Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Choosing a fish
• Part 2 of 4: Setting up the aquarium
• Part 3 of 4: Routine grooming
• Part 4 of 4: Dealing with health risks
• Warnings

Also called siamese fighting fish, betta fish are very popular pets. They are usually easy to care for and, under the right conditions, can live for several years. Wild bettas live an average of 2 years. However, a captive betta can live for 4 years or more with proper care.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Choosing a fish

1. Choose a healthy fish. Make sure to buy the fish from a store or from a good caretaker. It can be difficult to determine what your fish's life was like before you got it. You may not know how old he is or if he carries any disease. Bettas from a store can be stressed or sick and kept in poor conditions. These things can contribute to your pet's early death.
   • Healthy fish are more active than unhealthy fish.
   • Watch for signs of physical injury.
   • Watch for discolorations that could indicate illness. Note: some betta species naturally have spots.
2. Buy a blue betta. This is because most betta foods have an ingredient that makes red betta's redder, but strengthens the blue betta's immune system. The red color enhancers are called carotenes (orange, like carrots) and enhance orange, red and yellow in your betta. However, this does not give blue bettas a color boost, but a stronger immune system. In fact, females find these blue males more attractive than others who have not taken color enhancers.
3. Choose a younger fish. Many people do not know the age of their fish. It is possible to buy a fish at a later age, which will reduce the amount of time you have it. By buying a younger fish you increase the chance that you will have the fish for a long time. A small fish is likely a young fish, although this is not always the case. As betta's age, their fins get longer and their bodies get bigger. Although bettas naturally vary in size, your fish is more likely to be young when it is smaller. If you want to make sure you are buying a juvenile fish, contact a betta breeder.
   • Too young a fish is not good. They are easily upset when placed in a different environment.
4. Examine the water it is being held in. Check if it is dirty. Check for too much food in the water, which indicates that the fish is overeating or not eating. These could be signs of poor grooming, potentially shortening the life of your fish.
5. Look at the other fish. Just because the fish you've chosen looks healthy doesn't mean it hasn't contracted illness from the water the store provides. He may have acquired something from other fish, if there were several fish in an aquarium. If many of the other fish in the same tank seem sick, so could your fish.
6. Never buy more than one fish at a time. While it is possible to keep bettas together in an aquarium, each fish has its own personality. To ensure that your fish are not injured, it is better to keep your betta in a separate tank and not to buy other fish at the same time unless you have researched all the information.

Part 2 of 4: Setting up the aquarium

1. Select the correct size. Although many people say that bettas are happy in small pools, these fish prefer a habitat that is 12-40 inches deep, comparable to the depth of the rice paddies in which they are common. Choose an aquarium with a capacity of at least several gallons so that your betta has plenty of room to swim around. In general, an aquarium of less than 7.5 liters will not be large enough.
2. Add plants. Plants are a good addition to your aquarium. Many people choose artificial plants because they require less maintenance. Live plants do indeed require some care, but can improve the quality of the water by filtering it and adding oxygen. Whether you choose artificial or real plants, it is important to choose plants that do not have hard or sharp edges or surfaces. These can damage the fragile fins of your fish. Here are some plants that are safe for your fish.
   • Silk plants
   • Live Java ferns
   • Live pine moss
3. Add clean water. This is one of the most essential parts of aquarium design. Tap water can kill your fish. Tap water often contains chemicals such as chlorine, fluoxetine and more that are very harmful to fish. These substances can seriously harm your fish and shorten their life. It is crucial that you buy water conditioner to add to the aquarium water before putting your fish in the water. The water may need to be empty for several days so that there is enough oxygen in the water for your fish to breathe.
4. Heat the water in the aquarium. When the water comes out of the tap, it is usually not the right temperature for your fish. Since Bettas are native to Southeast Asia, they prefer warm water. The ideal water temperature is 22 to 27 degrees Celsius. You may need to buy a heater and thermometer to accomplish this and keep your fish healthy.
   • Warm water will make your fish more active and help with their general health.
   • If they get too cold, they can die.
   • When setting up the aquarium, it will take a while for the water to heat up. Let it heat up for a day or two before putting your fish in it.
   • In addition, when introducing your fish to its aquarium, it is important that the temperature of the water it comes out of is the same as the water in the aquarium.Leave the bag or container containing the fish in the aquarium for a while to get the same temperature so that the temperature difference does not shock your fish, which can cause death.
5. Choose good companions. You cannot just place a betta in an aquarium with all the fish. They are aggressive. Two male bettas in the same tank are likely to kill each other. While female bettas can live together, they too can injure each other. Many people therefore choose to keep bettas separate. However, if you do want to give them companions, choose the appropriate strains.
   • Neon tetra (in a school)
   • Brush nose
   • Kryptopterus vitreolus

Part 3 of 4: Routine grooming

1. Make a schedule for your routine. Without routine grooming, your fish will die prematurely. Remember, a fish cannot tell you when it is hungry or when its water is dirty. To maximize the length of your fish's life, you need to groom it regularly. Making a schedule for yourself will help you stick to it.
2. Feed your fish well. Feed your fish regularly. It is important to select foods that are suitable for your fish. Many pet stores sell food specifically for bettas, but even then it is important to check the ingredients. Avoid foods that consist mainly of fish meal.
   • Many bettas don't like flakes.
   • You can find pellets made especially for bettas at most fish stores.
   • Freeze-dried or frozen fish foods, such as bloodworms or brine shrimp, are a good addition to the betta pellet diet.
   • Choose live foods if you can. Research has shown that processed foods, such as store-bought dry fish food, have a major impact on your betta's health if they make up more than 25% of their diet. Not many bettas have the privilege of always being fed live food. While live food can be expensive and time consuming, it has major health benefits for your betta.
   • Buy a timed feeding system for your fish when you go on vacation so it doesn't starve to death while you're away.
3. Clean the water. You will need to change the water in your fish from time to time. How often depends on the size of the aquarium, whether you use a filter and whether you have live plants in the aquarium. You can buy test kits to test the water. This will ensure that your fish has a clean, healthy living environment, maximizing its lifespan.
4. Clean the aquarium. Algae can grow on the walls of an aquarium and should be removed to maintain the quality of the water and to keep a clear view of your fish. The stones or sand at the bottom of the aquarium should also be cleaned or replaced regularly. Feces build up at the bottom of the tank can make your fish sick and lead to death. Filters can help, but even then you will probably need to remove the grime with a siphon hose.
   • Buy a siphon hose so that you can siphon dirt and water from the aquarium into a bucket.
   • Buy a magnetic cleaning kit or long aquarium sponge so you don't have to get wet to remove the algae.
   • Do not use soap to clean your tank. A good scrubbing (without chemicals or cleaning agents) is often sufficient.
5. Play with your fish. Because of their imposing displays of aggression, most people enjoy using mirrors to induce their betta to show its fins. While this can cause stress to your fish if you do it too often, it is not harmful if you do it occasionally. Research shows that while the winners of Betta battles use more oxygen, there are no significant consequences associated with these displays. Giving your betta a mirror can give it exercise and make it less aggressive towards other fish due to the stimulation.

Part 4 of 4: Dealing with health risks

1. Watch for signs of illness. You can often already know how your fish is feeling by looking at it. There are many signs that your fish is sick. Take some time to examine your fish from time to time to make sure it looks healthy. This way you can avoid having to see your fish suffer from a disease. Some things to watch out for:
   • Loss of appetite
   • Sanding against stones or plants
   • Lie still on the bottom of the aquarium
   • Swim upside down or on his side
   • White excrement
   • Faded color
   • White spots
2. Take a water sample. Water samples can be analyzed at home with a kit that you can get online or at a pet store. You can also take the water sample to a pet store to be examined by a professional. Checking the water is one of the best ways to find out the nature of your fish's problems. It can tell you if there is an imbalance in the water that is causing your fish's health problems.
3. Keep the water at 27 degrees Celsius. If your water is too cold, your fish can get sick. 27 degrees is the optimal temperature for your fish, and not optimal for many diseases. Thus, it can help slow the life cycle of many diseases, such as ich. In addition, it will strengthen the immune system of your fish.
4. Clean the water and the aquarium. It may not come as a surprise, but if your fish is sick it is likely that the entire aquarium has been affected. Take time to thoroughly clean the water, gravel, and walls of the tank if your fish is sick. Do not use cleaning products as this can kill your fish.
5. Separate your betta from other fish that are sick or that could harm it. Bettas can harm and be harmed by other fish, but they can also get diseases from each other like other animals. It is important to separate them in such a situation. You may then need a small separate aquarium.

Warnings

• Do not put stones or shells in the tank that you have not bought from a pet store, they can affect your water quality and lead to the death of your fish.