How to Raise Betas

Betas are beautiful fish that are interesting and exciting to raise. If you have newly hatched betas, they need a bit of extra attention and care, but the effort you spend will be well worth it in the end.

Instructions

1. Start feeding young betas either frozen or freshly hatched brine shrimp when they are about 2 weeks old. This early food is very important to their overall health and growth. If you have a tank full of babies, start them out with about 1 tbsp. of the brine shrimp once a day. If they do not eat it the first time you try, be patient and try again in a day or so.

2. Remove the babies from the parent environment when they are eating the brine shrimp on their own. All of the young fish can remain in one tank at this early age.

3. Monitor the water temperature, especially when introducing the young into a new environment. The temperature in the tank should remain at a steady 77 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Never allow the water temperature to go below 73 degrees or above 85 degrees, as this can kill your young fish.

4. Continue feeding brine shrimp every day until the babies are between 4 and 6 weeks old. At this time, introduce them to store-bought fish flakes. Alternate between the fish flakes and the brine shrimp, gradually reducing the amount of brine shrimp over the course of a few weeks. The young fish will do best if you continue to feed them brine shrimp twice a week until they are mature.

5. Separate males from each other, and from all females, by placing them in individual containers. This should be done at about 3 months of age. Betas, also called Japanese Fighting Fish, become aggressive at a relatively early age. The males will injure other fish in your tank if they are forced to share an environment beyond this time frame.

6. Treat the fish as adults after they reach 6 months old. This is the best time to sell your fish or to consider breeding or showing them.