Any tips on keeping a Betta (Siamese fighting fish) happy and most impotently healthy?

Question

I just bought a siamese fighting fish 3 days ago. I love the little guy so much and want him to have the best and longest life he can have. What are some good ways to keep him safe from sickness, happy and healthy?

Answer 1

Get yourself a Betta book. Mine has been extremely useful. Keep your Betta in at least a 1 gallon tank with some type of filtration. Keep the tank temp around 78. Do not overfeed and removed any uneaten food immediately. Good water conditions are very important. And contrary to popular belief they do like space. Also, they love attention!

Answer 2

Congrats on your new betta! They are one of my favorite fish. A few things you can do (if you haven't already) are the following-
#1. House him in at least a 2.5 gallon aquarium, 5 gallon is my preference though. Do not believe the bowl or vase myths! Only betta breeders with bettas that have extremely frail fins and tails can do this, and trust me, they know how to take care of them in that small of room.

#2. Make sure the aquarium has filtration. It doesn't matter whether you have undergravel or a power filter, as long as the flow isn't really strong.

#3. Provide a varied diet. I feed my bettas a diet of pellets in the morning and freeze dried bloodworms at night. A nice little treat is a monthly treat of frozen bloodworms. Bettas will just gobble them up!

#4. Use a heater in the tank. Bettas like the water around 78-82F, unlike all the myths that say bettas are fine in room temperature. They can survive, but not thrive which is what you are aiming for and seem more prone to disease and are sluggish with out one.

#5. Change 25% of the water weekly. I found a gravel vacuum works nice for this task, but don't vacuum all the gravel; because it houses beneficial bacteria that you don't want to destroy. I usually vacuum about 1/2 of the gravel.

#6. Test the water weekly for nitrate, nitrite, pH, and hardness levels. Bettas like the following levels-
Nitrate=20 is safe
Nitrite=0 is safe
pH= 6-7.5
Hardness- up to 20 dGH
They have 5 in 1 test strips at Wal-Mart for 11 bucks that covers all of this

#7. Probably the most obvious, use fish dechlor in your water for your fish. I like the Wardleys and aquasafe,
Hope This Helps!!!!
Good Luck!!!! :)

Answer 3

The main way to keep your fish healthy and happy is by providing a clean, stable environment. The best way for you to do this is with a filtered, heated aquarium and regular weekly water changes. A 2.5 gallon - 5 gallon tank would be best for him and maintained a a temperature of 76-80F. once a week use a gravel siphon to clean the gravel as you remove about 1/4 of th water from the tank. Replace this water with clean dechlorinated tap water.
Feed you betta regularly as well. I prefer to feed mine twice a day, but once is ok too. Feed him a good flake or pellet food for most of his meals, but several times a week feed him with bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia or the like as a meal. The varied diet is really good for him and he will love it.

Doing these things as well as not adding other fish to his tank that may bring in diseases will give your betta the best possible chances of a long and healthy life. Well cared for a betta can live an average of 4-5 years.

MM

Answer 4

If your betta is happy, he will be healthy. Bettas are hardy little guys and as long as they are given what they need for a happy lifestyle, they can survive *most* minor diseases on their own. However, they must be provided with a few simple things:

1. Space. This means anything from 2.5 gallons and up. It's a common myth that bettas do well in small amounts of water. They really do need at least 2.5 gallons to hold the amount of waste they put out and to give them enough room to swim. A 5 gallon tank would be even better, and would even allow for some tankmates. Your tank must also have a lid as bettas are terrific jumpers.

2. Clean water. Change your water regularly. This depends on how large your tank is; it should be every 3 days for a 1 gallon tank, and so on. Keeping your water clean will help your betta avoid most diseases. Further, all water that you put your betta in must be treated with water conditioner to remove chlorine, chloramine and trace metals in tap water that are toxic to your fish. Prime, Novaqua and AquaSafe are good brands.

3. A stable temperature. Bettas need a temperature in the high 70s to thrive, and it MUST be stable. Temperature fluctuations are worse than cold temperatures for a betta. The only way to ensure this is by getting a heater. Low temperatures or fluctuating temperatures can lead to lethargy, stress and a host of diseases, some fatal.

4. A varied diet. Bettas are picky eaters and require a high-protein diet. They are carnivorous and love blood worms, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae and daphnia. These are best fed frozen or freeze-dried. However, these should only be fed as treats, and your betta should be kept on a staple of pellets, with such treats being fed maybe three times a week. HBH Betta Bites and Hikari Bio-Gold are some top brands of betta pellets. DO NOT OVERFEED - Feed only once a day, and only what he can consume in a minute.

5. Some visual enrichment. Bettas are very visually-inclined creatures and if they aren't given something interesting to see, they will often get bored and end up tail-biting or something. Give your betta some plants in his tank to rest on and play in. Ornaments like caves, bridges, or even small flower pots will serve as good hiding spots when your betta needs rest and privacy. However, do ensure that none of these have sharp edges, as they can cut your betta's delicate fins. Be creative - anything that isn't sharp, varnished or painted can be a toy for your betta. I float ping pong balls in my tanks for my bettas to chase.

These five steps will fulfill your betta's basic needs and prevent most common diseases.

If you have any further questions, I recommend the forum UltimateBettas:

http://www.ultimatebettas.com

There are a lot of experienced betta keepers and breeders there who will answer almost any question you have about betta care. I learned everything I know from these guys.

Answer 5

Bettas need water at a consistent temp between 78 and 82 degrees. Keep him in a filtered 5 -10 gallon tank, with a thermostat-controlled heater. Do partial water changes regularly - making sure that the water you add is the same temp as the tank - big fluctuations in temp can be stressful. If you like, you can get good low-light plants, like anubias or crypts to make the tank more attractive and give your betta leaves to build his nest around - wisteria is a good choice too, but that needs a LOT more light. Keep the filter at low flow - the betta's long fins make him susceptible to strong current. And yes, don't overfeed. I give mine 3-4 pellets each day.

Here's a good site for reference to help you keep your little guy healthy and happy for as long as possible.

Answer 6

Ok, well, don't put him in the sun, don't put him in a fish bowl, and yes, you can put him with other fish (just pick the tankmates carefully...definitely not other bettas or fin nippers, such as Barbs). I have my female betta in a divided 15 gallon tank with a Dwarf Gourami, a White Cloud Minnow, and a couple cories and she loves it. Make sure they are in a heated tank--around 80 is where they like it. Do partial water changes as needed (test the water every other day for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate). Also, bettas are prone to bloating, so make sure you don't overfeed. Their stomachs are around the size of their eye, so feed accordingly.

Your betta will be happy as long as you keep his tank clean, feed him a little, keep him at the correct temperature, and don't let the ammonia/nitrites/nitrates get high. If you have any questions, feel free to message me.

Answer 7

Keep him in a filtered and heated tank that holds at least 5 gallons. Don't feed too much, about 5 betta pellets a day. Change 20-50 percent of the water every week, don't forget dechlorinater.

Answer 8

Well, if you get another one, make sure they are in separate tanks or separated. I have 3 SFF. And we change the water when the water starts getting foggy lookin'. Feed him a pinch of the beta food in the morning and night. They also eat blood worms, you can find that in the fish section where you got the fishing probably. They like stuff floating on top of the water, it makes them feel safer. Make sure you buy the chlorine drops that helps the water be the right balance so he doesn't die. Another thing is, is to get a small filter, it helps create bubbles on top of the water, and it's easier for them to breathe. And most of all, do not put him in hot or too cold water. Make sure the water is luke warm. And don't leave in direct sunlight. Good luck!!!

Answer 9

Beta fish are pretty content on their own. Whatever you do never put them in the same bowl or tank as anyother fish. They get really defensive and p.o.ed and it will not end well. Make sure you don't overfeed them, they can get sick that way. I recommend cleaning a fish bowl every week, although more often depending on your water quality and weather. I think if you put him in a spot where he can see you for a little while each day he should get enough company. It's good to let him get a little bit of sun each day too. I hope this helped! I wish you and your little guy a long happy and healthy life.

Answer 10

put him in a good sized 1-2 gallon tank have a small heater they do live in tropical areas so from him to show off his colors best it must be 76-79 dgs, a small filter also helps him be his healthiest, feed him 2 small meals a day and one day out of the week do not feed him (to clear his system and not to over work it) flakes and bloodworms are what i would recomend. have some fake or real plants in his tank and like caves and rocks. and what ever food he doent eat take it out with a net. also change 20% of his water every week. i would also test the nitrate and nirite, pH levels and water hardness about 3 hours after you clean the tank.