hi,
well im thinking of setting up a betta tank and well i dont know what i will need eg heater what plants will i need and is it better to have a bare bottom or a tank will gravel and id there anything else .


thanks

How many bettas are you looking to get? U can keep many females in one tank but only one male by himself.

Well, it depends. Some people like to cycle their betta tanks and others like to change all the water each week. Whichever way you go you will need a heater unless you live in the tropics, or unless your house is always heated in winter. Bettas are true tropical fish and will die in cold water.

This poses a problem because it's very difficult to find heaters for any tank smaller than 5 gallons. So unless you have a very warm house in winter or you want to get a tank at least 5g in size then bettas aren't such a good idea.

If you do decide to get a tank of 5 gallons it can be divided so that you can keep 2 male bettas. This is just my opinion, some others won't agree.

If you are getting a tank this size it's a hassle to do a 100% change each week so you may as well cycle it with a small sponge filter or small hob, something that doesn't create too much surface disturbance as bettas don't like strong water current.

It's up to you if you want to put gravel, or glass stones or whatever on the bottom but gravel will give you more area for breeding bacteria.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

i have a 10 gallon tank and maybe a male and a female with a tank divider or netting

Wow - 10 gallon is cool. Female bettas don't like to live alone, they are better kept in groups of 4 or more. Two male bettas in a divided tank are ok, they will flare at each other and keep each other occupied.

The reason I said some people wouldn't agree with me was not because of having 2 male bettas in a divided tank but because some people think that 5 gallons is too small for 2 bettas.

okay thanks

Two males in a divided 10 gallon is perfect! You would need to get a filter cycled and definately need a heater. Make sure you have a lid for the tank and leave NO open spaces in it - bettas jump. They will need some plants and hiding places. Make sure that they are not in clear view of each other, the constant stress of seeing another betta might be too much for them, but a little peeky hole should be enough to keep them stimulated.

Sounds like most of the bases are covered, but I want to add one little fact:

Be careful with decor! Do not use anything sharp. File all edges with a nail file so that it doesn't snag his fins. Also, silk plants are the best if you are not going to go with real plants.

If you get a filter, you can have gravel. You also need: water conditioner, betta food, a syphon and bucket(s) for water changes, and a lid

Hope it's not too obvious, but make sure you get a good thermometer especially if you using a heater in a smallish tank. You need to carefully monitor the temperature with a Betta, I've found that they don't like too many fluctuations in the temp, especially at water changes etc.

Best of luck with it!

Silk plants and something cave-like are good for bettas. They like having the decoration and plants in their tank because it is more stimulating and gives them places to hide. This will be especially important if you have a divided tank with more than one male bettas--they will need hiding places or they will be constantly stressed. You will have a happier betta if the tank has several silk plants.