By the time you buy a Betta in most stores - they are about six months old. Most people are lucky if their fish lives a total of one year. Death is usually a result of treating these fish to average room temperatures instead of the tropical temps they are used to (the high temps of the water in Thailand where most are bred is around 95 degrees).
Betta will usually do fine 78 and up. But most people prefer around the 80 mark, especially for sick fish. Being in low temp water for long periods of time breaks down their immune systems and they eventually die of a combination of bad water (not filtered or changed) and low temperatures.
5 Gallons, heated, filtered, planted with real plants and even some friends - neon tetra, ghost shrimp, snails - all help to keep the fish interested in what's going on, exercising and longer lived.
80 degrees, 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water and daily water changes (to aged water AND the same temperature) - will usually help most sick Betta get better - of course, a healthy fish is always best to start with.
Good Luck!
Betta will usually do fine 78 and up. But most people prefer around the 80 mark, especially for sick fish. Being in low temp water for long periods of time breaks down their immune systems and they eventually die of a combination of bad water (not filtered or changed) and low temperatures.
5 Gallons, heated, filtered, planted with real plants and even some friends - neon tetra, ghost shrimp, snails - all help to keep the fish interested in what's going on, exercising and longer lived.
80 degrees, 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water and daily water changes (to aged water AND the same temperature) - will usually help most sick Betta get better - of course, a healthy fish is always best to start with.
Good Luck!
. I know for a fact that you cannot keep bettas with any fin nipping fish ie: tetras... neons are ok but the other type are not ok. My bettas are by themselves and doing well. Hope yours improves try to post a pic if you can of him.
