Betta Fish and Betta Fish Care

Posts Tagged ‘Water Conditions’

by Mary Brennecke
Many Betta parents keep their little wet pet in a fish bowl or Betta vase. There is some discussion about whether or not this is healthy and safe for the little fish.
Although some fish lovers are under the initial impression that it is actually easier and less upkeep to keep a Betta fish in a simple bowl or vase – the opposite is actually true in order to even keep your little fishy friend alive.

If you do choose a bowl or vase as your fish’s living accomadations, expect to change the water completely every day or two. You have to because of the small size and lack of water filtration. Without the constant water changes, your fish will flounder and suffer and die in the polluted water.

Of course, a well-fed fish given a variety of appropriate Betta foods in the correct amount is a priority. Likewise, you know that if he eats – well, how can I put this politely? He poops. This is the natural course of things and if enclosed in a tiny bowl or vase with no water filtration system to clean the water, chemical changes take place in your fish’s breathing water and all this toxic waste-filled water gets sucked into your fishy kid’s body and infects him with various fish diseases. Then you’ve got a bigger problem on your hands: You’ve got to attempt to diagnose and cure his disease.

Many times, it’s possible (and certainly better for you and your fish) to prevent these diseases from ever happening if you can keep the water clean and the water conditions right. (tropical temperature, Betta water conditioner, chlorine and chloramine out, no drafts, no direct sunlight)

In any case, the bowl is o.k. at first – although, it’s really some peace of mind for you if you can get a type of vented cover for the bowl so that your betta fish gets plenty of air(Betta fish are labyrinth fish who must breathe both water and come up to the surface of the water for air.) and yet cannot jump out and hurt himself or get killed from flopping on the counter gasping for air. Betta fish are natural jumpers out of self-preservation and a will to stay alive that they developed in the wild many years ago when they had to jump from a small puddle to a bigger puddle in Asia.

So, it’s up to you which home you choose for your beautiful new member of your family, but it’s good to be prepared for high maintenance if you choose a tiny bowl.

For the most part, betta fish are one of the easiest pets to own. There are no filters to mess with, they only eat once per day as well as able to live to their normal life expectancies with regular care. However, betta fish could get sick. Depending on what the ailment is, there are a few things you can do to treat a sick betta fish.

 Step 1
Recognize what’s wrong with your betta fish. Know when it’s healthy, and look for any signs or symptoms that may indicate a sick betta fish. Note modifies in appetite, color or behavior.

Step 2
Isolate the sick betta, if you have other fish. Place it in a separate bowl or jar. Use the same water so as not to shock the fish with an abrupt water temperature change. Isolating the sick betta fish makes it easier to administer its medication.

Step 3
Clean the fish bowl regularly. Many betta fish diseases are due to poor water conditions, e.g. bacteria in the water. Remove the betta with a fish net, thoroughly clean the bowl and any accessories you might have added, treat the new water with a neutralizer (such as AmOuel), refill the bowl and place the fish back into the clean bowl.

Step 4
Diagnose the illness. Consult books and websites such as Bettatalk that list common betta fish diseases, their symptoms and treatments. Choose the correct remedy for your fish.

Step 5
Administer proper doses of antibiotics, if necessary. These are obtainable at most pet stores. In several cases, other actions can help such as cleaning the tank, adding a small amount of salt to the water or raising the water temperature slightly to speed up treatment.

Breeding betta fish is often a challenge taken up by betta fans.
1. Separate care of males and females.

It’s necessary to distinguish between adult males and females, but it isn’t always easy to do. It’s important, since two males in close quarters will engage in fish-to-fish combat to the death. They do not get along very well with most different fish either! Very foul in disposition, aren’t they?

Each male should be kept in his own bowl or tank. Two males in the same tank will usually fight until one is dead. Even a male and female should be join togetherexclusively briefly at spawning. Otherwise the male will often treat the female roughly and do permanent damage.

Several females can sometimes be kept in the same tank, give d here is many room. However, there should be more than two females, otherwise one will dominate and continually chase the other female. Some aquatic plants in the tank make it easier for the fish to maintain some separation.

2. Water conditions.

The betta’s native habitat is the vast, shallow freshwater paddies of Southeast Asia. The fish must have access to the surface of the water, since it takes oxygen directly from the atmosphere as well as through their gills. Since they can get oxygen from the surface, they can survive in smaller spaces and poorer condition than other aquarium fish. The little cups that the fish are brought in at a pet store certainly aren’t adequate. They actually do best in clean, filtered water.

 Male fish are often kept in bowls of about one and one-half gallons without supplemental high temperature or oxygen. If kept like this, the water should be changed when it becomes cloudy, every one to two weeks. Or you able to modify about 20 percent of the water every day or two. Then every few weeks completely clean the tank with all the gravel.

The general recommendation’s to allow about three gallons of water per fish. With a ten gallon tank three or four females would have many room. It’s recommended to have a minimum tank size of six gallons so a heater could be used. With smaller tanks a heater can cause more temperature variation than the fish can tolerate. The right water temperature is 75 – 84 degrees F. At those temperatures the fish’ll be quite active.

The fish can do well at 65 – 75 degrees F, though they will not be as active at the lower temperature. Since they aren’t as active at the cooler temperature, the bowls will stay cleaner.

3. Feeding your breeding betta fish.

Bettas are carnivorous, but can usually do well on food labeled for betta fish. The addition of live or frozen blood worms (mosquito larvae) and live or frozen shrimp brine is recommended. Most aquarium bred fish will also accept dried flaked aquarium tropical fish food.

Some breeders recommend black worms as supplemental feed especially for spawning females. Black worms are Lumbriculus variegatus. The worms can be kept in cool, clean, unchlorinated water. Some breeds of fish do not like these worms, but bettas prefer them.

4. Mating betta fish.

Males bettas build a nest of air bubbles for the baby fish or fry.

For spawning, a female is introduced into the male tank. If conditions are right for mating, the male fish will squeeze the female. Eggs will be expelled, then fertilized by the male. The eggs will float into the bubble nest. The female should then be removed to her tank to prevent her injury by the male fish. Even if spawning does not take place, the female should be removed.

The male fish will care for the eggs until the young emerge in  a couple of days.

5. The fry.

The released little fish or fry are very tiny and vulnerable. Most often they are raised in special ponds where they feed on tiny microscopic living creatures. Some have success raising the fry in bowls or aquariums. But the conditions must be right, similar to the usual pond environment.