the betta

So, are you interested in buying a betta fish or another tropical fish? What makes you consider the Betta?

Are you buying Betta simply because you see them in little round bowls and think it looks like an easy fish to bring home as a pet?

If that’s the only reason, I’d like you to stop right now and reconsider your choice of pets. While most pet stores stock the Betta in a small bowl, in real life most Bettas would probably love a larger bowl. After all, how would you like to be stuck in a small bowl where you can practically touch the walls from anywhere in the bowl? Would you want to be a prisoner in such a small place even if you had water to swim in?

Take a look at the natural environment of any fish; Take a good look at it. You’ve probably never seen a fish hatch or breed or live its entire life in a small Betta container, except in pet stores.

The reason they are in those bowls is because they can’t let the Betta in with other fish, especially their own type of fish, the male Betta. They are called “Siamese Fighting Fish” and that should give you a clue as to the personality of said fish.

So let’s be real. The real reason all those fish are in little bowls is because that’s the cheapest way fish shops can keep fish. There are no filters or filter cartridges to buy when you use a small bowl as a fish tank. The store wants you to believe that this Betta fish care is simple, easy and not expensive.

If pet stores were forced to provide proper housing for Betta fish, they would have to provide each Betta with a ten or twenty gallon tank. That would be too expensive, so all stores house the Betta fish in small glass containers that are inexpensive for stores.

I personally had a Betta in a ten gallon tank and that Betta was the happiest fish in the world. So be prepared and be nice to your Betta. Give your Betta a larger living space. You can put some plants in there and some small decorations and you are all set for your new Betta’s environment.

While you’re at the library, pick up some books on tropical fish and pick up a book on Bettas, but read with caution. The book will tell you how to care for the Betta. It will tell you where to locate Bettas and Betta supplies.

Another suggestion:

Before you buy your Betta, or before you buy any fish, do the right thing and buy everything you need for the fish before you even look at it. The idea is that the setup will fit where you will keep it in your home or office. Set up the tank, water, filter, and anything decorative you want inside the tank, and then let the filter run for a day or two before you go fish shopping.

Consider placing some live plants in addition to the plastic ones you’ve chosen. Mixing live and plastic plants in an aquarium can give it a very interesting appearance.

Consider buying a larger filter than necessary, just because. Most of the time, people look for small, inexpensive rigs to fish on.

Personally, for me, I had always gone a little bigger. You never know. Sure you’re starting with one fish, but a few months or a year from now, you might have a whole community of fish living in that same tank. If you think big at first, it will save you time, trouble, and money later in the advancement of your hobby.

Accommodation?

Do your research if you are considering raising fish. Find out which fish are friendly and which are quite aggressive. There have been more than one hobbyist who has brought home a predatory fish only to find their other fish dead after a day or so.

And then there are those fish that like to nibble on each other. Some of the Angel Fish varieties will sometimes nibble on the ends of other Angel Fish. And they will nibble and nibble until they can nibble no more. Therefore, you can do a lot of research on Angel Fish before buying them.

If you want to keep fish and you are a true beginner, the Guppy could be the perfect fish to start with. But remember, the bigger Guppy will most likely try to eat all the babies, so have a separate tank ready for the baby fish OR get one of those divider particles for your tank and you can split almost any tank into two separate tanks . If you look in fish or aquarium stores, you’ll see that they also make small side tanks that hang off the top of larger aquariums. They will catch the fish but in that smaller tank and then take the tank to the register for you to buy your fish. So there are many options when you are thinking about buying or raising fish.

Food?

Buy the recommended foods. And if you can find a no-frills brand that works too.

You may not want to do this, but I will share a secret with you. I ran out of fish food one day a long time ago in winter and I didn’t live near a pet store. I went to the cabinet and got out the box of Cheerios and proceeded to crush the Cheerios into a fine grain. Yes, I fed the fish this and they ate like this for ten or more days, until I was finally able to go buy fish food. Yes they survived!

Some fish love live food. And pet stores will sell live food for reptiles and some fish. They mostly always have a feeding tank, a huge tank, that has feeder fish in it. If you have a huge fish like an Oscar fish, that fish sometimes as big as 12 inches, it can and will eat fish. I am not suggesting that you feed a fish to another fish. I’m just sharing ideas here.

Do only what is healthy and safe for your own fish. Read, read, read, and research on fish topics, fish diseases, and other water-related topics.

That’s the bottom line, knowledge is power and knowledge of the fishing industry, and the details of how fish live and reproduce, is a wonderful thing when you’re ready to really jump into your aquarium hobby.