| decent beginner's guide to bettas; however, there are some points fairly wrong in here. (i've bred the damn things for a good four years. i can tell you more than you ever wanted to know about fighers.
The fish you take home should: Be moving around in his cup slightly, but not struggling.
not really true. bettas will hover and remain almost totally still for hours on end. they either remain right below the surface, or on the bottom, quite frequently. this is *natural* behavior for this species, and in no way a problem.
Not have any white spots anywhere on the body or fins. This could be a fish disease called Ick.
not have any RAISED white spots that look like they are added on the body. *many* bettas have white spots or patches as a natural part of their coloration.
Not have any fin deterioration
but watch out for the natural combtail trait. this is where the rays of the fin protrude beyond the rest. to the untrained eye, it can look like the main fin has torn in and the rays alone remain. this is a genetic trait actually specifically bred for, along with doubletail, halfmoon, and fantail. these are normal.
A fish bowl or small tank.
Tip: "Betta-hexes" or "Aqua Babies" are a bit to small to house a happy fish. You want to be able to add a plant without crowding. ½ to 2 gallons is sufficient.
bettas PREFER a larger tank. however they can be totally happy in a hex or equivalent container. (when you're breeding them and have 30 males in teh room, you can't afford a tank for each. bettas originated in rice paddies. that is their natural habitat. it is very very common in these enviornments for them to become trapped in teh footprints of water buffalo due to evaporation. yet these fish live happily in a space THAT small and only inches deep, until it rains enough for them to swim out. bigger is better but by no means nessecary.
A plastic plant. Tip: Bettas like to have a place to play and hide. Real plants are more work, more expensive and most require a supplemented iron source to survive. These supplements can harm some fish despite what the label tells you.
the newer cloth plants are better. they look more realistic, move more genuinely, and areless likely to collect irremoveable algae, and to become brittle and cut the fish. despite what *this* writeup tells you, i've *never* heard of iron harming a betta. (and i *work* at a fish store.)
Betta Food.
Tip: Betta like freeze dried red grubs, which are considered their staple. They prefer these over flaked food. They like freeze dried tubifex worms also. A small package of red grubs should be enough to last you a long time.
do you mean bloodworms when you say 'red grub'? bloodworms are a betta's preferred food, but they take flake *happily*. many bettas will refuse tube worms. (if you feed any freezedried, be VERY careful not to overfeed; they are higher in fat and protien than the flakes.) after bloodworms, the most common 'betta' food is small pellets. most fish love the pellets, but some REFUSE them. flake's more universaly accepted.
Rinse the tank, gravel and plant thoroughly with water. Tap water is fine. For the gravel you may want to use a strainer. DO NOT clean them with soap.
use hot water, to kill anything that may be on it. *seconds the soap comment though*
If you're using tap water it's a good idea, but not essential, to have the water for the fish sit out for a few days prior to buying the fish to let it settle.
Otherwise, your water is fine.
if you use a water conditioner, letting tap sit is not needed. the sitting only lets the chlorine evaporate.
Dump the gravel in and "plant" the plant. Make it all look the way you want, so you don't have to stick your hands in more than you need to. The water should be about 2 inches from the top of the tank, as these fish can jump.
do gravel and the plant *first*, then pour the water in down the side or down a spoon or something to make it pour smoothly. this minimizes wet hands and shuffling in the water. and for heaven's sake get a tank with a lid.
Feeding: Feed him 2 or 3 times a day. Feed him enough food so that it takes him about 3 minutes to eat it all. Use your judgement.
feed bettas (and most tropicals) ONCE a day, only what will be eaten in 2-3 minutes. overfeeding is a leading cause of death and disease. proper amount a day = ONE of: three/four bloodworms; three/four pellets; one/two flakes. they don't need nearly as much food as you think. but they'll eat more anyways.
Tank Maintenance: It is a good idea to change half the tank's water every 7 to 10 days. Make sure to use the water conditioner each time. This keeps the water from becomming stagnant or building up in wastes from the fish. If you do this often you will have to do a full clean up less often.
A full clean-up is when you take the fish out (you can just scoop him into a cup) and rinse everything thoroughly and scrub off any grime. DO NOT use soap. You should not have an algae problem if you clean-up every 2-4 weeks.
if the tank's under a gallon, change ALL the water every time. (unless it has a filter of some sort.) if it's over a gallon, get a bloody filter, you'll be happier.
if you have a hex or small cup, change once a week. a larger bowl/small tank; every 3 or 4 (or anytime tthe water looks dirty.)
Bettas do NOT need friends. They are an independent dweller, and are not lonely. If you buy another fish, the Betta will most likely attack it and attempt to kill it.
Even a snail to keep the tank clean is sometimes a problem. The Betta may eat the snails antennae.
acutally, bettas are only truely hostile towards males of their own species. (most petstore bettas are male. they're the pretty ones. females are bought ONLY for breeding.) they make *excellent* community tank fish, and are more likely to *be* picked on than pick on others. the barb family, some tetras (not many), and some gouramis, will nip the long flowing fins of the betta. a betta may *chase* some small fish but will never harm them.
Not everyone who works in a pet shop is an expert.
halleluja! be *especially* wary of generic pet stores like petco and petsmart, their fish staff usually *isn't*. also be careful of *some*--but by no means all--really small fish stores, as many of the shoddier ones tend to be highly unethical and fairly underqualified. they're the ones that will order you *anything* no matter how illegal or impractical, if they can get the sale... (i know some WONDERFUl small stores. but i also know some very shady ones. the larger, longerlived larger fish stores are usually more qualified, emplyeewise. they can *choose* who they hire instead of take anyone they can get.)
If the fish jumps out:
Put him back in the tank. Hopefully he is still alive. Bettas have a special organ to allow them to breathe atmospheric air.
being in the air and breathing it won't kill a betta because of their labyrinth organ. only dehydration (or the cat) will. please put him in and hope for the best.
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