hkirchen

Hello all!

My son is turning 7 this March, and he has asked for his very own blue betta that he will name Oscar! (I know, too cute for words!)

This turns out great, because this gives me an excuse to get a betta(which I've secretly wanted) and another tank(which will be great too).

Here is what we have come up with so far:

1 dark blue betta fish
standard 10 gallon glass tank
hood with light
heater
penguin 100 filter(this way I can swap out filter media to get the cycle going)
smooth rock gravel(he picked the one that looks like natural river rock)
decorations of some kind(not sure yet on this)

Does this sound like a good start? Should we add anything else like a bubble wand?

Thanks,
Heather

Shawnie

sounds great heather!! some bettas love the bubbles and some dont so that will be a choice you will find out after you get him...sometimes some sponge over the filter intake is needed so they dont get clipped while sleeping...my guys love tunnels ...i got some of those habitrail tunnels that gerbals go through and they have a blast...make sure you get us pics!!

hkirchen

Thank you Shawnie! It should be fun setting it up, and I am so glad that my son shares my passion. He almost cries whenever we walk by the betta endcap of death in the petsmart!

How would you put sponge over the filter? And would you leave it there all of the time, or just at night? Would you change it when you change the filter cartridge?

Sorry for all of the questions, but I am still a newbie here!

Heather

dr.fluffanutter

Cut a hole in the middle of a cube of filter sponge and just stick it on the intake - the little tubey thing that hangs in the water and sucks it up for filtration.
As for when to keep it on, it's pretty much up to your betta. If he looks annoyed with the current and is being buffeted around, I'd leave it on there.

sirdarksol

Another thing that helps with the current is to have some sort of baffle between the end of the tank that has the filter and the other end. I've got a piece of driftwood and a patch of water wysteria that gives Ranmaru a place to rest and a place to play in the current.

Lucy

Whew, I was relieved when i read your set up. I was kind of bracing for a post about one of those novelty tanks.
Oscar is going to be one lucky guy/gal.

Good luck and Happy Birthday to your son.
Oh, Here's some info to read about the care of Betta's:
Welcome and Betta Care Guide - Please Read First!!!

Red1313

I think that you're pretty much covered Just a couple of tips no-ones mentioned yet.
Nets tend to rip betta fins so after you get him into the tank (just that first time) I find that a clear glass jar is great for moving them around.
Also a couple of rules for decorations are 1) the rule of thumb. 2) the pantyhose test. (if it will catch panty hose it'll catch fins)
That's all I can think of off the top of my head.
Good Luck! Some little blue guy is going to be really lucky!
...
Oh almost forgot!
Budget for two tanks bettas like to bring friends home with them. I don't know how it happens but it's magical. ;p

hkirchen

Thanks! I try to catch all of my fish with a clear container, because the net freaks my out! I know it is probably fine, but it looks so uncomfortable!

Yeah, my daugter is turning five in June, and she is already saying..."What about my fish!"
HE HE HE

I love it!

Red1313

I'll net just about anything but my betta's their fins always look like they lost a fight once I get them out. I only net them when I first move them from their nasty old cups into their new homes. Try and limit as much transfer of cup to tank water as I can.

Shawnie

I actually replace their cup water with my clean tank water before I acclimate them.by the time I can put them in the tank from their cup, its all my tank water in the cup

Matt

One little Blue betta boy is going to be extremely happy

And as Red said. I would budget for two tanks because sooner or later you will be saying "I want another betta"

-Matt