# Sticky  Betta Splendens Caresheet



## majerah1

I have noticed we dont have a very accurate caresheet for bettas so I though I would write one up for everyone to have a quick guide.

I will do my best to make this a complete guide on the proper setup and care for these often mis-understood little fish.










Species:Betta Splendens

Lifespan:Up to six years depending on several factors.

Size:2.5 inches,average

Betta are labrynth fishes,having a complex organ allowing them to breathe atmospheric air.This is a great adaptation,but they will drown if they have no surface air to breathe.Please keep this in mind when setting up a tank for your fish.

Note:The betta found in our petstores are a product of cross breeding different bettas in the splendens complex,so to truly say they are splendens is not exactly true.However its a common usage so when many hear talk of the splendens they think of the flowy finned fishes.

This species is highly aggressive to its own kind.Caution should be expressed whenever placing them with other fish,and placing with their own kind will usually result in death or injury to one or both fish.

Housing:Betta should be housed in at least three gallon tanks.Water is not important as far as the ph and such as long as its kept clean.High ammonia content is detrimental to all fishes,but in betta fish it brings about severe finrot.Of course the bigger the tank,the better and the fish will benefit from a larger setup.Any setup needs to be covered well,as betta can jump.Its surprising how accurate they can be!Not only will it keep Mr.fish in but it serves another purpose,humidity.Males need warm humid air for nest building.Another thing many do not think of is cycling the tank for the fish.As mentioned high levels of ammonia and generally poor water quality can lead to finrot,as well as other diseases.It is highly recommended to fully cycle the tank as per the fishless cycle sticky,here:http://www.aquariumforum.com/f66/fishless-cycle-15036.html

BETTAS DO NOT LIVE IN PUDDLES!This is a myth.A bad myth.Betta splendens are found in rice paddies,which while they are shallow,they are expansive!Placing a fish in a bowl is inhumane.The fish needs to have clean filtered water as any other fish.Sitting in a cold bowl will lead to fatty buildup around the heart causing an early death.These little fish are very active if setup PROPERLY.










Temp:Betta are tropical fish,needing warm water.A stable temp of 82-86F is highly recommended,with 84 being a good inbetween.An adjustable heater rated for your size tank is a necessity.

Decor:WHen decorating your tank keep in mind the inhabitant(s).Betta fins are beautiful,but the length can be a down fall to the fish.The fins are easily caught on sharp objects and torn,which I am sure you can imagine how painful this can be.You can do a simple test,with a pair of panty hose.Run the panty hose over the decor,and if it snags it will snag the fishes fins as well.Plastic plants being one of the main things that snag fins,I suggest either silk,or even better,live.

Tankmates:This is a hard subject to touch upon,as different bettas have different personalities.Some may be pretty lax and live happily with other fish while others will be so full of aggression they wipe out any fish present in their tank.As a general rule though,Any fast,non aggressive,non flashy fish should do well.

So basically thats it!Keep mr fish warm and clean and things should go well!

Questions comments anything left out?


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## zero

ive seen special food for bettas, do they need this or will they be ok with the food im feeding my guppies?


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## majerah1

Guppies are more omnivores,and bettas insectivores.It would be best to get the bettas the special food.I myself use a mixture of all sorts including Attisons betta food,made by Ocean Nutrition,Omega one small pellets(these are for the larger wilds,but I know they make a smaller pellet for bettas)Frozen bloodworms and new life spectrum pellets.


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## HFGGHG

I've been feeding my female betta, named Sabra, TetraBetta Plus Floating
Mini Pellets and Top Fin Freeze-Dried Bloodworms. 
A big thank you majerah1 for your very thorough caresheet. It has come
in very handy since starting up my betta tank. 
What a beautiful fish !!


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## ElChef194

Just got my betta today! i saw him raising hell in his little cup and when i picked it up he went even wilder! 

this thread was a huge help! i have him in a 20 gal with 3 corys and a clown pleco. he though seems timid now and has "yawned" 3x in my past 5 visits to his tank. should i worry? i did a substrate clean and 40% water change to cleam the tank up a bit before he went in as it formerly housed an overstock of fish. 

for decor, i am unfortunately using plastic plants for now (planting in 1 wk-payday). but there is a driftwood "hovel" where he can sit in the shade. i also have elongated a tall plastic plant to cover the top of the tank for him to get a bit more coverage. 

is there anything i can do to make him more comfortable?


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## majerah1

Sounds like you have him pretty much covered!.JUst keep an eye on the plastic plants for the time being,they do rip fins.


Yawning is pretty normal,especially for them to be coming from a little cup into a larger tank.He is most likely unfit from being in the cup.


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## katanamasako

majerah1 said:


> Yawning is pretty normal,especially for them to be coming from a little cup into a larger tank.He is most likely unfit from being in the cup.


that explains the first few weeks of my betta's life. he'd get worn out swimming form one side of the tank to the other, and often u sed the micro swords as a bed to lounge on xD


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## startsmall

remember too when housing bettas with other species, those fins are pretty atractive and some fish will find nipping them irresistable...so just monitor them and make sure your betta isn't losing parts of his fins to other fish...when I first added my betta to my community tank one of the Odessa Brabs came up to check him out and maybe looked like he was going to try to nip him...but when the betta swole up and fanned out his gills he backed off and I haven't had any issue since.


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## Mrlomography

Thank you for this great thread and guide, it is nice to know that i set my tank up well before i bought my betta, a ton of reading before i committed obviously paid off. It is such a reassurance to read this and know i followed the right path.


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## Avraptorhal

Questions comments anything left out?[/QUOTE]

Feeding. Any MFR. recommendations? Size? Type = Pellet, flake, live, Garlic?*c/p*


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## whitetiger61

ok Bev i have been over your care chart a couple of times and i think this should be mentioned..the fish does need clean, filtered water this is true, but that does not mean go out and buy the biggest filter you can get, they do not like alot of flow. i myself when choosing a filter for my little betta, find the recommended filter for my tank then go one size down...every betta ive had has been very happy.

Rick


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## jchase79

So I have been looking at information about bettas lately as that is the type of fish I'd like to put in my new 10 gallon tank (currently cycling). I read the above information and was comparing it to a book I purchased (Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish by David Alderton).

In the section about about betta splendens, the author lists the water temperature range as 75 to 82 degrees F (where this thread is saying 82 to 86). Can anyone shed light on this conflict?

Also, this book states that they prefer soft water with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5
My water is a bit above the recommended hardness range but I think it should be okay. But my water has a pH of 7.4 to 7.6 naturally and I have read that it is a hassle and sometimes difficult to adjust the pH. Has anyone kept bettas in water in my pH range? does it negatively affect them?

Any additional tips or clarification would be greatly appreciated! thanks


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## majerah1

Hello! 

The temperature range I listed is because in my own experience and in the experience of some of the breeders, We find they have more vigor and are less prone to certain diseases. 82 is a perfect temp but I personally would go no lower just because they get lethargic. 

As for the ph, they do prefer lower but as long as you acclimate them to your water and keep it clean they will do just fine. The only issue I ever noticed is the rays of crowntails curl sometimes.


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## jchase79

Okay, thanks for the feedback. I just wanted to make sure everything in my tank is fine when I get my betta


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## Bettafish476

You know that bottled betta water thay sell in some stores? Does that have to be cycled also? I was just wandering in case of an emergency..... I do currently have a gallon of cycled water In case of something happening. I was just wondering.....worst case scenario kind of stuff.


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## drakegonnon123

the "bettas get only two inches" is incorrect. I have a male betta that with its tail is 5 1/2 inches long. 4 inch body. and I got it at walmart.


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