Need advice on keeping a Betta (fighting fish)
By Leo
@d_e_v81 (360)
Singapore
December 5, 2009 12:56pm CST
I currently have a Betta in a small tank with plants and all. Pretty bluish green body with a hint of purple in his fins. I find that the water gets dirty pretty fast and I have to change it once every 3 to 4 days. Will this stress out the fish? Im sure it does. Sometimes, I'm kindda cruel as I drop live ants I find occasionally crawling about his tank. But he seems to love it! I was thinking of transfering him into a bigger tank but I read somewhere that a filter will freak these fellows out. Is it a good idea to put a filter in the tank so that I will not have to traumatise him by changing the water so often? Much ado about a fish I know...but these fellows tend to grow on yea.. ;)
2 responses
@capiks (40)
• Malaysia
20 Aug 10
Yeah, they love live foods. Try some worms or mosquito and its larvae. If you live in cold countries maybe you would want to consider a temperature regulator. This fish origin in Asian (mainly Thailand, Malaysia) thus can't adapt to extreme temperature changes.
Live food is a must but ant..? I personally never tried that. Good luck keeping it.
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
14 Jan 10
Please, please if your poor betta is still alive transfer it to a bigger tank with a filter! These fish, contrary to popular belief do NOT thrive in such small environments. I eventually upgraded my betta to a 5 gallon tank with plenty of plants, places to hide and a filter and the fish thrived and did well.
The filter situation is an easy one to fix. All you need to do is a clean a water/soda bottle. Take a knife or a pair of scissors and cut above the label and below the label leaving a cylander. Remove the label and cut down the seam where the label glue is. Clean it, let it dry and place one end of the plastic in the filter with the other end hanging below. This will break the water current.
