J & J Bettas

So you now have this pretty little betta in your home and you are wondering how to give him/her the best possible care.  If you do not have a community tank that you are going to put him in (yes males bettas can make great community fish) then you are going to need a few things:

            - A container that holds at least 1 gallon of water

            - Water conditioner

            - Small siphon tube (with a gravel vacuum attachment if you are using gravel)

            - Flake or Pellet betta food

            - Frozen (not freeze dried) bloodworms (optional)

            - Small rocks/gravel/marbles for the bottom (optional)

            - Fake or live plant (optional)

            - Small 12-25 watt heater (optional)

            - Thermometer (optional)

            Some of the optional items are a matter of taste or personal preference, but I will still explain their advantages and disadvantages as we go along.  Firstly you need to set up your bettas house.  Fill a container that hold a similar volume as your bettas home with tepid water (feels slightly cool on your wrist, but not cold) and add the appropriate amount of water conditioner, allow this to sit as you set up his home. 

Note on water conditioner: Do not buy the “made for bettas” stuff, it is just a smaller and much more expensive version of the regular tap water conditioners and over the life of your betta you will us up a few larger containers.

            Place a 1- 1½ inch layer of substrate in the bottom of the bowl.  There are many different options such as gravel or even marbles that can be used for this purpose, it is mostly a matter of taste.  Smaller gravel will house more beneficial bacteria but is also harder to clean, while stones that are too large will allow your betta to crawl underneath and possible get stuck and drown (I have had this happen, it is not fun).  Slowly fill the bowl ½ way, and then place whatever plants or decorations where you want them.  When you are choosing fake plants or decorations be aware that sharp edges may damage a bettas fins so I always advise silk or real plants.  Real plant help to keep up the water quality as well as provide a resting/hiding place for your betta, if you are going to use a real plant, choose ones that are suitable to low light condition such as Cabomba or Java Fern.  Slowly finish filling the bowl with water to ¾ full (leave some room so that you can “float” your betta).

Note on plants above betta bowls:  I highly recommend against putting plants on top of bowls which has been popular lately for many reasons.  Firstly, the plants roots and the plant itself make it difficult for the betta to come to the top of the tank to breath.  Secondly bettas will not feed off the roots of plants, if they have been seen picking at them it is because they are looking for the bugs that sometimes live on plant roots.

Choose the permanent home for your betta carefully.  Avoid placing the bowl too near a window as the sun will not only heat the water inconsistently, but also promote the growth of algae.  As long as the place that you are going to keep your betta stays at a consistent temperature above 70 F you will not need a heater, but if you are going to keep him/her in a cooler room or at an office (where temperature often fluctuates between day and night) you will want to invest in a small heater and a thermometer to monitor the temperature.  Also be sure that wherever you are placing the bowl is a stable location that can bear the weight of the full bowl (water is heavier than you think).

Now it is time to add your betta.  Float the container that he came in (usually a bag or a small cup) in the bowl so that the water in the bowl and the water in the cup can equalize temperatures.  After about half an hour or so remove the container your betta is in and pour the water out through a net (so you can catch the betta), the old water is then discarded.  You never want to put the water your betta is in into a tank or bowl as the levels of ammonia build up quickly in small spaces and will pollute your new, fresh, water.  Gently transfer the betta from the net into the bowl and top up the bowl with fresh water.  Give your new betta a day or so to settle in before feeding as bettas are known to get a little stressed out when they are moved and not want to eat.  If after a day or two your betta will still not eat, refer to our FAQ section under “why won’t my new betta eat?”.

When it is time to feed your betta, remember that less is more.  Bettas have small stomachs, but will eat a lot if you let them.  If you are not intending to breed then 2-3 pellets (depending on their size), or a small pinch of flake twice daily will be more than enough.  The more you feed the more water changes you will have to do, so watch your betta for signs that he/she is being fed the proper amount.  A healthy betta is streamlined, not round and bloated by the ventrals, but filled out enough that they appear smooth.  Confused?  Well here are some pictures that may help:

This is how a betta should look.  Although he is a little large in the ventral area he is till sleek throughout.

To keep your betta at their best you need to do at least one water change a week.  Depending on the size of your betta’s home I generally recommend between a 30-50% change, the smaller the tank, the larger the change it requires.  If your betta lives in an unheated bowl then make sure you allow the water to sit for a few hours so that it equalizes to room temperature.  If your tank is heated then try to have the new water and the tank water at the same temperature.  Treat the tap-water with a product that removes both chlorine and chloramines and allow it to sit fro at least 10 minutes while you clean out the bowl.  To do this siphon out the water using a pre-made (bought) siphon, or a large piece of airline tubing, to remove the water to a bucket.  Gently pour the new treated water into the bowl, and voila, you are dome.  It is that simple.  As a side note, I do not recommend using bottled water for bettas as it is either spring water that has high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), or it is RO (Reverse Osmosis) water that is too soft and lacking many of the natural qualities that healthy water contains.  Regular tap water is the best choice, and the most stable, for bettas.