I got my sister a betta fish for Christmas...how long is their life span?

Question

I got him from Petsmart today

Answer 1

In the wild, bettas live for 5-6 years. In our "care" they are lucky to make it 2-3 years.

Why is that, you ask? Because people believe that it is OK to keep them in an unfiltered, unheated, small bowl that gets cold at night when the house cools down and warmer (but not warm enough) in the day when it warms up. People also think they do not need a filter and only change the water once a month.

Bettas are from Southeast Asia and need constant water temps of 78-82 degrees. Regular (weekly) partial (25-30%) water changes are a must to keep the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels at a non-toxic level.

Do not change 100% of the water and do not scrub out the aquarium. The beneficial bacteria that are needed will all be killed and the aquarium will have to go through the cycling process all over again. I have tanks that have been set up for over 5 years with only regular partial water changes and gravel siphoning every month (none are torn down and cleaned out).

All these things that bettas are subjected to cause them a great deal of stress. Stress will eventually compromise their immune systems and then the opportunistic bacteria, funguses and parasites will move in and infect them.

All these people who tell you, "They can live without it" are right, they CAN live without it, but not for very long and not with a quality of life that anyone or anything would find enjoyable.

Bettas are also not the agressive killers that everyone makes them out to be. The males are only agresssive with other males and females of their own species. The only time a male and female come together in the wild is when the female is in condition to spawn (and when they are done, he chases her away).

They are, however, carnivores and need to be fed a high protein diet. Frozen adult brine shrimp, blood worms and a good high protein flake food is what they should get...once a day (feed only what they will eat in 3-5 minutes). Siphon out anything that starts to accumulate on the bottom of the tank. Don't forget regular water changes.

Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Answer 2

Normally betta fish live to be 2-5 years old, but some betta fishes live to be nearly 8 years old. However, when purchasing from a pet store, it is not always possible to know how old the fish is when you take it home. Male bettas living in laboratories with large individual tanks and daily exercise have lived 10 years or longer.

Carnivorous, the betta feeds on zooplankton and mosquito and other insect larvae. Domesticated bettas will feed on bloodworms, daphnia, and brine shrimp. Betta pellets are typically a combination of mashed shrimp meal, bloodworms, and various vitamins to enhance color and longevity. For variety and fiber, bettas may also be fed finely chopped vegetables high in protein such as soybeans, green beans, broccoli, corn, or carrots.

Bettas are primarily surface feeders, that is their mouths are upturned, so any food items added should be able to float on the surface of the water.

Bettas fare better with a large variety of foods and will often show brighter, richer, and deeper colors if they are fed a wide range of foods. They will also heal much more quickly from fin damage if their diets are high in protein and fiber.

Two common maladies afflicting Siamese fighting fish are fin rot and ich.

Answer 3

The record is 10 years the normal life span is 7 years people that don't care for them properly can get about 3 years

Answer 4

Properly cared for (like in a 5 gallon tank, with heat and filtration) a betta can live 3-4 years.
Many bettas don't make it that long, though, because they are kept in small tanks/bowls at room temperature, and as a result they can contract diseases or impaction at a young age.

Answer 5

if they are well cared for in a 5+ gallon tank up to 6 years! mine lived that long! vases are bad for the fish as are bowls! the fish can't swim or have any activity! if you want a healthy fish get a 10 gallon and put a couple of tetras in the tank! betas are good community fish, most people think they are not due to their aggression towards each other however all of my bettas have been in community tanks, ex:
55 gallon tank=
1 male betta
2 female betts
2 zebra fish
1 pink fish i forgot the name of
1 balloon molly (female died)
2 cory catfish
1 yellow lab cichlid (baby getting a new tank)
they all get along and get yours a bigger tank!! if they are kept in a bowl r vase lifespan is around 2 years!!do the right thing!

Answer 6

Bettas have an uncomplicated lifestyles span of three-5 years, with a number of achieving 7 (the list is 9 years). at the same time as no longer precisely "lengthy", it truly is a protracted lifestyles span than a large number of different aquarium fish. no longer all of us is as useful in conserving them because they don't keep them contained in the properly acceptable circumstances. They purchase the "betta vases", or keep them in bowls rather larger than the cups in which they're bought. No fish will stay very lengthy less than those circumstances. First, a betta must have a minimum of two.5 gallons of water. additionally they must have a heater till they're in a room it is warmth sufficient to maintain their water temperature seventy six-86oF. gentle filtration keeps their water purifier, and it supplies them somewhat modern to swim adverse to for exercising (I examine that between both bettas that lived for 9 years lived at a school the position scholars were paid to exercising the fish by technique of "chasing" it round in its tank - fish must have exercising the same as human beings to stay "more beneficial healthy"!). prevalent water adjustments are a could! in a 2.5 gallon filtered tank, you may substitute 25% of the water once per week making use of a gravel vacuum. If the fish is kept in a bowl with no filter out, you may do one hundred% adjustments each and every 2-3 days. the version is because the gravel and dissolved oxygen extra by technique of the filter out helps bacteria that convert your fish's wastes (ammonia, it is poisonous) to nitrate, which your fish can tolerate in useful quantities. contained in the bowl, there isn't any longer sufficient water flow to the bottom to maintain the bacteria alive, and the ammonia builds as a lot because the point it poisons your fish. it is also significant to provide them a sturdy, distinct weightloss plan (pellets, bloodworms, daphnia, mosquito larvae) yet no longer to overfeed. extra foodstuff that decays of their water is likewise a source of ammonia.

Answer 7

2-3 yrs if kept in good care.

REMEMBER: get the betta a 1 gal. tank or more. NOT LESS. Or else the betta will be boring and lazy and inactive.

Answer 8

Usually 2-3 years if all goes well. I've heard of people going over this but not by much.

Hope that helps

Answer 9

Bettas are great fish to own! We have ours (Joe) and we have had him for almost 2 months. Bettas can live without eating every day, and their tanks need to only be cleaned every 2 weeks. They are great fish, much better than Goldfish! You made a great choice, and I am sure that your sister will love him!

Answer 10

It depends on how well she takes care of him.
If she keeps his water clean and feeds him a healthy diet, he should live at least a year. Here's a good article on taking care of bettas.
http://thegab.org/Articles/BettaBasics.html