Betta Care Basics
I know there are a few here that are very new to this wonderful world of bettas. We all were at one point in time. I understand all too well the questions that go through your mind and the endless hours spent on the internet in search of answers to those questions.
There is a lot of conflicting information out there regarding bettas and how to properly care for them. There is more to caring for your betta than what you were possibly told by the pet/department store clerk from which you purchased your new little finned friend. It is not hard though, not really, not once you have the basics down. Simply put, lots of love, a healthy and properly fed diet, clean water, and your betta is well on his way to a happy and healthy life. I have put together for you some details of those "basics." I really hope this will provide you with a few answers to questions you may have when it comes to providing care for your new little betta babe.
A betta needs a bowl/tank size minimum of one gallon to live a happier life. One gallon is the minimum size of course. The larger in size you go, the happier your betta will be. Anything smaller they are really just existing, no matter what you are told from pet store clerks who will tell you that bettas can survive in small amounts of water. Survive, yes, but not happily. They are fish after all, and they truly do enjoy having room to swim around in. Also, the larger your bettas home, the easier it will be for you to maintain.
It is very important the water that your betta lives in is kept as clean and fresh as possible. For this reason, make yourself a water change schedule and stick to it. A one gallon bowl will require a 100% fresh water change at least two to three times a week. The reason being, as fish waste and debris from food are released into the water, what results is the build up of ammonia and nitrites, which are "toxic" to your betta. This is why it is very important that you are committed to your water change schedule. The larger your bettas home, the less frequently you will need to change the water.
You will need a water dechlorinator/conditioner to pretreat the water your betta will be living in. This will remove chlorine and chloramines and other harmful chemicals that may be present in the water which are very deadly to your betta.
You can either use tap water, or bottled "spring" water. Not Distilled. Distilled water has important nutrients that your betta needs in his water filtered out during the distillation process. It is considered "nothing" water. It is not good for your betta, no matter how many pet or department store clerks try to tell you differently. If you have extremely hard tap water, well water, or water that contains a very high lime content, your best bet would be to use the bottled "spring" water for your betta.
Whether you use tap water or spring, you will need to pretreat the water with a decholorinator/conditioner. Although spring water does not contain the harsh amount of chemicals as tap does, it is not 100% pure and still contains a small amount of chemicals that in long term, will prove to be harmful to your betta.
Pet bettas should be fed a variety of food in order to maintain good health. Pellet food in moderation is fine, however, it is advisable that you add some “real” foods to his diet as well. Foods such as bloodworms and brine shrimp are excellent choices. These foods can be found at most of your local pet stores live or frozen. If you feed pellets to your betta, 3 per serving, twice a day is plenty. Bettas are very voracious eaters and do not always know when to stop eating. A bettas stomach is no bigger than the size of one of his eyeballs. With this in mind, 3 pellets per serving is all that he needs. If you feed frozen foods, once it thaws it is in "glob" form, just use your judgment and feed portions that are within reason. No matter how cute he looks wiggling back and forth begging, don't over feed. Overfeeding your betta can lead to other health problems. He will act as though he is starving, but be assured, bettas are little pigs with fins. He is not as hungry as he may be acting, he is just wanting to eat. You have to be the one in control.
Foods such as freeze dried (not frozen) blood worms, brine shrimp, any foods of these types should be fed very sparingly and no more than once or twice a week, if fed to much or too often, it will make your betta sick. Freeze dried bloodworms and the like are known to carry ick and other bad bacteria. If fed sparingly as a treat, the chances of them harming your betta are very slim. If fed as a main food source, he will definitely be heading for illness, such as constipation, swim bladder disorder, ick, or any of the variety of bacterial infections.
A drop in or stick on digital thermometer is a definite must have when betta keeping. 75 to 80 degrees is an ideal water temp for bettas. You would not want his temp to fall to below 70 degrees. Their water will usually hold the same temperature of whatever your home is. It helps if you sit your bowl/tank away from open walls, windows, and vents. Because it is hard to control heat in small amounts of water, it is highly recommended that you "do not" use a heater for anything smaller than 2 gallons of water. You risk overheating the water which will kill your betta. As a way to warm his water, you could sit his bowl underneath a lamp. I used to use goose neck lamps for a couple of my betta tanks, with a 25 watt bulb in each. During the day, they maintained a temp between 75 and 78, with only a very slight drop during the night hours, no more than 2 degrees. For 2 gallon tanks, there are 7.5 watt Jr. Heaters available for purchase that work very nicely.
Bettas are known to be jumpers, some are known to jump more than others. For this reason, it is recommended that you provide a cover for the top of your bettas home, one that will prevent him from being able to jump out should he all of the sudden feel like taking a leap. There are those that came home from work or shopping one day, to find that their betta had taken a jump from his home. This is not a pleasant finding, so really, preventative measures should be taken. You need to be selective in what cover you choose for your bettas home. Reason being, bettas have what is known as a labyrinth lung, an organ that enables bettas to breathe in air from the surface of the water. This ability is an important requirement for survival. Without his being able to breathe in air from the surface, your betta will die. Any cover that you provide the home of your betta should be one that does not block his air flow.
I hope this has been helpful information in getting you started. I believe you will find that bettas are a truly unique and enjoyable little fish. No two are alike, they each have their own special personality. Provided the proper care that they deserve, they really make such wonderful pets. They are truly worth the effort.
Enjoy your new little finned friend!
Ruth - The Betta Obsession
Last Page Update 11/19/07
