Betta fish are flashy colorful fish with lots of vim and vigor. Since they exist naturally in small mud puddles and can gulp air from the waters surface, they are well suited to small fish bowls. In some situations you may want to house one or more together in a larger aquarium. Just remember that if male Bettas can get to each other they will fight. Fighting causes severe stress and the weaker ones may suffer mortal injuries. This article includes tips about Betta fish care to help you give yours the best life possible.


Feed lightly and daily. There are several commercial preparations of Betta fish food on the market that work well. Add bloodworms as an occasional treat.
After a few minutes, remove any uneaten food. Uneaten food left in the aquarium or fish bowl can rot and pollute the water causing stress or death to your fish. This is especially important if you are using one of the very small fish bowls often sold for use with Bettas. Using a larger tank is a more forgiving option. There are even compartmentalized products that hang on the inside of your tank to permit housing each fish in separate compartments.

Inspect fins, gills and overall appearance for signs of stress or infection. Treat any symptoms you find with medications available at your local pet store.
Check the water level. This is extremely important if you are using a small Betta bowl. Even when you use a plastic compartment in a larger aquarium, it will be mounted very near the surface. This means it will be subject to evaporation more quickly than the tank as a whole.
Perform routine water changes. You'll need to change the water in your Betta fish tanks, just like you do for any other type of fish. If you keep your Betta in a larger tank with other fish this will be easy to do as part of your routine tank maintenance. If you use a small bowl, keep a jug of clean, de-chlorinated tap water nearby. This will help facilitate routine water changes and ensure that water is available to top off the bowl to make up for evaporation.
Keep a log book to make sure you are maintaining a regular schedule. This is especially helpful for families and can prevent overfeeding by those who might not know if the fish has been fed yet.

Now you can care for Betta fish. On a final note, males will be at their most active and attractive if kept within sight of other males. A few bowls kept right next to each other or a compartmentalized in-tank display is quite fascinating. Following these steps to ensure that your Betta or Bettas stay healthy and vigorous.