A Short Guide to Betta Fish Care

Betta's make great pets, but it's important to know how to care for them. Once you know what to do, it is very simple to keep your Betta happy and healthy for years to come.

Jumpers

Bettas, or Chinese fighting fish naturally come from Thailand. In their natural environment these fish typically reside in puddles formed in rice fields. The Betta is excellent at jumping and must do so to move from puddle to puddle as they dry out, so make sure you get your little guy a good secure lid or screen for his bowl or aquarium.

Habitat

One of the reasons Betta's make such excellent pets for beginners is because they need no fancy aquarium setup. All fish besides Bettas should really be kept in filtered tanks, even goldfish. The filter significantly increases the life in these fish because they breathe through gills. Bettas can be kept in bowls because they actually breathe air like whales and dolphins so they don't need oxygen added to their environment. A gallon is plenty of space for a Betta but any less is unrecommended. You can add plants, live or fake as well as some sort of cave for your pet as well. Glass cups work great, no ceramic, though, the chemicals can kill your fish.

Diet

A Betta doesn't need to eat every single day. In fact it is best if once a week or so you go without feeding your pet, this will ensure that his digestive tract gets cleared completely and prevents diseases.

Most Bettas like pellets, feed one at a time, waiting for the Betta to eat each one, this will prevent a messy tank.

Tank Cleaning

Make sure to clean your Betta's tank religiously, for most tanks once or twice a week should be sufficient. Always make sure you don't allow any soap to come in contact with your tank or toys, soap is incredibly toxic to fish. Water should be enough to rinse everything right out, and you can get a special tank sponge to use if you like. When you are done switching the water out, be sure your temperature is accurate and add a little marine salt, it will help fight illness. I recommend catching Bettas in a a throughly rinsed cup, because they swim fast and are often unhappy about being moved a net can hurt them. The cup gives you a wonderful place to keep them while you clean your tank as well.

Play

It's Important that you get your Betta a mirror if you don't want him flaring at you all the time. Flaring is when he sticks his "gills" out and puffs up. This is a tool to look bigger to the enemy, and if you give your pet the chance to get this aggression out, he wont do it to you. A mirror or another Betta is perfect for this, just make sure exposure is short and infrequent or it can cause your Betta to become stressed. Once your Betta is used to you, they will recognize you and even follow your finger along the glass playfully.