Instructional tips to take care of betta fish (Frequently Asked Questions)

Here you go for tips to take care of betta fish…

A pet shop is, poetically speaking, a miniature of a friendly ecosystem, in which a variety of animals are living peacefully together. 

A pet shop is, poetically speaking, a miniature of a friendly ecosystem, in which a variety of animals are living peacefully together.

Among groups of powerful contenders, betta fish manage to be the most favorable pet breeds to be adopted by human beings.

And most of the time, once people happen to catch a glimpse of betta fish solo swimming in the water, they can’t help but keeping their eyes constantly on these graceful, multi-hued creatures.

Betta fish is arguably a beautiful freshwater princess that is lucky to have in the house.

But it can be a disillusion to know that this little girl is kind of a picky eater, so as for many pet owners, hiring a professional pet sitter is a must.

However, you can absolutely be a good sitter yourself.

We will cover some of the commonly asked questions regarding the care of betta fish that may help your job become more comfortable.

Keep on reading below.

Page Contents

FAQs on betta fish

Why is my betta fish spitting out his food? Is he sick?

That your betta fish refuses to eat his food is a familiar scene when you first take him home from a pet store or when you, let’s say accidentally, cause a change in his living environment.

These can be small changes like taking out the Hornwort plant or misplacing the ornaments but are enough to cause temporary stress for the tiny friend.

And when he is stressed, he will, of course, stay away from his meals. However, as it is a temporary condition, things will get fine soon.

Another reason is probably that what you feed him when you bring him home is not what he is accustomed to being treated at the pet store. As he is a picky eater, he will spit his food out.

The third possibility is inappropriate water temperature. As betta fish is cold-blooded, if the water is cold, it will slow down the metabolism, and thus doesn’t want to eat anything.

For more information about an ideal temperature, read here.

Unless the reasons above are your cases, your betta fish might be sick. Then, it’s time to look closely for these signs of disease: clamped fins, color loss, rapid breathing, swollen eyes, inflamed gills.

How can I tell if my betta fish is happy or sad?

happy betta fish vs sad betta fish
Happy Betta Fish vs Sad Betta Fish

It is totally possible to know if the fish friend is in a great mood or a bad one.

The more active your fish is, the happier she feels.

If she sees you bringing the food towards the tank, she will jump high and start swimming fast, showing her eagerness and excitement. And when she is sad, she just swims across the food and ignores it.

The second sign to base on is whether or not your betta fish is well-colored. These signs are obvious to notice.

When she is under temporary stress, her usually vibrant color fades, with her fins getting frayed. She looks pale and develops “stress stripes” all over the body.

Get more of betta fish care tips here: https://petlifebuzz.com/take-care-of-a-betta-fish/

What can cause a betta fish to die?

Overfeeding

  • Some people love dropping their fish flakes or pellets on a regular basis. But bear in mind that fish do need a healthy and balanced diet; otherwise, they may suffer from constipation and a bloated stomach.
  • What happens then is stuff like swim bladder, which places their health in jeopardy.

Also, uneaten food can foul the water, and living in a polluted aquarium environment impairs fish health.

Inappropriate water condition

  • Big tank with no filter can contain toxic chemical and waste, and the most common one is ammonia.
  • These bacteria gather into nitrates.
  • It is a bad story to hear because if there are not enough bacteria to support the fish, it will die.

Cold temperature

  • Betta fish is a tropical creature; thus, cold water can mean illness or even premature death for baby betta.
  • It’s also necessary to pay attention to the tank size as too small space like in a bowl or a cup is not equipped with a heater.
  • Choose the betta fish tank carefully.

Improper tank-mates

  • Such breeds as anabantids or fish with flowing fins should be kept away from betta fish as they can attack and bully your little friend.

Stress

  • That fish dying from stress happens all the time. In such cases as little fish tapping on the glass or plastic, jumping around and hitting some hard parts, and banging their heads,…they will get hurt and die.

I have a betta fish, and I am going on a vacation for 3 weeks, how can I feed him?

The harsh truth is that betta fish is not a very friendly traveling partner. So, here are three options you can pick to get the most comfort.

Ask the neighbor to do the feeding job

It is unavoidable if the inexperienced neighbor overfeeds your tiny friend, so put the pre-measured serving of food into a pill organizer and give it to your helper.

The content of this container should be wisely chosen. For more information about healthy food that betta fish can consume, click here.

Use the automatic fish food feeder

This high-tech machine will help dispense the food based on the activated time that you have set before.

Feed the fish “vacation food.”

This type of food is known as slow release food that is specially designed to keep your fish adequately full when you are not at home. It comes in various sizes and shapes, thus can easily entice hungry betta friends.

These are the tips to take care of betta fish.

Final words

Owning a betta fish is more than just a mere pleasure as taking care of it requires concerted effort and attention.

Above are suggested answers to some frequently asked questions about betta fish. Make sure to learn them carefully before deciding to adopt one little friend.

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