Newbie Questions

[floppydee]

Hey all-I have had my beautiful Male Beta, Patrick for a month now! I have him in a 1.5 Gal Plastic Bowl. He has the BEST personality ever! He is a PIG too! Loves to eat!! Here are my newbie questions:

-I am feeding him Hikari Betta Bio-Gold (he loves it). What else is good for them? I hear bloodworms-dried or frozen? I want him to have a variety!

-When I do water changes, I noticed the Spring Water stays clearer and cleaner longer than tap water. Is it okay if I keep using this? If using, Spring water I don't need a conditioner right?

-My beta flares when he is excited! I thought they only did it when angry,LOL!


Thankx all-

 

[Mina]

Congrats on your little betta-love. They're wonderful little things, huh? My femme suprised me by flaring at me this morning (she's never done that before) when I was giving her a treat. So they really do suprise you when they get excited sometimes =3.

Frozen blood worms are what I give my bettas, only about 3-4 each though otherwise they'll get sick. Thing about bettas any live food or frozen food will be eaten, regardless of how full the fish is so you gotta be careful with them. Pigs

Spring water, while it stays clearer, is not very good for him. It's processed and is lacking many of the nutrients that he needs to thrive. If you really like it, try using half spring water half conditioned tap. He'll thank you for it. Be sure to change the water out 1-2 times a week to prevent ammonia poisioning. =3

Watch out for the addiction though...it comes sudenly and with little warning... Once you have it, there is little hope of recovery. Bettas are highly addictive...one week you'll have just your one guy...the next your setting up a 20 gal for a female community and packing up things to make more room for the males. xD *guilty*

 

[bettaboi]

ok here we go
1my bettas love boigold to and i feed freeze dried bloodworms

2 ive heard bottled water is not so good you should try to use declorinated tap water

3i have a betta that flares at ne thing that moves they r funny like that

hope that helps

 

[Kiarra]

Dechlorinate water no matter what, just in case. Tap water is preferred, unless you have really odd or disgusting tap water.

Bettas flare for a number of reasons. Some scarcely bother to flare at all.

You can feed him:

Live or Frozen Bloodworms
Live or Frozen Blackworms
Live or Frozen ADULT Brine Shrimp
Live Crickets (from the pet store, not your yard)
Live or Frozen Daphnia

All of which make wonderful treats, but shouldn't make up the bulk of the diet.

 

[eudielynn]

Don't forget the Peas!! Dried foods such as pellets, freeze dried worms, etc. can cause constipation in bettas. Peas are a natural laxitive for them. They need a blanched pea about once a week. Frozen peas are best. Just pop one in the microwave with some declorinated water for about 15 seconds. Then let it cool. Pop the insides out of the shell and mash them up. It may take a couple of attempts to get them to eat the peas, but once they taste them they love them!!