Betta Fish Care Guide

Do betta fish sleep?

2009-03-03T14:14:00.001-08:00

Really, do betta fish sleep like us, humans, or other water-living creatures?

Of course they do. All animals sleep. Mine rests in his cave, or on one of his plants. He acts really startled if I come into the room at night and turn the lights on. You may not have seen your fish sleep before because they usually do it at night.

To be more precise, they rest when the lights go out. I guess it would be hard to sleep when you don't have eyelids!

They sleep under the leaves at night, nestled in next to the stem. Sometimes they take naps during the day right in-between the leaves.

Depending on the type, some fishes are Diurnal and some are Nocturnal. Of course diurnal fishes are active during the light hours and nocturnal fishes rest during that time and are active during the night hours. Most fishes tend to rest as if they stop moving and pushing water past their gills they would die. When they do rest, most diurnal fishes will be very pale and have their eyes expand inorder to see any movement as possible. Usually with diurnal fish, they will rest when the light has be off for awhile and the surounding environment is totally dark.

With nocturnal fishes, if you have any in a community tank, they will find a dark area and often rest and when other fishes rest, they will come out and feed.

Prolonged periods of lighting can also heat up the water in your tank, which is not the best for the fish.

Several Tips on Betta Fish Care

2008-09-21T17:02:00.000-07:00

Importants Tips on Betta Fish Care

Keep the tank at the appropriate temperature for the betta fish. Bettas that are kept in water that is significantly warmer or colder than needed, are going to be stressed and this will repress their immune systems. Water temperature is arguably the most important factor in betta fish care.

Check the water quality and pH level regularly. If the water is cloudy or has unplesant odour, take immediate action. Cloudy, or foamy water almost always means there are bacteria in the fish tank. A full water change and sanitation is required on such occasion for the right betta fish care. To sanitize the aquarium, soak fishnet, artificial plants, heater and filter in a mixture of tap water and Clorox (1 part Clorox per 20 parts of water). Soak for about one hour, then rinse thoroughly several times. Wipe dry. Throw away any live plants because they are potentially infectuous. Rocks and gravel cannot be soaked in medicine because they will absorb it and then probably poison your betta. Heat them in an oven for about an hour. Then let them cool off and put them back in your bowl. Put brand new filtering media in your filter. Fill the tank with new water and let it run for a full day before adding your betta back to it.

Provide your fish with a well-decorated bowl to help reduce stress. Putting plenty of cosy places such as artificial or live plants and broken clay pots make your fish feel secured. Perform regular water changes to get rid of any accumulated waste and to remove any decaying organic substance. This also helps prevent the accumulation of toxins in the water as water evaporates and dust settles into the bowl.

As to betta diet, do mix in, substitute some freeze-dried, frozen, live, meaty foods occasionally. Small worms and insects can make a huge difference in not only the color and behavior of your Betta, but their actual vitality. Pellets and flakes should make part of the feeding, too, but not become the only food for bettas.

Betta Fish Tails

2008-06-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

9 Betta Fish Tails

One of the most stunning and peculiar features about betta splendens is the wide variety of colourful, iridescent, fabulous tails. Male betta fish usually have splendid tails to complement their bright colours and attract female bettas' attention when mating period begins. Females tend to have shorter, less vibrant tails. The different tail shapes when combined with certain colors are sought after by betta enthusiasts or collectors.

Below there's a short summary of different betta fish tail shapes to look for when picking out your water pet.

Veil Tails: bettas with veil tails are just a little different from the short tails. These bettas have tails of the same shape and look as the short tails, just longer. This makes them droop at the ends. When the betta is in calm mood they simply hang down. When the betta flares its fins the tails come up a bit, but still don't fan out. These are very common bettas in all pet stores.
Short Tails: The short-tailed bettas look very much like wild bettas. These tails are shorter and have a practical sense behind. Wild betta splendens can't afford to have the long, flowing tails as it worsens their ability to swim and manouvre. Betta fish with short tails also don't tend to be as vibrantly coloured, as they're closer to wild creatures.
Double Tails: The double-tailed bettas are fish with two tail lobes instead of one.
Crowntails: There's a variation of a betta called a combtail, which means that the spines of the fins extend out past the edge of the tail membrane resulting in a "comb-like" appearance. The crowntails have been bred for this trait to the point where the tail is sharp and looks like a crown.
Fan Tails: A fan-tailed betta is one whose tail is solid at the bottom then flares out symmetrically to create a rounded-edged fan.
Half-moon Tails: This is currently the ideal for the betta show quality world. These tails have a full 180-degree spread to them, making the tail look like a half-moon. Such tails are beautiful but also very fragile. The betta is likely to tear them often while swimming in the tank not spacious enough, or cramped with stines, artificial plants, etc, which makes showing them a tricky adventure at times.
Delta Tails: The delta tail betta makes another step past the fan-shaped tailed specimens. Instead of a rounded fan it looks more like a triangle with sharp edges running down to a rounded tail.
Super Delta Tails: The super delta tail is a fish tail with a very broad width angle. Anything above about 130 degrees from the base can be considered a super delta tail. For show purposes an angle of 170 degrees is desirable.
As you can see there is a bunch of different tail shapes in the betta fish world and more are being bred all of the time by passionate pet owners. This makes betta a fun and exciting fish to learn about and enjoy.

How to Prevent the Betta Fish Ick Disease (7 Simple Steps)

2008-06-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

Betta Fish Diseases: Ick

Once you get up in the morning only to find that you betta fish that used to be active and happy is no longer healthy looking. What looks like someone took malted salt and sprinkled it all over your fish can be a lot more worrying than you think. The thing is that these are signs of a very common betta fish disease known as "Ick (ich)” or white spot disease. Here are some simple steps that are crucially important if you want to prevent the fish ick disease.

Remember to do regular water changes in your fish tank. I personally change the water in my aquarium twice a month although you don’t necessarily have to follow my betta maintenance habits. Changing the water in the tank is more than simply pouring it out and filling it up. You want “aged water” meaning that you want water to be sitting out for at least 24 hours before you fill the tank up. This allows the water to get rid of certain chemicals which can hurt your betta. Also, aged water will cause less stress to the fish.

Get used to feed your betta a wide assortment of foods; frozen dried and flake food, pellets - Betta fish are meat eaters but giving them a mixture of brine shrimp and beef hearts combined with the typical flake food is the preferred menu recommended by experienced pet owners. Aim to include worms as well, though make sure they're of good quality, and do not include them in the meal too often.

Try to minimize the stress of your betta’s water environment by maintaining a constant pH level and avoid fluctuations in water temperature and ammonia concentration. You can buy necessary testing kits at any local pet store or order them online at various websites. Also, your betta tank should have a working thermometer to control whether the water is warm enough. Remember, that many betta fish diseases - e.g. ick - are caused by the water not being warm enough. Temperature should be regulated to keep a constant and reliable environment and betta fish feel best in warm and slightly acidic pH balance (about 7.0)

Don’t put too many creatures in the betta fish tank. Remember that bettas really thrive is spacious aquariums (5+ gallons). Sounds like a no brainer but many beginners suppose if one is good then 10 must be better. An overstocked fish tank is a breeding ground for diseases and stress (which cause disease by weakening the betta immune system).

Take as a rule to quarantine new bettas for a minimum of four days before introducing them to your main aquarium. Fish that come fresh from a pet store are more likely to bring with them infections they had in the previous tank. Since the Ick parasite has a life span of 4 days, you are going to want to quarantine the betta fish long enough for the parasite to proliferate and die, if bettas had been infected.

If your beta shows above described signs of fish Ick disease, remove him to the separate tank for a quarantine period of a minimum four days.

Avoid buying live plants that have been in a fish tank with fish in it. If you do, however, purchase such plants, be sure to quarantine them immediately - just like getting fish from a fish store could cause problems, purchasing water plants that used to be in the same tank with other fish can cause bacterial or viral infections to occur to your pets, which will be difficult to treat. So stay on the safe side.

Obviously, there are also medications that you can use to eradicate the Ich but remember, you aren’t necessarily treating the fish themselves but you are treating the tank. If you follow these steps then your betta fish will enjoy a long happy life which you of course want for your fish.

Betta Fish Constipation

2008-05-11T04:26:00.000-07:00

Betta constipation can strike your fish just like it can you. It is unpleasant but can eventually kill your pet if not treated properly.

CAUSES

One of the main reasons of a betta constipation is because their main diet is too rich. If you are feeding blood worms or brine shrimp on a daily basis, you can give your betta this unpleasant disease. Another common cause of constipation is lack of variety in a betta's diet. An easy solution for this is changing between food types for meals, such as a few flakes in the morning and pellets at night, brine shrimp the next day, etc. A third cause of betta constipation may be overfeeding which is dangerous because it often causes other fish diseases as well.

PREVENTION

Some betta owners fast (do not feed) their fish for one day per week to cleanse the digestion system. This is a useful method to prevent betta constipation, especially if live or frozen foods are fed on a regular basis. Another feeding option thought to prevent constipation is splitting a betta's feeding up into two small meals per day, rather than one larger meal. This reduces the amount of food intake at one time and allows the betta's digestion system to process it easier. Always remember a betta's stomach is about the size of his eyeball, so a little food goes a long way. Diversity in a betta's menu is vital both to prevent constipation disease, and insure they are receiving the necessary nutrients to stay healthy.

DIAGNOSIS

A betta suffering from constipation will have an unusually swollen abdomen but in all other rights appear and act normally, though may be a little sluggish.

TREATMENT

Treating betta constipation is rather simple and can be cured very quickly. As mentioned above try to feed your betta fish a more varied menu and preferably smaller portion sizes.

To rid yourself of the constipation problem, fast your betta for 24-48 hours. Next, take a cooked pea and peel it. Feed a small portion of it to your betta on the end of a flat toothpick. Within the next day or so you should see the swelling go down and a few little deposits at the bottom of the tank. Watch to make sure your betta fish is going to the bathroom, as this will mean the constipation is subsiding.

If your betta continues to swell after treatment of disease and you are noticing that he is having bowel movements, something else could be the problem like Bloat, Swim Bladder Disorder, Dropsy, or a tumor.

Additional procedures

Clean water is always important for a betta fish, but is especially beneficial for any betta suffering from a disease like constipation.

Always keeping your betta warm, between 76-82 degrees, will also help them to feel more comfortable and raise their immune system that fights betta fish diseases better than any chemicals or medicine.

What are good names for betta fish

2008-04-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

So you've got a lively iridescent betta fish in a nice air-ventilated tank with a heater, plenty of tasty food, but... have you got the name for him? (I heavily suspect that you're owner of a male betta).The task is hard because it only seems easy to rhink of a name until you really set
your mind for that. When the time comes, you feel absolutely stuck.The common names (and the easiest to devise) come to mind - Betty, or even Betta.

That's it. "I have a betta called Betta", - doesn't it sound a bit primitive? So what are good names for betta fish? In fact, the suggestion are numerous, and imagination is the limit. But normally you'd want your betta to ba called simple (easy to remember; you'd be surprised at how often people forget names! It happens to most of us), yet should be easy on ears, nice in pronouncing. The important requirement is that the betta should love it as well. Yes, bettas do remember their names, and may like or dislike the way they're called. A good name should reflect betta's personality - every fish has one by all means!I know folks are always looking for fun, funny and unique names for their Bettas.

Actually, the whole concept of naming fish seems to be fairly unique to Bettas and a small handful of other fish. Maybe it's because they have varying characteristics that make each individual identifiable it's nearly impossible to figure out who's who anyway. Here's a short list of good names for betta fish. I've placed them in alphabetical order for your convenience. You can sure extend the list further!

Ace
Alpha
Aleister
AngelAqua (short for "Aquamarine")
Ashley
Bart
Berry
Bertha
Betazoid
Biff
Bingo
Bitty
Blaze
Boogie
Bone
Breeze
Bunny
Brotherman
Bubbles
Bullet
Buster
Chauncy
Cherry
Chica
Clementine
Cosmo
Dave
Delson
Delilah
Doc
Dory
Dotty
Doz
Dragoon
Edgar
Emilio
Fantasia
Finola
Flair
Flo (a derivative from "to flow")
Flossie
Frank
Freeze
Freddie
Frost
Genius
Ghost
Gimlet
Girlie
Glynis
Gupta
Jasper
Joey
Juniper
Mandarin
MarblesMelrinMildred
Nat
Naught
Nemo
Olivier
OmriPattyPhish (a kool name, isn't it?)
Puddles
Quil
Rain
Ranger
Rudy
Ruby
Sakura (betta fish come from the East, anyway)
Sam
Sandy
Santini
Sapphire
Sparky
Spot
Steve
Storm
Stripe
Superdelta
Sushi
Suzie
Tasty
Tenchi (a Japanese word for "heaven and earth")
Tilda
X-man
Valentine
Wally
Wave (or you may add his/her prime coloring to it, like "blue wave")
Ying
Yang

Betta Fish Training Methods

2008-03-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

Betta splendens are great fighters. Some of the fighters don't know what defeat is, but only die when they can't enjoy the victory. It is often possible to train a betta fish to display certain behavior patterns. The behavior can be observed and desired, such as the Betta being a hard hitter, keeps on hitting the same position, its style and its tolerance.

There are many betta fish training methods developed and extensively used worldwide. To make a great fighter, your betta needs special water conditioning.

1. Conditioning

Ensure that the tank or jar has sufficient room for your betta to easily turn around. Plants or objects that might interfere with this should be placed at the back or to one side of the tank in order to leave sufficient room for circling. Bettas that are in compound tanks have softer skin and their scales are not smooth enough to tolerate hard hitting from the sharp teeth of the opponent. They need to be kept individually in a jar or bottle for conditioning for about a week. Add 5 ml of Atison's Betta SPA per gallon of water in the container. This extract of wild almond leaf will make the skin and scales harder. During one week in the container, just feed them once every two days with Atison's Betta PRO. This food is preferable since the Betta will get a lower fat diet than with other foods for fish. Keep the fishes in their individual containers without seeing each other. After a week, the fishes will lose their fat, their scales will become stronger and harder and they will look shinier than before the conditioning. If there is no time to do the training or if there is a lack of opponents, the fish can be kept in the conditioning container for another 2-3 weeks without any problem. No water change is required during this conditioning, for up to a month.

2. In the morning move him to new soft water (condition new water with dry banana leaf). 15 minutes after you have moved him to his new container, put a small female into his container for a minute. The male will flare and chase female around. You should remove the female immediately if your betta fighter starts to bite her. This is to make your fighter active and fierce. Do this step again in the evening. Make sure he doesn't bite anything during training to protect his teeth for fighting!

The whole process of training will last about 6 to 7 days, depending on the fitness of the fighter. The training period should not take longer than 10 days. The longer the training period, the more boring and stressful it becomes for the fish. If there is no suitable opponent, just put the fish back to the conditioning process again. Then do the exercising process, step by step.

3. Prepare a circle tank or at least 15" high bucket with a small aquarium water pump. Put 12" water high and put a small bottle with a female into the center of the male's tank. Put your fighter into circle tank. He will swim around the female bottle to try to fight the female. Turn on the water pump to flow the water around tank. Your fighter will try to go against the water flow. Let him exercise like this for 15 minutes after feeding in the morning and evening. This will give your fighter a strong body and help him to develop good breathing techniques.

The fighter will chase the females around the container. It looks beautiful when he is chasing the females. Leave the fighter in the container for about 5 minutes or until the fighter starts to bite a female. Take him out and leave all the females in the container. Repeat this process again next morning for another 4 days.

4. Let your fighter have rest in his container. Repeat day 8 step once a day. Feed him only a little food in the evening.

5. To make a fighter more furious and aggressive is one of the most important part of this betta fish training method. If a fighter is not aggressive and furious, it will not bite hard and bites less often. Every betta has their own territory and will protect it for life. Therefore if one invades one's territory a fighting begin. I use a small healthy female put into a fighter's container. The fighter will chase the female and finally it bites the female furiously.

Normally training a betta takes two weeks - one week for conditioning, and one week to exercises. Be sure to feed your fish with proper food, and don't forget about relaxing. That way you can grow a real fighter with this simple betta fish training method!

Betta Fish Lifespan

2008-03-05T15:14:00.000-08:00

The female Siamese Fighter is smaller, and duller in color her mate. Their fins are are also considerably shorter, but they do have similar coloration patterns as the male. Oftentimes, the female will have mild striping along the sides of her body. She grows to a maximum size of about 2 inches. Although she doesn't get the size or color, the female often will outlive the male by several months. The average Betta fish lifespan is about 2 to 3 years, but sometimes these tropical fish live up to 5 years if water conditions are ideal and food is optimal. The lifespan of a betta fish depends on how well cared for it is.

Take good care of you betta, do frequent water changes, feed quality food (but avoid overfeeding), keep them warm (around 78 degrees F) and give them the largest tank you can find (3 gallons at least).

The betta fish you see in pet stores are already adults and at least six months old. A good breeding background and good health when the fish is bought will probably mean a longer life. You can keep the fish in good health with a good environment, diet, and medications.

Good environment starts with an adequate sized living space. Those tiny little grapefruit sized bowls don't count. And you should provide fresh water changes so insure a long beta fish life expectancy.

I wouldn't recommend keeping Bettas in pairs. Sooner or later the male will become very aggressive, particularly in small tanks with limited cover. A good alternative would be a 10 gallon with a male with some other type fish. Not only interesting but also help clean up food that the betta can miss. A 10 gallon will allow you to keep some live plants and do a bit of landscaping. You can use a small power filter without too much turbulence and partial water changes will be the only maintenance necessary. The addition of gravel is not necessary but sure looks better.

That's it about betta lifespan.

Betta Fish Tank Water Parameters

2008-03-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

The most important thing in your betta tank is the water. If your fish tank has water that is too hot or cold, too acidic or full of chemicals, or unbalanced in any other way, your fish could die. In order to properly maintain your tank and keep your fish healthy and happy, you will need to test the tank’s water on a regular basis.

You should start by checking the aquarium’s temperature with a tank thermometer. It is important to check the temperature of your tank because if the temperature is too high or too low, it can leave your fish vulnerable to disease. Since temperature fluctuations are dangerous to betta fish, be sure to keep your tank away from any drafty areas, such as windows, doors or heater vents. Keep the temperature for betta at a steady level of 75-80 degrees F as this is the normal parameters in the wild for these vibrant creatures.

The ideal temperature for your betta fish tank depends on a number of factors so make sure you find out what is ideal for your fish. When you change your tank’s water or add new water to your tank when the water level is a bit low, you should make sure the temperature is about the same as the temperature of the water already in the tank. If the water is too hot or too cold, it may stress out the betta or even kill him.

pH is a way to measure the acidity of the tank’s water. Since pH test kits are inexpensive and it is very important to be sure your tank’s levels are right, you should make sure you have a kit on hand for frequent testing. A pH level of 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline. Most fish need the pH level to be around 6 or 7. Be aware that anything you add to the betta tank could change the pH of the water, so always run some tests to make sure the levels are ok after you add new plants, gravel or decorations.

Ammonia test kits are readily available in your local pet store or favorite online pet supply retailer. Ammonia levels are usually measured in parts per million and should always be at zero in a healthy tank. Ammonia in the tank could be fatal for your betta fish. Make sure you have a biological filter, as it helps prevent ammonia. Cleaning your tank and filter regularly should also prevent ammonia levels from becoming high.

Nitrite and nitrate levels should also be at zero to prevent your betta fish from stress or dying. These test kits are also readily available and are usually measured in parts per million or milligrams per liter. If you have a biological filter and have high levels, the filter may not work properly. Clean your filter immediately and retest your water.

Finally, you should get a general hardness kit and a carbonate hardness kit. These kits are inexpensive and can be purchased online or at your local store. The hardness of your water depends on the water quality where you live. Betta fish like the water to be soft, which is between 50 to 200 parts per million. Hard water is not safe for betta fish.

10 Betta Fish Facts

2008-02-29T05:28:00.000-08:00

Betta Fish Facts Part I

1. Betta fish actually originate from the Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia and China. Betta's name is derived from the Thai word ‘ikan bettah’. In Thailand, betta fish is known as pla-kad. Betta's name is pronounced in the same way as when we say the Greek letter 'beta', it is for this reason that many people misspell the name and is why you often see it written beta fish, which is the American way.

2. Betta fish are one of the most popular aquarium fish, mainly because of its appearance, since betta fish certainly are not one of the easiest fish to keep in an aquarium. Betta Fish originates from the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia. However, with the right attitude and thoughtful guidance, it is not the difficult to become a happy owner of a thriving betta fish. You just need to follow simple advice like choosing and changing water, feeding bettas with proper food, etc.

3. Betta fish lifespan is on average 2-4 years, but well-kept aquarium specimens can live longer than six years when properly cared for. Bettas grow to about 6 cm.

4. The betta fish seem to continually make funny bubbles on the top of the aquarium; this is just his way of making a nest or fry. Nests are blown with saliva bubbles. The male betta fish when in the wild makes bubble nests so that when the female happens by he does his tribal dance with his fins flashing to suitably impress her, when she is impressed she will spawn after which he will fertilize the eggs. Then being the perfect dad he will pick the eggs up in his mouth and place them tenderly into his bubble nest.

5. Two betta males should not be placed together in one tank! At times, when betta fish are aggravated, they "puff-out". When they are "puffing-out", the fish puffs out the gill covers and fins to appear more impressive. They do it to intimidate rival males.

6. Once spawned, the eggs either float upwards into the bubble nest or are carried by the male in his mouth. Once in the nest, the eggs generally take anywhere from 24-48 hours to hatch at which time they are closely guarded by the male of the species who retrieves any eggs that fall away from the nest along with making any repairs to the bubble nest that are required during the "waiting period". Once the eggs hatch the male will also tend to the babies for the next few weeks.

7. You must remove the female as quickly as possible after the breeding, because the male, just like the female black widow spider will turn on her male partner, the male betta will turn on the female betta. Moreover, the daddy can attack and devour his brood, so you need to be vigilant when breeding occurs to save the lives of the betta fry.

8. The best environment for bettas would include a larger (5 gallons) tankwith a completely functional mechanical and biological filter. A heater, lights, and appropriate substrate and cover for the fish would be added. Since bettas are tropical fish, ideal temperature conditions for them should be in the range 75-80 grades F. Consider adding plants to help improve water quality and to provide much needed cover.

9. Bettas have a special respiratory organ that allows them to breath air directly from the surface. In fact they inherently must do so. For this reason, Bettas must have access to the water surface to breath air directly from the atmosphere. Therefore the cover of the tank should allow the free ventilation of air from the outside.

10. Betta fish are carnivores (that is, meat eaters) and like live foods, such as brine shrimp the best. Frozen bloodworms are also a good choice for your meat eater. Most betta fish will happily eat the betta pellets sold at most pet stores. For a special treat every now and again you should offer some live food. To prevent betta fish disease called constipation, give your betta a coocked pea once in a week (be sure to squash it finely).

That's just 10 facts about Betta fish.

Betta Fish Eyesight is Poor

2008-02-28T15:58:00.000-08:00

Betta fish eyesight is a frequent question on Internet forums. Surprisingly, many people believe that bettas have superb vision. They draw such a conclusion from the fact that bettas move to the surface when a man holds a hand over the tank ready to feed the bettas.
Unfortunately, this reaction has nothing to do with excellent eyesight.
On each side of betta's head lies a bulging eye. Eyes are protruding and have black colored iris. The rest of the eye could be of any color. A Betta cannot blink its eye. The eyes move as per the movement of the target. The sharp eyesight is one of the prime reasons to explain how Bettas are highly efficient warriors of their habitat. Betta fish swim to the top of the tank whenever they see a human hand hovering over it to place the food in. A Betta has monocular vision, which means that it can see in two directions at the same time. Overall, the Betta's eyesight is somewhat poor. To detect vibrations and get an overall feel for its surrounding, bettas use a "lateral line," which runs down their sides. They have poor vision of things out of the water, they can see you. My male betta will often beg for food when I walk by.
However, bettas have excellent sense of motion, they detect the movement in the room, and keen sense of smell, but not you from inside the tank.
Because of poor betta fish eyesight, a proper tank for it should be over 5 gallons, otherwise the fish feel "lost" and scared because of too much water.
I hope this answers a lot of questions about betta fish eyesight.

Why people start breeding betta fish

2008-02-27T09:06:00.001-08:00

Most people initially go for betta fish breeding just to see the breeding process themselves and see if they can do it. There are some people who breed betta fish solely to sell them but most get addicted after successfully breed their first hatch of betta fry and sell their betta fish to support their habit! Since a a bettas colour depends on its parents, it becomes very addicting trying to match a male betta and a female betta with just the right coloring to complement each other.

Betta fish comes from Thailand

2008-02-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

One of the most interesting things about betta fish is that they have extremely well-developed eyesight. Because of this, the betta fish will learn to swim to the surface when it sees your hand over the bowl to feed it.

Betta Fish are also called Siamese Fighting Fish. The name Betta is pronounced as the Greek letter beta, and because of this, the name is often misspelled in American English, with one t instead of two. In Asia, betta fish is known as pla-kad. Betta fish are one of the most popular aquarium fish, mainly because of its appearance, since betta fish certainly are not one of the easiest fish to keep in an aquarium. Betta Fish originates from the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia.

Betta fish lifespan is on average four years, but well-kept aquarium specimens can live longer than 5-6 years.

Males must not be kept together, otherwise they will fight - sometimes to the death. Females can be kept together, but can be territorial. This is often a difficult fish to mix in a community tank. Many fish will nip on the long flowing fins, even some species which do not usually fin-nip.

Sometimes, when betta fish are aggravated, they "puff-out". When they are "puffing-out", the fish puffs out the gill covers and fins to appear more impressive. They do it to either intimidate rival males, or as an act of courtship (to impress the female betta).

In Asian countries, the betta fish are often used in fights similar to cockfighting. These fighting fishes usually have much shorter fins than the betta fish we are accustomed to see in the west. Betta fish in the wild usually have very short fins, but breeders have developed brilliantly-colored and longer-finned varieties.

Betta fish creates bubble nests, which are floating masses of bubbles. They are blown with saliva bubbles. These bubble nests are meant as a place for fertilized eggs to be deposited. The betta fish bubble nest is guarded by the male until the small bettas hatch. The bubble nests built by the male bettas are made from air bubbles coated with saliva to increase the strength. When the male betta makes the nest, it makes a louder noise then it does when breathing normally.

After the betta fish have spawned, the eggs floats into the bubble nest from below, or the male betta carries them there while holding the eggs in his mouth, as if he were to eat them. The male betta will then guard the bubble nest for the next 24-48 hours until the eggs hatch. He also keeps a close watch, and retrieves any eggs or fry that fall from the nest. He will also repair the nest by adding bubbles where needed. After the fry hatch in 24-48 hours, the father will tend the fish for the next couple of weeks.

In one to two days the eggs will hatch, and the fry will be visible hanging in the bubble nest with their tails pointing downward. They will feed off their yolk sack for another 36 hours, during which time the male will continue to pick up any fry that fall out of the nest. The male should be removed within two days after the fry hatch, as they may eat the brood once they are free swimming. The fry should be fed a couple of feedings daily of baby brine shrimp or very fine baby food.

A Guide to Breeding Betta Fish

2008-02-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

Betta Fish Breeding Guide

Breeding betta fish can be somewhat difficult. Especially with male Bettas, as they tend to be aggressive towards each other. However, the following steps will show you what you need to do in order to successfully breed your Betta fish.
To begin, you will need the following (consult this as a check-list):

Male and Female Betta Fish
10 Gallon Tank
Aquarium Sponge Filter
Aquarium Air Pump (the one with Pressure Valve is best)
Aquarium Cover
Food for Baby Bettas (Fry)
Aquarium Heater (Submersible)
Containers for as many as 100 baby fish

For a start, you need a female betta fish. These are pretty hard to come by. Most petstores only stock the more flamboyant male bettas. However, if you search hard enough on the net, or ask your local pet store nicely, they will probably be pointed in the right direction. Online ordering is OK! Bettas ship very good, do not be afraid to have the fish shipped to you. Female betta fish are pretty dull compared to their male counterparts.

Once you have your Betta fish pair you will need to condition the fish for breeding. This is a 2 week process of feeding your Bettas high quality foods. Start to feed them both good quality betta fish food. Just as in nature, no animal in its right mind is going to be reproducing when food is scarce and if they have poor body condition, no female betta fish will produce eggs if she's not given the best in the food area.

During the conditioning of your Betta fish pair you will want to setup your breeding tank. Make sure your tank is clean. Washing it with very hot water is a good precaution; do not use soap to clean your tank. The Betta fish will begin to show signs when they are ready to mate; the male will make a bubble nest at the top of his tank where he will eventually place the eggs, and the female can develop colorful stripes.

You will want to create hiding spots for your female Betta fish. Live plants are best, but fake plants will work as well. Place them on the opposite corner of the floating cup.

Your breeding tank should be kept at 80-82 degrees for the baby fish to best survive.

Expect the female betta fish to get a bit battered and bruised - which is why you need to be attentive and fish her out if she doesn't like his 'amorous' activities. Give her a few days to recover and try one more time.

Betta fish can release hundreds of eggs, while some have been known to release close to a thousand. Her job done, the female will then hide and the male will take over the caring of the young. In the next 2-3 days, the male betta will be looking after the brood and scooping whatever eggs fall out of the bubble nest and returning them to the surface again.

Once the fish have hatched and are swimming freely, take the male out of the tank as well or he may begin to eat his young.

It is now time to start feeding your tiny Betta fry. Microworms will do just fine. You can order this food online. The baby fry should be feed every 4-6 hours. Give the babies about two weeks before you change their water, and be careful that you don’t overfeed them or the tank could become cloudy.

After about 2 weeks or so, your baby bettas can move on to other stuff like finely crushed flake food. A tiny pinch a day is more than enough.

By about 7 weeks, when young Bettas achieve 1 inch in size, it's time to move them to individual bowls.

As you see, betta fish breeding is a fascinating hobby!

Do not buy Walmart Water for Betta Fish

2008-02-25T03:58:00.000-08:00

Walmart water never gets treated what i mean is the ammonia is SO High and pH And all that good stuff so when you add it to the tank it is so new to the fish that it puts them in shock and kills them. the reason it didn't kill the others is luck, ive seen the water kill zero and I've seen the water kill 7
you just don't know about Walmart.
Only the strongest betta fish will survive in a tank with water from Walmart. Also, look for a sign of "ick", which looks like white spots on the fish. You can buy "ick" treatment at Walmart or any pet store. We have had the same problems with betta fish dieing in our tanks that were purchased from Walmart.

Care for Betta Fish with Tea

2008-02-24T10:31:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for advice on tropical fish breeding, you must first decide what type of exotic fish you want to breed. Some tropical fish are live bearers, which means they give birth to live minnow babies (like we, humans, to). The other type includes egg bearers, which means the mother lays eggs and the minnow babies are born from the eggs. Most sources that provide tips on breeding tropical fish assume that live bearers are the better place to start, especially for starters who have limited or no previous breeding experience. Newbie breeders should hone their skills using any of three live bearer fish types.

One of the secrets to raising strong and healthy is bathing your fish in tea made from Indian Almond leaves.

The leaves of wild almond come from a tree known to produce a chemical that defends itself against insects and parasites. When the dried leaves falls into water, a strong brown dye is given off. The water which is darken to a yellowish brown (tea-like color) after a few days, is very similar to your Betta fishes' natural habitat and they will love you for it.

Tannins from the Indian almond leaves lowers the pH of the water, absorbs harmful chemicals and help create a soothing and calm environment for the fish. I use the leaves to help settle my Betta fish when I first bring them home from the aquarium, which can be quite a traumatic journey for the fishes. Even Betta fish can get 'sea sick' sometimes. You can guess it when their body turn pale and rest on the tank floor all the time.

Alpha Betta Fish

2008-02-24T10:18:00.000-08:00

Betta's like most of natures creatures, when living in a community structure will eventually form some sort of controlled structure between the fish. One dominant fish, usually a large one, healthy male or sometimes female will boss the other fish around. Just like with gorillas they are known as the 'alpha' fish. There will be some madness between the fish and a lot of pecking until the ALPHA position has been established. However, once the 'alpha' has been established there will actually be peace in the tank.
Remove the alpha or add new fish and the cycle will start again as a new balance must be created.

Bettas Should Be Kept Alone

2008-02-24T03:26:00.000-08:00

Betta Fish Should Not be Kept Alone

That's another myth.
Many people think that bettas should be kept alone. They say bettas are aggressive fish and will fight to the death.
However that is not completely true. You can keep bettas with other community fish. Make sure the other fish are not aggressive, or tail nippers. And make sure everyone has enough space to protect their own territory.

I've kept betta fish in a 50 gallon community tank. He had plenty of space to hide, and no aggressive tail nippers in there with him. The tank was a planted tank with a soil substrate, plenty of plants and plenty of light. He was happy as a czar in that tank, his colors really bloomed and he made bubble nests. I figured he was a happy and healthy betta fish.

Bettas can be kept with other fish, however, remember that male Bettas are extremely territorial toward any fish that they think is another male Betta invading their territory.

How Much Bettas Eat

2008-02-24T03:16:00.000-08:00

Do Not Overfeed Betta Fish

Bettas will not eat what they can in 1-2 minutes - no; they'll eat what you can give them in 1-2 minutes. Or in other words, they will swallow themselves. Whatever amount of food you give a betta fish, they'll shove it into their pie-hole. Unfortunately they only have a stomach the size of one eye.

And that is where the problems begin to rise.

After a steady gluttonous diet your little fish will be not only be living in water fouled by food waste. He'll also start having diseases. Some of the leading diseases from overeating are Swim bladder disease, and constipation.

Why do bettas overeat if given the chance?

That's simple really - betta fish are carnivores, or meat eaters. They are used to eating what they catch. That also means there will be times they don't catch anything. In the wild betta fish can go long periods of time without meals. So, when they finally do find some meal - they eat all they can (because they can't know when the next time will come).
You should know not to overfeed betta fish - no matter how much they beg. And I hope to share this information so you can learn how to become a true betta lover.

Betta Fish Tank Temperature

2008-02-24T02:42:00.000-08:00

Betta fish don't need heated water is a main reason so many betta owners have disease problems. You see customers come into pet stores with questions about what is wrong with their bettas. They are told that bettas are hardy fish, and can live in almost any conditions. And are told they don't need a heater for their bettas. Bettas are from Southeast Asia, and are use to water temps in the high 70's to low 80's.

Low water temperatures stress out the bettas, lower their immune system and lead to all kinds of diseases.

Betta fish will do much better if their environment duplicates conditions from their original wild life. The fish evolved in the rice paddy and back waters of Southeast Asian rivers and are tropical water temperatures in the 80-85 deg Fahrenheit range, and very humid. If the air outside doesn't normally come close to matching the tropical conditions but bettas have been kept and bred for years and appear to do well in a variety of water conditions. Proper water temperature is important and most keepers keep their Betta fish tank heated at 76-78 deg F.

Are bettas carnivores or veggies

2008-02-24T02:38:00.000-08:00

Will Betta Fish Eat Plants?

Betta Fish Care common assumption is that bettas can live eating only plants? Wow, that is a dangerous myth for the betta. Bettas are carnivores. They aren't veggies! You see the bettas mouth is upturned, which is great for catching insects on the surface (or any other critters). Not so great for nibbling on plants. They will starve to death if you only give them a diet of veggies. Not good for the betta.

I've seen sold in stores Betta ecosystems, which are vases with plants. This is not good because the instructions tell you the bettas will survive off the roots of the plants. The only thing that happens is the poor betta slowly deteriorates from lack of food.

It is difficult to see how anyone could possibly refer to a betta tank as an ecosystem. The most evident error is the fact that betta fish don’t even eat plants at all, much less fibrous roots. Bettas are carnivores, not herbivores; they eat insects, insect larvae, aquatic worms and have absolutely no interest in eating plants. If he nibbles at the plant’s roots, it’s because he’s starving and there's nothing else eatable he could find in betta fish tank.

Betta Fish Water Condition

2008-02-24T02:31:00.000-08:00

Bettas can be kept in any condition water

Here is a betta fish care myth I hear a lot. Bettas can be kept in any condition water... cause they are found in rice paddies of Thailand. First of all the bettas found in the wild... are wild.

We all have domesticated bettas. Many, many generations removed from the wild. They need good, stable water conditions for a happy living.

Not all waters are the same. As a matter of fact, waters have properties that vary greatly from one source to the other, and these "invisible" yet very real changes could kill (and do kill, in fact) your tropical fish on a daily basis.

Breeding Betta Fish Correctly

2008-02-24T02:24:00.000-08:00

How to properly breed betta fish

Betta fish are nearly the easiest fish in the world to take care of in a home environment. They don't require anything special. Give them high-protein fish food, clean water, enough room to live and they tend to be happy and healthy.

Betta fish breeding, however, can be the tricky consideration in the mix. Sometimes bettas simply don't seem to thrive on one choice or another. Fortunately, there are several options in regard to breeding betta fish. Choosing what is right will be a matter of personal preference, the fish's own preference and what a vet might recommend in some cases. The most common types of food suitable for breeding betta fish include:

Betta fish food. Since betta fish are so popular, there are even special formulations of betta fish food flakes and pellets. This creation is designed specifically for use as betta fish food. It's not a bad idea to try, but many find regular fish food works very well as betta fish food for a little less money.

Some breeding betta fish recommendations include live and/or freeze dried foods. In nature, betta fish food is generally insects and their offspring. This is not a bad idea to try forbetta fish food. It is also possible to use brine shrimp, plankton, beef heart and more as betta fish food. Many people just toss in worms, too. Using live betta fish food can present a rather interesting show for owners, too.

Regular fish flakes. This can work very well for breeding betta fish. The fish should be fed this between one and two times a day. It is important not to overfeed betta fish, however, as it can muck up the bowl and make the environment unfriendly for the betta fish.

When breeding betta fish just make sure the food presents the right diet for the fish. Take extra special care not to overfeed betta fish. If they happen to not overeat, the tank will become a mess. This is especially so if live betta fish food is used.

To ensure the right betta fish breeding actually helps them flourish, be certain to monitor the tank for cleaning needs. Small tanks will require cleaning more often. This is especially so if betta fish food is overfed or under-eaten. Typically, it's recommended that tanks be cleaned at least once a week, no matter their size, and at least once every three days if they are small. This is regardless of the type of betta fish food being used.

Betta fish care isn't very difficult. Just keep their environments and water clean and look forbetta fish food they will eat. Whether it's live betta fish food or flakes, just don't overfeed them! But remember that good food can't help if the betta's container is small. I suggest that you set up a proper betta fish tank.

Do betta fish love to live in small containers

2008-02-24T01:55:00.000-08:00

Betta Fish love living in Small Containers

This Betta Fish Care myth Will not die. Just what your betta will do if you follow this myth. Many pet stores and employees sell customers small containers as most suitable betta homes. Many betta lovers think of such homes as best possible for their fish. The customers are told it's okay as long as they change the water often.

This is wrong! Your betta fish will have a miserable, short, and diseased life. Would you want that for yourself? Of course not.

Which would you rather live in... a shoe box... or a Castle? No choice, right?

Being a betta lover you want to put your betta in a nice large home. I would recommend nothing less than a 3 gallon tank for your betta (or 2,5 at least). 5 gallon would be better, so they can then have lots of room to swim around.

Remember too, that the betta fish we keep in our home come from generations of domestic stock and are very different from their wild cousins. The next time you hear that bettas should be kept in a small bowl, know that it is simply wrong if you want to take proper care of your betta fish.

Top 6 Reasons to Own a Betta Fish

2008-02-24T01:40:00.000-08:00

Top Reasons to become a Betta Fish Lover

1. Betta fish are the most colorful freshwater fish - vibrant is the word used describing the colors of a betta fish. Many colors of the rainbow are represented my this wonderful fish. And you can thank the expert breeders for carefully breeding these many wonderful colors.

2. Betta fish are the most regal of freshwater fish - flowing fins and tails enhance the iridescent color of bettas.

3. Betta fish have personality - They have a spunky attitude! When you walk by the tank the betta will come up to the glass and greet you. If he is feeling especially frisky, then he will flare his fins at you. After awhile your buddy will get to recognize you... how cool is that?

4. Betta fish is one of the easiest fish to care for. You do need to set everything up right and then your betta will be one happy camper. You do not need to create special water conditions like saltwater, or Discus fish. Once conditions are right bettas are pretty happy.

5. How cool is it to own a fighting fish! Betta fish or Siamese fighting fish brings up images of a warrior. They have a reputation of fighters willing to go to battle (while this is one of the many myths created around betta fish). You can easily imagine ancient warriors doing battle.

6. Betta fish owners has a great community - Betta fish lovers are a passionate group of like-minded people. So, if you have any questions, there are plenty of people ready to help. There are plenty of forums, and groups around. You will find us eager to help with all your questions regarding betta fish care.

Betta Fish Care Myths

2008-02-24T01:26:00.000-08:00

Two Male Bettas Will Always Fight To The Death

A commonly held betta fish care myth is two male bettas will always fight to the death. The only reason they will fight to the death is the loser/injured one has no place to hide. In a tank this is just the case. There is not enough room for the loser betta to run away and that is a shame. In the wild there is usually a place to hide.

The two male bettas found in such tight quarters wouldn't help but fight.

Now I understand how unnatural this myth really is.

This is what Wikipedia says about betta fish fighting:

Male bettas do not 'fight to the death' under normal conditions of the wild life; once one fish has clearly won the encounter, the loser will retreat to a safe location. In an aquarium, however, there is no place to run, and the winning fish will continue to attack the loser, often ending in death. Therefore, two male betta splendens should not be kept in the same tank unless they are (a) separated by a dividing wall, (b) in a very large tank so they can establish territory, or (c) offered the cover of rocks or floating plants.

Dispelling this and other myths will help you understand this magnificent betta fish. And make your betta hobby more enjoyable!