Introduction

Betta fish are fairly easy animals to care for, although they do have their specific needs just like any other animal. Bettas are advertised as fish that can live in a 5in by 5in by 5in square bowls together and that is NOT the case. To learn about proper betta fish care, continue reading this article!

 

LIFE SPAN:

If your betta fish is properly taken care of, they can live up to 3 or sometimes even 4 years old. Bettas that live in poor or small environments tend to live very short lives. I will be teaching you how to get the longest life out of your betta possible, with just a few simple items.

 

HOUSING BETTAS TOGETHER:

As a general rule, bettas shouldn’t really ever be housed together. They usually do not enjoy each other’s company, and will fight to the death if they feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. This is why another name betta fish go by is “Siamese Fighting Fish”.  Some females will tolerate being together, but only if the tank is large enough.

If you really want a large collection of bettas in the same tank, I would go for 5 female bettas (at max) in a 40 gallon tank or larger. Bettas require their own personal space, and will often not socialize. Make sure you provide plenty of hiding places; plants, logs, rocks, etc.

 

TANK:

Your betta is going to need a tank. Yes- a tank. Fish bowls or little glass boxes are much too small for betta fish to live a long happy life in. Even though bettas are “just fish”, they can become depressed just like humans. When bettas get depressed, they can pass away. So, to prevent that, all you have to do is spend a few extra dollars on a larger tank. A general rule of thumb is, 10 gallons of tank room per betta fish. So if you were to house 3 female bettas together, you would need at least a 30 gallon tank. If you want just one betta fish, the tank minimum could be 2.5 gallons, but 5 gallons or larger would be an ideal habitat for a betta.

 

DÉCOR/SHELTER:

Bettas feel safer when they are provided a shelter. They often love a variety of plants (betta-safe-plastic or real) in their tank to hide in and weave through, as well as a fish-safe dome/castle. But take caution that the leaves and edges of the structures are not too sharp. Betta fins are very fragile, and can rip extremely easily.

 

WATER TEMPRATURE:

Betta fish originate from the tropics, and prefer warm water to live in. You can buy a tank that comes with a built in fish heat light, or you can buy one separately. The water just has to be lukewarm or room temp- but not hot or cold. Betta fish can suffer from a stroke if the water is too cold.

 

FOOD:

In their natural habitat, betta fish feed off of ants and other insects that fall in the water. So here in captivity, they prefer pellet food over flake food. I use Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets for my betta fish and have for many years, as they seem to love it most.

A betta fish’s stomach is only about the size of its eyeball, so it only needs about 3-4 pellets of food daily. Too much food can lead to organ failure and stomach rupture, and of course, too little food can lead to starvation.

 

TANK CLEANING:

If your betta fish’s tank has a filter built into it (or you bought a filter for your tank) you should change the filter every month, and clean the tank once a year with occasionally spot-cleaning the tank if any green spots begin to form. If your tank does not have a filter, you should clean your betta’s tank once a month so it is free of algae and bacteria.

If your tank becomes dirty, you should immediately clean it. If you do not clean a dirty tank, your betta can become very sick, obtain an infection, or die. Bottom feeder fish and feeder snails are a great way to help keep your tank clean.