Do you or have you ever had a Betta fish?

Can't help. Sorry.

I've never had a Beta, but I hope the link I gave you helps.

Had one a very long time ago. It did die, but I don't remember how.

I had other fish too in an aquarium & as I remember I changed part of the water regularly, not all of it except on occasion when it seemed to need it.

Does the container of food have instructions?

I never had a Betta fish so I can't help you there.

I had a couple years ago but I don't remember much about what needed to be done as far as maintenance.

Is that anything like a Babel fish?

Oh...the Siamese fighting fish...

I had one before, I killed it so don't listen to me.
But I changed a third of the water every week and fed it 3 times a week.
But I don't think you should ever feed a tropical fish 3 times a day. Over feeding can kill them.

I not only have had Betta splendens (Bettas or Siamese fighting fish), I have a Betta now and I used to breed them. At one point I had over three hundred Bettas. The males were easy to sell but what do you do with over 150 female Bettas that stores and friends don't want? Do you want a happy Betta or one that just survives you?

A happy Betta likes nearly still water that does not get full water changes. Unless you are using expensive “Betta water” that is the same temperature that you are replacing the temperature shock alone may kill it. I use conditioned tap water and do partial water changes every two weeks on gallon, or larger-sized tanks and weekly partial water changes on smaller tanks. If the Betta’s water gets polluted enough, or the fish gets too big for too long in its tank, the little fish will jump out of its tank and die.

While your tank might be small, like us, Bettas prefer its cell to be as large as possible. One gallon is the generally excepted minimum for the humane keeping of one Betta. Most Betta tanks are not heated but Bettas prefer a steady temperature between 78 and 80 degrees F. They can survive cooler and warmer but are much more stressed and therefore more likely to get diseased and die. Buy and use a submersible heater.

How often you feed a fish, Betta or other, depends on how much you feed it each meal. Bettas don't like to eat off the bottom so most food that reaches down there is pollution. Unless it is kept with a bottom feeder like a snail or Plecostomus, feed it very small servings each time. Feeding it three times a day or three times a week is the range. How often do you like to eat? Remember they are very small and don’t really have a stomach, so most of the time I feed my Bettas once or twice a day and at least once a week I skip a day of feeding them. To me it is more important what they eat then how much or how often.

Do you like variety in your diet or do you like the same old same old every meal? For a happy Betta, change it up and give them variety. At least once a week, I give them some frozen, fresh or live food. The rest of the time it is pellets or freeze-dried. When I give them the special foods I wait an extra day before feeding them again due to the deleterious effects it has on their water pollution levels. Buy live plants and stick them in. Bettas will appreciate the concealment and what it does for maintaining water quality.

Get (at least) a ten gallon tank. Tanks run about a buck a gallon on glass tanks ten to 85 gallons in aquarium size. Spend any more than that and you’re spending more than you need to for a glass tank. Add some African dwarf frogs and snails or a Plecostomus. Snails will often arrive in your tank unexpectedly when you add plants. The African dwarf frogs are fun to watch and the snails or Plecostomus will eat what the Betta and frogs miss. African dwarf frogs because they eat most of the same stuff and yet don't really compete (Do not get an African CLAWED frog as it will grow and eat all of your fish). The addition of frogs, snails or a Plecostomus will allow you to feed the tank more food and more often. This is a good thing as feeding time is fun time. The frogs are my kids’ favorite and the Betta is the prettiest fish, in that aquarium, as I have several fish tanks.

There is a lot more to know about Siamese fighting fish, especially if you want to try to breed them. Don't forget to get a tight fitting lid if you add water frogs. If you have any further questions or need clarification just ask. My 15 gallon Betta tank is next to my computer.

Good luck

I've never had one by my friend Betty does. She said she was told they do better in smaller confined areas.

I had one before, but he died. In my defense, I will say he wasn't in my custody when he died.

R.I.P. Arnold, Jr.

other, I don't know what a "Betta" fish is. We had an aquarium a LONG LONG time ago. Gold fish have a very short life span apparanlty. Other fish lived a bit longer but it didn't take too long for them to bite the air either.

I've never had one. If I did, it would be dead.

I have one. As far as I can tell, it's pretty much maintenance free. Feed it daily and clean the tank every couple of weeks. I've gone as much as a week without feeding it, and it hasn't complained yet. Then again, I can' tell when a fish is pissed off...

> Does the container of food have instructions?

I have 3 different containers of food. Wardley Betta food says to feed several times a day. HBH Betta Color Bright says to feed sparingly twice a day. Tetra Blood Worms says to feed two or three times a week in conjunction with other foods. “In conjunction with,” wouldn’t that mean to feed him other foods every day but the blood worms only 3 times a week? He seems to like the blood worms mostly and in the mornings. He doesn’t seem to care much for the HBH flakes. I’ve been feeding him 3 times a day but only what he will eat in a short amount of time. He usually eats what he wants then swims away and doesn’t come back for more. I’ve went to three different pet stores, got a book and have searched the web for information but I get too many different answers for one question! Honestly I wanted a Betta more for aesthetic purposes, but in just the few days I’ve had him I’ve grown quite fond. I’m going to feel really bad if I end up killing him.

I saw that some one answered your questions in a thread, a real expert. I think it will help you out quite a bit.

Yes, Siamese fighting fish I think is the proper name for them.

I think it's just the more popular name. Betta is more scientific I think...sort of like canine/dog, feline/cat...

> A happy Betta likes nearly still water....
There is an air stone in the tank, but I read that is not needed. Should I take the stone out but leave the air hose in the tank? The water doesn’t move much and he seems to like the bubbles it makes. Not that I know any thing about fish tanks but it seems the added air would help the water stay "fresher" longer.

> While your tank might be small, like us, Bettas
> prefer its cell to be as large as possible. One
> gallon is the generally excepted minimum for the
> humane keeping of one Betta.
I read that the Betta fish originated form puddles therefore they only require a small space. I have noticed that the Bettas in the stores are not active but my Betta takes advantage of his whole space. If I don't mess up and kill the poor thing I will invest in a bigger tank. The one guy at the aquarium told me that bigger tanks are actually easier to maintain than the smaller ones anyway. That surprised the hell out of me but I guess it dose make since.

> Buy and use a submersible heater.
I was going to get one but the smallest I found was for a two gallon tank I don't want to boil him. The temperature seems to me staying in the green or above. For now until I get a bigger tank I think the light helps keep the water warm enough. I keep my thermostat at 75 to 78 so my house is never real cool

> most of the time I feed my Bettas once or twice
> a day and at least once a week I skip a day of
> feeding them. To me it is more important what
> they eat then how much or how often.
I'm glad you didn't say only feed him 3 times a week. That just dosen't seem right to me.

> Get (at least) a ten gallon tank.
I'm thinking seriously of doing that because he is very active, which was another surprise! They seem so lifeless in their tinny little bowls in the pet stores.

>Add some African dwarf frogs and snails
> or a Plecostomus. Snails will often arrive in
> your tank unexpectedly when you add plants. The
> African dwarf frogs are fun to watch and the snails
> or Plecostomus will eat what the Betta and frogs
> miss. African dwarf frogs because they eat most
> of the same stuff and yet don't really compete
> (Do not get an African CLAWED frog as it will
> grow and eat all of your fish). The addition of
> frogs, snails or a Plecostomus will allow you
> to feed the tank more food and more often. This
> is a good thing as feeding time is fun time. The
> frogs are my kids’ favorite and the Betta is the
> prettiest fish, in that aquarium, as I have several
> fish tanks.
I may do that at some point but I need to know I can keep the Batta healthy before I bring something else in I might kill too. I wouldn't have thought keeping a fish would be so scary to me. I guess because I killed my mother in laws gold fish years ago. : -\

> If you have any further questions
> or need clarification just ask.
> Good luck

You do seem like you know what you’re talking about which is more than I can say for those people I talked to at the 3 different aquariums/ pet stores I went to. Thank you very much for the information!

May I ask what your first name is?

I have never had one. However...I think 3 times a week is not enough and 3 times a day is two much. I'd feed them once a day, maybe twice. As for the water I think the changing it 1/3 @ a time is good but once in a while you'll have to do the whole thing.

Just my guess.

Dear Ultamate,

You are a quite a quick study. I knew there was a reason that I enjoyed your musings here. Yes you should leave the air stone in and for the very same reasons you listed. Even though Siamese fighting fish don’t need aeration to add percent O2 (since they are “air breathers”) the surface disruption prevents the water from putrefying as quickly. In their native lands it rains a whole lot and little bugs and microorganisms are their food. Leave the stone in the air hose. Believe it or not, by taking the stone out the hose will clog up faster. Besides, the little bubbles seem to be more fun for this ornate fish.

Your readings were half right regarding their puddle origin. During the ‘dry’ season the bettas may be relegated to puddles, sometimes as small as you heel print in the mud, but that is because the better spots were taken by better, bigger or more dominate creatures and or the receding water level found them there. The male fish of this species sets up territories, as big as they can dominate, defend and they make bubble nests to attract transient females. Shorter fined female Bettas travel about and check out the boys and their bubble nests. Most of the times the male will chase out the female, that is, until things are right and she is dominant among females (has her pretty colors showing too) and full of eggs and receptive to his advances.

Your guy at the aquarium store was right about larger tanks being easier to maintain. Remember, for fish they are in a fixed volume so problems arise from percent change. The larger the volume the more change has to occur before a percentage change is felt by the fish inside. Adding plants and bottom feeders, be they frogs, catfish, snails or shrimp adds to the community and to your visual enjoyment. I like to set up little eco systems. My wife only tolerates my hobby and won’t take care of them whole I’m away, so it is a good thing the my little eco systems work. When I deployed for Iraq in 2003 for most of the year, she didn’t do a thing for my tank (for the trip I consolidated to just my largest tank), but since I set up a decent eco system I still had live fish when I returned.

Like all fish, Siamese fighting fish will take up as much room as you give them. Give them just a mason jar of water (with a perforated plastic-wrap cover) and they won’t go anywhere. Give the same fish a 75 gallon tank and he will use the whole tank, exploring, foraging and such.

Depending on the type of light fixture you use, the light does aid in effecting the water temp. Since you keep you home at a consistent temperature he should be fine. Even though the cooler the water is the more oxygen the water can hold, the Betta splendens aren’t made to be at cooler temperatures. Personally, I would still use a tank heater. You can put a big 200 watt heater in and you won’t boil him. I know because I have done that during moves and tank changes.

I feel bad for your mother’s goldfish. Properly taken care of, comet goldfish have an average a 50 year life span. And since they are a carp, you can eat them too. I still have my feeder goldfish. The two are really big and have multiplied. Freshwater tank breeding was a stress relieving hobby of mine in college. The hard part is finding new homes for all the little creatures.

“May I ask what your first name is?” Even though there is nothing wrong with my first name I don’t go by it. For the past twenty years all my friends, college classmates and coworkers have called me “doc” or “doc Brown.” “Doc” in the military, is a term of endearment originally given to us by the U.S. Marines we support with medical care. You have to earn that nickname from them. Until you do they will call you by you rank (pay level) or rating (job title). All other branches of military service now call their enlisted (lower level) front line healthcare providers ‘doc’ too for the same surface reason but without quite the same deeper meaning. Now the military, due to promotion, is changing my nickname and rank to “Chief” but I still prefer ‘doc’ and will always answer to it as well.


Good luck

i have had success with betas. Actually only one didn't survive its life expectancy.(my daughter 3 at the time, thought she might help feed it and dumped half the container of food in the water. ) Anyways i would change the water out once a week if you are keeping it in a beta bowl. however you still need to be careful with the temp of the water and the amount of chlorine in the water. I would suggest leaving the water in another container till it hits room temp like the bowl the beta is in. Also did you know you can put beta fish in a tank with other fish so long as all the other fish are smaller then it is and are not aggressive at all. we had a beta live three years in a tank with other fish and so long as we followed that rule all lived in harmony..good luck

Well darn, I planed on something small and simple but I think you just talked me into a new hobby and a bigger tank with an eco system. It’s a good thing I’m getting my vacation pay this week.
I like that name “Doc”, might be a good name for a fish! I guess I’ll know in a few days.

Thanks and please let me know how it is turning out.

What is a betta fish?

Again, not a fishy fan

But erm.. nice

I have a betta, fantastic fish, easy to keep, ensure water is warm, feed regularly but not a lot at a time, lives well with red fin sharks but just starting to be annoyed by the killi fish(golden wonders) that might be because they are tail nippers, however you'll find he can hold his own when it comes to it.

With fish, I suggest only partial water changes. It allows the tank to keep enough of the good bacteria and stuff instead of starting over each time.

I don't know about Bettas specifically.... but with fish in general, I would feed only once per day... or twice if you're giving small amounts.

Make sure to remove the chlorine from the water.

Some goldfish have been known to live over 20 years.... I've had the ones in my tank for almost 4.....

Dogs have shorter life spans than goldfish.

Also, I suggest live plants.

So, how is your fish?

Puddles and my frog 'Doc' are doing well. I'm a little concerned though that Doc might be too fat. I had a ghost shrimp too but I think it got ate. I haven't got my ten gallon tank yet, I'm hoping I can get that next week. Thanks for asking and what about the kitten? Did you have to have it put down?

You are right about the partial water change! I cleaned the gravel and did almost a whole water change, the very next day I started having problems with the nitrite being too high. It was Tuesday I started having the problems and I'm just now (today) gotten the nitrite down. I will never do a full water change again. 25% water change in my one gallon tank seems to work best.

The kitten died during the night. It makes me feel better that it died in a warm box with soft towels rather than outside for the coyotes.

So you have a test kit? I have one but haven't used it in years... I do a 1/3 change about once per month with my goldfish and they're great.

I use a 5 test in one strip product. I check the water about 3 times a week because I'm still paranoid that I'm going to kill my fish. What size tank do you have? I've been told it is much easier to maintain a 10 gallon or more tank than my little 1 gallon. It's too bad I didn't know this before I got the one gallon tank. I should know a little about having an aquarium since my mother always had fish when I was growing up. At one point she had one tank that was either a 50 or 100 gallons, I'm not sure which. She also had two other smaller tanks she used for breading. I was just never into fish until lately.

What name did you settle on for your fish?

Puddles was the vote so Puddles it is. I named my frog Doc.

I have a 38 gallon... and with the goldfish and cory cats, they keep it pretty clean on their own. After having it for 2-3 years, it pretty much takes care of itself as far as PH, nitrites, ammonia and all that goes...

I love my fish... I need to start setting some money aside to remodel their tank though... I need all new live plants, new gravel, a new filter, and a new hood...... I want to start all over almost.

Hi!
I just got a betta fish and feed your Betta fish ONCE A DAY!!!! And yes--change the water--and yes change the water 1/3 of water once a week (I know all this stuff because I read A LOT of books about Betta fish.

I've had various bettas now for about 10 years. Note- they only have a life span of approximately 2 years. So, if they're dying after a couple of years, don't think you are killing them, it is normal. I feed mine every day, and he seems quite happy! I've "trained" my betta - I tap on the glass and he comes up for his food. Good luck to all!