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General Facts and Information

bettafishguy — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:10:44 +0000

One of the most striking and unique fish on the planet, Betta fish, will catch your and your guests attention just about anywhere. Betta fish’s colored fins wide variety of colors and shape is what makes these pets unique. Despite their exotic look, Betta fish care is actually quite simple, so they are perfect for the first time fish owner.

Facts About Betta Fish

Natives of Southeast Asia, Betta fish are tropical, so they prefer warm water. Bettas are relatively easy to care for and their low maintenance is particularly appealing to people who would like to have fish but don’t have a lot of time to care for them. Usually kept by themselves since the males tend to be aggressive towards each other, you can usually keep other small fish safely with Betta fish. Bettas grow to an overall length of about 2 inches.

Betta Fish Males and Females

Most often the aggression and fights occur between two male Bettas, however a new female introduced into a tank can threaten the existing male’s dominant role and cause him to attack, so care must be taken when introducing Bettas. Female betta fish are not quite that aggressive towards each other, though it is recommended that there be many hiding places inside a tank if several female betta fish are to be kept together. Females will get along better with each other than the males do but they do need room to escape a more aggressive female. Female Bettas, usually have much shorter fins than males and are a little smaller in size.

An Important Betta Fish Care Tip

One word of caution and an important tip in betta fish care is to never use a fish net to catch a Siamese Fighting fish when doing water changes because their fins are very delicate and can easily get caught in the fiber of the net and be ripped, causing damage and stressing the betta.

Betta Fish Care: What Temperature Is Right?

Being Tropical Fish, Bettas need to be kept at a warm temperature on a consistent basis. Warm water makes the Bettas more active, alert and happy. If the temperature is too low, your Betta’s may become prone to disease, or even die from chronic stress. Most diseases are primarily prevented by keeping the tank temperature at steady and proper levels. Make sure any water you add to the bowl is the same temperature as the water in the bowl. Many fish stores sell thermometer stickers that you can attach to the tank to keep an eye on the temperature.

Conclusion

Betta fish are great for kids and college students who want an “easy to care for” fish and a small aquarium. But keep in mind: You need to feed, clean, and care for your Betta just like you would any other pet. If you take the time and effort to give your fish the Beta fish care that he or she deserves, you can make certain that your fish enjoys a long and happy life.

Warm Regards,

Rafael
bettafishguy.com

What about the tank?

bettafishguy — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:16:51 +0000

One of the biggest misconceptions about Betta fish, most likely involves the size of the tank to keep them in. People seem to be under the impression that the Betta will be just fine if you leave it in the cup or bowl that you bought it in. People also seem to confuse the Bettas small foot print with what size tank they need to be kept in. They equate the Bettas relative inactivity at the store, most likely caused by stress since they are kept under less than ideal conditions, with the perceived size of the tank needed. It’s quite possibly one of the most harming misconceptions about Betta Fish out there.
Betta fish, are not meant to be confined to a small tank, and here’s why: they love to swim around. Bettas have plenty of room to swim around in when they are in the wild. If you give them a great space to swim in, with proper water quality, I bet you’ll be surprised at how active Bettas actually are. They will swim around in their tank a lot which will actually increase the life expectancy of the Betta. In other words, a small, unhealthy tank may end up hurting your Betta.
Now, that we’ve established that you need to put your Betta in a bigger tank, how about some tips?

Should you need to go with a small tank, be sure the tank is big enough so that your Betta’s fins and tail aren’t always touching the sides or bottom.
Obviously, the tank needs to be something practical and that you don’t mind looking at. Octagonal shaped tanks come to mind since they afford great views from all angles.
You do not need a 10 gallon tank for one Betta fish!
Add some decoration to the inside of the bowl, preferably small, smooth pebbles and small buildings or figures. The buildings are specially important if you plan to keep a male and a female together. The female will have a place to go hide should the male become aggressive towards her.
Be sure to get a tank with a cover. Betta fish have been known to jump out of their tanks.

These are just some brief guidelines to give you something to go on. Don’t forget, if you’d like more information, the book “Betta Fish Secrets” has lots more information that will be useful to both the new and experienced Betta Fish enthusiast!

Warm Regards,

Rafael

bettafishguy.com

Wuddup!

bettafishguy — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:22:25 +0000

The new betta fish guy blog on wordpress!