Birthday betta

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Originally Posted by Spoons

YES! Thank you for NOT sticking him in a little glass bowl with cold water. Betas THRIVE in heated tanks that are a bit larger (and warmer!) - the colors will just pop. Here is to hoping he does well and flourishes! :D With just one fish in a 5 gal you should be able to get away with not cycling the tank before putting the fish in, so you should be good to go :)

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Yeah, and the live plants should help regulate the ammonia, but I let it sit for a week empty save for sprinkling in some food anyway. Water test was clear this morning so I figured we were good. His colors were already pretty delightful in the store. His tail fin looks a little beat up, but nothing time and good water conditions can't fix.

Seeing this post made my day knowing he isn't going in a little bowl or those half gallon betta tanks.
Thumbs up for you for giving him proper care:)

He got the best care we could give him, but sadly he was still a petsmart betta and only made it about a year. I would like to find someplace else local that sells well taken care of fish, but for right now the tank stands empty.

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Originally Posted by Lizardlicks

He got the best care we could give him, but sadly he was still a petsmart betta and only made it about a year. I would like to find someplace else local that sells well taken care of fish, but for right now the tank stands empty.

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Most bettas you get are going to last about that long. They have a life span of 2-4 years and oddly enough they are sort of slow growers. They are usually about a year old when you see them for sale in the store. I'm going to have to get back into them. Your post reminded me how much I loved my fish back in the day.

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Is it strange then that I've had beta's that lasted 3-5 years in my care before? idk, he always seemed kind of a little more ragged around the edges than other fish to me. He was a fin nipper too, poor baby.

I'm half way tempted to upgrade to a larger set up and start a community tank though.

Beautiful fish!
Congrats!

Do you have a water test kit?
Is your tank cycled?

I don't keep any fish I have to heat, but I've kept two common gold fish in a 50gal water trough in our greenhouse for several years. They are relaxing to watch. I break a lot of rules with them: no electricity in there, so, no air stone, nor filter. I keep the water healthy with drip jugs from above, daily siphoning of waste off the floor, and big water changes. Obviously, bettas are different, esp. with O2 levels lower in warm water, and far less air surface area in an aquarium (much less one can get away with).

Planning for shubunkin goldfish in our 350gal stock tank this spring.

Keep an eye on water chemistry (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates - etc.) until you know the tank is cycled. KGTropicals is a video channel that gives good basic fish care, although their business is African ciclids (spell?).

Sorry, I missed your post (#11) re. water test.
Looks like you are off to a good start.

Ehehe you missed the other posts too. someone necro'd this thread from last year. Squishy Goomba made it pretty far but he is sadly no longer with us, though Eris has been asking for another betta whenever we happen into the pet store.

Most (not all) of my bettas have lived 2-4 years with me. I almost always keep them in larger tanks though. I had one that lived in a planted 10 for five years. His name was Darth Betta. I'd like to say I came up with that-- but it was my mom's idea.