Betta Fish Care - Tips To Keep Your Betta Happy And Healthy

For many, the simplicity of keeping a beta fish is a large part of the attraction. But even though bettas do not require large aquariums or fancy filtration equipment to maintain, betta fish care does take a commitment to a certain amount of ongoing work.

Getting a container big enough for the fish to swim around in is an important factor in betta fish care. It is true that bettas can survive in those small jars they are sometimes sold in, but the fish does really need some room to swim. In addition, since bettas breathe at the surface, it is good to use a container with a reasonable amount of surface area. I suggest using a one to two gallon bowl to house a betta.

Betta fish can and will jump, so whatever container you are using, be sure that it can be covered (dont use an airtight cover!) to prevent your fish from jumping out.

Keeping the water clean is essential to good betta fish care. One way to do this is to be conservative when feeding your fish. Any uneaten food can cause bacterial growth and cloudy water, so be careful with how much food you put in. I suggest using beta pellets and feeding just one or two at a time, two to three times per day to prevent overfeeding. Not only does overfeeding create the potential for bacterial growth, it can also produce swim bladder difficulties, which can be fatal in bettas.

Frequent water changes are important to keep toxins from building up. Small containers should have at least one third of their water changed at least twice per week. Larger containers with one to two gallons of water or more can be done once per week, with about half the water being changed out.

I suggest using bottled distilled water to change your betta's water. Distilled water is pure and free of chemicals like chlorine that are toxic to fish. In addition, since distilled water has a neutral pH, it is ideally suited to the needs of betta fish.

Good betta fish care also involves keeping the water warm - about 75 or 80 degrees. Bettas come from tropical regions and do not like it when the water temperature is too low.

Smooth objects without sharp edges make good decorations in the betta fish container because bettas like to rest on objects above the bottom. Bettas have delicate fins, so anything with sharp edges must be avoided, even artificial plants that are particularly rigid.

The tips you now have will give you the basics to keep your betta healthy. A bright, active fish will be the outcome of good betta fish care.

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