Betta Care

Betta’s fish are beautiful, hardy fish that do not require much space or pricey equipment. These fish have a special organ which allows them to breathe air at the surface of the water this makes filtration not necessarily required. This allows Bettas to live in small, oxygen poor bodies of water. These fish are personable and will often come out and get excited at feeding time and can even be trained to eat from a “feeding wand!”
➣ Common Name: Betta / Siamese Fighting Fish
➣ Scientific Name: Betta splendens
➣ Distribution: Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam
➣ Size: 2-3 ” Life Span: 3-5 years

HABITAT
A Betta should be kept in no less than one gallon of water. We have several betta aquariums that will do just fine. An aquarium substrate such as small gravel provides living space for beneficial bacteria and will help keep your Betta tank clean. Provide decorations and hiding areas such as Betta Plants, Ceramic Betta Log and Floating Betta Log.  

TEMPERATURE AND WATER QUALITY
Bettas are tropical fish. Your Betta’s tank should be kept between 74 and 80°F but stability of the water temp is the key. A small size Betta bowl Heater will help maintain proper temperatures in your Betta’s Bowl and help with stability. It is important to keep your Betta’s water clean. Do partial water changes once a week to keep your fish healthy. Be sure to use a betta water conditioner such as Zoo Med’s Betta H2O to remove chlorine and chloramines from tap water.

FOODS AND FEEDING
In the wild, bettas eat small insects, worms and crustaceans which provide high levels of proteins and fats. A variety of foods should be offered to keep your Betta healthy they also seem to change their taste for food at different times.
A good quality pellet food such as Zoo Med’s Micro Floating Betta Pellets should be given as the main part of your fish’s diet Zoo Med’s Dial-A- Treat is a great supplemental food for Bettas and gives them the variety they desire. Food should be offered once a day or tiny bit 2x a day. Always remove uneaten food from the tank after about 5 minutes to prevent polluting the water. We do carry a selection of Betta Banquet Blocks will help you feed your Betta for up to a week when you are out of town!

BETTA BEHAVIOR
Bettas are “lazy” fish that spend a great deal of the day “laying around”. A Betta Leaf Hammock provides a resting place near the surface of the water for your Betta. Bettas are territorial fish and should never be housed together. The sight of another Betta will trigger the fish to put on a threat display. He will flare out his fins and “dance” back and forth showing off his fins. A Betta Exercise Mirror allows your Betta to practice this natural behavior for a few moments a day. Bettas will often “attack” their food as soon as you put it in the tank. They can even be trained to eat pellets from a feeding wand!