Newbie's Guide to Betta Fish Tanks

Thinking about buying a betta? Well, you should get an aquarium to house it. If you're new to the whole process, there are a few things you should know about setting up betta fish tanks. This article will give you a few tips to get you started.

Size

One of the first things you need to think about when getting a tank is its size. If you'll only have one fish, a three to five gallon tank will be sufficient. Multiple fish will do best in a 10 gallon tank since they'll need a lot of space to swim around freely.

Filtration

You will also need to get a filtration system. If you don't keep the water clean, your fish will become sick very quickly. Make sure the filter's strength is suitable for the tank's size. If it's too strong, the water current will make it difficult for your fish to swim around easily. Even with a filtration system, you need to be prepared to do 10-15% manual water changes on a weekly basis.

Cover

Did you know that bettas love to jump? Well they do! One of the most common causes of death of these fish is jumping out of their tanks or bowls to their death. Therefore, make sure you get a cover for the tank.

Decorations

Now for the fun part. If you don't want your little buddy swimming around in plain water, you should look into adding some decorations to the tank. There are a variety of decorations you can add to betta fish tanks such as buildings, figurines, and rocks. Be careful not to put rocks in that have sharp edges. Your fish can rub against it and harm himself.

Siamese Fighting Fish - Explanation of Betta Tail Types

Siamese fighting fish are a great fish to start the aquarium hobby out with. They are widely available, come in many different color varieties, and do not require much specialized care. I sometimes like to walk around a pet store and pay attention to the number of people who will sit and stare (and eventually walk home with) a betta fish. For years, most of the local fish store siamese fighters had a type of tail known as the veiltail. This is the familiar swooping, fan-shaped caudal fin that most people would instantly recognize when they spot a fish of the species betta splendens. Did you know that selective breeding over hundreds of years has led to more than 6 other tail shapes in this magnificent fish?

The delta finned betta is one with a caudal tail that has straight edges to it. This siamese fighting fish has tail edges that fan away from each other at an angle around 45 degrees, but definitely not straight up and down. The outer edge of the tail should be a nice smooth arc. A super delta tail is one that has a greater area to the fins (ie. the sides of the fins approach vertical when the fish is in full flare mode). If you would like to see actual images of the tail types detailed here, they can all be viewed at the free betta tail type gallery mentioned below.

Many people consider the halfmoon siamese fighting fish to be the "be all and end all" of betta tails. Basically, the caudal fin should form a perfect D shape when in a full flare. The sides should be perfectly vertical, and they should form a crisp corner with the outer edge. The outside edge of the tail will ideally have a nice smooth shape just like the delta fin, and show no rippling. Halfmoon bettas do not necessarily breed true. Even two halfmoon parents will have only a relatively small percentage of offspring that exhibit true halfmoon tails.

Double tail siamese fighting fish are unique. Through a process called ventralization, the dorsal fin resembles the anal (lower) fin, and the caudal fin (tail) is doubled. The two lobes of the tail should be equal in size and shape in a high quality double tail betta splendens. Double tails with an overall shape similar to a halfmoon are sought after by betta breeders, but double tailled veiltail fish are also possible.

A round tail betta is a siamese fighting fish that has a caudal fin that looks much like an egg. The sides are not straight - instead they curve out from the body and meet the outer aspect of the fin in a smooth arc. There is no crisp meeting point as is seen in halfmoon tails.

Crowntail bettas (CT for short) are in a class all their own. Their tails are quite unique. The webbing between the rays (support structures of the fins) is "reduced" by 50 to 60%, letting the rays stick out from the edge of the webbing. This trait can be combined with most of the other tail shapes. A halfmoon siamese fighting fish with a crowntail trait will have a tail that looks much like a crown (thanks to the evenly spaced projections of of the fin's rays). This trait is recessive, meaning if you cross a CT fish to a non-CT, the kids will have fins that don't show much crowning at all (and will be called combtails).

Finally, plakat fighters is another name for siamese fighting fish that have the short tail trait. The tails are generally less than half as long as their long-finned relatives. Like crowntails, plakats come in all varieties of tail types. They can be round shape ('traditional plakats'), halfmoon plakats, or even crowntail plakats.

Most importantly, it should be noted that if your betta splendens is to keep it's tail in it's best overall shape, the fish needs to be healthy and have a clean source of water in its aquarium. A sick halfmoon betta will not have a tail that even remotely resembles the characteristics that make halfmoons worth a considerable amount of money. For more tips on betta fish care, you are encouraged to visit the informational site at http://www.squidoo.com/bettabreederscanada