Nippyfish A Betta Blog is on a bit of a spring break while Christie (that’s me) focuses on her crazy busy day job and wedding planning. We don’t want to leave you in the dust though so please use our betta blog search engine to find answers to your fighting fish questions. There are hundreds of articles and reader questions answered there.
For now, enjoy this list:
Caring for Betta Fish in the Springtime
- 1. With warmer weather comes increased aquarium water temperature. Make sure you have a thermometer in your tank and check the temperature daily. When the summer hits, you may find running a room fan over the surface of your betta tank will help keep the temperature at a comfortable level. What is a comfortable level for bettas you ask? About 76 – 82 degree Fahrenheit with little fluctuation.
- 2. The days are getting longer and your betta’s aquarium is getting more hours of sunlight. This can sometimes lead to an algae bloom. If you are noticing more algae lately make sure your tank is out of direct sunlight. Increase your water change schedule to reduce the buildup of waste which is yummy food for algae.
- 3. How long have you had that open container of betta food? It’s good to toss out open food and replace it with a fresh one every few months because once open, dry food like flakes and pellets lose their nutritional value. Stay on schedule by setting a reminder at the first day of each season to toss out the old food and open a new container.
- 4. Some betta illnesses are more common in cool water while some are more common in warm water. Stay alert by giving your betta a look over each day for signs of illness or disease. In the spring we see increased instances of Flavobacterium columnare a bacterial disease that looks like a fungus (also called cotton wool disease).
- 5. I like to change my tank around in the spring (of course you can do that anytime but spring works for me). If you are using live plants, trim out dead or dying leaves and remove any plants that aren’t doing well. Add some new hiding places or move around the old ones for a little variety. No one really knows if bettas benefit from these changes but at the very least, it creates some new interest for you.
originally uploaded by prismaviolet.
View Comments (10)
Your site is helping me out so much. I haven't had a Betta in years. I'm trying to get everything ready so that he'll be one happy little fish. I've even started a blog telling my story, opps I mean our story.
Everyone take a look.
Wonderful info!
Lydia
HELP! I just started reading your blog and you sound like an expert. I actually have a fear of fishes but i tried buying one. Just tonight when i was trying to change its water (because i just put it in a jar, no filter, no heater… is that okay? i live in the Philippines its really hot here.), and i was afraid i would hurt it when i scooped it in a cup and put it in another jar, so i asked my little brother, (he's about 10) and he really has a thing with animals, so i asked him. he was near putting the fish in the small cup but the fish got out of the water! i was really panicking and i even shouted saying, "MOM HELP! MY FISH GOT OUT OF ITS WATER!!! I DON"T WANNA TOUCH IT!!!". now its back in its water but its breathing heavily and wont answer to my hand when i touch the glass and when i try to feed it. i'm afraid its mad at me… what do i do? i'm afraid he might die soon… like the other comments here said… HELP!!!
Try http://aquamaniacs.net/forum/portal.php
They are quick to respond and someone had a similiar thing happen to them.
The site has helped me a lot and Christie has recommended the site.
It's true Celecia, I do love those guys at Aquamaniacs and defiantly recommend them to our readers.
hello.. i have a male betta in a half gallon tank now.. i’m going to buy him a 2.5 gallon tank soon which they say is the minimum size tank for him.. what are the things i need in this tank? do i need a filter? should i worry about ph levels? i think his water is alkaline, is it ok to suddenly change it to neutral or slighty acidic? how often do i need to change its water if i don’t have a filter? if i use sponge filter do i also need to buy air pump.. is there a sponge filter with an air pump in it? pls answer me.. tnx
Hi Betta-Newbie,
For me personally, I usually go without a filter in a 2.5 gallon aquarium. I find that even sponge filters can be a little too much for such a small tank, but that means you’ll have to do the extra cleaning that a filter would do yourself. As for pH levels, yes you should monitor them. All fish need their water quality tested regularly, even Bettas. Rapid fluctuations of any kind can be dangerous for fish, especially pH fluctuations. A significant drop in pH can cause what we call a “pH Crash” and can lead to severe illness or sudden death. I recommend checking out the rest of our website for help with your basic betta care questions. Of course, you can always post on the blog too. Check out our beginners section at Bettas 101.
hello again..:) so i already bought the 2.5 gallon tank for my male betta i put a silk plant and a cave like decor for him to hide.. i also chose natural colored gravel. I think he’s doing great..:D i didn’t buy a filter as u suggested.. i just want to ask how often do i have to change his water? should i change 100%? or just partial changes water changes? how many percent? do i have to remove him when i clean his tank or just let him stay? I hope u can answer me soon.. thank you very much.. you’re a great help..
There are a lot of factors that determine how often you should change your betta’s tank water. The short answer is you should change it before toxins begin to accumulate to measurable levels. Toxins, like ammonia, build at different levels depending on the volume of water, the quantity and type of food you feed your fish, your fish’s metabolism, the plants or other fish you keep in your tank, etc. We have a full article on water changes here. The best way to determine how often to change your betta’s water is to do a full 100% water change. Starting the next day, test your water for ammonia. Continue testing once per day every day until you see evidence of ammonia in the test. If it takes 6 days to see ammonia, then you should change your water 100% every 5 days. If it takes 9 days to see ammonia, then you should do a full change every 8 days.
hello again..:) so i already bought the 2.5 gallon tank for my male betta i put a silk plant and a cave like decor for him to hide.. i also chose natural colored gravel. I think he’s doing great..:D i didn’t buy a filter as u suggested.. i just want to ask how often do i have to change his water? should i change 100%? or just partial changes water changes? how many percent? do i have to remove him when i clean his tank or just let him stay? I hope u can answer me soon.. thank you very much.. you’re a great help..