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More on Your new Betta .
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| Feeding your Betta: |
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You should feed your
betta once daily, twice if desired. Bettas are carnivorous fish, which
means they are meat eaters. Bettas do not live off plant roots. Feed your
betta one of the following foods: |
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| HBH
Betta Bites |
Tetra Bettamin |
Hikari Betta
Bio-Gold |
Freeze Dried
Bloodworms |
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| Wardley Betta
Food |
Freeze Dried
Brine Shrimp |
AquaCulture
Bettas |
Live black
worms |
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| Live Mosquito
Larvae |
Frozen
Bloodworms |
Frozen Brine
Shrimp |
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There are many other
foods that you can feed your betta, these are just examples to give you an
idea. More on Your new Betta . . . |
| Cleaning your Betta: |
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Your betta's water should be cleaned
on a very regular basis. Bettas produce waste which turns into a harmful
element called ammonia. Ammonia is very stressful to bettas and can cause
severe health problems if the betta is left in continued exposure. How
often you need to change your betta depends on the size of his bowl. A
half gallon should be cleaned twice per week. Ammonia will begin to build
up in about 1-2 days in a half gallon, so change them often. A 1 gallon
bowl should be changed weekly, a 2 gallon every 2 weeks and so on. In a 2
gallon or larger you can place a small corner filter and allow the tank to
cycle.
To clean your betta, keep a jug or
two of water set out at least overnight prior to cleaning. If this water
is from your tap, make sure and treat it with a dechlorinating product
such as Prime, Novaqua/Amquel, Stress Coat or AquaSafe. This removes harmful chemicals
from the water such as chlorines and chloramines. Leaving the water sit
overnight will ensure that the new water is the same temperature as the
old. If you buy bottled water, be sure to buy Spring water and not
Distilled water. Distilled water lacks all the minerals and elements
essential to a bettas health.
Fill a clean cup with your betta's
water from his bowl. Gently net him out, I prefer SoftNet brand nets or
brine shrimp nets. Make sure the net is already wet, a dry, hard net has
to be painful. Place him in the cup of water to stay while you clean
his bowl. Remove any fake plants and set aside. If you have live plants,
also place them in a cup of water from the bowl. Rinse the betta's bowl thoroughly
with hot water. Rinse the gravel thoroughly removing all waste. Do a final
rinse with cool water and then fill the bowl with your water from the
jug(s). Once filled, rinse your fake plants under hot water, then cool and
place back in the tank. If you have real plants, gently rinse them in the
cup of water they are sitting in and replace them in the bowl. Once the
water has settled, usually just a minute or two, you can pour your betta
into the net and gently place him back in his bowl. More
on Your new Betta . . . |
| Your Betta's home: |
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Your betta's home should be at least
a half gallon, in my opinion. Many people keep their bettas in small Betta
Hex containers and those are fine as long as they are cleaned daily or at
LEAST every other day. I
prefer 2 gallon hex tanks for my pet bettas. Bettas also enjoy plants, I
would suggest either fake silk plants or some low maintenance live ones.
Java Moss is a good choice. You can also find dry plant bulbs at Wal-Mart
and pet stores, sometimes appropriately called Betta Bulbs.
The temperature for your betta
should be about 76°F. Small bowls are nearly impossible to heat so I
would suggest keeping them in a warm place in the house. I keep mine on my
mantle above my fireplace (fireplace isn't used or I might cook
them!). More on Your new Betta . . . |
| Betta Habits |
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A happy & healthy betta will be active,
colorful and have a strong appetite. You might also find bubbles at top of
the water, this is his bubble nest and an excellent sign that your betta
is in great health. More on betta habits. . . |
| For other
questions not covered here, please visit our Care FAQ. |
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