BETTA FISH

If you have visited a pet store a chain discount store or even a florist lately you have most likely been attracted to the rich colors and longfinned elegance of the betta fish Bettas also known as Siamese fighting fish are relatively inexpensive but exceedingly beautiful For these reasons they have recently and unfortunately become popular not so much as pets but as decorating accents due to misleading reports that theyre meant to thrive in tiny amounts of water and need very little looking after However betta fish care entails much more than plunking your new fish into a wine goblet with a marble or two for company Taking care of a betta fish requires preparation education and compassion Let this brief tutorial turn you into a better betta owner

Perhaps the misconception that bettas are meant to live in small amounts of water stems from the fact that bettas are usually sold in containers no larger than a teacup Unlike most other fish at the aquarium store bettas are extremely aggressive towards one another and cannot be housed with other fish Since they must be sold separately theyre put into cups and stacked row upon row to save room Potential betta owners are then happily informed that the fish needs very little oxygen or water The sad fact is that many bettas die within a few weeks of purchase due either to ammonia buildup in their small habitats or lack of oxygen With this in mind let the first item on your betta fish care checklist be an adequate tankat least one gallon but preferably three or more With optimum room to swim and an aerator providing fresh oxygen bettas have been known to live for ten or more years

When you go to the store to select your betta know first of all that almost every fish is going to be a male unless otherwise specified The male bettas are what earned these fish the title Jewel of the Orient while the females are remarkably dull and shortfinned by comparison Most bettas sold in pet stores will be around nine months oldjust after their fins have lengthened and their mature coloration has arrived When selecting a betta seek out the healthiest specimen by looking for and avoiding torn fins dull color patches and wounds Most bettas will appear extremely droopy as they float in their alloted six ounces of water but rest assured that when you take them home and introduce them to their new larger dwelling they should perk up immediately and start gliding about unfurling their magnificent fins for you to admire

When it comes to a bettas diet moderation is key as a bettas stomach is about as large as the black dot in the center of his eye With that in mind feed your betta one specialty betta pellet once a day For a treat try giving him a pinch of frozen bloodworms about once a week as it will help maintain his jewelbright complexion Other than taking precaution to not overfeed your betta the most crucial factor in betta fish care is water quality Never place your betta in water straight from the tap There are many products on the market that will instantly make water safe for fish or you can use bottled spring water Ensure that your bettas tank is kept warm enough but never placed in direct sunlight especially during the winter months You can get a small thermometer and if needed a heater made especially for fish tanks to make certain the water temperature is kept between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit When changing the water replace no more than half of the water at any given time and always make sure the replacement water is purified

With this betta fish care advice well in mind youll always have a healthy betta Remember a healthy betta is a beautiful betta and a beautiful betta is one youll be proud to enjoy and share with friends and family for years to come

Because betta fish can be kept in relatively simple containers as opposed to large aquariums with complicated filtration systems many people are attracted to them as easy to care for yet beautiful tropical fish But betta fish care does require some frequent work to keep the fish happy and healthy

One important factor in betta fish care is to use a container that allows the fish to swim around a bit Bettas can of course survive in the little jars they are often sold in but this is far from a healthy environment and bettas in such tight quarters may fade in color and become sluggish Bettas dont need a huge amount of space but a little room to swim and a decent amount of surface area for the fish to get gulps of air in are recommended As a suggestion a 1 to 2 gallon fish bowl is a good option

It is a good idea to have a cover not an airtight cover over the top of your container as bettas have been known to jump out of their containers

The next part of betta fish care that is critical to the health of the fish is to keep the container and water very clean Part of keeping the container clean is to use caution when feeding your fish Excess food will accumulate at the bottom and cause bacterial growth and cloud the water I suggest feeding your fish with the standard betta food pellets by dropping in just one pellet at a time perhaps 3 or 4 times per day Not only will this help keep the container clean it will also prevent overfeeding which can cause swim bladder problems which can kill bettas

Frequent water changes are important to keep toxins from building up Small containers should have at least one third of their water changed at least twice per week Larger containers with one to two gallons of water or more can be done once per week with about half the water being changed out

I suggest using bottled distilled water to change your bettas water Distilled water is pure and free of chemicals like chlorine that are toxic to fish In addition since distilled water has a neutral pH it is ideally suited to the needs of betta fish

Because bettas are from tropical regions an important part of good betta fish care is to keep the water relatively warm about 75 to 80 degrees

Smooth objects without sharp edges make good decorations in the betta fish container because these fish like to rest on objects above the bottom Bettas have delicate fins so anything with sharp edges must be avoided even artificial plants that are particularly rigid

By following these tips you are well on your way to having your betta stay healthy and showing a wonderful display of its vibrant colors A bright active fish is your reward for good betta fish care