If you have a fish that dawdles when they eat, you can give them up to 5 minutes.Ī meal portion should be equal to about 5% of a betta’s body size. Only provide enough food for your fish to eat in 2 minutes. There are two common rules for feeding a betta fish: You should feed your betta fish no more than twice a day. In the wild, they are typically always on the search for their next meal, so it’s up to you to feed your betta fish the right amount of food. How Much to Feed A Bettaīetta fish are not capable of sensing when they are full. These foods will contain the levels of protein that suit their needs. They actually survive by eating insects and larvae, so you will need to feed them a balanced fish food containing a lot of protein.īetta fish can be fed flakes, pellets, or frozen foods that are specially made for them. Betta Fish Foodīetta fish are carnivores. The betta fish strongly prefers temperatures (78-82☏) that are even higher than most other tropical fish. Betta Fish Tank Temperatureīettas are also very temperature sensitive, so an aquarium heater is a necessity, not an option, for betta fish. And with bettas being so sensitive to bacterial maladies, it’s important their habitat have an effective filtration system. The rounded sides of bowls-and relatively small opening at the top-seriously limit filter options. You should also choose a standard square tank over a bowl. Since bettas are used to swimming left-to-right in shallower waters, a deep tank is not ideal for their habits. There is no such thing as too much swimming space, so you could even do a 10-gallon tank-just be sure that the tank is not super deep. The minimal tank size for a betta is 5 gallons. So if you have a pet betta fish that’s protected from competitors and predators, wouldn’t you want to give them the extra space to thrive and not just survive? Betta Fish Tank Size They are actually prone to fin rot and other maladies-due to their long fins-and a poorly maintained or undersized fish tank can increase their risk or exacerbate an already developing issue. However, bettas don’t actually prefer small habitats, but rather, they use these environments to avoid their competitors and predators (which cannot survive there).Īnd bettas are still just as sensitive to the effects of ammonia exposure as any other fish species. It also allows them to gulp food from the water surface without worrying about the air disrupting their swim bladder. They are able to do this due to their “labyrinth organ,” which allows them to breathe air to a certain extent. The reason for this misconception is not entirely clear but seems to stem from the fact that the betta fish can breathe air and survive in oxygen-depleted environments. No fish should be forced to live in a bowl. While many people may think that bettas can live in small bowls, this is actually very inaccurate. The average betta fish life span is about 3-4 years.īut to help them live this long, you will need to provide them with the right fish tank, food, light, and mental stimulation. The first betta fish didn’t enter the United States until 1910. He studied and bred them, and by the 1890s, betta fish were being imported into France and Germany. The betta fish gained European attention in 1840 when the King gave a few of them to a Danish physician named Dr. As these contests grew in popularity, the King of Siam began to regulate and tax betta fish. Get to Know the Betta Fishīetta fish naturally live across tropical Southeast Asia (especially Thailand) in small, warm, stagnant bodies of water.Īround 150 years ago in Thailand, betta fish started to become pets when kids would collect them from the rice paddies and place them together to watch them spar. Here’s what it really takes to properly care for a betta, including their history, life span, feeding requirements, tank setup and ideal tank mates, so you can set your betta fish up to thrive. This stems, by and large, from (1) expectations that bettas can be maintained on the cheap and (2) widespread exaggerations of their hardiness. However, despite their popularity in the fish world, many people are still unfamiliar with their care requirements. The “Siamese fighting fish,” or betta ( Betta splendens), is an undeniably unique fish.Įven amongst its “labyrinth fish” relatives such as gouramis (Family Anabantidae), the betta fish is a real standout.īetta fish, which is actually pronounced “bet-tah” fish, not “bay-tah” fish, have long been clear favorites of novice and advanced aquarists alike.
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