Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions on BETTA FISH Explained

Siamese fighting fish, B. splendens, is often referred to as betta in the U.S.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Betta Fish, arguably the most popular type of fish found in the home today across all the world. This astonishing fish displays a vibrant personality whilst posing the most magnificent colour and fin structure helping to create a truly jaw-dropping aquarium that you can show off to your guests!

Originating from the paddy fields of Vietnam, Betta is an astounding fish and I will be answering in this article the 10 most popular questions I get asked on a regular basis about Betta Fish. So let's get started...

1. How Do You Stop Betta Fish From fighting?

This is probably one of the most popular questions I get asked!

In my experience, I've found a few ways that work...

One way is simply to get a bigger tank. With the bigger tank you can include a couple of new plants, bear in mind you don't want to overdo it with the plants otherwise you will ruin your fish display (not very appealing to your guests!). By making the tank bigger and introducing a few more plants it creates extra hiding places for your Betta when the aggressive one is on the warpath!

A second way is to simply separate the aggressive fish from the rest. This can be done by putting a divider into your tank, or by taking the aggressive fish out and putting it into a new tank. I would personally recommend putting a divider into your tank, size permitting of course, as your Betta will know the other Betta Fish are there. It also helps when it comes to the breeding process because introductions would have already been made.

Thirdly, you must NEVER, I repeat NEVER put a male Betta in with another male Betta Fish, period! Otherwise, they will fight to the death (this is why they are also known as Siamese Fighting Fish!). So by not keeping males together, this will reduce fighting astronomically.

Female Betta's have been known to be aggressive and fight between each other, particularly if you have 2 together. However, this is just an "I'm the leader" thing going on between them and usually wears off, but a technique I've used and seen have great success to stop this happening is to add a 3rd female into the tank. By doing this any tension between the previous two is removed - try it, you'll be surprised how effective it is!

2. Can You Keep Male and Female Betta Fish Together?

Yes yo,u can. However, I would recommend keeping a close eye on the male Betta just in case he becomes too aggressive and the female needs to be removed. As I mentioned above, having plants in the tank can help the female hide if the male becomes aggressive.

3. How Do You Tell the Difference Between a Male and Female Betta Fish

I always remember the saying "It's easy when you know how..." when I get asked this question because when I first started breeding Betta Fish it took me ages to recognise the difference between a male and a female...

You will tend to find that female Betta's have fat bellies where males tend to have a more streamlined structure. Also, you will find that males have a longer body and fins whereas the females are shorter in body size and fin length.

Also, male Betta Fish tend to have more colour and longer pointed anal fins compared to their female counterparts (sorry ladies!). You will also find female anal fins are more level to their body. The anal fin is the rigid looking fin coming from the bottom of the Betta Fish.

However, one giveaway of a female is her white spot on the underside of her belly. This white spot is called the ovipositor and is used during the breeding process.

4. What are the Best Caring Tips for Betta fish?

Lots of people have written books on the subject of caring for Betta Fish but I'm going to give you my best tips that I've picked up along the way...

- Test your water's acidity level regularly. A PH level of 7 works best in my experience.

- Always try and keep the water temperature at around 75-80 Fahrenheit. I would recommend testing this regularly using a floating thermometer because big drops in water temperature can cause stress on your fish. Floating thermometers in my experience give the best accuracy reading because they are kept in the tank water.

- Always keep a lid/cover over the top of your tank with air holes in it because Betta Fish can jump and you might not be there to catch them!

- Any filtration system should be kept at a low level and you must take care not to put the air intake in such a position that it could cause your Betta to get hurt. Having your filter system at a high setting has been known to cause stress to your Betta.

- Try and clean your tank regularly, ideally twice a week. Remove bits of food caught under the stones, castles or leaves of your tank.

- As a rule of thumb I recommend 3 quarters of a gallon per Betta fish in your tank. Also, try and get a spacious tank to allow your Betta plenty of room to show off their personality, you'll be surprised some are very exciting to watch!

I've always found if you love your Betta like you love your own then you won't go far wrong, and with implementing the above you will be well on your way to having truly astonishing Betta Fish.

5. What Should I Feed My Betta Fish?

Surprisingly, Betta Fish are known to be fussy eaters (and you thought us humans were bad!). So it is best to feed them on a variety of foods, such as:

- Brine shrimp

- Daphnia

- Frozen Bloodworms

- Blackworms (Tubifex) worms

- Combination Betta Pellets from Pet Shops

- Powder Fish Food if feeding Fry

- Vegetables (such as green beans, not a whole one but in tiny portions)

I tend to find a regular feeding pattern of 2-3 times a day works best for Betta. Try as well to make portions eaten in one sitting otherwise any leftover food could lead to additional bacteria in the tank potentially causing disease for your Betta Fish.

6. What are Betta Fish also Known as?

Not a lot of people know this but Betta Fish are also known as Siamese Fighting Fish. The name originates because of the males aggressiveness and their "Fight to the Death" attitude if two males are put in the same tank together.

Betta fish are often referred to as Betta Splendens but this is a type of breed of Betta, which leads us nicely onto the next question...

7. What are the Different Types of Betta Fish Available?

There are many types of Betta Fish available, the most popular types I've listed below:

- Betta Splendens (the most common type)

- Betta Bellica

- Betta Coccina

- Betta Picta

Some of the most popular Tail Types of Betta are:

- Veil Tail (this generally the most common tail type that you find at the pet stores)

- Delta Fish (normally any fish under the 180 degree tail span is considered a Delta)

- Super Delta Fish (normally any Betta with a tail span of 120-180 degrees)

- Fan Tail (the Betta's tail displays a smoothly rounded edge)

- Half Moon (as it's name suggest it's tail is the shape of a half moon - a 180 degrees span, this is the fish most breeders strive to achieve and display a truly fabulous colour!)

- Pin (Spade) Tail (the Betta's tail is pointed at the end)

Depending on what you are looking for this should hopefully give you enough information to choose a Betta fish at the pet store! ;-)

8. Can I Put Bamboo in With My Betta Fish?

Bamboo or Lucky Bamboo as it is also known, the type that is sold from pet stores, can be put into your tank with your Betta Fish. The bamboo can make your tank look more attractive and appealing to your guests, which is always a bonus!

However, what I recommend is that the bamboo is washed thoroughly before entry into the tank to help ensure there are no chemicals on it that could hurt your Betta. Also, it is a good idea to check the bamboo regularly just to see if it is rotting because it could release bacteria into your tank's water that could potentially harm your Betta fish. Changing your tank's water often will reduce the threat of bacteria happening.

9. What Ammonia Level Should My Tank Be At?

Ideally, you want an ammonia level between 0-0.5. By changing your water regularly (about 30-50% twice a week, if you have high ammonia) this will help reduce the ammonia in your tank.

It is a good idea to monitor ammonia levels on a regular basis because a high level is not healthy for your Betta Fish.

10. Would a Father Betta Harm His Children?

Unfortunately, a male (Father) Betta would harm his children (Fry). Although the Father is very protective of the Fry during the spawning process it is common for them to attack the Fry as they become bigger and able to look after themselves.

I recommend removing the Father from the tank once the Fry is able to swim freely, usually 7-10 days after birth because he can become very aggressive towards them and potentially cause them harm.

That's the answers to the 10 most asked questions I get on a regular basis. I hope you found this information useful and are able to put it to good effect.

By Simon Anderson - Article Source: EzineArticles

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How That BETTA FISH Became Your Finned Friend: The Origins Of BETTA SPLENDENS

Photo: Flickr - Gomagoti

Over the last twenty or thirty years, Betta fish have become increasingly popular pets in not only the United States (where their popularity of late has really boomed) but also all over the world. Our finned friends have begun to catch on big-time, but most people don’t even know where these little guys came from. The colorful, beautiful fish we keep as pets today have a history, and what a history it is. In fact, the Betta fish of 150+ years ago wouldn’t be recognizable as the same species today. Have I got you curious? Ready to learn the mysteries behind that beauty swimming back and forth in his 10-gallon tank on your desk? Alright, here we go!

As many of you may already know, Betta fish originated in Thailand and bordering nations, and were originally bred for fighting, not for show. In fact, roughly 150 years ago, Betta fish fighting was actually taxed and regulated by the king of Siam (Siam is now called Thailand, and is where the “Siamese Fighting Fish” title comes from). Bets would be placed on a simple fight between two little fish in which men might wager their money, homes, and even children on the outcome. Despite being an understandably opposed practice today, prize-fighting Bettas had relatively cushy lives: After a Betta had won a single fight, he was usually retired and allowed to breed thereafter.

It is also worth noting that these Betta fish fights were not (thankfully) to the death, instead the first fish to retreat was determined the loser. As such, the Siamese would breed these fish based on the “bravest”, largest, and strongest/most aggressive fish instead of the colors and flowing fins they are bred for today. In fact, the Betta of this time were generally dull-colored and flowing fins were seen as undesirable because they were easier for an enemy fish to bite it.

It was not until 1896 that Bettas began to appear outside of Asia, when a few breeding pairs were introduced in Germany, and not until 1910 did the species start to show up in America. Though scientist Frank Locke of San Franciso received several Betta Splendens, he thought he had discovered a new species when one of his fish had longer, red fins. In fact, what he was actually seeing was the first of a natural mutation in the Betta Splendens species that gave them more color. Since then, these fish have been bred increasingly for color, fin size/shape, and a favorable demeanor and raised to be sold as household pets, not fighters.

But it took some time to get here, and Bettas even today are continuously bred for new color combinations and such. What’s more incredible, is that the fish species really only has a few base colors in its genetic code, but combining these has produced the wide array of fish we see today.

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Do SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH Need Filters?

Two colorful female Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), also called "Siamese fighting fish" or simply "Bettas"
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Does a Siamese Fighting Fish need a filter? The answer is yes and no. A Siamese Fighting Fish is a labyrinth fish, meaning that it is capable of removing oxygen from the air as humans do. So unlike most fish, a Siamese Fighting Fish does not need a filter to oxygenate the water in their tank. 

However, like most fish, a Siamese Fighting Fish has little tolerance for ammonia. Ammonia poisoning is a common cause of death in Siamese Fighting Fish, simply because not enough water changes were performed when necessary. Ammonia in high levels will kill a Siamese Fighting Fish but the levels before this are enough to weaken a Siamese Fighter's immune system, leaving them vulnerable to bacteria and fungus infections. And this is why a Siamese Fighting Fish needs a filter.

If you are not prepared or have the time to set water and do waters changes every couple of days, then you may need to look at putting a filter in with your Fighter. With a good established biological filter in your fighter tank, water changes may be cut by more than half. Note established biologically. This is not something that happens overnight or as soon as you turn your filter on. A good filter will work three ways in your tank, mechanical, chemical and biological.

Once you have set your filter up in your tank and turned it on the mechanical, which pulls debris into the filter starts working as well as the chemical aspect, removing certain, not all chemical and metals from the water. However, it is the biological aspect that confuses most people.

Biological refers to the good bacteria necessary to break down fish waste, leftover food, and other decaying matter. And there is only one way to get instant bacteria in a new filter, and that is by putting either sponges, bio-balls or filter wool from a filter that is already established into the new filter.

A simple water test will tell you if the filter is established or not. If the ammonia and nitrite readings are zero and there is a nitrate reading then the filter is established and some of its filter media may be used to seed the new filter. However, if there is any reading in either or both the ammonia and nitrite tests, then the filter is not fully established and not ready to seed a new filter. If asked some Local Pet Shops will sell you some of their filter media to seed your new filter if you do not have an established filter at home.

You can establish biological in your filter from scratch, which can take from six weeks to six months depending on the method you use. But using your Siamese Fighting Fish is not a good idea at all. There is a good chance that your Fighter will not survive the cycling process, even with the help of live bacteria cultures that are available on the market today. While this information may sound daunting, time-consuming or simply too difficult, ask yourself which do you prefer, water changes every couple of days or water changes when then nitrate reading is 20 (which depending on the size of your tank, filter and how you feed maybe once a fortnight or month)?

Your Siamese Fighting Fish will be happier and his immune system better with an established filter in his tank, providing him with cleaner water for longer. Just watch that the current produced by the filter is not too fast for his long flowing fins. If your Siamese Fighting Fish suddenly goes into hiding, then you will need to slow the water flow down. This can be achieved by either controlling the output of the filter or using a spray bar to diffuse the water over a larger area.

The last important thing to remember with filters is that when you rinse them out when you do a water change, DO NOT USE WATER FROM THE TAP. Councils adds chlorine to our water to kill bacteria and this is what will happen to the good bacteria that you need in your filter. Rinse your filter out in water from your tank and by doing so save the bacteria that you need.

By Kerry Stubbs - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Setting Water For SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH

Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), female, (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many people believe and are encouraged by their Local Pet Shop, to simply use water from the tap and only add chlorine neutralizer when obtaining water for their Siamese Fighter's tank. While this method will work for a small percentage of locations, it is a recipe for an unhappy, sick or dead Siamese Fighter in most locations. With the numerous chemicals used to treat our water, gone or the days when you simply add water than fish.

Phosphate is added to our water to prevent pipes from rusting and in very small amounts is beneficial to fish, but in large quantities is a silent killer. Phosphate is not like chlorine that will dissipate from the water within a given time frame. It is the opposite, building in concentration if the correct water is not used in water changes. A simple test kit will tell you what the phosphate reading is in your water daily. You will find that certain days the water will be unusable and others the reading is fine. It is on these days that you fill a drum with water to get ready to set.

PH is the next factor to take into consideration for your Siamese Fighting Fish. Siamese Fighting Fish like a PH range of 6.8 to 7. Once again a simple test will tell you what the PH of your tap water is. However, it is important to retest the same water after you have let it sit with an air stone or pump to turn it over for at least 24 hours. Depending on your location, the PH may rise, fall or stay the same. A PH that stays the same or falls is easier to set to the necessary requirements than one that rises. To adjust your PH up or down, you can purchase products from your Local Pet Shop, but steer clear from the powder forms of these products, as they can create phosphate problems. 

The liquid products are the better alternative. If you are adjusting large amounts of water, 200L or more a week, these products are expensive. Alternatives are Bi-Carb Soda (baking soda) for PH up and Hydrochloric Acid for PH down. Hydrochloric Acid is a corrosive poison, so follow all the safety directions on the container and store in an appropriate location. Hydrochloric acid can be purchased from a pool shop. Add small amounts of PH up or down, and retest the PH around an hour later. Sometimes, it may seem that nothing is happening, then all of a sudden there are results. This is why it is better to do this in a separate container than in your Siamese Fighter's tank, where you can do harm.

Once you have the PH range, you need to set the water hardness. For Siamese Fighting Fish, the water hardness range is 450 TDS (totally dissolved solids) or a KH of 2-3 and a GH 4-5. This is important as it measures the mineral content in the water. Not enough minerals, means a sick or dead Siamese Fighting Fish. If your water is above this range, mixing with rainwater or RO water will help you to lower the reading. If your water is below this range, adding tropical salt, aquarium salt or rock salt will raise your water hardness. Be aware that some commercial aquarium salts will create phosphate, just like the powder form of PH up and down, so check that the one you are using is fine. Also check the PH level again, as this may raise with the adding of the salt.

Once you have all these areas in range for Siamese Fighting Fish, it is right to use. Because of the time is taken to set water, it is advisable to set enough water for several water changes. This allows you time to set more water before you need it. Store set water away from chemicals, such as insect sprays, hair sprays, deodorants and cleaning products, as these are all deadly for any fish. As time-consuming as this may sound, it is better for you Siamese Fighting Fish. If you cannot find the time to set the water correctly, check with your local pet shop as several wholesalers now sell bottled water especially for Siamese Fighting Fish.

By Kerry Stubbs - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Getting the Best Out of BETTA FISH Bowls

Betta fish bowls are easier to maintain than larger fish tanks. If you do not want a large aquarium or you don’t have any plans of expanding the number of fish you have in the future, a bowl can serve as the home of your Betta fish. There was a huge issue before whether it is advisable to use a bowl to house a fish.

Beta Fish Bowl - Photo by thezartorialist.com

People back then put gold fish in fish bowls and it created a rage among animal activists because according to them this kind of fish should thrive in a large aquarium. The Betta, on the other hand, should have no problems with a bowl because it only grows 2 to 3 inches max. It also has a labyrinth organ that allows them to take oxygen directly from the atmosphere in addition to the oxygen taken from water using their gills. This is the organ that enables them to gulp air and spit out bubbles to produce a bubble nest.

Betta fish are popular among beginners because they are pretty much inexpensive to care for and Betta fish bowls are easily accessible. Betta or Siamese Fighting Fish can live in smaller containers, unlike other aquarium fish. They can survive without filters and aerators that other fish can’t survive without. In Thailand (where they originated from), a lot of native breeders just keep them in 2-liter bottles. Some even keep them in water-filled bags and they manage to keep the fish alive.

When we’re talking about Betta fish bowls, you have to get at least 1.5 to 2 gallons. Anything less than this is not really recommended. You might have seen pet owners who keep their Betta fish in plastic cups. This is not good, this is actually a cruel thing to do. Don’t take care of a fish if you want it to just merely survive. It is important to keep it healthy and happy otherwise it is better off in the wild. Buy a decent sized bowl so that the fish can swim around. It will be easier to maintain a larger bowl because waste can easily scatter.

Put the bowl in an area where the temperature ranges from 77EsF to 86EsF and since it will be difficult to install the heater, keep it away from sources of either hot or cold air like air conditioning vents and direct sunlight. You can decorate the bowl with live plants or silk plants. Aside from making the bowl look nicer, you also provide a hiding place for your Betta. Add some gravel but make sure you don’t overfeed because gravel catches uneaten food and it can rot which will pollute the water. You can put a filter in your bowl but make sure you get something that is intended for Betta fish bowls.

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Do SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH Need Filters?

Does a Siamese Fighting Fish need a filter? The answer is yes and no. A Siamese Fighting Fish is a labyrinth fish, meaning that it is capable of removing oxygen from the air as humans do. So unlike most fish, a Siamese Fighting Fish does not need a filter to oxygenate the water in their tank. However, like most fish, a Siamese Fighting Fish has little tolerance for ammonia. 

"Memnon" a cambodian coloured male Betta
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ammonia poisoning is a common cause of death in Siamese Fighting Fish, simply because not enough water changes were performed when necessary. Ammonia in high levels will kill a Siamese Fighting Fish but the levels before this is enough to weaken a Siamese Fighter's immune system, leaving them vulnerable to bacteria and fungus infections. And this is why a Siamese Fighting Fish needs a filter.

If you are not prepared or have the time to set water and do waters changes every couple of days, then you may need to look at putting a filter in with your Fighter. With a good established biological filter in your fighter tank, water changes may be cut by more than half. Note established biological. This is not something that happens overnight or as soon as you turn your filter on. A good filter will work three ways in your tank, mechanical, chemical and biological.

Once you have set your filter up in your tank and turned it on the mechanical, which pulls debris into the filter starts working as well as the chemical aspect, removing certain, not all chemical and metals from the water. However it is the biological aspect that confuses most people.

Biological refers to the good bacteria necessary to break down fish waste, leftover food and other decaying matter. And there is only one way to get instant bacteria in a new filter, and that is by putting either sponges, bio-balls or filter wool from a filter that is already established into the new filter.

A simply water test will tell you if the filter is established or not. If the ammonia and nitrite readings are zero and there is a nitrate reading then the filter is established and some of it's filter media may be used to seed the new filter. However if there is any reading in either or both the ammonia and nitrite tests, then the filter is not fully established and not ready to seed a new filter. If asked some Local Pet Shops will sell you some of their filter media to seed your new filter if you do not have an established filter at home.

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You can establish biological in your filter from scratch, which can take between six weeks to six months depending on the method you use. But using your Siamese Fighting Fish is not a good idea at all. There is a good chance that your Fighter will not survive the cycling process, even with the help of live bacteria cultures that are available on the market today. While this information may sound daunting, time consuming or simply too difficult, ask yourself which do you prefer, water changes every couple of days or water changes when then nitrate reading is 20 (which depending on the size of your tank, filter and how you feed may be once a fortnight or month)?

Your Siamese Fighting Fish will be happier and his immune system better with an established filter in his tank, providing him with cleaner water for longer. Just watch that the current produced by the filter is not too fast for his long flowing fins. If your Siamese Fighting Fish suddenly goes into hiding, then you will need to slow the water flow down. This can be achieved by either controlling the output of the filter or using a spray bar to diffuse the water over a larger area.

The last important thing to remember with filters is that when you rinse them out when you do a water change, DO NOT USE WATER FROM THE TAP. Councils adds chlorine to our water to kill bacteria and this is what will happen to the good bacteria that you need in your filter. Rinse your filter out in water from your tank and by doing so save the bacteria that you need.

Cutting down time spent on water changes means more time spent enjoying your Siamese Fighting Fish.

By Kerry Stubbs Article Source: EzineArticles

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Feeding A SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH

How much food is enough for a Siamese Fighting Fish? The answer is how much they want to eat within several minutes. Like humans, Siamese Fighting Fish have days when they won't eat much and other days when they will eat like pigs. They will eat more of their favourite food such as blackworms and mosquitoes larvae and less of some manufactured foods depending on your Siamese Fighting Fish.

You may even find that they will turn their noses up at some food. So instead of dropping food in the tank and racing off to do other jobs, when feeding you Siamese Fighting Fish it is a good idea to keep placing small amounts of food into the tank until your fighter has stopped eating. Any uneaten food should be removed so not to pollute the water.

Flickr Photo by  h080 

Food should be rotated between freeze dried, pellet, frozen and live. A variety of food will ensure that your Siamese Fighting Fish is receiving all the nutrition that it requires. Freeze dried foods include blood worm, brine shrimp, blackworm and Tubifex. A variety of pellet and flake food are available on the market at present, just check the protein content in the brand. You are wanting a brand that has around 45% protein in their product. Frozen food such as blood worm, brine shrimp and mysis shrimp can be purchased from most Local Pet Shop and stored in your freezer.

It is also a good idea to give your fighter one day a week without food. This day without food helps to clear it's digestive system. A green pea with the shell removed and squashed will also help clean a fighter's digestive system. If given after their day of starvation, you will have a better chance of your Siamese Fighting Fish eating it. Live food such as blackworms should be fed only two to three times a week, unless you are conditioning a pair for spawning. Live Blackworms can be stored in a container with fresh water in the bottom of your fridge. Change the water daily and feed a small amount of pellet or flake food twice a week. Blackworms also like banana skins as food.

A Siamese Fighting Fish will survive being fed only once a day, which means that the water will not be polluted as quickly. Although if they were given the choice, you would be feeding them three times a day. Which to condition a pair for breeding/spawning is recommended. If feeding once daily, do ensure that what you are feeding them is good quality.

Having shipped and received Siamese Fighting Fish, from some 2000km away, they will survive without any harm for four days without food. So if you are going away for the weekend, your fighter will come to no harm because he has not been fed. He may act like he is starving but it will not hurt him at all. Just make sure that he cannot jump out of the tank if he see anything that may look like food.

By Kerry Stubbs For more information or care tips for Siamese Fighting Fish, visit [http://www.siamesefighting.com] Article Source: EzineArticles

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