Betta fish questions!

[wodesorel]

Awesome! Just wanted to make sure.

What are your fish store options near where you live? Do you have any local chains or mom & pops? If you have to rely on Petsmart/Petco you won't have a lot of options, sadly. I popped in my Petsmart the other week and was kind of horrified by their selection - mostly goldfish and cichlids, and very little tropical. Almost everything they had that waa tropical needed a large tank as well.

[ciaraalston]

Awesome! Just wanted to make sure.

What are your fish store options near where you live? Do you have any local chains or mom & pops? If you have to rely on Petsmart/Petco you won't have a lot of options, sadly. I popped in my Petsmart the other week and was kind of horrified by their selection - mostly goldfish and cichlids, and very little tropical. Almost everything they had that waa tropical needed a large tank as well.

We have petsmart and petco right down the road. The options are slim. But there's a mom and pop store about 45 minutes from us that we found a few months ago. They have 3 rooms dedicated to aquariums and 2 rooms just for snakes. We will most likely get our stock from them from now on. Last set of fish we got from petco had ick and the snail died only a couple weeks after. We don't usually get anything from petsmart since we got our ball python for free from them because the kid said "well, she's dying anyway so just take her." She wouldn't eat for them and her conditions were terrible. She came home with us, ate a few hours after settling in and 2 years later she's beautiful and absolutely loves watching t.v. wrapped around my neck with her tail tucked under my shirt.

Our petco only carries "large" fish as well.


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[GotButterflies]

I haven't read all of the posts, but I just wanted to comment that I wouldn't grind the bloodworms up. They can eat them just fine. I always mixed the following for my betta: bloodworms, Hikari Betta Food and New Life Spectrum Betta Formula

I definitely recommend a heater. Although I have heard horror stories of betters jumping out of the water, mine never did. Also, don't overfeed yours. (This is very easy to do!)

I have a lot of the New Life Spectrum Betta Formula - I'll send you some of it.

[aussieJJDude]

I only chose those because I googled "fish that can be kept with bettas" and those came up regularly.
So, boraras would be better??

In my option, yes.
They prefer similar conditions to what bettas like - even though Betta can be extremely hardy and handle a large range of water conditions - but more due to their size, colour and behaviour.
They small enough that you can stock a suitable number in a 10g - just my option, others may disagree and suggest minimum of 20g for a community - bright enough that they look interesting, but not as gaudy as neons - the betta is the main show. Plus I found my boraras to be a lot more chill in comparison to my neons when I had them, and sometimes active schooling fish can stress bettas out - have had that happen, would often flair at active fish and hide...but never had the same problem with boraras, and if a betta gives chase, they are certainly fast enough to get away.
Neons are incredibly inbred at this point in the trade, and stock is not like what it use to be and sometimes I feel just looking at them funny they will kneel over and die! Boraras are a "recent" addition to the aquarium hobby, and either they were up to a couple years back they were wild caught, or they still are.... (I can't remember which)

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[wodesorel]

Although I have heard horror stories of betters jumping out of the water, mine never did. Also, don't overfeed yours. (This is very easy to do!)

So not kidding, lost my last one when he jumped out. There was a 1/2 inch gap at the filter, it was the only open spot.

[ciaraalston]

Although I have heard horror stories of betters jumping out of the water, mine never did. Also, don't overfeed yours. (This is very easy to do!)

So not kidding, lost my last one when he jumped out. There was a 1/2 inch gap at the filter, it was the only open spot.

Yep! Mine jumped out of his tank during a water change. We had him for a year at least, water changes were a regular thing. But while I was at the sing washing off the decor, he jumped out. I put him back in as soon as I found him, but he just struggled to swim and his breathing was insane fast. He couldn't even straighten up, just swam sideways and looked miserable. He eventually bled out, it was terrible!!!!

So, I won't use the locking screen lid because @Wode you were right, I wouldn't be able to fit the filter and heater and such. So I'll use the 10 gallon without the lid, and I'll find something to set on top once I have everything in the tank set up.

@Gotbutterflies, thank you SO much for the food!!!! I probably overfed my last one because we had to clean the tank pretty regular, so this time I'll cut back. He would eat what he wanted and let the rest fall, but it ended up just making the tank a mess.

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[ciaraalston]

I only chose those because I googled "fish that can be kept with bettas" and those came up regularly.
So, boraras would be better??

In my option, yes.
They prefer similar conditions to what bettas like - even though Betta can be extremely hardy and handle a large range of water conditions - but more due to their size, colour and behaviour.
They small enough that you can stock a suitable number in a 10g - just my option, others may disagree and suggest minimum of 20g for a community - bright enough that they look interesting, but not as gaudy as neons - the betta is the main show. Plus I found my boraras to be a lot more chill in comparison to my neons when I had them, and sometimes active schooling fish can stress bettas out - have had that happen, would often flair at active fish and hide...but never had the same problem with boraras, and if a betta gives chase, they are certainly fast enough to get away.
Neons are incredibly inbred at this point in the trade, and stock is not like what it use to be and sometimes I feel just looking at them funny they will kneel over and die! Boraras are a "recent" addition to the aquarium hobby, and either they were up to a couple years back they were wild caught, or they still are.... (I can't remember which)

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I'll see if the mom and pop shop can order some! How many do you recommend starting with for a 10 gallon?
If it doesn't work out I still have the spare 10 gallon I can transfer them too as well, so I have a back up plan just in case.

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[ciaraalston]

@Aussie, would you recommend adding a baby Betta in with them or an adult? I would like to do a baby Betta but I'm worried I will kill it!

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[aussieJJDude]

@Aussie, would you recommend adding a baby Betta in with them or an adult? I would like to do a baby Betta but I'm worried I will kill it!

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If you want to go with a baby, then I would suggest going for it - more likely to not be as aggressive since they have grown up with the rasboras/other fish. However adults often have all the finnage and to a degree, a lot more accepting of water quality.


You could probably do around 6-8 boraras without issue.

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[ciaraalston]

Thank you!

[piratetoothgir]

I have been keeping bettas for three years.
The info regarding tank setup is all good information, so your covered there
I do not recommend neon tetras with bettas, because those fish require colder water, while the betta needs a tropical temperature of 78 - 82.

I recommend harlequin rasboras, ember tetras, or celestial pearl danios.

[aussieJJDude]

I recommend harlequin rasboras, ember tetras, or celestial pearl danios.

All info I've seen mention that CPD (celestial's) prefer and do much better in cooler waters, similar to that of neons.

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[robinwhiskers]

I have had Betta experience if anyone has questions.