Question: What is the Best Environment for a Betta?In answer to a readers question about Bettas:"Hi! My stepson just got a Betta from a local pet store for his 10th birthday. We have done some reading about Bettas on the net, but we still have some questions, hopefully you can help us. We want to treat our Betta fairly, and keep him happy. We were unaware that the popular Betta in a vase with plants at the mall is actually a cruel thing to do. We have our Betta in a clear, glass vase, but we do not have plants in there. It has a very wide, open top. He seems to be happy swimming around in all the extra space and increased water surface area.Someone at the pet store told us to get plants to put in there, although they did not know what kind. Until I saw your website, I was planning on finding out what plants to put in there. What would you suggest is the best environment for our Betta in our home? Can he stay in the vase without plants, or should we have him in a different container? We have different colored, glass marbles at the bottom of the vase.

Also, should we have a lamp shining down on him to raise water temp?" In General about Bettas: The best environment for any fish is one that closely matches its natural home. Unfortunately it is rather challenging to provide that kind of environment in a vase. However its not impossible make the vase a reasonable home for your Betta if you are willing to make the effort. You haven't mentioned what part of the country you live in. In climates that are warm year round a Betta can do pretty well in a vase; provided the owner changes the water regularly, keeps the vase clean, and provides the proper diet.Is Warm Water Needed for the Betta?: If you live in a northern climate, wintertime can present obstacles. Cold temperatures won't necessarily kill the fish outright. However, being subjected to long periods of cooler than optimal water temperature will stress the fish, rendering it far more susceptible to disease. Placing the vase in a warmer location in the house will help, but the best option for those living in cold climates is to keep the fish in a heated aquarium.

Another option is to put a mini-heater in your vase. Keep in mind that bowls are challenging when it comes to maintaining the proper temperature. It is easy to over heat, underheat, or have wide variances in temperatures. Frequent large temperature swings can be as stressful as constantly low temperatures. If you choose to keep your Betta in a small vase and heat it with a mini-heater, make sure you monitor the temperature closely.Does a Betta need a Plant to Eat?:As for a plant, don't add a large plant to the vase.second hand fish tank in pune Although some report that Bettas will nibble on a plant for food, that is not entirely true. fish tank shops in hyderabadBettas require meaty foods and are not plant eaters in nature. where can i buy a fish tank on credit

Yes, if they have no other food available, they will nibble on the plants. However, plant matter is not the ideal food for them.Furthermore, it will be much easier to care for your Betta if don't have a large plant in the way. If the vase is large enough, a small live plant can be used, but make sure the plant doesn't block out the entire surface of the water. Bettas need to reach the surface regularly. Do not use live plants in a vase that has only marbles for the substrate, as there will not be enough nutrients to support healthy live plant growth. a fish tank at a pet store has 8 zebrafishA small in small pot of substrate avalible in pet stores will suffice, and be easy to remove when doing routine maintenance.fish tank media filterShould I Clean Marbles on the Bottom if they are there?:The glass marbles on the bottom of the vase are okay, and are easy to remove for cleaning. best sand for freshwater fish tank

Keep in mind that food can and does fall under them, so be sure to clean them whenever you perform your regular water change.Key Habitat Factors of the Betta:The key factors for keeping your Betta happy and healthy are; keep the water and vase clean, feed your Betta a varied diet, and avoid letting the water remain cool (below 75) for long periods of time. Your Bettas appearance and behavior is a good yardstick to measure how he is feeling. A healthy Betta will be colorful, have a healthy appetite, and is active and interested in what is going on around him. A listless, inactive Betta that has a poor appetite and/or frayed fins is a red flag that something is wrong in the environment.We’ve all had that thought. My tank looks so empty. Can I put anything in with my betta? Or will he attack them? The answer is not a steadfast rule, more of a guideline. We’ll explore the 5 best betta tank mates and whether or not bettas should be kept alone. ContentsWhat To Consider?5 Best Betta Tank Mates1.

White Cloud Mountain Minnows2. Harlequin RasborasWhat's Your Thoughts? In the wild, Betta splendens lives alongside other B. splendens, loaches, rasboras, gouramis, and other fish in the genus Betta. They are indeed territorial fish, wild B. splendens will drive other fish out of their territory during the breeding season. But they seldom do any damage or kill anything. Damage is minimal, if there is any at all. But captive bred bettas are not like their wild cousins. Originally bred for aggression, Thai breeders eventually started to breed for color. However this aggression was never bred out of them so what we have now is a hyper-aggressive colorful version of their wild cousins. Keeping that in mind, we ask ourselves can a pet store betta be kept with other fish? The answer is not a simple yes or no! It heavily depends on the personality of the fish. Females, typically being less aggressive, can usually be kept with peaceful community fish. But males are a bit more tricky.

Many bettas will live with a few select fish fine, but others are too aggressive and will attack everyone! And some are so submissive they get attacked by others. So it can be a bit of a challenge choosing the right tank mate. Personally, I prefer to keep my bettas alone. It is important to keep in mind that they in no way require a tank mate! But if the tank is big enough, meets the needs of the fish you want to add, and the fish you want to add are compatible then there is usually no harm in giving him room mates! Another thing to consider is what his tank mates will need. A school of large tetras couldn’t possibly fit in a 5 gallon, so only consider tank mates if the tank is 10 gallons or larger, filtered, and heated. So what are the 5 best tank mates? White Clouds (Tanichthys albonubes) are a small minnow found in select few mountainous regions of China. They are schooling (needing groups of at least 6), peaceful, and never known to nip the fins of bettas.

Their diet is similar- being micropredators- they enjoy brine shrimp, bloodworms, and fish flakes. Because they have no long fins they are not likely to be attack by a betta in a case of mistaken identity. Their only drawback is the fact that they prefer cooler water- 60-75F while bettas enjoy warmer water- 75-80F. So a tank kept at 75F should be safe for both fish, but care must be taken to ensure it does not get too hot or too cold. They can fit in tanks as small as 10 gallons and tolerate the same pH range as bettas. Photo Credit: Mira d’Oubliette Clown plecos (Panaqolus maccus) are an excellent alternative to larger plecos like commons or sailfin plecos that are much more commonly sold. They are a peaceful algae eater who require driftwood in their diet and do a great job keeping algae at bay. Being an armored catfish, a betta is sure to leave one of these fish alone. Because of their adult size of 4″ they require a 20 gallon tank or larger but pose none of the temperature issues that White Clouds do.

These are a perfect algae eater for a larger betta tank and tolerate a wide range of pH. (6.0-8.0) but will only breed in softer water. Photo Credit: Ace Aquatics There are several species of pygmy corydora, so we’ll focus on the smallest known as Corydoras pygmaeus. All pygmy corys are found in South American waterways and feed on insect larvae and adults they hunt in the sand. Like other coryodras, they are schooling and should be in groups of 6 or more. A school of 6-10 will easily fit into a 10 gallon, given that these fish only get about an inch long! Because they are bottom feeders bettas tend to ignore them, and they are not brightly colored and do not attract a bettas attention. Because of this they make a great tank mate, especially for smaller tanks. They appreciate acidic water but tolerate a pH of up to 7.0. Photo Credit: Carnat Joel Ember tetras (Hyphessobrycon amandae) are very small peaceful tetras that live in the lower Amazon basin in slow moving backwater habitats which means they prefer slightly shallow water to the fast moving current of the center of the Amazon River.

They are another tiny fish, only getting about half an inch long. 6-10 could easily fit in a 10 gallon with a betta as they are small, too fast to catch, and not nippy fish. It is unlikely that a betta will have a problem with them! They also like acidic water, preferring a pH of 6.0-6.5. Photo Credit: Chantal Wagner Kornin Harlequin Rasboras (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) are at the top of the list for good reason! These relatively small rasboras are native to many of the same water as wild Bettas, meaning they live with each other naturally! They are not brightly colored to attract unwanted attention from a betta, not known to nip at the fins of other fish, and love the same quality of water that bettas do. Soft, acidic water is best and the addition of Indian Almond Leaves is always appreciated. A school of 6-8 could live with a betta in a 10 gallon without issue. Photo Credit: George Wilkinson Have you added another fish to your betta tank before?