YoungJRNY wrote:I went with my gut, and I wanted the Oscar's to live, so I took everyone's advice, returned the Oscar's, and got a Beautiful Male Bette. He's Red and Blue (Had to, color of Superman) and named 'em Clark. I couldn't be happier with him. Even looks like he has a red cape, haha.
Here's a picture of Clark.
A few care instructions I cribbed from a website:
1. Prepare your betta's home. Here are some points to consider:
_1. Choose a home. In the wild, bettas inhabit Thai rice paddies. Hence, they are fitted to living in relatively shallow but spacious environments. However, consider giving your betta a decent sized tank to help prolong its life, since waste can build up very quickly. Naturally, more water is better, but a 5 gallon tank is acceptable. If keeping your betta with other fish or aquatic animals, then use a tank of at least ten gallons.
* Larger tanks will enhance its quality of life.
_2. Decorate your betta's home. One of the betta's distinct features is its ability to breathe oxygen in air and water, so aeration is not required. Decorate their home with gravel/colored stones, silk plants, and a small cave-like structure to hide. A creative home is a happy home! Add a gentle filter and small heater.
* Avoid jagged rocks or decorations, as they tear betta fins.
* Avoid hard plastic plants, as they can be rough on the fins. Use the 'pantyhose test': If a plastic plant will snag a pair of pantyhose when rubbed against it, then it will damage your betta's fins. Be safe and buy silk plants instead.
*Anubias nana
While live plants aren't necessary, they are a great addition to betta tanks. They're prettier than fake ones, and bettas love lounging on the leaves and hiding in them to sleep.
2. Prepare the water. Use a water conditioner before putting fresh tap water in the tank, as chlorine and chloramines can harm bettas. Older sources may suggest aging the water (standing it for a time) but it's best to use a water conditioner, as aged water removes chlorine but not chloramine and heavy metals.
3. Fill your tank. If your tank is without a top cover, fill it about 80% high to ensure your fish won't leap out. Bettas are very active and can jump over 3 inches when motivated!
* If your tank is without a top, use a mesh cloth on top to discourage jumping. Your betta will be much happier with the extra water and access to surface air.
4. Test the water temperature. Your tank must be maintained at a constant 78-82 degrees. A small heater is smart, as the water temperature is often much cooler than room temperature, and fluctuates easily.
5. Cycle your tank. This step is important to the health of your fish.
6. Purchase your betta. Here are some considerations.
_1. Visit your local pet store or the vet. You should have a general understanding of what to look for before buying.
_2. Observe the available bettas. Several qualities are important when choosing a betta fish:
* Color. Is the betta's color bright and vivid, or is it very dull and pale? Bettas come in a variety of colors, but blues and reds (dark colors in general) are most common.
* Receptiveness. Does the betta respond to your movement at all? Does it swim around rapidly when seeing you, or does it merely sit at the bottom and sulk? Don't repeatedly tap container as it agitates them, try moving your finger in front of the betta instead. Don't be afraid to buy a somewhat docile betta, though. They generally have many encounters with other people during their day, and may simply be resting.
* Overall health. Are its fins in good condition, or are they torn or otherwise damaged? Are the betta's eyes in good shape? Do you see any odd lumps (parasites) on its body? If you see anything highly out of the ordinary, consider another betta.
* The right one. Sometimes, the fish will choose you, not the other way around. If there is one betta that you look at, set down, move on from, but are drawn back to repeatedly, consider buying it. Even if it is not completely healthy, buy the fish you feel connected to, rather than the healthiest one there. He will likely heal up once out of the tiny cup and in warm, clean water.
7. Be gentle.
Add your betta. Float the bag with the betta inside it as you purchased it in the tank water for 5 minutes. This allows for the temperature to adjust. Then pour some of the aquarium's water into the bag every 5 minutes. Finally, with a net, put the betta in his new home. Don't pour pet store water into the tank, as it could be contaminated. Use a brine shrimp net to avoid damaging your betta's fins. Be gentle!
8. Freeze-dried blood worms. Handle blood worms with tweezers. They are mosquito larvae and skin contact can cause an allergic reaction like a mosquito bite.
Freeze-dried blood worms. Handle blood worms with tweezers. They are mosquito larvae and skin contact can cause an allergic reaction like a mosquito bite.
Feed your betta. Your betta's diet should consist primarily of pellets. For special occasions feed frozen or freeze dried brine shrimp or blood worms
* Clean up any extra food that your betta does not eat. Similarly, watch your betta to see if he spits up any food.
* A diet high in protein yet varied is important. Flakes, live food, freeze dried, pellets, whatever works best for you, but vary it. Without varity, it may become constipated, which resembles swim bladder disease; the betta can't maintain its balance. All is not lost. Cook a pea until squishy, peel it, and break it up into betta-bite-sized pieces. Feeding this three times a day and then nothing at all for 1-2 days should clear up the problem.
* Though live food may be exciting to watch, freeze dried products still work great. They are safer and free from potential parasites.
* Don't overfeed your betta, no matter how hungry or cute he or she seems! Remember, your betta's stomach is about the size of its eyeball!
9. Clean your betta's tank at least once weekly, depending on the the tank size.
_1. Do not remove your betta from the tank.
_2. Clean the tank. Clear up any buildups on the sides.
_3. Replace some of the water. Don't change all the water at once, as the abrupt shift in the environment can harm fish. You should only change about 25%-50% of the water in the tank at a time. For the other portion, use clean water of about 78ºF. Don't shift the water temperature too drastically when you reintroduce your betta to the tank, as it may affect him. Remember: add your water conditioner.
* You should do at least 20-30% water change once a week.
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:38 am
She named him Swimmy (original, I know, but she was only 7 
