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.
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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.
It's usually a whole lot easier, and more fun for the betta, to house him in one of those nicer one or 2.5 gallon mini-tanks. Or go bigger! While you don't need to provide a ten gallon tank for a single betta, you might decide you want to. I have a gorgeous ten gallon planted tank with a single, beautiful betta and a small school of cory catfish.
Bettas don't like being cold - and as an original inhabitant of oriental rice paddies, they probably consider your home's room temperature too cold. Invest in inexpensive aquarium thermometer (a stick-on one will do), and think about placing a small heater in your tank. If your betta sits clamped and lifeless in a huddle near the bottom of his home, it's too cold! Make his life better by heating the bowl or tank to the mid-70s. You will be pleased with the difference in his happiness, as he swims and struts and enjoys life!
The betta is commonly known as the Samurai Fighting Fish, and it is very true that males will attack each other to the death. Never house them together. Don't put a female betta in the tank either - chances are very high he will attack her, too, or at least harrass her to death. And think carefully about placing bettas in a community tank, where the tables are turned - some other fish look at the long, colorful fins and nip them mercilessly. Do your research. There are many threads in the BellaOnline Fish Forum that discuss appropriate tank-mates for bettas.
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!
Here is a great Betta care book. You can click on the picture of the book to learn more about it from Amazon:
Read through the index of Betta Care Articles here at the BellaOnline Fish site, and poke around the extensive thread postings about bettas in the forum. You will quickly get up to speed on how best to keep your bettas happy. :)
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