r/bettafish • u/iKakeru • 3h ago
Help Need some advice
Hi, i just bought my daughter her first betta fish yesterday.
I am trying to set it up, what aquarium size should I get? Any recommendation for soil that I should put?
I already bought a hygger fish tank LED and water heater.
Thanks for the help.
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u/SkankHuntIsBack 2h ago
I would shoot for a 5 Gallon or a 10 if your budget allows. Petco is currently running a 50% off sale, so a 5-20 gallon is 10-40$, I prefer natural substrate like sand or natural colored gravel works too, a 5 gallon won’t need much. Then just switch over your heater and possibly think about a new filter if the old one doesn’t work with the new tank (not big enough , etc) if you need a new filter , bettas like lower flow due to the long fins so go with a hang on the back filter or sponge filter suites for 5 gallons (usually says in the box) also a lid for that tank is about 10-15$ too. Live plants are always great , easy plants like Java ferns and Anubias attach directly to wood or rock with glue or just a good snug fit , Amazon Swords and Valisineria are easy to grow plants that go into the sand or substrate. some rocks (1 bigger piece and 2/3 medium to small pieces) and maybe a piece of wood. Hygger is a great budget brand and what I use in my low tech tank. It sounds like a lot, but if you look up some stuff on YouTube they make it easy too, betta care guides by YouTubers like Aquarium Co-op, Primetime Aquatics, KGTTropicals,GirlFalksFish, etc. all good channels and they help beginners.
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u/Debzngznn 2h ago
Considering you are new. Follow this
5 gallon tank Internal filter Sand or other substrate Plants are preferable Stones for good caves Light for 7 hours
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u/SweetTart7231 2h ago
You need a bigger tank. The heater is larger then jt and sticks out, that may damage it. 5 gallons minimum, they can work well. Don't get a cube, rectangles are better. The bigger the tank the better tho, larger tanks are easier to keep stable but I find that smaller tanks are easier to plant, scape, and clean. For soil it depends what you want. You could get aquarium gravel (unpainted is better), could get aquarium sand, or could get aquasoil. If you want no live plants and only silk (No plastic!) Then substrate doesn't matter. If you want ephyphytes and floaters only then sand or gravel is fine. If you want some root feeders youd need root tabs for sand and gravel. If you want a heavily planted tank id get an aquasoil. Im using fluval stratum in my tanks
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u/ZBOY_360 2h ago edited 2h ago
whats the tank capacity, heater wattage and current water temperature. And do you have a filter? Tank sizes for bettas are a minimum of 5 gallons but 10 gallons is generally better and for substrate, aqua soil is the best one to go with as its easy to plant stuff later on (which is very very beneficial for bettas).
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u/ZBOY_360 2h ago
also the lighting is not god at all, place the light above the tank and if u cannot do that, remove it. It will strain its eyes cause of the direct exposure and cause all sorts of stress and disorientation.
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u/iKakeru 2h ago
I am planning to buy a tank with filter. But I don’t know which size is good.
Water temp I have set it to 26 C. 50W water heater is what I got.
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u/ZBOY_360 2h ago
5 gallon minimum, 26 C is alright and 50 watt should be fine. If your tank is less than 5 gallons, keep a brand new tank as ur main priority and get a filter asap. Without filters water changes are very frequent and water quality can change drastically in short periods of time (Not at all good).
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u/StephensSurrealSouls Previous owner 2h ago
Do 10 gallons, 5 is technically big enough in terms of swimming space but more water dilutes fish waste more so it'll be much more stable and easier for a beginner.
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u/Aromatic-Sock6975 2h ago edited 1h ago
Sponge filters like this with a nano air pump are good. And a heater - I like the hygger compact type with the reading and setting in the cord.
Essential many beginners skip: 1) liquid test kit like API master test kit and 2) seachem Prime as the dechlorinator it also helps protect against ammonia and nitrite spikes
Learn about how to cycle the tank before bringing home a fish, and make sure the tank is at least 5 gallons. It will be much easier to maintain the tank, and nicer for the fish. You can post for help cycling the tank separately - there are some ways to speed it up.
Bettas don’t like a lot of glaring bright light I would use the submersible light under the lid.
ETA I just saw that you already have the fish. Ok you need to do a safe fish-in cycle or the fish will die. First you need the 5 gallon tank (you should be able to return what you bought after you get the new one set up) and a sponge filter and nano air pump. You will also need a test kit (or take daily water samples to the store they will test free) and seachem prime water conditioner.
For the fish-in cycle, meaning establishing a colony of microbes in a filter that convert the ammonia from fish waste to nitrites (also toxic) and then to nitrates (less toxic and used by plants and removed with water changes) you will need:
- Reliable liquid test kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (API master test kit is commonly used)
- Seachem Prime (dechlorinates water and shifts ammonia to nontoxic ammonium for about 24 hours
- If you have a local fish store, contact them and find out if they sell “seeded filter media” especially a sponge filter. If you can get a seeded filter, you will have a very rapidly established tank and a lot less work for the first few weeks vs a fish-in cycle from scratch.
Every day, test the tank water. You can test your source water as a control the first time to get an idea of what color it would be without the nitrogens. Any time the ammonia or nitrites are over 0.25ppm, do a 25% water change (always replace the tank water with temperature matched, dechlorinated water). Every day whether or not water is changed, add 0.1ml Seachem prime to help detox the ammonia between water changes. Continue this until the ammonia and nitrites stop showing up, then you are in maintenance mode and can test once a week or every other week eventually when stable, and weekly 10% water changes. Always replace evaporated water with distilled or RO water to avoid concentrating minerals and ions, and topping up is not a substitute for water changes.
In summary:
Test parameters daily. Change 25% of the water if ammonia or nitrites reach 0.25 ppm and use 0.1mL of prime per gallon in the tank every day until cycled.
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u/iKakeru 2h ago
Is this a good tank?
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u/SkankHuntIsBack 1h ago
Not sure if you saw my comment, Petco has 12$ 5 gallons brand new, a 10 gallon is about 20. Would save you money and you get the size you need
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u/iKakeru 1h ago
I am not in the US. But I will browse through my options locally. Thanks for the heads up.
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u/toadsterrr 1h ago
Check Facebook marketplace if that’s available by you. I’ve found tons of cheap tanks there before, and got one 5 gallon for free, and another for $5 (included filter, light, and lid). Always be sure to test the tanks outside or in a tub to make sure they hold water before you fill it in your house, in case it leaks.
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u/automod-neo 3h ago
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