Betta maintenance?

Question

I am considering getting some betta fish. I already have a tank with a filter-system; is this okay to use with betta? When I had goldfish, they often got stuck to the pipe and died. Also, can betta be healthy without being fed worms? What kinds of betta do you suggest for a beginner?

Answer 1

It will be fine to use for a betta, just make sure the flow isn't too strong for him (you can adjust the flow if it is). Betta are better off being fed specialty betta food or tropical flakes, worms should only be given as treats. You can get either a crowntail or veiltail betta, both commonly found in pet stores. The males are prettier than the females. If you want to have other fish in there with him, I'd get a veiltail as they are less aggressive. Also, make sure any other fish are compatible (won't nip his fins, don't look like him, etc).

Also, filter intakes are designed so a healthy fish won't get stuck to them...your goldfish that got stuck were probably already sick.

Answer 2

If you have a small tank then you can gowith a male betta because male bettas cannot go with anyother fish. It will fight to the death with another fish. It can live on betta pelits. Although it is nice to mix it upfor the little fish once and a while. If you have a larger tank then you can get some female bettas if you'd like. You can pretty much put female bettas together. I have a larger tank and have 4 female bettas in it and other tropical fish as well. At first they might be a little agressive towards each other and just because they are not used to being with any other fish. It takes a minute for them toget used to it, but they do simmer down after a bit. They can eat flake food as well. My girl bettas eat the tropical flakes I give allmy fish. I have not had an issue with the filter system. The only time I have had a problem comeclose to that is when I had a small neon tetra die while I was at work and the filter sucked him up to it. The filter did not actually suck him up though. He was just sucked up next to it. You should be quite fine with your new tank just make sure that you put in the drops that conditions the water correctly for them, and you can also put alittle FRESH WATER aquarium salt for them. It keeps them healthy. Just ask the people at the pet store. Good luck.

Answer 3

I'm concerned about a couple of things:

1)Goldfish getting stuck to the filter pipe??? This doesn't happen to healthy goldfish. The fish likely all ready dying. With goldfish this is classically due to over feeding, and lack of water changes. A betta will be fine unless you have something like a power head.

2)Some betta??? Betta are highly aggressive with other betta. Males will fight to the death with other males, and are very prone to wife beating as well. The most common case is a male and female mate then the male kills the female defending his nest. (In nature betta live in huge shallow rice paddies, slow streams, ponds, and ditches. The loser in a fight just runs away, but that doesn't work in a tank.) Even females will tend to fight each other. I personally only keep the females in 20+ gallon tanks with one female per 5-10 gallons.

As far as type of betta they are pretty much all the same with a few exceptions. Crowntails tend to be more aggressive. Double tails tend to have digestive problems if over fed. Of course be aware betta vary a lot in temperament. Some will be okay with non betta tank mates, and others will kill snails. (Generally you'll need at most than 5 gallons before he'll put u with a non-betta tank mate.) Some jump. Some are frighten of you. and others will fare at you.

Food should meaty made of fish/shrimp/worms/insects. Flakes, and pellet for betta are okay, but I recommend alternating blood worms, and brine shrimp with half a cooked pea once a week. I'm a big fan of freeze dried fish foods as it doesn't carry disease, it keeps for a long time, and it's lacks the icky factor.

Answer 4

There's a ton of sites about Bettas that will give you info - links below...
Get a heater for your tank, as Bettas come from Thailand and won't do well w/o a heater. This will also keep the water temp constant. No heater = fluctuating temps, and your betta will die.
One Betta per tank, too. 2 males together will kill each other eventually. A male and a female are also not compatible - keep them separate!
I try to keep the current of my filter system low. Bettas prefer still water without much current. You can modify a filter to operate at a lower speed, or stick a piece of filter media to the output so that it's not so strong.
I have 2 Crowntail Bettas that I got from Petco. They are so much happier with clean, warm water!

Answer 5

The Betta or fighting fish is a loner, meaning don't put other male Betta's' in with it. female Betta's are fine and a variety of other fish will go too! But! be warned, other fish love to pick at the long pretty fins they have.I don't know of any other kind of Betta, just that they come in many colours. Hope this helps!

Answer 6

It is hit or miss as far as aggression goes with Bettas... I had one that was very friendly with other fish, and one that would eat the eyeballs out of every fish that went into his tank, including snails...

Feeding them is just as full of chance, as some will eat only one type of food (and you must buy them all to see which one it finally is) and others will eat anything you give them... I feed mine Hikari Betta gold. You can use anything, but remember in the wild they eat mostly mosquito larvae (bloodworms) so you can feed them that daily and they usually love it.

You definitely need a heater. I have also had Bettas that LOVE to swim in the current of the filter, so you never know.

Answer 7

Betta's are pretty hearty fish. They can live in just about any type of tank set up. I have one in each of my 4 community fish tanks. And yes, you can put Betta's with other fish, just not other Betta's. If you do put them with other fish make sure they are non-agresive fish. The Betta's flowing tails seem to attract other fish and aggresive fish like to chew on their tails. As far as feeding, I feed mine pellets made just for Betta's. Or they eat whatever tropical flake food I put in the tank. Like I said, they are pretty easy going fish.

Answer 8

bettas need what other fish need. sufficeint food, heat, water changes, air, filtering & lights. while bettas can survive without all except water changes and food they thrive with those things. i always suggest female bettas they are less agressive if you do decide to add another fish with them which i also dont recommend in my experience my betta was happier alone in my tank.

Answer 9

I thinks its ok if you get the betta.

Answer 10

Betta fish cannot be housed together in a tank. They will literally kill each other. They also cannot be housed with any other kind of fish.