how long should i wait before putting my betta in his bowl?

[eronjames]

Hi there, I'm brand new around here, Bought my first Betta not even 5 hours ago.

My question is this:
I have cleaned the pebbles that ive put into the bowl, and filled the bowl up with water, added 4ish drops of conditioner as advised, but how long do I wait before putting my new friend into his bowl? The lady at the store said a day but she seemed like she was guessing and Id love an experts oppinion, he doesnt look too happy in the cup I bought him in.

His bowl is only about .7 of a gallon which the lady at the shop said was perfect for Bettas but now I hear they need 2.5 gallons or more.

I just want him to be happy

[DeathCradle]

It would depend on the water your using wouldnt it??


Mine is treated water, an i add a conditioner and he can go straight in, Thats after the heater has done & maintained its job.

My Betta's don't seem to worry...

[BettaLu&Meg]

well to live a happy and healthy life Bettas should be in at least 2 gallons of water. Conditioned of course, and should half a filter and water heater. But there are some cercomstances that it isn't possible to get these items right away. so as a breeder i would definitly keep a eye on you lil guys water and change 15-20% of the water a week. Also since his space his limited you should also keep and eye on the amount of food your give him. Giving him extra or over feeding him and result in poor water quality and would get him sick. depending on the food you give me whether if its pellets or flakes, see what he eats in 3 minutes. any extra left you want to take out before it settles on the bottom and causes bacteria blooms. heres a good brand keepers and breeders like myself use [Registered users only can see links. ]. Also you want to study up on these lil guys, being that its intresting, but they have there own personalities and also you want to keep a watch out for symptoms of sickness here's a link for that [Registered users only can see links. ].
Also look at the links on the bottom from my signature to give you more info!

[FishMomma]

Congrats on your new Betta friend!!! So glad to hear of another rescued Betta!!! I hate seeing them in those cups!

The lady at the pet shop was guessing on the 24 hour period but I think I know where she got this from. On many of the instructions of new tanks, it says allow to run for 24 hours to allow the filter and heaters to work and "get wet." Since you only have a bowl, as long as the cup and bowl's water is at room temp, then it really doesn't make a whole lot of difference. Be sure that you are using tap water and not bottled water since bottled spring water doesn't contain quite all the minerals that Bettas need to be healthy. Also, NEVER use distilled water! Some poeple may tell you that aged water is fine and that you don't even need to add a conditioner but THAT IS NOT CORRECT!!! Aged water (water that has sat out more than 24 hours) will allow any chlorine to evaporate but most water also contains chlorAMINES that WON'T evaporate. You still need to add the conditioner that will remove ALL harmful chemicals!

On tank size, you really should have a TANK that is at least 2 gallons per Betta. Bettas like a bit of space to swim in so a little bigger is always better. Think about getting a filter and heater at some point, too. Bettas like their water to be around 78-82 degrees F and if it's to chilly they'll just stay in one place.

Don't overfeed your fella since your bowl is so small. Most Bettas eat around 5-7 pellets a day at either one or two feedings. Soak the pellets in a small amount of water for about 5 minutes before dropping several into the water. If he eats those, drop 2-3 more in. Remove any leftovers with a spoon or turkey baster. Soaking the pellets will allow your Betta to eat them easier and also help him avoid problems like constipation. For TREATS, freeze dried blood worms are good and so are brine shrimp. These should be fiven only as treats 2 or 3 times a week. Feed him about 3-5 at a time so he doesn't get too piggish with these and get constipated. An occasional COOKED, COOLED, and PEALED pea's INSIDE will help keep him regular and healthy. Flakes are okay but I personally like pellets better since I can actually see how many he eats. Don't panic if your Betta refuses to eat for several days or a week. He's just getting used to new food and surroundings. Bettas can go several weeks without food and do fine. If he "tastes" his food but spits it out, he's just getting used to something new.

For water changes, do a 75% water change once a week regularly but no more than twice a week or your Betta will get stressed. Clean water helps keep lots of diseases away so be sure to keep up with those!!

Please, let me know if you have any other questions!!!!! I'll be happy to help!