Any advice/tips for keeping a Male Betta and a few Merigold Swords?

Hello everyone.


I am new to fish-keeping and I would like some advice on how to keep a Male Betta and a few Merigold Swords healthy and happy.





A couple of the questions I really want answered are:


1) How big should the tank be for each fish? Or can I keep both of them in 1 tank?


2) I have flakes for the Merigolds and Pellet balls for the Betta. How often should I feed each of them?





I would love it if you gave any other advice on how to keep them happy and comfortable; including stuff like water temperature, how often to change the water for each fish, and ANYTHING ELSE that will help me keep them happy.


I need all the info I can get! Thanks for your help everyone!Any advice/tips for keeping a Male Betta and a few Merigold Swords?
There is alot you need to know about proper fish keeping.





Read up on the Nitrogen Cycle. Since the tank is new and since you've added fish in right away (very common beginner mistake)... you're going to have to be on top of water changes. There are liquid tests you can purchase that check for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH that I would go out and get. At first, check ammonia and nitrites every day, and write down the stats to keep a log on how your tank cycling is coming along (this will all make sense once you read up on the nitrogen cycle). You will have to keep ammonia and eventually nitrites to as cose to 0 as possible so your fish don't suffer too much. This may require you to do small daily water changes.





Read up on each fish you have and their requirements.





For a betta. They are tropical fish so need warmer temps (around 80F)... so an aquarium heater would be best.


As for keeping a male betta with other fish. That's really dependant on the size of the tank, and the temperment of the betta. Some bettas will tolerate tankmates well, while others are little hellions who will attack anything and everything.


Also the problem with a male betta in a community tank are the other fish. Bettas don't move very fast and have long flowing fins which make them very attractive to other fish, so alot of times, male bettas become victims of nipping.





Since your tank is cycling, I would only feed the fish once a day. The betta, about 3-4 pellets, the other fish, a couple of flakes.





Here is a great forum that will help you alot.


http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?show鈥?/a>


Alot of beginners such as yourself and a place where you can ask any question you can think of.

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