Betta Aquarium: How To Care for Siamese Fighting Fish

Q. I recently bought a Siamese fighting fish in a glass jar. This is my first time rearing fish, so how do I care for it?

Housing Your Betta: Based on the reputation of their aggressive nature, fighting fish or bettas are kept separate from each other. But actually, it is only male fighting fish that behave aggressively towards each other while females can be kept together in a large tank. Occasional squabbles may occur, but these are not likely to lead to any fatalities. They can be kept with other fishes as well.

Many novice keep their bettas in little glass jars at home or in the office. Since they are being kept in such a small container, there is this notion that the fish need little care of maintenance. In fact, small containers require more frequent water changes as the waste build-up is faster than it would be if the fish were kept in a bigger one. The ammonia in the waste product is poisonous. If the container does not have proper filtration, the ammonia will not be converted into the less harmful nitrate as efficiently. The accumulation of ammonia could lead to distress and lower the fish’s natural immunity to infection, and could thus be fatal.

Important Note: Keeping fish in tiny containers is cruel, as they barely have any room to move about!

Feeding Your Betta: This fish is carnivorous by nature, thriving on mosquito larvae and daphnia in the wild. In captivity, they can be fed live food like tubifex worms and bloodworms, which it is easily available in any aquarium stores. Though they are nutritious, the worms often live in unsanitary and contaminated conditions. So if you are feeding them to your fighting fish, wash them thoroughly under running water first. This prevents your fish from getting sick through contamination or infection.

Mermaid Highly Recommends: