Betta Fish

Hey guys, today's post is on one of my favorite type of household fish. The BETTA fish are commonly known as the "easiest" fish to take care of. In pet shops they advertise them in those tiny little cups and the aquarists there often tell you that all you really need is a 1/2 gallon bowl and a can of fish pellets.... WRONG. These fish (just like any other pet) need more attention than that!

The betta fish originally comes from Thailand. In the wild they live in the shallow rice paddies. Just because the water here is shallow does not mean it doesn't go on for miles. In general a wild male betta in the wild has a large territory that if transferred to a fish tank would include more than 10 gallons of water. Not only that, but these fish are TROPICAL. This means that as pets they need a heater and if you want to have a heater your going to have to purchase a larger tank so that the bowl wont overheat.

Since the betta fish has a labyrinth organ, it is able to "breathe" oxygen from the top of the water. This is why bettas are one of the few fish that are able to survive without a filtered tank. Notice that i used the word survive. Imagine if you had to live your life in a tiny bowl swimming around in your own waste due to the lack of a filtration system. Filters increase bettas lifespan by A LOT but please beware that (especially male) these fish may have trouble with strong filters because their fins are easily sucked into them. If you don't want to invest in a filter just make sure you perform water changes at least once a week. The bigger the tank, the less water change(s) you have to do for your little fish. In college, the buzzing noise of the filter bothers me when i am sleeping so i kept both my bettas in 2.5 gallons tanks. I would perform a weekly 100% water change and they are just fine. During the summer i add the filters to their tanks since i keep them downstairs.

The downside of keeping bettas is that once you buy one, you always want to get more! Every time i walk into a PETCO or Petsmart i always struggle to not buy anymore bettas because each betta requires its own tank. Never house bettas together or else they will fight to the death. Female bettas can form "packs" of about five individuals but this only works if they are introduced as babies. It is said that doing this also makes them lose their vibrant color.

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