I am a minor, just a notice.
I am (almost) set on this kit, I say almost since its only 5 gallons. I want specifically a female betta if possible, I want to use decorations but someone told me they were bad to use.
I already have a small bag of bloodworms and a bottle of fluval bug bites. I know I can't use plastic plants, I only plan on getting one fish, I know the correct temperature for them, and I still try to learn more to be fully prepared for my future fish.
I need help on anything I'm doing wrong, anything I need to steer away from, what type of gravel and plants they like, and any other things I need to know.
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1q4cnuh
Posted by slowpokenorth
15 Comments
https://preview.redd.it/ak2x22fvrgbg1.jpeg?width=1206&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f31c1da8caa5173ba48ad6f8934298d880942098
Get the tank early and cycle it completely, dont rush to get the fish fast. Do things slow and you will find it pays off. If you want to do plants I like aquasoil. Plant variety is mainly up to you. Stock light is pretty solid but Id refrain from anything too hard. Try researching plants that work best at the higher temp. Java fern, anubias etc work well. Make sure it doesnt grow too big, some plants can get massive.
I have a spec 5 shrimp tank. You can find 3d printed outflow attachments on etsy that help control flow better for a betta. If you do wood and rocks then Id recommend gluing your wood so it doesnt float or move too easy when you do water changes, big pain.
Focus on making the tank look nice so you are happy with it visually and the betta has things to keep it engaged. Get more hardscape than you think you need and as much plants as you can. 5 gallons is not bad especially for longer fin bettas.
Hello OP!
Welcome to the hobby.
First thing you need to know and do, is look into how to cycle a fish tank. There are two main methods, regardless of how you do it, you need to 100% do this for the health and safety of your fish.
You can use this old comment of mine as a general easy to read step by step for set up: [Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/s/mqHAAu7xjy)
I just wanted to add, Ive had the Spec V. It’s okay, the narrow front to back depth makes it a little hard to get creative and I felt like it wasn’t enough swimming space for my plakat (shorter finned male, so if you want a female betta you might also feel the same way after a while watching her swim!)
I eventually got him a ten gallon instead – it was a little intimidating getting everything from scratch instead of a kit my first time so if you want any ideas I’d be happy to share some links to decent equipment! But you can also do what I did and start with a kit, upgrade later (10 was easier to maintain with a betta as well)
Smaller sized gravel is good, nothing too colorful or rough since bettas like to hurt themselves for some reason. Driftwood and stone are great alternates to decorations, I’m not a huge fan of fake ornaments because I’ve experienced paint peeling in the past with a weird chemical smell from stuff from petco but many people have no issues so use caution!
And any live plant they’ll love! Whatever you do, make sure you have a lid, no items with sharp edges, and nothing with small holes (cholla wood, some hammocks, shrimp hides, etc) because bettas have gotten stuck before!
PS: happy early birthday!!
Just as a note – male bettas are the stereotypical ones you see with the big beautiful tails. Females tend to have less dramatic coloration and their tails are generally smaller and slimmer. In case you didn’t know 🫶
Look into the newer Fluval Betta 6 gallon tank!
Hi! I started my betta in a five gallon but eventually had to spend more money to get her upgraded to a 10 gallon so if you’re getting the tank too for your birthday I would get the 10 gallon. If not then get the 5 and if you upgrade, keep the 5 gallon tank incase you need to use it as a hospital tank. If you get a 10 gallon you can get a snail and they don’t cost a lot of money to order and ship to you online. They’re super cute, clean the tank of algae and that’s what they eat, but they do produce waste. Get a Zebra or Mystery snail.
Happy early birthday!
https://preview.redd.it/lz3in0kxvgbg1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56a4064fc97be3aa1593e3caab5d0bd97ab7d017
Here’s my zebra nitrite snail Stripes
I have this tank and am a first time recent owner. I like a lot about this tank but there’s a couple things that I don’t love though these don’t outweigh the good.
good: aesthetically pleasing. all in one contained filter setup that doesn’t take up room in the swim area of the tank. some heaters can also fit here so you’ll have nothing in your tank but a thermometer if you want.
it’s shallow which is also good for bettas and comes with a light that looks nice.
the less good: the filter power area is really small and kinda difficult to get your fingers in also making it almost impossible to get to anything in there easily once the tank is full. like if anything disconnects. and the flow was way too strong for my betta on both the output and intake so I had to buy sponges to baffle both. this made me realize why a sponge filter is so beneficial because it’s difficult to find the balance of surface movement and low flow for my betta.
the light is a bit intense and hangs so low I am constantly having to take it on and off for water changes so i’m already looking to change it.
here’s my tank for inspiration
https://preview.redd.it/7jkhjo9awgbg1.jpeg?width=2895&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68216b2495e7fd08d1884b68e9e169459879e7d2
Hey OP, I’m sure you’ll get some good advice but mine is that you do NOT need to spent $130 on a tank. You can find good ones for a lesser price and lids are like $10 for a 5 gallon. I don’t like how strong the currents and filters are in fluval tanks and I don’t recommend them for bettas unless you use a sponge to suppress the filters. If you like it anyways, just disregard what I say but it really doesn’t need to be that expensive to start up. I recommend sponge filters over these build in ones because they’re more adjustable and imo safer since nobody can get sucked up in one. Use the money on a good light, substrate, and plants and you can do a really nice natural tank.
I got this tank for Christmas and I’m planning to make it a walstad aquarium first (just heavily planted for a few months, maybe some snails) then will introduce a betta. The one thing it might need (other than the heater) is a lower flow sponge filter because bettas prefer a trickle.
You will need to learn the nitrogen cycle so the water parameters are safe for the fish, this takes a month.
Right now you need a 5 gallon tank minimum, set it up with a heater, filter (low flow so it won’t push ur betta around) some driftwood and substrate. Then to start the cycle you’ll need a water test kit and an ammonia source.
I’ve owned the fluval v and fluval flex 9 and 15 gallons. The fluval v lid has a big gap in the middle. The filter on the fluval v is a little strong but you can point it at the back wall. Personally I would get the fluval flex 9 or 15 gallon over the v. They’re not much more and also look really nice. There are lots of accessories sold on Etsy for the fluval tanks.
Like others have said it’s cheaper to get a standard 10 gallon or a 20 gallon long if you want tankmates in the future. You have to buy everything else separately.
I have a fluval flex 15 and a 20 gallon long now. I do love the look of the fluval flex with the curved front. The back is black and heater and small sponge filter (I just like adding one for bio filtration and oxygen) fits in the back compartment. I added sponge to the included flex filter output so the flow isn’t too strong.
Here’s a [fluval flex with stand](https://aquacave.com/fluval-flex-2-0-15-gal-aquarium-black-full-kit-w-black-stand.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17335894767&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvOjKBhC9ARIsAFvz5lhiB9cx_0G-Giyy_r_4OaWvaHvC7d1szlvhsRO4KqdxG9Sefqocr5QaAmnIEALw_wcB). Def pricier. When you add on a heater, api master test kit, fluval stratum, decorations, live plants, fertilizer, medications. It all adds up quickly
I would recommend getting a bigger tank than 5 gallons especially since you wanna get a female betta
10 gallon tanks are much easier to maintain and females usually have shorter fins and the minimum tank size for short fin bettas is 10 gallons since they’re much more active.
https://preview.redd.it/z4dh2484eibg1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ffcb70dff8f1f5611c62c4c122d98b1bf6ad150b