Bettas are one of the most popular tropical fish that are owned in homes and offices across the country. Reasons people enjoy these fish include the low cost, easy accessibility, supposedly low maintenance and of course their variety of bright, beautiful colors. It’s understandable that so many people come across the fish department in many pet stores and supermarkets only to find these gems in horrible conditions in small cups forcing the observer to purchase them. I’ve been there; I know. One of the hardest things about this situation is picking only one, and as I can say from personal experience, some people have been known to take more than one.
So, what do you plan on doing with this pitiful little aquatic being once you get it home? If this was a pity buy, then chances are it hasn’t been thought through as much as it maybe should have. In the same department where you’ve found your newly purchased finned friend, you will find a wide array of aquariums, equipment, decorations and food. It can be a little overwhelming, which is why I’ve prepared these few simple tips as guidelines for betta care. Let’s start with the “Don’ts” first.
Don’t keep a betta in a vase. Vases are simply much too small to keep even a single betta in. There is the common misconception that bettas thrive in small bodies of water. And while it is possible for one to live in such conditions, he will not thrive. For those of you who might identify more with dogs think of it this way: you can keep a dog in a crate his entire life and sure, he’s not going to die simply from his small quarters, but he’s not going to live the happiest of lives either. Bettas are no different than any other fish or pet. Another problem with vases is that they are too difficult to heat efficiently. Bettas are indeed tropical fish, therefore requiring tropical temperatures.
Don’t rely on a plant root to provide food for your fish. Bettas are carnivorous fish and when it is witnessed that they are eating the root of plants, it is often times out of starvation. They need a steady diet of fish foods formulated for bettas, thawed frozen bloodworms and even thawed frozen brine shrimp.
Don’t provide your fish with unfiltered water. A small filter works great in smaller tanks for keeping the water clean and cycled. There are many filters on the market that have low flow rates that won’t disturb the water too much or cause too much of a current for these weak swimmers.
We’ve covered three don’ts, so let’s move on to the “dos”.
Do provide your fish with enough space. A standard ten gallon tank works great, as well as tanks as small as three to five gallons. Anything smaller is simply too difficult to cycle and establish prohibiting the ultimate care for your fish.
Do provide a heater for your betta. As stated earlier, they are tropical fish and their environment needs to be reflected as such. Temperatures around 78-80 is optimum for betta fish.
Do provide a variety of foods. A variety is best when it comes to feeding. Feed a staple of a good quality pellet food switching out occasional meals with others. For example, if you typically feed Hikari Betta Gold, for dinner one night you might want to offer thawed frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp.
Of course in the ideal world a tank will be set up prior to bringing the fish home. The cycling process can take weeks to finish and when it is done so with fish in the tank, the occupant is subjected to a stressful few weeks. During the cycling process harmful levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate spike. And while this is normal and what you want to occur to establish the tank, the tank isn’t essentially safe for the fish until those levels come back down into the normal ranges. Many water changes, patience, time and careful monitoring of these levels is required within the first few weeks of setting up a tank.
However, this isn’t always an ideal world. Perhaps you are one of many people who do feel extreme pity for one of the sad fish in the grungy cup at the supermarket and simply take him home to save his life. I’ve done it many a time and while it’s not ideal, it happens and it can be done. Close monitoring of the water parameters with a freshwater aquarium test kit will alert you as to when a water change is needed to prevent harm and illness from being inflicted on your fish.
Provided with ultimate care, the betta can live for several years giving you hours of enjoyment every day. Whether he’s your office pal, your kitchen fish, your prized pet or one of many other fish in your home the betta is one that at some point, every fish hobbyist should own. They are beautiful and full of personality; a combination you won’t want to miss out on.
