my new betta

[WhiteCochinLover]

Here is larenzo In his vase!

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

Betas are so cool. I had a red/blue one that lived for quite a while.

 

[Evelle]

LOVE THE NAME!!!!!!
good choice!! keep that water clean

 

[featherfinder]

I had a blue and red male that lived for almost 3 years! His name was Anakin.

 

[LyonFuzz]

He's very pretty...or handsome Just keep his water clean and don't over feed him and he'll live a good, long, life with you. Enjoy!

 

[SourRoses]

Hi.. I have many Bettas and breed them.

Do you see how your Bettas cadual (tail) fin is held clamped together, closed up? Thats generally an early sign of illness in Bettas, possibly fin rot. Also see how he is hovering near the surface? A happy, healthy Betta will swim in the middle and lower sections of the water and only come near the surface when they need supplemental air, which they breathe through their labyrinth lung.

I recommend you put your Betta in a larger home. About 2 - 5 gallons is good. Especially a Betta that is showing signs of unhealthiness like yours is. If you catch it early, you have a chance to save your fishie, just give him plenty of clean fresh water. Remember your water should always be dechlorinated and aged and the same temperature as his current water.

A Bettas water should be kept at least 75 degrees consistently. I keep my fish at 80 - 82 degrees, as that is most natural and healthy for them.

Also despite what you may have seen elsewhere, Bettas are purely carnivorous and need to eat regularly. Feed a minimum of once a day, I feed 3 times a day, in small amounts (the size of your Bettas eyeball is the size of his stomach, a good general rule). As Bettas are carnivorous, you need to feed him Betta pellets or a variety of live/frozen/freeze dried foods. Check the protein content on the pellet and make sure it is at least 40%.

The color of your Betta is a mix of Platinum ad some green... there is a breeder that has made a line on that concept and she calls the color "Junior Mint"... hehehe.

But remember the petstores do NOT take good care of their fish, especially Bettas, and he is probably already exposed to a host of diseases. The best thing to do to help his immune system fight it off is provide him with the cleanest enviroment you can and regular, small feedings.

Hope he does well!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Quote:
Hey Squishy, Some really great advice here. I have a question about feeding though. I've been told bettas should be fed once a day and about three or four little pellets per feeding. If I let my betta, he would eat and eat and eat. My room mate once fed him for a week and she fed him everytime he "looked" hungry and he had a bloated stomach when I came back from vacation! I think my betta is four now and he's always been pretty healthy. How much do you feed at each of your three feedings? Would it be better to break up his feedings?

 

[SourRoses]

Hi Doodle!

Yep... Bettas can be quite the little piggies!

Just like people, it is most healthy for a Betta to eat smaller, more frequent meals. Especially when it is pellets or other fibrous foods, they have a tendency to bloat. In the case of bloat, you can feed 1 blanched pea (some cut in half), or Daphnia is a natural aid in relieving bloat too.

Yes, it would be better to feed your fish twice a day, and give him 2 - 3 pellets each feeding. 3 feedings is the best of all. But it entirely depends on what you can manage to do consistently. It is still ok to feed him once a day, about 3 pellets, but I know how those Betta eyeballs can be... they oggle you so hard with those shiny eyes, their eyes look huge!!

I feed an amount comparable to 2 pellets 3 times a day, but I feed live and freeze dried foods. Most all my fish are either still growing or being conditioned for spawning. Pellets are OK though for a pet Betta.

It is generally recommended to routinely fast your Betta once or twice a week, to prevent bloat from happening. Since I can't stand those hungry eyes, my version of the "fast" is to give them 2 tiny feedings of freeze dried Daphnia hydrated in Vita Chem vitamins.

Feel free to PM me if you ever have need of more info or anything

And CONGRATULATIONS on 4 years!!

 

[bagendhens]

squishy WONDERFULL info!!!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Quote:
Thanks for the info Squishy! He lived in a 10 gallon tank with some platys for a while, but I left the platys home for a semester and they didn't do so well. I haven't bought a little heater since moving him to the smaller tank, but I'm hoping to visit the pet store in the next couple weeks to pick one up. I'm surprised he's lasted so long. All these years of going back and forth from school with me!