So if you're reading this, I'm going to make the (hopefully) safe assumption that on some level you're considering getting a Betta fish. Which is awesome, because every year more and more people get turned onto this fun pet keeping hobby that us fortunate ones have known about for years. Keeping a Betta is very rewarding but it's important that you start out on the right foot! In this article, I'm going to go over three extremely important steps you'll want to take in your pre-Betta preparations to make sure that your first experience with Betta fish care is a successful one!
Step 1) Choosing A Fish
This step has always been one overlooked by first time Betta owners, not in the sense that they don't pick out a fish (they obviously do!) but that they don't know what to look for while doing so. Most people go to a large chain pet store their first time, rather than a breeder or specialty store, which is perfectly fine, but just means you have to do more screening to make sure you get a healthy fish. What you're likely going to see is 20 or 30 small plastic cups with a Betta crammed into each of them. Your jod today is to not only choose a fish that suits you aesthetically (fin/body color, fin type, etc.), but one that is also healthy and disease free.
One of the most common types of diseases you'll see in pet stores is fin rot, so the first thing you should look for is torn or damaged looking fins. Next, check the fish's eyes for cloudiness or glossing, they should be clear and appear alert. Speaking of alertness, the third test you'll want to do is pick up the cup of a potential winner and see what he does, if a fish is healthy and alert it should move around at least a little bit in response. Once you find the right combination of healthy, alert, and, good lookin' you've found your winner!
Step 2) A Proper Trip Home
Many places will give you a plastic bag to take your fish home in, and this is fine, but if you can ask for a bag that is tinted rather than clear as it will reduce stress on your fish during his trip home. Also, contrary to popular to popular belief, you don't need to have a bunch of air in the bag. Betta fish have both a labyrinth organ that allows them to breath at the surface of water and gills for underwater breathing, and there is plenty of dissolved oxygen in the water for a trip home. Furthermore, a bag with less air in the top of it will greatly reduce sloshing during a care ride or walk home, which again helps reduce stress to your new finned friend.
Step 3) Have Your Tank READY
This is one of the only places that Betta fish care gets complicated in the beginning: tank setup. When you're preparing your tank you'll want to go through a process known as "cycling". Cycling involves growing an ecosystem of bacteria and proper chemical levels in a tank before you actually add any fish to it. This way by the time you ever put a fish in your tank you won't have to worry about water quality issues.
Step 1) Choosing A Fish
This step has always been one overlooked by first time Betta owners, not in the sense that they don't pick out a fish (they obviously do!) but that they don't know what to look for while doing so. Most people go to a large chain pet store their first time, rather than a breeder or specialty store, which is perfectly fine, but just means you have to do more screening to make sure you get a healthy fish. What you're likely going to see is 20 or 30 small plastic cups with a Betta crammed into each of them. Your jod today is to not only choose a fish that suits you aesthetically (fin/body color, fin type, etc.), but one that is also healthy and disease free.
One of the most common types of diseases you'll see in pet stores is fin rot, so the first thing you should look for is torn or damaged looking fins. Next, check the fish's eyes for cloudiness or glossing, they should be clear and appear alert. Speaking of alertness, the third test you'll want to do is pick up the cup of a potential winner and see what he does, if a fish is healthy and alert it should move around at least a little bit in response. Once you find the right combination of healthy, alert, and, good lookin' you've found your winner!
Step 2) A Proper Trip Home
Many places will give you a plastic bag to take your fish home in, and this is fine, but if you can ask for a bag that is tinted rather than clear as it will reduce stress on your fish during his trip home. Also, contrary to popular to popular belief, you don't need to have a bunch of air in the bag. Betta fish have both a labyrinth organ that allows them to breath at the surface of water and gills for underwater breathing, and there is plenty of dissolved oxygen in the water for a trip home. Furthermore, a bag with less air in the top of it will greatly reduce sloshing during a care ride or walk home, which again helps reduce stress to your new finned friend.
Step 3) Have Your Tank READY
This is one of the only places that Betta fish care gets complicated in the beginning: tank setup. When you're preparing your tank you'll want to go through a process known as "cycling". Cycling involves growing an ecosystem of bacteria and proper chemical levels in a tank before you actually add any fish to it. This way by the time you ever put a fish in your tank you won't have to worry about water quality issues.
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