Image above for reference on what i'd like my tank to look like. Sorry it's my first time getting a betta, lmk if I need anything else, or if anything I have is unsafe please!
- 20L (5 gal) cube tank
- natural white sand
- low flow filter
- heater
- tweezers (for feeding bloodworms)
- bloodworms
- siphon
- net + sponge cleaning thing
- toothbrush to clean in crevices
- peace lily
- duckweed (don't want to hear duckweed hate..)
- cherry shrimp
- smallish rock
- driftwood (1 medium/large, 1 small)
- Seachem stability
- Seachem prime
- Seachem flourish excel
- 2pc floating mirrors (for occasional flaring)
- 10pc indian almond leaves
- 12pc aquatic plant clips
- Whiteboard markers (for drawing on outside of tank for enrichment)
- Buckets for water changes (and as a hospital tank if need be)
- Bettafix
- Hikari betta food
- Clove oil
- Epsom salts
- Root tabs
- Stress coat
- API water testing kit
- 60 misc plant stems (12-18cm)
lmk if this will be enough, they will be growing for 6 weeks prior to getting the fish anyway ^
I also plan to have a small brine shrimp tank for food, with some plan cutting and whatnot. I do not have a light as I have natural light and do not mind cleaning algae, and no lid as the lily is coming out the top obviously, and i will have lots of floaters. I'm getting an elephant ear btw!
https://i.redd.it/27sxovem96xf1.jpeg
Posted by United-Enthusiasm843
4 Comments
You checked every box and more your definitely good
Looks like a solid list!
I would recommend swapping for the API master test kit (unless that’s what you’re getting then awesome).
Also, to save money you probably don’t need tweezers for bloodworms if you have plastic spoons (if they’re big bloodworms) or needlelesss syringe for smaller ones. But I guess tweezers arent that pricey 🤭
I find needleless syringe (or pipette or turkey baster) very 2-in-1 because I use it to siphon a bit of tank water to melt frozen bloodworms / frozen brine shrimp or soak pellets in and then use it again to siphon the food and feed my betta in his tank. Ideally, thawing food or expanding food with tank water is the best.
And for floaters…..I bring to you propaganda for red root floaters cause of their flowers 🤣
https://preview.redd.it/xg593vogb6xf1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b5588e19b4e8bc2daa5bc1db1e87f2b7c89c8e4
If your getting clove oil for euthanization as a last resort id suggest against it. Bettas are labyrinth breathers, meaning clove oil is not a painless death for them. Blunt force is the quickest most painless death, though Im aware it sounds horrible.
A different tank format other than cube would be preferable if that is an option, fish generally appreciate horizontal space more than vertical.
Do not use bettafix (tea tree oil, harmful to labyrinth organ) or stress coat (adds extra carbohydrates to tank, will make bacterial problems worse). You don’t need “stability”, that’s snake oil. Be a little more skeptical when reading product packaging, they do not have to prove anything they say on those bottles is true.
Make sure you are really certain about the white sand. Read up a little bit on others’ experiences with white sand. There is usually about one “white sand regret post” a month.
Fot the heater, make sure it’s adjustable, and preferably with a digital thermostat, not the mechanical kind.
And the most important item of all: what *kind* and what *size* of low flow filter? The best* option would be a large sponge filter, at least the size of a soda can, avoid cartridge filters at all costs. For any type of filter, totally disregard the manufacturer’s tank size ratings and just go as big as you possibly can. Please for the love of god do not use a cartridge filter.
This is a very good option for a sponge filter:
https://a.co/d/0gYW6tt (size medium, ignore the tank size rating)
If you want a smaller sponge filter, have an honest conversation with yourself about how much weight you are putting on aesthetics vs the fish’s health. Make your choice, but think twice.
If using a sponge filter, choose an air pump with an air flow rate of around one liter per minute. Do not worry about kPa rating, your tank will not be deep enough for it to matter.
Lastly one suggested item: live blackworms. If there is sufficient cover / clutter on your substrate, these can live and reproduce in the tank, which is an unparalleled source of stimulation for your fish.
[*] really in my opinion the best option would be an undergravel filter, but that isn’t compatible with your desired substrate.