Jezebel Originally uploaded by Jezebel3. Q: GT wrote, Hi Christie. I would like to put together a female betta tank but I keep getting conflicting information on how big it should be and the number of girls you can keep together safely. I really don’t think I can afford anything bigger then a 10 gallon [...]

Q: SB wrote, I just brought home a new betta last night and he is acting skittish when I approach his bowl. Is there something I can do to keep him calm? A: Adjusting to a new tank can be stressful for some bettas. To help ease the transition you can place your betta in [...]

Q: FP wrote, Christie, I just bought a crowntail male from a breeder 3 days ago and he won’t eat anything I give him. I have tried Bio-Gold pellets, betta bites and flakes. Is he stressed out from being shipped? I’m afraid he’s going to starve to death. A: Acclimating to a new environment can [...]

Q: B wrote, I just finished cycling a 10 gallon tank for my betta, Mo. I want to add some other fish. I was thinking of some guppies, a snail and maybe some kind of algae eater. Will this be okay for my tank? How many more fish can I add? Thanks. A: A 10 [...]

While it’s true that healthy male bettas tend to blow bubble nests more then unhealthy bettas it isn’t a given that your healthy male will makes nests.

Q: WP wrote, Hi Christie. I’m getting married this summer and want to use Siamese fighting fish as my centerpieces to give away to guests. They’re so beautiful and I can color coordinate them with my flower arrangements. Do I have to worry about them jumping out of the vases during the reception? Will the [...]

Q: TF wrote, Christie, I can’t afford live plants for my betta tank. Can I use plastic plants instead? A: As long as the plants you choose don’t have sharp pieces that will tear fragile betta fins it doesn’t matter if they are real or fake. A helpful way to determine if your plants are [...]

Q: IW wrote, My local fish store told me I didn’t need a heater for my betta tank. Is this true? A: A betta tank should be warm and stable at an optimal temperature of about 78F (25.5C). A few wild species of bettas are naturally found in waters in the low 70s but the [...]

Q: RF wrote, Hi Christie,I recently bought a betta fish. It was the healthiest looking one I couldfind but one of his fins is clamped. I don’t know why and like to cure itif I can. On the previous site I could find clamped fins under theSymptoms/illness & disease but now I can’t see that [...]

Q: KD Wrote, Can you put a male and female betta together? What are the precaustions we should know.Is nipping at each other common? A: Unless you are spawning you really don’t want to keep male and female bettas together. Even when you are trying to breed them it’s not uncommon for one or both [...]