# Happy Betta's!



## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

I found myself, today, scouring the local fish places I have been haunting in the last few months, in search of a better home for Alpha and Zeta Betta. As luck would have it, we found a seven gallon open tank, with a tank divider, on sale. So now, Alpha and Zeta have MUCH more room to swim, a live plant to cuddle up with, and their very own, small algae eaters. I also tossed in 3 white cloud minnow's with Zeta Betta, because I could..
Happy day in tank land


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## cottoncandy946 (Apr 2, 2009)

Good to hear!


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Sounds great! Let us know how the White Clouds work out. It is a combination I have not previously heard of and wonder how they work together.


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## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

So far, so good on the White Clouds. They are actually small enough at this point that they seem to be going back and forth over the tank divider, and neither of the Betta's seem to mind. The only thing I've seen is that Zeta Betta got a little territorial during feeding time, which I kind of get, being as it was the first time Zeta has been fed in any kind of "community" way. If it works out, I might get just a few more white clouds to kind of even things out...


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## ladyonyx (Apr 20, 2009)

I'm curious to hear more about how the white clouds work out. Glad it's been fine so far. And the tank sounds like fun. Keep us posted.


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Do be careful with the allowing the going back and forth. Bettas learn to do things very easily and I have known of bettas who have learned to scale dividers from other fish. I put a T top on my divider when I had two boys sharing a 12 gallon. It was the only way to keep them in the right halves of their tank. It just takes a bit of plexi or plastic canvas about 3 inches wide and the length of the width of the divider and it lays on top and keeps them from going over the top.

Rose


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## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

I considered the possibility that one or the other may, at one point try to go over the top, and was going to brain storm solutions with the family about that tonight. Your solution sounds perfect. 
My next issue is how to keep my feline population out of the top of the tank. They don't want the fish, they want the plants!


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## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

Well, I think that I am going to take the White Clouds out of the betta tank. There have been no casualties, but, Zeta doesn't want to eat any food around them. Feeding time has been kind of an adventure. Zeta is territorial about food. So, I am going to take the whiteclouds and put them in my other tank. I wouldn't say white clouds can't go in a betta tank. It just has to be the right betta


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Bettas can be jumpers so I would not leave the top uncovered even if you have to get a glass top from the pet store or a piece of plastic canvas if you are short on money. I have used both but if you have not got any other top the glass tops are lovely. they have hinges so you can open them easily and a section in the back that you can make holes in for your stuff to go through to the tank.

Rose


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## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

My lfs is kind of limited on it's supplies, but I would like to get a glass top for it. To add insult to injury, my "know everything" fish guy went on vacation for a week last week. Left me high and dry, with people who pretended to know about things, but really didn't. Thankfully, my fish guy has returned. He may be able to help me out. I have now instructed him on my vacation policy *#3
Took the Whiteclouds out of the tank, and put them in my other tank with more peaceful fish. So now it's just the Bettas and their oto friends. They "discovered" each other through the divider today, and tried to argue, but we went and got some aquarium backing paper, and made the divider a solid color. Now they are back to enjoying their wide open space.


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Good going! I just slipped a sheet of plastic canvas down on the side of the divider so it could be removed to clean it easily but the little dickens kept going behind it to see the other side so they had me fooled for sure. That sounds like a great idea and one that is easily cleaned. 

Rose


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## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

Betta seem to be pretty dang smart. The covered divider is working really well, they are once again behaving themselves. Zeta is enjoying his side, and ate readily when I fed him this morning, which is good. It is amazing to me how much more active and happy they are in their roomy tank, and I have started telling everyone I know not to buy those little Betta habitats, and why. Now, I need to try and get the lfs not to carry them. A girl can dream, can't she?*n1


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

I noted that with each time I gave my bettas more room to move in and did not push the pedal with the other inhabitants, they got more active and loving. Their personality blooms and they become real companions. It is worth the time and effort and besides those little "tanklets" are not enough room for them to hardly turn around in and impossible to heat and filter safely. They are inhumane and a death trap for the fish. It would take 2 or 3 times daily water changes to keep up with the ammonia buildup in them.

Not worth it and it is so nice to see them play and react to their surroundings!

Good luck I got escorted out of the Petco that I tried to talk to them about their betta care and the recommendations of an employee to another customer but I did cost them a sale that day.....

Rose


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## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

I live in a very small town, where there is no Petco. There are actually 3 lfs. One of them I loathe. One of them I tolerate, and the other houses my all knowing fish guy that has taught me more in the last few months than I have learned since nursing school. I have a good rapport with him, they keep very few Betta, actually, and use one of the biggest "tanklets" I've seen. But I still want to talk with him about it.
The other stores probably will not like me.
But, sometimes, we can't be friends with everyone...


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

It really is too bad as I believe that if people could see the bettas in full swim mode and happy as they get in their tanks they would purchase more of them. You may want to try that tack with them.

Rose


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