Hi everyone! I just set up my very first fish tank and I’m really excited but I have some general questions 🙂
To preface, I have a 10 gallon tank. The base layer is that aquatic plant substrate and then sand on top. I’ve got two pieces of driftwood or mopani wood I’m not actually sure, and the whole tank is littered with plants there’s probably around 20 plants and then on the top of the water there’s Indian almond leaves and what I believe is frogbit. I’ve got a preset heater in there and a sponge filter for low flow. I’ve been letting it run since last Friday and letting it cycle which I know will take a while.
My first question is: there’s no such thing as too much tannins is there? I think I may have gone overboard with the tannins because the tank isn’t just tea colored it’s damn near opaque. Should I take the almond leaves out? If it’s still super dark when I eventually put the betta in will that much tannin be okay? I know it’s good for them but idk if there’s like a limit or something.
My other question is about food. I know bettas need a variety and I have been following the betta care guide but I’ve gotten pretty mixed information about food. Once I get her I’d probably do mainly frozen bloodworms and then high quality pellets and brine shrimp but what are the best pellets to feed? And how often should I feed her? On the care guide (I’ll attach to this post) it says twice daily but everyone at the pet store I work at says no more than 3 pellets every other day or their swim bladder will swell and they’ll die.
Ive never had a fish before and I want to do this right. I’ve grown rather attached to this fish and don’t want her to die because of some silly mistake, it would just eat me alive. I want to make sure I do everything right so when I finally get her she will live a long and happy life.
Aside from my general questions I’m open to any advice or words of wisdom from those who want to impart their knowledge on beginners. Thank you! 🙂
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Posted by thisisntgraces
4 Comments
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I can’t answer all your questions, but twice a day feeding is a bit much. As far as tannins go it’s pretty hard to overdo but you should test your Ph to be sure. Mopani wood will continue to leach tannins. I took mine out and boiled it for hours after it continued to make my tank impossible to see. If you are using a filter with carbon it will remove the tannins.
I feed my betta 4 pellets. 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening. And a small chunk of frozen shrimp every few weeks when we have it for dinner. He’s pretty healthy and isn’t overweight or having any swim bladder issues. While he definitely would enjoy better foods more it’s working great for noe
Bettas absolutely thrive in the 15-16 gallon range — people who say 5 gallons is fine are giving the bare minimum advice, not the best advice.
I’ve kept bettas in everything from 5 gallons up to 20 longs, and the sweet spot for me has been those all-in-one tanks in the 15-16 gallon range. The built-in filtration compartments are a game changer because bettas hate strong current, and the rear chamber designs let you baffle the flow without rigging up DIY sponge hacks.
A couple things to think about when picking a tank:
– **Flow control matters more than filter media capacity.** Bettas get stressed and stop eating if there’s too much surface agitation. Look for tanks where you can dial the pump down or swap to a smaller impeller.
– **Lighting is underrated.** If you want live plants (and you should — bettas love resting on broad leaves like anubias and java fern), make sure the stock light can actually grow low-tech plants. Some all-in-ones ship with lights that are basically just for viewing.
– **Curved vs flat front glass** is more than aesthetics. Curved fronts can distort your view and make aquascaping placement tricky. Flat front panels give you a cleaner look and make it easier to photograph your fish.
– **Lid coverage** — bettas are jumpers. Full lids or tanks with minimal gaps around the back are way safer than open-top setups.
For a single betta with some corydoras or a snail crew, 15-16 gallons gives you enough footprint to create distinct zones — a calm corner with floaters for the betta and some open swimming space. The extra water volume also makes your parameters way more stable, which means less stress for you and the fish.
Whatever you pick, cycle it properly before adding your betta. That part is non-negotiable.