New Black Orchid Betta!

I saw a beautiful black orchid betta at the store! He has long fins tipped with white and a green sheen to his black scales. He also kind of looks like a double tail, but his tail is folded instead of split. He is a very large betta compared to the others, maybe 2 inches long, and his body is pretty thick. I'd like to take him home, especially since he's been there for months and looks so bored. I currently have a goldfish, so I have most of the supplies I need already. I'd just like to know if I need anything else, if I need different equipment, and some tips on keeping bettas.

• Aqueon 10 gal tank with mesh lid
• Tetra Whisper 10I filter (I plan to hot rod it with an Aquaclear 50 sponge, filter floss, and my goldfish's entire Biomax bag)
• Fluval E 100 heater
• Hanging glass thermometer
• Sand substrate
• Various silk plants
• Coffee mug hide
• Leaf hammock
• Floating mirror (for playtime)
• New Life Spectrum betta pellets
• Some frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp (what brands are good?)
• Frozen peas
• A power strip (will any strip do for aquariums?)
• 10 gal gravel vac
• 2.5 gal bucket

I use Prime for water conditioning and Tetra Easy Strips to test water quality if that's important. The tap water is 7.4 pH. The Biomax that will be in the filter is 3 years old and will be in the betta's filter permanently.
When I bring him home, should I do anything special other than acclimating him to the tank? I was planning on not feeding him that day. The betta will have the whole 10 gallon to himself.
I plan on putting him under quarantine for 4 weeks, and I will use a gravel vac and bucket separate from my goldfish's stuff. Should I treat him with anything, like methylene blue or salt? Can I put a regular Wonder Shell in his tank?
The tank is on the lower shelf of my goldfish's aquarium stand, maybe 4-5 inches above the floor. How would I change water at that height? I siphon with a gravel vac into a bucket. I don't have a Python.

I'd like some direction about my care routine to make sure his needs are properly met:

• Feed 2-3 pellets in the morning, 1 bloodworm or a little brine shrimp at night (is this too much?). I'll fast him 1 day a week and then feed him a bit of pea the next day.
• Keep tank at 80F.
• Clean tank once a month or as often as needed to keep nitrates at 5-10ppm.
• Let him flare at the mirror a few times a week.
• Anything else?

Sorry for the novel!

 

Still reading but you won't need the pea.

Peas are no good for bettas.

Edit- So you will be doing a fish in cycle?

 

I suppose it’s a fish in cycle. I was planning on filling the tank mostly with water from my goldfish’s tank (nitrates 5ppm) in addition to the Biomax. Maybe some poo too, if that’s not crazy. My goldfish is super clean. I figured since the betta will be solo in the 10 gal and I have EVEN MORE biomedia from my goldfish if I need it, it’ll be okay. I wanted to get him before the holidays in case someone finally buys him.

 

I would use new water, used water has nothing good in it, no BB in it.

If you wanted to go fish in cycle you need to keep tip top pristine water quality while the tank cycles. Or take some media from the goldfish tank and the tank should cycle in a couple days time.

 

I would use new water, used water has nothing good in it, no BB in it.

If you wanted to go fish in cycle you need to keep tip top pristine water quality while the tank cycles. Or take some media from the goldfish tank and the tank should cycle in a couple days time.

OP said they are going to use the goldfish’s biomax bag

OP, your Plan sounds good! And I agree about not giving the betta pea. I personally also don’t fast my betta either. 2-3 pellets is plenty and the rest of your feeding plan sounds good. Be careful getting bettas, they’re pretty addictive and you’ll soon want a million more

 

Ive been keeping Bettas a long time (like 30 years). Never needed frozen peas. I know people recommend this for "swI'm bladder" but that's a term that's WAY overused and you won't have bloating problems if he has enough room to swim and you don't overfeed him.

If you have various plants you don't need a hammock (Ive NEVER had one in ANY of my tanks), you don't really need a coffee cup hide if he's alone (Bettas are very social), Ive never used a mirror to get mine to flare.

If you're putting him in the 10 gallon alone you don't need to "quarantine" him as that is quarantining him. If you're putting him in a 10 gallon with a goldfish, get rid of the goldfish. A 10 isn't appropriate for a goldfish and theyll be at each other more than likely.

If you're putting the tank near the floor, water changes will be difficult. You CAN siphon water out, but the bucket will have to be lower than the tank.

As far as feeding goes, I feed mine Bug Bites almost exclusively now. Bloodworms are a nice treat every once in a while. A few pellets a day is MORE than enough for. In the summer I get mosquito larvae out of my outdoor tubs and my Bettas LOVE hunting them.

"Cleaning the tank" is a relative term. Youll need to do water changes as necessary to lower nitrates. A single Betta NOT being overfed won't produce much. A clipping of Pothos stuck in the corner is nice. It'll help suck up some nitrates and the roots look nice and the Betta will like to investigate them.

Bettas are awesome fish. Good luck!

 

That’s what I’m doing. I wanted the old water to feed the bacteria, not to start a culture. Bettas have a very light bioload compared to an 8 inch ryukin. I’m putting an entire 3 year seasoned Aquaclear 50 Biomax bag in the betta’s filter, where it will be permanently. I have even more seasoned biomedia if I need it.
I’ve done fish-in cycles plenty of times, usually because of an emergency.

No, the betta will NOT be with the goldfish. He’d probably eat him My goldfish is in a 29 gallon by himself, and I’d say it’s still not big enough.

Hahaha! Now I’m imagining SushI jammed into a 10 gallon with the poor betta smushed up against the glass!

I

OP said they are going to use the goldfish’s biomax bag

OP, your Plan sounds good! And I agree about not giving the betta pea. I personally also don’t fast my betta either. 2-3 pellets is plenty and the rest of your feeding plan sounds good. Be careful getting bettas, they’re pretty addictive and you’ll soon want a million more

I do have a crazy fantasy of dividing the tank with a black female crowntail and breeding them to get black orchid crowntail babies!
So, I won’t give the betta peas. I just heard it was good for constipation, and I’m very liberal with the peas for my goldfish. I’m just too used to goldfish, I guess.

 

No picture?

 

No picture?

Yes let’s see the pretty boy!

 

I sadly don’t have a photo, because I am extremely dumb and haven’t thought to take one. I work at said pet store and ogle him every day all day anyway. I take care of him too. He’s been there so long because he’s $20 and most people that come in don’t take fish seriously. I’ll be back tomorrow with a pic though! He’s gorgeous!

 

I got a new betta! He's a black orchid.


I think bettas look hilarious when they swim, like a wedding bride shimmying in her frilly wedding dress.

He just needs a name. I was thinking about wizard names. Or dragons.
Names so far:
Faust
Farengar
Durnehviir
Lung
Wisp

 

Definitely Faust.

 

Definitely Faust.

I was leaning towards Faust too, but I've been trying to contrive a reason to name a pet after SkyrI'm characters since it's my favorite game.