, or at least my betta has. Flaring, from what I have read, is good for fin development and strength, particularly with the longer finned boys Other tricks: there's jumping for food on your finger that I mentioned. Momo is NOT the jumping type, he loses interest in the food as soon as its out of the water. I'm working on Ferdie, so far hes started poking his head a bit out of the water in order to grab food off me, so should be able to get him to jump a bit for me soon Another one I want to try on them is swimming through a hoop for food-- you teach them to first follow your finger along the glass to be able to direct them, then make a hoop out of a pipe cleaner, put it up against the glass, and get them to follow your finger along where the hoop is until they go through, then reward with food. Haven't gotten there yet, but should be fun Re: the semi emergent plants I redecorated Momo's mess of a tank. Put some spiderwood in there, it has bits coming out of the water so had some fun with that and the pothos and some bromeliads. Also have another semi-emergent plant in there now in a riparium set up that I'm trying out. Other aquatic plants I've got in there now-- ambulia, xmas moss, broad leaf java fern, anubias, indian fern, chain swords My partner thinks it looks nuts, but I think it looks cool, or at the very least a bit different Few ideas for a future betta tank? https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/65072_750520118319179_416029436331230164_n.jpg?oh=8814270799273e3b6d458f9f40c76592&oe=54BBF057&__gda__=1420937102_853323c3040be84dbee48b1ed85ab02c https://scontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10659362_750520168319174_8078382330336467863_n.jpg?oh=2f542db7f30cfc7e9e888f63bf850ab7&oe=54F45519 *edit: sorry about how dark the pix are lol... hard to see but it does look very cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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