FAQ

Betta fish, just like any other pet, need to have mental stimulation and exercise. This can be accomplished by purchasing a betta mirror to allow him to flare. Flaring is important for betta gill health and provides excellent exercise and mental stimulation. This should only be put in the water for a maximum time of five minutes. If the mirror is in the tank for too long, then it can be stressful for the fish. Another activity that can be done includes letting them watch TV or high contrast baby videos with the sound off. The sound needs to be off because sound is amplified in water and can stress the fish out. Betta fish are attracted to the bright colors and will follow the screen trying to see what the bright colors are. This also provides excellent exercise and mental stimulation.

Betta fish originate from Thailand, where they live in shallow, slow flowing rice fields. They use a special organ, not found in most fish, called the Labyrinth organ which allows them to breath oxygen from the surface. The male betta fish will build a bubble nest on the surface of the water, usually around plants and wait for a female. They will jump from one patch of water to another and if another male is in that water, they will usually fight to the death. Over years of selective breeding, they have developed the many different colors and varieties we commonly see today. Wild betta fish are not as colorful, and their fins are not as extravagant as some of the domesticated varieties. Photo Credit: bettastore.com

For a five-gallon aquarium that most of our bettas are required to be homed in, I recommend only having the betta in there. It is too small to house any other aquatic animal. If there are too many fish in the tank, then the ammonia can build up and cause all the aquatic life to get very sick and die. Also, overcrowding can cause stress to the fish, which can also cause illness. I honestly wouldn't even recommend putting in a snail because I have found that they poop a lot more than they clean. A filter for a five gallon would not be able to handle that much ammonia and waste. In the occasional 10 gallons that are required for our bettas, it is possible to house three or four small community fish OR up to three snails. The fish, though, must follow strict guidelines, as they cannot be too colorful and/or flashy, no long fins, anything that nips fins, or anything that could attract the attention of the betta. This applies mostly for male bettas. In general, short finned and small tetras, danios, Otocinclus, etc. tend to do well with male bettas. Note that most of these fish are shoaling (live in groups), so I would recommend picking one species and getting four of them and nothing else for a 10 gallon. Fish that would NOT be compatible with bettas include barbs, long fin tetras, shrimp, cichlids (including angelfish), goldfish, etc. Fish compatibility also depends on the personality of the betta. This will be observed prior to the adoption, although, it is very important to make sure that the betta does not act aggressively towards any tankmates even if they are listed as more peaceful in a 10 gallon. If you are unsure about fish compatibility with a betta, please contact us by email or text.

A betta fish can live in a minimum of 3 gallons, but they thrive in a five gallon. In a three-gallon tank, you should not expect the betta to live a happy and full life. A five gallon allows for the fish to swim, explore, and move around. Bettas are very curious fish and need mental stimulation in order to be happy and healthy. With proper care of the fish, you should expect a life span of 3-5 years, with some living up to ten years.

A betta aquarium should be five gallons with a heater at 75-80F and a proper filter with aeration. For decor, live plants, silk plants, very soft plastic, and nontoxic decor (color is not going to fade) are appropriate. Gravel and sand are both appropriate option for the bottom of the tank. Make sure the gravel is not going to fade over time if it is colored, as this can release toxic chemicals into the water. To avoid any chance of the gravel color fading, natural gravel is recommended to be used- do not just use gravel or sand from outside, and make sure to wash any gravel/sand from the store with water only before putting it into your tank. Before any betta is added to any set up, it should be properly cycled which is evident when the ammonia and nitrite are 0ppm. Both nitrite and ammonia are severely toxic to any fish and is the main cause of death in aquarium fish. Time can vary on how long it takes a tank to cycle, but I have found that a week will rid the tank of ammonia and nitrites from the growth of beneficial bacteria. To be able to test this, a water testing kit is required. Photo Credit: Biologywise.com

Cleaning fish tanks is one of the most hated tasks in the hobby, but it is one of the most essential. Cleaning a fish tank keeps the dangerous ammonia from building up in the tank. To clean your betta tank, an aquarium syphon, or a gravel vacuum, is required. You then perform a 25%-50% water change- do not change more water than that. Changing more water can disrupt the good bacteria and cause a buildup of nitrites and ammonia, both of which will kill your fish- when a fish dies from this, it is called "new tank syndrome" and is one of the most common causes of death for novice betta owners. It is also important to keep your fish in the tank water even while you are changing it in order to avoid adding stress to the fish by chasing it with a net, which can also kill him/her. When water is being added to the tank, make sure to condition the water PRIOR to adding to the tank in order to remove chlorine and chloramine from the water before adding it to the tank- both of these can also kill your fish. Whenever you are cleaning a tank, do not change out the filter pad. There is no need to change it any sooner than every COUPLE of months. Changing out the filter pad can damage the beneficial bacterial colonies. These bacterial colonies help to keep your fish happy and healthy. Now, it is necessary to try and remove some of the grime buildup from the filter pad, though. To do this, take some of the dirty tank water and rinse it in there. Rinsing the filter pad under tap water will kill the beneficial bacterial colonies.

There are several signs of a sick betta. Some of these include lethargy, change in character, not eating, clamped fins, dark stipes along the body, faded color, torn fins, swollen abdomen, labored breathing, and abnormal swimming (floating at the top and can't swim down or swimming lopsided). If you are unsure if your betta fish is sick, do not hesitate to email or text us.