Divided Betta Tanks

The easiest way to keep multiple bettas!

Everyone knows that bettas need clean, warm water. Personally I don’t like to keep bettas in anything smaller than a 5 gal (19 L) because they are harder to maintain a cycle or proper temperature in. Most people have two to four bettas, and cleaning that many 5 gal (19 L) tanks can take a while. This is why the divided tank is my favorite way to keep bettas.

The Basic Setup

The idea is to separate the bettas by a solid divider. Some people use plastic mesh, and some will use solid glass or plexiglass with tiny holes drilled for water movement. The intention is to physically separate the fish so they cannot touch each other. But the two fish can still see each other.

Left without any visual barriers, they will flare uncontrollably which is stressful to them. This can lead to fin-biting or wasting away. Some fish will refuse to eat and attempt to fight the other fish until they die. This is counter-productive. So you have to obscure their view of each other by placing numerous tall decorations along both sides of the divider. Some people use fake plants; some people use décor like castles and other trinkets. I prefer to use live plants. What is important is that these decorations make it easy for one betta to get out of sight of the other. 

Newly set up divided 10 gallon tank (Pixiefarts @ Flickr)

Other decorations in the tank such as caves should be angled away from the divider to give the bettas more refuge from each other. As always a tank stuffed with decorations and live plants seems to be the best habitat for a betta. In this situation it also gives the bettas ample space to avoid looking at each other.

Most any size tank above 5 gallons (19 L) can be easily divided. The kinds of tanks you want to stay away from dividing are the tall tanks like hexigons. A tall and long tank like a 40 gal (150 L) breeder could be divided, but you would need to provide the bettas ample resting places close to the top. That is a tall tank for a fish with heavy fins. The most commonly divided tanks are 10 gal (38 L), 15 gal (56 L), 15 gal (56 L) long, 20 gal (75 L), and 20 gal (75 L) long.

Variations

There are a couple of variations on this idea, but they all have the basic concept. Some people add multiple dividers to a long tank such as a 20 gal (75 L) long. In a tank like this you could have between three and four (depending on preference) dividers. But you have to take special care to provide the betta in the middle with more than average hiding spaces because he will think he’s being attacked from both sides.

Divided 20 long (Jadesong520 @ photobucket)

Some people take this a step further and create betta barracks. The methods to do this vary greatly from placing a lot of dividers in a tank to having glass custom cut and siliconed into place, but the outcome is the same. There are usually 4+ compartments in the front for bettas and a single large compartment behind the bettas to facilitate water flow, allow for a heater, and a filter. This method is preferred by breeders because it allows you to house hundreds of bettas in a pretty compact area using multiple barracks and industrial shelving racks.

Betta barracks for 10 bettas (LittleBettaFish @ Bettafish.com)

My personal favorite dividing method is the double divider. Instead of just one divider in the tank, I use two to create three compartments, but only two compartments house fish. The middle one houses the heater and filter and a few plants. The additional divider makes it more difficult for the bettas to see each other and also offers a buffer zone in case of a jumper. Bettas are known to jump, and they do jump the divider from time to time. This HAS happened to me before while I was on vacation, but because of this middle buffer zone the bettas did not tear each other apart. They were there for hours until they were discovered. If not for this middle section, I could have come home to one or two dead bettas.

My personal divided betta tank.

View from the side. Note how opaque the divider is.

Problems

No setup is perfect and when you put two bettas in a tank together (even with a divider) you still have the potential for problems. As I was just talking about with my tank, jumping is a serious issue. Just last week a friend of mine who also has divided tanks lost one of her bettas when the other jumped the divider and beat him to death. The double divider is one way to help prevent that. The other thing you can do is make a jump guard. Because I made my dividers from craft mesh, which is bought in sets of multiple sheets, I had some left over. I cut the leftover mesh to make a jump guard. It’s just a piece of mesh that rests on top of the divider and hangs out over the edges about 3 inches (7 cm). If a betta jumps at the divider, he or she will just hit the mesh.

Jump guard made with craft mesh.

Another issue is the spread of waterborne diseases like ich, fungus, and columnaris. If one fish gets sick you have to treat the whole tank for it because the other betta (or bettas) have been exposed. Most disease can be prevented by having a good quarantine regimen.

Sometimes you will just get males or females that just can’t handle living in a divided tank. Even with lots of plants along the divider they will fin-bite or pace all day, trying to get away. Generally the bettas that are more relaxed tend to do better in divided tanks. Having two very aggressive bettas in a divided tank can be a problem. This is a specialized setup; it isn’t for every betta.

As I have said before this is my favorite way to keep bettas. You get double the fish for the same amount of maintenance. My betta tank gets one 30% water change weekly and takes the least time of all of my tanks. I highly recommend this type of setup to anyone. I leave you with a video of my divided betta tank. The two males do not notice each other at all.

Betta Fish Awareness Day 2012

Today is Betta Fish Awareness Day 2012! Time to get out and spread the word about proper betta care!

Click to enlarge (American Betta Fish Association)

This lovely brochure created by the betta enthusiasts and breeders at the American Betta Fish Association also comes in a black and white form that can be printed out. Post this brochure around town at local pet stores and vet clinics to spread the word about proper betta care. Always remember to be kind and courteous when you do. As my grandfather likes to say, you get more with sugar than you do with salt.

Another way you can participate is to sign and let others know about this petition to convince Petsmart to stop selling tanks that hold less than a gallon of water. Stores in the UK don't sell these tiny tanks. Let's help US chain stores jump on the bandwagon. Just to be clear, the petitioners have no problem with breeders keeping fish in these small tanks because breeders understand the needs of these fish. But when a large store like Petsmart markets these small tanks to new betta keepers and doesn't properly explain how to clean and safely heat tanks like this, it leads to unnecessary mistreatment of the fish.

Let's face it. There is a problem with the way most store sell bettas (and goldfish). While regulations against small tanks might do a bit, a betta in a dirty, unheated 2.5 gallon bowl isn't better off than a betta in a clean, heated 1 gallon bowl. The only way to save these beautiful fish from that horrible fate is to educate the public and pet store workers. And that is what today is all about. 

(copperarabian @ Deviantart)

Best and Worst Beginner Fish

I see a lot of people ask “what fish should I start with?” I also see a lot of people starting with fish that they were lead to thinking were easy.  Most people want a tank full of beautifully colored fish. I understand this, but often the most beautiful fish are also much more delicate. However, there are some very pretty and hardy fish with which you can start your hobby. They may not look like much in the store tanks, but once you get them home and into a good setup, they will show their true colors for you.

Through personal experience and discussion with other aquarists, I have gathered a list of fish that are good for the budding fishkeeper. These fish were chosen for their hardiness (ability to survive a cycle and live in less than ideal conditions), adaptability (can live in a wide range of parameters), small size (ideal for the first aquarium), and peacefulness. I have also compiled a list of fish that beginners should avoid for various reasons such as size, aggressiveness, and sensitivity.

Before I go into the fish, let me take a minute to explain what a good first aquarium size is. While bigger is always better, the beginner might not want to start with a massive tank of 55 gallons (209 L) or larger. This is a big tank (and a big expense), and big tanks mean big water changes which a new aquarist might not want. Conversely a 10 gallon (40 L) isn’t a great beginner tank because it is so small, and small tanks can have fast and dangerous water parameter swings. Also you can only fit one or two species of fish in a tank of that size. I’ve come to believe that tanks from between 20 gallons (75 L) and 40 gallons (151 L) make great beginner tanks because they are large enough to be mostly stable but not too large as to be a pain to perform water changes and they enable the first time fishkeeper to keep more than two species. 

The Bad Choices

Many fish that the pet stores tout as easy and great for beginners are far from that for many reasons. Some grow too large, some are hard to keep alive, and some are aggressive. Since there is a multitude of fish that would make poor first choices, I’m going to group them into categories and give you examples of fish that fall into these categories.

The first category of poor beginner fish are chosen because they get so large. They are sold as cute, inch-long babies, but they will soon be busting the walls of a normal beginner aquarium. These fish include goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus), common pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus), oscar (Astronotus ocellatus), and kissing gourami (Helostoma temminkii). Many people are surprised to see goldfish on this list because all you see in the stores are cute little goldfish. Trust me: these little golden wonders will soon be around a foot long and all the while they grow, pooping like a fiend. They are a hardy fish, but they just get too large for most beginners to handle.

You also don’t want to start off with a fish that is too sensitive. Oto catfish (Otocinclus macrospilus), angel fish (Pterophyllum spp), cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi), and many more fall into this category. They should never be introduced to a cycling tank (tank where colonies of beneficial bacteria are not established and harmful levels of ammonia and nitrite are present) because they can’t handle the stress of a cycle. Oto catfish specifically need a setup that has had time to grow algae because they primarily eat algae. They come to stores starving because they are captured from the wild where they only eat algae. By the time they get to the store they haven’t seen any in weeks; they will starve to death in a brand new setup because it lacks algae.

Another mistake that beginners often make is buying fish that are too aggressive to keep with much else; they end up with a moderately large tank and nothing in it but a single school of fish. Or they buy a “freshwater shark” because the name sounds cool, and then end up with a tank full of fish cowering in the corner trying to stay away from the shark’s bullying nature. If you just want to keep a school of these fish or a freshwater shark, then go right ahead, but you won’t be able to add anything else to the tank. Fish that fall into this category are tiger barbs (Puntius anchisporus), black skirt tetra/black widow tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi), and the freshwater sharks like rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatus), bala shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus), and red-tailed shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor).

Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are a great beginner fish, right? You’d be surprised to learn that they are not. They were many years ago, but commercial scale breeding and continuous inbreeding has made what was once an extremely hardy fish into a weak, disease-ridden fish terrible for beginners. If you can find guppies from a hobby breeder, then you have the chance to get some good fish, but pet store guppies are so weak, they can hardly be considered a good fish anymore. Sadly, neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) and dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius) have also gone down this same route. Commercial-scale breeding programs are now producing weak, inbreed, and disease ridden fish. In fact, both fish now have a disease named after them because these fish so commonly carry them: dwarf gourami iridovirus and neon tetra disease. These diseases have no cure and can spread to other species.

I know you want to start off with strange and unusual fish to wow your friends, but these fish are usually delicate, difficult to keep alive, and have specific needs. This brings me to my final category of fish that are bad for beginners: the oddballs. These are fish like the black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons), German blue ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi), and African butterfly fish (Pantodon buchholzi). A good rule of thumb is if it looks strange, it’s going to be hard to keep alive. 

The Good Choices 

Don’t despair. While those are fish you shouldn’t start with, you have plenty of attractive and interesting options that can be your first fish. Instead of grouping them like the bad beginner fish, I have listed them out with pictures and general care information. All of these fish are not picky eaters and will readily accept any flake or pellet food.

Blue Tetra (Catxx @ the Aquarium Wiki)

Blue Tetra, Cochu (Boehlkea fredcochui)

Tank size: 20 gallons, 24 inches long (75 L, 61 cm)

Temp: 72 - 79F (22 - 26C)

pH: 6.0 - 8.0

Water hardness: up to 15 dGH

Notes: Like most tetra species this is a schooling species and needs to be maintained in groups of 6 or more. When buying schooling fish like this it is best to buy about 9 so in case you have a death, these fish won’t start bullying other fish. Don’t keep them with fish with long fins like betta fish. This fish will be most colorful in an aquarium with lots of cover such as decorations and plants (live or fake).

Group of Flame Tetra (Catxx @ the Aquarium wiki)

Flame tetra, Fire tetra, Von Rio tetra (Hyphessobrycon flammeus)

Tank size: 20 gallons, 24 inches long (75 L, 61 cm)

Temp: 72 - 82F (22 - 28C)

pH: up to 7.8

Hardness: up to 25 dGH

Notes: This is another gorgeous and hardy tetra species. They should be kept in a minimum of 6, but keeping them in larger numbers will make them more attractive and reduce the nipping tendencies common with tetra. Don’t keep them with slow-moving fish. It will show its best colors in an aquarium with lots of decorations such as fake or live plants.

X-ray tetra (Debivort @ Wikipedia)

 

Pristella tetra, X-ray tetra, X-ray fish, Goldfinch tetra (Pristella maxillaris)

Tank size: 10 gal, 20 inches long (40 L, 50 cm)

Temp: 74 - 82F (24 - 28C)

pH: up to 8.0

Hardness: up to 30 dGH

Notes: In my opinion, this is one of the best beginner fish because it is so easy to keep. It will survive in all but the most hard of municipal water supplies. Like all tetra, it should be kept in groups of 6 or more at a minimum.

Bronze cory cats (public domain)

Bronze Cory Cat, Albino cory (Corydoras aeneus)

Tank size: 20 gal, 24 inches long (75 L, 61 cm)

Temp: 70 - 80F (21 - 27C)

pH: 6.0 - 8.0

Hardness: up to 20 dGH

Notes: Also found in an albino form, the bottom-swimming bronze cory is a great addition to a new fishkeeper’s aquarium. They will do best with a sand bottom but can manage with smooth gravel. It will be most active when kept in groups larger than 5. Three is the minimum that should be kept together as these fish are very social.

Two harlequin rasbora (Stee @ flickr)

Harlequin Rasbora, Red rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha)

Tank size: 20 gal, 24 inches long (75 L, 61 cm)

Temp: 70 - 82F (21 - 28C)

pH: below 7.5

Hardness: up to 15 dGH

Notes: A common fish in pet stores, it is a great choice for a beginner. This is another social fish that needs to be maintained in groups of 6 or more, but it will fare best with groups of 10 or more.

Two Bandit cories (Stuart Halliday)

Bandit cory, Masked cory (Corydoras metae)

Tank size: 10 gallons, 20 inches long (40 L, 50 cm)

Temp: 70 - 77F (22 - 25C)

pH: up to 7.5

Hardness: up to 15 dGH

Notes: As they are more shy than bronze cories, they should be kept in groups of 6 or more. They will be much more active in larger groups. When kept singly or with 1 or 2 other bandit cories, they will not be seen much and may be too shy to feed. They like a sand bottom best as they enjoy rooting around in the sand for morsels of food.

Regular zebra fish (public domain)

Glofish, genetically modified zebra danio (www.glofish.com)

Zebra danio/glofish (Danio rerio)

Tank size: 20 gallons, 24 inches long (75 L, 61 cm)

Temp:  65 - 77F (18 - 25C)

pH: 6.0 - 8.0

Hardness: up to 20 dGH

Notes: Also sold as the brilliantly colored glofish, these peaceful little schoolers make a much better candidate for a smaller unheated aquarium than goldfish do. The zebra danio that are sold as glofish aren’t dyed. They are actually genetically engineered to be that way by having jellyfish and coral genes implanted in their own. They will pass this down to their children, too. Like all schooling fish, these active little swimmers need at least 6 of their own kind to feel safe (you can mix glofish and the regular zebra danio). As a precautionary, I feel like I need to mention that due to massive inbreeding, this fish are becoming less and less hardy; one day they might not be good beginner fish.

Glowlight tetra (gonzalovalenzuela @ flickr)

Glowlight tetra (Hemigrammus erythrozonus)

Tank size: 20 gal, 24 inches long (75 L, 61 cm)

Temp: 74 - 82F (24 - 28C)

pH: up to 7.5

Hardness: up to 15 dGH

Notes: Like all the other tetra, this little beauty is a schooling fish and should be kept in groups of at least 6, but if you have the room and biological capacity add as many as you can. They are most colorful in large groups. An albino form is also seen and is just as hardy as the normal form. The albinos will school with the regular glowlights.

School of bloodfin tetra (public domain)

Bloodfin tetra (Aphyocharax anisitsi)

Tank size: 20 gal, 24 inches long (75 L, 61 cm)

Temp: 64 - 82F (18 - 28C)

pH: 6.0 to 8.0

Hardness: up to 30 dGH

Notes: This fish gets my vote as the best beginner species. It can survive a wide range of water parameters and is commonly found at petstores. Kept in groups of 6 or more, its brilliant red fins will sparkle in the water.

Male cherry barb (Sannse @ wikipedia)

Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya)

Tank size: 20 gallons, 24 inches long (75 L, 61 cm)

Temp: 74 - 81F (23 - 27C)

pH: 6.0 to 8.0

Hardness: up to 20 dGH

Notes: Barbs, like tetra, need groups of 6 or more to feel safe. They will be more colorful and be out in the open more if they have large groups. Unlike the tetra, the males are more colorful than females. The males have a much more red color while the females take on a yellow-brown hue.

Male swordtail on left; female on right (MacAnthony @ flickr)

Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii)

Tank size: 29 gallons, 30 inches long (109 L, 76 cm)

Temp: 68 - 82F (20 - 28C)

pH: 7 to 8

Hardness: 9 - 30 dGH

Notes: As this fish is a livebearer it is the best choice for a new aquarist with hard water. The catch is, if you put males and females in a tank together, you will get more swordtails. If you don’t want baby fish, get only males. If you want baby fish, make sure there are 3 females to every male. Males are also the more attractive of the sexes, so an all-male tank would be ideal for a beginner. Pretty and you don’t have to worry about babies.

These next two fish are good beginner choices, but they come with a catch which I will highlight in italics.

Male betta (copperarabian @ deviantart)

Betta fish/Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta splendens)

Tank size: 5 gallons (18 L)

Temp: 76F - 84F

pH: 6.0 - 8.0

Hardness: up to 20dGH

Notes: Betta fish are a great first fish if they are the only fish in the tank. They are very hardy, easy to care for, and will generally take any beginner mistakes in a stride. Their small tank requirement also makes them great as a dorm pet. Due to their aggressive nature, keeping betta with other fish makes the difficulty go up and can be a bit much for a new fishkeeper. Keep him in his own 5 gal tank and you will have an easy setup with a very interactive fish.

Male honey gourami (Kooshking @ flickr)

Honey gourami (Trichogaster chuna)

Tank size: 20 gal, 24 inches long (75 L, 61 cm)

Temp: 72 - 82F (22 - 27C)

pH: 6 - 7.5

Hardness: up to 20 dGH

Notes: This little jewel is the smallest and most peaceful of the gourami. It will make a great centerpiece fish in a small tank provided it is the only gourami in the tank. This also includes bettas as they are gourami, too. Male gourami are territorial and will fight when placed in the same tank. The males are the most colorful, so just one would be the perfect addition to a beginner’s tank.

Don’t feel limited by what the pet stores tell you are good beginner fish (because they are often wrong). The beginner has many attractive options for their first fish tank. As I discuss in my How to Stock a Fish Tank article, combining a species of cory cats and a school of tetra in a 20 gal tank could make a very nice display for the first-time aquarist. While not all of these fish may be available at your local pet store, I’m sure you will be able to find some of them to help you get started in your fishkeeping hobby.

Works Referenced

Monks, Neale. 2008. “Fish Viral Disease.” www.fishchannel.com. Retrieved 28 May 2012.

Monks, Neale. 2011. “Neon Tetra Disease.” www.fishchannel.com. Retrieved 28 May 2012.

Ramsey, Graham. 3 March 2010. “Top Ten – worst beginner fish.” fcas.wordpress.com. Retrieved 27 May 2012. 

Betta fish rescue and care awareness

So I'm finding that I'm writing a lot about betta fish. That's okay. They are some of my favorite fish with their personalities and color varieties. I am also part of a very active betta fish forum, so I'm constantly finding out about new betta groups. Today I will be showcasing two videos made by members there. These videos do show images of fish in distress, so do not watch if you are feint of heart.

A sad but true video. I have personally seen conditions in pet stores as bad as these. They aren't just isolated incidents. Needless to say, I don't buy anything from stores like this. Your strongest voice is with your dollar. If you don't support these places, they won't be able to stay open. 

The author of the second video now runs a betta fish rescue program called the Spartan Betta Rescue Program where she takes unwanted betta from pet stores and owners. She treats their injuries and illnesses and then adopts them out to caring homes. Her website also has tips for good betta care and a great fact or fiction section.

My Tanks: an introduction

 I’ve been talking a lot about what you should do with your tanks, so I figured I should show you mine. Now I’m really not the greatest aquatic photographer, so please bear with me. I have very few clear pictures of my fish. I’ll start with my oldest tank.

55 gallon (208 L) goldfish tank

This tank has been set up for going on 6 years now. It originally housed my koi that I overwintered inside. Since I already had the filtration for them I replaced the koi with goldfish once the koi went to the pond. It currently houses my two goldfish Goldeen the red ryukin and Seaking the calico veiltail. Both are male fish, so the next goldfish I add should also be male. If I added a female she would get harassed too much during breeding activities. I would love to find a calico ryukin or black maruko (egg fish)/ranchu.

Right now I have no plants in it as I am finishing up a salt treatment for a mysterious ailment that has plagued my calico goldfish for years. Seaking has had tattered fins his whole life as well as been plagued by these mysterious white spots. They are larger than ich and appear to be some kind of warty growth possibly caused by a virus. They appear and disappear on a whim and never seem to bother him. Occasionally these were accompanied by a bit of fungus and bacterial fin rot. That is why the salt is in there. When the salt is removed I’m going to try keeping hornwort and vallisneria in pots. I have also removed the heater for the summer as my tank gets about 80F (26C).

For the more technical aspects I run two HOB filters, one Aquaclear 70 and a Marineland Penguin 200. Both have been running since the tank was established and both have the flow baffled to prevent them from blowing around my fancy goldfish. I have an air pump connected to a bubble wand that runs during the summer to ensure good oxygenation. The substrate is large river rock, and the lighting is 6500k 15w 12 inch T8 bulbs (x2). I have a bag of CaribSea crushed coral in the Aquaclear to raise the GH and KH to more acceptable levels for goldfish. Weekly water changes are 40% of the tank volume.

4000 gal (15,141 L) koi pond

It was completed in spring of 2007 and has been stocked with koi ever since. I initially added 4 koi and added another 2 the following year to bring me to a total of 6 koi. Everyone is about 16 inches (40 cm) long and has a very healthy appetite. The pond is understocked, but I don’t plan to add any more koi. I believe one of the reasons it has succeeded (despite a pump failure one winter) is due to the light stocking. I also have a breeding colony of mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) in there.

The pond runs on a bog and snorkel system. Water from the pond drains into a bog (a large reservoir designed to always keep the pump underwater), and from there the pump moves it up to the top of the waterfall. Because the surface area is so large, I have an autofill system in the snorkel. This prevents the water levels from dropping too low in case of a dry spell.

I have done very little with planting the pond aside from some iris that were given to me the summer my pond was completed. The iris also came with some bog plants that are now found around the edges of my pond. Due to the high surface movement I have trouble keeping floating plants like water lettuce and water hyacinth. My pond is almost completely shaded in the summer which helps keep the temperature at a more manageable level, but that means I can’t grow lilies.

10 gal (37 L) divided betta tank

While this tank now has betta, it didn’t start off that way. On one trip home to take care of my goldfish tank, I noticed these odd looking fish at walmart. I researched them and found them to be brown kuhli loaches (Pangio oblonga). I was immediately smitten with them and had to have them. I picked up a 10 gal (37 L) setup from Walmart and whisked away with 5 of them. There they stayed throughout my college years. I added some live plants and bogwood as I read they liked. Through the years, I lost two. One was a different species, and I can’t remember what happened to the other. When I returned from college I play musical tanks and moved these guys to a larger setup to prepare this tank for two betta fish.

Right now it houses Knucker and Lumi. Knucker is a blue halfmoon rosetail. Lumi is a white halfmoon plakat. The tank has 4 species of plants: java fern, anarcharis, anubias, and duckweed. I use a Aqueon Pro 50w heater and run a home-made bubble filter as I don’t like power filters with long-finned bettas. The light is a 6500k 15w 18 inch T8 bulb. I currently don’t fertilize the tank but plan to in the future. The substrate is plain, natural colored gravel that is aerated by a colony of Malaysian trumpet snails. I change 30% of the water weekly.

29 gal (109 L) softwater community

I know. This isn’t much to look at now, but I’ve got big plans for it. I just need to get a steady source of income first. This tank started out as emergency housing for a pair of dojo loaches I bought to live with my goldfish. Well it turns out the dojos loaches took a liking to the goldfish’s slime coat, so the dojos had to go. They lived in the 29 gal for a few months before I found another aquarist to take them from me. I was sad to see them go, but I knew it was for the best.

The tank currently houses my remaining brown kuhli loaches, a huge colony of malaysian trumpet snails, java fern, anubias, and water sprite (Ceratopteris cornuta). My future plans for it are to heavily plant it and add a school of cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) as well as a thicklips gourami (Trichogaster labiosa). I would also like to switch out the gravel for black sand. This will be the first change I make. The tank currently has a Penguin Biowheel 150, Aqueon Pro 150w heater, and 6500k 17w 24 inch T8 bulb. Water changes are 25% weekly due to the very light stocking levels. The breeder box is in there to keep the plants where I want them.

Another 10 gal (37 L) divided betta tank

This tank is almost a mirror of my other tank. It has all the same plants (but these are in worse condition) and the same setup, but the hood is different which means my lighting is different. It’s stronger in this tank, so I’m having an algae problem. The two betta that are in here are Orchid the red copper dragon halfmoon and Moonie the pastel butterfly superdelta. Due to my algae problem which is partially attributed to the lights and the hornwort that shed all of its needles in my tank, weekly water changes are 50%.

American Betta Fish Association

Another betta Facebook group has popped up! The American Betta Fish Association. It was started today by a few breeders that I know with the intention of spreading awareness about this lovely little fish. Right now they are focusing on betta rescue, adoption, proper care, and good breeding techniques. The founders would one day like to have regional shows for the beginner breeder who doesn't feel ready to show at the IBC (International Betta Congress) yet, but they also want it to be known that the IBC is still the betta organization. The American Betta Fish Association is also going to be sanctioning local betta clubs as good sources of information about bettas. Go check 'em out!

Betta Fish (Betta splendens) Care

Basics

True to their name, Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) were originally domesticated for fighting around 200 years ago in what is now Thailand. At first they were collected from the wild and made to fight, but soon the villagers realized they could breed the most aggressive fish. Thus the domesticated betta was born. When the long-finned varieties and vibrant colors began emerging betta fish also became known as pets.

The most common tail shapes are veiltail, crowntail, halfmoon, plakat, double tail, and delta tail. These are the types you are most likely to encounter at pet stores. I have included a few pictures below. Unlike with goldfish, the fins don’t affect the care requirements. 

Crowntail betta (Betta Slave @ BettaFish.com)

Veiltail betta (chrissylee13 @ BettaFish.com)

Halfmoon betta (copperarabian @ deviantart.com)

 

Unlike many other fish, bettas can actually drown. This is because they possess a special organ called the labyrinth organ, a specialized folded sac that enables them to utilize atmospheric oxygen. This evolved because many betta and their relatives live in oxygen-poor environments throughout part of the year in the wild.

Now I know you’re thinking “just because they can use atmospheric oxygen doesn’t mean they can drown.” This is untrue. Betta are obligate air breathers and actually have to use the labyrinth organ to breath as their gills aren’t able to pull enough oxygen from the water.  So without access to the surface a betta can drown.

Minimum tank size

No fish should ever be maintained long-term in a tank smaller than one gallon. Betta are no exception. The bare minimum tank size for any fish is one gallon of water. However, I believe betta and other fish will fare better in tanks that are 5 gallons (19 L) or larger.

Small tanks are hard to heat. They lose heat easily and can heat up too fast due to the small volume of water. The water chemistry can also change rather rapidly in a tank of this size as there is less volume of water to buffer a change. One small decaying piece of food will cause the ammonia to rise in a 2 gallon (7 L) tank at a much faster rate than in a 10 gallon (38 L) tank. A 5 gallon (19 L) tank is also the smallest tank that can hold a stable cycle (ie a colony of beneficial bacteria to change your fish's harmful waste into a non harmful state). A simple google search will give you many guides on how to cycle a tank. Having a cycled tank means less water changes and not having to remove the fish to do a 100% water change. This will cause less stress for your betta. And less stress equals a healthier betta.

Many people (sale reps included) will advise against a large tank for a betta, saying they “freak out” in large spaces. This actually has some truth to it. Betta and fish in general don’t like large open spaces. Many of the fish commonly found in the freshwater aquarium world are forest fish that evolved in streams that run through dense forests. This means the light is dampened and there are often lots of small branches fallen in the water in which fish can hide from predators. In the aquarium they maintain this innate desire to hide from (imagined) predators in cover.

What this all means is that betta, and any fish for that matter, can and do “freak out” in large open spaces because they are not comfortable out in the open. When given cover, betta tend to be less shy because they know if something spooks them, they can always run and hide. Without that “safety net” then they often become frantic. Think of it this way; would you rather be out in the middle of a field without any trees or tall grass for miles or watching the field from the tree line?

Tank decorations will really help enhance your betta’s quality of life as well as colors. When betta are stressed, they will wash out their colors. Many male betta enjoy caves that they can rest in. Female betta enjoy decorations that reach up close to the surface of the tank. Just make sure that whatever holes are in your decorations are either too large for the fish to get stuck or too small for the fish to get into at all.

One final note about aquariums for betta is that they should always have a lid. Betta fish are notorious jumpers, and many keepers have lost betta when they forgot to put the lid back on the aquarium. These little escape artists will even find the holes in the top of your hood if they are large enough. Be sure to cover all spaces in the hood. Old egg cartons and leftover craft canvas work great for this.

Temperature range

3.5 month old juvenile (GeinahClarette @ BettaFish.com)

Betta fish are tropical fish. This means that they live in rather hot regions. There are native populations in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. For anyone who has never been to that part of the world, it is hot and humid. This means that betta fish are adapted to living in these hot and muggy conditions and that they need a temperature between 76F (24C) and 86F (30F) to thrive. They become sluggish and sickly in cooler water and may refuse to eat. Or if they do eat, your betta may not be able to digest the food as their metabolism depends on body temperature which is externally regulated. Warm water helps boost their immune system and make them active. 

 

Water quality

When it comes to pH and hardness, betta fish are very unfussy. They will tolerate most normal ranges from pH 6.0 to 8.0. The most important thing is that your betta have a stable pH; just because they are comfortable in a wide range of pH doesn’t mean they can deal with a fluctuating pH which is only achieved through regular water changes. Some people have reported health problems associated with very hard water; however this appears to be few and far between.

                                   

As with any fish tank, the ammonia and nitrite should always be 0 ppm. In a cycled aquarium (which won’t happen in less than a 5 gallon (19 L) tank) this is nothing to worry about. The ammonia that your fish excretes will be changed into a harmless substance called nitrate by the beneficial bacteria that make up a cycle. Nitrate is controlled through regular water changes. Provided you keep up with them, nitrate is nothing to worry about.

An important aspect of keeping water quality top notch is a filter. However since filters are only useful in a cycled tank, if you choose to keep your betta in a tank less than 5 gallons (19 L) a filter isn’t a good idea. It won’t improve water quality and will just push your fish around. Betta come from very slow moving waters and any filter flow should be lessened to prevent stress on your fish. My favorite filter to use with betta is a sponge filters as they produce the least current and are the cheapest. However, they do make a bit of noise, so if you have your tank in your bedroom, you might want to look for another option.

Food

Most betta are unfussy about food and will take anything you offer them. However, just like a kid with candy, just because they like it doesn’t make it good for them.  Because betta are carnivores, they need a food that is high in protein (above 38% protein as listed on the label). A good way to check the quality of a fish food is to look at the ingredients list. If some kind fish or krill is listed as the first ingredient then you know the food is high quality. My favorite foods to feed my betta are New Life Spectrum’s betta formula and Omega One betta pellets. Pellets are a better food for betta because flakes are known to cause issues with bloat. 

Bettas enjoy planted tanks (PandaBetta @ BettaFish.com)

Like a dog or a cat, there are special treats that you can give your betta. Frozen bloodworms or frozen brine shrimp are like filet mignon to a betta. Freeze-dried food is a good alternative for the more squeamish, but it shouldn’t be given on a regular basis due to issues with bloating of the GI tract. If you really feel like treating your betta, you can venture into live food like brine shrimp for him or her. Many fish specialty stores will carry treats like this.

Tank mates

A common myth about betta is that they have to live alone due to their high aggressiveness. This is not true. Betta can make great additions to a proper community aquarium, but not just any community will do. Since betta are small, the inhabitants can’t be too large to eat them like oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) or aggressive towards betta like gourami (Osphronemidae) or colorful enough that betta might mistake them for another betta like guppies (Poecilia reticulata).

That being said there are a lot of good tankmates for betta, provided the tank is 10 gallons (37 L) or larger. Many of the small tetra species like ember tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae) and Pristilla tetra (Pristella maxillaris) make great tank mates under one condition: the tetra are in a group larger than 8. Tetra are schooling fish and do show aggression within the school. If there are not enough neon tetra around, they will begin to pick on your betta. I compiled a more complete list of suitable small schooling fish tankmates below. I encourage you to use the scientific names for reference as the common names will change from location to location.

• X ray tetra/Pristella tetra (Pristella maxillaris)
• Head and tail light tetra (Hemigrammus ocellifer)
• Ember tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae)
• Harlequin rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha)
• Lambchop rasbora (Trigonostigma espei)
• Glowlight tetra (Hemigrammus erythrozonus)
• Black neon tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi)

You also have the option of keeping substrate (bottom-swimming) fish with betta. Here you have many options with small catfish and loaches. Again, most of these fish are schooling fish and need to be in groups of 8 or more. Without sufficient group size, these fish will be very shy and withdrawn. These fish need a tank larger than 15 gallons (57 L). Here is a short list of suitable substrate fish with added notes about their care:

• Oto catfish (Otocinclus macrospilus) groups of 3-4; need a mature, planted tank
• Kuhli loach (Pangio kuhlii) groups of 6 or more; provide lots of hiding places
• Bronze cory (Corydoras aeneus) groups of 6 or more; also comes in albino
• Pepper cory/Salt and pepper cory (Corydoras paleatus) groups of 6 or more
• Tail spot cory (Corydoras caudimaculatus) groups of 6 or more
• Bristlenose pleco (Ancistrus sp.) best kept singly; needs large aquarium to house multiple
• Leopard cory (Corydoras leopardus) groups of 6 or more
• Bandit cory (Corydoras metae) groups of 6 or more

As I am writing this for the beginner hobbyist all of the fish I included are hardy and easy-to-care-for fish. There are other compatible fish, but they are more difficult to keep alive and not for the beginner fishkeeper. To find these, I encourage you to do your own research.

While there are many good choices for betta tankmates, I feel the need to mention fish that are not suitable to be kept with betta. Some of these fish are aggressive and notorious fin-nippers even in proper group sizes, some can become targets for betta aggression, and some will gobble up a betta without any hesitation. Either way, they have aspects that make them bad betta tankmates.

• Angel fish (Pterophyllum sp)
• Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)
• Other cichlids (Cichlidae)
• Guppies (Poecilia reticulata)
• Platies (Xiphophorus maculates)
• Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii)
• Mollies (Poecilia sphenops or Poecilia latipinna)
• Blue gourami (Trichopodus trichopterus)
• Dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius)
• Pearl gourami (Trichopodus leerii)
• Other gourami (Osphronemidae)
• Kissing gourami (Helostoma temminkii)
• Goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus)
• Tiger barbs (Puntius anchisporus)
• Serapae tetra (Hyphessobrycon eques)
• Black widow tetra/black skirt tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)

It will also surprise you to learn that some female betta fish can live with other female betta fish. Males should never be kept together. However, this female betta tank is not your everyday tank. This tank is called a female betta sorority. The tank needs a lot of decorations and most people choose to accomplish this by heavily planting the tank or adding so many fake plants you can’t see the other side when looking through it. For a sorority you will need a minimum of a 10 gallon (37 L) tank and 5 females. Any less and you have a good chance of one or two females ganging up on the others. More females means spreading out the aggression more. A longer tank is always better than a taller tank with a sorority. If you want to peruse this avenue, I suggest you do more research and talk to people who have maintained a sorority. They’re not for the beginner betta keeper. 

Successful betta sorority (kfryman @ BettaFish.com)

Plants

Live plants are a great enhancement to your betta’s tank. For the more adventurous you can research how to set up a planted tank, but for those of us who just want one or two easy live plants. I’ve got some suggestions for you. Anubias (Anubias barteri) and java fern (Microsorum pteropus) are two great beginner plants. You can easily find them at your local pet store, and they don’t need much light. Anubias has large strong leaves that betta like to rest on, and Java fern makes a great betta play ground with its many leaves growing to the clouds.

Smashing the myths

Due to the popularity of betta fish, there are many myths that surround these beautiful creatures. The first I hear used to justify keeping betta in tiny (less than a gallon or worse a litre) containers: wild betta live in mud puddles. While I am not going to deny that due to seasonal water flow in their native range betta can survive in small amounts of water for part of the year, I am going to point out that there is a large difference between our captive betta fish and their wild counterparts. Most of the fish available today are hundreds if not thousands of generations removed from the wild. Remember, betta have been bred in captivity for around 200 years. If you were to plop a pet store betta into the wild, it would die within weeks. In fact, many of these betta that are caught in “mud puddles” would have soon died when the puddle dried out in a few day. Just because an animal has evolved to periodically withstand harsh conditions doesn’t mean they should be forced to live in them. Betta fish evolved to survive in small spaces during extreme circumstances (ie drought) but need at least a gallon of water to live to healthily.

The second common myth I have seen and heard is the betta in a flower vase ecosystem myth. People believe that it is a natural ecosystem because the fish eats the roots and the plant eats the fish’s waste. This is not only completely false but cruel. There is no way to completely replicate a natural ecosystem in a volume of water that small; even in massive tanks at public aquaria they cannot replicate a natural ecosystem. Also betta don’t eat plants, so when a betta is kept in this type of tank, they slowly starve to death. Betta fish are carnivorous and need a lot of protein in their diet as I have already mentioned. The plants also take up surface area and without access to surface air, the betta will drown.

(copperarabian @ deviantart.com)

Many people don’t like betta fish. They see them as boring and unattractive. This is probably so because they have never seen the fish in a proper habitat. In properly decorated and heated 5 gallon (19 L) tank, betta fish blossom. They are a wonderful dorm or apartment pet. For those who want fish but don’t have the room for a large community tank, a 10 gallon (37 L) with a betta and either substrate fish or schooling fish is a great alternative. And for those who have even less space, a 5 gallon (19 L) tank will easily fit atop a desk. They make a great kitchen buddy, too. If you are just getting into the hobby or a long-time veteran, a betta fish can be a great subject for a small aquarium or a chance to try something new like a micro planted tank.

Works referenced

““Betta splendens” Regan, 1910.” Fishbase.org. Updated 15 Nov 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2012.

Christie F. 2004. “Betta 101.”  Nippyfish.com. Retrieved 20 April 2012.

“Frequently asked questions on Siamese fighters.” Practicalfishkeeping.co.uk. Updated 2 June 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2012.

Helfman, G. S., B. B. Collette, D. E. Facey, and B. W. Bowen. 2009. The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evolution, and Ecology, 2nd edition. Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, UK.

“The History of Betta Fighting Fish.” BettaFishCenter.com. Updated 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2012.

Ng, Heok Hee. 18 April 2011. “Quick guide to anabantoids.” Practicalfishkeeping.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2012.

Parnell, Victoria. 30 June 2006. “Feeding your Betta.” Bettysplendens.com. Retrieved 23 April 2012.

Warren, Eleanor. 2006. “Plight of the Betta.” Badmanstropicalfish.com. Retrieved 25 April 2012.