Many pet stores offer betta fish routinely to new aquarists because they are considered a beginner fish species - the stunning colors and splendid fin arrangements of the Betta fish have gained them quite the following in the aquarium hobby. Although, despite the reputation betta fish have acquired, there are many mistakes new Betta fish keepers make as a result of incorrect and misguided information. The most frequent have to do with water changes and diet.
Even though bettas are capable of getting air from the surface of the water, they still benefit from being kept in a well aerated, filtered tank. When you keep bettas in tiny fish tanks, it's difficult to keep the water quality good. Due to the fact that it is nearly impossible to keep the water clean in a tiny fish tank, you should try to change out the water at least every other day.
However, daily water changes are better for your fish if you are keeping it in a little aquarium. Regular water changes allow betta fish to build an enhanced immune system, exhibit better coloration and they prevent the water quality from becoming foul.
Siamese fighting fish aren't incredibly active pets, and as such, they don't require frequent feedings. This is especially true if you are housing your betta in a tank less than 5 gallons of water because they are not able to move around very well. Regardless, some of the commonly available Siamese fighting fish food bottles advise aquarists to overfeed their Siamese fighting fish.
A Siamese fighting fish's stomach isn't big enough to accommodate large quantities of food, and leaving excess food floating in the water will cause the water quality to deteriorate - this will raise the ammonia concentration in the fish tank and harm your betta fish, possibly killing it.
Before jumping into feeding your fish multiple times per day, or even every day, take the time to learn how much he will eat at a time - offer Siamese fighting fish a couple pellets at a time, and leave it at that. Feeding your betta like this will stop you from overfeeding them and causing fish problems.
Besides from the obvious water quality issues, an overfed betta will become fat, which will severely shorten the time that you have with them. You can also offer your betta a treat a few times per week, like halved peas, brine shrimp or flightless fruit flies. Your betta will be healthier and more vibrant looking if they are offered a varied diet.
AJ Houston has been keeping freshwater and brackish aquarium fish for over 6 years, and is on an ongoing quest to learn more about topical fish keeping everyday. AJ has personal experience with treating fish ick naturally, getting rid of algae and fixing cloudy aquarium water.
For more help with figuring out how to solve your fish problems please visit: http://www.fishproblems.com
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