If you're the type that appreciates life of betta fish, this is what I recommend you have to ensure yout betta fish's health. Explanations of each item's importance follow in the post below.
- A 2.5 gallon or larger aquarium*
- A heater
- A thermometer
- A hood or glass cover with some small ventilation system
- A filter with low flow (optional)
- Ornaments and/or plants
- Light source
- Water Conditioner
- A compete freshwater test kit
- High quality Betta pellet food
- Aquarium salt for treating potential illnesses
Aquarium size
"Betta fish swin in their bathroom" this should explain all of the problem, They expel waste into the same water they swim in, the less water a betta fish has to live in, the higher concentration in the water of ammonia and other harmful substances.
I recommend making things easier on yourself and your betta fish by treating it like, well, a fish, and housing it in a setup of at least 2.5 gallons, the more the better. In a larger tank, harmful substances will be less concentrated, requiring less frequent water changes.
A larger tank will also provide your betta fish room to swim, allow room for decor that both you and your betta will appreciate, leave room for carefully chosen tank mates, and perhaps most importantly, allow room for a heater. Another benefit of a larger tank is that it can be cycled.
Heater
As topical fish, betta fish require water at a constant temperature within the range of 77-86°F. Otherwise they can become very lethargic. Even if your betta's water is often within the range of 77-86°F without a heater, the weather/temperature can change rapidly, and typically drops considerably at night. An aquarium heater will therefore ensure that the water in your aquarium stays at constant temperature, which your betta needs in order to thrive. It is for that reason that I recommend housing your betta in an enclosure at least large enough to reasonably accomodate a "mini" aquarium heater, which are typically specified to be for 2-5 gallon aquariums.
Thermometer
A thermometer is recommended to ensure that your heater is doing its job and your aquarium is at the right temperature.
Access to water surface
Betta fish need air not just oxygen. While most fish extract oxygen they need from water via their gills, betta fish have a specialized organ called labyrinth organ that allows them to take in oxygen directly from the air. Betta fish therefore need access to the water surface where they can breath, or else they will drown. When decorating your tank, keep in mind your betta's need to have easy access to the surface of water.
Since your betta will be visiting the surface of the water where they can breath, ideally the room temperature will not be radically different from the temperature of the aquarium water. Keeping your tank covered via a hood or glass cover will help keep the air above the tank moist and warm for your betta fish, as well as slow down the rate of evaporation and maybe most importantly to protect your betta from accidentally jump out of tank (betta is a very active fish).
If your tank don't come with hood or glass cover, fill the tank with 80% of its capacity to prevent betta suicide.
Filter
While not considered strictly necessary for betta fish, a filter can help keep aquarium water clean. Betta fish should have very little water movement in a tank, so if you opted for a filter for your tank, make sure it has a very low flow. You can ensure a low flow by either getting a filter rated for a smaller tank with adjustable flow rate, "baffling" a filter to restrict its flow rate, or both.
Decoration and Plants
Decorations that offer hiding spots make betta fish feel secure and allow them to get away from light and rest when they want to. If your decoration has holes for your betta fish to swim through, make sure your thumb can fit through all of them to ensure that your betta fish won't get stuck. Similarly, make sure that your decorations and plants do not have a sharp edges, as betta fish have delicate fins.
Live plants are not necessary, but they are considered helpful in keeping water clean and giving betta fish natural places to hide and rest.
Lighting
In nature, betta fish live in rice paddies where they experience sunlight during the day and darkness at night. It is considered beneficial to emulate this natural experience in your aquarium. You can use artificial light or rely on light from the sun coming through a window if your aquarium is positioned to receive it.
If using an artificial light, make sure that it is not heating your aquarium above the recommended temperature. Most light fixtures made for aquariums of a particular size are designed not to have much impact on water temperature.
Water Conditioner
The basic premise of an aquarium water conditioner is to remove chlorine from tap water (Chlorine made water safe for human but can kill fish by burning their gills and poisoning their blood).
Some municipalities uses chloramines instead of chlorine since it's more stable than chlorine, if you're tap water contains chloramines then you should used water conditioner that could treat chloramines such as Seachem Prime®
Freshwater Test Kit
This test kit should allowed you to observe the concentration of Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, hardness and alkalinity which makes you to easier in maintaining your tank.
Betta pellet food
High quality food ensure your betta to have healthy growth and immunity system. Betta is carnivorous, and in it's natural habitats they fed a large range of insects and larvae such as mosquito larvae, bloodworm. Brine shrimp is a good food too for betta, they're a large range betta food available now in your local pet store*. But make sure that the ingredients are specially made for betta's. You should vary the diet of your betta, they could get bored to the same food every day, and live food or frozen live food are a good choice to treat them.
*Tips : Betta more prefer floating food such as pellet, but they're many sources that they don't like flakes food. If they don't like the food your given, they should stare at you with funny faces :)
Aquarium Salt (NOT TABLE SALT)
Aquarium salt is very helpful with most freshwater fish. The excepting is loaches, and scaleless fish. Aquarium salt will help boost immunity. Salt, is very good for treating illness, and preventing them. Betta like a little salt in their tank, not a whole lot. The general rule is, 1 table spoon per 5 gallons of water.
Useful comparison table:
*Note : Different heater brand serving range value will vary, use this table for basic knowledge only.
