# Dean's home: 5 gallon betta tank



## housebatbetta (Sep 19, 2013)

Hello there!

This thread will be a primarily photo-journal of my betta fish, Dean, and my progress with his tank. Feedback and comments welcome!

Dean is a blue mustard gas super-delta. These are some pictures from the first day we had him. (We being my housemates and I.)
























This was his tank the first week.










A video of him exploring:

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https://62108067776%2Fdean-exploring%5B

Food:

- 1-2 pellets soaked in a spoon of water first, morning and evening
- bloodworms on Saturday


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## 10G (Sep 15, 2013)

Clean... Super clean. Dean looks happy!!


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## TorontoPlantMan (Aug 16, 2013)

That plastic wrap over the tank is worrisome. It's best to leave it uncovered for proper air exchange, especially since betta's breathe from the surface.


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## housebatbetta (Sep 19, 2013)

Thanks 10G!

TorontoPlantMan; the saran wrap has holes in it, and I often leave a half-inch of space along either side. It's there to make sure Dean doesn't jump ship if he sees something he likes - or wants to fight - on the other side, as well as to keep the air at the surface of the water moist/warm. Dry/cold air would be harmful to his labyrinth, or so I've read.

That said, I recognize it's a temporary solution. I'm keeping an eye out for a plexiglass or acrylic lid with small holes and/or some other sort of firm lid.


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## housebatbetta (Sep 19, 2013)

A wild update appears!

This is what the tank looks like now (apologies for terrible quality):










And a bunch of spam of my pretty boy:


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

have you considered some form of substrate?

Because its a small tank and planted, my suggestion would be some nice black fluorite sand, the dark substrate will make colours show more and fluorite is good for plants and sand should be nice and soft on his fins. Also having a substrate helps hide junk on the bottom of the tank.


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## housebatbetta (Sep 19, 2013)

pyrrolin said:


> have you considered some form of substrate?
> 
> Because its a small tank and planted, my suggestion would be some nice black fluorite sand, the dark substrate will make colours show more and fluorite is good for plants and sand should be nice and soft on his fins. Also having a substrate helps hide junk on the bottom of the tank.


Y'know, I was originally planning to, and then I ended up liking the bare botom look. Now I'm reconsidering because I've been having serious issues with snail poop. It just looks gross and I have to remove it with a turkey baster every couple of days.

I have some fluval stratum left from my other tank. On one hand, all of the plants I have in there currently are floating, and do not need to be planted in anything. On the other, it would benefit Dean to have a somewhat lower pH (which that stratum does), and I might decide to root things in it eventually.

Would sand be better for other reasons? Other than aesthetics?


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