An Introduction to the Basics of Beta Fish Care

With the proper Beta fish care, your Beta fish can live a long and swimmy life. Read on for some great tips for caring for your new pet.

Imagine your beloved beta fish living for two to five years, happily swimming in his little tank, his fins just as long, lustrous, and healthy looking as the day he came home from the fish store. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Well, it won’t happen without proper beta fish care. Your new family addition needs to be taken care of just like any other pet.

What is a Beta Fish?

Beta fish (or Betta fish) are also called Siamese fighting fish. Second only to the goldfish, they are one of the most popular types of fish found in homes around the world. Why are they so popular? Betta fish are very hardy and easy to keep, and are beautiful to look at. After all, who couldn’t resist those beautiful colors and long flowing fins.

Caring for Your Beta Fish

Beta fish CAN live a long time under the right conditions. They have have been found to live for up to five years, but few in home aquariums live anywhere near this long because of their poor living conditions. You need to feed, clean, and care for your Beta just like you would any other pet.

Here’s a basic rundown of what you need to do to care for your Beta fish.

Living Quarters

Beta Fish can survive in almost any container of fresh water. Brandy glasses and other small containers have been a popular “home” used by people over the years. For proper health however, a one to two gallon tank is best. Even though they can survive in tiny bowls, they need space to swim in order to thrive.

You can add decorations like gravel, little figurines, and plants, but take care to smooth anything with jagged edges. Your beta fish has very delicate fins that can become ravaged by sharp objects. Also, be aware that your beta likes to rest on the bottom so pebbly gravel rather than sharp angular gravel is best.

To Filter or Not to Filter?

A filter isn’t necessary, but having one will help keep the water clean. One of the Beta’s distinct features is its ability to breathe oxygen in both the air and the water, so you will not need to supply a filter or live plants. Water movement should be kept to a minimum, which means that power filters should be avoided.

Should He Have Friends?

Make sure you put your fish in the tank alone. Male betas will fight each other to the death. If you have bought a beta from a pet store, it’s probably a good bet that yours is a male because they’re the ones with the longest fins. Female betas are also available, but they tend to be offered only to people wishing to breed their betas.

If you you have your heart set on more than one fish, get two tanks or containers and put them side by side. Another alternative is to buy a beta tank made specifically for two betas – they have a partition in the middle so that each has its own side of the container. This way they can look at each other but not harm each other. Beta fish have great eyesight so they might like having company!

Feeding Time! Mmmmm… Yummy Pellets

Adult betta fish should be fed once a day. Feeding your fish pellets designed specifically for them is best. Give them about 3 or 4 per day. They will consume regular fish food too, but they may lose some color. The betta fish, as most fish, can go a couple days without eating, so don’t worry about leaving for the weekend.

Keeping the Water from Getting Gunky

Keeping the container and water clean is critical to the health of the fish. Small containers should have at least one third of their water changed at least twice per week. Pour your betta fish into the clean container along with some of the old water. After transferring the beta fish to a container (with either the old water or the water you’re going to use) clean the bowl with mild soap, and rinse thoroughly.

What if I’ve read this too late?

If your beta is already doing poorly, reading this may help.

And in a nutshell that’s it. If you follow these beta fish care tips your new pet should enjoy a long and happy fishy life. Enjoy your Beta Fish!