I just got a Betta and sleep with air conditioner.

[rubsnick]

Alright well this is my set up.

The tank came with the water conditioner. I put distilled water in it and will be switching to Tap once I get more conditioner. The tank has a mesh over the opening to allow air to go in but to prevent the beta from jumping to his death. I have him pretty high up on a shelf and one he could die form the impact and two he could shrivel up and what not.

I will try to let him sleep with me in the air conditioned bedroom for a week. If I see that it's affecting him I will stop emidietly.

On top of that I plan on getting him a snail and a water plant as a buddy. and to keep his water cleaner. I plan on changing the water twice a week and feeding him once everyday skipping saturdays (since I work those days) to help his digestive system.

I will also try to find worms for him as treats and betta pellets or a more suitible food then flakes. Mine seems to dislike the flakes.

I will also remove the gravel and put cultured gravel for my fish tank. I will also put him against the mirror for a brief amount of time until I can find a mirror suitible for the little guy.

So are there any flaws to my setup?  

[Killer Budgie]

I would be careful with using tap water, even if it's conditioned... I used conditioned tap water once and my fish died the next day.... but our water is awful.

Sounds to me like everything else is good, except the mirror part.... I thought they fought with mirrors? Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[rubsnick]

Killer Budgie

I would be careful with using tap water, even if it's conditioned... I used conditioned tap water once and my fish died the next day.... but our water is awful.

Sounds to me like everything else is good, except the mirror part.... I thought they fought with mirrors? Maybe I'm wrong.

Conditioned tap water? Yeah my Tap Water is awful also. I mean the Leath Department barely made passed the water. They said it was on the brink of being unconsumable by the people. So I guess I'll stick with distilled water and conditioner.

I read that putting a mirror next to it gives the betta something to do. But to not have it there all the time like maybe 5 minutes a day etc. It makes him active and puff up and flare just like in the wild. ^^

Also I was wondering how would I go about having a snail and a water plant together in there with the betta? I mean when I change the water what exactly should I do with the Plant? Keep it in the water? or what? and should I keep the snail with the fish also?  

[Killer Budgie]

rubsnick

Conditioned tap water? Yeah my Tap Water is awful also. I mean the Leath Department barely made passed the water. They said it was on the brink of being unconsumable by the people. So I guess I'll stick with distilled water and conditioner.
I read that putting a mirror next to it gives the betta something to do. But to not have it there all the time like maybe 5 minutes a day etc. It makes him active and puff up and flare just like in the wild. ^^
Also I was wondering how would I go about having a snail and a water plant together in there with the betta? I mean when I change the water what exactly should I do with the Plant? Keep it in the water? or what? and should I keep the snail with the fish also?

Well, my water isn't that bad, but it's chock full of chemicals and minerals. It ruins everything: all the faucets, pots, glasses, etc. I think it's a good idea to use distilled, or better yet, bottled spring water if that's available to you. I condition my water no matter what kind I get though.

I never knew that about the mirror. It reminds me of my bird who freaks out over mirrors. He puffs himself up and starts regurgitating for them.... Makes sense that a betta would do the betta equivalent. xD

I don't know about the rest. I had a shrimp with some of my other fish and he didn't really make a difference, but that might be different from a snail.

 

[Strawberri Top]

Just don't leave the mirror there for too long, his fins can rip from flaring too much.  

[rubsnick]

Strawberri Top

Just don't leave the mirror there for too long, his fins can rip from flaring too much.

Yeah I knwo that was like one of the first thigns I learned about them.  

[Mystic_moon15]

as to your plant question you have to wash it too. you have to wash the plant the tank the rocks and any decoration you have in there.look at the sites i posted earlier they tell you everything .  

[Strawberri Top]

Yeah, look at the sites she posted.

Please. They'll tell you everything you need to know.  

[rubsnick]

Mystic_moon15

as to your plant question you have to wash it too. you have to wash the plant the tank the rocks and any decoration you have in there.look at the sites i posted earlier they tell you everything .

Well I had no idea how to wash it but now it doesn't matter. I got a Snail for the fish tank. I'm about 90% certain it's a apple snail. The guy at the pet store also told me this is the one to have. He eats lettuce and he gets along with the Betta. I named him Gary... XD I also got some freeze dried blood worm and a plastic plant ( they didn't have real ones) Everything seems to be going correctly. I'm having no issues and tonight I"ll see how the AC affects them if at all.  

[Strawberri Top]

Don't feed Blood worms too often.

Aaaanddd, don't be surprised if your betta eats the snail, or if there are a LOT of snails in the tank in a few days. They a-sexually reproduce, soooo, you'll probably end with a heck of a lot of snails... Which, if you have no plant, really have no purpose being there.  

[rubsnick]

Strawberri Top

Don't feed Blood worms too often.

Aaaanddd, don't be surprised if your betta eats the snail, or if there are a LOT of snails in the tank in a few days. They a-sexually reproduce, soooo, you'll probably end with a heck of a lot of snails... Which, if you have no plant, really have no purpose being there.

I know not to feed him too often. It will mess with this Digestive system and relieve him of nutrients. I bought a thermometer today and some betta pellets. Do you think I should finish the flakes off or start feeding him the pellets right away? I will feed the blood worms once a week. The same day I change the water. and then Skip the following day to clean his digestive track out.

and if I get more snails then yay. I'll keep em somewhere else. But they do not reproduce a-sexually. "Unlike many snail species, apple snails are not hermaphroditic, but gonochoristic: a male and a female are needed for reproduction."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_snail

I need a male and a female. I only have one.

Also Apple Snails and Bettas are compatible. The betta will attack ramhorn snails not apple snails. I just need to be sure which snail I had.  

[Strawberri Top]

I thought it was the apple snails that a-sexually reproduced.

And, if you're only changing the water for a 1/2 gallon, once a week.. Er, no. Try every three days. Ammonia levels get higher easier in smaller tanks.  

[rubsnick]

Strawberri Top

I thought it was the apple snails that a-sexually reproduced.

And, if you're only changing the water for a 1/2 gallon, once a week.. Er, no. Try every three days. Ammonia levels get higher easier in smaller tanks.

What about the snail? Don't they like reduce the amonia levels also?  

[rubsnick]

Alright so I slept with air conditioner and the Tank's temp just went to 70. It was at 82 and it dropped to 70. The betta looks really alert and he is moving around more then usual and the Snail is floting around in the tank also XD. All in all I think the air just actually helped me.  

[Mystic_moon15]

YOu can not keep the apple snail with the Betta unless you get a bigger tank(5gal)

* Apple Snails: These colorful snails are an active, attractive addition to a betta tank. They are capable of surviving in lower oxygen environments, and tolerate tropical temperatures - with some reduction in overall lifespan due to the increased speed of development. They also adapt quickly to nipping and are generally too large for most bettas to kill or consume. However, the ideal conditions of both species is compromised to keep both in the same tank; apple snails do prefer oxygenated, filtered water and slightly lower temperatures. What's more, they demand for survival hard, slightly base water - the opposite of the betta's soft, acidic preferences. Finally, you must have a minimum of 5 gallons to keep both a betta and an apple snail, as apple snails are a high waste species demanding 2.5g of water per snail.
http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=14389

also do you have the right kind of plastic plant as in is it sharp plastic or smooth? did you do the pantyhose test on it?

http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=18075
please read these two sites all the way through.