Can someone please answer some questions about my betta?

Question

1. Can I keep the betta in the bowl it originally came with? I bought it at Petco. The bowl's base area is the size of a regular CD.
2. Can I use tap water for water replacement, or is it required that I buy water treatments? If yes, what kind of water treatments?
3. Someone overfed my betta with 8 pellets 2 days ago. I didn't feed it yesterday. Is it okay that I feed my betta again?
4. So my betta is only living in a bowl... with water. Do I need to add anything to it? It seems bored a lot
5. Have any more tips and suggestions for me?

Thanks for your help

6. How do I go about changing the water? I'm' really confused about this.

Sorry I don't know a lot about bettas, someone just gave it to me on my birthday

Is purified reverse osmosis water ok to use for the betta? Sorry for all the questions

Answer 1

1. Yes, the bowl it came in is fine.
2. Tap water is fine if it is not chlorinated. If it is (call your city water department), just leave it out to degas for a day before replacing the fish water. Replace half of the water in the bowl every week, and replace all the water in the bowl every three weeks or so.
3. Yes, feed it. Replace half of the water in the bowl to get rid of the foodies floating around in the water.
4. Maybe a little plastic plant or rock bridge or something, but they really are loner fish. How about some marble or glass rock in the bottom of the bowl to jazz it up?
5. Have fun, they really are beautiful and easy fish.

6. Get another big bowl to put it in temporarily--dechlorinate even the temporary water first...see above (mixing bowl or something. Scoop it out with a big ladle if you don't have a fish net )

Answer 2

Someone might give you more complicated info, but this will work perfectly.

Chlorine, which is in all tap water, kills fish. Sometimes there is other stuff in the tapwater that is also harmful for fish. Right now, I'm using bottled spring water for my fish, and that's fine. The other recommendation I have is that you use whatever the fish place uses. They know the local tapwater and what it takes.

Betta's don't need as much air as most fish, so they don't need at much space. They are compative: often called: Siamese Fighting Fish or Rumble fish.

If you hold a mirrow to your fish, it will spread out its pretty fins to display to the other male fish it sees in the mirror.

The real problem with overfeeding is that the uneaten food spoils in the water and makes the water more toxic.

If you have overfed the betta, dump out most of the water and put fresh, the same temperature, bottled water in the
fishbowl.

You can put some decor in the bowl, like a plastic plant or other aquarium stuff if you want. I don't know if it will amuse the fish, but it might make you feel better. Just use things designed to be put with fish. If you put any old thing in, it may have something on it that will poison your fish.
oh, and no soap ever with your fish stuff.

I have followed these simple rules for years with great success in fish survival.

Oh, the important one, once a week, take out about a 1/3 of the water and replace it.

and, you can feed your fish again.

Answer 3

Betta's are a hardy fish, they can withstand almost anything. Tap water is fine, I find it cruel to leave them in that little bowl, so I did put him in a bigger tank. They say to feed Betta's every other day, so feeding him again is fine. It is OK if over fed, they don't eat them all anyway. I have a catfish and an algae eater in the same tank with mine, you can also put other aggressive fish with them too. Just not another male betta. Good Luck

Answer 4

If you want the betta to grow, you'll want to transfer to a bigger tank or a small aquarium.
No. Do not use tap water. It is recommended that you use bottled water. You can buy some real cheap from Wal-mart. In answer about treatments, check the fish supplies. They have a ton of stuff.
You need to try to feed your fish every day.
In terms of your betta being bored, you can try to change him to a bigger tank with some small plant life and colored class (do not use colored rocks - the paint comes off and makes them sick). Or you can give him some fish condos or something, so he can hide.

Answer 5

I don't know all that much about Betta's but I do know that
you have to add treatments to the water every time you
add water to the fish tank. I've seen Betta's being kept in Ivy bowls
with some kind of water plant growing on top. Betta's are solitary
fish. They will kill all other fish. Try www.petsmart.com
Hopefully this website will answer your questions.

Answer 6

the smaller the container the less it moves you can use any type of container for it... we have one made for Betta. if you over feed it will not eat it all and it dirties the water faster. you need to figure out how much your eats ours is about 5 little pellets a day... sometimes he eats a different type of Betta food so depends on what you feed it. as for the water you should use a water treatment. you can get it anywhere you buy pet items.. best advice one fish per container they are not called fighter fish for nothing

Answer 7

the smaller the bowl the less movment..its ok to keep the same bowl but you want a happy enviorment,so live plants or silk(NO PLASTIC)it shreds there fins...also use regular water but treat you're water for clorine&sedaments....with otc water treatment stuff @petco! good luck hope this helps! also u should b the only 1 feeding your baby!

Answer 8

listen... You are pratically ABUSING it. get it a bowl/tank 1 gallon or larger. DO NOT USE TAP WATER, use some aquasafe. 8 pellets!!!! you just want it to die don't you. feed it 3-4 pellets a day and skip a day for feeding so it can clean out it's intestines. Add rocks, plants, decorations, backgrounds, a mirror once in a while. GO TO www.bettatalk.com !!!!!!!!!!!! NOW

Answer 9

Just get a jug of distilled water at the supermarket for under a dollar and that will change his little home many times. They have pretty boring lives.

You should feed him again and stop letting others feed him or it will kill him fast.

Answer 10

How to Keep a Betta Fish Alive
Betta fish can prove to be man's best friend for up to two years. By following these simple steps you too can prolong the life of your very own betta fish!

Steps
Go to your local pet store a purchase a betta fish. They come in a variety of colors, so don't be alarmed. Blues and reds (dark colors in general) are the most common - whites and yellows rare.
Prepare a tank. You can purchase a small betta container made specifically for bettas. These containers are far too small! You want a tank at least 2.5 gallons.
Be sure to decorate the environment accordingly. Always remember, a creative home is a happy home! Purchase colored pebbles or rocklike structures (the darker the better); all can be found at your local pet store. A word of warning! Rocks can and will shred their tails. Also, silk plants or live plants are preferred over plastic. Plastic can also shred their tails. A good trick is the 'pantyhose test'. If a plastic plant will snag a pair of pantyhose when rubbed against it, then it will damage your betta's fins.
Fill your tank about 80% high with dechlorinated water to ensure the betta doesn't commit suicide by jumping out. Bettas can jump over three inches when motivated.
Test the water temperature and be sure your tank is placed in an environment that maintains the temperature about 75 degrees Fahrenheit (+/- 5 degrees).
Depending on the size of the tank, provide the water with the appropriate number of drops of "Water Condition for all freshwater aquariums". The instructions on the bottle will help determine how much of the solution is appropriate for your tank, and once again this can be found at your local pet store. It will remove the chlorine from the water. It also removes chloramines from the water, which can be just as dangerous to your fish.
Get a filter for the tank. (Be sure to complete the NITROGEN CYCLE, which will take around 3-4 weeks, before ever adding a fish to the tank!) Remember that bettas don't like a strong current when you're purchasing your filter, so a sponge filter is ideal. Small betta containers do not need filters- instead change 100% or so of the water every week.
Buy your betta. Float the bag in the water for 20 minutes for the temperature to ajust. Then pour some of the aquarium's water into the bag every 10 minutes. Finally, with a net, put the betta fish in his new home. Don't pour the pet store's water into the tank as it could contaminate your water. Using a net can damage the fins of a betta - you can just dump the betta in the tank, but be careful.
Feed your betta any of the many varieties of betta fish food, such as Hikari Betta Bio-Max, which can be found at your local pet store. Feed them 2, 3, or sometimes 4 pieces per day. Granules or pellets work best as flakes can be messy, but you can use flakes (tropical flakes work best). Don't overfeed your betta, no matter how hungry or cute he/she seems!
Be sure to clean your betta's tank when necessary. To clean the tank, simply use the fish net to remove your betta from his tank and place him into a small dish filled with the old, dirty water you're about to clean. Clean the bowl out and any accessories in the bowl, replace the old with clean water (around 75 degrees), add the water conditioner, and then with the net place your betta back into his home.

Tips
Bettas are members of the Anabantoid family (gouramis are in this family) and have a back-up breathing system that allows them to breathe surface air. This makes their maintenance considerably cheaper without using air pumps/filters. However, any fish will benefit from a properly circulated tank! Bear in mind the long finned varieties do best with as little current as possible.
Some owners like to put foil over the top of their tanks to prevent the betta from jumping out. Beware - this is a fashion faux pas. As alternatives, use Saran wrap tied with brightly colored ribbon (be sure to cut a little hole in the top so the betta can breath). Betta food is mandatory.
If you do not want to buy the Water Conditioner you can allow the water to condition itself by letting it sit out for around three days, this will sufficiently remove all the chlorine from the water on its own in a less costly fashion, however, it doesn't remove the chloramine. It is always recommended that you buy some sort of dechlorinator if you are not sure!
Betta Fish know their owners and will actually learn faces and games. Keep your Betta company and say hi once in a while so he learns who you are!
Give your Betta fish a name; it's the right thing to do.
Female bettas are typically smaller and without the beautiful plummage (plummage on males is known as the handicap principal among biology nerds, showing off to the females their genes - females are small and dull in color to escape the eye of predators), but they can be equally as beautiful in their own way and fiesty!
If your betta gets sick, treat it with [[1]]. Other treatments like Bettafix are usually less effective.



Warnings
Male bettas cannot live with other male bettas. They are named Siamese Fighting Fish for a reason! In a small environment they will fight and attempt to kill each other. Even when together for small amounts of time they will damaged each other's plummage! In very large tanks they have been known to stay on their claimed sides and simply glare at each other from afar. To pull this off, simply release each betta in seperate corners of the tank, but be prepared to seperate them if you value the lives of your fish. Generally, this is not worth it.
Despite the myth, female bettas will fight males (and may win!)
Bettas are somewhat temperature sensitive.



Things You'll Need
Tank
Water
Water Conditioner (do not have to use if you use distilled water)
Fish Net
A Betta Fish
Betta Fish Food (they are meat eaters)
Some ornament to brighten up your tank, doubling as structure for your betta to "relate" to
TLC