My Betta Fish

Why you shouldn’t keep Betta fish in a vase

Unfortunately for them, it is possible to keep Betta fish in a vase and they are capable of surviving in a vase for short periods of time only. Here are some damn good reasons why you shouldn’t keep a Betta fish in a vase. It’s just plain dirty Just like any other aquarium fish, Bettas …

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Buying Betta Fish, How to find the best Betta fish

Unless you just happened to come across a Betta fish, or were given the fish as a gift, you’ll need to consider buying your Betta fish. This page deals with where you can buy yours and what to look for when buying Betta fish so that your Betta fish can live happily and provide you …

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Betta Fish Compatibility

Betta fish are known to be aggressive towards one another but they can also display aggression towards other tropical aquarium fish. It is important to know which fish are compatible with Betta fish and which fish shouldn’t be kept in the same tank before placing them together. This article on Betta fish compatibility should help …

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Betta Fish Depression

Betta Fish Depression From time to time, you may notice that your Betta fish seems depressed and languishes around in its aquarium not appearing to take an interest in fish food, other aquatic creatures or its owner. Even though your Betta fish may appear to have depression, it is important to realise that your fish …

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Betta Fish Diseases

One very difficult aspect of keeping Betta fish is keeping them disease free. Whilst Bettas can survive in water with poor oxygen levels, there are still plenty of Betta fish diseases that can latch onto even the most resilient of them. Here is a guide on Betta fish diseases and information on what you can …

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Why you shouldn’t keep Betta fish in a vase Buying Betta Fish, How to find the best Betta fish Betta Fish Compatibility Betta Fish Depression Betta Fish Diseases

May 01

Why you shouldn’t keep Betta fish in a vase

Categories:

Betta Fish Aquariums

by Steven Caller

It’s just plain dirty

Just like any other aquarium fish, Bettas need clean water in order to grow and live a healthy and happy life. Restricting their room for swimming is cruel enough but each fish required a good volume of water, preferably at least one gallon per fish in order to maintain a healthy aquarium environment. Either regular water changes with dechlorinated water or a sufficient filtration system must be in place. The Betta fish labyrinth organ isn’t, as it is often thought, an excuse to leave the poor fish in a bowl and forget about it. the labyrinth organ allows Betta fish to breathe air at the water’s surface when there is insufficient oxygen in the water, ammonia and nitrites will still have a negative effect on your Betta fish’s health.

You don’t know where they’ve been

The plants that is; you cannot be certain that there are no inorganic substances on the stems of any plants you are putting in your vase and consequentially, you may be marching your Betta fish off to the pearlyscales gates in double quick time.

Its boring for the fish

You wouldn’t like to spend your entire life coped up inside a small space, and neither would a Betta fish. They need stimulation just like any other animal and it is the owner’s responsibility to provide this. They are not there to add something slightly more interesting to your bunch of carnations.

Vases are subject to rapid temperature changes

Not only do vases contain so little water than any pollution can cause a massive change in water chemistry, but they are often put on window sills resulting in direct sunlight and rapid temperature changes. Unstable water conditions are not good for any aquarium fish, including Betta fish.

It wouldn’t hurt to find a proper aquarium

you can pick up a ready to go aquarium for very little these days and nano aquariums hardly cost the Earth. For such a small price, you can give your Betta fish a decent home and ensure both the health of an animal in your possession and your won peace of mind.

Setting up a vase such as the one detailed in this Betta fish vase guide is a no, simple as!

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Apr 26

Buying Betta Fish, How to find the best Betta fish

Categories:

Supplies & Equipment

by Steven Caller

Choosing a Betta fish to buy
Not all Betta fish were born equal and some are brighter, more aggressive and larger than others. Some may even be very old when you see them in the shop or perhaps carrying underlying health problems.

Age
When buying Betta fish we all look at their colour and their fins and many of us go for the biggest fish in the store. This is rarely a wise move as the most value for money can more often be derived from purchasing younger fish, Bettas that will grow in your tank and live longer after you buy them than older fish. Young Betta fish tend to be smaller and are more aggressive, often swimming more than older fish. They are also much better for breeding than grandpa Betta. The shop assistant or seller should know the age of their fish. Also look for fish that are swimming near the glass separating them from their neighbour, as this is a good sign of aggression and youth, sure signs that you are buying the right Betta fish.

Body to fins ratio
All body an no fins seems to defeat the object of buying a Betta fish. Some males can even resemble females, a mistake that could produce some interesting breeding attempts. A Betta fish with a large body and small fins isn’t necessarily unhealthy and can still display very vibrant colours however you should avoid Bettas with a thin body as this would suggest a weaker and potentially diseased specimen.

Fins
A Betta fish should ideally have full fins with no breaks or changes in bone direction which would suggest injury or disease. Slightly darkened or lighter fin tips are a good indication that the fish is set to grow longer fins over the next few months. The caudal (tail) fin should have a nice curve and contain no jagged edges.

Where to buy Betta fish
The best place to buy live Betta fish is from a breeder although these can be difficult to find. If you can find a Betta breeder and you are willing to either travel to pick them up or pay for postage, then this is a good way of getting good quality fish that are appropriate for breeding. However, you must be careful if you buy live Betta fish online or from a breeder that (a) they are sent via a courier service that will handle live fish deliveries – Royal Mail will not and (b) you have an honest description of the fish you are being sent.

Buying Betta fish online is a possible option as is using popular auction sites such as eBay. Classified ads are ok too if you spend a little while looking through them. If you do choose to buy live Betta fish online, you must ensure they are coming from a good, reputable breeder and always verify the age and condition of the fish.

The last option is to buy a Betta fish from an ordinary pet shop or aquatic store. This is perhaps the cheapest option as you can collect the fish yourself buy do beware that many fish shops don’t sell Bettas that are overly suitable for breeding and many simply stock a very limited selection

Tags: buying betta fish, Supplies and Equipment

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Apr 26

Betta Fish Compatibility

Categories:

Betta Fish Aquariums, Betta Fish Care

by Steven Caller

As a general rule, Betta fish, in particular the males, find large and colourful fins aggressive and will nip the fins and tails of any fish they see as a threat. They are therefore not compatible with fish such as guppies and will usually end up second favourite to the Betta.

Female Betta fish can be kept with other fish and generally won’t display behaviour as aggressive as the males. The following information shows the types of tropical fish that can be kept in the same aquarium as a Betta and those that mustn’t ever be kept in the same tank for fear of an untimely fish death. Do remember that if you choose to house other fish with your Betta, not only must they be compatible, but there must be enough water in the tank for the pair of them, at least 5 gallons are required for keeping more than one fish.

Livebearers
Livebearers can be kept with Betta fish but certainly not guppies. Swordtails are also a slightly risky addition to a Betta tank. Platies and mollies can be kept with Bettas and small Endlers can too.

Shoaling fish
Some shoaling fish are very compatible with Bettas. Tetra species such as neon tetras are colourful yet have small fins and are generally peaceful towards other fish.

There are a few shoaling fish that aren’t compatible with Bettas and these include
barbs and angelfish; barbs as they like a spot of tail nipping themselves and angelfish because they have long elegant tails, perfect for a winding up a Betta fish.

Cichlids and discuss
The very worst fish to put with a Betta. These fish are not compatible and should not be kept together. Even the cichlids which don’t have flamboyant fins display territorial and aggressive behaviour. Discuss fish are highly colourful and would very quickly attract the attention of any Betta fish they are forced to co-exist with.

Bottom dwellers
Bottom dwellers tend to grow slightly too big for a Betta fish tank. Small Loaches may be just about compatible with Betta fish but not a great choice overall.

Shrimp
These would be perfect for a Betta tank, provided you’re using them as live food. A Betta fish would take no time at all to sniff out and eat your shrimps.

Snails
Snails are fine with Betta tanks and can exist quite happily alongside a Betta fish.

Tags: Betta fish compatability, community aquariums

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Apr 26

Betta Fish Depression

Categories:

Betta Fish Care

by Steven Caller

Betta Fish Depression
From time to time, you may notice that your Betta fish seems depressed and languishes around in its aquarium not appearing to take an interest in fish food, other aquatic creatures or its owner. Even though your Betta fish may appear to have depression, it is important to realise that your fish doesn’t have a mental condition. When a Betta fish is depressed, it is in fact stressed.

Stress is a very dangerous thing for all tropical aquarium fish. When they are stressed, fish are more susceptible to disease and can sometimes stop feeding which in turn makes the even weaker. Betta fish are much less likely to breed when stressed and you will probably not see a male Betta making a bubble nest when it’s “depressed.”

The causes of Betta fish depression are almost always related to the water quality, especially those Betta fish kept in very small aquariums with no filtration or proper aeration. The substances in a fish tank that cause stress are normally ammonia, nitrates or nitrites, all of which can be reduced with effective filtration and regular water changes.

If your aquarium is very clean and well filtered, it may be the case that your Betta fish is diseased rather than suffering from depression. Before assuming that its a sure case of Betta fish depression, check around its gills and fins for irregularities and be sure to look our for any white patches on its fins and body.

Some people believe that keeping small Betta fish aquariums next to each other will make their fish flare up their fins and become more aggressive. This works by making the Bettas think that they are sharing a tank with other males. Other people put a small mirror by the side of the tank in an attempt to trick the Betta into thinking its own reflection is another fish, and guess what….this actually works.

Betta fish depression can also be caused by overfeeding. This can lead to swim bladder infections and bloating, both of which can kill any tropical fish if they are allowed to worsen. Always make sure you remove any uneaten food a couple of minutes after feeding your Betta fish. This will help prevent overeating and will also improve water quality by reducing the amount of food left in the tank to rot.

It is also possibly that you are keeping your Betta with other tropical fish that aren’t compatible with it. Feeling threatened by the large fins of other fish may depress your Betta. If you notice any fin nipping then this may be the cause of your Betta fish depression.

In conclusion, there is no such thing as Betta fish depression as this is merely a term used to describe the languid behaviour of a Betta fish suffering from stress caused by its environment, other fish or disease. For further information, please consult our Betta fish diseases, aquarium setup or compatibility pages.

Tags: Betta fish, care, depression, disease

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Apr 26

Betta Fish Diseases

Categories:

Betta fish anatomy, Betta Fish Care

by Steven Caller

Recognising Betta fish diseases
The first step is noticing when your Betta fish isn’t in the very best shape. The first signs are that it will stop eating accompanied by a lack of movement. It is also possible that the Betta will dart around. You also need to check your Betta’s eyes, gills and belly for sores, abnormal patches, raised scales or just out of shape body parts.

Isolation
Upon discovering that your Betta is diseased, you must seek to isolate the infected fish as soon as possible. Disease can spread very quickly in a fish tank and the best way to protect your fish is to keep them away from infected specimens. You must keep a diseased Betta fish away from plants too as some diseases can remain dormant in plants.

Betta fish disease list:
Below is a list of Betta fish diseases with their symptoms in red and their treatment in green.

Fungal infection
Many tropical fish can fall prey to fungal infections which appear like fury patches, usually white, often on their head. They may show signs of reduced appetite.

The Betta fungal infection should be treated with a 100% water change and removing any leftover food to prevent it rotting in the water. There are Betta fungal treatments available which act as a fungicide whilst causing no harm to the Betta fish providing dosage instructions are followed.

Ick
If you have been involved in the Betta fish hobby for a while, or even kept any kind of aquarium fish, you may have come across the term “ick”. This is caused by a parasite and appears as small white lumps resembling sugar grains on the body of the Betta fish. You may also notice scratch marks on your Betta where it has been trying to remove the parasite.

Ick can be prevented with just a teaspoon of salt per gallon of water or with medicines, usually containing formaldehyde. You must treat the whole tank, even if only one fish has ick as it is a very contagious parasite.

Fin rot
When a Betta fish gets fin rot, it will probably look as though its fins are being eroded, or burnt away. It is a fairly common condition that often arises from poor water quality. It can leave permanent damage.

Fin rot treatment typically consists of changing the water and adding some fungus medicine. The condition generally won’t persist for much longer than a month.

TB (Tuberculosis)
Yes that’s right, Betta fish can get TB and it kills all fish that contract it. There is no cure and even the strongest of bleach might not be enough. I would suggest destroying everything that has come into contact with your Betta fish as well as hoping your other fish don’t catch the disease. This Betta fish disease must be eliminated from its environment before other fish have to die needlessly.

Bacterial infection
If your Betta fish stops swimming around and has red patches, its probably bacterial.

Isolate the infected fish, change over 50% of the water and change your filter media. There are treatments for this too so ask in your local pet shop.

Swim bladder disease
It is common for aquarium fish to suffer from swim bladder disease and Bettas aren’t the only sufferers. It causes the Betta fish to swim very slowly, possibly not at all and occasionally appear swollen around the abdomen.

Swim bladder disease is caused by overfeeding and bloating and so the best cure is to stop feeding your Betta as much. You can try starving them for a day or two with no ill effects. Go easy on live foods too as Bettas feed on these very enthusiastically.

This causes raised scales accompanied with swelling up. They may also appear very drowsy.

Treatment must start with isolation to prevent infection. Treatment will almost always fail and the Betta will die within a fortnight. There is very little that can be done to help.

Tags: bacteria, Betta fish, Diseases, dropsy, ick, medicine, treatment

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Apr 26

Breeding Betta Fish

Categories:

Betta Fish Breeding

by Steven Caller

Breeding Betta fish is more than just sticking a male and female Betta together in the same tank and hoping for results; it’s about clever preparation and planning, as well as some small financial outlay. In this article, we will be looking at how to breed Betta fish, how Bettas breed and what you can do to make yours breed successfully, as well as a section on how to raise the fry and selecting the right fish for spawning.

Selecting and conditioning Betta fish for breeding
Before you can breed Betta fish you will need a good pair of Bettas to breed. If you are just thinking about breeding Betta fish and have little experience in keeping them, you must gain experience in keeping Bettas beforehand.

You should select a Betta fish to breed that is healthy, of a good size for their age and not too old, ideally from a reputable dealer. You should also decide what colours you want to be breeding and if you are looking to make money from your Betta fish breeding program, finding out the most popular Betta colours and those that are in the lowest supply are both useful undertakings before setting up your Betta fish breeding equipment.

Once you have selected some healthy male and female Bettas, it’s time to condition them. This is the process of bringing them into the healthiest state possible and ready to breed. This involves keeping the water very clean and free from ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and any decaying matter. You must also ensure their diet contains live food.

Preparing for the fry

That’s right, despite the fact that Betta fish fry are very small, you need to know where you’re going to put them once they appear or else things could get messy. Don’t forget that Betta fish can lay up to 500 eggs in one go, and if only half of these are males, you’ll end up with 250 angry male Bettas cooped up in a small breeding tank, sounds like a massacre.

Caring for Betta fry requires space and you must establish a good fry tank before breeding Betta fish. This ought to be a larger tank with divisions, either made by hand or bought. There are simple tank dividers on sale and your local aquarium store staff should be able to help you. Such a tank can only support your Betta fry if it is filtered, and this should be a sponge filter only, as power filters will mince your fry in their impellers.

Betta fish breeding
Now comes the breeding process. With everything ready, its time to set up a breeding tank and introduce your Bettas to each other. Your breeding tank should be clean and have no substrate. No plants or decorations are necessary either. A gentle sponge filter would be best in this tank. The temperature could do with being a little higher than room temperature in your Betta breeding tank. Some people believe that adding catappa leaves to the breeding tank will encourage Betta fish to breed. This does have some truth in it however it is the antibacterial properties of the leaves and the effect they have on the water that results in better Betta health and therefore leads to reproduction.

You should keep the male and female Betta fish separate, yet in view of each other, with a glass or mesh divider for example, until it is clear that they are both ready to breed. When the male Betta begins to build a bubble nest, you know its time to make some fry. This is the point at which you should release the female Betta fish so that she can mate with the male. Those that have witnessed this process would agree that the Betta breeding ritual can seem a little aggressive when the pair appear to engage in a spot of fin nipping but this is perfectly normal as the Betta pair will soon commence breeding after this ritual.

After the Betta pair have finished breeding
After the breeding has taken place, and when the female has retreated from the bubble nest, you should remove the female Betta and place her in a very clean tank as she will be slightly injured from the breeding process; this is perfectly normal. The male Betta should be kept in the tank with the bubble nest; he will probably continue to pick falling eggs up and reconstruct the nest for a while, and should only be removed when he has finished doing this.

Caring for Betta fry
Before Betta fry have even hatched, you must ensure you have a ready supply of very small food for them. One good food source is a micro worm culture which can be maintained and cultured at home with very little space or effort. Banana eels are also a good source of food, as it egg yolk. Whatever you do, don’t start the process of Betta fish breeding before you are prepared to look after the fry or else they will perish, wasting your efforts.

You can also buy ground up fish food which is satisfactory most of the time but expensive in the long run. An even more effective source of Betta fry food is infusoria. You can make your own infusoria by leaving a jar of water in direct sunlight with some grass cuttings in the water. Believe it or not, this will produce tiny organisms for you to feed your Betta fish fry with. Newly hatched brine shrimp are very cheap and easy to feed to fry as well.

As soon as reasonably possible, you must remove the Betta fry from the breeding tank and place them in a fry raising tank where they wont be eaten by adult fish. Remember only sponge filters and well established sponges.

The space consuming part is when the male Bettas begin to grow to the size at which they become aggressive. At this stage you must separate them, and be prepared to either house over 100 young Betta fish for every breeding pair or cull extensively to keep only the best specimens. It is better to cull deformed fry than to allow them to grow into unhealthy adults. The kindest way to do dispose of Betta fish fry is to put them in a watertight container then freeze them, so that they gradually lose consciousness.

Where to sell your Bettas
Once your Betta fry have grown and they are looking more and more like a fully sized fish, you are going to have to find an alternative home for them. You should think about arrangements with distribution channels, such as your local aquarium shop, or online sales before you breed your Betta fish. Alternatively, given their relative ease of care, you can try selling your Betta fish amongst family and friends, or on local classifieds. Betta fish breeding can be profitable but a lot of space and investment is needed beforehand.

Tags: Betta Fish Breeding, fry, infusoria, spawning

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Apr 26

Feeding Betta Fish

Categories:

Betta Fish Care

by Steven Caller

Feeding your Betta fish
So what do you feed Betta fish? Well, they really aren’t that fussy at all, although there are some things to avoid and some things that really do help improve the colour and health of Betta fish.

The most common thing people feed their Betta fish are flake foods. These are essentially very thin flakes which contain a large percentage of protein. Fish need protein for growth and colour. These flakes can float, sink and are easily crumbled up for feeding smaller fish. Try to find fish flakes with a cleaner water formula if possible.

You can also find live and frozen food for Betta fish. This comes in either a small watertight bag from your local aquarium store, or in frozen form. You can increasingly find sachets of live food mixtures and freeze-dried daphnia. These are all good ways of getting nutrition into your Betta fish, especially frozen foods. Freeze dried foods are exceptionally cheap and easy to find.
You can catch or even culture your own food for feeding Betta fish and your Betta will thank you for a fresh supply of live food as this is the best thing to feed Betta fish. Live food is both stimulating and full of protein, not to mention fresh and natural. All fish have an instinct to try to catch and eat any organisms smaller than themselves therefore live fish foods are perfect for stimulating and feeding your fish.

Daphnia are also known as water fleas and can be collected by shining a torch onto a pond at night, or purchased from a store and bred very easily.

Brine shrimp and bloodworm are also good things to feed Betta fish and

can be easily purchased and cultured to provide an endless supply. Brine shrimp eggs can be purchased relatively cheaply and can be hatched using only a 500ml bottle, a teaspoon of salt and some brine shrimp eggs. There is nothing more to it, providing you keep them somewhere light and warm.

You mustn’t ever attempt to feed other fish, dead or alive, to your Betta. Not only is this cruel, but you cannot determine whether or not such a fish is diseased or not. You should also refrain from throwing bread into your Betta fish tank as this does them no good at all.

Fish food is really quite cheap and a good quality diet enriched with live foods will help your Betta fish to display amazing colours, grow strongly and remain healthy.

Betta fish

Tags: brine shrimp, care, daphnia, Feeding Betta fish, fish food, flake food, food

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Apr 26

Betta Fish Water Parameters

Categories:

Betta Fish Aquariums, Betta Fish Care

by Steven Caller

Betta fish may not be the most demanding of tropical aquarium fish, but they still have their preferences. Betta fish water parameters aren’t as difficult to get right as they are with other tropical fish. Having said that, many people are killing their Betta fish or leaving it dying slowly in poor water. Here’s how to keep your Betta fish alive with the correct water parameters. This article looks at the correct temperature, Ph and water hardness for your Betta as well as giving information on how these requirements can be altered if necessary.

PH
The Ph is a measure of how acidic or alkaline your water is. Typically, tap water is slightly alkaline, meaning it has a Ph above the neutral point which is 7. This is a perfectly acceptable Ph for your Betta fish, which can tolerate water between 6.5 and 7.5 Ph. If you are uncertain about the Ph of your tap water, your water supplier will be able to tell you this as well as other queries you may have about its mineral content.

There are products that claim they can achieve a specific Ph and these may have varying levels of success. The best way to keep the Ph of the water in your Betta tank stable is to measure it regularly using Ph paper or testing strips. Ph is raised by metals present in the water which also contribute to your water hardness, which is explained below.

You can lower Ph by either adding acid, or filtering out some of these metals. You can also add bogwood or peat to your Betta fish aquarium to lower the Ph. Alder cones are especially effective and natural. These methods are much better than artificially changing the Ph. Reverse Osmosis water has a very low Ph and can be mixed with tap water to give the desired Ph. R.O. Water is available in many pet shops.

Water Hardness
Water hardness is one of the more complicated aspects of Betta water requirements to explain. In essence, water hardness refers to how many particles there are present in the water of your Betta tank that aren’t water particles. Magnesium and iron are examples of this. If you experience a lot of lime scale in your kettle at home or in the office then it is likely that you have hard water.

Water hardness can be slightly lowered by boiling the water to remove temporary hardness, although unless your water is very hard, you should be within the 5 to 20° dH range that Betta fish can live happily in. Water hardness can be tested using simple paper testing strips or at your local pet shop.

Hardness can be lowered by filtering your water over peat moss before adding it to your tank, using processes such as distillation or reverse osmosis or even by using rainwater. Most of these measures should by quite unnecessary unless your water is exceptionally hard.

Temperature
The temperature of your Betta fish water will influence its metabolism, inclination towards growth and breeding and its immune system. You should try to keep your Betta tank between 70 and 85F. Unless your home or office is either very hot or very cold, this shouldn’t be of concern and you should be able to maintain your Betta fish aquarium temperature quite easily. Should you need to purchase a heater, make sure it is suitable for your aquarium size and ideally thermostat controlled.

Betta fish water Sources
The easiest place to get water for your Betta fish Aquarium is straight from the tap. If you are planning to use tap water, you must make sure you use a dechlorinator product before pouring it into your tank. Just leaving the water for the chlorine to evaporate is not sufficient as many water companies now use chloramines instead. Providing your tap water satisfies the water parameters set out above, then tap water will pose no problems to your Betta fish.

Rainwater is a lower Ph source of water and can be mixed with tap water to reach a fairly neutral Ph level. Do not use tap water that has run off a roof as the limestone in the cement will alter its chemical composition. Some rain can be harmful to aquarium fish if it has a high concentration of pollutants, so this option isn’t without its risks.

If your tap water really isn’t suitable for Betta fish, the you can buy R.O. Water from your local pet store and mix it with tap water until the desired parameters are met. Try to avoid products that raise or lower the Ph as these are both expensive and unnecessary.

The Ph is a measure of how acidic or alkaline your water is. Typically, tap water is slightly alkaline, meaning it has a Ph above the neutral point which is 7. This is a perfectly acceptable Ph for your Betta fish, which can tolerate water between 6.5 and 7.5 Ph. If you are uncertain about the Ph of your tap water, your water supplier will be able to tell you this as well as other queries you may have about its mineral content.

Tags: aquarium, Betta fish, chlorine, hardness, ph, tap water, temperature, water parameters

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Apr 26

Betta Fish Aquarium Setup

Categories:

Betta Fish Aquariums

by Steven Caller

The first thing to do if you want to keep a Betta fish aquarium is to think about the tank setup. An ideal Betta fish tank or aquarium setup takes into account all your fish’s needs and ensures both a practical and stylish addition to your home or office. It also allows you to keep the water clean and clear. Even though Betta fish are one of the easiest tropical aquarium fish to keep, it can be difficult knowing what to do at first, here’s a five step guide to make the process easier.

Step 1: Decide what Betta fish to keep
First you must decide what Betta fish you are going to keep, whether you want a male or female and how many of them you would like to keep. This may be restricted by the amount of space you have available. Your aquarium must be suitable for the number and gender of fish.

Remember that male Siamese fighting fish must be kept apart or else they will fight each other. If in a confined space then this can result in the death of both fish. However many fish you are planning to keep, the maximum number of fish allowed in an aquarium is generally determined by the following rule:

Max number of fish = one square inch of fish per gallon of water

Step 2: Finding the right aquarium tank
A good rule to follow is no less than three litres per fish, although more would be better. A tank of 15 cm by 15 cm by 15 cm is the minimum size you should consider, anything smaller is simply not large enough to be considered as a suitable aquarium for Betta fish.

If you wish to keep just one fish, a small tank of one gallon or so will suffice, however for keeping a Betta with other fish or several females you will need a larger tank, aim for about one fish per gallon as an absolute maximum.

You can buy nano tanks with built in filters and lighting which are ideal for Betta fish and especially good for those that want a simpler fish-keeping experience. There are also Betta barracks on sale which do allow for more than one fighting fish to be kept in the same tank, although filtration can be difficult in these exceptionally small types of aquaria.

Red Betta Fish

Step 3: Filtration, lighting and oxygen
Your Betta fish needs clean water, not necessarily crystal clear but free from pollutants such as ammonia. For very small fighter tanks and bowls, regular water changes may be a more viable solution than filtering, providing that you condition the tap

water you use, or use rainwater, distilled water or RO water mixed with tap water.
The best form of filtration for small Betta aquariums is the humble sponge filter which works on the uplift principle and draws water through a sponge, allowing for mechanical and biological filtration. This requires only an air pump, a sponge and some airline tubing to set up, and is one of the most economical solutions. Variants include box filters, corner filters and the under gravel filter, all of which use the same air uplift mechanism to draw water through a filter medium. These tend to be relatively cheap yet often quite obtrusive in the tank. Sponge filters do have the advantage of oxygenating the water; an important consideration even if Betta fish have the labyrinth organ. Sponge filters are also great when raising fry as they are not too powerful and do not produce a powerful water flow.

Larger Siamese fighting fish aquariums can make use of power filters which are very simple devices that use a water pump to push water through a sponge or two and then shoot it back out again, a very simple concept though perhaps not very suitable for smaller aquariums as the water flow would be too great.

Lighting is an easier consideration than filtration. A Betta fish tank really doesn’t require any special lighting unless you are planning to grow plants in the same tank. The ambient light of its location is normally sufficient although you could add a USB light or small lamp to your Betta aquarium to enhance its appearance. An aquarium light that is too powerful will promote algae growth, as will too much direct sunlight so do make sure you do not provide too much light. Both sunlight and artificial lights will cause the water to heat up, this should not be a problem as Betta fish can tolerate temperatures up to 80F. A clamp-on aquarium light is probably the best solution if you wish to see your Betta Splendens looking as magnificent as possible.

You may wish to consider a heater for your tank if it is placed somewhere with a temperature of less than 70F. Room temperature will however suffice for a healthy Betta fish in most instances.

Oxygen is provided at the water’s surface, where gas exchange takes place. While Betta fish can breathe air thanks to their labyrinth organ, it is still necessary for there to be a good surface area for this gas exchange to take place. An air pump with an air stone can aid oxygen diffusion by increasing water flow and by moving the surface of the water. Hardy plants are also very useful to this effect such as elodea or Hygrophila, though please do check which plants are legal to buy or stick to a reputable source for aquatic plants – Hygrophila Polysperma is illegal to import in the U.S.A.

Step 4: Betta fish tank décor
Now this is the easy part: it’s now time to decorate your tank. Start with the substrate, which can be gravel, pebbles or just left bare. No substrate should be used when breeding Betta fish. You can also use sand although this can leave the water slightly hazy for a while. Whatever you choose, make sure you rinse it thoroughly as to wash away any dust or fine particles which could both irritate your Betta fish and turn the water in your Betta aquarium a funny shade. The substrate should be about an inch deep and it’s always a good idea for it to slope upwards towards the back, which gives a sense of the depth of the tank when viewed from the front.

Ornaments are always a nice touch to any Betta fish aquarium and the best ones to buy are silk plants and resin ornaments. Never buy plastic plants as these have a high tendency of harming the Betta’s fins. There are many great ornaments to choose from for your Betta tank although its best not to overcrowd the tank. Allow your fish some room for manoeuvre and remember to take out some water before putting an ornament in.

Live plants can be used to create a more natural display whilst taking in nitrates, acting as a medium for micro-organisms and providing oxygen for the fish. Even without co2 injection and fertilisation, there are many plants suitable for a Betta fish aquarium. Anubias and Java ferns are amongst the most popular and mosses are generally more hardy than other plants.

Step 5: putting it all together
Once you have considered all of the above steps, its time to put your Betta fish tank together.

Start with the tank, placing it in its final location and filling it with substrate. Next is the filter which must be weighted down or attached to the sides using suckers.

After decorating your Betta fish aquarium, add some tap water that has been conditioned to remove chlorine and then any live plants or ornaments. Once the water has settled, and the filter established, you can add your Betta fish.

Your tank is now complete, though the joy of rearranging and adding to your tank will never be over.

Tags: aquarium, Betta fish, decoration, filtration, lighting, tank, water

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Apr 26

Betta Fish Anatomy

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Betta fish anatomy

by Steven Caller

Betta fish diagram

Tags: Betta Fish anatomy, Fins, Gills

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