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Step 1
Betta's, also known as Siamese fighting fish, are very popular pets these days since they require little care. If you want a pet that is cheap to buy, take care of, and low in maintenance, the Betta fish would make a great pet for you. They even have a decently long life expectancy for a fish. They can live as long as 5 years if they are taken care of properly. If you are a new owner of a Betta fish, I want to be sure that you know how to properly take care of it. Following this guide will teach you how to keep your new friend healthy and happy for the rest of its life.
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Step 2
When choosing a home for your Betta be sure to buy it a large tank. Many people think Betta fish do better in small glass bowls. The truth is, you will prolong your Betta's life by providing it with a larger surrounding. Try and find a tank that is at least 5 gallons or more.
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Step 3
Adding decorations to your Betta's home will provide them with a happy and enjoyable habitat. Stay away from any rough plastic plants. Your better off buying the silk kind because plastic is harmful to them and can tear there fins. It is very likely if you have plastic plants in your Betta's home that they will get cut since they love to lounge and hide in them. Live plants are even better and look prettier. Its up to you on what you buy but stay away from the hard plastic kind. You should also buy them a cave structure to hide in and stones for the bottom of the tank. Betta's can breathe fine underwater without an air filter so there is no need to buy one
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Step 4
You should never put your Betta fish in a tank that has fresh tap water. Any chemicals and chloramines are very harmful to any type of fish. I suggest you go out and buy some water conditioner to add to the water or even let the water age a bit before exposing your Betta to its new habitat. If your tank doesn't have a top, be sure when you fill it up that the water level is not to high. You don't want you Betta to be able to leap out of its tank. These fish are athletic and can jump a few inches high, if they escape they can die in a matter of minutes being out of water. The best thing to do to prevent that from happening is to buy a tank that has a screen top. You should also test the temperature during any change of weather. If your tank isn't around the temperatures of 78 or 82 degrees during colder seasons, you should buy a small aquarium heater.
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Step 5
When you put your Betta in its new tank, float the bag you purchased it in on top of the water for about 5 minutes. This gives it time to adjust to the new waters temperature. Then simply dump the full bag of water, including your Betta, into its new home.
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Step 6
From here on out taking care of your new friend should be quite easy. Feed them twice a day with fish food for Betta fish which can be found at local aquariums and pet stores. Also be sure to clean the tank out at least once every week. When cleaning the tank you don't have to remove your fish. Just remove about half of the water inside the tank, clean off any gunk on the edges of the tank, and fill it back up with aged or conditioned water. By following these steps, your new friend is going to be one happy fish.
