Raising betta fish requires preparation in various aspects such as water quality management, rearing equipment, environment setup, and daily care. Here are the key points:
I. Basic Rearing Conditions
Water Quality Requirements
Water temperature: The suitable range is 24-28°C, with a minimum not lower than 20°C. Chinese bettas are cold-tolerant (can survive at 3°C), but Thai bettas need a stable temperature.
pH value: Neutral to slightly acidic (6.5-7.2), which can be adjusted with almond leaves.
Dissolved oxygen: It should be ≥5mg/l. However, bettas can breathe air directly through their labyrinth organs, so no additional oxygenation is needed.
Container Selection
A square glass tank is recommended (avoid round tanks as they affect the fish's vision). For single rearing, each fish needs at least 5 liters of water.
A lid with ventilation holes is a must to prevent the fish from jumping out of the tank.
II. Essential Equipment and Tools
Basic Equipment
Heating rod: Needed when the water temperature is below 24°C (choose the power according to the tank capacity, e.g., 25-50 watts for 2-10 liters).
Filter: Not essential but recommended to maintain clean water quality.
Lighting: Soft light with 4-6 hours of daily illumination to promote photosynthesis of aquatic plants.
Cleaning Tools
A siphon (dropper or syringe type) is used to clean up leftover food and feces.
Change 1/3 to 1/2 of the water every week. The new water must be dechlorinated and the temperature difference should be ≤2°C.
III. Environment Setup
Hiding Places and Decorations
Place aquatic plants (such as hornwort, anubias), driftwood, or hiding houses to reduce the stress of betta fish.
Avoid sharp decorations that may scratch the fish's body.
Special Items
Mirror: Let the betta fish look in the mirror for 15 minutes every day to train it to display its best state.
Sea salt and almond leaves: Used for disease prevention, water quality adjustment, and breeding.
IV. Daily Management
Feeding Recommendations
Betta fish are omnivorous but prefer meat. They mainly feed on floating feeds (such as brine shrimp, daphnia). Live bait must be disinfected.
Feed once a day, and ensure the fish finish eating within 5 minutes to avoid water pollution due to overfeeding.
Health Observation
Regularly check if there are diseases such as white spots or fin rot on the fins and body surface.
Be cautious when keeping them with other fish. Male fish must be kept in separate tanks, and female fish are also prone to fighting.
V. Notes
Solitary rearing: Avoid fights among the same species. Mixed rearing of males and females is only allowed during the breeding period.
Stable water quality: Adjust the water change frequency according to the tank size; smaller tanks need more frequent water changes.
Emergency treatment: Mineral water or boiled and cooled water can be used for emergency water changes, but it must be dechlorinated.
With the above settings, betta fish can survive healthily for 3-5 years. For breeding or advanced care, additional breeding tanks and adjusted water quality parameters are required.