How To Set Up A Betta Fish Tank

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Since betta fish can survive in many different types of environments, people recollect it'southward a good idea to continue them in decorative bowls or vases. While bettas can survive this way, it's best to give them plenty of infinite and filtered water in order to thrive. When you set upwards your tank, keep the health and happiness of your betta in mind. Don't forget the golden rule for bettas: never firm two males in the same tank, or they'll fight to the death. The minimum tank size for a betta fish is 5 gallons.

1. 1

   Pick a sizable tank for your betta. Yous may see betta fish housed in tiny plastic bowls in stores, only bettas actually need more infinite to thrive. For a happy, healthy, and stress free betta, choose a glass or clear acrylic tank that holds at to the lowest degree ii.5 gallons (ix.v Fifty) of water, merely five gallons or larger is highly recommended. Bettas can spring, so make sure the tank has a hat. A tank this size volition give the betta plenty of room to swim, the water won't become contaminated as quickly as it would in a smaller tank, it tin exist heated safely, and the aquarium nitrogen bicycle tin can be established.^[i]

   • Any tank smaller than ii.five gallons (9.5 L) is not suitable, even if it is only ½ gallon less.
   • Bettas cannot live with other bettas. The idea of a female betta "sorority" has appeared on social media, but it is considered unethical and unnatural for your fish. Though information technology has been done, "sororities" should only be attempted by experienced owners. Your best bet is to house each betta separately, so you'll demand a tank for each betta you desire to own. This will provide your pet with a stress-costless life.^[ii]

2. ii

   Provide a gentle filter. Bettas naturally live in large bodies of water with a gentle current. Their long, flowing fins go far hard for them to fight stronger currents, so it's of import to choose a filter that is labeled "gentle" or comes with adjustable settings. Choose a filter that is designed to fit with the tank size and type of you have chosen. ^[3]

   • If you have a stronger filter, it is possible to create current buffers using plants or a cut water bottle.
   • A filter is necessary for bettas (and all aquarium fish) because they are essential for the nitrogen cycle to keep toxins from edifice upwards in the water.

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3. 3

   Go a h2o heater to regulate the tank temperature. Bettas are a tropical species of fish, and they do best in water that stays between 78 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. To exist safe, get a thermometer to make sure the water is the correct temperature.

   • If you have chosen to use a tank smaller than five gallons, it tin be risky to use a water heater, as the tank can overheat. This is some other good reason to get a sizable tank for your betta fish.

4. 4

   Purchase substrate to line the bottom. It is an of import part of the tank environment. Along with housing some beneficial bacteria, information technology creates a more naturalistic surround for your fish and is pleasing to your eyes. Choose fine gravel or sand rather than gravel made with larger pieces of rock. Food and waste tin can get caught among the larger rocks and create more ammonia.^[4]

   • If you are using live plants in your tank, you lot volition need 2 inches of substrate and then the plants can root. If you lot are using faux plants (silk plants are oft recommended over plastic, due to their softer edges) , one inch is sufficient.
   • Cull substrate in natural colors like white, blackness, and dark-brown to line your tank. Bright neon substrate like pinkish and orange volition make the environment feel less natural your betta.

5. 5

   Become plants and other decorations. Live plants help provide oxygen, remove nitrates, and provide a natural environment for your betta. Decorations are essential because they provide enrichment and hiding spots for your fish. If you want to include live plants, choose plants that grow well in the conditions of the tank, taking the light strength, temperature and substrate type into account.^[v]

   • Remember that the gravel should be at to the lowest degree two inches deep to support live plants. Using real plants creates a more natural micro-ecosystem in the tank, with the plants filtering out waste for fertilizer and adding oxygen to the water as they "breathe". Anubias nana, java fern, and marimo balls are good beginner plants because they exercise not require fertilizer or carbon dioxide and do not demand very much light.
   • If yous want to apply imitation plants, most people will recommend that they're silk and practice not have sharp edges. Bettas' long, frail fins can exist injured when they swim near the plants.
   • Choose other decorations to keep your betta happy. Structures that let them to hide, such as caves or tunnels, are splendid choices for ensuring that your fish feels safe and secure in its domicile. Be sure that the decorations you choose do non have Any abrupt edges or rough surfaces that could snag your betta's fins. Apply fine grit sandpaper or an emery board to smoothen down troublesome spots.^[6]

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1. ane

   Place the betta tank in a secure part of your dwelling house. Choose a spot that is well-nigh a window, merely not exposed to directly sunlight. Be sure to set the tank on a very sturdy surface so that it isn't likely to topple. Finally, if you take other pets, you may want to consider placing the betta in a room they don't take access to.^[7]

   • You may want to get an aquarium stand up designed to concord the weight of the tank you have chosen.
   • Allow five inches between the aquarium and the wall to accommodate the filter and heater.^[8]

2. 2

   Install the filter. Different types of filters crave different installation methods. Check the manufacturer'due south instructions for the filter you purchased and make sure information technology is installed properly.

   • If you lot have an external power filter, set up information technology upwardly on the dorsum of the tank. Your tank lid may have come with a cut-out to brand installation easier. Wait until the tank is filled with water before turning it on.
   • If y'all have an undergravel filter, put the filter plate in first and make sure the tubes are correctly fitted. Don't turn information technology on until the tank has been filled with water.

3. 3

   Add substrate. Rinse it thoroughly nether cool running h2o (no soap!) to remove all traces of dust, which can clog the filter and cause the water to exist cloudy. Pile ane to 3 inches of substrate into the tank. Slope it gently toward the back of the tank. Place a clean plate on top of the gravel and begin pouring h2o on top of the plate to fill the tank. The plate will forbid you from displacing the substrate as you pour the h2o. Go along until the tank is i-tertiary full.^[9]

   • Equally y'all add water, check the tank for leaks. If you see a leak, it'south important to repair it before you cease filling and stocking the tank.
   • Remove the plate when you're finished calculation water.

4. 4

   Fix up your plants and decorations. For live plants, brand sure the roots are properly buried beneath the surface of the substrate. Arrange the plants so that the taller plants are in the back of the tank and the shorter plants are near the front. This will give you a improve view of your betta.

   • Brand sure all decorations are properly anchored in the gravel, so they won't come loose.
   • After you finish filling your tank, it's all-time not to put your easily in the water again, so make sure you similar the positioning of your plants and decorations.

5. five

   Finish filling the tank and start the filter. Make full the tank within an inch of the top with water, so plug in the filter and plow information technology on to make sure information technology works properly. Bank check to make certain the h2o is circulating, gently, smoothly and quietly. Adjust the settings if information technology seems to be moving too powerfully.

6. 6

   Install the heater on the inside of the tank. Most heaters adhere to the inside of the tank with suction cups. Position the heater about the rima oris of the filter, to ensure that the water gets evenly heated. Plug in the heater and install the thermometer and then you lot can begin monitoring the temperature.

   • Adjust the heater so that the temperature rises to between 78 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
   • If you take a tank light, turn information technology on to see whether it affects the temperature of the tank. If the lite seems to drastically affect the temperature, you'll need to get a better light before y'all introduce fish to the tank.

7. 7

   Add dechlorinator to the water. Dechlorinator is essential, because it removes chlorine/chloramines and heavy metals from the water. It'southward necessary to add this if y'all filled your tank with tap water that contains chlorine. Add the amount of dechlorinator instructed for the amount of water in your tank.^[10]

   • If you lot used bottled spring h2o, which does not contain chlorine, yous may skip this step.
   • You may also want to add together a dose of SafeStart, which is a bacterial goad that volition help promote a healthy surroundings in the tank.

8. 8

   Cycle the tank without fish. Doing a fishless cycle gives the tank time to build upwardly a beneficial bacteria population for the aquarium nitrogen bike. If you don't do a fishless wheel, your fish tin be killed by high toxin levels in the water, and then don't skip this stride. See How to Practise a Fishless Cyle to learn exactly how to cycle your tank to meet your betta's needs. You will demand to use a h2o testing kit to monitor the h2o pH, ammonia and nitrate to make sure the levels are safe for your fish.

   • The ideal pH is 7. Ammonia and nitrites should be at 0 and nitrates should be 5-twenty ppm before you add together fish.^[11]
   • You may need to add ammonia remover to bring down the ammonia level.

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1. 1

   Buy a betta fish. It's best not to actually bring a fish home until your tank is set up, cycled and ready to go. That way you lot'll be able to assistance the betta brand the transition to its new domicile every bit shortly equally possible. Become to the pet shop and choose a new betta to bring domicile. Remember, every betta needs its own tank; even females.^[12]

   • Look for an active, good for you betta with a brightly-colored body and undamaged fins.
   • If a betta seems to be floating frantically, it may exist sick. Cull a one that swims strongly.

2. 2

   Innovate the fish to the tank. Bladder the pocketbook or loving cup in the tank for twenty minutes to an hour. Keep the bag closed and set the bagged betta into the tank and so that the water inside the bag comes to the same temperature equally the tank water. This will prevent the betta from getting a temperature stupor when it enters the tank.^[xiii] After about i hour, it's time to release the fish. Open the bag and let the fish swim freely into the tank. From now on, intendance for the betta every bit follows:

   • Feed the betta once or twice a day. Provide a varied diet of high-quality betta pellets, frozen & live foods.^[xiv]
   • Freeze-stale foods are more probable to cause canoeing and it has little to no nutritional value, information technology should be used as an occasional bi-weekly treat or rightfully avoided.
   • Practise not overfeed, or your betta will become very swollen.

3. 3

   Alter the tank h2o when necessary. If you take a tank that is five to x gallons (18.9 to 37.nine L), you will need to change out 50% percentage of the water every week to maintain a good for you tank. To change the water,

   • Use a gravel vacuum/siphon to suck droppings up into a bucket until you have removed the correct amount of h2o. You lot do not need to remove your fish from the tank as y'all make clean information technology.
   • Dump the h2o out into the sink, bathtub, or shower and fill information technology upwards with make clean water. Remember to condition information technology!
   • Cascade in the fresh water.
   • Reintroduce your betta to the tank after the water has heated to the correct temperature.

4. iv

   Make clean the tank regularly. Your cleaning method will depend on the type and size of your chosen tank. Scrub the sides of the tank and any decorations that take nerveless waste and debris with an unused toothbrush.

   • Employ common sense to determine whether a thorough tank cleaning is needed; if the tank looks filthy, it'due south time to clean, no matter when you did it last.
   • Monitor the pH, ammonia and nitrate levels as well, and perform partial water changes to lower the levels when necessary.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Can I keep my betta fish in a basin?

  

  Aaron Bernard is an Aquarium Specialist and the Owner of Express Edition Corals in Phoenix, Arizona. With over ten years of experience, Aaron specializes in aquarium maintenance, custom blueprint, manufacture, installation, and moving. Aaron holds a BS in Biochemistry from Arizona Country University, where he studied the effects of climate change on coral reefs and began to propagate his corals.

  

  Fish & Aquarium Specialist

  Adept Reply

  Betta fish can survive in almost whatever container. However, they'll exist much happier in a larger tank with conditioned h2o.

• Question

  Is the tetra globe waterfall tank good to house a betta?

  

  That tank is a little minor for a betta, because that bettas like 3 gallons or larger to swim around in but information technology would be skilful every bit a temporary tank until you tin can get a larger one.

• Question

  Is a betta fish a tropical fish?

  

  Yeah, that is why it is recommended to proceed the tank at 77-80 degrees, although if you don't take a heater, room temperature should be fine.

See more answers

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Video

• If you have alive plants, make sure yous take the proper lighting.

• Remember that betta "sororities" are unnatural occurrences!

• Yous can keep your betta with peaceful community fish in a tank that is at least 20 gallons, but forty gal is fifty-fifty amend. Some bettas have more aggressive personalities, so be sure to monitor your own betta to run across what their disposition is like.

• Note that live plants will often carry pest snails, which are atrocious for a tank and reproduce very rapidly. If you chose to buy alive plants it would exist best to quarantine them for at least a week. If a snail appears, throw the whole matter out.

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• Be wary of communication you go at the fish store. Do your own research and/or bring together a forum dedicated to fish.

• Don't put your betta in a bowl or vase! Bowls and vases are not big plenty to heat safely, don't provide filtration, and limit your fish'south movement.

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Commodity Summary X

To set up a betta tank, start by choosing a tank that holds at least ii.five gallons of h2o. Line the bottom of the tank with a fine gravel or sand substrate for beneficial bacteria also as to create a natural surroundings. Add some living plants and decorations to further enrich the environment. You'll also want a gentle filter for your tank to mimic the gentle current bettas are accustomed to. Finally, install a water heater and go on the tank between 78 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit since bettas are tropical fish and prefer warm water. For tips on how to introduce your betta to its new home, keep reading!

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