Lively Tiny Betta Fish Catches a Considerable Following of Collectors

These days’ tiny wild betta fish still swim here and there in the rice paddy ditches of Southeast Asia, protecting their bubble nests from all prowlers. Although lively, the fish are far removed from their familial relatives, normally known as Siamese fighting fish.

Wild bettas will fight to protect their area however they are street fighters contrast to the Sweet Pea Whitakers of the pet trade, the familial bettas. The street urchins are nowhere near as bright, nor are their fins as elongated and as attractive as their domesticated counterparts.

Although the genetic materials are there. When a betta - wild or domestic - faces another betta, they both respond impulsively. Their body color gets deeper radically, as if flushed in irritation, and their trailing fins flash open and sit up, upright like a fan prepared to fight the summer heat.

For centuries in Asia the little fish were breed in confinement only for their fierceness and fighting aptitude. The fish were paired off by their possessors to fight, time and again to the death, to a great extent similar to a cock fight.

At present fighting is not authorized or excused by the International Betta Congress. As an alternative betta breeders raise their fish to develop their beauty, taking benefit of the physical characteristics of violence.

Over the years the betta has been bred for progressively attractive color variants and longer more striking flowing fins. Bettas are now found in various shades of yellow, blue, green, red, black and turquoise. They appear in bi-colors and they are also found with a pale shimmering look as if they had been covered with mother of pearl. At betta shows, there are 48 unusual color classes in which to participate.

Possessors take benefit of the fish's fighting nature to boast their colors and fins at their premium for betta show judges. The fish are revealed independently in small glass bowls and are prohibited from viewing fish in adjoining bowls by pieces of card stock.

When the judges come across, the card stock is removed and the bettas face each other through the glass. Their colors turns out to be vivacious and their fins go up and extend like fighters cocking their fists.

They are judge on transparency of color, unusual finnage and posture. Posture is not conduct. Its how sound the fish swims and how attentive it is.

That's all a betta show is concerned to - lifting those pieces of cardboard and allowing the bettas to relax.

Bettas have been famous to sell for over $ 150.

Betta Fish recommended resource: here.

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Lifespan of a Betta Fish

The normal lifespan of a Betta fish is approximately 3 years. But in many cases it has been observed that they lived up to five years. So, 5 years would be maximum life expectancy for a Betta fish.

The betas that you find the pet stores are already in the adult stage and minimum of 6 months to 1 year age. If the fish possess a healthy breathing habit and a sound health the fish will most probably have a better lifespan. You can keep the Betta in sound health by providing it a suitable environment, diet and proper medicines.

Healthy Environment begins with a sufficient amount of living space. That means you have to provide a spacious tank to the Betta. You must also ensure fresh water changes twice every week to make certain that your Betta fish lives for longer in a healthy condition.

The next thing which you have to care of is his diet. These striking beauties can carry out very well with a combination of high quality Betta pellets or other food products specially planned for him. For example Hikari Betta gold in combination with certain live food thrown in the tank for change at least in every three or four days together with some solid or chill dried treats. If you provide them proper diet it will definitely help them to lead a long and healthy life. Proper diet will also improve the bloom of your Betta fish.

Try to make use of as minimum as possible aquarium salts then you didn’t have to worry about proper medications. Most of the diseases that hit the health of Betta happen due to poor water quality. Therefore if your water quality is fine then you need not to worry about diseases. Also treating with any medicine might stimulate nervous tension.

Betta fish breed very well before they get to 1 year of age. They are generally bred from 6 months to 1 year. They usually breed inside bubble nests and do not necessitate any particular tank or apparatus. Actually the male Betta fish looks after nearly the whole thing.


Betta Fish recommended resource: here.

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Diseases of Betta Fish

There are many types of Betta fish diseases. Some of them are as follows:

Fungal Infection
If your Betta is suffering from fungal infection then it will have white cottony scraps on its body or head. He may be inactive, may be not taking its food, fins may be bunched, color turned to be little pale.

You have to change the entire water of the Betta tank. Then you should add “Fungus Eliminator” by Jungle. The measured quantity should be approximately 30-40 grains per 1/2 gallon of water. Water should have a pleasant gold color, not too gloomy. Do not give overdose of the medicine. Try to change water twice a week and put in fresh dose of the same medicine each time you change water. Keep on repeating the process until all fungus has vanished. Then put in BettaZing (8 drops per gallon) to uncontaminated any other bacteria/fungus that may still be there in the tank.

Tail Rot Or Fin Rot
This disease happens mostly due to dirty water. It is not excessively infectious, your Betta will more than liable get well if treated on time. Fins/tail will grow again, however may not have similar color or may not look as excellent or be as long as earlier.

If your Betta is suffering from this disease then its fins and/or tail appear to be getting shorter and smaller. Or they look as if to be falling separately and melting. There may be a shadowy color to the rim of the Betta’s fins/tail. He may be still active and eating usually, or may have stopped taking his food, fins may be bunched, and color may turn pale.

You have to change the entire water of the Betta tank. Put in tetracycline or Triple Sulfa mixed with Fungus Eliminator. Try to change water twice a week and put in fresh dose of the same medicine each time you change water. Keep on repeating the process until fins/tail stop diminishing and begin showing some fresh growth. This may take a minimum of 4 weeks, therefore don’t loose hope. Just the once rot stops and fins begin growing again you can stop putting in the medicines, but not previous to that.

Advanced Fin And Body Rot
This disease begins like a normal fin rot, however the rot grows quite quickly and is harder to prevent. In a little while no fins are left because all the tissues are eaten away. After that the rot moves toward to hit the body.

You have to change the entire water of the Betta tank. If possible make available a fresh jar. You must mix more than a few medications to have a possibility to stop this thing. Put in Ampicillin and double the dose if required, and put in tetracycline. These medicines generally come in the form of capsules. A complete capsule generally treats 10 gallon of water. A little overdose might be helpful. Try to change water twice a week and put in fresh dose of the same medicine each time you change water.


Betta Fish recommended resource: here.

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Betta Ailments

The major problem people face when they have a sick fish is that they are not ready. Many a times when a Betta fish gets ill, people waste lots of time. For the reason of:

• They don't catch it near the beginning,
• They don't know how to analysis the sick fish and finally,
• They don't have the appropriate medicines readily available.

Well, if you believe you can quickly run to your neighborhood pet store and acquire the medicine your Betta will require, just think twice! Most effective Betta medicines cannot be found at your neighborhood pet stores and number of people live in areas where even your fish store will not have them.

Following are a few medicines for your Betta fish:

BettaZing
This is an immense replacement to Bettamax - anti scrounging, anti protozoan & anti fungal. This is good for all around defensive. Very useful in cases like velvet & clamped fins. Use anytime you put in new fish or become accustomed.

Tetracycline
This is an antibiotic. It is excellent for bacterial infections.

Kanamycin
This is an antibiotic. It is very effective in case of serious bacterial infections.

Ampicillin
This is an antibiotic. It is very effective in case of pop-eye and gram positive serious infections.

Maracin 1 & Maracin 2
This is anti fungal and antibiotic. This is for easygoing infections like minor fin rots, although not very useful for severe stuff. These are solid tablets and can be harder to manage in bowl functions.

Jungle Fungus Eliminator
This is anti fungal. It is very effective in case of fungus infections.

Difference in appearance between a healthy and a sick Betta is :
Healthy Betta Fish
1/ Eating habits are similar to that of a little pig.

2/ Swims here and there. It is energetic.

3/ Acts usually

4/ Is bright and lively.

5/ Fins and tail are wide and appears like fans.

6/ Body appears glossy and spotless

Sick Betta Fish
1/ Does not eat in any way or eats unwillingly and may throw out his food.

2/ Is not energetic. May remain at the surface of water in a corner or lie down and come to the surface of water after sometime only for air.

3/ May flit and intentionally runs into everything he/she can (gravel, rocks, etc) in an attempt to scratch itself.

4/ Appears a little paler, color is unexciting, may become gray.

5/ Tail and at times fins are bunched, closed, rigid looking or falling separately.

6/ Body may have: raw sores, white cottony scraps, red spots, swellings or white spots.

Betta Fish recommended resource: here.

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