Betta Splendens Care Revised Edition

[Jspigs]

Betta Splendens Care Revised Edition​

I already wrote a Betta fish care sheet but have since learned more so I decided to make a revised edition.


Tank size: opinions differ on what tank size is ideal for a Betta fish but I would have to say that the minimum tank size for a Betta fish is 2.5 gallons but bigger is better.

Filters: this is another thing that people disagree upon but in my opinion all fish (including Betta fish) should have a filter. If a fish does not have a filter you will have to do daily 100 percent water changes which stress fish out.

Heaters: Betta fish are tropical fish and require a heater set to about 78 degrees Fahrenheit in order to be active and happy.

Feeding: most Betta fish food packages tell you to feed your Betta fish a few pellets a few times a day. This is too much. Most pet stores tell you to feed your Betta fish a few times a week. This is too little. I feed my Betta fish two pellets twice a day fasting my Betta fish one day a week (to help prevent constipation). Remember, a Betta fishes stomach is the about size of its eyeball. I recommend a product called Hikari Betta Bio-Gold, baby pellet size.

Plants: when I say plants I do not mean a planted Betta vase. Planted Betta vases are very bad for Betta fish despite what you may hear. I mean aquarium plants such as java moss. Plants such as java moss are extremelly beneficial to a Betta tank.

Tank setup: first set up your tank substrate, decorations, plants, etc. the way you like them. Next fill the tank with conditioned water. Then fishless cycle your tank. After your tank is done cycling you can add your Betta fish to the tank.

Bettas and community tanks: There is a myth going around that says a Betta can not live in a community tank, this is a very sad myth because it has doomed many Betta fish to live there life in isolation. Bettas can make very good tank mates in a community tank but it all depends on the individual bettas temperament and what other kinds of fish are in the tank with the Betta. For example you can't keep fish that tend to nip other fishes fins because they will go after the Bettas long fins, nor can you keep fish with long/colorful fins in the tank because the Betta will mistake the fish for another Betta and attack them. So Bettas can make a good community fish it just depends on the individual Betta and what tankmates you plan to put in the tank with the Betta.

Follow these instructions and your Betta fish will live a long and happy life:thm:.

 

[Dwarf Puffers]

I don't completely agree with the filter bit, I think without a filter 4-7 30-50% water changes a week would be more than efficient, 100% water changes are almost never necessary. I agree that light filtration with as low amount of current possible in a betta tank is quite beneficial, though.

 

[Jspigs]

If you only changed the water that much your Betta would be sitting in his own waste most of the time and would not live as long as if he had a filter.

Even with 100% water changes he would be sitting in his own waste most of the time and would not live as long as if he had a filter.

 

[halfmoonplakat]

Actually he wouldn't be sitting in his waste. Most betta owners don't use a filter with males because it may disrupt their construction of a bubble nest, and basically, sometimes can be uneccessary.
And actually I read somewhere that the cleaner the tank water of your betta fish the faster he/she develops, reducing their lifespan by like, a month or something. But that could've just been a hallucination.
And the use of a filter really depends on the tank: does it have a plant that absorbs ammonia and other harmful things released from uneaten food + fish waste? how big is the tank? does it have gravel? etc...

 

[Jspigs]

And actually I read somewhere that the cleaner the tank water of your betta fish the faster he/she develops, reducing their lifespan by like, a month or something. But that could've just been a hallucination.

I have never heard that and I don't believe that it is true. Clean water in no way affects fish negatively.