I need Betta advice on plants, snails, and cycling....?

I set up a 2.5 gallon tank 4-5 days ago with dechlorinated tap water %26amp; put in some fish food to start the cycle. Yesterday I picked out my betta. I took him home, rinsed the gravel, %26amp; put it in with a small decoration %26amp; 2 small potted plants (one is a broadleaf anubias, the other didn't have a label). I floated his cup for about 10 minutes then put him in. He seems happy but no bubbles; he stays at the surface of the water (no gasping though). I fed him a few dried bloodworms this morning which he gobbled up. The water is still a little cloudy from cycling.





1. Is the setup OK? Why does he stay at the top? There's no filter or heater but the temp is 74 and I plan to do partial water changes.


3. If I get a tiny snail will my fish eat it in this small tank? Will the snail eat my plants?


4. Can I leave the plants potted?


5. Is it bad to only feed bloodworms?


6. Did I wait long enough before putting him in?


7. I'm nervous that when I change the water he will try to jump out.

I need Betta advice on plants, snails, and cycling....?
Bettas are air-breathers, and don't need deep water. They do just fine in a large vase (about 1 1/2 gallons).





Bettas are carnivores. and don't eat plants. Plants do not clean the water. Aside from appearance, they only provide cover for the fish. Since bettas spend most of their time at the top of the tank, plants at the bottom do nothing. I prefer pothos plants, a type of ivy that roots easily in water. I either clip long segments from existing plants, or purchase new ones, and remove/rinse all of the dirt off of the roots. Betta's love hanging out in the roots. The plants hang easily, and get their food from the water.





I had many bettas, all in huge vases, with colored glass "rocks". Once every week I set up new vases, added clorine eliminator, and allowed the water to reach room temp before switching the fish.





I found that using a fish net and big collander (spaghetti strainer), worked best. After removing the plants, I slowly pour the water out of the tank, through the net and into the collander. After the fish is in the net - I put him in the new vase.





As for food, get Betta pellets - available at any pet store or discounter that sells fish. Blood worms are fine for a treat, but not for long-term maintenance





Not all bettas will make bubble nests, especially if there are no females, or other males within sight. They tend to be more active if they have other bettas nearby.





Bettas don't live in lakes or ponds. They live in muddy rice patties, often subjected to drought. They can survive in a tiny puddle of mud. They really do not need, or enjoy regular fish tanks.





And yes, bettas can jump out of tanks. Just make sure the water level is at least 2" below the top of the tank.





If you should ever find your fish out of the tank - do not throw him away. Even after being completely dried out, they can still be alive, and recover. I had one who lived for years after his suicide attempt.





Good luck to you!
Reply:Your betta is stressed. It takes a little bit for bettas to get used to their new environment. keep his tank clean and feed him regularly. remove any uneaten food after 5 minutes. You did not cycle the tank in less than a week, since the tank is not cycled you will need to make sure you have a good liquid (dont get the strips, they are useless) test kit and keep an eye on ammonia (should be zero), nitrite (should be zero), and nitrate (try to keep under 20) levels. You can do that with frequent water changes. Keep his temp at 78 degrees. A snail will add extra waste to the tank that isn't needed. Snails can eat plants (depends on the type of snail). Some bettas will eat snails, some don't..just depends on the betta. Freeze dried bloodworms are fine fed as a snack, but should not be used as the staple food in your betta's diet.


Hope that answers all your questions, if not you can check out the website in my profile for more betta info.
Reply:well..


1) in my opinion, i think he stays at the top waiting for food. my betta swims up to the top every time it sees me! you should put something in the tank to occupy him. A little hiding place, maybe?


2) I think it will be best not to get a snail because betta are independant, proud creatures and a snail may cause him to get stressed since he may think the snail is stealing his habitat.


3)as long as the plants arent in soil (because soil will cause the water to get dirtier.)


4)Bloodworms should be an occasional treat only, not the regular food. Buy regular betta food (the most simple ones are spherical brown grains) and give bloodworms as an additional treat.


5)Yes. I put mine in after about three minutes. You have to wait for the water to settle into room temperature or the betta will get a shock but what you did sounds fine.


6)That is possible although mine has never jumped out. But if you dont want to risk it, prop up a mirror against to pot you're going to keep him in while you change the water and your betta will be too busy just staring at the mirror thinking its another betta. (and dont worry when it looks like his face poofs up. he's just trying to frighten the betta in the mirror away.


Good Luck!
Reply:You should get him some Betta pellets just for some variation. Depending on the type of snail, it may be fine, and it may be a horrible idea. Mystery Snails are fairly large, won't eat plants, and will not breed like Guppies. All the snails that you find on live plants are no good. Before you know it, you'll have hundreds of them crawling through your tank. The Betta will not eat snails. The reason he stays at the top is because Bettas breath air (they don't use their gills to extract oxygen from the water). You will soon see him "gasping" for air, but that is just breathing. If you want, you can leave the plants potted (I don't but it really doesn't matter). As long as the temperature in the cup was similar to the temperature in the tank, it is fine. Email me if you have any questions...





Nosoop4u
Reply:1.) You have too many decorations in your 2.5 gallon tank. Keep only a minimum of one or two live plants. I would recommend two Micro Swords. Another suggestion would be one or two silk plants. Never get platic plants. They can tear the Betta's fins. Your Betta stays at the top because it perfers mid-top tank levels when inside an aquarium.





2.) Your 2.5 gallon tank should already have a built-in filtration unit already. As for a heater, I would recommend a Mini Heater.





3.) Get a Mystery Snail. You do not have to worry about the Betta bothering it. If you get live plants, chances are the snail will eat your plants. Go with artificial silk plants to keep this from happening.





4.) That is an option. Your plants will continue to grow either way.





5.) Bettas eat pellets that are made for them. Feed it between 6 to 8 pellets twice a day. The bloodworms are actually a treat for the Betta.





6.) Actually you were supposed to wait 15 minutes but he did turn out fine obviously.





7.) Get a small net so that next time you have to do a water change, you won't have to worry about him jumping out.





Hope all this helps.

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