Betta Care 101

By Chelsea Gray

Show male bettas are one of the most popular species of fish sold at Centreville Aquarium. Not only are they beautiful, but they are also very hardy and easy to keep. They are ideal for desk-top aquariums and for introducing children to the hobby of fish-keeping.

While bettas are very hardy, they still require regular care. Here are the basics of caring for betta fish.

Feeding

Bettas, like most fish, benefit from a diverse diet of live, frozen and dry foods. One of the most nutritious pellets for a betta are Hikari betta Bio Gold. Including live black worms or freeze dried black worms in their diet will make a betta’s color more vibrant. Like many fish, bettas also love being treated to live or frozen brine shrimp. Bettas are easy to feed over a weekend by adding Betta Banquet vacation feeder.

The amount of food each betta eats depends on the individual fish. In general, three to five pellets or worms twice a day is sufficient. It is important not to overfeed a betta, as they are often kept in smaller tanks.

Tank Size

Bettas can live in very small containers. However, a betta that is kept in a small bowl or cup will not have as long or as healthy a life as many people desire. Bettas do best in a bowl or a tank of at least one gallon.

Tank Requirements

Bettas are a suborder of fish known as a “labyrinth breather”. Fish in this suborder, such as bettas and gouramis, are able to take oxygen directly from the air. Because of this, bettas do not require a filter or air stone to aerate the tank. However, they do need access directly to the air. This means that any tank with a betta should not have a lid that touches the water or a plant that covers the surface of the water.

While betta fish can survive without a heater, they are a subtropical fish and thrive in waters above 70 degrees. During the winter, tanks can become so cold that bettas become lethargic or stressed. In this case, a small heater should be used.

Changing The Water

Cleaning a betta tank is very simple. Fill a bucket with the amount of water needed to fill the betta tank. Treat it with Betta Ultimate Water Conditioner and let the water sit over night. This is what we at Centreville Aquarium refer to as “aging.” Letting water age allows it to reach room temperature and eliminates any chlorine from the water. Once the water has sat overnight, rinse out the tank (a betta can be kept in a seperate container temporarily). Clean out any left over food or waste and then fill the tank with the aged water. The betta can be placed back in the tank.

Bettas are beautiful, low maintenance fish that people of all ages enjoy keeping. When cared for properly, they will live an average of three  years.

Chelsea has a B.S. in biology from the University of Mary Washington and ten years of aquarium experience.