Better Betta Fish Care

Better Betta Fish Care

The Betta Fish, AKA Siamese Fighting Fish, is a popular, inexpensive pet. It's nearly impossible to resist their soulful doggy eyes and gorgeous coloring when you see them in the stores. And while the betta can be a simple fish to keep, they do have specific requirements to keep them alive, healthy and happy.

Their official name, Betta splendens, seems to allude to the splendor of their long, flowing fins. These fish were orginally much more drab, with shorter fins, and lived in the hot, humid rice paddies of the orient. They developed a way to breathe oxygen directly from the air, using a lung-like "labyrinth" organ. When the rice paddies experienced drought, the bettas could still get air, while living in muddy, shrinking water holes. Thus they could survive until the rains returned.

Basically, bettas don't LIKE being cooped up in a tiny puddle, but they can do it. The key for handling those tiny betta bowls is doing daily water changes.

Feed your betta one grain at a time, several times a day, or only 3-4 grains once a day. Bettas have a stomache about the size of their eyeball, and too much food will give him bloating pains, constipation, and possibly swim bladder issues (which is often deadly).

Use special food made for bettas - floating pellets are the best. Your betta will quickly learn you are the caregiver and will be very excited when you approach!

The Siamese Fighting Betta requires a warm, stable temperature, low light level, and a densely planted 10 gallon or larger aquarium. Once laid by the female, the eggs are tended by the male in a bubble nest. Fry appear in about 24 hours and must be fed very small food initially, such as crushed or powdered flakes and newly hatched brine shrimp. Fry will also take finely chopped hard-boiled egg yolk.

A carnivore, the Siamese Fighting Betta will eat all types of live food as well as freeze-dried flakes and frozen foods.

Betta fish or Siamese fighting fish are prized not only for their colors, but for their flowing showy fins too. In order to keep them looking good you need to know a thing or two about betta fish care, right? Otherwise they'll succumb to all manner of betta diseases including fin rot.

Still betta fish care are quite popular. Irresistible to some actually. All the more given they come in a variety of shapes and nearly 50 different color classes.

And how can you avoid getting hooked? They make great pets.

They're small.

Drop dead gorgeous.

Personable.

And for the most part low maintenance.

Plus with beta fish you don't have to worry about them biting the mailman. Other beta fish, well that's something else.

Okay so their people skills, well manners with other tropicals, could use some polishing. In other words socializing isn't their strong suit. As the mere mention of another male betta fish can cause your dozing beta buddy to brighten up, pump up and flare out. In an all out attempt for him to look bigger and badder.

But what would you expect from a fish with a scientific name "Betta splendens", that means "splendid warrior"?

Besides that feistiness is part of their charm. And part of what makes these exotic beauties so addictive.

If you're fin-deep into betta fish then you know what I'm talking about. And if you're newly smitten I'm sure you'll find lots of helpful betta fish care tips and ideas throughout Better Bettas.

More info about fish care, please visit Better Bettas.