Being able to take care of a betta fish, means knowing what makes them happy and healthy. It also means knowing what causes stress and disease so you can avoid it. In our comprehensive betta fish care guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know to promote a healthy habitat. This includes the recommended tank size, water quality and maintenance, feeding, and much more!
With proper care, your betta could live up to ten years despite their average life of 2-4 years. This discrepancy is largely due to misinformation in pet stores, on the internet, and from other betta owners. Betta fish are a beautiful and intelligent species of fish and deserve proper care.
Taking care of your betta requires a little education and responsibility for both kids and adults. The beautiful betta is pretty resilient and inexpensive to purchase and maintain, and they can bring years of companionship and joy.
If you’re reading this, chances are you already have your betta fish at home. If not, pat yourself on the back for doing research prior to purchasing one. Knowing how to take care of a betta before you buy one will make things a lot easier; especially when purchasing a tank and other accessories for the first time.
Betta Care: Healthy vs Sick Checklist
You should be able to identify the difference between a healthy and a sick betta. This affects what type of care you will need to provide him or her over time. Even when first purchasing a betta fish, it’s important to choose one that is healthy. Experienced caretakers, however, may purchase sick bettas to help save them from death and disease. Below are common characteristics of healthy and sick bettas.
Healthy Betta Fish
- Swim up to investigate when you get close to their habitat
- Are aggressive and may flare at you or other stimuli
- Possess bright colors, especially males
- Are hungry and eat regularly
- Undamaged fins
Sick Betta Fish
- Loss of appetite for extended periods of time
- Lethargic and frequently hiding
- Dull coloring, especially in males
- Tattered fins with black edges
- White growths on body or mouth
- Swimming abnormally
- Labored breathing
- Clamped fins
- Bloated
Think your betta fish may be sick? Visit our disease symptom and treatment page.
Betta Tank Size and Environment
- 5 gallons is recommended, 2.5 is the absolute minimum.
- Smaller tanks are more work, requiring increased maintenance.
- No bowls. Those are for eating cereal out of!
- Betta fish are jumpers, always secure a lid on your tank.
- Don’t restrict access to the water’s surface, or fill your tank to its maximum capacity.
- Betta fish need natural day and night light cycles.
- Tank mates are tricky, visit our guide for more information.
- Never place 2 males, or a male and female in the same tank unless breeding.
- Females can live together in a “sorority” of 5 or more.
- Consider a tank divider to house two bettas in a single tank.
The absolute minimum tank size for a healthy betta is 2.5 gallons with the recommended size being 5 gallons or more. Larger tanks are easier to maintain nitrogen cycles and temperature and require less frequent cleanings. One of the biggest myths regarding bettas is how they can live just fine inside a tiny bowl or vase. To put this into perspective, you could live survive inside a tiny wooden box too if given food and water right? You wouldn’t be very happy or healthy though.
In the wild, the betta splenden lives in shallow oxygen-deficient streams, rice paddies, and puddles, but many of these areas are still expansive in water volume. Your betta needs room to swim around and places to hide. Plus you’ll enjoy him or her that much more if they have ample space to put on a show.
Never fill your tank to the maximum volume. Betta fish need access to the water’s surface to gulp air using their unique labyrinth organ. The labyrinth organ allows them to extract oxygen from the air and not just the water via their gills. This is why bettas don’t require air pumps. Also make sure you have a lid on your tank because bettas are great jumpers, and may leap right out of your tank. It happens all the time and is a very sad way to lose a betta.
Light: Natural and Artificial
Betta fish need natural or artificial light while they are awake during the day, and darkness at night so they can sleep. This establishes a regular day and night pattern, regulating their internal biological clock. Plants and other decorations provide shade if they do want to get out of direct lighting for a period of time.
Avoid direct sunlight entering your tank because it can quickly raise the water’s temperature to dangerous levels and ignite unwanted algae growth. Artificial lighting is recommended, placing your betta fish’s habitat away from windows. This way you control light being on during the day, and off at night with the simple touch of a button.
Tank Mates
Some bettas are too aggressive to live with other inhabitants, but they can play nice with certain tank mates that are non-aggressive and do not possess any bright colors or long fins. The reason the betta is known as the Siamese fighting fish is because of the male’s acute aggressiveness. This was heightened from selective breeding in the 1800s and is still a part of their genetic makeup.
Success increases by adding community fish with bettas in larger tanks that have plenty of spaces to hide. Use an 8-10 gallon or larger aquarium to provide enough space for a proper community habitat.
The increased space in larger tanks will decrease the territorial instincts of the betta and may decrease the aggression against certain types of fish. If in doubt, always ask a local pet store employee before you buy a potential community fish, or read the forums at bettafish.com.
DO NOT put two males in the same tank because they will fight and nip at each other, likely until one is dead or severely stressed. This is cruel and should never be done! Males should also never be housed with a female unless they are breeding for short periods of time and then separated.
Males will exhibit aggressive behavior against females too. Females, however, can live together in groups of five or more, but the tank size should double to 10 gallons or more. A good rule of thumb is 1 gallon per 1 inch of each fish. If you have 5 females, each 2 inches, that would translate to a 10-gallon tank.
Plants, Hideouts, and Decorations
- Betta fish need plants and hiding places to feel safe.
- Mimic a betta fish’s natural habitat to reduce stress.
- Live plants are ideal for their added cleaning benefits.
- Fake plants and leaves should be silk and not sharp plastic.
- Be careful of sharp edges on hideouts and decorations.
A major part of caring for a betta fish involves making sure they are content and not stressed. Mimicking their natural habitat is the best way to accomplish that. Bettas love places to hide so they can feel safe, especially when sleeping. Think of hiding places like their homes.
Their natural habitat has lots of places to hide, including substrate, rocks, plants and sticks. Live plants are the best for aquariums because they can help remove ammonia from the water (e.g. Amazon Sword) and they’re soft.
Don’t worry though, artificial plants are fine too, and they are inexpensive and resilient. Their quality has really improved in recent years and look almost identical to the real deal. Be careful with artificial plants and decorations because they can damage your betta’s fins.
All artificial plants and leaves should be silk if possible. Logs and other hideaways should also be inspected for sharp edges and sanded down if necessary. Betta owners like to use what is called the ‘pantyhose test’, running it down the plant or decoration to see if it snags. If it does, the plant or hideout will likely snag a betta’s delicate fins too.
Visit our complete guide to the best live and fake betta fish plants.
Water Temperature and Quality
- Maintain a tropical habitat at 76-81 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Betta fish prefer water in the pH range of 6.5-7.5.
- Ammonia should ideally be zero parts per million (ppm).
- Nitrate should be less than 40 parts per million (ppm).
- Nitrite should ideally be zero parts per million (ppm).
- Use water conditioner/dechlorinator to make tap water safe for bettas.
- Use an aquarium thermometer to monitor your tank’s temperature.
- Filter’s reduce ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels, and preserve healthy bacteria.
- Avoid drastic changes in water temperature and water quality.
- Use test strips to monitor water parameters.
Betta fish come from a tropical climate in Thailand so they require warm water in their tanks. Never let the water in your tank drop below 65 degrees or go above 82 degrees, and try to keep it in the range of 76 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the temperature bettas are happiest and active at.
The average room temperature in a home is 68 degrees Fahrenheit, which is well below their required temperature. If your habitat’s water is consistently too cold your betta will become withdrawn and eventually sick. This is the quickest way to reduce their potential lifespan. The only time a heater is not required is if the surrounding temperature in the room the tank is in is at least 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thermometer and Heater
Purchase an aquarium-safe thermometer to record the water’s temperature. If the temperature is too low, purchase a small aquarium heater (e.g. 20 watts). Heaters that are adjustable and contain a built-in thermostat are the best solutions.
Betta fish are very sensitive to changes in their habitat’s temperature and water parameters. When changing the temperature and water conditions, do it slowly and methodically. Abrupt changes can stress your fish and even cause adverse health consequences.
Filter
While filters aren’t mandatory, they are highly encouraged for aquariums larger than 3 gallons. Filters reduce harmful bacteria while supporting healthy bacteria. They are your little helpers when it comes to tank maintenance and caring for your betta fish. A filter is relatively inexpensive and is best when included with an entire setup.
Betta fish are not very strong swimmers and a filter can stress them out if the current is too strong. Prolonged agitation can lead to ripped fins, acute stress, and even death. Choose a filter that is adjustable or recommended for a betta fish. Baffle intake tubes and exits with pre-filters if necessary to reduce strong currents. For more information on betta fish and filters, click here.
Water
Water added to the tank must be free of chlorine and other contaminants. If you use tap water, be sure to use a betta water conditioner to remove chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, and other heavy metals. This prevents any potential harm or death. Never use distilled water either, because it has been stripped of all the essential minerals that bettas need to thrive on.
Betta fish prefer their water’s pH to be slightly acidic. They do best in the pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 (7 is neutral). Some tap water and spring water may be significantly higher than 7.5 which means you should always test your water before adding it to your betta’s tank. Consider purchasing a pH kit to keep it in a healthy range if necessary.
Also consider adding aquarium salt to your aquarium’s water to reduce stress and swelling, and to promote healthy fins.
For more information on recommended water types and parameters, visit this page.
Habitat Care, Cleaning, and Maintenance
- A clean habitat promotes a healthy and happy betta fish.
- Proper betta care includes a systematic maintenance schedule.
- Non-filtered and smaller tanks require more frequent maintenance.
- Do not clean an aquarium, substrate, decoration with soap.
- Distilled white vinegar and regular bleach can be used as cleaning agents.
- Only remove your betta fish during 100% water changes.
- Monitor water parameters with test kits and strips.
Keeping a betta’s tank (ecosystem) clean is crucial to their health and happiness. As your betta consumes food, digests it, and eventually gets rid of it (poop!), it ends up in the tank’s water. The smaller the tank, the quicker it becomes polluted.
One of the most common issues linked to poor betta health is sustained exposure to increased levels of ammonia and nitrites. Water quality declines as ammonia builds up from waste and uneaten food. This forces the pH level of the water to get out of a healthy range.
Your fish will be swimming in its own waste and over time can lead to illness or even death. A good filter can help reduce these levels and establish healthy bacteria in tanks 3 gallons or larger. Filters are not recommended for tanks smaller than 3 gallons.
How Often Should You Clean A Betta Fish’s Tank?
A systematic maintenance schedule must be adhered to. Tanks under 3 gallons will need more frequent and complete water changes to avoid dangerous levels of ammonia. It can be done, it’s just more work.
Non-filtered tanks require 1-2 water cycles at around 25% and a full 100% water change each week (depending on water quality). A 5-gallon filtered tank will only need 1-2 water cycles per week at around 25% of total volume and a 100% water change once per month depending on water quality.
Keep a pH kit in your supplies to test your tank’s water. Smaller tanks and those that are unfiltered are more work in the long-run because of how rapidly the water’s quality can decline. Remember, adding live plants can also help reduce ammonia levels in the water naturally.
Water cycling (removing some and adding new) and changes (complete volume replacement) are necessary for filtered tanks too but are more frequent and important in non-filtered habitats. If you’re only cycling the water, don’t remove your betta. Unnecessary removal can lead to potential stress and injury. Only remove your betta during 100% water changes.
Betta fish get used to their ecosystem and don’t like abrupt changes to it. Because of this, you should cycle more than you do a complete change. Removing too much of the existing water in the tank and then adding new can cause your fish to go into shock. This may be due to changes in water parameters or temperature. Always acclimate your betta fish when re-introducing them to their tank after a complete water change.
Removing 25-50% of the tanks water and refilling with similar temperature and pH dechlorinated water is the safest route. Whenever adding new tap water, make sure to use dechlorination drops or spring water that has chlorine already removed.
How to Clean Your Tank and Decorations
Cleaning your tank and its decorations is very important for your betta fish’s health. Only use approved aquarium decorations and materials that are safe for fish. Use a magnetic or algae cleaning wand for regular algae removal while the tank is filled.
Filters and their media should be cleaned by rinsing them in existing tank water to preserve healthy bacteria. Other components should be cleaned and disinfected. Never clean a tank or its components with soap! It’s very tough to remove all the soap and it can poison your betta once the tank is refilled.
All existing and new decorations (including stones) should be washed thoroughly with hot, hot water to remove dust and other contaminants. If you want to increase the cleaning power, you can use distilled white vinegar to remove stubborn stains and smells.
Regular bleach that is free of detergents and perfumes is another excellent and powerful cleaning option; especially after disease. Use a 10% mixture: 9 cups of water to 1 cup of bleach. Do not let the mixture stay on any aquarium or decoration’s surface longer than 10 minutes. Always rinse, rinse, rinse all surfaces with clean water to remove any bleach traces before refilling.
Food and Feeding
- Betta fish are carnivores – they need protein-rich food.
- Keep the water’s surface unobstructed, they are surface feeders.
- Betta’s tend to be picky eaters and may prefer a different brand or blend.
- Overfeeding causes a lot of adverse health problems.
- Feed 2-4 pellets, 1 to 2 times daily.
- A varied diet is the best diet.
Part of betta fish care means regular feedings! Betta fish need specific food because they are carnivorous and like meat. In the wild, bettas feed on insects and their larvae on the water’s surface. Replicating their feeding environment and food will keep them happy and healthy.
Betta food comes in different varieties including pellets, flakes, live, and freeze-dried options. The most common ingredients are meat, fish, and shrimp. Do not feed your betta other tropical fish food because they need a specific protein-rich diet.
Betta fish can be very picky eaters too. Persistent refusal may mean trying a different brand or blend until you find the right one. Betta’s also love treats once in awhile, but they might start to prefer them if you overdo it.
Freeze dried bloodworms and brine shrimp are a betta’s favorites. Some owners prefer to use freeze-dried bloodworms or shrimp as their exclusive food source. Breeders may also stay away from manufactured pellets and flakes, opting for live foods to prepare for shows and breeding. The most important part, however, is ensuring a rich and varied diet.
Overfeeding
It’s hard to gauge how much you should be feeding a betta. Food labels are often unclear and inconsistent. Their stomach is roughly the size of their eye and pellets can expand after they’re ingested. Overfeeding leads to bloating, constipation, swim bladder issues, and a build up of uneaten food in the tank.
Get on a regular feeding schedule, and follow these guidelines if you’re still unsure. If you decide to feed your betta twice a day, make sure to feed them about 2-3 pellets max during each feeding. Feeding once per day should be 3-4 pellets.
Many betta owners get stressed wondering why their fish won’t eat, but in reality it’s usually from prior over feedings. Betta fish may also refuse to eat during stress, especially when first bringing them home. Betta’s can go 14 days without food before they starve to death, just like a human.
If you’re going away for 2-3 days, never add extra food to compensate. It’s better to allow a betta to go without food than to dump a bunch in there and think they’ll eat it. They won’t and it will only dirty the tank. If you’re going away for more than 2-3 days, visit our vacation guide.
Infographic: Betta Fish Care Sheet
This infographic contains most of the things you’ll need to remember in order to take care of a betta fish. Consider printing or saving it for future reference:
How to Take Care of Different Betta Fish
The difference between female betta fish care and male betta fish care is very minimal. They both require the same water parameters, food, tank size, and decorations/plants. Males and females can require different types of care before, during and after breeding, but that’s more advanced than basic care. Females can also coexist together in sororities which lead to different recommendations on care too.
Betta fish fry (babies) require special care during upbringing. Petco recently began selling baby betta fish, and with improper care, they can die prematurely. Fry require special care, and special diets to survive because they cannot fit most betta pellets into their mouths. Fry upbringing should be reserved for experienced caretakers and breeders.
There are over 70 different species of betta fish, with the betta splenden being for sale in pet stores. Betta splendens come in many different tail variations through selective breeding, however, all require the same level and types of care. These include, but are not limited to, the crowntail, veil tail, double tail, delta tail, butterfly, and halfmoon.
Maintenance Schedule for Proper Betta Care
Daily:
Ensure the water temperature is between 76 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
Look for odd behavior and signs of illness or fin damage.
Check heaters, filters and other equipment.
Feed your betta fish.
Weekly:
Cycle 20%-40% of the water each week for larger tanks.
Change 100% of the water for smaller tanks (e.g. 2.5 gallons).
Consider fasting your betta one day a week for digestive health.
Vacuum up uneaten food and waste.
Check pH and bacteria levels.
Monthly:
Check the functionality of filters, replacing media as necessary.
Prune live plants, clean fake plants, decorations, and algae.
Perform water cyclings and/or 100% changes on tanks 5 gallons or larger.
Vacuum up all waste and uneaten food from gravel.
Check water quality and pH levels.
Caring for a betta fish isn’t that hard once you establish a routine and separate the myths from the facts. As a betta owner, you should always be monitoring the health of your fish and watching out for any indicators of concern. Most issues can be traced back to poor care in feeding patterns, acclimation, and tank maintenance.
Once you know how to care for a betta fish, please spread this information to other caretakers. Over time we can help reduce the prevalence of misinformation out there. Betta fish deserve the right to live a long and healthy life in captivity. Thank you.
Still, have questions? Visit the FAQ library or comment below.
i am taking care of a sad and cold beta. they,my neighbor, turned off his filter, the heat in house is 60 degrs. and i tht he was dead . I turned onthe filter and it made him alert but the poor thing is low on water, in the dark, cold and drafty . what can i do to warm him up ? He is lethargic. ,has no lid . I wish i could print this page for my friend who said “it’s only a fish” which kind of broke my heart. i was/am still a prof pet sitter, at 18 hr. days at my heyday for 6 mo. stretches at a time, over 21 years as company owner & walker/sitter to us, there is no such creature as “only”, not in *my* vernacular. he’s cold and sad, mr. fish.
Poor little guy! You are very kind hearted and I totally agree. The easiest way is with a heater because it warms up the water slowly which is recommended to prevent sudden changes and stress. Heat lamps should not be used.
Can someone tell me what is wrong with my little guy. He’s laying at the bottom. Breathing looks labored. I can’t add a picture. White mark along his tummy. Marking around the head.
Sounds like stress without seeing a photo. Check that your water temperature and parameters are in the proper range.
Hey I’m getting a Betta and considering getting a frog to go with him will it work
In the right size tank (over 10 gallons), yes, African Dwarf frogs can be a great addition.
Dear Sir,
My Cousin had a betta fish for a full five years. It lived in a small bowl, Was happy, and used no water conditioner. (Tap Water) We had no filter or heater and it lived in a basement room. It was about 60 degrees down there and the heating turned off and on.
My Other family members have had bettas and they lived in vases and were fed and where happy too.
I would like one but my family isnt wanting to buy a new tank instead of me using a small bowl.
Help.
It’s possible for a betta to live a long time in poor housing, but it’s a dull and boring life for them. A vase takes up about as much space as a 2.5 or 3-gallon tank, so I would continue trying to persuade them. If not, then I can’t recommend you getting another one.
I bought a female for my 9 year old. One gallon tank with one live plant. She loves pellets. I have conflicting advice. How often to clean if using bottled gallon spring water? How often to feed as the fish loves two pellets twice daily but I was told feed 2-3 x week…
There is a food and feeding page on the website here, but first the tank is too small and will lead to health problems. I recommend at least a 2.5-gallon because otherwise the water gets dirty fast with ammonia build up and nitrates which are harmful. With a 2.5-gallon it should be around 2 partial water changes per week, of 20-25% of the total volume of water. For food, you should feed 1-2 times per day, with 2-3 pellets per feeding, and take one day with no food (fasting). A diverse diet is good as well, introducing some freeze-dried bloodworms or daphnia on occasion.
Unbelievable talk about a bully to pick on a defensive fish.
Steal it and give it a better home….it deserves it…. This site is amazing
Bryan go ahead say it…..
KEN
I agree, steal that little guy and give him the life he deserves, as it was not the fishes choice to be a pet in a tank verses the wild..
Take him… They won’t care ‘he’s only a fish’… Give it a good home…
Hi,
He needs a heater ASAP. How big is his tank? The size of the tank determines the strength of the heater – so the water doesn’t get too hot. For a small 1 gallon tank you have to get a weak heater like Hydor 7.5 Watt, for 2.5 gallons, you can get a 10W one, like Aqueon Mini Heater.
They cost less than $10 each. It should be plugged in at all times. The filter and the light should go on and off, but the heater has to be on at all times, unless the temperature is over 85 degrees. You need a thermometer, as well, there are always inexpensive choices. Please get this at the pet store for him ASAP, or he will likely die. If cost is an issue, I will gladly PayPal you the amount you spend on his heater. Feed him sparingly while he’s cold, because his metabolism is very slow right now. Good luck to you both. Please update us, if you have a moment.
Thank you,
Theresa:)
This comment was from 2016, but I do appreciate your advice and care to another person who was in need.
My Betta is 4 yrs old and all the time hardly does he come out from hiding, I know Bettas like to hide, but this a little to much. When I put food out he doesn’t come for his food, I even bought brine shrimp, and I never see him eat like he used to. I’m now giving him bettafix, first week he was back to his old self, now hes back hiding again,. I’m back on the bettafix and nothing. Do you think he is dying?
Hi Theresa, 4 years is considered to be an elder betta as average life span is approximately 2-5 years. As they age betta’s will get lazier, hide more often, and eat less because of their decreased activity. It’s hard to say whether he is dying or not without more information.
How do you tell if its a female or male?
Hi Sonia, there are a few different ways you can tell. Females are generally much smaller in size, have less vivid coloring, shorter fins, and have a small white egg spot on their underside. Males are the opposite being larger in size, they have brighter coloring (bright green, blue, red, etc.), long flowing fins and a visible ‘beard’ protruding out from their gills.
Amazing, you guys are good at this I’m about to get a Betta fish too I’m a little nervous, I’ve done research on them so I hope I know what I’m doing.
Once you go to choose, you’ll know. As with most of Mother Natures creatures, males are more pleasing to the eye and the type of Betta is more obvious. So many options,only one choice.Do you know your type?;)
Usually at petsmart will have the gender on the lid.
I added 3 female better to my 20 gallon community tank. One of them was extremely aggressive and is now in her own 3 gallon tank. The problem is the other 2. When I feed the fish the 2 female bettas beat the neons and the Columbian tetras to the food. They get too much and have swollen bellies. Any suggestions on how to avoid this? I have to feed them…
Varying temperaments are tough when first setting up a sorority tank, not all are cut out for it and usually, more is better than fewer females. Two in the community tank might give you problems unless there are ample hiding spaces and it’s a larger tank. I suggest you try feeding the other fish at night when betta’s tend to be less active, or try using surface feeders and placing the food at different ends of the tank. Another more time consuming option is to place the two betta’s in separate breeding tanks with their own food during feedings.
Thanks for your help. The 2 female bettas in the community tank actually get along fine. They just pig all the food from the rest of the fish. I got a net breeding tank and put the 2 of them in before feeding the rest. They get their food and everyone else gets theirs.
Thank you for all of the information you provided!
I have a 2 gallon aquaponic tank. What kind of (small) plants can I grow on top? How do I start them off to make sure my fish and the plants are happy?
Please read all of the information about betta care on this website and get an aquarium with a filter and heater. The plants DO NOT purify the water and your betta will not thrive in this situation.
I have a filter. I never said the plants were there to act as a filter.
He still gets properly fed and the tank regularly cleaned. I’m asking what plants to use because I don’t want to put anything potentially toxic in there.
my beautiful halfmoon betta makes small bubbles almost like a nest, A friend said it means he is happy in his environment. Is this so or why does he make all those tiny bubbles?
This means he’s trying to attract a mate/female and is healthy. Males make a bubble nest in anticipation of mating, where they will take care of the eggs in the bubble nest.
I bought a fish tank the shape of a fish it holds a gallon if I put another half gallon in it ; it will go to the top I bought this because all I ever see bettas in are small bowls so I thought I was doing a good thing now reading this don’t know what to do the tank is really nice to
good job
What causes the slick on top of the water in a freshwater tank? I have a 3 gallon nano tank with 1 female Betta (too mean for my 20 gallon tank) and a small Marimo Moss ball. I have a filter for up to a 10 gallon tank and change the filter and water regularly (not at the same time). It happens if I use conditioned tap water or spring water. I skim the slime off with a net and paper towels, and as soon as I turn the filter back on more comes out of the filter. Could I have a bad filter or maybe I need a smaller filter? I don’t have any problem with the 20 gallon.
It doesn’t mean you have a bad filter, it’s usually from proteins in the water and yes simply skimming it off the water is all you need to do. My guess is your larger tank has faster moving water, and the smaller tank – the water is more still causing the film to stay intact. It’s unsightly but not harmful unless it’s caused by bacteria and not protein.
I was giving two baby bettas a female and a male the past couple weeks. I have bettas but they are much older. What do i have to do to take care of them because i read your atricle vut says they need different care. What exactly do i have to do.? I cant find it on the web.
Bryan, your website has been a lifesaver! I’ve had my male Betta for four days and I’m obsessed! He eats out of my fingers and follows my finger around the top and sides of his tank – it’s adorable and as odd as it sounds, I think we have a fun little connection! I don’t want him to fall ill and I definitely don’t want him to die! I have him in a 3.5 gallon tank with a couple silk plants (that he loves resting in), a coconut hideout, and the Betta hammock. I don’t have a filter hooked up yet, but I’m thinking I’ll hook it up when I do his next water change and see if it bugs him. He seems super happy so I don’t want to stress him out, but if I can keep a low flow, I’m thinking it’ll help keep the tank safer in between cycles/changes.
I was hoping to find some info on the different ways to “vacuum” out the crud. I bought one of those siphons to help get rid of it, but I see in your articles that you mention an aquarium-safe turkey baster. I was only going to use the siphon when I did cycles, but a turkey baster sounds easier for a quick sweep of the gravel, plants, etc. So, can this turkey baster be your typical kitchen utensil that is strictly used for an aquarium (and not for human food)? Or is there something more specific that I can find at the pet store?
Thank you so much in advance, and keep up the great work with this site!!!
Thank you so much for your feedback and that’s awesome Meg. Aren’t they so cool? What I meant by an aquarium-specific turkey baster is just one you only use for your aquarium. There is no special one, but a siphon is definitely helpful for bigger cleanings/cycles. You can use the turkey baster in-between the bigger cleanings.
Thank u bryan
What about these plants on top of the tank set ups? And letting the roots grow in the water! Is that a good thing for the fish?
Hi, my beta recently just passed away, i feel broken. I was always loving to it, but now I feel like I could have cared for it more than I did. To show that I am again buying a beta, and I will take care of it better than I did show it all my love that I had to my old beta and even more. I want to ask what I did wrong to make it pass away in less than one and a half year, was it just its lifespan, because like two days before it passed it started to wither in its fins. I want to know what could have caused this. I clean its tank weekly and feed it daily. I changed its tank using bottled mineral water. Could this have been the problem? I will not do the mistake I did to my new beta and make him live as long as possible!
Sanjeev, it’s hard to diagnose without additional information, but it sounds like it could have been stress/fin rot.
I have only had previous experience with goldfish and recently got a five gallon glofish tank and decided a betta would be best for it. There are two settings for the lights. One of them is natural and the other one is blue. Can the blue light do harm to bettas? It looks really cool when its on, but I don’t want to hurt the fish. I’ve been researching like crazy before I buy the fish, but haven’t found anything pertaining to blue lights.
The blue light is fine, so long as you don’t keep it on all day, every day – and give them time to rest/sleep in the darkness.
My daughter just bought a betta two weeks ago. I never see this fish eat and when she does she will put the pellets in her mouth and spit them back out. I have a pro clear aquatic system I can put her in but I have no clue what this tank does or what kinda fish it is meant for and I do not want to hurt her by the tank getting too warm.
Betta’s can be very picky eaters, head over to the food/feeding page for more information, and consider getting a different pellet. Sounds like she doesn’t like the kind you have. Also, I’m not very familiar with those tanks, but as long as you have a regulated heater, you should be fine.
It’s totally normal for a Betta put pellets in the mouth and spit out. Just keep an eye that he/she eats the pellet completely. Mine does too but I give him 3 pellets, twice a day and I check if he has finished it or not. Till he finishes it’s fine, his food his way to eat.
Hi! Thank you for writing this! In the past, I have had one betta that lived to be six and a half years old, and the other only lived a few weeks after he turned three. (They did not live together) He started to get lazy and had fin rot. The one that lived longer also had constant fin rot that would go away when we treated it, and then came back. Their water temp was around 78 degrees F and their PH was always fine. They also got 50% water changes every month, and were fed betta pellets and peas. (They LOVED the peas) I have a three gallon tank. I am planning on buying a heater this week, and then getting another betta. I was wondering if I could save one of those baby betas from petco or just get an adult? I know the babies are more of a challenge, but I think it would be worth it. Also, how can I keep my betas from getting fin rot? I treated it with salt and water drops, but it always came back. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hey Alyssa, thanks for the feedback and glad you’re back to bettas. You could try a baby, it’s definitely worth it if you have them for more of their life, just make sure you read up on how to care for one and get some flakes you can crush up for feeding. Fin rot is downright tough sometimes, but the best cure for me has always been maintaining a clean tank and using aquarium salt in small doses during each water change. You can also add Indian Almond Leaves which can help prevent/cure the fin rot too.
Hi Bryan. How often does a Betta poop. I feed him 2 pellets in the morning and 2 or 3 in the evening. About once a month I find a blob of poop, about 3/4 size of a small pea, at the bottom of the aquarium. He’s not bloated nor sluggish. He’s always ready to eat. Is this normal for a Betta?
If you’re finding large blobs of poop that can be a sign of constipation or overfeeding. You don’t seem to be experiencing any of that though, but keeping one day per week for fasting may be ideal to make the poop more regular and frequent. Here’s some more information on bowel movements.
Great article, thanks so much. My betta has bad fins. Will they get better? I see you mention aquarium salt and Indian Almond leaves. What is aquarium salt? Is there a good brand?
They will heal and get better yes. A good brand is API, and is available at your local pet stores or on Amazon. For more information on Fin Rot – please visit this page.
We had a betta and made a handful of care mistakes that ultimately led to his death in about 9 months. We are now gearing up to purchase another, but are dealing with the effects of how we handled the first fish’s death. Since the tank had become riddled with algea and the fish seemed to have died via a white fungus on his body, we cleaned the tank with bleach. My husband let the bleach soak the tank and all of the tank components for about 24 hours. In your post above, you said to never leave bleach on any tank surface for longer than 10 minutes. . . does this mean that I have to purchase a new tank, filter, and everything else? Or since we have rinsed it out and left it dry for a couple months will it be okay to use again?
Your help is greatly appreciated!
If it has been sitting for months and you’ve rinsed everything extremely well the tank should be fine without needing to purchase new equipment. Anything that is porous, however, like filter pads etc. should be replaced if they were soaked in bleach.
Where can I find that beautiful rectangular tank that you use for the “tank” section picture!!!!
I personally own this tank Carly and love it! It’s called a Fluval Spec V and you can get it on Amazon here. Once you add a baffle sponge to the filters output tube to slow down the filter flow for betta fish it’s a beautiful and functional tank.
Hi Bryan, I’m housing George, my half moon in the Fluval Spec V. I tried adding some baffle sponge in the water outlet but the lower flow seemed to promote brown algae growth. Are they related?
It’s possible, considering the water doesn’t churn as much but I think it’s more than likely something else. Is your tank near direct sunlight? That can speed up algae growth. Are you doing water changes routinely? Have you replaced the filter media on schedule?
I have 5 Betta tanks all over my home for years and none of them have heaters or filters mainly because they are all in odd places that are far from outlets: hallway table, bathroom, kitchen island etc. I am however diligent with water changes.
I have newly discovered female Bettas and purchased four last week! I’m excited because they are all in the same tank; so far so good… Is it safe to assume I will now need a filter? Also should purchase one more since it seems that five females will fare better than four?
Five is better than 4, and you may now find you need a filter to keep up with the bioload of having that many fish in one tank. Ammonia and other toxins will build up faster unless you like doing daily water changes and cleanings – depending on your tank’s size.
Thanks for the info Bryan! I went ahead and purchased my 5th female betta and all is well. The tank I have is 10 gallons. I also attached the top loading filter that it came with and put it in an area where I can plug it in; it also has a light attached to it. I added live plants, a Mayan head they can hide in and 2 live snails to help with cleaning. This is my first time buying snails and I’m wondering if I’m doing too much by adding the snails?
That’s great to hear, and you bet. I don’t think you’re doing too much, just keep an eye on everything. Snails can be fickle in a new tank and often die due to stress or change in water parameters, and they only have a lifespan of about a year for most types. So hopefully you have good results.
I may be getting some bettas soon and ive never had one before, however i do keep multiple reptiles. the betta would be staying in my room, as the reptiles do and as a result, would be affected by the heat lamps i use for them. the lamps are a few feet away so they shouldnt have any direct effect on the fish tank itself, and ive gotten quite good and efficient at regulating the temperature of my room for myself and my animals, however i keep my snakes lamp on 24/7 as if i turn it off, my room and her tank would go down to about 60 degrees which would be bad for her and the lizard which need 80-90 degree temperatures. my main concern with this is the lighting. you say that the beta needs a day night schedule. i already have a good day to night schedule set up for the lizard and as the heat lamp for my snake has a relatively low light level, he took maybe a week to adjust to having this small amount of light and he sleeps quite well (its adorable, once i find him between the leaves in his enclosure, he is so peaceful looking), i was wondering if a betta may adjust the same way he has and adapt to having a low amount of light at night. I will be adding decorations and plants to his tank so would he be able to use those to block out the light at night?
You could add a divider in between the tanks to help and yes plenty of plants and caves/hiding areas would be beneficial to ensure your betta has enough darkness for rest. Even the moon provides a little light, but we want to avoid sunlight-level light at night as best as possible.
Will an air bubble hurt my fish
Do you mean an air pump or air stone to oxygenate the water? If so, nope, they will aid in better oxygenation of the water which bettas can take oxygen through their gills or via their labyrinth organ at the surface of the water from the air.
Bryan, I am so hoping you have time to help us. I have been all over the web and am getting so much conflicting information. Our beautiful blue male fin “indigo” has been very lethargic laying on the bottom of the tank. Not eating either. He is about one year since we bought him. He may eat one pellet then runs to the bottom. We have a 2.5g tank with filter and heater. I do a full tank cleaning about 1xMonth (now see I should also do partial cleaning 1xWeek). I did not notice that before my last full cleaning that a lot of water had evaporated from the tank leaving the water level BELOW THE FILTER! I immediately did a full cleaning w/water conditioner. It has been a week and he is still staying at bottom of tank only swims up to get air and seems to breath heavily when he gets back to bottom. Is there anything else I can do. Fins look fine. No whit spots. Just stays at bottom. Someone suggested not feeding him for a couple of days. We are on day 2 no food.
Ph is 6.5. He now will come up and eat 2 pellets then swims quickly back to bottom and appears to have labored breathing.
That pH is on the low end and should be closer to 7.0
His symptoms are not that of overfeeding, so not feeding him is not going to help. When you did the full water change, did you acclimate him back into the tank or just dump him back in? Did you clean the filter components with tap water? I ask because it sounds like stress/shock behavior from the abrupt change of the water parameters and potential loss of good bacteria. If you have test strips make sure everything checks out for ammonia, pH, etc. You could administer some aquarium salt (not table salt) per its instructions and dissolved in another container of tank water first. This helps reduce stress, otherwise keep monitoring him and doing the water changes making sure the water is clean and to the right temperature.
What do you mean by acclimate him back? I took him out of the tank, replaced the filter, water and cleaned his accessories (including the filter) with warm water. I conditioned the new water and got the tank back to his normal temperature and put him back in. He is still hanging in there but with the same behavior of barely eating and staying at bottom of tank. I am doing the partial water changes and checking ph. Last check was at 7. We have had him a year and this is the first time I have seen this behavior. Pretty sad. I hope he can recover.
Please read the acclimation page. It involves slowly adjusting them to the new water parameters and temperature. Any abrupt changes cause stress and can exacerbate the problem.
Bryan, I wanted to let you know that I have done so many of the suggestions and finally, finally he is showing much better response. I am due to do another full cleaning which makes me nervous but I am going to take it slow and make sure I am not misoany steps. Thank you for your web site! We are so happy to see him swimming about again and rushing to get his pellets.
So good to hear! You’re welcome.
I have a question concerning lighting. My fluval has a blue moon light. I turn the main light on for 4 hours in the evening. When can I use the blue moon light?
Thank you
The bright setting should be used during the daytime/early evening, and if you want to, you can switch to the blue (less bright) light in the later evening/night, but make sure you turn it off before going to bed because betta’s need a day/night schedule as well for rest.
Thank you. In order to avoid excessive algae, would it be acceptable to leave the blue light on during the day, say from 7am to 4pm, the bright light from 4pm to bedtime, and everything off a night?
Thank you again
I am planning on getting a betta for the first time soon. My 5 gal fish tank is going to be in the corner of my room next to a window. Should I use some kind of covering on the side of the tank closest to the window to keep it from over heating, or will having a heater to regulate the water temp be enough? I’ve put a tank in the same spot in the past and don’t recall it heating up but am wondering if I should have some sort of barrier just to be safe.
Thanks
If it gets direct sunlight, I would be safe and add the barrier, and monitor the temperature with an aquarium thermometer. Also, direct sunlight will cause algae to grow much faster.
Hi! So, I want to get a fish, and I was hoping for an angel fish because I grew up with those. However, I am only able to get a betta, which are also beautiful, so I’m not complaining. The thing is, this is my first fish that I’ve had to take care of, as the angel fish I only had as a small child. I’ve been doing research all night, but I’d like to know if you might have any extra advise for me? Anything is appreciated! Thank you!
Hi Lulu – I think it’s great you are researching before buying a betta fish instead of after! If you’ve read this page, it has all of the major things you should be concerned with. Best wishes!
Love this site! So much information. My Betta was shy at first but now comes when I call his name and then I give him a treat. He lives with a little dwarf frog and they seem to get along quite well.
That’s great Donna, and thank you for the feedback!
I don’t know what to do. I just got a new fish and he doesn’t like any food that we bring him. I also have another fish that is sick. Petco did not treat him well. His fins were all broken up, he doesn’t swim normal, and his scales are dull. Please help me heal him. I already lost five other fish.😓🐟
Evelyn, you can read the food and feeding page to see some other options I recommend. Also, after reading this care page, you should have a better understanding of what to provide and not to provide in order to promote better health.
So cute … Can I see the pics of ur tank
I am just recently getting back into caring for bettas and have a red half-moon Max. Max has a 3.5 gallon tank with filter, pump and heater and seems to acclimating to his new home well (done over a period of a few days). He will chase my finger when I put it up to the glass and seems to be doing well overall. He is fed twice a day, but does not eat from the surface, preferring to nudge his food to make is sink and then torpedoing it as it floats to the bottom. My only concern is although the tank is a little over a foot deep, the circulation on the water up near the surface might be too much for him. He does go to the top to gulp air but seems to prefer to hang out at about six to 8 inches down.
Hi Elle. Haha, I had a betta that used to like eating like that too instead of at the surface. You could consider switching to a sponge filter instead of the current one if the current is too much, or finding a way to slow the flow with decorations/plants.
Hi!! I’ve had a betta for about a month. He is in a 3 gal. tank. Every 2-3 days I have had to replenish the water (2-3 C.) as it has been evaporating. I have a filter and heater. I think I should be adding water purifier drops each time I add even a little water?? Also I read somewhere that once/week it’s ok/good for a betta to ‘fast’ and to give him a cooked pea. Is this true? With a filter in the tank how often should I do a 100% water replacement? 1X/month?
Thx so much for all your help. Lucy & Mr. Ollie
Yes, all new water going into the tank should be treated with conditioner to remove harmful things like chlorine. I keep a jug of pre-treated/conditioned water by the tank for this very purpose. Fasting is definitely good practice to keep your betta regular and the pea is to introduce some additional fiber to also keep the betta’s digestive tract functioning properly. A 100% change will depend on the size of your tank and many other factors like if you have live plants, how your water parameters are, and algae levels for example.
Im not new to owning betta fish, but I’m new to breeding them. I put my baby girl in the male Bettas tank, but she gets a line across her head/nose when I introduce her to her mate. I believe she’s ready because she doesn’t run from him. She goes up to her and folds over in attempt to breed with him but he denies her. The weirdest part is my boy has been building a bubble nest for over a week now. So: what’s the line on my girls nose
And
Why isn’t my boy accepting the girly?
Hi Brooke, the lines on her is likely her vertical breeding stripes, signaling she’s ready to mate! That is odd the male continues to refuse her so far even though he’s built a bubble nest. He may not see her as a suitable mate.
Apologies in advance if this is really long, I tend to ramble when I’m anxious.
There is a slight possibility I might get my first betta today and it’s a bit of an emergency buy if he’s still at the store today. I’ve had my eyes on him since around September, and he’s been having fin rot. I’m scared that he’ll die soon if he won’t get adopted by a good owner. I’ve been trying to convince my mom, she thinks small tanks, vases, bowls, etc are fine and we don’t exactly have a ton of money set aside for the best betta tank on the market. If anything, I might be able to get a 2.5 or 3 gallon, but it’s better than a tiny unfiltered bowl. I’ve been reading about bettas here and there for about a year, but I accidently just had an all nighter researching proper tank maintenance, plants, setup, and fin rot treatment because I’ve just been so worried about him. I almost cried, and that’s saying something because it takes ALOT to make me cry.
Back around late 2017, I noticed a betta at the store that had pretty bad fin rot and some weird lump on his side, near his back. It might’ve been some kind of defect though.
Anyways, I kept an eye on him for a week or two and he didn’t get any better, so I told an employee.
He didn’t seem to take me seriously, saying “it’s fins are supposed to be like that” and that it ate too much. He grabbed the cup like it was nothing and was drumming his fingers on the side while he was talking to me, and the poor fish was terrified. He proceeded to take it to an employee’s only room, and I assume he either ‘put it down’ or it died itself. It upset me alot to see him treat it like that and I don’t want to see the other one get the same ‘treatment’ and I don’t like how the guy talked to me.
I’m honestly really scared. I don’t want to screw up somehow and kill the fish. All the water stuff is kinda confusing but I just want the best I can do for him. I don’t even know if we can afford a good setup yet. I’m crossing my fingers and hopefully a stroke of luck comes my way and I’ll finally be able to take him home and give him the care he deserves. My heart breaks at the thought of him dying in that tiny cup or at the hands of an irresponsible owner. I’ve honestly grown attached to the little guy.
So uh… Does anyone have any tips? I’ve never had any fish since when I was around four years old, and those were goldfish that died pretty quickly, so obviously I’m new at all this. I just don’t want to risk doing something wrong and making him worse.
Most people find it weird that I’d care so much for a little betta, but I love animals so much and I want to educate people on these wonderful fish.
Hi Ross – kudos to you for wanting to help him out. That’s very unfortunate about the employee’s knowledge and negligence. Providing him with a 2.5 or 3-gallon unfiltered tank with a built-in thermostat heater would be a large upgrade for him and hopefully his health. You would need to perform more frequent water changes without a filter. I recommend some testing strips to monitor the water parameters, they help remove a lot of the uncertainty behind water. Like anything, it gets easier the more you learn and research.
Can I say something, it doesn’t cost a fortune to have a Betta. All you need is to take proper care, and that information you’ll get here. Please don’t overfeed . And don’t get nervous, it’ll be all good
Hi Bryan! I’m a new owner of a Betta. I’ve had Blue for about a month. He has been hanging on the sides of the tank for about a week. It’s a 3.5 gallon tank with a heater and digital thermometer. His color seems to be fading all over. He doesn’t seem sick. Is there something else that could be wrong. I feed him once a day. Please help??
I would start by checking the water parameters, ensuring the pH is in the correct range and ammonia is not building up and above 0ppm. Aquarium test strips are great to have on hand for this. Try an immediate 25-50% water change and see if things improve. You can also do a daily 20% change to see if that helps until you get strips.
Hi, I’m new to being a Betta owner. I got Chronos (Butterfly Betta) not even a week ago, and I’ll admit I wasn’t prepared, though strictly speaking not my fault since a friend bought him for me, but regardless, a few days ago I noticed what looked like missing scales on his head and a darkening of his color on his head. Today it seems as though his pure white fins are slightly discolored. I think he is sick. It I’m not sure if I’m being paranoid because up until tonight he has been acting normal. I treated him with some Bettafix completely changed his water and cleaned the tank. I also bought a small flat heater for him since its kinda cold in my area. He is in a 1 gallon tank (which I know is too small) I plan on getting a bigger one but can’t at this current moment. Is there anything else I can do or any other advice you have for me?
Hi Ciara, yes I would work on getting a larger habitat. As for the color changes or becoming more vibrant, that’s normal in some bettas as they are cared for better. If Chronos is still eating, active, and has a spunky personality then you are probably doing just fine.
Hello! I’m so glad I found this page – I am a brand new (surprise) betta mom. They were given as party favors at a birthday party my daughter was invited to. Imagine how thrilled my husband was. I didn’t know what would happen to the fish if they didn’t get taken so that’s why I’m here now, trying to learn about these guys.
Anyway, this page saved my fish, because I didn’t know they jumped so I went to cover his bowl and he had already jumped out 🙁 we got him back in and he seems okay, and we put a sheet of plastic wrap with holes poked in it over the top until I can get a larger tank.
Can you recommend a tank that isn’t too large/expensive but that will accommodate a couple of plants, 1 fish, and has a heater?
Thank you for all the great info! I want to be a good fish mom to this little guy.
I’m not sure if you’re still in the market for a tank, but if so, the Penn Plax Vertex is a decent budget-friendly entry-level tank. A second option would be the MarineLand Contour. Most tanks do not come with a heater, so you’ll have to purchase that separately.
I wasn’t doing enough vacuuming or water changes or quarantining new fish or logs. petco pfff. He had like no fins left trying everything, finally Ampicillin to the rescue. Back to norm. I’ll try a java fern, and some silk plants. I have bare bottom tank though I don’t want build up. How do you vaccum sand? What best for betta, boiled Sea Sand?
also I don’t know about the blue LED nightlight. He only sleeps when its dimmed all the way barley to the point about to flicker. Out of all the blogs, post, Aquarium shops say Im still not convinced. The darker the better.
The darker is the better and a blue led light is the best but don’t leave it on all day.
Help?
We have a red half-moon named Swimmy, and two snails, and we’ve been doing a lot of research to get the water perameters correct in his hydroponic tank, but it’s not really working. The pH is too high, and based on what I read, peat moss in a filter bag sounded like a nice natural option, but it didn’t change anything. What IS different today is an ammonia spike! I pulled the bag immediately, but don’t know whether that’s the cause. One of our snails isn’t doing great, so I’m preparing to do a partial today and take a whiff of the snail and make sure he’s not dead. (Would explain the ammonia, if he’s dead. But I won’t sleep tonight if I killed the snail.)
I’m almost ready to toss these plants (which I actually love) and buy a filter (which they’re supposed to replace) but I’d really like ideas if anyone has any? I don’t want to wake up to poor Swimmy in 2.0 ppm ammonia anymore.
Hi Allison – my apologies for the delay in my response, your message got hidden. The fastest way to reduce ammonia is to do a partial water change and add in new conditioned water. Plants won’t replace a filter, but they definitely do help. What size tank are you using? If it’s less than 5 gallons, ammonia can build up fast. Also, make sure your test strips are accurate by testing some water that you know has 0ppm.
Hello Bryan, I have a betta in a 2.5 gallon and he seems quite happy. But he seems bloated, and I stopped feeding him for a couple of days, but it hasn’t gone away. By the way I use pellets. Also, he has 2 silver strips of color on his red fins, is that normal? Thanks.
You could try feeding him a pea, boiled in water for a few minutes, and then remove the skin before feeding. Also getting him to flare can sometimes induce pooping. Fast for a couple more days and see if things improve.
My betta is very weird at sometimes. I’ve had him for around 4 months, and I have him in a 3.7 gallon tank with one soft plastic plant and a tall structure for shade– I have a heater, and a filter (my last betta had a 4 gallon tank without a filter and it died, even when I was assured by Petco that everything was fine.) but lately the tank has been getting dirtier a lot faster. At first I only had to take out about25% of the water about every two weeks, but now every week I have to clean out his whole tank, take him out, and scrub everything to ensure it is clean. And my betta seems fine but when I clean he immediately gets lethargic and tends to float on the bottom of the tank before I take him out.
Am I doing something wrong? Or am I just extremely inexperienced and paranoid?”
Bettas like consistency, so any abrupt changes in water parameters or temperature can cause a lot of stress and potential for sickness or disease as the immune system is stressed. If your tank is getting dirty faster, check the last time you’ve changed your filter media. Make sure you’re doing it on a regular basis per your specific filter’s instructions. Also, do the 25% water changes more frequently so you aren’t doing such abrupt changes to the water parameters. If it’s green algae, you’ve had the light on too much. If it’s brown algae – not enough. If it’s food or other debris, try using a turkey baster or aquarium gravel vacuum to keep things clean without the need to do 100% changes so often.
I forgot to tell you that my Betta doesn’t poop, or at least I haven’t seen him poop, all I see is thrown up balls of the food that I give him. I have no clue of why he does this and he’s been doing this since day one, I’ve had him for 8 months. And also, I’ve read that u should do partial water changes, but my mom always says oh he’s tough, he can go months without a water change, so we haven’t been doing as much. We do a full change every 2 months. Should we be doing partial water changes? Btw our tank is a 2.5. My last question: on the edge of his fins, it’s completely clear, is that normal? If you could please get back to me, u would be very helpful, thanks alot.
It’s very rare to see a betta fish poop, so that’s not surprising you haven’t. Yes, you should be doing several smaller ~25% water changes weekly. The clear edges may be new fin regrowth.
We got my son a halfmoon betta on Friday. After a few hours his color started coming back from being stressed. The next day he was bright, ate his pellets (we give him one in morning and one at night) and starting coming to the front when I’d come in the room and talk to him. It’s now Monday and I’ve noticed that he doesn’t go to the bottom. If he does it seems like a chore to do so and then he’ll just stop swimming and float back to the top. Also while he is at the top he’ll tend to keep his front part straight and then let back half float up sideways. Is that normal? The ph and water temp are good. I’ve had other fish before but never a betta. Thanks!
Betta fish normally occupy the top half of their habitat, however the floating issues are concerning. You’re not feeding him a lot, but he could still be bloated from constipation. Try soaking the pellets in some tank water for a few minutes before adding them in if he eats the pellet as soon as it hits the water. Also, you could fast him for a day or two and see if things improve.
Thanks for responding! We fasted him then gave him 1/4 of a pea. He doesn’t seem to be floating as much, but is still at times. He has started going down to the bottom of the tank more to the hide outs we gave him. Almost looks like he gets under and then the hideout keeps him from floating back to surface. Still a chore to swim down but is getting better. He still has a little bulge on the back end where I think the swim bladder is. Should we fast him in another couple days?
Feed him less for now, and only consider fasting again if things worsen. That’s great to hear he’s doing better!
Hi Bryan,
How are you? Since I am new to take care of betta fish. I want to ask, I have a 10 gallon tank with a divider. There digital thermonitor its at 77. 9 F, but my glass thermo says it at around 73-74 F. And on the 10 gallon tank. I use tap water and condition it as well. but the water testing strip and the total hardness of the freshwater is hard at 150 and the pH water is alkaline. It is safe to put my betta fish into the tank???
Hello Bryan. This is gonna be kinda sad, just a fair warning.
This is in regards to my brown (I bought him this way) male betta fish named Merlin. I love him dearly.
He is in a 3 gallon tank and is only a year old. He is also my second betta to have owned (my first was Rainbow and he lived 5 years).
I keep a regular cleaning and feeding schedule and he used to be very lively. (I don’t have a typical day and night schedule as he would flare and get upset when I turned off than light).
I rescued him from walmart because he had an AWFUL case of fin rot and had been there 3 months. (Nobody wanted him because he was brown).
He’s been battling on and off several infections since we brought him home and now suddenly has pine coned scales on one side of his body towards his head. When I moved him to a hospital tank (he lives alone btw) he had blood coming from under the pine coning. He is quite lethargic and has trouble swimming now so I lowered the amount of water significantly to help him not have to work so hard. I’m very very worried about my baby.
Please reply soon. And I’m also wondering if euthanasia would be best for him if it is dropsy… Thank you.
Giving him a better life is very heartwarming Susan, and unfortunately sometimes a lot of damage has been done that will shorten their life spans from previous poor care. Dropsy isn’t always fatal, but it’s certainly not good. If you notice he is struggling a lot and is lifeless, then you may decide that is no quality of life for him and opt for euthanasia to end any suffering. The most humane way is using clove oil.
Hi, my Betta Fish has little tattered fins. He eats like normal, still very active, and I have no sharp plastic plants just silk. Do you know what this could be?
Sounds like a mild case of fin rot.
Hey Bryan, after a while, fishy’s(my bettas name) head has been slowly turning white, his color is red and most of his face has been losing its color, and turning white, and I know it’s not ich because there’s not small circles. I have no idea why it’s happening. It mightjust be natural since my other Betta slowly turned orange. But I’m not sure.
It could be natural if his personality is still the same and he’s eating normally and otherwise healthy. If he’s slowly dulling in color then it can be a sign of stress.
Wal-Mart is selling betta fish they are placed on a dark shelf and the containers they are in are placed on top of one another They have to live in dirty water and no one even knows that they are even in the store I have bought several because they are in such bad shape I bought one he was suffering from bloat but I could not save him I returned him to Wal-Mart dead in his container to let them know these fish are sick. What is the answer to this abuse? Wal Mart continues to sell them. I have spoken to the head of the pet department and brought it to the attention of other people employed there. They work in the store and did not know they sell Bettas. What can a person do?
It’s very aggravating and I agree with you. I’ve seen them first-hand at several local Wal-Marts in my area in similar condition. One thing is to discourage people from ever buying them so they won’t re-stock them and will discontinue selling them if it’s not profitable. Another option would be to start a Change.org or other similar petition.
Do you need to have an oxygen blower, or aerator for a betta fish?
It’s not required, but it can aid their overall health. Betta fish can get oxygen from the water through their gills, or more commonly by gulping air at the surface of the water by using their labyrinth organ. Live plants or an aerator help to place oxygen in the water for intake through the gills.
Hi, I’m planning to buy a betta fish and I was just asking if it is fine to keep it with a filter sponge as my tank is small for the other filter types.
Yes, you can. They are actually preferred over filters with stronger currents for bettas.
Hello again Bryan, sorry to bother you. So, fishy has definitely been less bloated than before and is making progress. But I have a question, so my filter is kinda strong, but kinda not, but at times, he swims under the filter and looks at the place where the fresh water comes out, and of course he gets pushed downward, but then he goes back and does the same several times, then goes away, this happens occasionally, maybe 5 times a week, do you think he’s just being himself? I’m not sure Because I know bettas don’t like currents. Sry if I’m just being extremely paranoid, I am a new beginner at this stuff, so I don’t know much, lol, thanks again.
If the filter is blowing him around the tank and he has to swim furiously to get to the surface for air or just around the tank, then it’s a problem. If he occasionally is curious and gets pushed down by the water entering the tank, that’s no big deal.
Should you have a background on the tank? If so, how many sides and what kind? I have a 5-gallon tank with plants of varying size, rocks and driftwood hideout in the tank as well as heater/filter.
That’s normally a preference unless you find that your betta is constantly flaring and being aggressive to his own reflection. If that’s the case, it may be necessary to reduce stress. Just the back is ideal unless you want further protection from sunlight near a window, then the sides can be ideal as well.
Hi there! I am very new to betta care and have a couple of concerns about my new buddy Sushi. He is a beautiful black orchid male (I think he is the product of some mixed breeding as I do not know if he’s a veiltail or not). I just got him last week and the first couple of days wer going great as he was eating and exploring his surroundings. After doing a 20% water change on Sunday he started to change. He darts back and forth at the front of the tank and hasn’t eaten since Sunday! I was giving him small amounts of the Omega One freeze dried brine shrimp for 2-3 days as he started to spit out his Tetra Betta Plus pellets. He came with some fin curling when I got him but its starting to get a bit worse in conjuction with the not eating. I originally thought he was stressed and am in the process of adding a new filter but I am also considering taking this out to decrease stress. His water parameters are at:
PH: 7.0
Nitrate: 0/20 PPM
Nitrite: 0PPM
Ammo: 0.5 (went up from yesterday)
If you have any advice pls help!
Did you treat the new water with water conditioner? Also, your chlorine is at 0.5 and should ideally be at 0.0ppm which can be improved by doing another 15% water change and measuring again. Also, is your tank heated? Cold water can lead to stress and health issues.
Hi there! Update: I figured out that he actually has fin rot, it looks like we’re in the moderate stage as I have been following your advice on the fin rot tab. It was difficult to tell as he is black with iridescent coloring. I was following your advice and doing the water changes but that didn’t seem to help too much.
I’m hoping I caught it early on and am able to help him feel better!
Should I be adding any plants or decorations to his quarantine tank?
Also: I do have a heater and the water is pretty constant at 78, I use the tetra betta safe water conditioner as well!
Thank you again for your help!!
Oh ok, glad you are working to correct that, and thank you for the additional details. You can add a couple decorations, plants, or a leaf hammock, that’s a better habitat than emptiness.
Just have to say, I love this website! Upgraded 1 betta tank from 1.6-gallons to a 5.2-gallon aquarium, will be upgrading the kids’ betta tank as well!! So far Perry seems to like the extra space, hoping Luke does as well! Thank you for the information.
That’s awesome! P.S. you spelled your name wrong 😛
I just bought a beautiful burgundy Betta. Not sure about it’s sex. How do I find out?
I bought a 2.8L glass bowl and planter with LED base lamp whic doesn’t have a lid. Im readin the info on this site and now I’m not sure if my purchase was right. I should have bought a bigger tank with a lid instead. What can I use as a lid?
You can learn how to tell if it’s a male or female on the anatomy page. Yes, I would have purchased a larger tank and one with a lid. You will be very sad if your betta jumps out and dies that way. If you have a piece of plastic, you can drill holes lots of holes in it for air, that could work temporarily until you get a new habitat.
My betta fish has what looks like a little ball below his chin and I whisked it away. Today there’s another one but smaller. What’s wrong?
I just purchased a beautiful Betta and have a 3 gallon tank. Does the filter noise bother or stress them out?
Thank you
The noise will not bother them. The only thing you need to be concerned about is the filter’s flow rate, and whether it puts out a current that is too strong for a betta fish.
I am setting up a 3.5 gallon tank for the first time. I was planning to put API stress coat to dechlorinate the water, and API stress zyme. Do i still need to run a fishless cycle, or is it ok to skip if I get the water tested before I introduce the fish? If so, where do I get the ammonia to run a fishless cycle?
It’s always better to establish and cycle the tank prior to introducing a betta, however, you could use a quick-start product to introduce beneficial bacteria immediately.
I just love all this information. It is very helpful. I refer to this website very often.
I am a proud owner of a beautiful turquoise Super Delta Betta. I am having him for a week and he seems to already recognizes me. I had one 10 years ago and it was red Spade tail. Now I’m wondering should I put some live plant in it to keep the ammonia level low. I live in India and here average day temperature is 33°C and night temperature around 28°C. So I’m not having a heater. The pet shop owner said not to use any filter , just some dechlorinator and ph modulator which is also antifungal. Now help me if that’s ok or not . My fish is a happy fish, he swims all around the bowl , eats pellets when I give . He poops good too. He gets natural day/night cycle. And he can recognize me. So help me please.
Hi, Ranjan that’s great. Adding live plants is always a great idea to help reduce waste (ammonia) and oxygenate the water too.
What would be good for a 3 gallon fish bowl. I’m confused with so many information everywhere.
Hi Bryan
I am taking really good care of my new Betta. I’m feeding her blood worms 2 times a week & Betta flakes. And fasting her once a week.
I’m even making her a feeding schedule. Am I doing the right thing?
Thank you,
Tammy
Sounds like you’re doing a great job!
Hi Bryan!
I am new to betta fish and have just purchased a round AA Deco o aquarium for my betta which has a built-in LED light. When I turn it off at night time, the light rotates different ‘dull’ colours such as red, green, pink, blue etc. From the research, I have found that ideally, no light at night is best for their health. The lights are definitely nowhere near as bright as the daytime light. Is this okay for my betta? Or should I be trying to cover up the light with tape over the night time?
Hi Alesha – even though they are dull, I would unplug it or cover it up for the night.
Hi! I just got my Betta fish today and he has yet to go in the tank. I got him at PetSmart and is fully healthy. There is very little information about feeding them Betta flakes, so how much should i give him? I have brine shrimp that i use to feed my fish in a different tank, so i will give him some of that as well. I only have a 1 gallon tank with one plant, though i will get more. Will he be okay with that? I am already very attached to Tempest, as i have named him, and I want to keep him alive and stress free. Now i am worried i got the wrong tank. This is my first time owning a Betta fish and i just want to do it right, as i love fish.
Hello Angelina – yes you will need to upgrade the size of the tank to a minimum of 2.5-gallons. With that 1-gallon tank, when you place decorations or plants inside, you are displacing the water volume further to far less than 1-gallon. That is not a suitable permanent long-term habitat for Tempest to remain healthy in, and you’ll also need a heater to maintain the right temperature. Betta fish flakes are okay to feed, usually 3-4 flakes per feeding, although I don’t prefer flakes and recommend a high-quality pellet instead.
I have a heater in my fish tank but not one that I can control. I just have it hooked inside the tank and plug it in. I have a thermometer and often it reads somewhere in the 80’s or 90’s and then I have to unplug it. It is a small tank-don’t know exactly how big-less than 5 gallons. Is there a specific type of heater I should be using or should I not use one at all? I don’t think it goes less than 65.
Hello Kathy – I recommend getting a heater that has a built-in thermostat so it shuts off at 78 degrees Fahrenheit and turns on when it goes below that. This way you don’t have to worry about the water getting too cold or too hot. That is very dangerous for your betta.
So I am a new betta fish owner. I have been doing research for months before I started college, so I could have a little friend with my while I started my journey. I have had A for about two weeks now and all seems to being going well. However, I was wondering what is the proper/easiest way to do water changes on a 5gal tank and when do they need to occur? I have done about a 1/4th change since getting him. What are the signs needed to look out for. It doesn’t appear that there is any algae growing in the tank. Can I just use a turkey baster (one just for the tank)? Also, what is the white debris/bubbles in my tank? Is that normal from the filter? Or is it just debris from feeding him freeze dried food?
Hello Frances and A! The easiest way is to use a siphon vacuum and a small trash can or 5-gallon bucket to have the water flow into. You should be doing roughly one 20-25% water changes per week and a full change only as necessary. The best way to tell how the water is, or what to look out for, is ammonia building up which is invisible and you’ll need to use aquarium water test strips. For bubbles, if they are on the surface of the water, that sounds like your betta made a bubble nest.
i bought a 3 gal tank for my beta (the size seemed right for it’s location) but the only one i could find in my price range had a color changing light that emits the air bubbles too. Do the lights stress the beta and should i turn the light off at night even though it will turn off the air bubbler? He seems very happy but thought i should ask.
This is my first beta and am new to the obsession fish club. Thank you in advance.
Betta fish need a normal day and night cycle. Turn off the light at night, even if it turns off the air bubbler. For the lights, all betta fish are different, if he seems happy and is not hiding constantly when they are on you should be fine.
Wonderful info. I feel so sorry for the poor Bettas I see in pet stores stuck in those bowls, so many of them. Do they need to be the only fish in one tank, or are there certain fish that they can cohabitate with that they won’t attack?
Yeah, they are temporary housing Rita because of their aggression towards their species and other brightly colored or long finned fish. They can be peaceful and live with select tank mates depending on their temperament. Unfortunately, most big box pet stores aren’t willing to provide that level of care and habitat options. Recently, at my local Petco I did see a female sorority tank with about 10 females in it.
I really want a beta fish! The information I found here is extremely helpful, but I was wondering what a preferred list is for tanks, filters, heaters, and such. I also wanted to know what water cycling is (I’ve never owned a fish before) and the beta fish at the local Walmart seem very..unhealthy. I don’t know if it would be safer to buy one at petsmart or the Walmart to try and save the life they have left. Any suggestions?
Hi Paxx – I am in the process of working on guides for equipment, sorry they aren’t up yet! Water cycling refers to the nitrogen cycle, and partial water changes are just removing a portion of the tank’s total volume. If I were you, I would not purchase on from Wal-Mart – stick to a place that cares for them better. Not only will you not be supporting a store that doesn’t care for them right, but you will also be ensuring your betta will be healthy and live a long time.
Hi! I’m fairly new to betta keeping. I’ve mainly bought older fish from Petco so they can live their last few months in peace. Recently though, I thought it would be good to buy baby bettas and make a sorority. I’ve already had a male and female baby betta. When the male died, that’s when I decided to make the sorority. So I went to Petco and bought three more female baby bettas. I’ve had them in there for a few months now, low flow filter, 50 watt heater, and tons of silk plants. Recently, the first baby betta I had bought died. She had stopped eating. I figured she just didn’t like the food but she wouldn’t eat anything. I put her in her own smaller tank, which helped the first hour or so she was in there. I had bought tons of new food for her to try but she kept spitting everything out and eventually stopped trying to eat. She stayed on the ground which wasn’t uncommon for her, but she just seemed to stop trying. Again, she was only about two months old. I did a 100% water change just in case it was a contagious illness. Fast forward a couple days later and I noticed one of my other bettas had a fungal infection. I put her in her own tank and did ANOTHER 100% water change. I went out and bought medicines to treat it and she died a couple hours later. I treated the original tank, which is ten gallons. I am worried about my last two betta fish, They’re acting a little weird. One of them isn’t eating as much and the other keeps flaring and clamping her tail. I guess I’m asking if you have any suggestions as to why this is happening? I tried to give you all the details without writing you an essay lol. I also have a couple of panda corys in there that they seem to get along with very well .I don’t think they are the reason for this as I took all the necessary steps to avoid disease and sickness before I added them into the tank. All the water parameters are in check. I keep the heater at 79F because my room stays pretty cool in the winter so I keep it there so their water temp doesn’t drop too drastically. I plan on moving them to a 40 gallon once I get the filter for it but I don’t want to risk the last two dying. I hope to get more soon if these last. Thanks in advance for your time!
Typically, betta fish at Petco are around 6-12 months old so they should have a lot of life left in them. I’m not sure how old the baby bettas you received are, however, babies have weaker immune systems and should not really have tank mates or be in a sorority until they have matured. They are stressed easily, which can lead to sickness, and should not be in a tank that’s larger than 3-gallons either until they have matured. Please look up baby betta fish care.
Thanks so much! I’ve been searching relentlessly about why this might be happening and I’ve never heard anything about why baby bettas should not be in a community tank. I figured they would be more comfortable around each other if they grew up together as well. I never thought about them having a weaker immune system either. Thank you
Love your website
Thank you!
Had a Golden Betta fish for 3-1/2 years. Missed him. I always thought he liked to watch TV. At least maybe the changing lights. Just received a Crowntail Betta, blue, love his tail spread out. Noticed a brown spot on top of nose and down the side that I had not noticed before, but then he was always hiding. Had him just a week and he is swimming about now, seems healthy. Could this be his natural color or a skin problem? Have not read your comments before so wonder if you touch on their skin problems. Thanks
When you pay closer attention to your betta, sometimes you see things that may or may not have been there before. With proper care, it’s also common for a betta’s colors to change or become more vivid. Keep an eye on it, but it sounds like it’s just coloring.
I put my male and female betta fish into the same tank and put a wall up between them, when I came back a few hours later I noticed my female had somehow gotten over the my males side. When I moved her back i noticed neither of the fish had torn fins and there was no eggs anywhere to be found they just swam around peacefully together and I am very lost. Can you help me better understand what has just happened?
Betta fish are very clever and great jumpers. My best guess is that the female jumped over the divider to get to the male, if there was any space at all between the divider and the lid. This is also possible if there was any space at any side of the divider and glass as well. You are very lucky that no aggression or fighting occurred during the limited time they were together.
Hello, I have a beautiful betta in a 5.5 gal. tank with no tank mates. He has a heater, filter, hideouts, two silk plants, and one live plant. I’ve had him for about a week now. He’s active and eats well. I’ve been testing his water using 6-1 test strips (before adding him to the tank and before and after his first 20% water change today) and everything is perfectly in range except for his GH and KH. I did a lot of reading before setting up his tank and I’ve read that the GH needs to be 25ppm or lower and the KH needs to be 80ppm or higher. Right now the GH has been a steady at 75ppm and the KH has been steady of 40ppm. How can I lower the GH and raise the KH? Should I even worry about this since he seems to be happy and active?
Your GH reading at 75ppm is okay for a betta fish. The KH buffers the pH and affects how easily it can cause it to fluctuate, so bad would be 0ppm. Fish can adapt, and generally people cause more harm trying to get a “perfect” number and causing constant swings and abrupt changes in parameters. If you really wanted to adjust the KH, they do sell products to increase it.
Can I house less than 4 female bettas together? I plan on housing 2-3 females in a 10 gal tank. Is this a bad idea?
Less than 4 is not recommended for a sorority.
My daughter works at Kindercare day care. The management decided the rooms needed living things in them and put a betta in a bowl in her room. Maybe 1/4-gallon tank, no decorations or heat, just an empty bowl. We bought a new tank with some live moss balls and a tiny little cave for it. But the problem is, it has to be on the filing cabinet where there is no access to an outlet for a heater. It’s really frustrating. I’ve looked around for a battery powered heater, but can’t find anything. Does such a thing exist? We both feel bad for the poor guy and want to help him. Thank you.
Very thoughtful of you and your daughter to improve the care for this betta. I haven’t come across any battery operated heaters, but is there an option to run an extension cord to the heater from a nearby outlet?
Hi Bryan, My beautiful male betta has a white spot on his left eye that seems to be a bit fuzzy.. What is it and how do I get rid of it for him? He is very active and is otherwise very healthy. Thank you, Diane
Sounds like a fungal infection. You can visit the diseases page, or look into a product called API Fungus cure if you can confirm it’s that.
I read this article and other and have set up the tank and water properly with all the accessories and appliances needed. When should I put my Betta in the tank? I hear I should let the filter run for a bit, but it’s been a few hours and the water is a comfortable temperature. Should I go ahead and start to acclimate him?
The ideal scenario is to cycle the tank to fully establish a stable nitrogen cycle before the addition of any fish. This can take weeks and most novice hobbyists simply don’t have the patience, or buy the betta the same day they buy the tank. If you skip the cycling, I recommend at the very least using some quick start healthy bacteria solution and then acclimating them in slowly.
Hi Bryan, you have an awesome site! I set up my 5 gallon Betta Tank a couple days ago with a filter and heater. I added a bacterial supplement and it should cycle in the next week or two. I plan to do weekly water partial water changes, but I’m unclear about how often to clean the decorations. Monthly or weekly? In hot water for a cycled tank? I have a wide plastic plant with many wide leaves and several medium -large size stones. Thanks!
Thanks Donetta! Clean the decorations as necessary but monthly should be ideal if your tank is otherwise clean and free of algae. They can be rinsed under hot hot tap water and left to dry after. I also keep a soft bristled tooth brush for aquarium decor cleaning too for those nooks and crannies.
Hi!
I am inheriting a betta, he will be staying in a 20 gallon heavily planted tank. My curiosity is about your comment on aquarium salt to keep fins healthy- I’ve not heard of that before, but I already have some, as I keep brine shrimp separately, so adding it is easy to his water enough.
How much should I add for the tank size? I feed the brine shrimp by using a dropper to suction them from their own water, so a very small amount of salt water will already mix into his water-is that enough to make a difference? Is this a routine practice, or should I only do this if he displays stress or discomfort? Is adding salt problematic for any of the plants (anubias, java moss, water sprite)?
There are two schools of thought on it where some swear by it (including the International Betta Congress) and some prefer not to use it. With that said, it’s totally up to you and isn’t required. I have personally found that it does keep my fish healthy and I rarely have a betta get ill. For general maintenance I use 1/2-teaspoon per 1-gallon of water. If you wanted to go another health-promoting route, you could use Indian Almond Leaves. Salt can be problematic for certain live plants and certain tank mates who don’t tolerate slightly brackish water.
Is “Natural Rapport’s Gravel Cleaner” good to use in a 6 gallon aquarium?
You can use this product or others like it as long as you properly dose it for 6-gallons. I would do less than the amount for 6-gallons to account for the tank not being 100% full and the water being displaced by gravel, plants, decor, fish etc. Understand that products like these, however, do not replace actually vacuuming the substrate and doing water changes – but they can reduce some of the waste build up and how often these actions are needed.
I have had 2 betta fish one lived for 1 month and did fine until I had an ammonia flare up and the other I only had for 8 days. He never came out from hiding except to eat but he would eat only one pellet of food he would also wedge himself in a split part of a moss ball I need help on what to do and fast. He did not show signs of being ill and his colors were bright for the second one.
An ammonia flare up can be from using a habitat that’s too small, or from not having a proper nitrogen cycle established. The second one sounds like potential stress or water that is too cold. The ideal habitat would be 5-gallons, filtered and heated with one or two 20% partial conditioned water changes per week. If you aren’t going to wait the several weeks for the nitrogen cycle to establish before adding a betta to your tank, then at least use a beneficial bacteria supplement and let the tank run for at least 48 hours.
Hello, I have a red crowntail betta purchased 6 months ago. He had, and still has, a metallic bluish-silver spot on his flank. (It is more chalky looking now than shiny, though.) Recently, more of this coloration has appeared in tail fins, I assumed as result of color-enhancing food formula. However, one tail patch appears thickened, almost lichen-like, and kind of shrivelled at edges: these patches do not look like any skin disease photos I’ve ever seen, though, and he acts perfectly healthy. Please let me know your opinion (have photo, but don’t see where to attach it). Thank you!
Fin regrowth doesn’t always look 100% the same as the original fin and can be folded over. Based on what you said, it does sound like color-changing and regrowth and not an ailment, but you’re welcome to send me an email at bryan@bettafish.org if you’d like.
what water treat ment is best sugjested for bettafish
Hi There.
I’ve recently bought a blue male dragonscale delta tail. I choose him because he greeted (no flaring) me at the ‘glass’ everytime I got close.
I have him in a 2.5 gallon tank (treated water, tested at PetSmart, slow filter, heater made for this size tank, thermometer, hammock, wisteria plant, moss ball, smooth glass beads).
His tank is plastic and hexagon shaped. I can see his reflection in it, as can he. He spends 90% of his day flaring at himself, diving aggressively down to the floor, and then going up for air. The rest of his day is spent resting on the back wall either near his heater or behind the filter, with an occasional swim through. He sleeps at night on the bottom.
My question is: Is this plastic tank causing him undue stress? I am going to upgrade him to a 5 gallon glass eventually, but based on his behavior, do I need to upgrade him sooner than later? Will he have the same reflection issues in the glass tank?
Constant flaring can cause a lot of stress, and should subside after a few days when they get used to their new territory and habitat. If it doesn’t you may need to reduce the reflection. You can purchase a fish tank backdrop image (scenic underwater photo) that you can tape to the back to reduce the amount of glare and cause of reflection. If you keep your aquarium near a window the light may be hitting the tank just right to cause a reflection too. Heavily planting the tank can also break up how the light is moving around the tank. This can happen with plastic and glass.
Thank you very much. I didn’t consider that. He is near a window.
You and your site are very, very helpful and I am grateful for you. Thank you 🙂
Moved my betta from a 3 gallons rounded plastic aquarium to a five gallon rectangle glass aquarium. This new aquarium is much more reflective so I see him flare out pretty often. I picked up some suction cupped plants to stick up on the glass but he still seems to find his reflection in other areas. It’s only been a week in the new tank. Do you think he will get used to it or constantly fight his reflection?
He should definitely get used to his reflection within a week or so. If he continues constantly flaring you may consider taping an aquarium background image to the back of the tank to help prevent this. If your room is dark and the tank light is on, it will also provide a greater reflection. The same is true if the tank is near a window, the angle the light is entering the tank can make a difference.
So, I’m planning on getting a betta and I read everything on this page, but how long should I leave the tank with water but without the betta?
That will depend on whether it’s filtered or not. If it’s filtered and you fully establish a proper nitrogen cycle it could be several weeks. If you use a Quick Start product to introduce healthy bacteria into the tank immediately, it will be a lot sooner. You’ll need some test strips to monitor parameters.
Hi,
I am planning on getting a betta fish and I have a 10 gallon tank that I have used for other fish in the past. Do I need to get a new tank because the space is too big for a betta or would it be okay? I just don’t know because no one recommends 10 gallon tanks for betta fish. The tank has a filter and a heater as well as a lid and a light.
I responded to your email, but yes a 10-gallon would be fine – although I’d recommend a longer horizontal tank than vertical for a betta if possible.
Hello Bryan
I fed my Betta last night. There was no symptoms or signs of any abnormality. His color was vibrant royal blue. In the morning I noticed his color was like metallic sky blue, the red stripes all gone. I immediately changed the water, treated him with salt solution and then put him back to his home with antibacterial drops. And in a few hours later he’s dead. I’m clueless and very sad. Can you please tell me what might be the reason
Ranjan it’s hard for me to give you an answer based on limited information and not experiencing it myself. A change in color, getting more vibrant for example, is no reason for alarm. Dulling colors or loss of color however indicates stress. The only thing I could guess on is all of the things you did in a short period of time may have caused additional stress. Bettas do not tolerate abrupt changes in water or water temperature well.
I’m 13 and i’m getting a Beta fish and I have to pay for it my self and I have like $40 to spend on it so what should I get for it. Also I have no idea of where to put it I have blinds and I leave them open during the day so I don’t fell like I need to get artificial lighting if I put it in the right spot. Also can you give me an idea a routine to take care of my fish like feeding, cleaning, check the waters temperature, ect. I would like to keep my fish for as long as possible. Also, I have two cats how would I get them to leave it alone besides shutting my door because I love having them in my room when I am home and I love playing with them. I don’t allow them to be in my room when I’m not home or when I am a sleep other than that can go in and out of my room as they please.
Hi Raven, that’s awesome you saved up your money to get a betta! You don’t want to leave the betta anywhere in direct sunlight as it can heat up the tank too quickly and also cause green algae growth. You will need a 2.5-gallon or larger tank with a lid/cover. A built-in thermostat heater. Water conditioning drops. Some betta fish pellets. Silk plants, non-sharp decor, and some gravel for the bottom. Feeding is 2-3 pellets, 1-2 times per day. Cleaning will depend on the size of the tank, but partial water changes ~25% with new conditioned water a couple times a week are very important to keep clean water coming in.
My son wanted a betta fish so I stumbled upon your website before I went out and bought one trying to find out how to properly care for one and what I’d need for it. So I’ve had him and the tank for over 24 hours now. I set up everything they way it said to, filter, heater, water conditioner. But today I’m noticing his waters a bit cloudy; not so crystal clear. I was wondering if this is normal or if I should be doing something else to clear it up?
Great job researching before you got the pet. Most times it’s the other way around. Cloudy water can be caused by not rinsing new substrate or filter media before it’s added to the tank?
thanks for the edvice