# Betta fish



## RyanJ (Jun 3, 2019)

Hi everyone, 

I am amateur fish pet owner who is doing some research on freshwater fishes to add to my current aquarium. Though, I don't have much at the moment (just a few goldfish), I'm looking into exploring. I've come across bettas and I absolutely love their colors and just the way they look. 

Has anyone here had any experience with bettas before?


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Do you mean to keep with the goldfish in the same tank? They shouldn't be kept together, but if you mean in a separate tank then bettas are lovely fish. You can sometimes keep them with other small fish, but it often depends on the temperament of the betta. Some don't do well with any tankmates!

Also, I only ask because goldfish are often very misunderstood, but what is your current set up like? Goldfish need huge tanks, much bigger than most people realise.


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## RyanJ (Jun 3, 2019)

magpie said:


> Do you mean to keep with the goldfish in the same tank? They shouldn't be kept together, but if you mean in a separate tank then bettas are lovely fish. You can sometimes keep them with other small fish, but it often depends on the temperament of the betta. Some don't do well with any tankmates!
> 
> Also, I only ask because goldfish are often very misunderstood, but what is your current set up like? Goldfish need huge tanks, much bigger than most people realise.


Sorry! Yes they will most likely be in separate tank for sure. I've read about their temperament and do not want to risk keeping them together at all.

And I definitely agree! Goldfish are completely misunderstood. I hate seeing them in extremely small fish bowls..just can't imagine how uncomfortable they must be. My current setup is a 20 gallon tank.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

RyanJ said:


> Sorry! Yes they will most likely be in separate tank for sure. I've read about their temperament and do not want to risk keeping them together at all.


Phew! Then yeah, they are gorgeous fish, I used to have one that took food from my hand, they have proper personalities 

For goldfish most recommend 20G for the first fish and then 15-20G for each subsequent fish. That's for fancies. Single tailed goldfish need even bigger tanks (40G per fish) or better yet, a pond. So you may be needing an upgrade at some point!


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## Picklelily (Jan 2, 2013)

Bettas are great personalities, although I find them quite fragile compared to my other fish. They are another vastly misunderstood fish they need around 10 gallons of filtered water in a cycled fish tank, a temp of about 28C, they do best with some fresh or frozen food in their diet and dried food needs soaking as they can be prone to bloat.

They have very individual personalities I have had fighters live in the community tank happily others prefer no company. They can be taught little tricks and can jump so arent suitable to a tank with no lid.

They are super interesting and so cute when resting on a leaf, I like to see them in a planted tank.


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## Vunlion (Aug 22, 2020)

Bettas are unusual, incredibly vibrant and exotic fish. The life span of a Bettas is approximately three years. They can be kept in both small (10-15 l) and large aquariums. One individual requires 3-4 liters of water. If the aquarium is large, then it can be divided by partitions into several parts. In this case, several males can be kept in one container at the same time without damage to their health. The optimum water temperature is 24-28 ° C, however, lowering it to 18 ° C, the males tolerate quite well. Both artificial and live plants can be used in a cockerel aquarium. Cockerels are picky about food and almost omnivorous. For them, you can use live, dry and frozen food. Nevertheless, most of the diet should be live food (bloodworms, tubifex, daphnia, cyclops, etc.). The Bettas will not give up crushed earthworms, snails or zooplankton. You should not pet the Bettas too often (although they do), as some owners do. The scales have a protective layer of mucus on top. If this film is accidentally damaged, then the fish will become very vulnerable to various diseases. Sometimes bettas can lie down on the bottom of the aquarium. If this does not last long, then you should not worry - they are so resting. You need to beat the alarm if this behavior has been observed for a long time. Then you need to contact a specialist and check the health of the fish. If the fish are sick, then there are special medications for their treatment (against fungi or parasites, antibiotics). These can be purchased at the pet store. Good luck!


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## LinznMilly (Jun 24, 2011)

Vunlion said:


> Bettas are unusual, incredibly vibrant and exotic fish. The life span of a Bettas is approximately three years. They can be kept in both small (10-15 l) and large aquariums. One individual requires 3-4 liters of water. If the aquarium is large, then it can be divided by partitions into several parts. In this case, several males can be kept in one container at the same time without damage to their health. The optimum water temperature is 24-28 ° C, however, lowering it to 18 ° C, the males tolerate quite well. Both artificial and live plants can be used in a cockerel aquarium. Cockerels are picky about food and almost omnivorous. For them, you can use live, dry and frozen food. Nevertheless, most of the diet should be live food (bloodworms, tubifex, daphnia, cyclops, etc.). The Bettas will not give up crushed earthworms, snails or zooplankton. You should not pet the Bettas too often (although they do), as some owners do. The scales have a protective layer of mucus on top. If this film is accidentally damaged, then the fish will become very vulnerable to various diseases. Sometimes bettas can lie down on the bottom of the aquarium. If this does not last long, then you should not worry - they are so resting. You need to beat the alarm if this behavior has been observed for a long time. Then you need to contact a specialist and check the health of the fish. If the fish are sick, then there are special medications for their treatment (against fungi or parasites, antibiotics). These can be purchased at the pet store. Good luck!


1) Old thread, and the OP hasn't been online since post in it.
2) 3-4ltrs of water is way too small. For any fish! Minimum recommended tank size for a betta is 20ltrs.
3) Fish - including bettas - shouldn't be petted. At all. To protect the slime coat.
4) NEVER keep tropical fish in temperatures as low as 18°. Doing so slows down their metabolism right down and shortens their lives.
5) Whilst it's true that you can keep males together by partitioning a large aquarium into smaller ones, the only way to avoid mental stress and finally mental shut down is to make sure the partitions are opaque.


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