Betta Fish
Immense, tissue-paper-thin fins delicately trail in gorgeous hues. They ripple and flutter with the slightest movement. Every twist and every turn the fish makes seems to mimic an expertly choreographed underwater ballet. When it gets to know you better, it will swim around happily when you approach. It will show off its vibrant colors, spread its beautiful fins and tail, and push against the glass of its bowl or tank as if it wants to come out and greet you. This is the beauty, grace and charm of the betta fish.
The betta fish has quite an interesting history. Originating in Asia, mainly China and Thailand, the betta fish first came to the United States in 1927. Since then it has become one of the most popular tropical fish ever kept. The betta fish is known by many names: Siamese Fighting Fish, Chinese Fighting Fish, Fighting Beta Fish, and Siamese Beta Fish. In fact, it is the male bettas that have caused the word “fighting” to be added to so many of these nicknames. Back in Asia, and in the early years of their introduction to the United States, the male bettas used to be known for fighting each other. These were usually very brutal fights that people would bet heavily on, with fights lasting as long as six hours!
Bred for fighting, betta fish of the past were not very colorful. Today’s betta is bred more for color and long fins than for fighting. You can now find betta fish in a huge variety of extremely beautiful and vibrant colors such as gold, green, white, cream, blue, red, violet, and other shades and various combinations of these colors. Besides its beautiful and vivid coloration, the betta fish also comes with very nice fins and a beautiful tail. For a two-inch fish, the betta has some of the longest fins of any fish. There are even some double tail bettas, with a split evenly down the middle of the tail. The male bettas tend to have long, fan-shaped fins and tails. The females also come in the beautiful colors listed above, but they tend to have shorter, more rounded fins and tails.
The betta is also one of the easiest fish to keep, as it is very hardy. It can be kept in a remarkable range of environments, from a simple fish bowl without filtration or aeration (if your home air and water is relatively comfortable and clean), to just about any size aquarium. In fact, the betta is one of the very few fish that is able do well in a bowl because of its ability to breathe air at the surface if there is not enough oxygen in the water. Another reason that bettas are so easy to keep is that they only grow to about two inches in length, so they do not need a lot of food or room. Finally, betta fish are relatively inexpensive fish. All these factors make the betta fish ideal for the beginning fish owner. At the same time, the betta’s great beauty and variety make it popular with more experienced fish owners as well.
While a betta might survive in small containers and bowls under very crude conditions, like most other fish they will usually do much better and live much longer if given more space, such as in a larger tank with filtration. Cleanliness, space, and good general care are major factors in determining the lifespan and happiness of just about any kind of pet that you get. Small containers and bowls become easily dirtied and require more frequent water changes, which can stress a fish.
Whether you decide to use a simple fish bowl or a full-sized filtered tank, make sure to keep the water clean and change it just often enough to keep it that way, and use only unchlorinated water or bottled water. The ideal temperature for betta fish is around 78 degrees, although a range from 70 to 80 degrees is usually fine. Another important thing to keep in mind is that bettas are jumpers and their bowls or tanks must be covered. Just make sure not to use anything that will prevent oxygen from reaching the water surface. A suitable covering would be a screen, or even a piece of cloth with some holes cut into it. As for food, betta fish are mostly predators and they enjoy brine shrimp, brine shrimp eggs, crayfish eggs, tubifex worms, mosquitoes, mosquito larvae, daphnia, bloodworms, and even chopped beef heart.
Although today’s betta is not quite as aggressive, two male betta fish will usually fight to the death if they are put together in the same bowl. Most people who keep betta fish will just keep one alone by itself in a bowl, a vase, or a small tank. If you want more than one betta fish, especially if you are getting males, you must keep them in separate fish bowls. So the rule for keeping more than one betta is simply do not put more than one male beta in any container – whether in a bowl or a large aquarium. It should be noted that while the betta – especially the male – is classified as a relatively aggressive fish, it is generally not aggressive with other species of fish. This means that the betta can be kept in a community aquarium with certain other fish.
The only major rule for keeping a beta in a community aquarium is basically that the betta should be kept with the same size or larger fish, as they are known to attack or eat smaller fish. Even with these two rules, you can still put a betta with many other fish in a community aquarium. For example, you may put a male or a female betta with other fish such as tetras, swordtails, mollies, platies, some of the tamer barbs, and some gouramis. You may want to avoid putting a large fish that is too aggressive with a betta, such as African cichlids, oscars, or large tiger barbs as they will either pick on the betta or eat it. Just keep these few points in mind and you can let a betta fish add spectacular color and beauty to a community aquarium!
Try a betta. Beautiful, easy-to-keep, and relatively inexpensive – the betta fish is one of the best tropical fish to keep for the beginning hobbyist.
The studies are in: having a pet is good for you. Scientists are not exactly sure how having a pet makes a person healthier, but they can not argue with the results. Study after study have shown that while we are taking care of our pets, our pets are taking care of us.
In children, studies have shown that contact with pets can reduce the symptoms of attention deficit disorder. Many autistic children display increased affection and social skills when interacting with animals. For example, children who have trouble reading out loud will be much more at ease reading to a dog or cat. A child’s emotional development and personal responsibility can also be encouraged by caring for a pet – children who have pets tend to be more sociable, less selfish, and more self-reliant.
