Basics

Betta Basics

This page is self explanatory -- Everything you need to know to keep your betta happy!

Thriving, not just Surviving.

Since bettas need very little water to survive, most people keep them in very small containers. I, however, believe that surviving is not the same as thriving. This is how I view betta keeping -- just because you could live in a jail cell with only bread and water for food doesn't mean you'd be very happy doing so. You would want a yard, a house to move around in, and a large variety of food to keep you healthy. The same with Bettas. Bettas need open space to swim, they are very boisterous and will have a blast exploring any community aquarium. Bettas need plenty of different foods to keep their voracious appetites at bay, these include pelleted, frozen, and freeze-dried foods.

Housing

Keeping this in mind, lets talk about housing. Most Bettas will arrive at the pet store in a cruel tiny little cup, which is only meant for temprorary transport; by no means should you keep Bettas in such a tiny container. Some pet shops are big enough to have enough aquariums set up to keep a Betta in each one, at least in tanks with compatible fish, which will be discussed further down. When you get the fish home, you must already have a suitable container ready for it, filled with water at room temperature, whether it be treated with a chlrorine/ammonia/chloramine remover or aged for no less than 24 hours. The best size container for a single male betta is a 1 quart jar, anything larger after that just means more room for a happier Betta. The smaller the container, however, the more frequently water changes have to be made. Small container water changes are best made by scooping the fish out and quickly rinsing the jar and adding fresh aged (oooh an oxymoron!) or treated water. If the water is aged it will already be room temperature, but if treated it must have been done at least 30 minutes before the change to stabalize temerature.

Feeding

This is the second easiest part -- with housing being the first. Bettas, on the most part, aren't too picky when it comes to feeding. As long as the food has a good amout of animal parts (hehe, food meant for carnivorous fish) then they'll be happy. However, no one food has all the right proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc. to keep a perfectly healthy fish. You must keep a variety of dried and live foods on hand to keep them in top condition, especially if you plan to breed your fish. Some of the live foods are easy to find, especially in the wet summer months if you are farther south. Mosquito larvae are a perfect live food. Adult mosquitos lay eggs in any still body of water (which in the case of city folk is a rain-filled bucket or tub), and the larvae can be collected at any stage of life, from almost microscopic to almost 1/2 inch long. The Pupae can also be fed to fish, since mosquitos can still swim around when they are pupating. They pupae look like little black dots w/ a tail and two 'antennae' which in fact are breathing tubes used to pierce the surface of the water. All stages of the water dwelling stages breath air, so can be collected while they are at the surface taking a breath. You must be quick, however, because they will quickly wiggle (they are fast!) to the bottom at the slightest distrubance. Another live food favored by aquarists are Blood Worms. no, they are not parasites and don't live in animals' blood. They are just a red color, hence the name blood worm. Live and frozen Brine Shrimp can also be fed to bettas; if the Brine shrimp are newly hatched they should be fed as soon as possible so that they take advantage of nutrients that would otherwise be lost. These should be sold at a reputable fish shop in your area. If you have any extra live food that won't be immediately used, you can freeze them in a baggy and thaw out later for use. These foods also come frozen from your local fish shop, if you prefer only dead foods. Remeber: All frozen and live foods must be thoroughly rinsed before they are fed to any fish, and frozen foods must be thawed out completely. Also, make sure these foods come from good sources, if wild caught it should preferably be from a fishless body of water so as to make sure no nasties have made secondary hosts of the food.

Compatability

Contrary to popular belief, betta splendens is a good intoroduction into the community aquarium. In fact, most people believe that bettas are too aggressive to keep with any other fish, when in fact the exact opposite is often true. Bettas, with their long flowing fins, are good targets for faster, if not more aggressive, fish. This means you have to worry about how mean the tankmates will be, or you'll end up with a tattered betta with a high risk of diseases, parasites, fungus, or even death. Good, common tank mates are Guppies, Platys, Swordtails, smaller tetras (Neon, Cardinal, etc...), and other smaller fish that don't require fast moving water (bettas much prefer still water, as in their native habitat in Thailand). Hiding places are a plus for bettas in a community tank,

Congratulations!

Congratulations! You are now a proud, educated owner of what is, in my opinion, the most intersting tropical fish in the fishkeeping hobby. With what you learned here on this website, and a love for your fish, you are armed and ready to begin keeping betta splendens and helping them to thrive, not just survive.

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