Bettas are a favorite among home aquarists. Here’s more information on these colorful fish:
- Bettas are carnivorous fish that eat insects and larvae in the wild. They don’t eat any plants. Bettas should be fed once a day and they have tiny stomachs. Uneaten food can accumulate and pollute the tank quickly. Bettas can also go for a couple of days without food. If you must medicate your Betta for any reason, it is best to mix any meds in a one-gallon container first and then use that water in the betta’s bowl for the duration of the treatment. This is easier than trying to dose a small quantity of water.
- Bettas are “bubble-nest” builders. Many times, you’ll notice a “foamy” nest on the surface of your betta’s home. He’s only going through normal mating behavior. To mate Bettas, a female would be put in a tank behind a glass divider, next to the male. While he builds a bubble nest, she fills with eggs. At the right time, they’re placed together. He wraps his body around hers and “squeezes” the eggs from her. He then fertilizes them, takes them one by one in his mouth, and “blows” each fertilized egg into one of the bubbles in the bubble nest. When she’s done laying eggs, the female is removed. The male then diligently patrols below the nest, picking up and re-bubbling any eggs that might fall from a burst bubble until they hatch. Once hatched, when the babies (or fry) are free-swimming, they’re fed a baby fish food. When they’re large enough to determine their sex, the males must all be separated. The females are usually drab in color with short fins. A well-cared for betta can live for 2-3 years.
At Pet Supermarket, we offer excellent diets specially formulated for bettas. Hikari’s Betta Bio-Gold(R) is a blended pellet formula, and freeze-dried Bloodworms are also a favorite food of bettas. Visit your local Pet Supermarket today for all your betta fish and aquarium needs.
