Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Betta Fish Basics
Betta Fish are also called Siamese Fighting Fish. The name Betta is pronounced as the Greek letter beta, and because of this, the name is often misspelled in American English, with one t instead of two. The name is unrelated to the Greek letter and originates from the Thai phrase 'ikan bettah'. In Thailand, betta fish are known as pla-kad. Betta Fish live in freshwater. Betta fish are one of the most popular aquarium fish. This is mainly because of their appearance - certainly not because they are easy to keep in an aquarium. Betta Fish originate from the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia.
Betta fish are known to "puff-out" when aggravated. When this happens their gills and fins puff out to appear more impressive. They do it to either intimidate rival males or to impress females during courtship.
One interesting aspect of Betta fish is their extremely well-developed eyesight. Betta fish will swim to the surface when they see your hand over the tank as you feed them.
Betta fish grow to about 6 cm, and have a life-span, on average, of about four years. Well maintained aquarium Bettas have been known to live longer than six years.
In Asian countries, the Betta fish have been used in fights
not unlike cockfighting known in Mexico. These fighting fish usually have much shorter fins than the Betta fish we are accustomed to in the west. Betta Fish breeders have developed the brilliantly colored and long finned varieties of Bettas we see in pet stores today.
Betta fish create nests made of floating masses of bubbles. They are blown with saliva. These bubble nests are a place for fertilized eggs to hatch in. The nest is guarded by the male until the small Betta fishes hatch. The nests are made from air bubbles which when coated with saliva increase its strength. When the male Betta makes the nest you can hear a louder noise than when it breathes normally. After the Betta fish have spawned, the eggs float up into the nest from below or the male Betta carries them there in its mouth.
The male Betta will guard the nest for the next 24-48 hours until the eggs hatch. He also keeps a close watch on the eggs and will retrieve any eggs or fry that fall from the nest. He will also repair the nest by adding bubbles where needed. After the fry hatch (in 24-48 hours) the male will tend the fish for the next couple of weeks.
Betta fish are known to "puff-out" when aggravated. When this happens their gills and fins puff out to appear more impressive. They do it to either intimidate rival males or to impress females during courtship.
One interesting aspect of Betta fish is their extremely well-developed eyesight. Betta fish will swim to the surface when they see your hand over the tank as you feed them.
Betta fish grow to about 6 cm, and have a life-span, on average, of about four years. Well maintained aquarium Bettas have been known to live longer than six years.
In Asian countries, the Betta fish have been used in fights
not unlike cockfighting known in Mexico. These fighting fish usually have much shorter fins than the Betta fish we are accustomed to in the west. Betta Fish breeders have developed the brilliantly colored and long finned varieties of Bettas we see in pet stores today.
Betta fish create nests made of floating masses of bubbles. They are blown with saliva. These bubble nests are a place for fertilized eggs to hatch in. The nest is guarded by the male until the small Betta fishes hatch. The nests are made from air bubbles which when coated with saliva increase its strength. When the male Betta makes the nest you can hear a louder noise than when it breathes normally. After the Betta fish have spawned, the eggs float up into the nest from below or the male Betta carries them there in its mouth.
The male Betta will guard the nest for the next 24-48 hours until the eggs hatch. He also keeps a close watch on the eggs and will retrieve any eggs or fry that fall from the nest. He will also repair the nest by adding bubbles where needed. After the fry hatch (in 24-48 hours) the male will tend the fish for the next couple of weeks.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Betta Fish Care
The following tips will help you raise happy and healthy Betta Fish. Having saved them from those horrid plastic cups you originally found them in you now need to give them a proper home.
Betta Fish are some of the most beautiful fish on the planet and they will catch the eye of your guests. With their long flowing fins and vibrant colors, it’s easy to see why the Betta Splendens or Siamese Fighting Fish are a favorite fish for fresh water aquariums. It won't take long to realize that Bettas have a personality of their own. As long as they are happy and healthy, you'll be entertained no end by their waving tails and the little water ballets they perform. They can be awfully cute as fish go.
Often seen in tiny little bowls in the pet store, the Betta males are fiercely territorial and must be kept in separate bowls or aquariums or they may fight to the death.
Tip #1: Your Betta's Tank
Betta fish are equipped with a tipped up mouth and as such, they are able to get air from the surface of the water. This enables them to live in small bowls or those plant vases that are so popular today. Unfortunately, as cool as you may think this is, if you want to keep your Betta fish healthy and long lived this method of keeping Bettas is not recommended.
(It was about the time that I was flushing my 4 year old daughter's third Betta down the toilet {Nemo #3-go figure} that I realized that maybe plant vases weren't the best idea.)
Betta Splenden originate from Thailand, Cambodia, and certain
parts of Vietnam. In the Betta Splenden's natural habitat, the
temperature is usually pretty consistent.
The ideal environment for a Betta fish, is an aquarium tank of 5 gallons or more with proper filtration and heating. The Betta fish live naturally in very shallow water that has little movement. As a tropical fish, it likes the water temperature somewhere in the high 70’s. Your best result is to keep the water heated to 78 degrees (22 C)and use a filtration system that does not create strong water movement.
The temperature of your Betta Splenden's tank is extremely
important for their health and well-being.
If the temperature drops below 78 F - 22 C, your Betta's growth will be stunted and they become prone to disease or worse they can die from chronic stress. Constant temperature fluctuations will stress out your Betta.
Tip #2: Quality of Water
To keep your Betta fish happy and healthy, periodic water changes must be done and the replacement water must be properly conditioned. By keeping your tank clean, your Betta's immune system improves and receives essential body salts. Cleaning also rids your fish tank of harmful wastes.
Fish Tank Cleaning Proceedures.
A good filtration system and the size of your tank are key to
your Betta's health and happiness.
Filtration takes waste, toxins, uneaten food, and sometimes bacteria out of the water, giving your Betta fish a better, healthier environment to live in. You have many choices on filtration systems, but even a basic system will save you time and frustration in changing the water.
Remember the more often you change your water, the more you'll stress out your Betta fish. The easiest way to avoid changing your Betta's water and still keep the water clean is to;
1)Get a good filtration system.
2)Get a bigger tank.
The bigger your tank, the longer it takes before your water gets contaminated. Hence the longer it takes before you have to change the water in your tank.
An important aspect in keeping any fish is to make sure you do not overload the tank. As a general rule of thumb, 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. If you have a 20 gallon tank, you can safely house 20 inches of fish.
The less fish - the better.
Tip #3: Betta Fish Love to Jump!
Unless the walls of your fish tank are high you will have to place something on top of your aquarium or your Betta fish are likely to jump out.
Tip #4: Betta Fish Diet
Betta Fish should eat mostly meats. Frozen crayfish
eggs, beef heart, baby and decapsulated brine shrimps, as well
as bloodworms/brine shrimps are all great choices. Small amounts of lettuce or spinach can be mixed in for fiber.
Avoid overfeeding your Betta Fish.
Tip #5: Betta Fish Are Fighters!
Putting two male Bettas in one tank is a huge no-no! (see Note 1) Two males will almost always break out into a vicious fight. Female Bettas put in the same tank are also known to fight each other so you might want to avoid this as well. Yes males will fight with females too.
If you're trying to breed Betta Fish then the female Betta should be introduced to the male Betta in such a way as to avoid physical contact.
This can be done by placing a female Betta inside a tall jar and then placing this jar inside the male Betta Fish's tank. By doing so, you'll introduce the two Betta Fish to each another without fear of them tearing each other apart.
Note 1
The use of plastic boxes that hang inside the aquarium are a suitable option for keeping more than one male Betta in a tank, or for keeping them in a tank with fish that might nip their fins.
Betta Fish are some of the most beautiful fish on the planet and they will catch the eye of your guests. With their long flowing fins and vibrant colors, it’s easy to see why the Betta Splendens or Siamese Fighting Fish are a favorite fish for fresh water aquariums. It won't take long to realize that Bettas have a personality of their own. As long as they are happy and healthy, you'll be entertained no end by their waving tails and the little water ballets they perform. They can be awfully cute as fish go.
Often seen in tiny little bowls in the pet store, the Betta males are fiercely territorial and must be kept in separate bowls or aquariums or they may fight to the death.
Tip #1: Your Betta's Tank
Betta fish are equipped with a tipped up mouth and as such, they are able to get air from the surface of the water. This enables them to live in small bowls or those plant vases that are so popular today. Unfortunately, as cool as you may think this is, if you want to keep your Betta fish healthy and long lived this method of keeping Bettas is not recommended.
(It was about the time that I was flushing my 4 year old daughter's third Betta down the toilet {Nemo #3-go figure} that I realized that maybe plant vases weren't the best idea.)
Betta Splenden originate from Thailand, Cambodia, and certain
parts of Vietnam. In the Betta Splenden's natural habitat, the
temperature is usually pretty consistent.
The ideal environment for a Betta fish, is an aquarium tank of 5 gallons or more with proper filtration and heating. The Betta fish live naturally in very shallow water that has little movement. As a tropical fish, it likes the water temperature somewhere in the high 70’s. Your best result is to keep the water heated to 78 degrees (22 C)and use a filtration system that does not create strong water movement.
The temperature of your Betta Splenden's tank is extremely
important for their health and well-being.
If the temperature drops below 78 F - 22 C, your Betta's growth will be stunted and they become prone to disease or worse they can die from chronic stress. Constant temperature fluctuations will stress out your Betta.
Tip #2: Quality of Water
To keep your Betta fish happy and healthy, periodic water changes must be done and the replacement water must be properly conditioned. By keeping your tank clean, your Betta's immune system improves and receives essential body salts. Cleaning also rids your fish tank of harmful wastes.
Fish Tank Cleaning Proceedures.
A good filtration system and the size of your tank are key to
your Betta's health and happiness.
Filtration takes waste, toxins, uneaten food, and sometimes bacteria out of the water, giving your Betta fish a better, healthier environment to live in. You have many choices on filtration systems, but even a basic system will save you time and frustration in changing the water.
Remember the more often you change your water, the more you'll stress out your Betta fish. The easiest way to avoid changing your Betta's water and still keep the water clean is to;
1)Get a good filtration system.
2)Get a bigger tank.
The bigger your tank, the longer it takes before your water gets contaminated. Hence the longer it takes before you have to change the water in your tank.
An important aspect in keeping any fish is to make sure you do not overload the tank. As a general rule of thumb, 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. If you have a 20 gallon tank, you can safely house 20 inches of fish.
The less fish - the better.
Tip #3: Betta Fish Love to Jump!
Unless the walls of your fish tank are high you will have to place something on top of your aquarium or your Betta fish are likely to jump out.
Tip #4: Betta Fish Diet
Betta Fish should eat mostly meats. Frozen crayfish
eggs, beef heart, baby and decapsulated brine shrimps, as well
as bloodworms/brine shrimps are all great choices. Small amounts of lettuce or spinach can be mixed in for fiber.
Avoid overfeeding your Betta Fish.
Tip #5: Betta Fish Are Fighters!
Putting two male Bettas in one tank is a huge no-no! (see Note 1) Two males will almost always break out into a vicious fight. Female Bettas put in the same tank are also known to fight each other so you might want to avoid this as well. Yes males will fight with females too.
If you're trying to breed Betta Fish then the female Betta should be introduced to the male Betta in such a way as to avoid physical contact.
This can be done by placing a female Betta inside a tall jar and then placing this jar inside the male Betta Fish's tank. By doing so, you'll introduce the two Betta Fish to each another without fear of them tearing each other apart.
Note 1
The use of plastic boxes that hang inside the aquarium are a suitable option for keeping more than one male Betta in a tank, or for keeping them in a tank with fish that might nip their fins.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Feeding Bettas
Bettas have upturned mouths and are primarily carnivorous surface feeders. In the wild, bettas 'feed on zoo plankton and the larvae of mosquitoes and other insects, such as flies, crickets, or grasshoppers.
Bettas which feed on wide range of foods live longer, have richer colors, and heal fin damage more quickly.
Typically, Betta pellets are a combination of mashed shrimp meal, fish meal, brine shrimp, bloodworms, and vitamins. Bettas also will eat live or frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp or daphnia.
For variety and fiber, bettas are fed finely-chopped, high-protein vegetables, such as soybeans, green beans, broccoli, corn, and carrots. Some bettas subsist on dried flaked food suitable for tropical fish, because although this feed reduces their coloring, the bettas are able to digest this better than pellets.
However, feeding bettas vegetables only is not a good idea since they are carnivorous and do better with meat products. Bettas can get constipated when their diet lacks variety.
If their stomach looks swollen, feed them food with fiber.
Bettas which feed on wide range of foods live longer, have richer colors, and heal fin damage more quickly.
Typically, Betta pellets are a combination of mashed shrimp meal, fish meal, brine shrimp, bloodworms, and vitamins. Bettas also will eat live or frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp or daphnia.
For variety and fiber, bettas are fed finely-chopped, high-protein vegetables, such as soybeans, green beans, broccoli, corn, and carrots. Some bettas subsist on dried flaked food suitable for tropical fish, because although this feed reduces their coloring, the bettas are able to digest this better than pellets.
However, feeding bettas vegetables only is not a good idea since they are carnivorous and do better with meat products. Bettas can get constipated when their diet lacks variety.
If their stomach looks swollen, feed them food with fiber.
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