|
Betta
Fish
BETTA FISH Betta comes in many different Colors: red, orange, brown, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, black or a mixture of colors. The fish is a male Betta and is easily recognized by its’ long colorfully flowing fins and tail. Bettas in the wild lives in a minute space that is approximately 3 inches long by 2 inches wide and 1 inch deep of water. Using a one-quart vase makes it virtually a palace in comparison to the space of the Betta’s wild home. Bettas are anabantoids, they need to breathe oxygen from the surface of the water, and this causes the lack for the need of a steady source of water filtration or air pumps. Bettas need water temperature of 75 – 80 degree F. At temperature of 70-degree F. or less the Betta may lie at the bottom or hide, and may starve to death, no matter how much or kind of foods are offered. FOOD • In the wild the Betta, consume minute quantities of live protein, bloodworms, mosquito larvae, and the microscopic proteins that are clinging to the roots of plants. Please note that the plant roots do not carry enough microscopic protein on them, therefore, its roots are not an adequate food source supply. •The Betta’s metabolism is very slow and require 3 long bloodworms once every 2 days. I write again, 3 long bloodworms once every 2 days. Feeding more then that quantity will make the water spoil and may result in damaging the Betta’s fins and/or killing the fish (over feeding is the number one killer of the Betta fish). WATER CARE • The water in a one-gallon vase should be changed once per month and only if feeding is not at an excess. Change the water even sooner if it gets cloudy. • To change the water, remove fish first into a cup of its own water from its vase. Fill the vase with tap or spring water that has been conditioned. ( To condition the water, put into one gallon of water ¼ teaspoon of Stress Coat ©, and 1 table spoon of Aquarium Salt (not table salt). Let the water set to room temperature. The Stress Coat will put a protective layer on the fish.) • When filling the vase with the conditioned water leave 2 – 2 ½ inches of air space between the bottom of the plant cup and the top of the water line, remember Bettas are anabantoids and need that space to come up for air (oxygen). • Do not put vase with fish into direct sunlight this will increase the water temperature to an unsafe level, resulting in killing the fish. VASE CARE • The vase should not be washed out with any soaps, never this is a NO… NO… The vase just needs to be rinse out with tap water. Swirl the rocks/ marbles to remove any waste trapped between them. Vase sizes range from 1 quart to 2 gallons, no larger. PLANT CARE • Rinse off the roots under running tap water and remove any dead roots (dead roots looks brown and are soft). • Do not use any other plants except the natural water plants that come with your vase others may be toxic to your fish. • The roots grow down into the water absorbing small amount of fish waste it also producing oxygen. • If the plant grows too massive at the leaves (top) separate the plant, you may plant that part of the plant that has been separated. If the roots grow too overgrown, you may cut them back. • One of the best water plants to use is the Chinese Evergreen, it tolerates very low lighting and it is a hydroponics plant. • All of our plants been preconditioned, this procedure prepares the plants’ roots for aquatic adaptation. Note: We hold no responsibility for this page, readers must take this page as a suggestion page, because this is not all there is to know about Betta, the water or plant care. |