I took this from my Gaia Guild:
Table of Contents:
* About Bettas
* Traits & Behavior
* Diet & Feeding
* Habitat
* Health
* Betta Links
Betta Splendens
Bettas are known for their jewel-bright colors and spectacular finnage. They are also known as Siamese Fighting Fish due to the male betta’s extreme aggressiveness toward other bettas. People assume that in their origin, (Thailand) bettas often live in murky puddles but this is a common misconception. This leads to the myth that they have adapted to enjoy living in small habitats, which isn’t necessarily true.
Bettas are anabantoids, which means they can breathe atmospheric air thanks to a unique organ called the labyrinth. This accounts for their ability to thrive in low-oxygen water conditions that would kill most other fish, such as rice paddies, slow-moving streams, drainage ditches, and large puddles.
However, Bettas will thrive if given a larger living space. The Bettas that we keep as pets aren’t as hearty as wild ones, due to breeding processes to get the vibrant colors that we see.
Bettas are carnivores, and in the wild they feed on small insects and their larvae. The Bettas we keep as pets rely on getting their protein from processed and / or freeze dried foods.
Betta males are highly aggressive towards each other, and should be the only betta permanently living in the tank. When agitated, they will “flare” their gills & fins.
Females aren’t aggressive and can live together peacefully, or even with other fish. If a male and female are placed together and aren’t ready to mate, then the female my get hurt.
When male bettas are ready to mate they build a bubble nest. (This is where the eggs would be laid if a female were present.)
[Some say in a big enough tank you can keep male bettas with other fish as long as they aren’t aggressive, and don’t make the betta feel threatened. (Guppies and other “fancy” finned fish make them upset.)The combinations are hard to work out, but there can NEVER be 2 male bettas together.
Groups of females can be kept together, but no less than 4. Even the females are aggressive, and less than 4 will lead to one bullying the rest.]
As said above, bettas are carnivores, meaning they need lots of protein.
They cannot live off plant roots, so keeping them in a vase without direct access to air or food will harm them severely.
Betta-specific foods are formulated with the necessary protein and many times include color enhancers. These usually come in flake or pellet form.
A popular brand of pellets are Betta Bites, and a popular flake brand is Betta Min
Bettas can also be fed a variety of live or “once-live” foods. These may freeze-dried or actually frozen; most often bloodworms, or other larvae & worms. These can be alternated in a few times a week in place of regular meals.
It is recommended that bettas are fed once a day, but twice is also common (just with smaller amounts of food.) It’s best not to over feed, and to only give as much food as they will eat in 1-3 minutes.
Overfeeding leads to more frequent water changes since more waste is produced.
Bettas are tropical fish, so their water must remain fairly warm- anywhere between 65-82 Fahrenheit (Mid 70’s to 80’s is preferred). If kept in a home or office this shouldn’t be a problem.
They must be able to breathe directly from the surface; when keeping them in a vase with a plant there needs to be water between the plant & the surface of the water.
In the bowl or aquarium there should be a few plants or other decorations for you betta to hide. Its best to keep them to the sides so they have plenty of room to swim in the center. Try to avoid ornaments with sharp or rough edges- their long fins may get caught or torn.
Also because of their long fins, water movement should be kept to a minimum. They’ll get stressed out if they have to constantly adjust to compensate.
Weekly, partial water changes are necessary if you don’t have a filter. Only about 10-30% of the water needs to be changed. You can use tap water, if you do, a water treatment like Betta Safe, is recommended. When healthy, bettas will active & alert with their colors bright. They’ll react aggressively to outside stimulus (like holding up a mirror so they see they’re reflection. They’ll flare their gills & fins, making themselves look bigger to their “foe.”)
Their scales will be smooth & clean, fins should have minimal tears or lesions, and eyes should be clear.
Bettas like to swim around, but will also rest towards the bottom, even behind a plant or other decoration.
They will also eat vigorously, eating within a minute or two.
Things to watch for:
- Lying on the bottom for extended periods of time.
- Poor growth or weight loss.
- Inflamed gills, skin, or fins.
- Fins Clamped to sides.
- Scraping body on rocks.
- Loss of appetite.
- Labored Breathing.
- Spots/Fungus on body or mouth.
If you see these signs, check the water quality & talk to an expert.
Ways to prevent illness:
-KEEP WATER CLEAN!
-Maintain proper temperature
- If one fish is sick, be sure to wash hands/nets/ or anything else that will be used on another fish.
- In the sad event that a fish dies, make sure to thoroughly clean the bowl or tank. Diseases can live & spread this way.
Great source on Betta health: Healthy Betta
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