# Dare I add a betta?



## jaybird002 (May 12, 2006)

I redid my 1.5 gallon mini planted tank, and after about a week the plants seem to be flourishing. I am even thinking of adding a betta but wanted a reality check first. Would it be safe for the poor fish? What water perimeters do I need to check? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? Will the betta need weekly water changes and/or filtration? Or will vigorously growing plants be enough to break down the toxic waste products. In other words, can a betta fit into the tank ecosystem without throwing it out of balance?

Here is the tank setup. 1.5 gallons, thin layer of old potting soil (1/4 inch) beneath 1.5 inches of black gravel. 13 watt CF light. No filter or heater.
Plants: moneywort (about 12 stems) and about 8 more stems of other unknown stem plants. 2 bannana plants, and a few val-type grasses. Also a sprig of ivy type house plant to combat algae.

I appreciate your thoughts on this.


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## primal (Jan 30, 2007)

I don't think you would have any trouble adding a betta. Bettas are resilient fish (just look at their natural habitat -- they live in less than ideal conditions, sometimes even in mud puddles if I recall correctly).


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## gabeszone (Jan 22, 2006)

They find Bettas in rice patties in Thailand, I think it would be find.


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## blyxa (Jan 1, 2007)

Your betta will do fine. At one point, I forgot about my poor little fish and it was left in maybe an inch of water. I quickly placed it into a 2.5 gallon tank and it bounced back in no time!

I love bettas too! They are colorful!


Have fun!


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## rhinoman (Oct 11, 2006)

A lot of Bettas aren't all that healthy to begin with. They just get no respect. A healthy Betta will be fine, an unhealthy one is going to die no matter what. I had a Betta die in a tank that keeps my Angels and Blue Ram perfectly happy. I used to live with a girl who's kids had a Betta for over 2years in a 1 gallon bowl in a house heated with wood! The house temp varied from < 55 to 80 on a daily basis! When I left the fish was over two years old. I've no idea how long the fish eventually lived. I think it's hit or miss with Bettas, unless you buy straight from a breeder?


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## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

It sounds like a lovely little domain for a betta!

Bettas take quite awhile to develop their fins, so the fish that appear in stores are already nearly 6 mo old. I believe their lifespan is 2-3 years, max. So, when choosing one, try to get one that is smaller bodied - its most likely younger. Plus, the fins will probably fill out more after you keep him in better conditions. A betta will really flourish in a little planted kingdom! 

Is the 13w CF bulb in a clamp on light fixture?

For the most part, the plants will indeed absorb the nutrients the fish excretes, and the soil will provide the micronutrients for the plants. You may want to siphon the poops off now and then, just for looks. 

Its a good idea to test for Nitrites and Nitrates as any soil underlayer tank is settling in, just to be sure the levels are not spiking. A liquid reagent test kit is more economical if you have other tanks and will be testing frequently, but the test strips are quick and convenient. 

Keep us posted when you find "the one" for your tank!
-Jane


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## essabee (Oct 11, 2006)

Your setup is ideal for a betta just wait till your ammonia reading is 0, then go, go, go for the betta of your dream!


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## CCBettas (Nov 6, 2006)

Hi,
Your Betta should do fine in this set up. A 1.5 gal is not terribly big to make the fish feel uncomfortable, but is not too small either. Just do some water changes once a week...he should be fine.



> just look at their natural habitat -- they live in less than ideal conditions, sometimes even in mud puddles if I recall correctly


Yes, Bettas are very hardy. But what you are suggesting here is that they are still the same wild bettas they once were. Bettas today are far removed from what they were in the wild. Their fins are way bigger, inbreeding has weakened their immune systems. I think even the hardy VT would not survive in the wild puddles that their wild counterparts do.

Carl Archie


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## essabee (Oct 11, 2006)

CCBettas said:


> snip!
> 
> Yes, Bettas are very hardy. But what you are suggesting here is that they are still the same wild bettas they once were. Bettas today are far removed from what they were in the wild. Their fins are way bigger, inbreeding has weakened their immune systems. I think even the hardy VT would not survive in the wild puddles that their wild counterparts do. Carl Archie


How right you are! That holds true for all the fishes bred for the aquarium, from A-Z. I would doubt any of them would survive in the wild environment where their breeds were captured from, and some of them would not even be recognised as their breed by the wild ones.

Inbreeding was one reason why when I was keeping live breeders I used to get my fish (even very common ones) sent from as far away as possible, and then swap either the males or females at the LFS. That I don't keep live breeders any more is not for inbreeding, but only I hate them over populating my tanks and forcing me to use the net. I bet the other fishes hated me for using the net too.


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## jaybird002 (May 12, 2006)

Thanks for all your thoughtful replies. I guess I can't add a betta for now because my nitrite reading was 3 ppm or 5 ppm (hard to read the color chart), and nitrate was 80 ppm. Haven't checked the ammonia yet. Do the nitrite/nitrate readings mean the tank is starting to cycle, even though there is no filter to create water movement and provide oxygen for the beneficial bacteria? And where is all the stuff coming from? The thin soil layer below?
I used some very old potting soil from a plant that had long ago died. But the soil had sat around the house for months, so I thought the nitrogen wastes might have been used up. Hope that's not a problem.

Do I need to put an airstone or filter in to create water movement? The plants seem to be healthy and growing.


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

I agree with Carl that the bettas available today are far removed from the hardy fish that live in rice paddies. From what I read, some strains are quite hardy and others are not. The hardy strains make good community tank fish, as long as they are not too deformed by overly large fins.

BTW, what happens to female bettas? I would think that there would be as many of them as there are of males, but I rarely see them. I would think that they would make better aquarium fish than the males, since they don't fight (except over males) and they can have good body color.

Bill


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## primal (Jan 30, 2007)

True, they are far removed, but either way, in my experience they are very hardy regardless.

Aquabillpers, I see female bettas around here all the time. They don't sell nearly as well as the males, but they are still around.


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

Holy crap. nitrAte is 80ppm?
Something's sure leaching out of that soil.

I'd do a substantial partial water change and then test it again in a few days. 

and yea, you'll want to wait till ammonia and nitrIte are reading 0ppm before adding a betta. I'd also want nitrAtes staying low as well. 

just FYI, my 125 only tested at 20ppm nitrAte after 6 months without a partial watre change and with a decent fish load in it. So, not, regular partial water changes like in a standard tank aren't needed *if* the tank is happy. Yours isn't happy yet.


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## brennewoman (Feb 6, 2007)

Bettas are a fish often used to start a fish cycle in a new aquarium. They are relatively clean fish, and they have a labyrinth breathing organ which helps when you get spikes in ammonia and nitrite and nitrate...since their gills are not quite as vulnerable.

The bettas you see in pet stores are usually 'power grown' by breeders who use a rich diet and daily water changes to speed grow the fry, so they are usually three months old. More than that is not feasible for a large turnover breeding operation. A betta can live up to 7 years (my oldest) so don't think of them as 'disposable' fish. Sadly, most never make it to three years because of their availability and reputation. Bettas do great in planted tanks. All my spawning tanks are heavily planted. I do not use fertilizer or co2, and I do filter my water. All my bettas are kept company with cherry shrimp, different varieties of cory catfish (pygmies for the spawning tanks), and snails.

I would go ahead and get a betta for your tank. Even if the tank is not quite ready, it's got to be better than those horrid little deathtrap cups they languish in at petsmart.


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