Betta Fish care help, please?

Hi, I own seven very healthy bettas, 4 females and 3 males, all with their own tanks. Here are some tips.

Tip # 1. Bettas need filter like all other fish, a slow flowing one is preferred, like you said their find can get caught in the filter but that's why a slow flowing one is recommended by me.

Tip # 2. Bettas prefer pellets to flakes, they only need like 3-6 pellets a day (depending on the size of the betta). Take a good look at it's eye, that's the size of their stomachs. As for treats, they like bloodworms, only like 3-4 worms per serving. I never give my bettas live foods as it can carry a disease.

Tip # 3. A heater is a must, they are tropical fish from the southeastern Asian countries where the temperatures are in the 90's, which means the water temperatures is in the mid 80's. When the temperatures is below 72 degrees, their immune system will weaken.

Tip # 4. Bettas love lots of hiding spaces, like silk plants, caves etc. etc.

Tip # 5. Play with your bettas, with my experience, when you just sit and watch them try to beg for food, or just watching them swim around, they will get to know you and love your attention. I find interaction will make bettas happier and live longer, I had one live 8 years.

Hope this helps!

It is really nice to hear that you want to give this beautiful a good home. Your questions are all spot on and I am sure with a little bit of experience, you will make this fish quite comfortable.

Here is my advice -

Get a 4/5 gallon tank with a filter. Get the type of filter where you can control the airflow so you dont have a massive current in there. The filter will mean you dont need to chage the water every few days. less maintainence and better health for your fish.

Please get solutions to remove the chlorine and other chemicals in the water. Also get some stress zyme so you promote the development of benefitial bacteria. Never change all the water at one go. Even if it seems cleaner, the old water has bacteria that is good for the fish.

Get a heater. Betta are tropical and like temperature to be 27 or 28 degrees C

Get the betta pellets for food. Also get some freeze dried bloodworms. 3 bloodworms twice a day should do it.

Get some nice hiding places, some plants and some nice gravel for the tank (I suggest pebbles because they are easier to clean)

try the aqua tropical fish forum. Loads of good advice.

Good luck!

DO NOT get a friend. They are fighting fish and 1 will probably end up dying. While they survive in the wild together, in a tank with no places to run and hide, there will be meyham.

EXCELLENT!! Well done for the rescue!

Personally, I don't think any fish should be in anything less than 10gal/45ltrs, and that includes a betta.

Never keep any fish without a filter. Bettas are pretty "hardy" fish, able to cope with most things that people such as your friend can throw at them, but they really should be in a filtered, heated tank. If possible, position the outflow of the filter towards one of the walls of the tank to divert the flow and they should be fine. Any fish that gets trapped/caught in the filter is probably ill. I have a filter in my betta tank and he can pull away from it just fine!

Feeding: Sounds like you're pretty clued up in that area. Pellets (I feed mine a small pinch of tiny pellets), bloodworm, brineshrimp, daphnia ... whatever you can find in the pet shop, plus the occasional pea (they're carnivore/omnivore, so they should still take the odd pea every now and then). Live-foods are great if you culture them yourself, otherwise, it's safer if you just feed them frozen and/or freeze-dried.

More info:

The listlessness is probably due to his current environment and the conditions he's previously been kept in.

Never, ever carry out a full 100% water change. It's stressful on you both and completely unnecessary. Tank maintenance should consist of:

* Weekly water changes of around 10-25% (daily water changes of 15% until the tank is cycled)

* Cleaning the filter in old tank water during a water change once a month

* Cleaning the gravel every week (it avoids a build-up of methane that can be lethal if allowed to escape into the water column)

* Wiping algae from the glass and/or decor.

If they have enough space to move and exercise in, bettas can swim just as well as any other fish. They just need the diet and exercise to build muscle tone.

Tank size: 5 gallons(10 gallon is bigger and cheaper at walmart)

Filter: The best is an AquaClear power filter and bettas do far much better with one

Heat: Yes a heater is needed

Food: Pellets are great due to the akward shape of a betta's mouth and they should be fed due to how many he can eat in 3 minutes as for the brime shrimp/frozen bloodworms twice a week is fine now for live food once a month

One more thing they benifit from live plants such as Java Moss, Java Fern, and at times Bamboo

Betta fish are tropical fish and enjoy a heater. For a happier and healthier fish get a heater, especially if you want it to live longer. A 5 gallon tank is minimum for a betta fish and also making sure it has somewhere to hide. Also make sure that anything you put in the tank isn't pointy or has sharp ends because betta's fins can get caught and rip, which can lead to infection.

A filter for a tank is ideal, unless you want to do water changes every 2-3 days. With a filter your water changes can be done every 1-2 weeks. Though it can't be an under-gravel filter otherwise it doesn't filter as well. With no filter it could water instability in the levels and your betta would be more prone to getting sick.With no filter, your levels would be unstable every day which is very stressful for any fish.

Just make sure the tank you get is covered because betta's are known for being jumpers.

Also for the food, pellets are not the best choice because they do dirty the water faster which causes high levels of nitrate in the tank, which can kill your fish. Try to feed it very little food (a fishes stomach is about as big as one of their eyes) so any excessive amounts in such a small tank (5 gals.) will make the water dirty fast. Betta's will enjoy flakes, but give them brine shrimp every once and a while for a treat. Also keep in mind that excessive amounts of flake food will lead to constipation which leaves fish unhappy. I feed my fish the inside of cooked peas to keep them healthy, about once a week.

A great betta fish informational website is www.bettafish.com , which includes a fourm.

I wish you the best of luck at keeping your little fish healthy!

Um, are you kidding me? Get him a friend? Ok, first off, don't listen to that advice. Betas must be kept alone or they will fight to the death. They have the alternative name of siamese fighting fish for a reason. Second off, you sound like you are doing everything you can, and really seem like you are taking his best interests to heart. I think a 5 gallon tank would be great for him. I hate when people keep betas in such cramped spaces just because "they can survive". It's just no way to live. As far as diet, a nice quality beta pellet is perfect, and he should be fed maybe 2-3 pellets a few times a day. Their stomachs are only the size of their eyeball, so overfeeding is really dangerous. Blood worms and brine shrimp are perfectly fine! Just in moderation of course. The only thing you should be cautious of.. is that some could carry parasites and realize that's a risk you are going to take. But, they really do love them and they are a great treat about once or twice a week, only a very tiny pinch at a time. Sure, you can feed live, but again, moderation is key.

Here is a forum: http://www.bettafishforum.com/

Just noticed someone already posted about cleaning the tank. I just wanted to throw in there make sure you use distilled water, nothing chlorinated!

Well for your Betta that you newly aquired now you should get some Tetra Aqua Safe and Easy Balance as well for the water.Then there good 5gallon setups that have all the gravel and plants you will need for it. As for filters? I have one in my Betta tank and it does like it.Just a lil water flow does help it in some ways.Plus a heater too they do like a tank with warm water around 74-78F.Then for your food get Hikari Betta Bio-Gold works well for them.Then for treat get Freeze Dried Bloodworms they will make your Betta happy.Water changes need to be done weekly to bi-weekly,which you should do around 1 1/2inches off the top of the tank rim for water should be down at then put new in and that Tetra stuff too

Beta are easy to take care of and can adjust to their environment easily.

You should get a filter, but be sure it's a good and safe one, or the fish's fins could get stuck in it! Beta fish are fine without a heater, as long as it's not freezing cold in your house. If it is, you might want to buy one or just put a lamp over the tank.

Take out that little plastic plant and put in some REAL underwater plants! The plants will help with the beta's health. Don't cover the bottom of the tank with lots of dirt though, or that could be a nasty mess! If a beta gets bored, they'll play in the dirt and make the water dirty. Then you'll have to clean it more often. Buy a snail or a garbage fish to help eat away fish droppings. Clean your cage when the tank seems dirty. Don't keep it too clean though, as some natural water is good for your fish.

It's best to keep your beta alone. Don't buy another "buddy" for him! They'll fight and kill each other, unless you have a big pond like mine. Then they'll break up the fight faster. But since you're keeping them in a tank, don't buy more beta - they'll just keep fighting till death (most likely)!

Sorry, I don't know any beta forums. But good luck!

It sounds like you really care about him :) Good for you!

You've gotten lots of good answers so far, so I'll just make a few more suggestions.

This is the tank I have for my betta:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productI...

I've had it for a year and a half and so far it's been great. It has a flow rate of 35 GPH which is just fine for a betta.

I'd also highly recommend you get a heater. Bettas are tropical fish and do much better when they have a heater. Here's the heater I have for my betta:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productI...

I bought the 50 watt model and it fits inside my Eclipse System 3 perfectly. I've placed it horizontally, closer to the bottom since the tank is slightly wider at the bottom.

Your Betta will be fine in a small tank or bowl, but the larger it is, the happier he will be. There are a couple recommended setups for Betta fish:

an individual small tank for one Betta fish, 1/2 gallon or larger

a glass or plastic fish bowl for one Betta fish, 1/2 gallon or larger

a divided tank for several male or female Betta fish

a community tank for one male or several female Betta fish

Regardless of which setup you choose, you will need:

Betta fish food

aquarium gravel

a live plant or plastic plant

a net and siphon or gravel vacuum

a pH test kit

Also recommended:

basic freshwater test kits especially ammonia test kits

an aquarium thermometer, and if your tank is 5 gallons or above, a heater

water conditioners, stress relief, and medications for Betta care

A tablespoon of freshwater aquarium salt

a separate bucket or container for preparing water

I have an aquarium and have had for years. Betas are Territorial and don't do good in a community ( various fish) tank.

Best wishes and enjoy! Oh yeah...Happy New Year (:>)