How to Care For Your Betta Fish
Caring for your betta fish is most essential especially if you want them looking beautiful and healthy.
These care tips below will guide you through the steps you need in order to look after your betta fish properly.
Home You will first want to find them a home, I recommend a tank that is at least 5 gallons (23 litres), or even better an aquarium.
Decorate Your Tank Next, you will want to decorate your tank to give your betta fish a more caring environment.
This means using nicely coloured gravel, some plants and some ornaments to create hiding places for your betta fish.
Water You will then need to add the water.
The water must be treated with a water conditioner which will remove chemicals such as chlorine and other heavy metals from the water which could be harmful to your betta.
Then fill your tank.
If your tank is without a top cover then use a mesh cloth to cover the top of the tank as betta fish have been known to jump over 3 inches and out the tank.
You will need to buy a water filter in order to keep the tank clean, which will help prevent bacteria.
You will need to clean the tank about once a week which involves clearing any build up from the sides of the tank, whilst removing your betta fish from the tank, also you will need to change 25-50% of the water with new water, treated with water conditioner and heated to about 78ºF.
You may then reintroduce your betta fish once the water temperature is the same as before as a shift in water temperature can cause stress to the betta fish and can lower their immune system.
Temperature The temperature of the water in the tank must be kept between 78º-82ºF.
For this you will need to buy a water heater in order to keep the water temperature stable, as fluctuations in water temperature can cause stress to the fish which in turn can cause illness.
Feeding Feeding your fish is obviously essential to their living.
It is also essential to the quality of their health and to the way they look e.
g.
how colourful they are, how well their overall condition is, how their tail looks.
It is generally best to feed your betta fish about two times per day.
You should feed them pellets or flakes that are rich in protein to enhance their colours.
You may also feed them frozen or freeze fried foods such as brine shrimp or blood worms but avoid feeding them live foods to prevent the spread of parasites which could result in diseases such as ick.
You may also want to vary the diet of your fish, as without a varied diet they may become constipated and may resemble the characteristics of the disease swim bladder disorder.
Also remember to clean the tank of any uneaten food as this could cause bacteria to grow, which is the number one reason why fish contract diseases.
These care tips below will guide you through the steps you need in order to look after your betta fish properly.
Home You will first want to find them a home, I recommend a tank that is at least 5 gallons (23 litres), or even better an aquarium.
Decorate Your Tank Next, you will want to decorate your tank to give your betta fish a more caring environment.
This means using nicely coloured gravel, some plants and some ornaments to create hiding places for your betta fish.
Water You will then need to add the water.
The water must be treated with a water conditioner which will remove chemicals such as chlorine and other heavy metals from the water which could be harmful to your betta.
Then fill your tank.
If your tank is without a top cover then use a mesh cloth to cover the top of the tank as betta fish have been known to jump over 3 inches and out the tank.
You will need to buy a water filter in order to keep the tank clean, which will help prevent bacteria.
You will need to clean the tank about once a week which involves clearing any build up from the sides of the tank, whilst removing your betta fish from the tank, also you will need to change 25-50% of the water with new water, treated with water conditioner and heated to about 78ºF.
You may then reintroduce your betta fish once the water temperature is the same as before as a shift in water temperature can cause stress to the betta fish and can lower their immune system.
Temperature The temperature of the water in the tank must be kept between 78º-82ºF.
For this you will need to buy a water heater in order to keep the water temperature stable, as fluctuations in water temperature can cause stress to the fish which in turn can cause illness.
Feeding Feeding your fish is obviously essential to their living.
It is also essential to the quality of their health and to the way they look e.
g.
how colourful they are, how well their overall condition is, how their tail looks.
It is generally best to feed your betta fish about two times per day.
You should feed them pellets or flakes that are rich in protein to enhance their colours.
You may also feed them frozen or freeze fried foods such as brine shrimp or blood worms but avoid feeding them live foods to prevent the spread of parasites which could result in diseases such as ick.
You may also want to vary the diet of your fish, as without a varied diet they may become constipated and may resemble the characteristics of the disease swim bladder disorder.
Also remember to clean the tank of any uneaten food as this could cause bacteria to grow, which is the number one reason why fish contract diseases.
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