Overview
Common Myths
Making A Home
Useful products
Common Myths
Bettas get a bad wrap for being an aggressive fish, however that generally only applies to males. You can have a betta in your community tank so long as you try to avoid any fish that are prone to nibbling like barbs or cichlids. One male betta or a few female bettas will live happily in the community tank, however you still may want to feed them a betta-specific food that doesn’t sink if you notice they aren’t eating when the others are fed.
While bettas can live in 1 Gallon (G) tanks, if you have room for a larger tank such as a 2-5G they would much prefer that. Plasitc/ glass bowls are not recommended but are available.
Making A Home
Before you bring home your betta, you should have their home ready first. Bettas originate from rice puddles which are shallow and vast. While your betta can be kept in a snall bowl, it’s not ideal to keeping them happy. They are happier when they have room to play, hide, swim and interact with their surroundings.
There are many affordable options in the marketplace that allow your betta to have plenty of room and they are still easy to maintain. Look for something 1-3.5 gallons, and consider an aquarium kit with a filter for easy maintenance.
Once you’ve chosen your betta’s new vessel, it’s time for the fun part- picking out decor!
Artificial Tank
This is the most common type of aquarium, and usually the choice for beginners. Your betta has soft fins that can tear easily so stick to silk plants and smooth rocks. Choose a small aquarium gravel and wash it before putting in your tank; to wash you can put the gravel in a small slotted strainer and swish the gravel around under running water. Add your silk plants, rocks, hollow log etc. Once you have everything arranged to your liking add water! You can use tap water but you should add a water conditioner to make it safer for your pet. Let the water stand to reach room temperature each time you go to do a water change… usually about 24 hours.
Below you’ll find a few useful products that you can find at your local Ruffin’s:
