Start Up Guide

Start-Up Guide

betta fish tank
betta fish tank
betta fish
betta fish

 

It is very rewarding to learn and experience firsthand on how to properly take care of your acquired Siamese fighting fish.

They are very colorful and elegant when they spread their fins.

Under this main topic, there are categories that will show you how to properly set up the right fish tank for your betta splendens.

And also how to get started with the water parameters the first time.

How to make the living quarters as much habitable as possible for the betta fish.

Most people just buy fish at pet stores without the proper knowledge that you have the measure the water chemistry and make sure that the correct parameters are in place before adding a live fish inside the aquarium.

Fish Tank Essentials

list of things to do
list of things to do

I have a category that guides you step by step along the way on setting up your first fish tank.

What is needed when you are purchasing your aquarium and the list of materials needed to make it successful.

Betta Fish Tanks Sizes

betta fish tank
betta fish tank

There is a lot of confusion in the market and what is the appropriate size of the fish tank that you need to buy initially.

There are too many configurations. The minimum size of the betta fish tank if you are just considering housing just a single betta fish 2.5 gallons. Here is the rundown on the common sizes of the betta splendens fish tanks.

2.5 gallons

it is the minimum size that if it is just a single fish. The problem with this kind of setup is just that there would be more maintenance needed on your part such as water changes which has to be done frequently. A water change of 20% is needed every other day.

The reason behind this is that you wanted to have the water as clean and livable as possible because if fish waste and toxic ammonia build-up which is an outline on nitrogen cycle education 101.

3 gallons

this is almost the same scenario as having a 2.5 gallons fish tank. You need to have more than regular water changes or every other day as recommended.

5 gallons

basically, this is just slightly bigger than 3 gallons so you also need to change water as often as you can. Every other day is suggested. but this kind of setup is always better than the 2 or 3 gallons setup since you can add 1 or 2 other fishes on the betta tank.

10 gallons

this is the recommended size configuration for a starter betta fish tank. The fish tank water parameters do not drastically change, unlike the smaller tanks.

This 10 gallons betta fish tank can be housed with several betta tank mates and this is greatly discussed on betta fish tank mates information resource that I can prepare in-depth.

Betta Fish Food

There are a variety of options when it comes to betta fish food. It can be in the form of pellets, flakes, live, frozen or cultured betta fish food.

I have discussed this in-depth on a separate topic on?Betta Fish Food and Feeding Guide.

It will be essential for you to know what types of betta fish food that are available for your betta splendens. So that you get the most life expectancy out of your betta fish.

In my opinion, it is my preference that I give the betta fish on the following percentages on the distribution of food :

  • 70% pellets
  • 20% frozen/live
  • 10 % flakes

The reason for this percentage is that the pellets are already formulated with all the proper vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein that the betta fish needs.

Sometimes it is good to have the frozen / live food to have a food variety. For the flakes sometimes you can opt without it since the size is not evenly distributed and can cause water pollution if not properly dispensed on the betta fish food container.

Sometimes it creates a mess and you need to make unnecessary cleanup.

Conclusion

important information
important information

This is a bird’s eye view on how to start rearing a betta fish information. I have included the proper essential things needed in order to set up up a betta fish tank and varying options in fish tanks sizes.

There is also a tutorial on how to set the water parameters before introducing the betta fish and tank mates.

This information provided is a means to educate and teaches responsibility in caring for the betta fish and making sure that you treat it as humanely as possible.

Remember that your betta fish is in captivity and it is your responsibility to make sure that everything is similar to its natural habitat.

The rice paddies can go as deep as a foot and miles of slow-flowing water by nature. So, in essence, the natural habitat living conditions of the betta fish is absolutely the best living conditions.

It is up to you to mimic the living conditions by understanding the proper betta fish care guide and nitrogen cycle that is needed to make sure that the betta fish is comfortable to its new home.