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gasp_goldie
Freshwater fish, plants & invertsgasp_goldieTank: 5g betta (planning)

First betta — 5 gallon enough or am I setting myself up?

My girlfriend wants a betta for the kitchen counter. Pet store guy said a 5 gallon is fine and showed me the little cube kits with the LED on top. I don't know much about freshwater. I run a reef tank so I get cycling and testing, but bettas seem like their own thing. Do I actually need to wait on the cycle before I buy the fish, or is that overkill for a single betta in a 5g? Also heater — our apartment runs warm in summer but gets chilly at night in winter. Worth getting one now?
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Replies(8)

  • puff_spots
    Replypuff_spots
    5 gallon works if it's actually 5 and not one of those "3 gallon" boxes that lie on the label. Filter matters more than people think — sponge filter is fine, just don't blast the betta with flow. I'd cycle it. Even a betta hates ammonia. Fish-in with daily Prime and testing works if you're impatient, but since you already test for reef stuff just do the boring fishless week.
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  • beaky_pearl
    Replybeaky_pearl
    Get the heater. Bettas aren't tropical reef temps but they want stable low 70s to high 70s. Swings mess them up more than being slightly warm or slightly cool. Plants help if you want an excuse to buy more stuff. Anubias and java fern are hard to kill. Skip sharp gravel — their fins tear easy.
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  • gasp_goldie
    Replygasp_goldie
    Ok so I'm looking at a 5.5 with a sponge filter and a small adjustable heater. LFS has a blue halfmoon I like but I'm not buying until the tank is ready. Wife asked if we can put a tiny snail in there too. I said probably not without checking first.
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  • shock_orange
    Replyshock_orange
    Snail might be ok, nerite usually. Some bettas are jerks and will nip at antennae. I'd add the betta first, let him settle a week, then snail if he's not flaring at everything that moves. Also — lid. They jump. Ask me how I know.
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  • mudskip_mike
    Replymudskip_mike
    If you've got cycled media from anywhere, toss a chunk in the sponge filter and your wait time drops a lot. Same trick as seeding a QT. Don't use reef salt obviously lol. Freshwater dechlor, match temp, you're good.
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  • puff_spots
    Replypuff_spots
    One thing pet stores skip — float the bag, drip acclimate slow. Bettas come in tiny water, pH swing kills them fast. Feeding: tiny pinch once a day to start. These guys get fat quick.
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  • beaky_pearl
    Replybeaky_pearl
    For the cycle — if you're already logging params for reef, just add the betta tank to whatever you use. I still write mine down in Reefly so I'm not guessing if nitrite spikes day 4. Once he's in, leave the decor alone for a few days. They sulk when everything's new.
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  • shock_orange
    Replyshock_orange
    Sounds like you're doing it right. Post a pic when the blue guy moves in — halfmoons always photograph like they're mad at you.
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