What are Daphnia? Daphnia, also known as 'water fleas' are actually crustaceans that are in the same family as shrimp, lobsters and crabs. These crustaceans are a type of plankton and are classified as invertebrates that sport a hard outer shell. Almost microscopic, Daphnia are only 1mm to 3mm long. Daphnia feed on algae, bacteria and decaying matter. Under a microscope, … [Read more...] about Hikari Bio-Pure Freeze Dried Daphnia for Pets Review
Feeding
How Long Can A Betta Survive Without Food?
Summer is here and with it comes vacations spent with family and friends away from home. This time of year we get a lot of emails asking, “how long a betta fish can survive without food?” Many betta keepers are going out of town and don’t know what to do with their betta while away. Some fear leaving their fish without care for even a day or two, while others write in hoping … [Read more...] about How Long Can A Betta Survive Without Food?
Are You Feeding Your Betta Enough?
We often talk about the dangers of overfeeding your betta fish here at Nippyfish.net but today I wanted to address the common problem of underfeeding your betta. With the proliferation of betta blogs and online web forums sharing betta care information with the masses, sometimes the important messages get lost. Stories of Swim Bladder Disorder and abdominal bloating are in no … [Read more...] about Are You Feeding Your Betta Enough?
Preparing and Feeding Blackworms to Tropical Fish
California Blackworms (Lumbriculus Variegatus), most commonly referred to as just blackworms, are a popular tropical fish food. In addition to feeding them to my betta fish, I have used them as the primary food for my Dwarf Puffers and Gouramis. These worms are fed live and while they can be impossible to find at large chain pet stores like PetCo and Petsmart, they are often … [Read more...] about Preparing and Feeding Blackworms to Tropical Fish
Treating Tropical Fish with Garlic
The use of garlic as a medicinal aid has been popping up all over internet fish forums since 2009. Betta fish and discus owners in particular have been receptive and have touted its benefits for treating anything from appetite loss to blindness and everything in between. When I start seeing a new remedy gain in popularity without any scientific back-up (even loosely … [Read more...] about Treating Tropical Fish with Garlic
Betta Fish Life Span
Betta fish life span is based on a few simple factors. Environment, diet, genetics and a little luck all play a role in how long your betta fish will live. Domesticated bettas, when cared for properly, have an estimated life span of about 3 years. It is not unusual for a betta to live longer than 3 years, but most bettas succumb to disease early due to factors like poor water … [Read more...] about Betta Fish Life Span
Conditioning Bettas for Breeding
What does it mean to “condition your betta fish?” When breeders refer to conditioning their bettas they are referring to the period of time (usually 2 weeks) where they provide the best possible diet and housing conditions for their fish in an effort to prepare them for breeding. The diet is altered to encourage the females to produce eggs and for the males to store energy so … [Read more...] about Conditioning Bettas for Breeding
How to Feed Frozen Brine Shrimp to your Betta Fish
Frozen Brine Shrimp BL wrote, I really enjoy and rely on your site, and wondered if you’re still taking questions. I got some frozen brine shrimp in a grid of little packets and am wondering what I do with it – how long will it take the betta to eat through one packet, and should I keep that portion in the fridge or the freezer? How to chip off a portion? Do I let it thaw to … [Read more...] about How to Feed Frozen Brine Shrimp to your Betta Fish
How to Prepare Pea for a Bloated Betta
The Fishie and the Pea, originally uploaded by Mean and Pinchy. Green pea, either fresh or frozen, is often used by betta keepers to alleviate mild constipation sometimes caused by flake, pellet or freeze dried fish foods. While it does little nutritionally for bettas, it is high in fiber and contains added moisture which often lacks from commercial dry fish food. Serving … [Read more...] about How to Prepare Pea for a Bloated Betta
Betta Changes Color
Betta Close Up, originally uploaded by sammorrowphotography. Q: CL wrote, I have a Betta, my first fish. He is in a three gallon tank that has a filter and light. It’s the Eclipse System Tank and has a replaceable carbon filter. I feed him freeze dried blood worms. I see that after looking at your blog that is not good and I am changing that to frozen. He is a beautiful … [Read more...] about Betta Changes Color