Lauren Reed

12/3/14
ENGL 3130 – ETSU – Dr. O’Donnell

Fish Are Friends – NOT Food!

Some Practical Tips For Purchasing And Caring For A Betta Fish
Betta Fish, also known as Siamese Fighting Fish, are America’s most popular freshwater fish
– even more popular than the classic goldfish in a bowl. Bettas have personality, unique
colorations, and are very inexpensive and easy to manage. So, if you’re looking for a new friend
to add to your family, look no further! Here’s a practical guide, written by a practical, ten year
Betta owner, to caring for your Betta.

Quick Checklist:
Finding Fishy
Estimated Total Cost: $39

Choosing a Betta is nearly as important as taking care of  Bowl or Aquarium

$3
one. Bettas can live up to six years, so it’s important to find one  Fish Net $2
 Betta Food $4
that you like. It’s like a six year marriage – if you don’t love  Water Conditioner
$5
the Betta, you’ll find yourself frustrated and looking to dump it  Gravel $4
 Decorations/Plants
off on somebody else...okay maybe it’s not quite like a $15
 Betta $6
marriage, but you should choose a fish you love.
Note: Food and
One of the most important qualities to look for is the health Conditioner last
about 1 year; Bettas
and overall condition of the fish. Pet stores, like PetSmart or live up to 6 years;
Other items last a
local operations, Wal-Mart, and a variety of other sources sell life-time unless
damaged or a change
Bettas, and nearly all of these dealers confine the fish in small is desired

plastic cups that are about the size that a doctor would use for a

urine test. The water quality in the cup is a good indicator of

the potential health of the fish. Choose a fish that has clear water, free from flaky pollutants – a

difficult task in some stores.

 In addition, examine the fish carefully. Does it have ragged fins? Are there white spots

covering the body? Does it look like it is having difficulty breathing or swimming? If so don’t

buy the fish – unless of course, you want it to look like this in a few days:

This is self-explanatory. Photo = dead Betta.

Photo from Google Images.

Some other important characteristics to seek are color and tail style. Bettas come in a rainbow

assortment of colors: cellophane (essentially clear), yellow, steel blue, red, black and other

colors, as well as all sorts of combinations. Bettas also have an array of tail fin styles – from the

traditional V-shaped veiltail Bettas to the sunburst tail shaped crowntail Bettas – so choose the

combination of tail and color that you like best.

Bettas also vary in price based on gender and perceived aesthetic quality. Most Bettas for sale

are males due to their beautiful fins and bold colors; you can buy female Bettas for cheaper than

males, but it is my experience that females are usually not as attractive and “showy” as males,

though I have owned both at various times. The average cost is between $3 and $12, but some
exotic dealers on eBay and other Internet sources sell Bettas upwards of $85. Remember that

beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if you don’t find a fish that is pretty and healthy, simply

high tail it out of the store and try again another day.

A Home For Fishy

You should set up an aquarium of some sort prior to purchasing your fish. I have had success

keeping Bettas in bowls that hold approximately ¾ of a gallon of water. However, many experts

claim that Bettas require at least 3 gallons, despite the fact that Bettas only grow to be a

maximum of 3 inches long from mouth to tail tip. My fish have survived for years in the smaller

bowls, so smaller bowls are what I

recommend for all practicality concerns.

I don’t think it would be any fun to have

a very large tank with one teeny-tiny fish

in it, and I find that the smaller bowls are

perfectly aesthetic for me and perfectly

suitable for the fish. Plus, smaller bowls

are more economical as you can find old

flower vases that can house your Betta at

places like Goodwill for as cheap as $3,

Examples of Betta Colors and Tail Types as opposed to spending up to $30 for a started tank at a pet
Photos from Google Images
store.

Decorating the bowl is the fun part. You will want a base of gravel about 1” deep to act as a

filter for uneaten food and excrement. I usually like natural looking habitats, but you can find an

array of gravel colors – from sparkly pink or shiny green to black. If you decide to decorate the
bowl with plants, be sure to use silk plants. Bettas have very delicate fins and using hard, plastic

plants with jagged edges is sure to shred the fins, especially if the Betta likes to swim through the

plants. Other ornaments, such as rock formations, Sponge-Bob figures, and much more, can be

found at a local fish store.

Bettas are solitary creatures. The “fighting fish” nickname is not for show. Male Bettas are

extremely aggressive; therefore, you can only have one in an aquarium. Sometimes, if two males

are in bowls close enough that the fish can see each other, they will become preoccupied with

and aggressive toward the other male. This is a simple fix: just place a piece of paper between

the bowls so the Bettas can’t see each other and – voilà – problem solved. Keeping females

together is not recommended either.

After decorating the bowl or aquarium, fill it with clean tap water. Squirt a little bit – just a

drop of two – of the water conditioner into the fresh water to remove any harsh chemicals in the

water that may harm your fish. Let the habitat sit so the water can become room temperature

before putting your Betta into the bowl.

Bringing Fishy Home

Once you find a Betta you want and have purchased it, bring it home immediately. Avoid

leaving the fish in your car while you finish errands, regardless of how beautiful the weather is

because the Betta may overheat and die. Most pet stores will place the fish on hold if you have

more shopping to do before heading home.

Do not forget to also buy food. Stores will sell pellets or flakes that are “specially formulated”

to enhance the Betta’s color. In reality, all Betta foods seem to have the same ingredients, so if

you want to save money, go with a cheaper food – don’t skimp on the beauty of the Betta.
 Once you get the Betta home, it is time to put it into its new home. Since the water in the

Betta’s bowl is room temperature, you should allow the water in the Betta’s cup from the store to

acclimate to room temperature because the car ride home is likely to have changed the water

temperature. If you immediately put the Betta into the new bowl, the rapid change in water

temperature may stun or kill your fish.

The Not-So-Hard Hard Part Of Keeping Fishy Alive

A. Water Changes

Now that you have brought the

Quick Guide to Water Changes:
fish home and have transferred the

Betta to its bowl, the maintenance 1. Fill a container with clean water

begins. Don’t worry, though, Bettas 2. Allow to sit at room temperature for

are not very dirty fish. Goldfish an hour

produce a lot of ammonia and 3. Transfer Betta from its bowl to the

require a hefty filter to keep the container

water clean. Bettas, on the other 4. Clean the Betta’s bowl with water

hand, will only require a water 5. Pour some water from the fresh

change about once a week, though container into the Betta’s usual bowl

on occasion, an every other week 6. Transfer Betta from container to its

water change will be sufficient. bowl

7. Finish pouring the clean water into

When changing the water, put
the bowl
clean tap water into a container and

allow the water to sit at room

temperature for at least an hour. I recommend using a conditioner such as AquaSafe with every

water change to eliminate the harmful substances, like chlorine, found in tap water. When the

fresh water has adapted temperature, simply catch your Betta using a net, and transfer it to the

clean water container. Clean the Betta’s normal bowl with water only, as soap residue may kill

your fish. Make sure to sift through the gravel, eliminating the uneaten food. Pour some of the

clean water back into the Betta’s normal bowl; using the net, catch the Betta and put it in the

bowl; finish filling the bowl with the remainder of the clean water.

B. Feeding

Feed your Betta twice a day. The stomach of a fish is about the size of its eye, so a small

amount of food is all that is necessary. If you overfeed, your fish may develop health problems

or you may need to clean the water more often because of uneaten food residue. Don’t be

paranoid, though, feeding is not rocket science: one or two pellets, or a few small flakes, are

plenty for your fish.

I admit that I have left my fish at home for a week without food while I was on vacation, and

they survived. Fish are supposed to be able to live two weeks without food, but if you are going

to miss feeding the Betta more than one week, I would set up a system where a friend could

check on the Betta at least once during your trip to feed it and maybe change its water. Bettas

are very hardy, so any minor errors or missed water changes are most likely not life threatening

to the fish.
 Now What?

Just enjoy your fish! Bettas can become quite friendly and certainly have big personalities. I

Eiffel as a youngster had a purple Betta named Eiffel that kept me company during my first college

year and beyond; unfortunately, nature has taken its course in Eiffel’s life. Every time I would

walk even remotely close to his bowl, he would begin swimming up and down the front of the

bowl as if in a frenzy; I felt quite happy that he was so excited to see me – plus, he usually

received a small amount of food as a treat, which definitely played into his excitement. Take

Recommended Websites
BettaTalk.com – For all things Betta
AquariumGuys.com – For quick tips for caring for Bettas and
other fish
PetSmart.com – For fish care supplies

time to enjoy your Betta and you, too, can build a bond

with your fish.

Bettas take some responsibility and time, but they

are well worth the effort. With these tips, you can

successfully manage to keep a Betta fish as a friend.

For more resources and information, please visit the

recommended sites. Happy Betta buying!