Chewbacca a Turquoise male in a 5 gallon Hex tank.               Scully a Red Cambodian female in a 29 Gal 

                                                                                                Tropical Community tank

Betta Splendens or Siamese Fighting Fish are a beautiful and hardy fish. Unfortunately their needs are often grossly disproportioned by retailers looking to make a fast buck.  They are a great beginner fish due to their hardiness, but that does not mean that their needs should be underestimated. They require time, money, and devotion just like any other pet. If you cannot provide that then this is not a suitable pet for you.

Temperature: Bettas are a tropical fish and should be kept at 75-82 degrees. Never keep your betta at temperatures below 72 degrees. As a cold blooded animal, extreme temperatures will slow down your bettas metabolism, making them sluggish, weakening their immune system, and causing stress.I often hear people say: "I don't want a betta./ I had a betta...they are so boring all they do is sit there and don't even move." How is this any suprise when the fish in question is being kept in a tank so small it can barely move; and at temperatures of 70 degrees or less! It's muscles are atrophied and what energy it has is being employed in keeping the animal alive! Even if it did have the strength where is it going to swim? In little circles? Whoever thinks that this is an ideal situation for these fish needs to reevaluate a bit. (Hops off Soapbox)

PH: Bettas like a slightly acidic to nuetral ph (6.5-7.0) However they are extremely adaptable and can thrive in a wide range of ph. In captivity a slightly basic ph with sufficient alkalinity to keep the ph stable is best. A less then perfect ph is much better then an unstable one which can cause osmotic stress.

Chlorine/Chloramine: Chlorine and Chloramines in your tap water are toxic to your fish! Always dechlorinate water before exposing your fish to it. Avoid distilled or spring water as it lacks the essential minerals your betta needs to thrive.

Ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte: when organic material decays in your tank Ammonia is produced which is toxic to your fish. In an unfiltered aquarium do frequent 100% water changes to keep ammonia at 0 all the time. Do not allow your betta to be exposed to ammonia. This may mean changing water as often as every other day if your betta is housed in abnormally small aquaria. If your tank is filtered and cycled, no Ammonia or nitrIte should be present. Do regular partial water changes to keep NitrAtes below 20. Kits are available to test for these parameters or many Pet Supply stores will test water samples for no charge. Water changes are the key to a healthy happy fish.

Housing: Contrary to popular opinion bettas do not thrive in tiny cramped aquaria. It is true that they are very hardy fish and can survive for awhile in such conditions. But who wants their fish to be barely alive? Autopsy reports done on bettas kept in small cramped quarters show muscle atrophy leading to a shorter lifespan. You cannot appreciate the true beauty of these fish until you see them in proper housing with room to stretch their fins...Their colours are more vivid than any food can make them and their wiggle dances for food will stretch the borders of your self control. Provide your betta with a bare minimum of one gallon, 2-10 gallons is ideal. Do not try to cycle an aquaria under 4 gallons. It is a very delicate balance and mini cycles will expose your betta to toxic ammonia and nitrIte. In a larger 4-10 gallon aquarium choose mild filtration that will accommodate your betta's long flowing fins. Bettas do not like strong current. Your filter should pump no more then 5x the volume of the tank per hour, and should provide separate components for mechanical, and biological filtration at least. Use caution when adding decor to your betta's tank. Sharp objects can rip his delicate finnage. Bettas breath air from the surface of the water using a special organ called a labyrinth lung so do not obstruct the surface with objects such as plant roots. Do put a lid on your bettas tank as they sometimes jump!

Diet: Bettas are carnivores and should have a diet of animal protein. Choose food with 40% or more protein. They will enjoy a high quality pellet,or flake, frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, frozen beefheart, frozen or live daphnia, live blackworms, white worms, or grindal worms, or live vestigial fruit flies. Avoid freeze dried which has low nutritional value and can cause constipation. And also avoid tubifex worms which often carry parasites. Bettas enjoy variety in their diet. Feed bettas very sparingly, enough food to make up the mass on one of their eyes, once or twice a day, 6 days a week.

Illness: Bettas are hardy fish and with proper care may never be sick. The most common ailment is finrot caused by poor water quality. Clean the tank and treat mild finrot with aquarium salt (Not Marine or table salt!) and a meleuca (Melafix, Bettafix etc) derived medication. Fast moving or persistent finrot should be treated with a broad spectrum antibiotic. Know your fish! When you think he is acting sick he probably is. Seek out help from an aquatic specialist.

Lifespan: With proper care you can enjoy your betta for 3-7 years, a much more worthy lifespan then one or two years in a cramped and cold bowl or vase.

Other: Never house more then one male together!! Never house a male and female together except for breeding purposes with properly conditioned fish. Females can be housed together in groups of three or more providing at least 2 gallons per fish and plenty of hiding places. Betta fighting is Animal abuse!

Contrary to popular belief female bettas can be just as colorful and glamorous as their male counterparts. And they have wonderfull personalities all their own, they are wonderful centerpieces of tropical community aquariums, great as a sorority tank of several lady bettas, or in tanks by themselves.

Betta is pronounced Bet-ah, not Bay-Ta. Beta is a letter in the Greek alphabet, Betta is a fish.

Place a small mirror by your pets aquarium for 15 minutes or so once or twice a week so he or she can exersize themselves flaring at the intruding betta they see. You will enjoy this too!

Watch your betta 5 minutes or more every day, a betta observed is one appreciated. One ignored is one forgotten.

Male bettas (and sometimes females) build nests out of bubbles to house their fry in, if your betta is building bubblenests don't be alarmed it is normal behavior and marks the fishes good health and humor. Some males will build nests right before a storm.