# New to this section.



## robertmathern (Aug 3, 2009)

First I wanted to say hi. I am mainly in the saltwater section but my wife and I do have a 10 gal betta tank. The tank has taken quite a beating latly since I have been busy with my 180 gal reef tank build and is in need of some serious help. I have a blue male betta in it. He seems to be doing fine but the water is real merky. I tested it everything seems ok. I also did about a 70% water change. And within a day or 2 it is merky again. I have blue gravel in it with a top fin 60 filter. I have not changed the filters lately but planned on it when I get home today. So here are a couple questions I have 

1. Can I use RODI water on this tank like I do on the reef tank?
2. Is it possible to have more than 1 betta in the same tank?
3. I want to put plants in the tank. Do I need better lighting than the standerd light that come with it.
4. And most important how can I clear the water up. I will get pics tonight to show how bad the tank looks.
5. Can I have other fish in the tank like a sucker fish?


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## JIM (May 27, 2009)

*Boy !!! did you come to the right place, We just happen to have the best and most knowledgeable Betta person on the Web , and you can bet she will be along shortly to provide you with all the info you can handle. Did i mention, she is also friendly, but for some reason WILL NOT DO windows or pick up after the rest of us *r2*


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## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

:animated_fish_swimmI have a seven gallon betta tank, that I divided, and put my betta in either side. Each betta has an oto in there to do the housekeeping, and they love their little friends, it hasn't been a problem.


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## robertmathern (Aug 3, 2009)

JIM said:


> *Boy !!! did you come to the right place, We just happen to have the best and most knowledgeable Betta person on the Web , and you can bet she will be along shortly to provide you with all the info you can handle. Did i mention, she is also friendly, but for some reason WILL NOT DO windows or pick up after the rest of us *r2*


Well if she dont clean windows or pick up after me then looks like I am not going to suceed in this section. So Jim lets go fishing then*r2


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## Ishy (Apr 14, 2009)

I've had no problems putting a Betta with any of the following: Otocinclus, Clown Pleco, African Dwarf Frog, Bamboo Shrimp, Guppy. But as our resident expert is bound to tell you, it does depend on the temperment of the individual Betta.
Bettas can be in a divided tank as mentioned above, but if they have physical access to each other, you can pretty much count on them fighting to the death (since they are Fighting Fish).


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## robertmathern (Aug 3, 2009)

OK thanks guess it a no on the couple bettas in a tank. I was just wanting to get a few more fish in there and my wife sure loves her betta. I have ben thinking of upgrading to an extra 30 gal I have in the garage and having a few probably lower light plants. Just mainly to add some intresting to it. I have plenty off extra lighting from all my reef tanks just got to change the bulbs. I gather the Nova extremes are decent from what I have read in the planted tank section. Do you all have any recomendations on good plants for a betta. Big leaves that go toward the top I read was good. But I am fresh water stupid especialy when it comes to plants. All my tanks have been reefs and there is a big difference in the 2. So if you all know some good links or good place to research let me know. I would really like to see this tank take off for my wife.


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## Ishy (Apr 14, 2009)

I have a variety of plants and all seem to be fine. I like to use the plants for blocking the view, so the Betta does not have a clear view from one end of the tank to the other. This gives other fish privacy if the Betta is in a bad mood. I really recommend Otos. Get at least 2 as they are so much fun to watch when they interact. They are not colorful but their antics more than make up for it.


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

You can used RO water in the tank just leave the additives out that would go in the tanks for the other fish LOL.

No you cannot have more than one betta male or female in the same tank unless it is a very temporary situation during the spawning process and I truly recommend leaving that to professionals as it is a very labor intensive and expensive process compared to breeding other fish.

If you get low light plants which I would definitely recommend with a betta as they are not great fans of high intensity light and large amounts of light. If you get lots of light in a betta tank they tend to hide out and you will never see them except when the food is offered. There are a lot of really nice plants you can get for a low light tank. Crypts, Java Fern, Anubias, some Swords, etc. I would recommend a tall plant at least one as he needs something tall to sleep in. (like a crypt) NO floating plants as the surface needs to ramain uncluttered.
Bettas have to have access to the surface to breathe. (as do all labyrinth organ fish)

Your water is going through a bacterial bloom it sounds like since you did the huge water change you are having a reaction to it. I would do small like less than 20% water changes one time a week religiously and it will clear up when the filter can reestablish itself. You removed a lot of beneficial bacteria from the tank and it is rebelling. My tank just went through this and it takes a 4 or 5 week period to get it back to normal. The main thing is small water changes and regularly.

They can have plecos, otos, kuhlis, cories, and a few others in with them IF that betta will allow it. Unfortunately the tank already has Mr. Betta in it and usually the best bet is to put the others in first. That way they will establish themselves and when the betta goes in he thinks he is going into someone else's home and will settle in. He will have to decide whether he will accept tankmates so be sure to have a backup plan. MOST bettas will allow otocinclus catfish and they do help with some tank cleaning but do not get more than 2 per 5 gallons of tank size. They are lovely little fish but nocturnal and this is why the bettas get along with them, they are hardly ever out when the betta is in action. I have had bettas that LOVED their otos and others just ignore the fact that they are there. I do not think that he would fight with them past perhaps an initial chase. Just be sure to quarantine them for a bit first (2 week minimum). Fish to AVOID are: tetras other than cardinals, gouramis, sharks, mollies, platies, danios, guppies, barbs, angels, any other fish in the semi-aggressive category, fish having long or flowing fins, and while some have tried it, I would not recommend shrimp in any form. Shrimp is the baby bettas first food and the shrimp is safe so long as it is in the shell, but when it molts the betta is going to have a large dinner and you will have no more shrimp. 

Please do not change the filter as it will only compound the problem...if you really feel you need to just rinse the media lightly and put it back. You are already pushing the cycle a bit so let it build back up.

I hope this has helped and since the folks have told you that I will not do the clean up, I will say that I always bring the jello....Moderator joke. LOL

There are two medications that cannot be used on the betta or any other Labyrinth organ fish and I tell every person I know about them as they can kill horribly. While I consider them miracle drugs for other fish for Labyrinth organ fish they are death sentences. It is Melafix (and the derivative Bettafix) and Pimafix. They have ingredients that interfere with the Labyrinth organ and even if they do not kill with the first use seem to have a cumulative effect and will eventually make it impossible for this organ to function. We found this out and the information spread among those of us dealing in bettas a lot and while it was coming to me, I lost a betta that I cared about very much by using the meds. It is of course your choice to do as you will and some still use this medication on their bettas and I am hearing every now and again that "it did not hurt my betta" from others, but if it is used it will harm them eventually.

Rose


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## robertmathern (Aug 3, 2009)

thanks for the info. I will look into low light plants for it. So the large water change caused this hmmm intresting. Deffintly alot different than a salt water tank. But the betta still seems to be fine even if he dont get any tank mates. What I might do is set up my 30 gal with a couple otos. Then when they are settled I will move the betta over. Might help them get along.


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

The other alternative that sometimes works is to remove the betta and put the other fish in when they are ready. Then rearrange the decor in the tank so the betta thinks he is going into a new and different tank. This will sometimes fool them into behaving differently, but sadly not always if they are just not the type to allow other fish. But chasing does not need to concern you with the otos. They are much faster than the betta and eventually he will accept them as they will stay out of his way. They like the bottom during the day when he is up and swim about freely when he is asleep. It is a win/win situation if you don't weaken.

Rose


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## robertmathern (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks I will try that. I have a few tank I can put him in temporaly while I put some plants and stuff in and add the otos. I hope it works he is a blue betta hope there not mean he seems peacefull. But then there is no other fish in there so thats probably why lol.


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## mielikki (Aug 29, 2009)

My Alpha Betta is a blue betta, and he has a great personality, very beautiful, and he knows it! His Oto buddy gets along with him very well


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Blues do have awesome personalities usually but you never know until you try but do not expect him not to flare and chase a bit. Remember he has NEVER been in with other fish before and will need a lot of patience and chances are he will not hurt the others especially otos. They generally get along famously. Otos are a bit fragile for the first 30 days though due to the rough handling they have in being caught and transported to the stores and then the petstores usually do not know how to feed them properly just dump flake food in the tanks and they starve. So some otos never make it long at home be sure to get little ones with rounded but not bloated bellies and the belly should be white not hot pink. Hot pink on their bellies is a horrid sign of bad treatment and infection. If they have flat or sunken bellies they are starving and once the bacteria in their stomach has died off due to starvation, they cannot digest food and no matter if you fed them 10 times a day they can not get anything from the food and will starve to death. But they are sweet and fun fish if you realize what to watch for and do not expect too much for the first 30 days. After that they can live to be very old. I have had some live for 5 years with real plants in the tank and only a betta to contend with. I love those little guys almost as much as the bettas. If you want to know more we have a lovely site here about a breeder. He posts under the Catfish forum here under: http://www.aquariumforum.com/f59/oto-journal-2773.html and then there is: www.otocinclus.com - Home of the Dwarf Suckermouth Catfishes that is the site that taught me most of what made me love them.

Rose


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## Shotgun (Mar 1, 2009)

Like Jim said, you DID come to the right place. And there ya go, Chickadee/Rose chimed in quickly with like the best information about bettas ever! lol.


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