Hopefully, you have researched bettas and their proper care before bringing your first betta home. Bettas are delightfully, intelligent and a joy to own; However, with any pet, the potential owner must be a responsible pet owner, meaning one who is willing to take the time to care for a pet and has taken the time to research how extensive the level of care required in order to care for your pet properly.
First and foremost, please don't buy your first betta on impulse as you will be taking advice on the best care for your betta from an uninformed, uneducated on details of betta care pet store clerk, which your betta's life will depend on and won't be much if anything at all. I apologize for being so blunt, if you are a pet store clerk who is well educated and informed; although, it has been my personal experience with pet store clerks to have very minimal knowledge about a potential pet. I believe if I had been sufficiently informed by someone with heart and knowledge about baby bettas, Rocky, the baby betta I tried to save would have survived. This was my first personal experience relying on information on how to best care for a baby by a pet store clerk. After doing my own research, I realized this person gave me the wrong information, which proved to cause an unnecessary lag in initially providing Rocky with the proper care he would have needed in order to survive. I, personally would not be able to work in a pet store and not make an effort to change the horrible conditions bettas are kept in while waiting to be sold or die. Honestly, I can't even look at the bettas when I'm in a pet store but I always make it a point to respectfully voice my concerns. People are deceived about the proper care as soon as they observe bettas in a pet store. Prior to bringing your betta home, you should have his living quarters already set up and waiting for its new occupant. Steps to follow for providing the barest minimum care for the beginner aquarium hobbyist, yet, will ensure a healthy, happy living environment for your new betta.
Here is a list of equipment and supply must haves for housing 1 betta. A more thorough explanation about the equipment and supplies will follow.
____2- 5 gallon glass or acrylic tank- 2 gallon being the very minimum - If you are buying an aquarium kit please see the explanation following this list.
____Manually adjustable submersible aquarium heater
____High quality betta pellets (I recommend Hikari but do your own research)
____Frozen blood worms (DO NOT buy freeze dried!!!)
____Water conditioner and ammonia dissolver- I recommend Seachem Prime but do your own research)
____An aquarium water filter (optional but recommended)
____Gravel
____ Small fish net
____Aquarium decorations- choose silk plants over plastic, a small dwelling for betta to hide in or seek cover and other decor to suit your taste.
First and foremost, please don't buy your first betta on impulse as you will be taking advice on the best care for your betta from an uninformed, uneducated on details of betta care pet store clerk, which your betta's life will depend on and won't be much if anything at all. I apologize for being so blunt, if you are a pet store clerk who is well educated and informed; although, it has been my personal experience with pet store clerks to have very minimal knowledge about a potential pet. I believe if I had been sufficiently informed by someone with heart and knowledge about baby bettas, Rocky, the baby betta I tried to save would have survived. This was my first personal experience relying on information on how to best care for a baby by a pet store clerk. After doing my own research, I realized this person gave me the wrong information, which proved to cause an unnecessary lag in initially providing Rocky with the proper care he would have needed in order to survive. I, personally would not be able to work in a pet store and not make an effort to change the horrible conditions bettas are kept in while waiting to be sold or die. Honestly, I can't even look at the bettas when I'm in a pet store but I always make it a point to respectfully voice my concerns. People are deceived about the proper care as soon as they observe bettas in a pet store. Prior to bringing your betta home, you should have his living quarters already set up and waiting for its new occupant. Steps to follow for providing the barest minimum care for the beginner aquarium hobbyist, yet, will ensure a healthy, happy living environment for your new betta.
Here is a list of equipment and supply must haves for housing 1 betta. A more thorough explanation about the equipment and supplies will follow.
____2- 5 gallon glass or acrylic tank- 2 gallon being the very minimum - If you are buying an aquarium kit please see the explanation following this list.
____Manually adjustable submersible aquarium heater
____High quality betta pellets (I recommend Hikari but do your own research)
____Frozen blood worms (DO NOT buy freeze dried!!!)
____Water conditioner and ammonia dissolver- I recommend Seachem Prime but do your own research)
____An aquarium water filter (optional but recommended)
____Gravel
____ Small fish net
____Aquarium decorations- choose silk plants over plastic, a small dwelling for betta to hide in or seek cover and other decor to suit your taste.
IMPORTANT FACT!!!! NEVER, EVER USE SOAP OR ANY CLEANING CHEMICALS ON ANYTHING YOUR BETTA WILL COME INTO CONTACT WITH...USE PLAIN HOT WATER ONLY!!!!
Rinse gravel thoroughly with plain water to remove dust and small particles. Rinse tank and all aquarium equipment and decorations with plain water before placing them in your betta's tank. The filter cartridge that will come with your filter needs to be rinsed thoroughly with plain water to remove carbon dust. I recommend filling your tank half way with preconditioned water before placing your decorations and then slowly add remaining water.
Follow instructions included with the heater you purchase, which needs to be established before introducing your betta to his brand new home. I recommend setting up your tank about 3 days in advance of bringing your betta home. If for some reason this is not an option for you, MAKE SURE you monitor water temperature often until the desired temperature is reached and consistent and then check temperature daily to ensure temperature consistency. I prefer to keep my water
temperature at about 80 degrees.
- Purchase a 2-5 gallon tank with 2 gallons being the very minimum. Fish tank kits are usually the way to go. DO NOT buy betta kits as the containers are much too small!!! Make sure your 2- 5 gallon kit includes water conditioner and some type of ammonia reducer.. Aquafin brand is what most people begin with because it comes with the kit or another brand like Top Fin usually comes with the kit, depending on the brand of kit you purchase. Use up the supplies included in the kit and in the meantime research the best and most economical products to use. Most all brands include stress coat in the conditioner and ammonia reducer as an extra, very important needed additive for newly established fish as they will be stressed from the move and unhealthy living conditions. You will most likely get a sample of tropical flake food, which is not suitable for optimal betta health. A filter is always included but not necessary and you can usually purchase a 2 gallon aquarium kit that doesn't include a filter at a fairly decent price ( I will explain how to make a suitable, aesthetically pleasing sponge filter and your own aquarium decorations in a later post both of which I actually do) I personally recommend a gentle flowing filter as it reduces the frequency of water changes and reduces the amount of time spent cleaning your tank...and who wouldn't love that!!!. PLEASE NOTE having a filter does not excuse the owner from making required partial water changes regularly or performing regular overall maintenance of your betta's aquarium, especially within the first few weeks after introducing your betta into his brand new home during the cycling period. Ideally, and most fish experts will recommend cycling your tank for 3-4 weeks prior to adding your betta. I have brought home 8 bettas, so far, and never cycled their tanks prior to releasing them into their tank and never had any adjustment problems...THANKFULLY!!!! IMPORTANT FACT- YOU MUST ACCLIMATE YOUR BETTA BEFORE RELEASING HIM/HER INTO ITS NEW HOME (acclimating explained further down) If your betta appears to be healthy, he should be able to withstand the cycling stage with no problems as long as you follow proper acclimating procedures. But... if in doubt, wait out the cycling period. Healthy bettas are sturdy and can tolerate the cycling period as do other fish species. Please go to the website http://www.firsttankguide.net/cycle.php for an in depth explanation and procedures for cycling your betta tank. Extra needed equipment purchased separately to maintain the health, happiness and longevity of your new friend: appropriate sized adjustable heater to maintain a suitable and comfortable water temperature for your betta ranging between 78-82 degrees, aquarium thermometer to frequently check for water temperature stability.
- Sadly, the betta you choose is not going to be in optimal health to begin with; However, make sure your betta is alert, has bright, clear eyes, smooth, intact scales, evenly and uniformly flowing fins and remains active (as active as they can be in those horrible dirty little cups). Your beautiful betta is now home and still in that horrible cup and you can't stand seeing him suffer any longer but..."waaait forrr it...," DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT perform the unthinkable and immediately remove your betta from that filthy, disgusting, toxic soup created from his own poop (no fault of his, of course) and fermenting food and lovingly place him in ...aahhh, sparkling clean preconditioned water you so lovingly and meticulously prepared in advance. This act of caring, concerned compassion for your new friend could be lethal...yes, deadly. Why? Well, the bettas delicate, internal systems will not agree to the sudden extreme change in water temperature and water nitrite, nitrate and ammonia level differences even if the poor thing is swimming in a toxic soup of poop and fermenting food... Arrrggg!!! I know, right?...but we must keep our composure and exercise patience as responsible betta owners and do what is best for our new pet so that we will be able to enjoy him for a long while.
- Gently pour your betta, nasty, toxic water and all into a clean, never used plastic quart sized baggie. I always worry that if I zip it closed, the poor betta will suffocate, so I don't zip it all the way, making sure there is no obstruction in the way of needed air and float the baggie with betta, toxic soup of fish poopy and fermenting food...this agony will soon be over...YEESSSAH!!!! I use a large binder clip to clip the baggie to the inside of the aquarium to float in the sparkling, clean, preconditioned water for about 20 minutes to try and get the water temperatures as close as possible.
- Unclip the baggie and slowly add about a 1/3 - 1/2 cup of sparkling, clean, preconditioned aquarium water...the very same the baggie was floating in for about 20 minutes along with the soon to be released betta into the pure, sparkling, clean, preconditioned water. Zip baggie...not all the way leaving enough of an opening for needed air (I get OCD about these types of things...and you think the betta can't wait to get out of that nasty water???...pah-leeze!!! Now, clip the baggie back inside the aquarium and float baggie for another 15-20 minutes...aren't you just about to explode from the sweet anticipation of freeing the poor, sweet betta you saved from having to endure further forced, agonizing torture in his horrible, nasty little cup...sniff, sniff, h-h-he believed was h-h-his h-h-home!!! (crying hysterically)
- Repeat procedures 1 and 2 one more time. This procedure is gradually diluting the harmful and toxic ammonia and nitrates created from the toxic soup of fish poop and fermenting food your betta was forced to live in that would have eventually ended his life...but you, the hero betta rescuer saved him from a slow agonizing death. Wow!!! What a guy/gal!!!! You should feel very proud of yourself!!!!
- Hallelujah!!! You did it!!!! You patiently endured waiting during this very critical time as a responsible betta owner...and now it's ti-i-i-ime to release your betta into the sparkling, clean preconditioned aquarium water, officially, your bettas new, happy, healthy home!!!!! Yeah!... party time!!!!
- Feed your betta about 3 pellets twice a day, alternating one of the feedings every other day with about 3 thawed, frozen blood worms. A betta's belly is no bigger than their eyeball. Pellets will swell in their belly and cause them to bloat and feel uncomfortable with more than the recommended amount, so no matter how much your betta begs for more, and bettas do a good job at begging, don't be suckered in if you want your betta to live a healthy, longer life! Soak the pellets for about 5 minutes in unchlorinated water prior to feeding. Frozen, thawed blood worms (research other types of frozen worms that are safe to feed and the frequency) are a must in providing the required and needed protein for your betta...not too pleasant for the owner but doable and bettas will practically do flips for you to be able to get their lips on this scrumptious delicacy, yu-u-umy..lol! You will need to choose one day a week to fast your betta to ensure everything that goes in will come out and we all know the feeling when what goes in doesn't want to come out...a basic fact of life, right??? Pet stores will try to sell you freeze dried blood worms; However, freeze dried blood worms have very little nutritional value and will swell in your betta's belly, so stay away from freeze dried...it is the equivalent of bad junk food for your betta. Over feeding your betta will only lead to detrimental health problems (see Betta Illnesses soon to be posted0. Frozen thawed peas are recommended for betta constipation but how in the world can you tell if your betta is constipated??? So, I just make sure to thaw a pea or two, peel the skin off and break it up into edible betta bites and feed it to my bettas as the first feeding after their fast each week...they usually aren't quite as picky, then, and a couple of betta bite size pieces should keep everything running smoothly. On a more serious note, bettas are prone to swim bladder, serious betta constipation in which your betta will become sickly and can lead to death if not treated. I will post a trusted betta site, soon, that will explain betta sicknesses, cures and preventions.
- Enjoy observing, interacting and learning how intelligent and bold your betta is and strive to be the best responsible betta owner, ever, through your desire to learn all there is to know about the proper care of the wonderfully, amazing betta!!! I cordially invite you to join in my quest to be an active voice4bettas so that these priceless jewels will gain the respect and recognition they so deserve. Thank you for saving the precious life of a betta. You will never cease being rewarded just by your betta's unique presence in your life as long as you do your part as a loving, caring, responsible betta owner... GUARANTEED!!!!
Will be continued!!
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