I currently have Ginseng in a 1 3/4 gallon glass unfiltered vase. I have to do a 100 percent water change. I was thinking of getting him a topfin 2 gallon tank with light and under gravel filter. ( I was going to do this orginally but changed my mind) My question is do you think he will adjust well to it? I have only had him a couple weeks in the vase. He seems happy there cause he is always blowing bubble nests, however his bamboo plant is starting to suffer and with the filtered tank I am thinking I would only have to change 50 percent of his water a week and the plant would do better. I do still have my aqi master freshwater test kit from when I had goldies ( and believe it or not they mailed me two new test tubes for the one I broke Wehew). So I will be able to test the water. here is the one I am thinking of
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_det...&N=2030099&Ne=2
I am thinking of the 2 gallon one. Any ideas

Oh, that looks really nice. I might need to get one of those now, hehe. I think he'll adjust fine, but I wouldn't do 100% changes because those will stress him out too much.

When You have a unfiltered container like the glass vase I have you do need to do 100 percent water changes to remove the uneaten food and poo and decrease the amonia level . The water grows stagnet quicker with an unfiltered unaerated container leaving the betta more suseptible to fungus and other diseases so yes it is necessarty to 100 percent water changes every few days. with the filtered tank I think I will be able to do partial water changes and not stress him out.

Yea, I think you should get the tank It will be less stressful for him as he wont ever have to be caught.. much easier for you and he will be lit up well, which makes it easier to spot disease etc. and overall a much more stable environment.

thanks Lucy , I think I am going to get it for him.

I have both my girl (10 gallon) and boy (5 gallon) filtered tanks.Only thing you have to watch is the out flow from the filter isn't to strong.I use Fluval 1plus filters in their tanks.My boy took longer to adjust than my girl but he happily blows bubble nests to his hearts content now.
Go on get them tanks they will love you for it

I only have Ginseng right now but I am going out and getting him one. Just the little 2 gallon filtered one. Blue how often do you have to change the water in a 2 gallon filtered and what percentage of water each change? Also I am assuming It probably is going to have to cycle too. I am not used to little tanks . I am much more familar with goldies and 10 to 20 gallon tanks. Thanks for the help.

With my boys 5 gallon I do a test of his waters parameters weekly and do a partial every 2 weeks.Tho I could probably do a partial every third week as his water params are usually ok when I test him at the 2 week mark.It will cycle but I haven't had any problems up to now.I usually do a 30% water change but if parameters are good I just do a 10%.Just keep an eye on things like you would with a bigger tank and you'll be fine

That looks sort of like my tank, except it is 5 gal. It looks really nice. I'm sure your fish will love it.

Thanks everyone and Blue. That info really helps me . I orginally was going to buy that but it was $20 so I decided on vase instead thinking I would save money. But with having to use spring water I am ending up spending more and it is not as good as conditions would be if I had him in a filtered tank so I think I am going to break down and give him the better tank. I will actually be saving money in the long run due to not having to do water changes every 3 days like I now do.I know he will like it and his live bamboo plant will probably fair better ( I have to use spring water do to my tap water having 1.0 amonia in it straight from the tap)

Blue do you think I need to go back to gravel? right now I have flattened colorful glass marbles as a subsrate.

No you can keep the marbles.I put colorful smooth pebble type gravel in my betta tanks.I like the marbles but I can't get them here.

Thanks Blue. I really did not want to give up my pretty glass marbles so that works

My apologies, I thought you were supposed to keep some of the original water in the vase. Either way, I'm sure Ginseng will love his new home!

I never even thought about the glass marbles. I might get some for my tank too. I like that idea.

I hope you post a pic when you have your tank.

Hi Monkeygirl. I will tell you secret to save you some bucks when you do get them. If you live in the states and there is a dollar tree store near you , you can find the exact same glass marbles in varying shapes, sizes and colors at that store in the craft isle (over by the vases and silk flowers. they come come in little net bags just like the lfs store ones and are the same brand. they are the exact same thing that the lfs sells. I got the ones I have from the dollar tree. Mine are blue, amber, jade green, green and clear and are shaped like flattend jelly beans.

Yes, that's what I was thinking. I have seen them in the Dollar Store and also the 99c store.

yup a lot cheaper than the $4 or more at the lfs

It looks really nice Kris, I'm sure Ginseng will love it

yup I am just waiting for some of that extra cash to roll in before I get it.

I would get the tank but I would not cycle it with him in it, do afishless cycle. I just lost a betta die to nitrites...they weren't even high nitrites. I had a freshwater clam die on me in my 10g tank and it created a mini-cycle. In a matter of days the nitrites climbed, the betta got ammonia burns and fungus. I ended up killing the betta, he was to far gone to save (thogh I did medicate the tank before I decided to kill him). So to avoid it happening to you I suggest cycleing his tank and keeping him in the vase till it's done.

Thank Sandtiger. I think I wll do it that way when I get him his tank. It should cycle without me adding extra amonia. My tap water has 1.0 amonia in it all the time. Thanks for the advice. Do not want to loose Ginseng.