Pet Information: Bettas
Bettas are a wonderful, but greatly misunderstood, fish. Like all tropical fish, they require a heater and at least 1 gallon of water, with a filter. In pet stores you often see them sitting in those tiny cups, but in a real aquarium they are an active, vibrant, beautiful fish. Contrary to popular belief, bettas make great community tank members. They get along very well with other community fish, as long as the other fish are not prone to nipping the long fins of bettas and do not look like bettas (eg Fancy Guppies). At the bottom of this page you will find a list of many different community fish they can live happily with.
Basic Characteristics
LIFE SPAN: 3-7 years
AVERAGE SIZE: 2” to 3.5”+ depending on variety PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Betta fish come in a variety of sizes, fin patterns, and colors. Examples of fin patterns include plakat, veil tail, halfmoon, crowntail, and double tail. Most Dragonscale bettas have plakat type fins, and they are named for having each scale well defined. Other Dragonscale bettas have crowntail fins, but I have not yet seen Dragonscales available with halfmoon or even veil tail fins. A unique characteristic that bettas share with the other anabantid fish is their labyrinth organ. This organ is a specialized structure that allows bettas to gulp air and then extract oxygen from the air bubble. This adaptation allows bettas to survive in poorly oxygenated water; the warmer the water the less oxygen it holds, and bettas in the wild live in water that is commonly 80 Fahrenheit or even warmer. For this reason bettas must always have access to fresh air. Warm water temperatures are also vital to betta health. Cold water results in a weakened immune system and makes it much easier for your fish to get sick. Some Tail Types
Bettas come in many different colors and patterns, and there are even some that change colors throughout their lives. While all Bettas will become brighter with proper food, water temperature, and water cleanliness, some take it a step further. Some Bettas have transposons, or "jumping genes," that result is radically changing colors. These fish, sometimes called Marble Bettas, change colors unpredictably and may change a few times or their whole lives. They may change from blue, to red, to green and so on, and there is no way to know what color they will be next or when they will stop.
Tank Decorations
Which gravel and tank decorations are used largely depends on personal preference. Gravel comes in many different sizes and colors and most are fine for a betta. Make sure rocks and decorations do not have any hole large enough for your betta's head but too small for its entire body - bettas are very curious and may get themselves stuck. If you are using gravel, rocks, or driftwood from outside or a home improvement store then they need to be sterilized before using them in your aquarium. This is done by boiling the items in a large pot of water for 20 minutes to 1 hour. If driftwood found outside is too large to boil, baking it in a low temperature oven (200F) for a few hours will also sterilize it. The wood must be monitored very frequently, as baking risks drying the wood out to the point where it can catch on fire.
Feeding your Betta
Bettas are carnivores, and are predominately insectivorous in the wild. While the feed on insect larvae in the wild, you probably do not want to bring mosquito larvae into your home. Live food, like brine shrimp or bloodworms, can carry parasites so it is safer to supplement prepared foods with frozen or freeze-dried varieties.
Bettas should be feed twice a day, though one "skip-day" each week can help with digestion and prevent bloating. Varying the diet, possibly with a "treat-day," can also be beneficial (and fun). All food should be consumed within 2 minutes (less time than for other fish), and any excess should be removed (I use a designated turkey baster when necessary). It is easy to overfeed your fish, so consider using the scoop included in the treat package shown below. Bettas will eat whenever food is present, so it is easier to overfeed them than it is other fish. In the wild their prey are prevalent for brief periods and then absent, so they eat as much as they can and do not stop when full (like lions gorging after a kill). In captivity this can lead to bloating, constipation, and death. It is safest for your betta if you feed less food more often, rather than a lot once a day or every other day. Look for foods made specifically for bettas, with at least 38% crude protein. The ingredients are also very important, and the first three should be fish (NOT "fish meal"). Fillers such as wheat can cause bloating and constipation; "fishmeal" is also a filler ingredient that often contains wheat with fish by-products. I prefer the Omega One Betta Buffet flakes. It lists the actual fish used (salmon, black cod, and a mix of krill, rockfish, and shrimp), and includes kelp and vitamins to provide a well rounded diet. Important vitamins are listed on the ingredients and added in as supplements, instead of relying on other ingredients to supply them like some foods do. I had a betta bloat and die on pellets, but never on these flakes. Crumble the flakes into small pieces and most bettas gobble them up. Some bettas are picky, including mine, but after a few days even my pickiest betta gave the flakes a try and now he loves them. (He also prefers when the filter makes his food move around the tank, I guess chasing it is more fun). If your betta absolutely will not try the flakes, or tries but does not like them, Omega One also makes betta pellets. Bloating may be avoided by pre-soaking pellets, varying the diet, and having a fasting day. Treats for your Betta
The majority of your betta's diet, about 75%, should be commercial flake or pellet food. The remainder of their diet should be freeze dried or frozen foods.
This Dial-A-Treat includes bloodworms, mysis, and daphnia. I highly recommend getting this when buying a new betta so that you can see which treats your fish prefers, they do not all have the same preferences. I also use the little scoop to measure my bettas' flakes in addition to their treats. It is cheaper to buy one of these (or another) options in bulk, but only if your fish actually eats the option you chose. Some bettas enjoy eating cooked peas as a treat, and they can be used to help treat a bloated betta. Unfortunately not all bettas will eat them, and force feeding a small fish isn't usually an option. |
Wild Betta Fish
 Klong in Thailand
Betta fish come from warm slow moving waters in Southeast Asia. They are commonly found in rice paddies and other slow moving bodies of water; the idea of them living in puddles is incorrect and contributes to poor living conditions. While rice paddies are "shallow" bodies of water, they range from about 1 to 4 feet deep. Bettas do occasionally become trapped in puddles, generally during periods of drought as their stream dries up. This is not their natural habitat, it is a short term predicament that they try to escape by jumping into larger bodies of water nearby.
"Betta splendens lives in paddy fields and associated ditches, in marshes and flooded grass pits and in the klongs (canals) of the residential parts of towns and villages. At different times of the year, they may be very numerous." The view that fighting fish often live in mudholes and therefore can be kept in such conditions is not really tenable (rationally defensible). The fish will exhibit their full finery in a well-established, balanced aquarium and it is only under such conditions that their keeper will be able to appreciate their beauty at its best." - Labyrinth Fish: The Bubble Nest Builders written by Horst Link and published by Tetra in 1991 Basic Tank Requirements
TANK SIZE: No less than 1 gallon for a single fish, with a filter. A larger tank, at least 2.5 gallons, is recommended; it will allow for a more stable temperature, proper nitrogen cycling, less maintenance, and a more active fish. Bettas that just sit in their cup often become vibrant, active, and highly entertaining fish when given adequate space to swim and explore.
COVER: Make sure your aquarium has an escape-proof cover, bettas are jumpers. It should fit snugly onto the tank with an area for the filter, heater cord, and any airline tubing to enter. TEMPERATURES: Aquarium temperatures should be monitored closely and kept around 78 degrees Fahrenheit, which will require a properly sized heater. Sudden or frequent changes in temperature should be avoided as they stress fish and weaken their immune systems. Keeping betta fish at room temperature (below 74 degrees Fahrenheit) is not acceptable and many consider it cruel. In the wild they live in areas where the water is usually around 78 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If your betta is lethargic, it may be too cold or the water quality may be poor. It is also possible that your tank is too hot, anything above 83 should be avoided. Buy an aquarium thermometer, either one that hangs in the tank or attaches to the outside of the glass, and check the temperature regularly. An improperly sized or malfunctioning heater can raise the temperature too high, as can being near a well-lit window or a heat vent. Even some incandescent lightbulbs can raise the temperature in a tank too high; I strongly recommend switching to LED or Compact-Fluorescent bulbs, especially in tanks under 10 gallons. Plants
 Crowntail male with Anubias. Dvortygirl - Flicker
In the wild, bettas live in heavily planted waterways and they benefit from having live plants in their tanks. While fake plants may look cool, they do not provide many of the benefits that live plants do. In addition to removing CO2 and adding O2 to the water, plants use Nitrate (the end product of the nitrogen cycle) thereby helping to prevent algae growth. The plants also give bettas a place to hide, and many enjoy sleeping amongst or on the leaves.
If you want to use fake plants, either instead of or in addition to live plants, make sure they are soft and cannot tear a betta's long fins - silk ones are best. 
Male halfmoon betta with Dwarf Hairgrass.
Photo: amanda_moore - Flicker
Behavior
Male betta fish cannot live with each other, but female bettas can be housed in groups of at least 5 (called sororities) so long as hiding spaces are provided. Some have luck with groups of 3, but 5 is better if you have a large enough tank space - try to get females that are around the same size. A newly available species, Betta imbellis, can live in pairs in a 10 gallon aquarium, or even in groups in 30 gallon (or larger) tanks. See guidelines for housing bettas with other fish, and in sororities, below under "Tank Mates."
Male bettas can be housed in the same aquarium so long as a divider separates them from having contact with each other. In this type of setup, males will display to each other across the barrier and hiding places are also necessary. Having a divider that is solid on one side and open on the other is preferable so the "loosing" fish can "flee." In the wild male bettas are territorial, but they do not fight like people think. They will flare at each other and there is some physical fighting, but once dominance is established the loosing fish leaves and the winning fish stays in the territory he has happily won or defended - he does NOT chase the other fish, and fights to the death are incredibly rare, if they naturally happen at all. The fighting seen in captive fish is largely due to the fact that the looser cannot leave, and the winner does not understand why he is still intruding (also selective breeding for aggression , but this is not common outside of Asia). Betta splendens are intelligent fish that can recognize people, objects, and even rituals. Since they can associate habits, Bettas often act excitedly when people approach them, because they connect the human presence with being fed. These fish can also identify objects that they see frequently, like food and treat containers, and associate them with what they mean. This intelligence is part of what gives them such personalities. 
A group of female bettas at a Hong Kong fish market.
photo: The Wandering Angel - Flicker
|
Tank Mates
Many people have been told that bettas must live by themselves in a tank, but this is simply not true. Two males cannot live together, however they can and do live happily in tanks with other types of fish. Betta fish should be added after you place your community inside, otherwise they may become territorial. If you choose to add fish after your betta, rearrange the tank decorations and plants immediately before introducing them as this temporarily destroys his "territory" and he will be more concerned with that than with the new fish.
Groups of females, called a sorority, can also be kept in larger tanks. It is generally a good idea to keep at least 5 of them together, in smaller groups the dominant female may harass the others. Always have more than 2, and try to get fish that are about the same size. As with males and other fish, rearrange the tank before adding new fish (I've also had good luck adding two new females at the same time instead of one).
When stocking a tank, follow the general rule of 1 inch of fish per gallon. Check to make sure the fish you are considering have an average or low bioload (algae eaters, slender fish), allow 2 gallons per inch of fish for those with a higher bioload. *Read more about stocking here.
Considering Fish for Your Community Tank
Like people, all fish have different personalities, they may not always get along with each other even if the species are compatible. This is especially true when it comes to betta fish, some may be more territorial than others. Some bettas also try to eat any fish small enough to get into its mouth (like neon tetras), while others are perfectly happy eating their flakes and never bother trying to catch other fish. Watch the other fish as well, some tetras are known to pick at a betta's fins (especially Crown-tail bettas). This is often a sign of stress, and increasing the number of tetras in the school may eliminate this behavior. The following are generally accepted tankmates for bettas:
Groups of females, called a sorority, can also be kept in larger tanks. It is generally a good idea to keep at least 5 of them together, in smaller groups the dominant female may harass the others. Always have more than 2, and try to get fish that are about the same size. As with males and other fish, rearrange the tank before adding new fish (I've also had good luck adding two new females at the same time instead of one).
When stocking a tank, follow the general rule of 1 inch of fish per gallon. Check to make sure the fish you are considering have an average or low bioload (algae eaters, slender fish), allow 2 gallons per inch of fish for those with a higher bioload. *Read more about stocking here.
Considering Fish for Your Community Tank
Like people, all fish have different personalities, they may not always get along with each other even if the species are compatible. This is especially true when it comes to betta fish, some may be more territorial than others. Some bettas also try to eat any fish small enough to get into its mouth (like neon tetras), while others are perfectly happy eating their flakes and never bother trying to catch other fish. Watch the other fish as well, some tetras are known to pick at a betta's fins (especially Crown-tail bettas). This is often a sign of stress, and increasing the number of tetras in the school may eliminate this behavior. The following are generally accepted tankmates for bettas:
|
Cherry barbs*- less aggressive than other barbs
Corydorous Catfish* (Cory Cats)
Danios*
Dwarf African Frogs - need a heavily planted tank with or without bettas Guppies* - some bettas are fine with fancy guppies, others are only fine with the non-fancy ones. Loaches*
|
Platies* - male platies are usually less aggressive with extra females around
Tetras*
Plecostomus: One-per-tank
Rasboras*
|
Otocinclus**
Shrimp - do well very with some bettas, but are eaten by others
Snails
Before stocking your tank, do research into the species you are considering. Find out their bioloads (high or low), water conditions, live plant needs, and other details about the type of tank you will need. Some species are also very copper sensitive, check your water and make sure it is not an ingredient in the food. Copper sensitivity is especially common in plecos and snails. *Schooling fish, should be in groups of at least 3. **Prefer to school, but can live alone in smaller tanks. |
|
I use Groupon and love it, but I do not endorse the individual deals shown.
|
 Click here to make a website of your own!
I use iPage to host my website, and I am very happy with the service. The Weebly Drag and Drop Site Builder lets me create custom pages with no experience, and the support staff is helpful and patient. Hosting at iPage is affordable, even with the upgrade that allows me to create and display unlimited pages with their site builder software.
Disclosure: I do receive payment if you open an iPage account by following this link. The iPage Affiliate program allows me to earn money through referrals, which I use to develop and post the educational resources on this site free of charge. |
|
Please let me know how you used these resources; if they were used in the classroom to help cover State Standards, if they were used at home, or if they were used in another setting. I welcome any other constructive feedback or ways you adapted them to meet your needs, responses do not need to be long to be helpful.
|
 Pet Information - Bettas by Caitlin Kempski is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. This license means that you can remix, tweak, and build upon my work non-commercially, as long as you credit me and license any new creations under these identical terms.
The above information is intended to be a resource for educators and can be used freely, so long as I am credited and you are not selling it in any way. Handing it out to students of any age as is or in an edited form is acceptable and encouraged, just include the link to this webpage and identify it as your source. If you post it on your website, be it personal or school affiliated, it must also be credited to me and grant people identical terms of use. Thank you for your cooperation and please email me with any questions at bycaitlin@gmail.com. License terms can be found here http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |