5 Thing to Know Before Adopting a Betta Fish

Having a pet is a trend that has been going on for decades, but lately it has become very difficult to find a home that does not have at least one pet. And that’s great, because animals are there to enrich our home and be another member of our family. Of course, the most common choices are dogs and cats, but also various other unusual pets like snakes, lizards and so on. Along with dogs and cats, people most often opt for aquariums full of different fish.

There are many reasons for this. Fish are much easier to maintain than dogs and cats, which demand so many things that you will feel like you have a child. Once you arrange the aquarium and buy the fish, all that remains is to feed and clean them. In addition, the fish tank is one of the most beautiful decorations we can have in our living room or any other room. Also, you can have fish, even if you already have a dog for example, because they don’t bother each other. The selection of fish that you can buy for you aquarium is huge, but certainly one of the most common choices are betta fish, which are stunningly beautiful. Their charming appearance will attract everyone’s attention. We will tell you things to know before adopting a betta fish.

1. Their origin

This type of fish originates from Southeast Asia, which you may have guessed because of their appearance, which is so irresistibly reminiscent of the flora and fauna of that part of the planet. In Southeast Asia, everything is colorful, lush and beautiful. Betta fish are very adaptable because they are used to floods and droughts due to the conditions they come from, to which they had to adapt. That is why they tolerate being out of the water very well, because they can breathe out of the water for a short time when drought hits. They can even survive in poor quality water as well as in small aquariums because oxygen-deficiency will not kill them as quickly as some other fish. All this makes them resistant and therefore it will not be complicated for you to keep them in your aquarium. They prefer hot water, because in Southeast Asia it is always summer, only the rainy and dry periods alternate.

2. Provide them with big enough tank

Yes, we told you that they can survive in a small aquarium, with little water and of poor quality. But that doesn’t mean you should keep them in such an environment. You need to buy a big tank to provide them with enough space. Exactly how big the aquarium should be depends on the number of betta fish you have. The rule that the experts told us is that for every betta fish you have, you should have 3 gallons, or over 10 liters of water. Some even say you need a gallon of water for every inch of fish. Either way, you need a large and stable aquarium.

You need to put a gravel on the bottom of the tank, fill it with dechlorinated water and then you have to decorate it as you wish. The market is full of rocks and other objects that will beautify your aquarium and make it more fun for fish.

3. Buy appropriate food

Bettas are not a picky eater but you should definitely pay attention to their diet in order to live as long as possible. Bettas are carnivores, so don’t forget to give them this type of food on a regular basis, along with fish flakes and pelleted food. You should feed them several times a day, and give them a frozen brine shrimp several times a week. It is very important that you do not feed them too much, because it has a detrimental effect on their health, and it also has a detrimental effect on water quality. It is better to feed them only once, if you are not at home to feed them for second time, than to feed them 5 times a day.

4. Do not keep more males in one tank

A common question of all those who want to adopt bettas is whether they can keep a few of them in the aquarium. If it is females, then it is possible. They are easier to adapt and can live in a functional group where they will not attack each other.

On the other hand, males should not be placed in the same aquarium. Although someone manages to have an aquarium full of bettas of both sexes, in most cases males will start fighting each other right away and it will not end well. Since there are numerous betta fish for sale on the market, visit here to find the difference between males and females. You can try to have a community in the aquarium, but as soon as you notice aggression, separate them until it’s too late. What you must not forget is that bettas tend to be depressed. This happens if they are alone in the aquarium, so try to make the aquarium as interesting as possible for the male you keep alone in the tank, to avoid frustration and depression. Bettas are susceptible to stress too.

5. Life expectancy

What most will tell you is that bettas live 2 to 3 years, if you provide them with all the conditions they need for a healthy life. However, there are cases when bettas have lived for a whole decade, so there are no rules. The length of life depends on each individual, and you should do everything you can to prolong their life as much as possible.

Conclusion:

These are the most important things that anyone who adopts betta fish should know. If you want it to become a hobby for you, learn a lot more about them, so that you can provide them with an ideal environment. You will learn that you need to buy a water conditioner and other similar products that are not expensive and significantly improve water quality.