divy Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 ok well im buying everything i need to setup my tanks for my bettas, here is what i have please tell me if i need anything else or if what i have isnt good 1: two tanks 2:gravel 3:plants i havnt bought but i dont want live plants ive been told silk plants are the best but are plastic ones ok? 4:food betta pellets and bloodworms 5:Water Ager Tap Water Conditioner it say it neutalises Chlorine and chloramine in the water an adds electrolytes 6:heater i havnt got yet but cause of my set up i might buy reptile heat mats (ive made a post about this problem) 7: digital thermometer 8: monlights i bought them cause they look cool lol are they ok to use thats all i bought so will all this stuff be ok to set up my tank or do i need something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 for some reason bettas like Java Moss, and Java Fern also. im using bannana lillies at the moment and my bettas are loving it. i seem to think natural or darker colour gravel works best, something opposite to the colour of your bettas and the food, (i had an orange bettas with orange gravel and it was hard to see him or his orangy coloured food lol) how big are the tanks? do you really need a digital thermometer? i just use the little glass ones worth a few buks each and they seem to be working great for me (knock on wood, mercury wouldnt be too good in a tank full of fish lol). everything else seems okay, dont forget to test the water ph levels and amonia, (you might need test kits lol, they'll come in handy). good luck with everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beano Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Plastic plants are ok, but silk are best - they look the most real and they don't tear your fishes fins. Betta's can get their fins caught on the sharp edges of plastic plants and they can tear the fins. Sounds like a nice setup! Show us some photos when your done, especially with the moonlights! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Elflett Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 If you do throw in some slow, low light live plants, such as java fern, java moss, anubias, etc, you get the benefits live plants add, they won't hurt the fish, AND they'll utilise nitrogenous wastes - ammonia, nitrites and nitrates... even Elodea and Foxtail (cheap through Ebay) will soak up wastes, keeping the water cleaner between changes, and making the fish more comfortable... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 pretty sure they don't put mercury in thermometers these days. How large are the 2 tanks? If you plan to breed them, then opt out of the gravel for the spawning tank. Hornwart is a great nitrate sponge plant that I use in every betta tank. it floats in the water column, you don't need to plant it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Elflett Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 Hornwort=Foxtail, amongst a dozen other names... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callatya Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 When you choose gravel, pick something smooth. Gravel with sharp particles can be abrasive and snag betta fins. Silk plants are best if you have no tank lighting and if this is one of your first tries with fish. There are some easy ones around, but it might be easier for the first 6 months or so just to stick with silk. If you want plastic, take a pair of fine pantyhose with you and run the pantyhose over the plastic plant. If they snag, they are no good for betta fins. The most widely accepted foods I've had are Hikari Betta Biogold, Nutrifin Max Earthworm flakes, and Hikari micro. If the shop suggests something that you aren't sure of, ask them to see the fish eating it. They can be fussy, and although you can generally wean them onto most things, it is easier to get something that they are already willing to eat. Water conditioner sounds fine. Avoid any that say 'promotes healthy slime coat' as some bettas react badly to them. Digital thermometers are only about $10 now I believe, and you could use it easily in all your tanks, so if that is what you are after, great. I prefer the stick-on ones as I can see at a glance that things are wrong and I don't have to move equipment between tanks if anyone is sick. And there is nothing wrong with moonlights, but do make sure there is at least 8 hours of proper darkness as a lot of important body functions are regulated by light and dark :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 i don't think i can add to that, it all seems to have been covered :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Good luck with setting up the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.