We can probably skip the conversation about gifting live pets without consulting the person you're gifting to (or in this case, their parents). I have already expressed my annoyance. However, I'm not going to just let the fish suffer. The fish came in a small bowl with minimal decor and very cloudy water.
Took one online search to learn that this environment is nowhere near ideal so I jumped on marketplace and found a larger tank with a pump, heater and some decor. I then grabbed a water conditioner from a pet store so I could just use my tap water at home to refill when appropriate.
I'm very much open to any recommendations. I did read through the pinned post and have some ideas of a few things to add but any observations you may have are more than welcome.
Say hello to Puppy, the fish.
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1pwy7kv
Posted by CISmajor
3 Comments
The more real plants you can add the more comfortable your betta will be and the easier it will be to maintain the proper parameters for the tank without frequent water changes.
Resting spots near the surface of the water are also important since bettas like to take breaths of air
First of all, I’m so glad you did research! Advice I can give: replace the colorful gravel with real sand or soil, and plant live plants since bettas have very delicate fins that can snag on plastic decor. Plus, real plants provide oxygen and help keep the tank stable. Also, try to give him a heavily planted tank, since bettas need a fair amount of cover. You’re off to a great start. Make sure to research how to do an in-fish cycle, it’ll be easier to follow a detailed guide. Good luck!
Here’s my betta tank as an example (although I neglected to scape it and make it pretty)
https://preview.redd.it/bph497hv5r9g1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7c147af298ebe1678baafe605848b22c9e5f918
My betta use to love laying on dried almond leaves, they leave tanin (brown color) in the water which is good for them. They also liked floating plants like hornwort which is stringy and you can just bunch them up in a corner.
Once your betta gets use to you it will come up to you in the tank and beg for food so the name is perfect.