Who knows anything about betta fish?

Question

I'm going to get a betta fish and I've read the books and online info, but theya re all kind of if you want to spend a fortune and are a breeder. I bought a 2 gallon tank, flake food, blood worms, water purifyier and decorations. Is this good? Is a heater really important? How do I make sure I'm buying a healthy fish? Anything would be great!! Thanks so much!!

Answer 1

There is a lot of random misinformation here. You should really read up on bettas at a site like bettatalk.

1)Friends

Bettas don't get along very well with bettas of either sex or any fish with long flowing fins. Putting a female in a 2 gallon tank/bowl at best would result in a mating followed by the male killing the female . (He is just be defending the bubble nest from her.) At worse one of the 2 would kill other prior to mating. (Don't count the female out.) In any case the 2 gallons is pretty small for a single fish much less 2.

2)Temp
Betta are tropical fish that prefer temps in the high seventy, and low eighties. (Mine stop hanging out near the heater around 79-80.) That said they will be okay in the high 60s, and low 70s.

3)Food
Betta's are carnivores and should eat a food that reflects that. Blood worms are considered an ideal healthy food as well as brine-shrimp. I'd use freeze dried rather than live reduce the risk of diease. Store bought bettas generally will readily eat flakes, and/or pellets. Just be warned betta's are picky eaters, and once they get the good stuff may not eat flakes and pellets. Flakes and pellets should be primarily made of worms, shrimp, or fish.

Just be sure not to over feed. (See the pictures on bettatalk's feeding section that show healthy, and unhealthy betta bellies.)

4)Healthy fish should be some what active, and react to you bringing you finger to the edge of the cup. (He might flare, or run away. Both are good. Don't tap.) He should not have frayed fins. He shouldn't be hanging vertical, or be stuck at the bottum/top of the cup. He should be in blue water. (Pet shops not using methyl blue should be avoided.)

5)Tank size
A 2 gallon tank is pretty much a bare minimum, and hardly the lap of luxury. My bettas live in their own private heated, and filtered 5 gallon tanks. Other live in 20+ gallon tank with other peaceful community fish.

6)Filters, and air pumps
You don't need a filter or air pump as bettas breathe air from the surface of the water. The whole point of a filter is to make things easy on you. I spend less than 5 minutes with a gravel filter to maintain both my 5 gallon betta tanks once a week. Prior to having the tanks. I spent 10-20 minutes emptying, cleaning and refilling the 3 gallon bowls they were in. If you have a 2 gallon bowl/tank you will need to change the water once a week.

7)Read bettatalk.

Answer 2

Betta are not high maitenance. They are small fish that you can buy at PetSmart or PetCo. They usually come in small plastic cups and they do not need a heater, water purifyier or blood worms. The two gallon tank will provide your fish with plenty of room to swim. DO NOT put two fish in the same tank!!!! they will fight and kill eachother. They do not need a michine to filter air into the tank, that provides an excess of oxygen and kills them. Just dump them into the tank after you filled it nearly to the top with regular tap water. When you put the fish in the tank, do not dump out the water it came in. The fish needs that to stay alive. Do not feed it too much and try to feed it every other day. The tank will become dirty very quickly. When the time comes to clean the tank, remove the fish and place him in a bowl or cup with some of the old tank water. Clean the tank, let the sand, gravel, or other tank decorations settle back down, then pour him back into the tank along with the water from the old tank.
To make sure you have a healty fish, look at the trailing tips of its fins. If they have become white in sparatic patterns that do not match its natural color scheme, choose a different fish.
If you decide to buy two fish, get a plastic tank divider. It is a long, flat piece of plastic that you place into the tank so that the fish don't get to eachother and kill one another.
They don't need much and are fine in nearly any environment. So long as you don't put the tank in a place where the water will boil, they can be anywhere in the house.
P.S. if you put a mirror in front of them, they will flare their gills and posture as if ready to fight. this is a bit entertaining but will show you what they look like when they are mad and ready to fight.
Good luck with the fish!! ;)

Answer 3

Bettas *are* very hardy fish, but they do suffer like any other animal. Sabersquirrel gave you very good info, so I won't reiterate.

Bettas can live in very small amounts of water, and in cold water, and can live without blood worms. But your betta will be much happier and healthier with a large tank, heater, and varied diet. And with a two gallon tank, plan on doing water changes once a week. With anything less than a ten-gallon filtered tank you are going to be doing water changes.

I'll add some other links here for you. There is lots of good info on the internet about bettas, but there is lots of bad information, too.

Answer 4

Honey, this sounds like a wonderful set up for a single fish. A heater isn't important- Betta fish are -very- hardy fish.

Use distilled water, the type you find in the bottled water section of your local grocery store. My fish loved it, and you don't need any decholrinator.

As for making sure you're buying a healthy fish- go by the guidelines you've read in those books and online. They know what they're talking about.

Answer 5

betta fish are probably one of the easiest fish to not kill. mine have lasted for up 5 years. you don't really need the 2 gallon tank, they do just fine in little ones. i feed mine little tiny pellet food and it seems to keep the water cleaner than flake food. blood worms are a good betta treat but they are kind gross and the juice can make the tank dirty real quick cuz they come with about 100 worms frozen in each pop-out. they really don't need a heater or purifier. i also use drinking water that you buy in the store cuz it is cleaner than tap water and is always room temp. the pet people told me not to use distilled cuz it doesn't have minerals that fish need. it sounds like you are more than prepared! don't be so scared :) , just talk to one of the workers at the petstore, they can help you out. i would also get one that is really pretty colored that doesn't look like their fins are "tearing". i think the pale/grey looking fish look sick and wouldn't risk it.

Answer 6

A heater is important if you're keeping the fish in a location that gets cold. (Like by an air vent.) Otherwise, it's not necessary.

Healthy fish are more active and usually have brighter colouration then unhealthy ones.

Your setup sounds great, but there's one thing you should check before putting a Betta in your tank. Do any of your decorations have sharp points? (Like on a plastic plant with spiky leaves.) Bettas have long fins, and they can get snagged or torn on something like that.

Answer 7

yes, I think you should buy a small heater. It helps the fish stay healthy. look for a fish that looks fairly lively, with a good color. when a betta is feeling good, his colors are more vibrant, but make sure he isnt just lively because he is trying to attack the male in the next cup, and make sure he is not just floating there in his little cup with his fins tucked into his body. if he looks sickly, dont get him. Your tank sounds fine. You may want to get a male and a female if you can, and keep them together. the females have shorter fins, and are less colorful. Ask the sales person if they have them.

Answer 8

It sounds like your fish will have a life of luxury with that set up! You won't need a heater unless the room gets below 70 degrees. Look for a fish that is NOT sulking at the bottom of his little cup. Of course, he could be resting, but I'd go for one who is active. If you decide you want a female at a later date, she will have to be in her own tank unless everyone is ready to spawn. After they are done spawning, in the 'bubble nest' he makes, put her back in her own tank. Bettas are like hamsters - they'll kill each other after mating. The male betta does the child rearing. Good luck!

Answer 9

all that junk for a betta fish .. how sad . anything bigger than like 1 cup of water will make them happy, you need a filter and thats it, they WILL NOT EAT bloodworms, and those fish flakes will not fit in its mouth, betta food is round so that it will fit in its mouth and the bottom jaw and break it easliy, you dont need a water heater.
People who say betta will attack the fish you have in the tank are wrong and stupid. Betta will ONLY ATTACK other betta's, if you put 2 betta's in a big lake at diffrent points if they ever find each other they will fight till the death. the fish's hormones that make them fight each other.

Answer 10

well i had two a while back and don't worry about it those fish are quite tough little rascals lol.i mean u dont need a fancy set up if u don't wanna with those fish but one important thing don't put two of them in the same tank together those fish will kill eachother.sounds to me u got more than enough stuff for ur fish and when u pick the fish out just make sure he seems to b swiming normal and looks plenty health.
good lucky :)