Proper Betta Care
Giving you Betta their best life
Betta fish are very social and intelligent fish. They make great pets and are even capable of feeling love!
HOUSING:
The minimum tank size for a Betta is 5 gallons, however they thrive in larger tanks.
Male Betta fish should never be housed with other males, however some males dont mind tank mates. If you want to put other creatures in with your Betta man you're going to need at least a 10 gallon tank. Some suitable tank mates for bettas include: short finned tetras, snails, shrimp, minnows, loaches, Corey Cats, Molly/Platy fish, and plecos. You want to avoid fish with flashy fins, and understand the risk that you may wake up and see your betta slaughtered all of his tank mates. Some mild fighting/chasing/curiosity is normal at first, so don't be alarmed if you see this behavior. Most bettas calm down once they get used to the tank, but some may think you put them in an all to eat buffet. Female housing- Girls are generally less aggressive and serve as better options for community tanks, but they also do just fine alone. Females can be housed in a sorority tank with other females. Females should be housed in groups of four or more in at least a 10 gal tank (20 preferably). Always have a backup plan when starting a sorority and do loads of research beforehand. Sororities Can be difficult and all females have different personalities, be prepared!
Heating-
Bettas are tropical fish which means they require warm water. You will need at least a 20 watt heater and a thermometer as the temperature should be between 76-82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Filters-
Unlike the myths that Bettas will do fine in still water they do require a filter. You will want one that has a light flow because they do not enjoy strong currents. Sponge filters work best as you can adjust the flow easily.
Decor-
Betta fish love lots of live plants, if you are not able to purchase live plants silk plants will work too. Don’t buy plastic plants as they can rip your bettas fins.
Your betta will enjoy drift wood, betta hammocks and floating betta logs. Indian Almond leaves or Capatta leaves are also recommended as they release tannins that soften the water.
Feeding-
Betta fish are naturally carnivores and should be fed a very diverse diet, frozen foods such as brines shrimp & blood worms can be fed once or twice a week. Fluval bug bites or other high protein betta pellets should be fed as their regular diet. You only need to feed your betta once a day, be careful you don't overfeed as you can make your betta bloated. This is why it's a good idea to skip a day of feeding after you give your fish a lot of frozen food.
If you want to feed live food (your betta will love it) you can buy flightless fruit flies or raise your own brine shrimp.
