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Received some plants in the mail today and dealer threw in a betta in a bag as a bonus. I don't know anything about them, but trying to read as much as I can. Don't want to keep him in a jar (I hate that! plus I read they need warm water) but don't want problems with my other fish either (I read they will nip anything that resembles a long fin). Can he be kept temporarily (til tomorrow) in one of my community tanks? If so which one? Or should I keep him in a jar w/floating plant overnight til I figure out what to do with him? It's a little late to run out and get him his own 10g, but great excuse. Any help greatly appreciated! My tanks are:

70g:
2 angelicus botia loaches
3 baby zebra plecostomus
3 brochi spenden
1 harold shultz i.
9 rummynose tetra
19 glow light neon
2 venezuelan ram
3 celebese halfbeak
2 platy fry
2 baby cae

55g:
4 baby panda cory
2 aggasazzi cory
2 celebese halfbeak
6 rasbora
3 hatchet
1 baby cae
3 preg platy
8 headlight tetra
4 black skirt tetra



[span class="edited"][Edited by June 2004-09-03 22:06][/span]

I'm really concerned that I'm doing the right thing for him meanwhile. I have him in a 1/2 gallon glass jar 3/4 full of water from a healthy cycled tank. Put in a little floating red cabomba but not too much to cover the surface. Mostly he rests on the bottom but goes to the top occasionally for air. Fins and gills are moving fine. Maybe he's recouperating from the trip. Guess I just need to know if he'll be okay in the jar til I find him a home?

He sure is pretty, and I feel so bad for him in that jar.

He'll be fine in the jar for awhile...some people keep them in special betta containers in community tanks. While there's plenty of water that way, I don't like it because it doesn't let them stretch their fins. I'd go for a 5 or 10 gallon. Bettas don't really like alot of water current...of course that depends on the betta. I had one that loved swimming along a the bubble wall :%).
A 10 gallon will be easier to heat, a 5 gallon might fit on a desk better .

^_^

I kept my betta girl in a smallish container for a week. Try to change the water every day, and make sure it's the same temperature. You know about 100% water changes?

Bettas eat fry. I found this out the hard way. I'm not sure about the other fish you have, but mine gets on fine with cories, neon and cardinal tetras, guppies and platies. She snaps at other fish, especially the 2cm-long cory babies and the guppies, but hasn't nipped anyone. Males might be different.

disclaimer: I haven't had bettas for long, wait for someone more knowledgable

Babelfish,
My betta boy loves bubbles too

Had a feeling there'd be trouble of some kind if I put him in w/the others. No wonder they can exist in those tiny cups, but it's still awful. So, looks like I got me another... just like that time I found that dog on the freeway... "Roadie"... adoptions are the best, especially when they find you... I'll get a desk size tank but big enough for him to have company. Would 100% water changes be best w/water from established tanks or uncycled? Thanks for the advice!

I would put him in the 70 cause even if he did have problems with any fish then the said fish would be able to EASILY get away cause of the tank size and how slow the betta swims. I have 2fms and 1m in my 55 and they do fine. The females fought for the first couple weeks but now they have a peckin order and they are fine. The only draw back would be tryin to catfch him if you wanted to take him out. But i have a feelin that you will come to like him and just leave him in there. So i would put him in the 70 and just let him be free. Good luck .
- Matt

Well, I'm chancing him in the 70 after all. I feel fine about it with the other fish from what I've been reading, plus I lost my 2 rams and 1 rummy this morning so the population is lower now. Didn't have a chance to get him his own tank today. The platy fry (born during cycling) are tiny but too big for his mouth and I don't think he'll have a problem with the others. Now I'm just a tad worried he didn't eat at all while in the jar, and just gave the 70g tank frozen brine and he's still not interested in eating. I'm hoping it just from all the changes he's been through the last couple of days. It's a peaceful and healthy tank with calm areas. I'll be happy when I see him eat.

Good choice i think he will be a lot happier in the large tank. I know mine love it and know everything is goin smoothly even though i have angels and dwarf gourami in with them, and those are supposed to be the ones bettas are really mean to. SO doon't belive everthing you here and every betta has his or her own personality.

Thanks Matt, I was worried at first, of course, mainly about him adapting to the size and he hadn't eaten anything. But now all is fine! He chilled at the bottom for awhile but when I fed bloodworm tonite he came up and got some. Gulped some air and been all over the tank ever since, but no hassles w/others. And yes, Babelfish! he's taken on the bubble current a couple of times. Has calm places to kick back too. It's all good, and thanks for bein there people.

"Can we just all get along?" ~RK
"There's no such thing as a bad fish." ~anon

[span class="edited"][Edited by June 2004-09-04 22:21][/span]

Well thats good i am glad its workin out. And yourwelcome anytime you got anymore questions just ask and they will be anwsered. Keep us updated.

I would put him in his own 1 or 2 gallon tank. i have 2 males (both in seperate 1 gallons), and they are ery happy. I clean their tanks 2 times a week, and they always have a large bubblenest built. I have them beside each other, and they can see into my 33 gallon tank, to keep them entertained. i had put a male in a bigger tank, but he attacked everybody, even my corys. Anyway, I think it's better for them to have their own space-it gives them their own territory, and they don't have to worry about protecting it.