I just got back from the LFS with a blood red betta. I love it. The guy at the store told me it was ok to cycle with a betta. I am hopefully going to introduce some molly or pollys and a couple african dwarf frogs soon. I am so excited. Any suggestions or comments. He has been in the tank for about 30 mins and hasn't done any swimming. Is this normal? Is he just trying to acquiant himself with the new huge tank (for him at least)? Any help would be appreciated.
My New Betta!!
- Thread starter jondub
- Start date
Okay, well as long as you know the good stuff, like how often and how to properly change the water, cycling etc you should be fine. I've cycled my betta tanks with them inside, and all went well. Of course I was religious with my water changes throughout the cycle period. Just make sure the water is the same temp and is dechlorinated. It also helps to age it a few days if possible before using it.
Bettas are weird fish. Their behavior is erratic and odd at times. I currently have five males and three females. Each one of them is totally different in personality, and all of them exhibit constant changes in character from hour to hour. Sometimes they'll hide, other times they'll swim all over like crazy.
My Yellow Gal seems like she's often deep in thought, and stares at me incessantly. My male crown tail hides and sleeps on beds of moss. Master Betta swims back and forth across the front glass night and day. Red Boy wanders aimlessly, but always comes to the front when he sees anyone come in the room.
All have been healthy and easy to care for. Good luck with yours and welcome to the dorky yet wonderful world of fishkeeping. Only be careful, I started with one ten gallon tank and I now have a 55, a 10, a 20L, a 40, 2 2.5s and a five. Plus three bowls for other bettas. All within three years.
Bettas are weird fish. Their behavior is erratic and odd at times. I currently have five males and three females. Each one of them is totally different in personality, and all of them exhibit constant changes in character from hour to hour. Sometimes they'll hide, other times they'll swim all over like crazy.
My Yellow Gal seems like she's often deep in thought, and stares at me incessantly. My male crown tail hides and sleeps on beds of moss. Master Betta swims back and forth across the front glass night and day. Red Boy wanders aimlessly, but always comes to the front when he sees anyone come in the room.
All have been healthy and easy to care for. Good luck with yours and welcome to the dorky yet wonderful world of fishkeeping. Only be careful, I started with one ten gallon tank and I now have a 55, a 10, a 20L, a 40, 2 2.5s and a five. Plus three bowls for other bettas. All within three years.
Go here www.bettatalk.com and read the entire site. Read the pages on betta care and betta health first. It will most definitely be worth your time.
Your betta should not have any kind of white spot, it indicates some sort of problem. Do not listen to your lfs guy, he has already shown his ignorance. Cycling with a betta sounds like a bad idea to me, and I'm not sure the mollies are a good idea.
Post up in the betta forum, you will be much more likely to get the attention of all the betta people here. They can be very helpful.
I have a blood red betta too. He was a W--mart rescue. Yours sounds like a rescue too, since you'll likely have to start out by medicating him. ( Don't despair, it doesn't sound like something that can't be taken care of, but you do need to read up on betta diseases, and diagnose and begin treatment asap.)
Good luck, and enjoy your betta.
Your betta should not have any kind of white spot, it indicates some sort of problem. Do not listen to your lfs guy, he has already shown his ignorance. Cycling with a betta sounds like a bad idea to me, and I'm not sure the mollies are a good idea.
Post up in the betta forum, you will be much more likely to get the attention of all the betta people here. They can be very helpful.
I have a blood red betta too. He was a W--mart rescue. Yours sounds like a rescue too, since you'll likely have to start out by medicating him. ( Don't despair, it doesn't sound like something that can't be taken care of, but you do need to read up on betta diseases, and diagnose and begin treatment asap.)
Good luck, and enjoy your betta.
Are you talking about the pic in his sig? That is from Braveheart. I always wonder what the pic in his avatar is from. Anyway, cycling with a betta in is perfectly fine as long as you do your water changes. Bettas produce a very small amount of waste and so it isn't like cycling with a goldfish. You are perfectly fine to cycle with the fish in the tank.
Do you mean flaring? No, they do not flare all the time and some hardly flare at all. He will start to flare when he feels more comfortable. My betta used to flare all thet ime and now we moved to another house about three weeks ago and he hasn't flared since! I think he is pouting!! 
They are notorious for being "moody" They all have soooo different of personalities you can't judge one by another. Give him time, he will come around. Also, there is no thing as a stupid question, it is the only way you learn! Just do your own research in the process and we are more than happy to help you with any questions you may have!
They are notorious for being "moody" They all have soooo different of personalities you can't judge one by another. Give him time, he will come around. Also, there is no thing as a stupid question, it is the only way you learn! Just do your own research in the process and we are more than happy to help you with any questions you may have!
I just love the bettas for all of their unique individual personalities. They are certainly among the more intelligent fish we keep in home aquaria.
Now my signature, yes that is Stephen from Braveheart. The quote above it is from him as well. They just go together of course.
My avatar is a super hero I created to look like myself on a generator. You kind find it here: http://www.ugo.com/channels/comics/heroMachine2/heromachine2.asp
The fish insignia was originally a tribute to my astrological sign, but then I thought it was so very fitting on this forum that I made it my avatar. Plus the likeness of me is just so uncanny, don't you think?
Now my signature, yes that is Stephen from Braveheart. The quote above it is from him as well. They just go together of course.
My avatar is a super hero I created to look like myself on a generator. You kind find it here: http://www.ugo.com/channels/comics/heroMachine2/heromachine2.asp
The fish insignia was originally a tribute to my astrological sign, but then I thought it was so very fitting on this forum that I made it my avatar. Plus the likeness of me is just so uncanny, don't you think?