Saw A Baby Female Betta That I Fell In Love With, But

Picking up frozen bloodworms from the pet store today led to coming across this baby female that I instantly wanted. I have some questions, though, because I plan to start a community tank that I feel she'd be a good addition to but I'm not sure if I want to do that with how small she is right now.

So I'm getting a 10gal tomorrow, and the plan is to get her as well. The questions - should I wait to add more fish because of her size? What are some good tank mates for adolescent female bettas? And what breeds of catfish are a good match, if any?

UPDATE: I've decided to do a 20gal instead and perhaps hold off on the female betta and hope she's still there when we're ready for her. Still looking for good tank mates and tips on setting this size of tank up. I've got most of it down, but are there any particular heaters or substrates you guys would recommend?

 

Picking up frozen bloodworms from the pet store today led to coming across this baby female that I instantly wanted. I have some questions, though, because I plan to start a community tank that I feel she'd be a good addition to but I'm not sure if I want to do that with how small she is right now.

So I'm getting a 10gal tomorrow, and the plan is to get her as well. The questions - should I wait to add more fish because of her size? What are some good tank mates for adolescent female bettas? And what breeds of catfish are a good match, if any?

I have a baby koi female betta and she is in a 1 gallon grow out tank. I had a baby male betta in my 5 gallon but passed away from being stressed in such a big tank. Plus you never know how aggressive she could be. And for community tanks with betta I suggest 20gallons! You have to wait anyway for the new tank your buying to cycle!

 

In addition! This is my first 10gal - I'm fairly new to fishkeeping but I'm stocked up on all sorts of useless fun facts lol and have been doing tons and tons of research for over a year now. But I'm still nervous about putting this knowledge to use, so if anyone has tips on how to get a 10gal started those are appreciated as well!

I have a baby koi female betta and she is in a 1 gallon grow out tank. I had a baby male betta in my 5 gallon but passed away from being stressed in such a big tank. Plus you never know how aggressive she could be. And for community tanks with betta I suggest 20gallons! You have to wait anyway for the new tank your buying to cycle!

Thanks for the info! I totally forgot grow-out tanks were a thing lol. I'll probably pick her up a 2.5gal or something while she's growing and this should give the 10gal time to cycle as well.

 

In addition! This is my first 10gal - I'm fairly new to fishkeeping but I'm stocked up on all sorts of useless fun facts lol and have been doing tons and tons of research for over a year now. But I'm still nervous about putting this knowledge to use, so if anyone has tips on how to get a 10gal started those are appreciated as well!

Well what are you playing to put in there? And what filter? Bettas don't like anything with flashy moveing fast bright colors. Plus a ten gallon is fairly small for this. So maybe shrimp and snail...

Thanks for the info! I totally forgot grow-out tanks were a thing lol. I'll probably pick her up a 2.5gal or something while she's growing and this should give the 10gal time to cycle as well.

That sounds better and welcome to fishlore! Some weekly water changes and she will grow! Its super fun. Id love to see a picture of this cute female when you get her!

 

Well what are you playing to put in there? And what filter? Bettas don't like anything with flashy moveing fast bright colors. Plus a ten gallon is fairly small for this. So maybe shrimp and snail...

I haven't made any solid plans on what I want in there, but I know for sure that it's not going to be something over-the-top. Just looking for tank mates that make small adults and good company. Not looking for like, schooling fish or bamboo sharks or anything like that lol.

I'm aware bettas don't like flashy colors and powerful filters. I have a betta that I've cared for for over six months now and have plenty of knowledge when it comes to betta keeping. Not so much community tanks, so that's why I'm asking.

 

Why would you put it in a smaller uncycled tank till the larger tank cycles? Seems counterproductive. I put the babies right in the big tank with everybody else. So far no issues.

 

That sounds better and welcome to fishlore! Some weekly water changes and she will grow! Its super fun. Id love to see a picture of this cute female when you get her!

Thank you! I bought my male as an adult and didn't expect to see any growth or major changes, but lo and behold he's grown about half an inch and his fins have absolutely bloomed since I got him haha. It's very rewarding!

Why would you put it in a smaller uncycled tank till the larger tank cycles? Seems counterproductive. I put the babies right in the big tank with everybody else. So far no issues.

Because this 10gal is a new tank, not an established cycled one. There's no "everybody else" to put her with lol

 

Why would you put it in a smaller uncycled tank till the larger tank cycles? Seems counterproductive. I put the babies right in the big tank with everybody else. So far no issues.

how werid! I had mine in a small bowl and then once I put him into a 5 gallon he went down hill and died....

 

neither tank would be cycled so the larger tank would be easier to keep water quality safe.

 

Because this 10gal is a new tank, not an established cycled one. There's no "everybody else" to put her with lol

But the 2.5 gallon isn't cycled either or established. If you don't have a cycled tank put her in the bigger one and with some plants she can hide in. Also make sure she has a good heater, bettas need to be warm. (75 - 80 F).

Rasboras are good tank mates for them since they don't tend to nip and have similar water needs, in a 10 G you can have 6 micro or phoenix rasbs but can't go in until it's firmly cycled as they're delicate.

 

neither tank would be cycled so the larger tank would be easier to keep water quality safe.

So you suggest using the 10gal as her permanent tank, and add other fish once she's grown? Or do you think it's okay to add fish larger than her while she's at this size? I do plan to have plenty of hide-outs if that makes a difference. I understand adding babies to your tank worked out for you but I'm a little worried because these are new fish that I don't know the personalities of yet. Plus, most breeds aren't like bettas and absolutely need a cycled tank to thrive.

 

I agree - you are looking at an uncycled 10 gallon and an uncycled 2.5 gallon - just skip the 2.5 and put her in the 10. If she's going to be in an uncycled tank either way, at least give her the larger water quantity so that it takes longer for the water quality to get bad. There's no point in quarantining her in an uncycled tank while you wait for a different tank to cycle.

Better yet - don't buy the fish yet. Get the tank running and let it cycle before getting any fish.

 

But the 2.5 gallon isn't cycled either or established. If you don't have a cycled tank put her in the bigger one and with some plants she can hide in. Also make sure she has a good heater, bettas need to be warm. (75 - 80 F).

Rasboras are good tank mates for them since they don't tend to nip and have similar water needs, in a 10 G you can have 6 micro or phoenix rasbs but can't go in until it's firmly cycled as they're delicate.

Okay, thanks for the advice. I already have the heater and a soft-flow filter, no concerns there. I'll look into the rasboras, thank you!

 

Because this 10gal is a new tank, not an established cycled one. There's no "everybody else" to put her with lol

If I had to choose between putting her in an uncycled small tank or an uncycled bigger tank I would choose the bigger tank every time. JMHO

 

Yes just use the 10 gallon tank. Either cycle it fish in or fishless, your choice. Depending on what other fish you want to add that will determine how long you should wait to add them. What I was trying to say is I have not found a need to grow them out in a separate tank. They do just fine with fish bigger then them.

 

If you already have an established tank, you can steal some filter media and some water from that tank when setting up the new tank and it should cycle really fast.

OR

If you can run the filter for your new tank as a secondary filter on an existing tank for a week or 2, it will get a buildup of beneficial bacteria on it, and then you can move it to the new tank and the new tank is instantly cycled and ready for fish.

 

Yes just use the 10 gallon tank. Either cycle it fish in or fishless, your choice. Depending on what other fish you want to add that will determine how long you should wait to add them. What I was trying to say is I have not found a need to grow them out in a separate tank. They do just fine with fish bigger then them.

Alright, thank you! So I guess the game plan is to get the 10gal and let her grow out in it and give it adequate time to cycle before adding more.

In response to "wait to buy her until it cycles" - she's going to be sitting in an uncycled cup on a shelf whether I buy her or not. I don't plan to add her to the tank the moment I get it filled, either.

Thank you all for the advice!

If you already have an established tank, you can steal some filter media and some water from that tank when setting up the new tank and it should cycle really fast.

OR

If you can run the filter for your new tank as a secondary filter on an existing tank for a week or 2, it will get a buildup of beneficial bacteria on it, and then you can move it to the new tank and the new tank is instantly cycled and ready for fish.

This is a super good idea I haven't heard of yet so I'll definitely take note. I have an established 7gal that I can do this with. Thanks!

 

This is a super good idea I haven't heard of yet so I'll definitely take note. I have an established 7gal that I can do this with. Thanks!

That is the beauty of having a cycled tank. You only have to go through the cycling process one time. From then on you can just take some of the media from the cycled tank to cycle a new one. I always run extra media in my established tank for times like this.

 

That is the beauty of having a cycled tank. You only have to go through the cycling process one time. From then on you can just take some of the media from the cycled tank to cycle a new one. I always run extra media in my established tank for times like this.

Same. My main tank is a 30 gallon with a HOB (hang on back) filter, and instead of an air stone I just run a sponge filter as a secondary filter. Whenever I need to quickly set up a new tank, I steal the sponge filter from the main tank and replace it.

 

Here’s the thing, if your relatively new to the hobby I wouldn’t suggest doing a betta community. A thousand and one things can go wrong at any given moment, particularly when dealing with a young betta. One of the things that goes wrong pretty often with people is that they’ll buy a betta, it’ll be fine with fish for a few months, but then it all goes wrong. This is typically from the betta growing and having hormonal changes, which a “baby” betta is certainly going to have. Granted sometimes if they are raised together it will not go wrong, but there’s still a pretty good chance it will.
Also, if this is your first time trying a betta community, then I wouldn’t go for a 10g. It’s a very controversial issue to begin with, but most don’t reccomend a 10 gallon for a betta community because if something goes wrong, there’s really no where for any of the fish to go. Even with heavy planting a 10 gallon reallt doesn't provide the space necessary to get away. That’s why a 20 long is typically the recommended minimum. That way there’s more room to get away and for you to be able to spot the issue prior to any real damage getting done. Now, there are some who do 10 gallon communities and although I don’t necessarilt support the notion for the reasons above, I wouldn’t suggest trying it until you’ve done it in a bigger tank. That way you have a little more experience and can hopefully pick up on things quicker.
It’ll also be pretty easy to overstock with a betta and other fish in a 10g. You’d have to be pretty slI'm on the other fish’s numbers
Now for your questions-
1. I’d add them all at once, that way the betta is less likely to feel as though her territory is being invaded. If this is not an option, I’d wait until you have a lot of plants/decor and put those in when you put the other fish in.

2.In a 10 gallon it’ll be rather difficult to find suitable tank mates since most used in communities need a 20 long minimum. I have heard of some using celestial pearls, but that always concerns me as their size is so small.

3. Yes, but not in a 10. Aenus cories would work in a 20 long or up.

Have you considered buying some bottled bacteria? That way the cycle will be significantly easier? Seachem stability and TSS are commonly used here with good results.

 

Here’s the thing, if your relatively new to the hobby I wouldn’t suggest doing a betta community. A thousand and one things can go wrong at any given moment, particularly when dealing with a young betta. One of the things that goes wrong pretty often with people is that they’ll buy a betta, it’ll be fine with fish for a few months, but then it all goes wrong. This is typically from the betta growing and having hormonal changes, which a “baby” betta is certainly going to have. Granted sometimes if they are raised together it will not go wrong, but there’s still a pretty good chance it will.
Also, if this is your first time trying a betta community, then I wouldn’t go for a 10g. It’s a very controversial issue to begin with, but most don’t reccomend a 10 gallon for a betta community because if something goes wrong, there’s really no where for any of the fish to go. Even with heavy planting a 10 gallon reallt doesn't provide the space necessary to get away. That’s why a 20 long is typically the recommended minimum. That way there’s more room to get away and for you to be able to spot the issue prior to any real damage getting done. Now, there are some who do 10 gallon communities and although I don’t necessarilt support the notion for the reasons above, I wouldn’t suggest trying it until you’ve done it in a bigger tank. That way you have a little more experience and can hopefully pick up on things quicker.
It’ll also be pretty easy to overstock with a betta and other fish in a 10g. You’d have to be pretty slI'm on the other fish’s numbers
Now for your questions-
1. I’d add them all at once, that way the betta is less likely to feel as though her territory is being invaded. If this is not an option, I’d wait until you have a lot of plants/decor and put those in when you put the other fish in.

2.In a 10 gallon it’ll be rather difficult to find suitable tank mates since most used in communities need a 20 long minimum. I have heard of some using celestial pearls, but that always concerns me as their size is so small.

3. Yes, but not in a 10. Aenus cories would work in a 20 long or up.

Have you considered buying some bottled bacteria? That way the cycle will be significantly easier? Seachem stability and TSS are commonly used here with good results.

I'd just talked this over with my partner and decided to go with a 20 gallon, so I'm glad you brought these things up. I'm gonna update the original post with that info. I should have clarified that by community tank I was thinking more along the lines of some algae eaters and snails, not necessarily species of fish that would bump into each other in the tank.

I'd heard of bottled bacteria but wasn't sure on which brand to shoot for, so thanks for the recommendations!

ALSO, another update: My partner and I are most likely going to hold off on the female betta and hope she's still there when we're ready for her. This way we're not rushing the tank setup, because this was my primary concern.

 

That’ll make it significantly easier! More room for any slip-ups or troubles that may occur even if you don’t have other fish. You can definitely go for shrimp or snails(should have mentioned this, but those are ok to try with bettas even in smaller tanks. By communities I refer to fish, in case this caused any confusion or anything).

For a heater I highly reccomend an aqueon pro. I have around 3-5 of these guys and they all work great. I particularly like the ceramic version and that is the one I have most of. They’re adjustable which is a necessary with bettas since they need the higher temps and tend to work very well.

For substrates I’d suggest black diomond blasting sand, works great and is cheap. Have this in all my tanks. It’ll work for bottom dwellers, which is a good option if your trying to get a betta community. I find it is easier to wash than other sand which is a bonus as well.

Now, if you do decide to go for fish, then the safest option would likely be a corie. They are less likely to be in the way and from my understand people find that bettas tend to be less aggressive to them because they are typically out of the way. The bronze/albino Cory is what most people have.

For shrimp or snails there’s so many you can chose from. Ammanos and ghosts are bigger, so they are less likely to be eaten(still easily could happen though). I’m always apprehensive when it comes to ghosts as even if they aren’t whiskers, I’ve heard of them still going after bettas. I found them to be mean to other shrimp as well, so I personally stay away from them. Granted many people have 0 issues with them and love them. Neos are a good option as well, just make sure you have plenty of hiding spots as they can very easily become a snack, even more so than ammanos.

For snails, I don’t know to many, but you can always try mysteries, rabbits, or nerites. All of those are beautiful and relatively easy to care for. There’s a whole lot more options with those than what I’ve suggested, as I know very little on snails in particular.

You can also try some adf’s. Quite a few people keep them with bettas and have had no issues, and if you get a 20 long they’d work very well in it so long as the betta accepts them. Granted you couldn’t have shrimp with them.

Do make sure the 20 gallon you get is a 20 long, a 20 long allows for so much more than a 20 high. As a high is really just a taller 10 gallon and if you do want fish with the betta a 20 long really is best.

And yes, a majority of the time it would be better to hope the fish stays or unfortunately miss it then to rush into things. Rushing things is practically bound to have some things go wrong, heck even not rushing things something typically goes wrong. So I think it’s a wise decision to take some time rather than having things go wrong.

I wish you the best with your new tank(and hopefully new betta girl) and if you have any more questions feel free to ask! We have a lot of knowledgeable people here who are more than happy to give you some advice/help.

 

Ghost shrimp work good with betta I had one who while a good boy as a baby grew into a monster who had to be removed from my 20 gallon only one I've ever had a problem with in a community tank he ended up in a 10 gallon I tried snail's he rammed them off the glass so I removed them a friend gave me 6 Ghost shrimp for my 20 on an impulse I added 2 to the Devil fish's tank (yes that was his name) one lasted all of 10 minutes the other 11 months. After 4 months of watching Wile E Betta vs The Ghost Shrimp he simply gave up trying to kill her.

 

In a community betta tank typically you add the betta LAST. As a rule you want to put in the most peaceful species first and then add progressively from there.

Bettas being super territorial they will chase any inhabitants you add while they're in there and that stresses out everyone and risks killing someone.

You can still fish in cycle the tank with the Betta in the 10 G, but when it's time to add new inhabitants you will want to pull her out, put in the new inhabitants and then re add the betta.

The better options as a new fish keeper though would be to have JUST the betta in the tank and try your hand at plants, maybe add a snail once things are settled. While 10 G is a tricky first time community tanksize (and I say this as someone who LOVES nano tanks), it's a GREAT place to start for planting tanks since do have a lot of options for lighting and your light is close to your plants and you have enough ground space to play with some fun different things.

And Bettas LOVE planted tanks.

 

I have a baby koi female betta and

how werid! I had mine in a small bowl and then once I put him into a 5 gallon he went down hill and died....

Interesting, I think it depends on the fish. I have purchased 3 baby bettas and my experience is this, 2 of them one male and one female are spunky, unafraid, and grew like mad right from the start. However, my third baby is smaller and a “runt” if you will. I tried moving him from a 2 gallon to a 5.5. While in the 5.5 (cycled) he would clamp his fins, not eat much, and wouldn’t swim to the top much... as a matter of fact he began to lay on the bottom of the tank, he seemed tired. I gave him about a week and a half almost two weeks... but he started looking skinnier and I got worried so I put him back in the two gallon for now. He is eating, growing some, and swims to the top often. No more clamped fins. Seems more at home. I’m gonna let him grow more than try a 3.5 gallon as I now have a larger betta in the 5.5

 

I guess I just haven't ran across it yet. In 2 and a half years I have grown out 3 males and 23 females in the big tank. I have been adding and subtracting the whole time. Zero health problems, zero aggression issues so honestly I'm not sure what to believe anymore.

 

I guess I just haven't ran across it yet. In 2 and a half years I have grown out 3 males and 23 females in the big tank. I have been adding and subtracting the whole time. Zero health problems, zero aggression issues so honestly I'm not sure what to believe anymore.

Even my rescue betta who lived in a divided 1 gallon with two other males did the same. He was so happy in his 2 gallon so I upgraded him to a 5gallon. He stopped eating and moveing for 3weeks. I moved him back and he is happy again.

 

That is SO strange to me. I've never ever ever ever run across a betta in keeping them on and off for 18 years now, that didn't do BETTER in a bigger tank. Every time I've moved one up to a larger tank they've gotten even more stunning and colorful.

THAT SAID - all of my tanks are moderately to heavily planted and specifically designed with the intent for bettas (80F, no fin nipping tank mates, etc)

 

That is SO strange to me. I've never ever ever ever run across a betta in keeping them on and off for 18 years now, that didn't do BETTER in a bigger tank. Every time I've moved one up to a larger tank they've gotten even more stunning and colorful.

THAT SAID - all of my tanks are moderately to heavily planted and specifically designed with the intent for bettas (80F, no fin nipping tank mates, etc)

I think he was traumatized by living in 0.34 gallons for his life. He likes hideing in his floating plants now. Heres a photo of him in his smaller tank.

 

KuhlI loaches are another good option for a bottom dweller, in a 20 long you can get away with quite a few of them, I have eight of them living with my baby betta right now, striped and black. They make little sleeping piles of noodles most of the time and sometimes run around the tank like they just had a shot of caffeine, they do come out more often with more in their group and feeding time is neat to watch.

 

KuhlI loaches are another good option for a bottom dweller, in a 20 long you can get away with quite a few of them, I have eight of them living with my baby betta right now, striped and black. They make little sleeping piles of noodles most of the time and sometimes run around the tank like they just had a shot of caffeine, they do come out more often with more in their group and feeding time is neat to watch.

Agree ive heard lately they are fairly good with bettas. And lol I had to laugh at "Sleeping piles of noodles!"

 

KuhlI loaches are another good option for a bottom dweller, in a 20 long you can get away with quite a few of them, I have eight of them living with my baby betta right now, striped and black. They make little sleeping piles of noodles most of the time and sometimes run around the tank like they just had a shot of caffeine, they do come out more often with more in their group and feeding time is neat to watch.

I can confirm KuhlI loaches are a fantastic tank mate for bettas. I have 6 of them in my betta sorority with 8 female bettas. Before it was a sorority, I had a male betta in there with them. The only issue is sometimes the bettas will steal food out of the kuhlI loaches mouths. But if you feed floating food and sinking food at the same time, the bettas will be distracted by eating the floating food while the kuhlis eat the sinking food.

I did see someone suggest an African Dwarf Frog as a tank mate earlier. That is a good suggestion for a betta tank mate, but I feel like I should note they are not a good tank mate for kuhlI loaches. Frogs have been reported to mistake kuhlI loaches for worms and eat them.

 

I think he was traumatized by living in 0.34 gallons for his life. He likes hideing in his floating plants now. Heres a photo of him in his smaller tank. View attachment 445319

He does a god job of hiding because I can't see him. It's like a "Where's Waldo" picture to me

 

He does a god job of hiding because I can't see him. It's like a "Where's Waldo" picture to me

I agree he was hideing in the back though.

 

Alright, so uhh, NEW PLANS. Again lol.

We got the 10 gallon tank, and this tank is going to be solely for the female betta! We also adopted her today, so here's a picture and please please excuse the filthy pet store cup water.


We got the tank all set up, with substrate, bottled bacteria, dechlorinator, a low-flow filter (which I took some of the media from my established tank, as advised), plenty of plants and hiding spots, and a heater. Also picked up some brine shrimp and flakes that I'm going to crush up if it proves too big for her to eat, though I'm estimating her age to be seven to eight weeks, so I think we're okay there. I'm letting the tank be a tank for the remainder of the day and plan to acclimate and add her to it tomorrow. We also did a small water change in the cup because, as you can see, it was looking pretty gnarly, and gave her some food.

We named her Moana. Moana is going to have a 10 gallon tank as her permanent home that she'll never have to share, unless you guys got some unobtrusive tiny tank mates to help with clean up.

Still planning to do the 20gal, though, so those tips aren't going to waste. Going to hold off on it until I can get some more hands-on experience under my belt.

If you guys notice anything sickly or anything I should pay extra careful attention to please point it out. I know adolescent bettas in pet stores are very rare and likely the product of a breeder's cull, so I'm a little leery. Not that that makes me want her any less.

Thanks again! If you have any more tips on things I should do before the big move, or tips for keeping her happy and healthy, those are always appreciated.

 

Those red gills are a little scary. Keep an eye on that. It could just be ammonia burn from the cup water, which will go away with lots of clean water, but beware, I have bought many bettas in cups that ended up coming with gill flukes.

 

She’s very beautiful! Although, it sounds like you might be starting to get MTS(multiple tank syndrome)... which is very scary . Lol

As haveadog said, the gills are a little red which is concerning. Granted, this could also be partly because she’s opaqueish, but it’s still a bit redder than most opaques I’ve seen. Do you have a liquid test kit? I’d suggest testing the water of the cup and seeing how bad it is. If it’s really bad I’d consider going ahead and moving her to the tank(if the water isn’t heated all the way to 78-82 yet then keep it where it is when you start acclimating her. Then move it up a few degrees after a few hours). If it’s not to concerning I’d still do a small waterchange in the cup, about half the water, and add a little extra dechlorinator.

Soemthing I don’t think was mentioned yet is that if you want her to grow quickly, then do more often water changes(after the B.B. has worked and finished) and feeding meaty foods like those brine shrimp you got. This will help her grow up a little quicker.

Tankmates, you can always try some shrimp or snails as mentioned prior. Snails typically aren’t bother to much by bettas and they don’t bother the bettas, so one might be a fun addition to the tank once it’s cycled.

 

She’s very beautiful! Although, it sounds like you might be starting to get MTS(multiple tank syndrome)... which is very scary . Lol

As haveadog said, the gills are a little red which is concerning. Granted, this could also be partly because she’s opaqueish, but it’s still a bit redder than most opaques I’ve seen. Do you have a liquid test kit? I’d suggest testing the water of the cup and seeing how bad it is. If it’s really bad I’d consider going ahead and moving her to the tank(if the water isn’t heated all the way to 78-82 yet then keep it where it is when you start acclimating her. Then move it up a few degrees after a few hours). If it’s not to concerning I’d still do a small waterchange in the cup, about half the water, and add a little extra dechlorinator.

Soemthing I don’t think was mentioned yet is that if you want her to grow quickly, then do more often water changes(after the B.B. has worked and finished) and feeding meaty foods like those brine shrimp you got. This will help her grow up a little quicker.

Tankmates, you can always try some shrimp or snails as mentioned prior. Snails typically aren’t bother to much by bettas and they don’t bother the bettas, so one might be a fun addition to the tank once it’s cycled.

Thanks!! Hahaha I knew the moment I was given the freedom to have as many pets as I want with nobody to tell me I can't that this would happen lol.

I have some test kits, so I'll see what I can gather from the cup. I've done about a 30% water change already in the cup and planned to do another one later tonight. The tank temp is at 79 degrees, so I can add her if necessary, I was just gonna let it cycle a bit but it's been on since about 9am this morning so I think it should be fine with the bottled bacteria and filter media.

Thanks for the advice x

 

Alright, so uhh, NEW PLANS. Again lol.

We got the 10 gallon tank, and this tank is going to be solely for the female betta! We also adopted her today, so here's a picture and please please excuse the filthy pet store cup water.


We got the tank all set up, with substrate, bottled bacteria, dechlorinator, a low-flow filter (which I took some of the media from my established tank, as advised), plenty of plants and hiding spots, and a heater. Also picked up some brine shrimp and flakes that I'm going to crush up if it proves too big for her to eat, though I'm estimating her age to be seven to eight weeks, so I think we're okay there. I'm letting the tank be a tank for the remainder of the day and plan to acclimate and add her to it tomorrow. We also did a small water change in the cup because, as you can see, it was looking pretty gnarly, and gave her some food.

We named her Moana. Moana is going to have a 10 gallon tank as her permanent home that she'll never have to share, unless you guys got some unobtrusive tiny tank mates to help with clean up.

Still planning to do the 20gal, though, so those tips aren't going to waste. Going to hold off on it until I can get some more hands-on experience under my belt.

If you guys notice anything sickly or anything I should pay extra careful attention to please point it out. I know adolescent bettas in pet stores are very rare and likely the product of a breeder's cull, so I'm a little leery. Not that that makes me want her any less.

Thanks again! If you have any more tips on things I should do before the big move, or tips for keeping her happy and healthy, those are always appreciated.

Nothing for us to yell at you for the dirty cup, That's the dumb petstores fault! Ugh why can't they keep such easy fish cups clean?!

 

I guess I just haven't ran across it yet. In 2 and a half years I have grown out 3 males and 23 females in the big tank. I have been adding and subtracting the whole time. Zero health problems, zero aggression issues so honestly I'm not sure what to believe anymore.

Are you talking about fry or babies that you have bred or gotten from a store? I have a certain hunch that Petco ends up with some babies that are struggling or the weaker side. If you look at how many they bring in and at what price they retail for, and the number they let die in cups it can be inferred that they are getting them dirt cheap. Who knows about what genetics they have either.... I'm sure it's stressful when they are shipped that small and then they receive poor care in the store. My guy I'm referring to just looks I hate to say it but kinda weird in comparison to other bettas, I think there might be something wrong with him genetically or maybe he's just stunted. I have a female I got shortly before him and shes bigger than him. I have a male I got back in February and he is just huge. I went out and purchased more plants and decor for the 3.5 to see if that helps the situation when I move him.