Betta Fish World: January 2008

Saturday, 12 January 2008

Betta Fish - Essential Facts On How To Keep Them Alive And Well By Rose Mary

The betta fish is a popular fish among fish hobbyists. As the betta is an attractive fish, many of them use this fish to add beauty to their aquarium. However, there are some people who prefer to keep their bettas in small containers as pets. Although rearing bettas are not difficult as these fishes are known for its physical hardiness, there are some points that we need to observe in order to keep these fishes well.

Due to its quality of physical toughness, the betta fish can survive well even if it is placed in small bowls or jars. The betta is a labyrinth fish and is able to breathe atmospheric air. Hence, give a small space, it will not suffer any oxygen deficiency because it can swim to the surface of the water to breathe air. Although the betta can thrive in small containers, it is important that the water in these containers be changed regularly. The smaller the water space, the more often is the need to change the water. If a betta is reared in a small living space with poor water conditions, it will not reach its full coloration and high activity levels.

Bettas should be kept in water with temperature between 74 degrees F and 84 degrees F. If the temperature is above 84 degrees F, the betta will display some discomfort and in the long run, they may age faster. When changing water, it should be ascertained that the temperature of the new water be similar to that of the old water. This is to ensure that the betta will not experience a sudden change of temperature and become sick. If small containers are used to keep the betta, the water in these containers need not be filtered. However, if larger containers are used, filtering is encouraged as it can lengthen the time needed for a water change.

It is not advisable to place more than one male betta fish in an aquarium. If this happens, the bettas will become aggressive and attempt to defend their territory within the small space. Hence, they may cause harm to each other. It is very rare that two female bettas will fight against each other, though sometimes there may be a little fin nipping between the two. As such, most of the time, there is no serious injury. Placing a male and female betta together with other fishes in a community aquarium can create problems. This is because there is a possibility that these two bettas may start spawning and this may affect other fishes in the tank. When you place a betta in a community aquarium, you should ensure that the other fishes in the aquarium are not the aggressive type. This is to prevent attacks from these fishes which can result in damage and injury.

Bettas have a rapid metabolic rate, hence, it is advisable that these fishes be fed with small, frequent meals. If too much food is given in one feeding, the betta may not consume all the food and the remaining food may cause pollution of water.

The above are some points we need to note if we want to keep our bettas well. Keeping the betta is an interesting, enriching and rewarding hobby. You can choose to keep it in an aquarium or in a small container. As there are many types of bettas available, you can have more choices to select the type you like. Once you have started this hobby, your passion will grow and eventually you will want to learn more about this remarkable fish and hope to keep more of them. For more information on care for Betta fish, please visit Betta Fish Care.

Rose Mary. Freelance writer in various interest topics. Learn the essentials on keeping Betta fish alive and well at Betta Fish Care.

10 Important Betta Fish Care Tips or How to Increase Your Betta's Lifespan By David Kohlmann

Every betta owner is concerned with the health and well-being of his precious fish. However, there are a lot of less-known issues regarding betta health that are not always paid attention to.

The following ten tips for proper betta care should be known to every responsible betta fish owner:

10) When getting a new aquarium, it is essential to have enough "good" bacteria in it in order to process the ammonia and nitrites excreted by the betta. In a brand new tank, there are none (unless you put real aquarium gravel in), which causes bettas to suffer from "new tank syndrome". The correct way to handle this is to get a testing kit from your local pet store, add some Java moss to the tank, replace about 20% of the water each day with fresh water, and keep measuring the ammonia and nitrite levels. If they stay at a stable low level, you have a colony of good bacteria in place and there is no more reason to worry.

9) Never use purified or distilled water, since the mineral content is too low. Nor should you use one of the carbon water filters that humans use for their drinking water, unless the manufacturer recommends them for aquariums (and normally they don’t). There is no need to buy “designer” bottled water either. Your plain, unfiltered tap water should be fine if it is properly treated.

8) The minimum amount of water necessary for a fully grown betta not to be miserable is about 2 gallons. However, there is no real limit, since no betta will be upset with too much water.

7) Never put two males together. That’s the surest way to prevent them from fighting. If your goal is to introduce a female to the environment, do it slowly. Start by putting the female into a tank and placing it next to the male’s tank. Let the male become accustomed to seeing her for a week or so. Then introduce her to the male’s environment

6) Bettas are carnivores. That means they eat meat. Feeding your betta a vegetarian diet will make him sick because he will not get the protein he needs. If your dietary beliefs do not allow you to feed meat products to your betta, don’t buy one!

5) Avoid using antibiotics on the water. Although they do kill the bad bacteria, they also kill the good bacteria, which can again lead to betta getting poisoned.

4) Your betta’s life revolves around the surface of the water - so don’t make it hard to get to. Even if there are no females in his tank, your male will still enjoy building a bubble nest at the surface and playing around with it as if training for the day he’ll have real babies to raise. This means moving eggs from the bottom up to the nest - and it’s something your male will practice even if he hasn’t done any breeding. So the bottom line is that you should aim to have the water depth be no more than 10 inches from substrate (gravel on the bottom) to surface.

3) The water pH levels should ideally be 6.8 to 7.0 - slightly acidic to neutral. However, don’t worry about it if the water’s pH isn’t in that exact range. Bettas can adjust. The main thing is to not make drastic changes to the pH level. For your little ones, a stable pH is the most important thing. Additionally, the chemicals used to adjust pH have been observed to cause bettas to become sick and even die.

2) There is some disagreement about this issue, but we have found through extensive research and experience that most bettas only need to be fed once per day. This most closely approximates a betta’s feeding experience in nature. If you want to feed twice per day, remember you are running the risk of overfeeding plus you will likely end up having to clean the aquarium more frequently to counteract the additional waste buildup.

1) Before handling your bettas, wash your hands. Use a soap that is organic and non-toxic. Sticking dirty hands or hands washed with aggressive chemicals into the tank is a sure way to make your bettas sick.

These were just some of the basics of caring after bettas. For exhaustive information on purchasing bettas, betta health care, feeding, breeding, and more, you can refer to the Betta Fish Lover's Guide by Marcus Song at http://www.bettafishguide.com/.

David is a pet enthusiast and a long-time aquarium owner.

Betta Fish Care - Aquarium Heaters - Do You Really Need One? By Michael Worthington

While it can be difficult to maintain the water temperature in a tank, it’s absolutely necessary that you have one. There are two reasons for this. First of all, if your Betta gets too stressed out over a period of time, his immune system will become compromised, and he’ll begin to lose his ability to fight off infection and disease.

The second reason is that your Betta is used to living in water that is between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit – and he will become listless and unresponsive if the water is too far above or too far below that temperature. This becomes even more important in a large tank.

It’s also very important that you maintain a fairly consistent temperature in your Betta fish’s tank. Your fish won’t handle extreme temperature changes either. By the way, it doesn’t take much of a water temperature change – just the matter of a couple of degrees Fahrenheit – for your Betta to be affected – so this is something you really need to pay attention to.

The unit of measurement for aquarium heaters is in watts. When trying to decide on which heater will be best for you, a good basic guideline is 5 watts per gallon of water. Make sure that the heater fits your tank and, if it’s an internal one, can be properly inserted.

If you’re not sure and you didn’t buy the tank and heater together, take the tank with you to the store, and ask the manager to help you get the right one.

Two Types of Heating Systems:

There are two main types of heating systems – internal and external. You’ll have to decide which one works best for you – and if you have any questions, ask your local pet store or your Betta breeder for recommendations based on your tank set up.

One other important thing to keep in mind is the water circulation – without proper water circulation, you’re going to have “hot spots” and “cold spots” in the water, both of which can be harmful to your Betta fish. Heaters cost anywhere from about $20 to $50, although like with anything else, you can find more expensive models.

Internal Tank Heating Systems:

Internal heating systems are the most common. They usually consist of a glass tube anywhere between 4 inches (10.16 cm) to 12 inches (30.48 cm) long. Some offer a built-in thermostat, while others will have an external thermostat, usually outside the tank and are usually used to control multiple heating units.

External Tank Heating Systems:

There are several different models of external heating systems, such as a model which fits under the tank and heats the water from below, or one that connects to the filtering system. They are widely available both online and off.

Mike owns Betta Fish Expert which helps people learn about betta fish.

How to Prevent Betta Fish Fin Rot By Jason Osborn

Fin rot is one of the most common things that you have to watch out for with your betta. Of course the best way to deal with fin rot is to prevent it from ever happening. So how do you prevent fin rot from happening? Here are a few great tips.

The fist thing that you need to know is that fin rot is a bacterial infection that happens when a torn fin drags across the gravel. The tail is the most common place for this to happen. Your betta's fins rest on the tank or floor and soak up the bad bacteria.

The simple solution for this is to keep both the water and the gravel clean. One trick that you can do as well is to toys like caves, silk plants, snail shells, or other things that your betta can rest on. Bettas like to rest so this is a great way to help make sure that they stay off the gravel.

So on to the gravel and water cleaning. Use a turkey baster to remove the gravel scum. Do this as often as you think about it. As far as the water, change it every one to two days and add a little aquarium salt to make the water less hospitable for bacteria.

You can use medications for fin rot; however these medications can often have side effects that could make things worse. This is why I recommend using fresh water and salt as your first line of defence against fin rot.

Do you want to take the best care of your betta fish?

Click here to discover the secrets of giving the best care to your betta: Betta Fish Care

Guide to Betta Fish Food By Sarah Munn

Bettas are carnivorous. In the wild, they live off of insects and their larvae. Their mouth is designed to snatch prey on the surface of the water, and their digestive tract is too short to metabolize most plants. This means they are best suited for live food, but they can adapt to flakes and frozen or freeze dried foods.

If flake food is used, it should be supplemented by frozen, freeze dried or live food.

Brine shrimp, Daphnia, plankton, tubifex, glassworms, and beef heart are all good choices to feed Bettas, and are commonly available frozen or freeze dried. Note that Bettas can take up to a week to recognize a new food type, so you should keep the staple food constant and supplement with treats and other types of food occasionally. Most appear to prefer a mix of brine shrimp and bloodworms for their Bettas.

There are dedicated Betta foods on the market. These are usually pellets and should float on the surface for easy consumption. Hikari Betta Bio-Gold is well regarded, as are HBH Betta Bites and San Francisco Bay Brand Betta Food, which is essentially freeze dried bloodworms. Other brands have complaints about Bettas refusing to eat, inadequate nutrition and sinking pellets that Bettas can’t consume fast enough.

With the Hikari Betta Bio-Gold, there are complaints about the packaging, but the larger sizes are easier to use. Remember that each Betta only needs about three pellets, and overfeeding will result in contamination of the tank. This is both because of food that rots and excess defecation from the overfed fish.

Some Bettas won’t eat bloodworms, while others adore them. However, bloodworms are not a complete diet, and should be used as a treat or supplement for those fish that appreciate them. Most say their Bettas prefer live food, but some believe that too much live food can be bad for a Betta.

Let the Betta see the food coming. Drop the food right in front of the fish, so he doesn’t have to hunt for it. If the food isn’t eaten immediately, you should wait for the fish, but if it isn’t consumed in 15 minutes, remove it and try again later. Start small, perhaps 6 brine shrimp, and if the Betta eats them all and there is no sign of belly distention, and the fish still acts hungry, you may feed it a little more, but the second feeding should be smaller.

There are products marketed at Betta vacation foods, but results are mixed. Some appear to swear by them, while others complain of the overfeeding issues listed above.

Additionally, many fish foods claim to be color enhancers. It appears the actual importance is proper nutrition and good conditions, so any good source of nutrients would be about as effective in color enhancement as any other.

Adult Bettas can be happy with feedings once or twice a day, provided care is taken to present a balanced diet and the correct amount of food is provided.

For more information on betta fish food, try visiting the Betta Fish Center (bettafishcenter.com), a popular website that provides tips, advice and resources on caring for betta splendens.

Betta Fish Care - Facts And Information By Simon Rohde

Betta Fish are some of the most beautiful fish on the planet and they will catch the eye of your guests. They are known for their lovely colors and fins, with a wide range of colors available. Bettas have specific requirements that are simple to meet so the Betta fish or Siamese Fighting fish is perfect for the first time tropical fish owner. Bettas are one of the most popular types of fish found in homes across the world.

Facts About Betta Fish

Betta fish are native to the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia. That means they are tropical, so they prefer warmer waters. As said before, Bettas are relatively easy to care for and their low maintenance is particularly appealing to people who would like to have fish but don't have a lot of time to care for them. Bettas can be coupled with algae eaters, guppies, or corydorus catfish safely. Betta fish have been found to live for up to three years in the right conditions, but few in home aquariums will live anywhere near this long. Bettas grow to an overall length of about 6 cm.

Betta Fish Males and Females

Most often the aggression and fights occur between two male Bettas, however a new female introduced into a tank can threaten the existing male's dominate role and cause him to attack, so care must be taken when introducing Bettas. Female betta fish are not quite that aggressive towards each other, though it is recommended that there be many hiding places inside a tank if several female betta fish are to be kept together. Females will get along better with each other than the males do but they do need room to escape a more aggressive female. They are not as highly colored, and have much shorter fins. Female bettas can also be housed with danios, tetras, barbs, and gouramis.

An Important Betta Fish Care Tip

One word of caution and an important tip in betta fish care is to never use a fish net to catch a Siamese Fighting fish when doing water changes because their fins are very delicate and can easily get caught in the fiber of the net and be ripped, causing damage and stressing the betta.

Betta Fish Care: What Temperature Is Right?
Being Tropical Fish, Bettas need to be kept at a temperature of 78 degrees F (25 degrees C) at a MINIMUM on a consistent basis. 80 degrees is optimal, as this is their breeding temperature and they are more active, alert and happy with this temperature water. If the temperature is too low, your Betta Splenden's growth will be stunted, become prone to disease, or even die from chronic stress. Most diseases are primarily prevented by keeping the tank temperature at steady and proper levels. Make sure any water you add to the bowl is the same temperature as the water in the bowl. A digital meat thermometer is a great improvised tool for checking water temperature.

Conclusion

Betta fish are great for kids and college students who want an "easy to care for" fish in a smaller aquarium. But keep in mind: You need to feed, clean, and care for your Betta just like you would any other pet. If you take the time and effort to give your fish the Beta fish care that he or she deserves, you can make certain that your fish enjoys a long and happy life.

Simon Rohde provides information and articles on a wide variety of topics, inlcuding Betta Fish. You can checkout Simon's website at http://yourinfosite.info/

Discus Fish Secrets By Rob Clark

The Ultimate Guide To Discus Fish Care, Breeding and Keeping Them Healthy

In this ebook, Rob Clark explains and exposes his exact blueprint to having a Happy, Healthy and problem free Discus that spawn as soon as you place the cone in the water".

This ebook contains amazing information written in plain English, which means it's dead-easy to read and understand.

Did you know that 90% of problems with Discus Fish start from stress, be it water quality, tank mates, moving them to another tank etc. Rob goes into great detail explaining how to take their stress away and make them happy because happy Discus Fish will have a strong immune system that fights off's disease.

With the information in this book, you will amaze you friends with your knownledge and depth of information on Discus Fish and when they see pictures of your Discus Fish, they will think you are an expert.

The reason we recommend the Discus Fish Secrets ebook is that the things in the book are very important. The author have read most books, both new and old on Discus Fish and tried the techniques discussed and written his own book based on the things that are most important to Discus Fish owners and works well. All the things you need to know about your Discus Fish is discussed and explained in detail.

Things like:

The best size tank to keep discus in. Get this wrong and your discus could be permanently stunted

The quick check list of everything you must have before you even think about buying your discus

Which filter most discus fish prefer and why

How to get the right water your discus fish will thrive in

The basics of water chemistry

The advantages and disadvantages of adding plants

How to know when the tank is ready for fish

Quick tips on how to pick the best discus in the shop... do this wrong and you'll have problems from the start

What size discus you should buy and the best size for beginners

Questions you must ask the seller, this alone will help you loads

How picking the wrong strain of discus can be a disaster

The truth about what discus should be fed and how often

How to keep your discus happy for a long time

How well your discus should grow and what to do if they are not

The early signs that you can see that tells you that their ready to breed

Quick little tricks that will have your discus breeding Immediately

An overview of the spawning process

The right way to look after fry for the first few weeks

How to grow young discus on to the best quality adults around

How to overcome the most common problems you will encounter

Plus Much More.

Rob is an experienced breeder who has been keeping and breeding discus for over 10 years and participating on the best discus forums on the internet, so he knows what he is talking about.

This ebook is a 100% Risk Free Money Back Guarantee, no quibbles or questions ask. You can even keep the book after you get a refund.

For more information, please visit Discus Fish Secret.

P.S.
Dont't forget to listen to the audio message on the website.

Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved

Ten Tips for Caring for Your Betta Fish By Adam Short

Betta fish, also called Siamese fighting fish are one of the most popular types of fish found in homes across the world. Their vibrant color and active lifestyle seems to draw in fish fanatics as well as those who have never had fish before. Betta’s are relatively easy to care for and their low maintenance is particularly appealing to people who would like to have fish but don’t have a lot of time to care for them.

Once you bring your Betta’s home you should begin to familiarize yourself with their movements and typical behavior patterns. When you look at your fish after you’ve had them for awhile you’ll know if something is wrong, if they are not feeling well, or if the water in their bowl is not in the best condition simply by being observant.

1. Make sure the jar or bowl that you keep your Betta in is big enough so that he can swim around and not bump or tear his fins or scales. Also be sure there is plenty of surface area so that he can get enough oxygen.

2. Your Betta will thrive in the cleanest water that you can provide for him. He does not require a filtration system, but you should change out a third of his water every three days so it stays fresh and clean and keeps your finned friend from getting bacterial or fungal infections. Aged water (water that has set out for twenty four hours) is what should be used to replace the old water.

3. Do not put your Betta fish with other Betta’s. They are called Siamese fighting fish because they are, in fact, fighting fish. They will tear at one another, often causing the death of at least one fish before they stop. Betta’s can be coupled with algae eaters, guppies, or corydorus catfish safely.

4. Use a turkey baster to clean small particles of uneaten food or debris from the bottom of the bowl or jar. Allowing this debris to sit at the bottom of the jar will cause the water to become cloudy, unsanitary, and to smell awful.

5. The PH of your tank should be at exactly 7.0. You can get a PH testing kit at your pet store along with solutions to minimize or increase the PH of your water.

6. When you clean the plants, rocks, or decorations in the bowl you should never use soap on them. It’s very hard to completely rinse all soap from these items and the soap residue can harm or even kill your Betta. Instead, use warm water and an abrasive brush to clean his things.

7. Keep your Betta tank, jar, or bowl covered! Your Beta will jump and you don’t want him to end up flopping on the tabletop! Keeping the water level at least two inches from the top of the tank should also cut down on this problem.

8. Your Betta is a meat eater and likes live foods, such as brine shrimp the best. Frozen bloodworms are also a good choice for your meat eater. Most Betta fish will happily eat the Betta pellets sold at most pet stores. For a special treat every now and again you should offer some live food! You’ll have fun watching him eat it up!

9. Do not decorate your Betta bowl with rocks or marbles that may cause your Betta to get stuck between or under them. Be sure that they are a flat smooth surface that provides no risk to the health of your fish.

10. Remember that your fish is a living, breathing responsibility. You need to feed, clean, and care for your Betta just like you would any other pet. If he’s sick take him to the vet, if he’s hungry feed him, if his home is dirty, clean it.

That’s it! These ten tips for caring for your Betta fish will have you well on your way to keeping a healthy fish. Internet Betta Groups or library books can be a great source of information should you want to learn more about your finned friend!

Adam Short is the owner of Betta Fish Center and co-wrote the above article with Amanda Fenton. Amanda has been caring for Betta fish for over 25 years. She is a contributing writer to http://www.bettafishcenter.com - site providing information and tips on betta fish care.

Recommended Betta Fish Book

Caring for a Betta Fish: An Insider’s Guide for Betta Lovers By Marcus Song

Marcus Song’s “Caring for a Betta Fish: An Insider’s Guide for Betta Lovers” is filled with exclusive and little known insider information on caring for these exquisite and one of it a kind little fish.

Even for someone like me, who has owned Betta fish nearly all of my life for their beauty and longevity, I learned something new at the turn of each and every page.

This is a wonderful read for those who are curious to learn about these under water beauties and possibly obtain one (or three or four!) for themselves.

First, Song took me through the history of the fish, from the olden days in rice paddies to their name sake, the ancient Asian warrior Bettah clan, to their international dispense via a gift from the King of Siam.

He also explained the fascinating and exciting world of fish fighting when the people of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam would put their homes and even their children on the line “on the outcome of just one fight”.

We all know that Bettas are fantastically coloured. But do you know why? They were not always so highly decorated. Song delves into colour variations and just how Bettas got the immense variety of terrific tints and patterns that we see today.

While explaining the facts of how Bettas are no longer bred to fight but rather for their vivid hues, Song talks about how the species has calmed down their fighting spirit and become more tranquil, slowly but surely, generation after generation.

Song took me through an incredible journey of how he himself has bonded with fish beyond anything in my wildest imagination.

If cared for properly, Song claims a Betta will literally wag his tail when he sees his owner approaching and will possibly come to the surface for some extra TLC in the form of a pat on the head or a little leftover piece of chicken.

In a later chapter, towards the end of the book, Song also informed me that after a bond has been formed you can actually train your Betta to do tricks such as jumping out of the water for food or swimming through hoops! I found these sections truly incredible, proving that the Betta is not just “some fish” but rather gentle companionship for those looking for an alternative type of pet.

Next, after getting some necessary background knowledge, I took a journey to the pet store in my mind with Song while he explained the do’s and don’ts of scoping out a respectable pet store, choosing the right Betta, avoiding death and illness while transporting the little guy and introducing fishy to his new home.

Although the tank set up procedure is simple, if it is not done correctly, it could be a life or death situation that you do not want to put your newest family member in.

Song eagerly explained many Betta lover tips such as aging water to filtration instructions and beyond. I began to wonder what else there was and if I, as a fellow Betta owner, was feeding my fish properly. Low and behold, the next chapter answered my questions precisely.

Little did I know that Betta fish were carnivores and that my little guys craved treats like a small piece of chicken left over from dinner or even a tiny but juicy piece of steak!

Song also eased my vacation stress of what do with our three Bettas when we went on our annual vacation. Our little men are easier to please and care for than I had thought a mere 30 minutes before diving into Song’s book.

Song then prepared me for any health issues that my fish might have, some that might have gone unnoticed had I not taken a moment to read his book. There are many illnesses that can fall over your Betta but 99% of them can be cured if the owners observe their fish with attentive and loving eyes.

Song gives me all of the information I could ever need on sicknesses, what to look for with each illness and Betta lover tips on treatment and even better yet, on prevention. It is so easy to stop these problems before they start. I learned many, many helpful tips to help my Betta fish become happier, healthier and stress free.

Lastly, Song took me into a place we have all been before: the loss and mourning period at the death of a pet. Most books do not speak of this topic but it is one that we have all experience with a beloved pet, big or small. Song made me feel comforted, that I wasn’t alone, when experiencing feelings of loss and sadness after a Betta fish’s death and where to go for help to cope with this loss if need be.

Song’s guide, “Caring for a Betta Fish: An Insider’s Guide for Betta Lovers” is truly a first in the Betta world. It is comprehensive and detailed yet easy to read and manoeuver through. I found his tips thoughtful, informative and very simple to follow.

Whether a member of a Betta group, a Betta breeder or just a fellow Betta lover my advice to you is to read this guide! Not only will it make you a better Betta owner, you will increase the quality of life for your Betta as well as yourself by giving yourself the gift of a truly unique and one of a kind pet for years to come.

Mr Song also offers at no extra cost, the following ebooks as bonuses, when you buy the Betta Lover Guide ebook:

Bonus #1: A Special Guide to Breeding Your Bettas. (A $19 value.)

Bonus #2: The Betta Bucks Guide. (A $39 value.)

For ebook, please visit Caring for a Betta Fish.

For book, please visit Caring For Betta Fish

Betta Fish World

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