INTRODUCTION: Keeping a betta fish for the first time? Then you should know their feeding habits to make sure you don't end up overfeeding or underfeeding them. Either of which can have a negative impact on the life expectancy you may be hoping will be a good long time. To that end these new rules of feeding bettas presented here in Q&A format will hopefully help.
Question: What do bettas feed on?
Answer: They feed on a large variety of finny delicacies. Turns out the wider range of foods you give them the better they like it and healthier they will be. These guys can feed on foods like mosquito larvae, bloodworms, and brine shrimp. You can also feed them commercial betta pellets which usually contain a large variety of essential ingredients. Hopefully this gives you a better idea as to what bettafish eat or can eat.
Question: How often am I really supposed to feed my betta?
Answer: Yeah I know. You can get all sorts of advice when it comes to the how often question. The instructions on the fish food itself tell you one thing. What you read in forums suggests another. What you might read on a web site might suggest something else.
Truth is bettas can get along just fine eating once or at most twice a day. Often less is best. Problem is if you over feed them there's a chance they won't eat all the pellets, bloodworms or whatever and the leftovers will foul their water. Leading to disease or worse the death of your fish.
Question: My guy just loves his blood worms. But ever since his first taste he now turns up his nose to pellets. He'll take one in and instantly spit it out. I'm worried he's not going to get a balanced diet from blood worms alone. What's a concerned betta owner to do? I don't want him to starve. Nor do I want to be a mean mom.
Answer: Good question. As you suspect bettas cannot live well on blood worms alone. But some just won't take to pelletized food after they've gotten their lips around something more to their liking. So you may have to resort to a mixture of frozen brine shrimp, daphnia and the like to insure your guy gets the vitamins and minerals he needs to be healthy.
Question: Should I feed my blue fantail differently from the other fish in the tank?
Answer: Other fish in the tank? How many fish you housing with your betta who typically prefers to be alone? That issue aside, you can actually feed them the same type of food. But it's also good to feed them different varieties so they can choose what they like to eat. The more options the happier for everyone in the tank.
Back to the first point. As you know bettas are naturally aggressive and territorial. But don't worry that your other fish may not be able to share food with your betta as long as you've got enough food for everyone. A bigger concern would be if they are all getting along. And sometimes the concern is that another fish is harassing your beloved betta.
Question: I'm worried about over feeding. How can I tell if I'm feeding my half-moon too much?
Answer: This is a good point given most in the US eat too much themselves. Actually fish like this need less than you might think. Think three to five pellets, three to five bloodworms and they're good. Overfeeding does your pet no good at all. It can lead to constipation and bad water from uneaten food going bad.
CONCLUSION: How you go about feeding your betta, what you feed and how often you feed comes down to one point. It doesn't matter as long as you don't over feed. Stuffing them to the gills isn't an act of kindness though either. Because you may be setting stage for bad water conditions which is the leading cause of betta disease and death.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Moving Your Betta Fish With You
INTRODUCTION: Bettas are portable pets. Just follow a few common sense rules and they should adjust to their new home fairly quickly. Even if it is hundreds of miles away.
Question: I'm from the Gulf Coast and will soon be relocating to North Dakota for my new job assignment. I'm planning to bring my true confidant with me. Nope it's not a girl or furry friend as you might have first thought, but a two and three quarters-inch dynamo. Who's got an unbelievable amount of chutzpah and more machismo crammed into the shimmering body of his than you could ever imagine. Which makes it hard not to admire him. Him being Prince, a stunning half-moon betta, who has been with me through thick and thin in the oil exploration business. Which is a good name for such a regal fish, don't you think?
Now I have to tell you that I kind of tend to kill everything - plants, hamsters, even sea monkeys. But not my buddy Prince. Still he has somewhat defied the odds as he unexpectedly found himself in the garbage disposal once when I was cleaning his bowel and he tried to jump for cover. My bad. But he shook that off and has enjoyed quite a robust and otherwise healthy life under my care.
Problem is it's going to be a really long drive. And I'm not sure if it's even safe to transport him for such long distance. Or if it is even reasonable to think I can and end up with him being alive and kicking at the other end. And if so, what do I have to do to make sure everything goes well. Should I feed him before we leave? Should I bring gallons of this water he's used to with us? Or will he die in a matter of hours inside the plastic bag? I don't want to lose Prince, but ready or not I'm leaving in a few weeks now. Help!
Answer: Wow that's quite a story of survival. With some good questions. So let's get you some answers. Because getting your little buddy ready for the long drive doesn't have to be massively stressful on Prince provided you take a few precautionary steps.
First, you don't have to over feed your fish before you leave. In fact you don't have to feed him any more at all. You see bettas can go for maybe two weeks without food. So your betta dying of hunger, literally, should be the least of your worries.
Next, call around and see if you can't find a local pet store that can pack him for travel for you. They will likely double bag him, fill it to the top with ater to cut down on sloshing, and shoot some extra oxygen in.
And it's not a bad idea to bring some of the water he's used to with you. But sooner or later he's going to have to adjust to local water conditions.
When you arrive set up his new home and float the bag like you would with any fish going into new surroundings. Expect him to be a bit shell shocked. And should you feed him and he doesn't attack his feast with gusto, no worries. Yeah, don't panic. Time is all Prince will need to adjust to his new surroundings.
Bottom line. You can take your fish with you. Just be sensible and don't let him roast or feeze and pretty much your betta should be fine. Nothing much to worry about really. Bettas are shipped around the world every day and land on the feet, errrr, fins most every time.
Question: I'm from the Gulf Coast and will soon be relocating to North Dakota for my new job assignment. I'm planning to bring my true confidant with me. Nope it's not a girl or furry friend as you might have first thought, but a two and three quarters-inch dynamo. Who's got an unbelievable amount of chutzpah and more machismo crammed into the shimmering body of his than you could ever imagine. Which makes it hard not to admire him. Him being Prince, a stunning half-moon betta, who has been with me through thick and thin in the oil exploration business. Which is a good name for such a regal fish, don't you think?
Now I have to tell you that I kind of tend to kill everything - plants, hamsters, even sea monkeys. But not my buddy Prince. Still he has somewhat defied the odds as he unexpectedly found himself in the garbage disposal once when I was cleaning his bowel and he tried to jump for cover. My bad. But he shook that off and has enjoyed quite a robust and otherwise healthy life under my care.
Problem is it's going to be a really long drive. And I'm not sure if it's even safe to transport him for such long distance. Or if it is even reasonable to think I can and end up with him being alive and kicking at the other end. And if so, what do I have to do to make sure everything goes well. Should I feed him before we leave? Should I bring gallons of this water he's used to with us? Or will he die in a matter of hours inside the plastic bag? I don't want to lose Prince, but ready or not I'm leaving in a few weeks now. Help!
Answer: Wow that's quite a story of survival. With some good questions. So let's get you some answers. Because getting your little buddy ready for the long drive doesn't have to be massively stressful on Prince provided you take a few precautionary steps.
First, you don't have to over feed your fish before you leave. In fact you don't have to feed him any more at all. You see bettas can go for maybe two weeks without food. So your betta dying of hunger, literally, should be the least of your worries.
Next, call around and see if you can't find a local pet store that can pack him for travel for you. They will likely double bag him, fill it to the top with ater to cut down on sloshing, and shoot some extra oxygen in.
And it's not a bad idea to bring some of the water he's used to with you. But sooner or later he's going to have to adjust to local water conditions.
When you arrive set up his new home and float the bag like you would with any fish going into new surroundings. Expect him to be a bit shell shocked. And should you feed him and he doesn't attack his feast with gusto, no worries. Yeah, don't panic. Time is all Prince will need to adjust to his new surroundings.
Bottom line. You can take your fish with you. Just be sensible and don't let him roast or feeze and pretty much your betta should be fine. Nothing much to worry about really. Bettas are shipped around the world every day and land on the feet, errrr, fins most every time.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Questionable Betta Breeding
INTRODUCTION: Okay I'm on record as not being in favor of breeding random bettas just for the fun of it. Sure it sounds amazing and all to be able to successfully get two of these combatants through the mating ritual to produce a batch of fry. But there's a lot of things the YouTube videos of betta breeding fail to mention.
For one it's a lot harder than it looks.
Two, you're likely working from an unknowable gene pool. Result? You may simply be producing a bunch of bettas no one wants.
And third the care and feeding of a tank full of mini-sized yet rambunctious male bettas spoiling for a fight is a bigger challenge than most are up for and well outside their skill set.
That said, I know some still have their heart set on attempting the feat to see if they can pull it off. Apparently figuring they'll worry about the details later. Okay. I understand the allure of a challenge as much as the next guy. It's why people climb mountains. Because they're there. People want to breed bettas because they can. I get that. So rather than try to dissuade you, let me share a few things.
Remember too that the real trick is to pull off this bringing of new betta life into the world without shortening the life expectancy of the two primary participants. So to that end here is some points and breeding tips you might want to keep in mind when going about this. Just please look at this as the Readers Digest condensed version or a quick and dirty guide. Not everything you need to know down to the last nitty gritty detail.
First things first, things you need:
A medium sized tank water temp 80-82 degrees F.
One conditioned male betta fish
One conditioned female betta
Okay, so without getting bogged down in the details, the process is pretty straight forward. Simply fill the tank about two thirds full. Place the male in first to give him a chance to learn the lay of the land. Then add the female but inside like an oil lamp chimney so the male can't get to her before you have gauged the level of interest. Making a mistake here can be fatal for the female so look for signs of courtship. Does the male put on an impressive display? Is he flaring? How's his bubble nest?
You want to be careful because no self-respecting male readily allows intruders into his domain. In other words he will never back down from a good fight. And the betrothed can mistakenly be the one he chooses to take out his aggressions on. Some of this is to be expected. It goes with the territory. But you shouldn't let the male shred the female. Or chase her to death. Which is why you keep some glass between them first.
Risk of a lovers quarrel aside, watching them spawn is another unforgettable sight to see. An underwater ballet. When things are right, you get to watch how a couple flirts with each other. The female betta darkens her color and curves her body while the male betta is out to flare his gills, spread his fins, put on a massive display of betta masculinity. As the courtship progresses, the male betta will then wrap his body around the female and the eggs are released. He'll then scoop them up in his mouth and blow them into the bubble nest. All this is exhausting work.
When their relationship has run its course, you'll want to remove the female before her partner's tolerance of her presence wears thin and he reverts to his less loving and more aggressive self. Otherwise again it can turn out badly for the female. Betta love being fickle like that. Although one would think she can just tell he's not going to call the next day.
Of course the male's work has just begun. So you'll want to leave him to attend to the nest and retrieve any eggs that fall out. But sooner or later he'll have to retire to his own quarters too. For the sake of the hatching fry.
CONCLUSION: In any case, if you've got no flare in your house, if your life is lacking drama, if you are looking to spice things up, then breeding bettas might be just the thing. Just don't say I didn't warn you that it might be more than bargained for as well though in the end.
For one it's a lot harder than it looks.
Two, you're likely working from an unknowable gene pool. Result? You may simply be producing a bunch of bettas no one wants.
And third the care and feeding of a tank full of mini-sized yet rambunctious male bettas spoiling for a fight is a bigger challenge than most are up for and well outside their skill set.
That said, I know some still have their heart set on attempting the feat to see if they can pull it off. Apparently figuring they'll worry about the details later. Okay. I understand the allure of a challenge as much as the next guy. It's why people climb mountains. Because they're there. People want to breed bettas because they can. I get that. So rather than try to dissuade you, let me share a few things.
Remember too that the real trick is to pull off this bringing of new betta life into the world without shortening the life expectancy of the two primary participants. So to that end here is some points and breeding tips you might want to keep in mind when going about this. Just please look at this as the Readers Digest condensed version or a quick and dirty guide. Not everything you need to know down to the last nitty gritty detail.
First things first, things you need:
A medium sized tank water temp 80-82 degrees F.
One conditioned male betta fish
One conditioned female betta
Okay, so without getting bogged down in the details, the process is pretty straight forward. Simply fill the tank about two thirds full. Place the male in first to give him a chance to learn the lay of the land. Then add the female but inside like an oil lamp chimney so the male can't get to her before you have gauged the level of interest. Making a mistake here can be fatal for the female so look for signs of courtship. Does the male put on an impressive display? Is he flaring? How's his bubble nest?
You want to be careful because no self-respecting male readily allows intruders into his domain. In other words he will never back down from a good fight. And the betrothed can mistakenly be the one he chooses to take out his aggressions on. Some of this is to be expected. It goes with the territory. But you shouldn't let the male shred the female. Or chase her to death. Which is why you keep some glass between them first.
Risk of a lovers quarrel aside, watching them spawn is another unforgettable sight to see. An underwater ballet. When things are right, you get to watch how a couple flirts with each other. The female betta darkens her color and curves her body while the male betta is out to flare his gills, spread his fins, put on a massive display of betta masculinity. As the courtship progresses, the male betta will then wrap his body around the female and the eggs are released. He'll then scoop them up in his mouth and blow them into the bubble nest. All this is exhausting work.
When their relationship has run its course, you'll want to remove the female before her partner's tolerance of her presence wears thin and he reverts to his less loving and more aggressive self. Otherwise again it can turn out badly for the female. Betta love being fickle like that. Although one would think she can just tell he's not going to call the next day.
Of course the male's work has just begun. So you'll want to leave him to attend to the nest and retrieve any eggs that fall out. But sooner or later he'll have to retire to his own quarters too. For the sake of the hatching fry.
CONCLUSION: In any case, if you've got no flare in your house, if your life is lacking drama, if you are looking to spice things up, then breeding bettas might be just the thing. Just don't say I didn't warn you that it might be more than bargained for as well though in the end.
Friday, May 11, 2012
All About Betta Fish Fin Rot
INTRODUCTION: Does your betta have a brown spot on its fin? Well don’t just sit there and think it could just be part of your betta’s molting process because it’s not. If that’s what you’re thinking, clearly there are still a lot of things you need to know about bettas.
You see that nasty looking edge of your betta’s fin could be a condition called fin rot. Ranking right up there with constipation, it's one of the more common ailments these guys are prone to.
And yes by the term itself it’s basically characterized by the rotting away of your betta’s beautiful, yet rather fragile fin. Believe it or not should you fail to react properly, the bacteria could eventually eat up the entire fin leaving your once healthy female betta somewhat disfigured. So let’s find out how we can give a quick remedy to betta fish fin rot and salvage your betta’s future before it’s too late.
But first, a few myths about betta fin rot, loosely extracted from http://www.better-bettas.com which you should shrug off:
Myth #1: Fin rot is not a deadly disease.
Fact: Fin rot may be curable but if you leave it untreated, the bacteria could actually enter the body and this could result to death.
Myth #2: Fin rot is not caused by dirty water.
Fact: Well if there’s one thing that causes fin rot, it would be filthy water. Any uneaten food left in the tank could easily make the water dirty. So be sure not to overfeed your betta so no leftover settles on the bottom of the tank. Failing to change the tank water regularly can lead to very poor water quality. So be sure to change at least 20% of water in a cycled tank even if you have a filter installed.
Myth #3: If the water looks clean, then it must be clean. No need to use a water test kit.
Fact: This is one common mistake betta fish owners make assuming that the water is clean since it looks clear. But don’t be deceived by this. No matter how crystal clear the water may look, it could still contain some traces of ammonia or nitrates that are very deadly to bettas or other fish for that matter. So always equip yourself with a betta test kit so you can constantly monitor the toxin levels of the tank water.
Now that we’ve got all these myths uncovered, let’s go back to solving the problem of betta fish fin rot. First is to take everything out of the tank. Then begin cleaning the inside of the tank with water. Please do not use soap or any kind of detergent since any trace of it left may intoxicate your poor betta. Then, clean all the other tank accessories as well including the filter, heater, substrate, plants, and other items used to decorate the tank.
Once you’ve already placed new water into the tank (take note: make sure it has already been conditioned!) along with all the accessories and the fish, apply a solution of fungus eliminator to the water. For a speedier recovery, add a quarter or half teaspoon of aquarium salt for every gallon of tank water.
In a couple of days, you should notice the betta’s fin showing a whitish or clear tip which is a sign of regrowth and that the betta is already healing. So continue doing some partial water changes every week to make sure that the water is clean and your fish stays healthy.
However, if your betta has a severe case of fin rot where the fin has already apparently grown shorter, you may need to do more than a simple water change. In this case, you would need to treat the betta with an antibacterial medication such as Tetracycline or Myxazine. Please note though that while the fin may still grow back at this point, it may no longer be as long as it originally was before. And the color may not be the same. But at least you’re able to save what’s left of it.
CONCLUSION: Once you’ve successfully treated your feisty male betta’s fin rot bet you can’t afford letting this occur ever again. So while you stay vigilant in keeping the water clean you might also want to ensure that its temp is at its optimum range to make sure your betta’s got your immune system all beefed up.
The Keys to Your Betta’s Healthy Bowel
INTRODUCTION: For those looking for an easy routine to return your betta to greater regularity here’s a foolproof system that anyone can follow.
Fasting – 2-4 days : maintenance – once per week
Once you notice that your betta is constipated (common symptoms are bloated tummy and less waste products released) immediately put your betta into a fasting phase for 2-4 days. This is necessary to allow the betta’s system to clear out its bowel.
Pea – 2-4 days
After fasting your betta, prepared a cooked pea to feed your betta for 2-4 days. The pea should be cooked and then mashed. And only feed a pinch of it to your betta and not the entire piece. This should be enough to help cleanse the betta’s digestive system.
Epsom salt bath
Should fasting and feeding peas to the betta not do the trick your next move is to reach for the Epsom salt. The remedy is simple. Add a teaspoon of Epsom salt for every 2 gallons of tank water. However, this could be tedious if you do this right into your bettas current tank since you would need to get rid of the salt afterwards. Which means that you need to do full water change which is stressful to your betta.
The best alternative here is to treat your betta to an Epsom salt bath. Provide a separate tank for your constipated betta and add ½ teaspoon of Epsom salt into ½ gallon water. Place the betta in the tank and let
him enjoy the water for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, do at least a 20% water change in your betta’s original tank so your pampered betta goes back to cleaner water.
Yet as pointed was out in the post entitled "Curing Betta Fish Constipation How to Give a Betta Fish Exlax", if you didn't feed your betta too much too often you may not need to be all that concerned about your fish's digestive tract. Yet now at least, should you unintentionally overfeed, you have a routine that can help your fish get regular again.
CONCLUSION: Curing betta fish should be easy once you know what remedies are available. Again, your friend shouldn’t be dealing with this problem anymore now that you know what keeps his bowel healthy.
For more on betta fish diseases or other related topics be sure to stop by http://www.better-bettas.com/.
Curing Betta Fish Constipation: How to Give a Betta Fish Exlax
INTRODUCTION: Did you know betta fish can get constipated too? Did you know there’s a betta equivalent of exlax? If you didn’t know that the answer to both questions is a resounding “YES!” then you definitely need to read on. Because when it comes to how to take care of betta fish, this is important to know.
You see if you think you’re the only one who’s not been able to make the most out of their visits to john lately, you’re not alone. Believe it or not even our finny friends also have their share of bowel problems. Especially when fed a rich diet of live food that overwhelms their digestive system.
Luckily it’s not a matter of life and death for them actually (since this isn’t exactly one of the betta fish diseases they are prone to). At least most of the time things will work themselves out. But if you leave these poor guys unhelped, then it just could be a bigger problem than you might imagine.
Besides can you take the thought of seeing your prized betta looking all sluggish, just sitting on the bottom of the tank the entire day? Not what a typical betta would do, is it? Since a healthy and happy betta would be so restless, swimming about and checking his domain to make sure all is well. Irregularity will do that to a guy.
So let’s play betta fish doctor for a bit and see if we can’t get to the bottom of what causes the constipation in the first place to help you treat the problem. So what are the typical causes? Here’s three.
Too much food, too frequent feeding
Constipation in betta fish may be caused by feeding too much food or feeding too frequently. In short, overfeeding. Ideally, betta fish should be fed not more than twice a day. And you should limit the amount of food to around 1-3 pellets per meal. If you’re feeding live foods, 1-2 pieces should be more than enough.
Boring diet
Bettas can be finicky eaters. Give them the same kind of food every day and they’re going to get tired of it eventually. Worse, this could develop into constipation. Especially when their main grub solely comes from rich, live food sources like brine shrimp or bloodworms. Ideally, you’d need to vary the food of your betta giving him specially formulated betta pellets and flakes alternately with a dose of brine shrimp, tubifex worms, or mosquito larvae maybe once a week or so.
Stress
Many betta fish experts say that stress could also be the reason why bettas get constipated. How do the fish get stressed? Well, in a lot of ways. 100% water changes can be stressful to bettas. Placing the tank in a high traffic area could also stress out your betta making it feel somewhat nauseated basically because they love to gaze at people.
CONCLUSION: Now that you know what might have caused your betta’s condition, you should then be able to make the necessary changes in the way you’re currently taking care of your betta. Although for now the best you can do is to come up with remedies for relieving the betta’s constipated condition. If you’d like, why not read more about the keys to your betta’s bowel.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The Perfect Mismatch: Betta Fish and Gold Fish
Thinking of keeping a betta with a goldfish? Don’t. It’s the perfect
mismatch. You can’t get any worse. Sure they may try to get along and all, but
even if they do, their water requirements aren’t anywhere near the same. And the
goldfish won’t be doing your betta any favors in that department.
Not to mention the fact that goldfish can grow to a rather large size. And the tank could literally be too little room for both your gold fish and betta. Okay, okay, sure the gold fish may be stunted and all living in cramped quarters. But it that really good for it?
Point is. Bettas and goldfish are the worst match possible. Like keeping chocolate in your pocket on a hot day. Or big hair in a hurricane. Or doing xBox with a runny nose. Disasters one and all.
Goldies and bettas don’t mix well either. Despite what this video appears to show.
Okay so if this is not enough to convince you, let’s find out some of the real things gold fish and male bettas disagree about.
First, bettas and gold fish have different temperature requirements. Goldfish are cold water fish so they thrive in water at 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Then again bettas are tropical water fish so they thrive in a temperature range between 72 and 85 degrees. Otherwise putting your betta in a cold water environment will just about guarantee sooner or later you’ll have one sick betta fish on your hands. While putting a goldfish in warm water may allow them to survive this will not make them thrive. So while you wouldn’t think to install a heater in a goldfish tank, a heater is a must in any betta fish tank.
Second, bettas are "obsessive compulsive." Any amount of toxin in their water can leave them sick and dead. You need to ensure their water is clean at all times. With that said, you need to constantly monitor the water’s pH as well as its levels of ammonia and nitrates. Now if you put goldfish in a betta fish tank, they are known to excrete a humongous amount of waste toxic to bettas.
Since goldfish are (ahem) what you might call heavy poopers. So you need to install a strong and powerful filter in their tank. Now the bettas, seeing’s they go heavy on the fins may not be able to withstand such strong currents. It’s too stressful for them. Either the current could damage their delicate finnage or they might find it difficult to swim through heavy flow of water. Although it’s still possible to place a filter in any betta fish tank especially if you’re having a cycled tank, but you can always look for ways to somehow control the flow.
Third, goldfish could grow as much as one foot long so if you’re only putting up a 5-gallon tank, there wouldn’t be a room enough for the goldfish to swim around much less share some space with your betta. The goldfish could also pick on the tiny betta and you wouldn’t want to see your betta with tattered fins.
Lastly, bettas and goldfish feed on different types of food. While goldfish are vegans, bettas are carnivores. And even if you throw different foods into the tank, the goldfish may still outcompete and elbow aside your betta. Leaving them hungry and cold.
Perhaps now you see why bettas and goldfish are the perfect mismatch. So don’t push it. Instead, try to look for other fish that are more compatible with these somewhat finicky bettas – if you need to put any other fish with them at all.
Not to mention the fact that goldfish can grow to a rather large size. And the tank could literally be too little room for both your gold fish and betta. Okay, okay, sure the gold fish may be stunted and all living in cramped quarters. But it that really good for it?
Point is. Bettas and goldfish are the worst match possible. Like keeping chocolate in your pocket on a hot day. Or big hair in a hurricane. Or doing xBox with a runny nose. Disasters one and all.
Goldies and bettas don’t mix well either. Despite what this video appears to show.
Okay so if this is not enough to convince you, let’s find out some of the real things gold fish and male bettas disagree about.
First, bettas and gold fish have different temperature requirements. Goldfish are cold water fish so they thrive in water at 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Then again bettas are tropical water fish so they thrive in a temperature range between 72 and 85 degrees. Otherwise putting your betta in a cold water environment will just about guarantee sooner or later you’ll have one sick betta fish on your hands. While putting a goldfish in warm water may allow them to survive this will not make them thrive. So while you wouldn’t think to install a heater in a goldfish tank, a heater is a must in any betta fish tank.
Second, bettas are "obsessive compulsive." Any amount of toxin in their water can leave them sick and dead. You need to ensure their water is clean at all times. With that said, you need to constantly monitor the water’s pH as well as its levels of ammonia and nitrates. Now if you put goldfish in a betta fish tank, they are known to excrete a humongous amount of waste toxic to bettas.
Since goldfish are (ahem) what you might call heavy poopers. So you need to install a strong and powerful filter in their tank. Now the bettas, seeing’s they go heavy on the fins may not be able to withstand such strong currents. It’s too stressful for them. Either the current could damage their delicate finnage or they might find it difficult to swim through heavy flow of water. Although it’s still possible to place a filter in any betta fish tank especially if you’re having a cycled tank, but you can always look for ways to somehow control the flow.
Third, goldfish could grow as much as one foot long so if you’re only putting up a 5-gallon tank, there wouldn’t be a room enough for the goldfish to swim around much less share some space with your betta. The goldfish could also pick on the tiny betta and you wouldn’t want to see your betta with tattered fins.
Lastly, bettas and goldfish feed on different types of food. While goldfish are vegans, bettas are carnivores. And even if you throw different foods into the tank, the goldfish may still outcompete and elbow aside your betta. Leaving them hungry and cold.
Perhaps now you see why bettas and goldfish are the perfect mismatch. So don’t push it. Instead, try to look for other fish that are more compatible with these somewhat finicky bettas – if you need to put any other fish with them at all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)