Pet Fish - Caring for Bettas
Bettas, also known as Japanese fighting fish, are so beautiful that they don't look quite real.
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Bettas, more popularly
known as Japanese (or Siamese) fighting fish, are so beautiful that they don't look
quite real. You've probably seen these fish housed separately
in tiny bowls at your local fish store. This is because male
betas will fight to the death with each other until there is only one male left.
Where to Find Discounted Aquarium Supplies
However, this is not a good way to care
for your betta once you bring it home.
When purchasing bettas
for your own home aquarium, you should only buy one male fish.
You can add several female betas to the tank if it is on the
large side. Male bettas are known for the way they constantly
fight aggressively with each other, so putting more than one of them in
the same aquarium is a bad idea. Female bettas also fight
amongst themselves, but not as aggressively as male bettas.
Bettas are able to
survive in small spaces because, unlike most other pet fish, they can
actually take oxygen out of the air to survive. Still, it is
not a good idea to put them in an aquarium that is extremely small.
The larger an aquarium is, the better the environment will be
for your fish. If you are not planning on buying more than
one betta and want to house your fish in a small aquarium, a vase or a
bowl, you should be aware of a few things. Fish, like all
living things, give off waste, and this small container will soon be
filled with ammonia, which can be dangerous to the health of your
betta.
To make things worse, this ammonia is then broken down by bacteria to
form nitrates, which are also dangerous to the health of the fish.
While a common way of
showing the Betta in a store, if you are taking proper steps for caring
for a Betta, a vase or a bowl will probably not be large
enough to allow for efficient biological filtration and is too small to
allow for the amount of bacteria needed for a filter to work
effectively. In reality, you'll need to replace up to fifty
percent of the container's water several times a week to prevent
ammonia and nitrate levels from becoming too high. Make sure
you use dechlorinated water. You should also put a lid that
allows air to pass through it on top of the aquarium, so the fish will
not be able to jump out. You will also need a mechanical
filter, heater, substrates and the appropriate lighting for the container.
Bettas are carnivorous fish, so you'll have to give them meat-based food.
Foods you may feed betas include freeze dried bloodworms, brine shrimp,
daphnia and food made specifically for bettas, which can be found
online or in a pet store. Make sure you thaw out any frozen
food so the bettas won't have any problems digesting it. Give
them food in small amounts at least twice a day. Avoid
overfeeding because the remaining food will eventually rot at the
bottom of the aquarium and cause the water quality to become toxic.
This could lead to your betta becoming ill.
As with all fish,
temperature fluctuations can be quite harmful. Water
temperature should be around 78 to 80°F (26 to
27°C). Do not put the tank close to windows or vents
or any area that allows for draft or sunlight or the betta may become
ill and die.
You may want to add
plants to the tank or bowl, as they can improve the water quality in
the aquarium. Live plants will help with the nitrogen cycle
diminishing the amount of ammonia and nitrates in the aquarium.
Learn more about caring
for Bettas at Betta Fish Secrets.
Caring for Pet fish
Koi Care Guide
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