*What's the #1 thing you wish you had known before getting a betta fish?* If you're new to bettas, get started by checking out my Betta Fish Care 101 videos: kzread.info/head/PLlBBJ7xBuquZ99Swlttl7nLIMHTqc3mMy

@-Radium-

2 жыл бұрын

That there are better brands than Tetra betta flakes!!

@butterflyera4628

2 жыл бұрын

I wish I bought a 5 gallon instead of a fish bowl🤡

@venusforfran

2 жыл бұрын

That bettas are very prone to jumping! Almost lost my first betta from escaping though a little gap in the lid!

@AlexK-ew1mo

2 жыл бұрын

Blue bettas are prone to more diseases. Fancier the more susceptible.

@venusforfran

2 жыл бұрын

I didn't know that! :)

My number 1 tip would be to either GET A LID or keep the tank waterline lower. My betta fish is a super active female, and even though she has a 6gal planted tank all to herself with healthy water parameters, she has jumped put of her tank TWICE! Thankfully I discovered her relatively soon both times, but bettas are jumpers and even if they've never done it before, it's better to have a lid on the tank than to accidentally step on your fish one morning 😬

@sampathjosephkumar

2 жыл бұрын

👍🏻

@elicuevas7

2 жыл бұрын

nightmare fuel

@fxvera8290

2 жыл бұрын

I’ve owned three bettas. The first two jumped out. Never discovered the second body :)

@Katiethewizard

2 жыл бұрын

@@fxvera8290 👁👄👁

@fxvera8290

2 жыл бұрын

@@Katiethewizard 😃

My beta, Shoto, lived to six full years and passed on yesterday. It was so hard to part with him after so much but I couldn't bare to see him struggle for life anymore. I had him since my first job in the pet store and took him home when I moved on from that store. I miss him.

@gailcousins9609

2 жыл бұрын

Elaine I am sorry to hear about your betta that was blessed to live six full years! That is Awesome! You gave your betta a great life!

@someone-wi2qm

2 жыл бұрын

So sorry for you pal.

@themarinefan

2 жыл бұрын

That's a long life! That's something to celebrate. You gave him the best life he could have, living to six means he was happy and healthy.

@markvonmerck7735

Жыл бұрын

RIP Shoto🙏

@shreyaxjoseph1040

Жыл бұрын

omgg shoto

How refreshing to see a parent take so much interest in a child's first pet, to the point where she becomes an expert on it.

@ramonaneyrinck2292

Жыл бұрын

This is totally me!! ❤

@Christian-cw9mp

Ай бұрын

That is me. 10 gallon tank for my 7yo's birthday in Oct2023. Feb2024, I have 10 tanks. Haha.

@rosieposie2835

Ай бұрын

This is me right now. 😂

My son, who was 8 at the time, fell in love with a female Crown Tail Betta. He didn't even realize she was a girl but he fell in love with her spikes. She's in a 30 gallon community and is very happy. People overlook the females but they are just as cool as the males and are easier to take care of. You don't have to worry about fin issues and they still have the water puppy personalities.

@sherryshah1797

2 жыл бұрын

The only problem with female bettas,,when they are too full with eggs,they can die.

@chynajache1091

2 жыл бұрын

Before I got my third betta, I was looking for a female, but petco was wiped out. One day

@TIMOTHYEET69420

2 жыл бұрын

I have a male beta he is a delta tail. With extremely butiful colors he enjoys his 10 gal with 3 fish friends one small female pindani a dojo loach and pleco they get along super well tjey dont nip or fight they are all chill

@xBloodxFangx

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for being a parent who understands pet care needs. Most parents just get a tiny glass bowl for their kids pet fish and say if it dies it dies.

@TIMOTHYEET69420

2 жыл бұрын

@@xBloodxFangx yah my dad bought me the 10 gall but we took out the pindani after it bit a hole in the bettas fin but its regrowing now and the dojo is nice the betta i also added a bristlenose pleco

1 properly cycle your tank 2 heater 3 use gravel and sand as a base layer 4 live plants lots of live plants. 5 get a snail 6 get water test strips and test regularly. I have had my fish for a while and I haven't cleaned the tank since I set it up, or changed the water. Betas evolved to live in mudpuddles they don't mind somewhat dirty water as long as the water parameters stay in the safe levels.

@Guthix198

5 ай бұрын

but what if you like clean clear water bruh

@henrydudas6992

3 ай бұрын

then you might wanna try getting a fish that enjoy clearer water@@Guthix198

@TheShaunNerd

3 ай бұрын

@Guthix198 my tank has clear water, no tanins, no algae, I recently added a light for the plants and it looks perfect.

Good call on including betta retirement, when my favorite betta got old I floated him in a big Tupperware container with his favorite hides and stuff. He still had a lot to look at, but it was shallow so he didn’t have to work so hard to breathe at the top. Worked well for a few months!

@allthatglittersis

Жыл бұрын

I have one at this stage now, and it can be hard to watch. I think his time is coming, but I don't want to rush him as he is still able to eat ok.

@lorianthony4892

Жыл бұрын

Excellent!

Live plants are better for their fins too which can easily rip and snag on artificial plants. A lot of people don’t know that.

One of the best pieces of advice in this video came at the end, because honestly I've seen Betta fish behave almost dead whilst in the local aquarist store. It makes sense to ask the store how long the Betta you want from them has been in the (typically tiny) container they've kept them in to help determine how long you might even have that fish alive after purchase.

@amirh9466

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah good advice. I hav made that mistake on my first ever betta. I just randomly choose beautiful colour & big betta without concern about the age. Only realized that after i got home and put my betta in tank. It doesnt move much and it swim like a child just learn on how to walk as in this video. Now i know my betta already old. :(

@elise666ify

2 жыл бұрын

They typically don’t last very long at the pet stores in those tiny cups… they have a really high turnover rate- they either get sold or they die, and they get new ones all the time. So you really don’t have to worry about the age your getting, they are more than likely adolescents or young adults, and just like people some will be bigger than others. If you get one that seems slow or ill it’s not due to old age, it’s because they’ve been kept in a tiny cup and have any number of afflictions that it can cause. When you get a fish home from the pet store they just need a lot of care and monitoring and they will be in tip top shape in no time, and you can take pride in knowing you saved their lives and gave them a good home!

My fish loves the filter in the tank. He spend a lot of his time just chilling in the flow. He’s so odd. He has plants, a lil hammock, and everything but he spends his time nestled in between the filter and thermometer

@Christintu

Жыл бұрын

That’s cute

@l01s

Жыл бұрын

where did you get the hammock?

@tishckahernandez982

Жыл бұрын

@@l01s it’s just a little leaf with a suction thingy. You can get them anywhere really. Just ask a store clerk. I see them at petsmart, petco, Walmart…

@l01s

Жыл бұрын

@@tishckahernandez982 yeah got it thanks

@kjdesignsltd1

9 ай бұрын

A hammock!

I just randomly came across this video because my son was gifted a betta and I unexpectedly fell in love with the thing😆 and now I’m constantly worried he’s going to die or get sick. My son is way too young to take care of a fish so it kind of became my fish and I’m attached to it so I’m learning as much as I can so it can live as long good little fishy life. Thank you for making these videos!

@tktulises

Жыл бұрын

Same! 😂

@Rapunzel-Elsa-Ariel

9 ай бұрын

Kids can surprise you and turn out to be Betta experts

@Rapunzel-Elsa-Ariel

9 ай бұрын

But how is your son

@cottoncandyaddict

9 ай бұрын

@@Rapunzel-Elsa-Ariel my son is 3 now and has been promoted to “Fish Feeder” lol, so he gets to drop the food in the tank when it’s the fish’s dinner😆

@Rapunzel-Elsa-Ariel

9 ай бұрын

@@cottoncandyaddict oh so your son can't take care of the Betta fish because he is too little I thought he a bit bigger or a lot bigger

I had a half-moon betta (creatively named Moon) that lived for five years! He was a delight to have around and I do miss him sometimes. I definitely noticed that he kept trimming his fins and he grew a lot more slow in his old age, but he was still happy to see me until the end.

I just wanna take the time to say I love the effort as well as the information that you put into all your videos, I refer to them all the time for my little community tank. Thank you for everything! :)

@AvengerWolfteam

2 жыл бұрын

emr?

OK, this seems like a small thing but I want to thank you for saying "congratulations" if your betta reaches even 2 years old. We've had my 9 year old's betta for over 2 years now and he was likely nearly 1 when we got him, making him nearly 3 and it's very clear he hasn't much time left. We were 'newbies' when we got him so we made lots of mistakes at first -- he was in a betta bowl the first month we had him-- and my daughter knows she wasn't perfect at everything so she is feeling really rough about it. When you said 'congratulations' and that two IS an old age for a betta I saw the look of relief on her face. It means a lot.

@kimp7160

8 ай бұрын

Just to give an update: our daughter's fish passed away today so he lasted a little over a month after my post. She has talked about this video A LOT and how she felt like Irene was talking straight to her. It has brought her so much comfort. And the tips helped make her fish as comfortable as possible as his time neared. We slowed down his filter flow (it's a sponge) and did smaller water changes because it was knocking him unconscious when we did the usual amount. We have two other betta tanks we've started since and they are getting the correct treatment from the start. And eventually, we will get another betta for the current empty one.

@AliGee_

6 ай бұрын

@@kimp7160 can you please share more about the "knocking unconscious" part? We just got a betta and have yet to do our first cleaning cycle and am sooo scared something will go wrong :(

@DittzyDJ

4 ай бұрын

@@AliGee_I think the “knocking unconscious” comment was meant as an exaggeration… a joke about how fast the water flow was in the tank. 😊

In my experience I think y’all should find a beta fish you connect with and not just the one that looks the prettiest, I went to a couple different pet stores while my fish tank was cycling and I found one that didn’t look that cool in the cup but he was so chill and every time I put my finger up to the cup he would come to it and just be really aware Vs the other “cooler” ones that just freaked out or whatever so yeah long story short once I put him in the tank he started thriving and he’s now BEAUTIFUL more than the ones I thought were cooler so now I have a beautiful Beta that has a cool little personality and I love him

i had a betta that lasted almost 3 years and died recently, today I got a bumble bee betta and he's a lot more active and curious. lets hope this one lasts as long as the last.

@violinplant2947

2 жыл бұрын

good luck :)

@FluffyEclairs

Ай бұрын

Is your Betta still good?

@delilah4166

Ай бұрын

nope @@FluffyEclairs 😬

This is great. I haven't seen anyone discuss old age in fish and I've been watching a LOT of fish care videos! Thanks for including that, it's really helpful xx

The first betta I ever had lived for 5 years! It was just him and a gold snail in a 2.5 g tank and I had such fun decorating that tank! Now things have got more complicated - a 5 gallon tank with a too loud of a filter that I will replace, but can only use an internal filter because the lid opening for the filter is too narrow to accommodate a hang-on back filter, the lights are blue and too dim for plants and ... I miss the old days where it was just my betta Puddles and Sebastion the snail.

@erinjoy5625

Жыл бұрын

Lol, puddles , that's cute

I just love the way you so humbly share your beginner experiences and kindly help new people along. I’m not even a newbie, but I always learn from your videos. I love your presentations better than any other KZread aquarium/fish videos. I love that you keep it moving and interesting without being all jacked up. I bet you are a great mom!

Thank you so much for this video. I wasn't looking for it and it just popped up, but I have recently lost our first family Betta (I'm a mum of two) and I felt so guilty and ashamed. Your video helped me to realise that he was probably a bit old and it's nice to know that other more experienced fish keepers have also shared the same struggles with keeping Bettas. You've really helped me to release my guilt and I feel that I want to try again with a new Betta. I will definitely be checking out your other videos too. You're my new go-to fish gal :)

Thank you, Irene, for constantly educating and enriching my fish keeping experience. Even after 2 years and two bettas going strong, I still learn something new every time I watch one of your videos. Keep ‘em coming!

I have an extra one! Exercise your Betta! It kind of links to the old age tip you give. My brother used to be a big Betta fanatic and at one point he actually went so far to put two in a tank with a black divider in the middle and then sometimes he would replace the black divider with a glass one for like 30 minutes. The Betta would find each other and start flaring their tails and making aggressive moves near the glass but since the glass was there they couldn't actually fight. We feel like this natural behavior is good for body and spirit of the fish. The idea was borne from having a Betta in a community tank where he would be active and kind of chasing some Danios (who where way too quick to really be bothered about it) and then when he was placed alone for a while he really became lethargic and we interpreted that as being bored and lacking challenge. When we put him back he really perked up again and became quite a little proud rooster once more. After the tank divider sparring sessions we saw the same thing. They would be more active, eat more and do more. Since the old name at least in my country is "Siamese Fighting Fish" it kind of makes sense that they need a place to direct some of their natural fighting spirit.

@sherryshah1797

2 жыл бұрын

Instead of two bettas,and a divider,you can use a mirror, at the outside of the tank where he can see himself,you can leave it for awhile,and remove it when you think it's okay.

@soonie420

Жыл бұрын

So danios and beta fish can get along?

You are such an inspiration. I love my betta and always try to make him have the best life. You have helped so much

I love how much good information goes into these videos. I also love the suggestion of short finned bettas, I just got my first plakat betta from prism bettas in Chicago and he is awesome.

I just purchased my first betta today, and this video helped so much!! Thank you

because of you and other youtubers i did tons of research my betta is in a planted 5 gallon and is very happy and healthy.

@sampathjosephkumar

2 жыл бұрын

👍🏻

@FluffyEclairs

Ай бұрын

Is your fish still doing good 😄

Best thing for bettas fish are longer tanks than taller tanks. They love the length to swim. Plants the are tall an have little to lots (not too much) roots. They along love little water flow if you can get a filter that runs no extra water and get an underwater bubbler 💕

Thanks so much for taking the time to share this!

I recently got a 10 gallon tank that Id love a betta for, your videos have been super helpful for learning about bettas and what tank buddies I could have with it, so thank you!

When I was in a college program, I had a hard time taking care of my last two bettas and live plants because of my packed schedule. They had bit their fins so much (halfmoons) and my "low-maintenance" live plants just kept dying no matter how hard I tried to keep them alive. So now I'm done with school, I have a female betta crowntail with fake plants, and her fins look so amazing with no nips in them at all and her water looks clearer than when I had my last two. I'll eventually switch back to live plants once I figure out how to properly care for them, but for now, the setup I have works great for me and my girl.

@zeriyx

2 жыл бұрын

i don't even try with live plants anymore. they become such an irritant to my aquarium hobby when i don't even care about them lol. they hate my terrible public water.

@interstatesign

2 жыл бұрын

Live plants usually do better in substrate marketed towards live plants, so maybe try that.

@drshrutikakankariya1017

2 жыл бұрын

@@interstatesign yes , like aquasoil and just regular soil from a backyard or something

@LulaMae21

2 жыл бұрын

Java fern and anubias are some great easy plants. Be sure not to bury the rhizome (the part the leaves grow from) if planting in your substrate as it will rot. I have never used planted tank substrate, just gravel.

@_Nanalae

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tips everyone, but my female betta is still thriving for close to a year in her current setup! I have used low maintenance plants, gravel, soil, ferts etc during my time in college already with my previous bettas with little to no success. You'd think a green thumb would work on aquarium plants also, but I guess not for me. :/ I'll try them again for my next tank setup with more research now that I have the time. Looking to buy 10gal in the future for another female betta using the walstad method! Like foo the flowerhorn. c:

Great vid!! Something to keep in mind also is when you are buying a betta, think about how long it's been in the cup. My last Betta, Irving, died after 2 to 3 weeks despite having a 5gal with live plants, regular water changes and being fed Hikari Bio Gold. He developed Ich, which I treated, but then he got Dropsy and died. When I went back to the fish store one of the employees told me that Irving had been in a little unfiltered tank for like 2 weeks. Dont think they did water changes as often as they should have either. Got a new betta from the same store when they advised they had new bettas only been in for a day or so. New betta Marvin is doing much better (lol) and so far so good

@frankiethefrog1752

2 жыл бұрын

Yes how is Marvin doing?

@FluffyEclairs

Ай бұрын

I need an update on Marvin 😭

I've been thinking about a betta tank for my office, and this was very helpful. Thanks!

Thank you so much for these helpful tips! We recently got a beta after struggling with guppies for more than a year. I grew up with betas the way you first described with the tiny tank and marbles, but knowing what I know now, I'm hopefully better equipped. This video was super helpful!

Good stuff. Seems so simple, but not if you don’t know. I don’t keep Bettas anymore, but all these tips are priceless.

I’ve had betta fish on and off since I was about 8 I haven’t had any fish in about 4 years but I’m ready to get a new betta. Your video was super helpful. I can’t wait to get started again.

@deltasriracha8830

2 жыл бұрын

I don’t know if you’ve gotten one yet, but a 3.5 gallon isn’t big enough! Get at least a five.

I'm upgrading to a planted aquarium this time, but I genuinely had a good experience with one of those XL easy clean tanks. Weekly partial water changes with the occasional deeper clean. Keeping morimos in the tank I think helped keep him happy and filter the water a little better. I mainly fed him pellets but supplemented with a treat wheel.

I have a golden betta in a 80l tank with blue neon tetras and bronze cory doras as compatible community fish. He really likes the cory doras. 🌟 Bloodworms are their favourite foods. The Hikari pellets are quite good. Bettas are intelligent enough to get bored of the same foods.🌟 I tried a few plants and so far only the sword grass and anubus plant grow. I use silk plants as any hard decoration can cut the tails. 🌟 I also agree with the sponge filter being a nice gentle option.

I prefer the shorter fins on a betta also. These fish do age a little faster. Great information. 👍

THANK U!! i’ve had betas for years but i haven’t in the last year and needed a good refresher before i get one soon ❤️

I agree with you about fish with bigger fins. What I realize is that a lot of fishes are inbreded due to selective breeding, so overtime their fins tend to wrinkle. And also the stress of a fish having to swim with fins that are too big will stress them out. So I’ve been mainly raising plakat kois.

I’m really glad you gave the bonus tank, my beta of two years just passed today, and even though I’ve kept several bettas i always worry that I did something wrong. Even when I know I didn’t.

@mianakerekes1388

2 жыл бұрын

Hy. I want to ask you some questions. I am really struggling to expend the life of the batta fish.

@mianakerekes1388

2 жыл бұрын

Last week my betta fish, which was 4 months old, died. And I try to document myself so that it doesn't happen again. I have a 10 l aquarium, a natural plant and a heater. The problem is that it had fin rot. A disease he contracted in the first month. I treated it with special drops for fin rot. It got better, but in each month the tail was damaged again and it was not active at all. What did i do wrong? If you could answer me I would be very happy. Thank you!

@mianakerekes1388

2 жыл бұрын

And I am sorry for your lost 😔

@Kharmaa7

Жыл бұрын

@@mianakerekes1388 sometimes when I see repeated injury I try to think what they could be hurting themselves on, I removed some coral I used for water quality when I discovered the cories kept hurting themselves on it. Sometimes longer fin fishies I have are too fast and hurt themselves on bits of wood if it’s sharp enough or they whip by too fast. Wounds won’t keep getting infected if the water quality is well maintained. Follow the med dosage exactly, provide lots of air since meds can lower the water’s air levels. keep checking the water ph, kh especially. If your kh is too low the ph can swing widely with any little change, ammonia or nitrate spike.

@mianakerekes1388

Жыл бұрын

@@Kharmaa7 Thank you for all these informations! They are very helpful! 😊

I chose a plakat betta to try to avoid the fin issues I've seen so many times. He's in a 10-gal and the maintenance literally could not be any easier (gotta have plants tho). Even after a month my nitrates are

@zeriyx

2 жыл бұрын

yeah i had to remove my betta from my community tank recently because he ramped up the platy forehead chomping

@STEPH-kk8gi

2 жыл бұрын

Same I tend to get short finned bettas now or crown tails, I find them to be easy but that's just me

@nuclearcatbaby1131

Жыл бұрын

I refused to buy the bettas if they came in a container with snails.

Thank you for the tips! I am planning on getting a betta and want to do what is best for them.

Hello Irene. Great Video! Your videos are always informative especially this video on what you should know before getting a betta. I am blessed to have three male bettas in their ten gallon and five gallon tanks with their favorite plants and decor for a good three years. I look forward to them to continue living a healthy and long life with lots of love and tender loving care!

@Rapunzel-Elsa-Ariel

9 ай бұрын

Do you have them together because Bettas are fighters

@gailcousins9609

9 ай бұрын

Hello! Yes I have my three male bettas in their own tanks.

@Rapunzel-Elsa-Ariel

9 ай бұрын

@@gailcousins9609 good 👍🏻

I'm excited to watch this video! I got my own first betta in October of last year and I hope to have several years with him! Its just said that someone can say they have had one "for a while" and mean a few weeks, maybe months! It shouldn't always be like this!

My very first betta tank was a 4 gallon bin from Target. I did 2 years of research before I got my first girl, Bluestar. It wasn't the best setup but it was far better than a bowl. I then moved her into a 5 gal MiniBow which she lived in for maybe two years. I then upgraded her to the 5 gal Retreat where she lived her last happy year until I had to move her into a 1 gal. She passed a month before her fourth birthday due to a malfunctioned heater. Though that was 2 years ago, I miss her to this day :'(

@CookingwithArjun

2 жыл бұрын

why a 1 gal

@rat_dragon

2 жыл бұрын

@@CookingwithArjun I was downsizing greatly and afraid she'd get knocked over if I didn't temporarily move her to a 1 gal. Sadly, she passed a month before her 4th birthday. I was going to gift her a heavily-planted 29 gallon to herself :'(

@sampathjosephkumar

2 жыл бұрын

Watch my Betta fish Care video

im about to get a betta fish! i’m so excited!! thanks for the tips

Great tips. I did all these things and never had success. Two tips if I can, everyone has stone countertops. I think that could be problematic with making the tank/bowl cold if it’s on there. Also, when mine got to the point they were dying, I would let them rest in the net near the top of the tank so they could get air easily. Thanks for the video. Great tips, I just didn’t have luck I guess.

Thanks for the Tips! I also live in CO. I herd you gave a talk recently at the CAS thing. I came home today with a twintail halfmoon , beautiful fish but after 30 yrs of keeping fish off and on , I have never kept a betta. He is going to be in a project Im doing for growing erbs in a water garden. Have you ever done a water garden with your bettas?

Always so enjoyable to watch your videos, Irene - beautiful footage and great information. I completely agree about the plakat- After several years of owning a couple of long fin bettas with fin issues, I had great success with a double tail (I think because the top fin stays more buoyant/ less heavy) and now just got a galaxy koi plakat (Peter Quill ;) who is SO gorgeous and so active since he’s not dragged down. Happy Saturday!

@franklinstephen3268

Жыл бұрын

Hi how’re you doing?

@FluffyEclairs

Ай бұрын

How is your fish doing 😄

Great helpful video and tips. Thank you very much! We lost a Betta in 2-1/2 months and then bought another one which we lost in 3 weeks. I’m informing myself more now before purchasing another one. I found your video very informative. 😊

Really appreciate the tip about the heater! I live in Colorado too and didn't realize I may need a stronger heater!

I somehow managed to keep mine alive for about 3 years while I was in college. I called him King Fish. He had a travel bowl and a setup at my parent's house for when I'd visit on weekends and holidays. It was a very sad day when Dad and I decided poor King might need to go to the big fish castle in the sky. My dad actually took time and researched the kindest way to do that, and I went back to college with no King fish. My next one, Jerry, lived about 2 years. I do enjoy them!

@franklinstephen3268

Жыл бұрын

Hello how’re you doing?

@hobbitofalltrades

9 ай бұрын

What size bowl did you bring? I might bring a betta in smaller bowl around 1gal?

@Shottie78

9 ай бұрын

@@hobbitofalltrades he had a 5 gallon tank and home, a 1 gallon bowl at my parents' house, and the travel bowl was about a quart. He had decorations in the home and away bowl, but nothing in the travel bowl so he didn't get poked or cut if he sloshed around a bit.

@hobbitofalltrades

9 ай бұрын

@@Shottie78 smart! Did you enjoy having a fish during college? I can't decide if it will be too much work

I just got my first betta (as an adult), she is so beautiful she looks like a wild type, but I don't think she is because she was the only one that looked like that. Anyways she has a 20g long with plants, after she settles in I might get her some tank mates.

I remember at Petsmart when we cleaned bettas. We'd get a bucket of water from the aquarium system in the back. Then just quickly strain the cups like they were bowls of pasta. And fill up the cups with the clean water. Thise lil fish are troopers

My group home keeps our a/c on during the summer and my tanks stay between 70 to 74 degrees. My 3.5 gallon tank is at 74 degrees which is a brand new tank. And I absolutely love it. The thing I wish I knew before keeping Betta fish or any fish. Was learning the proper care in beginning. And proper food.

Great information. I enjoy my betta Monet everyday. I've been adding more plants to his tank. It really looking better and I am doing water changes less often. Once every two weeks instead of once a week. I changed it once a week before adding live plants.

@franklinstephen3268

Жыл бұрын

Hi how are you doing?

great video with good information. however, i know you're affiliated with a certain company which produces coarse filters, but i really recommend against using those for fish with flowing fins. i personally witnessed my betta snag his tail on a particular popular green sponge filter. fine sponge filters are the way to go with bettas.

My first betta fish in collage was kept in a medium holding habitat and I used a 60watt light to keep the water warm. I changed the water every week and cleaned the tank. It was definitely a healthy fish, but could have been better with a larger aquarium.

I got my first beta today knowing nothing I got a 10 gal tank and I was so worried about the cleaning and I’m so glad I got a huge tank for him and it’s just him with so many plants and houses

Your videos are so helpful, thank you. I’m 1 week into cycling my new 57L tank I eventually want to use for my 1st betta and some little tetra friends😊 Can’t wait!

@pjp9383

2 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! This is a great hobby, and I hope you have an amazing experience with your first tank. May I suggest researching best ways to set up your tank when keeping a betta with tank mates, and how to actually introduce them? Things like using plants to break up line of sight, and introducing the betta last, so you aren't adding fish into "his" territory. And do have a plan in mind for if it doesn't go well. Have a clean, decently sized jar, plastic bin, or second tank at hand so that if your betta immediately starts attacking the other fish, you can remove him right away, and have time to figure out what to do. Some are fine with tankmates, others are stone cold killers, LOL!

@scottie_lassie6045

2 жыл бұрын

@@pjp9383 It’s my 3rd tank, it’s a very addictive hobby😆, but my 1st betta tank. I’ve watched lots of videos and will no doubt watch many more before I actually get a betta. Thanks for the advice👍🏻

@pjp9383

2 жыл бұрын

@@scottie_lassie6045 Oops! Sorry that I misunderstood. Maybe the advice will help someone else reading the comments though, now or down the road, if they're considering doing the same thing. What fish do you keep in your other tanks? I have guppies, corydoras (pygmy and panda), ember tetras, neon green rasboras, and amano shrimp. Plus nerite, ramshorn, and so-called pest snails (I don't mind them). Oh, and 1 rabbit snail too. 9 tanks total, and counting. 🙈

@scottie_lassie6045

2 жыл бұрын

@@pjp9383 I have kept fish for many years but I am still grateful for advice. I’ve got neons, rummy noses, emperor tetras which are having lots of babies, Buenos Aires tetras, blue gourami, pearl gourami and bristle nose plecos. Oh! And snails, lots of snails😆

@pjp9383

2 жыл бұрын

@@scottie_lassie6045 Very cool. I want to try some more tetras ... lemon and green neon are on my desired list! Moved recently and in the process of re-scaping and re-organizing some tanks, which means deciding on stocking lists. They are both in the running but it will depend on what else I decide on.

Thank you for these tips! I'm still figuring out the filter sitch; the sales associates at the commercial pet store are all very anti sponge filter; every time I go in looking for that they talk me out of it. The most recent one said he doesn't recommend them if you have substrate and live plants.

@GirlTalksFish

2 жыл бұрын

Weird! I use sponge filters in all of my tanks and they all have substrate/live plants. Never had a problem with them. 👍

@darkbeansidhe5385

2 жыл бұрын

Sponge filters were a game changer for me, and are one of the best ways to develop the good bacteria needed to cycle a tank and keep nitrates/ammonia levels low. I can't comprehend why any pet store employee would say not to use them... that would definitely make me question their knowledge on aquariums.

@LulaMae21

2 жыл бұрын

From my experience, pet store employees are rarely the best sources of information on much of anything beyond the most basic. Sponge filters are an excellent option for bettas and there's no problem with using them with live plants, any more than if you had a hang on back filter with plants.

@misomie

Жыл бұрын

I'm assuming it has to do with activated carbon. A lot of sales reps are trained you need it but it's really only necessary if your local water is absolutely awful/contaminated or you're cleaning up after medicating. Plants don't care what kind of filter you have unless they're a super niche plant or something

@LostInWestTexas

Жыл бұрын

Most big box pet store employees have no idea what they’re talking about. I’ve used sponge filters on my 20 gallon and below tanks for 8 years now, and they work really well, especially for more “delicate” fish like Betta or shrimp.

Im on my 1st betta fish and went all out with a high tech setup, 10.8 gallon tank. He seems to like high flow?? he likes to play in the current swimming back and forth and i have an artificial plant that is close to the highest flow, he will attach himself to the plant and just chill in the flow lol. the other end of tank there is less flow and he seems to go to both areas of tank equally. He is also very aware and social with humans? he seems to like human interaction more than anything and will swim right to anyone who goes near the aquarium.

Fantastic general help for betta setups and beautiful little tank. I have a gold/teal betta like the beginning of this video I found at my local Petco 👍

Never forget to look at the natural habitat in asia, water ph about 6-8, rainforest with puddles or slow moving water, lots of plants some floting on the surface, leave some areas free from plants. Use roots & stones to make some places for the fish to hide, water temperature 25-30 degrees Celsius. You can only have one male in an aquarium but he can have several females as companions, select other companion fish with simular requierments from the same area. Never put the aquarium in or near a window, use a good light fixture in a spectra made for the aquarium.

i get jealous when i see people with bettas in community aquariums. my last two bettas have been so aggressive to all tankmates. my current betta is probably my last one i will get.

@MacMurka

2 жыл бұрын

I have a female betta that would chase around my endlers and kuhli loaches in the beginning but she has calmed down

@Lazy_Fish_Keeper

2 жыл бұрын

David, a lot of it depends on breeding and shipping conditions Try to find a local breeder, and get a sorority of sisters who are **never** separated. The differences in behavior are enormous. Once bettas are isolated, they get stressed, and like humans.... stress can encourage aggression. A friend moved into a home with an outdoor 'pond' that had gone wild. Shallow end was ~ 2 ft and deep end was 4'. It was a rectangle 8' wide by 12' long, and had been depending on the filtration provided by the plants for quite some time. Two thirds of the pond was covered in floating plants...... And the pond was **full** of bettas and live bearers. Both had been breeding, and had filled the pond😳 It all depends on sufficient space at the beginning, sufficient plants to facilitate hiding, and never separating them....

@zeriyx

2 жыл бұрын

@@Lazy_Fish_Keeper i am not interested in female bettas. i like the long flowing fins and larger size. my primary community tank is heavily planted. every betta i have ever had just gets increasingly aggressive. the betta i currently have- i would watch him slowly stalk the unsuspecting platys who were just minding their business and nail them. so i removed him and moved him to a five gallon on my computer desk.

@zeriyx

2 жыл бұрын

@@MacMurka mine was the opposite. he totally ignored my horde of platys initially. then he'd flare at them occasionally. it escalated until i saw him actually injure them or tear fins. he gave one of the platys a pretty bad wound between its eyes so he got to live in a cup for a day until i set up his bachelor pad.

@sampathjosephkumar

2 жыл бұрын

I have successfully kept

I have a 2.5gal for a Betta with 2 tiny green neons and some snails. Tons of plants (took 2/3 of the plants out for my 10gal). He seems pretty happy. Got an internal that has really slow water movement and an air stone. About to set up a bowl/drum with an under gravel filter. Getting bamboo for it because it is what I want to do. It's going to have marbles since it is what I have. It will be another Betta. Also going to set up a frog tank with live bearers and a Betta. Small tanks, I use a turkey baster to clean the gravel. Super easy. Also great for spot cleaning. All Betta in my house are named Frank. We are on #4 in 2yrs. Previously I had one for about 4yrs. My husband likes them because they are pretty to watch move.

my first betta was alive for about 5 years. when I moved, I had to surrender mine and he was about a year. I cant wait to set up a planted tank next!

so I had a betta fish that was 5 years old and she had some SPEED that fish was so strong and she was odd she was definitely female but she had long fins and she was very healthy that fish lived with two of her little sisters both only two years younger for a very long time one of her sisters ended up having babies with a male betta who was very calm they lived together for about a year until they had babies and now three years later we have their great-granddaughter snowflame and her mate muffin :D

Hey Irene. You should look for a betta pellet that has a minimum of 40-45% crude protein, compared to hikaries 38%, as they are carnivores and need lost of protein. I recommend fluval bug bites betta flakes, or Northfin betta bits

@TonyVainosky

2 жыл бұрын

What about frozen foods? I notice my bettas LOVE frozen blood worms and brine shrimp

@arthurheine5631

2 жыл бұрын

@@TonyVainosky frozen and live foods are usually very high protein sources, it's definitely good

@-Radium-

2 жыл бұрын

@@TonyVainosky live or frozen or freeze dried should always be supplemented into your fishes diet, but not as a staple, so you can’t feed it everyday. What I do is I have my staple pellets for my bettas and than on Friday I feed freeze dried brine shrimp, Saturday is frozen bloodworms, Sunday is frozen mysis shrimp, and Monday is fluval bug bites

@TonyVainosky

2 жыл бұрын

@@arthurheine5631 I agree (and feed all my tanks) frozen blood worms, brine shrimp, spirulina brine shrimp, baby brine shrimp etc.....their comment, to me, seemed to suggest that frozen doesn't provide the type of protein value they're saying another food has

@pjp9383

2 жыл бұрын

I usually feed frozen blood worms once a week, and frozen brine shrimp once too. Recently started pre-soaking them in Vita-chem. I tong feed those foods, and love interacting with my bettas that way. Time consuming though! (I have 5 bettas, and 6 other tanks) So pellets the rest of the week, and I mostly use the Hikari ones. But I would love to change that up, just have had trouble finding pellets that are small enough for a couple of my bettas. For example, I have some Cobalt (I think that's the name) and they're big, so I'm standing there rummaging around in the jar for the smallest pellets to feed 2 of my bettas. Just *try* to pick a particular pellet out of a jar! And then do it 10 more times! And they also *must* float, because the fish are so conditioned to come to the surface for food that they do not eat any of the pellets that sink! Any suggestions for high quality pellets that are small and also float?

My tank has quite a strong flow, but I also placed decors and betta-friendly plants to redirect that flow and create "dead zones" where my betta can simply float and stay in place without having to move much. He also like to just get stuck in plants and sleep there for a while.

Great as usual! I’m gonna need you to give us an eyeliner tutorial. I love the way it looks on you

The standard recommendation for a 10G tank is 50W so I don't think the standard for a 5G would be 10 or 15W - it would be more like 25W. The thing is 25W would already be more than powerful enough for most climates unless you're keeping your fish outdoors in Antarctica. I would say use a heater that struggles to keep your tank warm so there's SOME fluctuation. I have personally (in my warm climate) been using the heaters that are always on... On cold days the water is 75-78 on warm days 78-82. My betta can rest at night and be active in the day. PS Sonic has way too much eye-protrusion; that's mild pop-eye. There's also footage of "Sound wave" with major pop-eye but no mention of it. I think that's important to mention so people don't think "Well I guess it's normal if mine has that..."

@misomie

Жыл бұрын

I have to use two 25ws in my 5 gallon because I let my room dip to the 60s and they can't keep up otherwise. When it's really warm out I can take out one of the heaters but small bodies of water can fluctuate easily, especially if the tank has a lot of surface area

Thank u for pronouncing betta correctly

@jdssurf

2 ай бұрын

oh please

I too! Love the siphon. What kind of plants in your tank looks beautiful! Ty for info. I love Betta's I have 7 tanks. I put filter and put low or put plant to block to slow water.

Years ago I had a beta, but he would not eat even the pellets. He was also a jumper, and we had to keep rescuing him from inside the filter! My husband jokingly threatened he was going to teach him the "toilet tango" if he didn't shape up. It stuck, and his name was Tango after that. Fun fish, but surprisingly finicky, especially if you're a first-time fishkeeper or getting them for a child.

I killed my first three Betta's. I thought they were pretty, but knew nothing about them. I had a 2.5 gallon tank, no heater, and kept throwing them in oblivious of the "cycle".... And as a aquarist, I've never gotten past wanting to keep Betta's; my current "betta" tank is a heavily planted, 70 gallon display. I adore these little guys. For that reason, I love the starter video's you put on on these. After more than 10 years, a biology degree, multiple tank upgrades, and an unhealthy fixation with automation and lighting technology; my husbandry many have improved. But I remember making every mistake on this list and more. Good Tip's Miss.

@pjp9383

2 жыл бұрын

I also lost several bettas sooner than I really needed too due to not having enough knowledge and understanding. Now I have 5 bettas, mostly in divided 10 gallon planted tanks with filters that are just right, etc. One of my current ones is a LFS purchase, but 3 are Craigslist / Kijiji re-homed bettas (my newest came from the LFS, but from the customer drop-off tanks, so same idea). I've had the 3 rescues for about 2 years, and not sure how old they are now. 2 have definitely been doing less well lately, and showing those old age signs Irene talked about at the end of the video, and I know I won't have them too much longer. But even though I've gotten bigger other tanks, and branched out into other less common types of fish, there'll always be a place in my home for these special fish!

@sampathjosephkumar

2 жыл бұрын

Watch my Betta fish Care video

So, in terms of the water changes she suggests here... Becoming a fishkeeper is becoming a water keeper. You need to be watching your water parameters regularly. The most reliable method for this is an API Liquid test kit. The results of those tests will help you determine how often you should be doing your water changes, no matter your tank size. But to play it safe, you'd be smart to do weekly water changes. Weekly. Not monthly. Unless you have like 300 gallons. 10 gallons of water changed once a month is a no.

@flygirl6048

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely changing your water based on nitrates is the best way to go. Thanks for making mention of API.

@LulaMae21

2 жыл бұрын

A lightly stocked tank or heavily planted one will need less frequent water changes. Aiming for weekly is a good goal, but certainly not required for every tank. I do recommend it for beginners though; best to develop good habits at the outset.

thanks for this informative look at bettas. my son got me interested and i will be setting up a small tank in a few days.

Thanks for the awesome betta info sharing.

Here’s a REAL list that’s actually helpful to new fish keepers especially: 1. Learning about Cycles/using beneficial bacteria 2. Waiting to buy the fish until tank is cycled 3. Safe decorations/live plants 4. PROPER tank size (5gal+) with correct filtration (adjustable flow/sponge filter) 5. Filter modification (no filter pads) replace with sponge blocks and filter media (ceramic, etc)

@daydreamer9888

Жыл бұрын

Thats more of what I've been wondering about, cycles & water set up as I want fish but need to better educate myself 1st. How do you get beneficial bacteria? Also, is it better to get water from the faucet & let it sit for awhile or get bottled water?

I’m getting a new beta fish… I plan to get the worst looking one and help him.

@interstatesign

2 жыл бұрын

Make sure you research a bunch on Betta fish diseases and how to treat them :)

@hampton1315

2 жыл бұрын

@@interstatesign I’m a pro don’t worry. Plus I’m buying them from a pretty good LFS so he shouldn’t be to bad.

@sampathjosephkumar

2 жыл бұрын

Watch my Betta fish Care video

@GirlTalksFish

2 жыл бұрын

How did it go??

One of my biggest tips on raising bettas is never overfeed them, especially with dry pellets. Feed only three or four small pellets. I’ve lost bettas from bloat and constipation from overeating.

@AliGee_

6 ай бұрын

My bf constantly wants to overfeed our betta. It's like having our own child and i'm the "strict" parent and hes' the "fun" one that spoils them.

Thank you so much for your help !❤️

Sad to hear that you didn't reccomend a 5 gal as the minimum for Betta.

@Aquafinity

2 жыл бұрын

Me too! 5 gallons is like the best tank size for bettas. I made a video on the best fish to keep in 5 gallons and betta was one of them. :)

I had a Betta that liked to play in the fast outflow.

Love your videos and thank you for sharing 👍😁

So crazy because I see these fish in vases all the time and they survive a decent length of time seeing this they need bubbler, plants, heater etc. definitely this video should be shown to anyone that buy these fish! They shouldn’t be allowed to be in those small tiny enclosures when people buy them. Thank you so sharing this!!!!

This was a great and helpful video. Thank you 🙏🏾

Gentle flow lol mine loves the water fall/filter and I made him a castle mansion on the otherside of the tank and he doesn’t even use his cave accept for once lol

Just a little comment (open for suggestions) I have about an 8 gal tank for a betta and the filter waterfall is just a little bit to strong for him, so I hooked the string of a mini loofah to the filter (the filter has a clip to keep it from falling apart) and my betta is happy as can be. Also I crush up the betta pellets and it all comes out it different sizes so the betta can eat it. And there’s never/hardly ever any leftover food on the bottom of the tank because I have two ghost shrimp and a smallbottom feeder fish in there that blends in with the rocks so the betta doesn’t pick on them 😊

Yes,they are jumpers,a tank lid is a must !

Thank you for explaining because today’s the day I’m going to get my beta it’s going to be difficult how to take care of it but I have a little tank not big

I've started researching more about taking care of beta fish and the more I learn the more I learn I messed up as a kid. I did everything wrong and ended up killing many fish. I feel so bad but im determined to one day get another beta fish and make sure I don't make the same mistakes. There's so many things I didn't know and so many things I messed up on.

Thanks so much!! I needed this video.

I had my betta fish PIG for 4 years while i was in college !!! I was sad when he passed. I jus recently got a new one for my daughter we named Bubble !! So exited to go on our new Betta journey !!

Thank you :)) Bought my first one today out of impulse but my mom listened to my dumb request lol. Ordered the little spongebob house as well new tank is coming with it tmrw :)

thx for the tips. My betta fish died last week because we had this decoration that had 2 holes,the big one wich he always used to pass thru,and the second one being a small one,I guess he tried going thru the small one and....he got stuck,no one noticed,until they came in my room,I was planning on buying another one but to not make the misake 2 times,I decided to watch a tips video. thz again :)

Best video I’ve come across!👏👏👏👏to the point and most importantly, not repetitive!👌👌👌

I loved the names for your fishes!!