WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BETTA FISHES

Also named as Siam Fighters, they are freshwater fish looking very attractive due to their great color and intelligence; having the ability to recognize who takes care of them, in addition they can learn tricks, such as following your finger, moving their fins when you speak to them, or jumping when you feed them. They can measure up to 7 cm without counting the tail, having an average life of up to 5 years, as long as you have them in optimal conditions; to differentiate between males and females, the males are larger and more colorful than the females.

These fish are very active, aggressive and very territorial; That is why they are incompatible with fish of the same species (males), or even species that have the following characteristics:

• Bright colors.
• Large flaps.
• Nervous.
• Territorial.
• Aggressive.
• Fish that swim in the upper part of the aquarium.
• Reptiles.
• Amphibians.
• The freshwater moray eels, because they are predators of betta fish.

There are also other species that are compatible with betta fish, such as:

• Suckermouth catfish or common pleco.
• Ancistrus.
• Hemigrammus rhodostomus.
• Fresh water mussels.
• Snails.
• Corydoras.
• Kuhlii
• Live food colonies such as daphnia.
• The female betta, without exceeding more than 3 specimens per male, because they fight among themselves.

FEEDING

Betta fish can eat flakes or pellets sold by pet stores, insects, small crustaceans, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, grindal, or small worms, whether they are live or frozen; Feed them with measure, because the size of his stomach is proportional to the size of his eye, so that you remember not to overfeed him and thus prevent him from becoming overweight and having intestinal obstructions.

CARE

If you do not have a large budget or it is difficult for you to have fish tanks with a filter and heater; Betta fish have the ability to take oxygen directly from the surface to breathe, allowing you to keep it in good condition if put in a glass refractory for desserts with a capacity of 2 liters(67oz) and only fill it to 80% of its capacity, because betta fish are excellent at jumping and can get out of the aquarium. When cleaning the fish tank, use only hot water. Soap and disinfectant can do a lot of harm to them.

The ideal temperature of the betta fish is between 24°C and 29°C (75°F to 84°F), otherwise it may be more passive.

The aquarium must have drinking water, with a neutral or slightly acid pH of maximum 6.5; It is recommended to add 1 ml (¼ tsp) of aloe vera preferably pure, for each liter (39oz) of water in each water change, you can also prepare an almond leaf tea, and put 1 ml (¼ tsp) for each liter (39oz) of water in each water change to protect against disease. The frequency with which you are going to change the water in your aquarium will depend on whether you have a filter or not; If you have it with a filter, you can change it up to once a month depending on the type of filter you have in your aquarium; If you do not have a filter, the water change would be one to two times a week to take care of the quality of the water in your aquarium. To improve the quality of the water and make it last longer, clean it with a net to remove the remains of fish feces.

BETTA FISH DISEASES AND TREATMENT

1. Fungi — ICH — White point. Whitish spots or fish clearance. They show lethargy or even a lot of activity and rub on the glass. Treatment: In a liter (39oz) of drinking water, preferably heat it a little and add 10 to 20 grams maximum (0.3oz to 0.7oz) of diluted sea salt along with 1 ml (¼ tsp) of pure aloe vera; let the betta fish sit in the water for 10 to 15 minutes, then return it to its fish tank. Carry out this treatment until the betta fish is better. If the discomfort persists, you will blend 1 clove of garlic with drinking water and strain it without leaving lumps, then with a syringe add 1 ml (¼ tsp) of the prepared garlic juice to the betta fish tank. Change the water every day.

2. Hydropsy. Fish abdominal distension. Treatment: Feed a small piece of pure aloe vera, if it is extracted frequently, give it a day yes and a day no, in case you cannot feed it living food and feed it pellets, let them rest in drinking water until they swell and feed no more than 3 pellets to the fish.

3. Broken or frayed tail. Treatment: Change the water in the tank every day and add 1 ml (¼ tsp) of pure aloe vera, and 1 ml (¼ tsp) of almond leaf tea.

4. Septicemia. They have blood-like marks all over the fish’s body. Treatment: Change the water every day and add 1.5 ml(1/3 tsp) of pure aloe vera per liter of water, 1 ml(¼ tsp) almond tea per liter of water, and 1 ml of garlic juice to the aquarium per liter of water.

HOW TO PREPARE ALOE VERA FOR THE AQUARIUM?

1. From the aloe vera plant you are going to cut a piece of approximately 15 cm.

2. Clean or remove the amber yellow liquid that comes out when cutting the piece.

3. Very carefully remove the thorns from the sides, and open the piece in half.

4. With a spoon or with the same knife, only take the transparent part of the piece. (In case of taking part of the amber yellow liquid it will not work, because this liquid is very irritating and harmful to the fish; therefore only take the transparent gelatinous part).

5. Finally, blend with a little drinking water.

6. Pour the gel or liquid into a container with a lid so you can refrigerate it for reuse.

NOTE: Aloe vera has an expiration date one month after it has been prepared.

PROPERTIES OF ALOE VERA (SABILA) FOR FISHES

• Healing.
• Regenerator of the skin.
• Regulates the functioning of the intestinal mucosa.
• It improves ulcers and reduces acidity.
• Neutralizes the effect of microbial toxins.
• It takes part in the formation of proteins.
• Strengthens the immune system by improving defenses.
• Pain reliever and fever reducer.
• Contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and copper.
• Antiseptic.
• Anti-inflammatory.

WHY ARE SALT BATHS GOOD WHEN OUR FISH IS VERY SICK?

The change in salinity causes the microorganisms that are making our fish sick to dry out, and die, allowing the gradual recovery of the betta.

PROPERTIES OF GARLIC IN FISH

• Antifungal.
• Strong antibiotic.
• Broad spectrum antibacterial agent.
• Analgesic.
• Destressing.
• It provides proteins, carbohydrates, mineral salts, calcium, iron, iodine, phosphorus, vitamin A, B1, C, B2 and E.
• Stimulates the immune system.
• Antiparasitic.

PROPERTIES OF THE ALMOND LEAF

• It serves as a natural water conditioner, delaying water changes in the aquarium.
• Avoid bacterial diseases, such as fin rot.
• Antifungal.
• Protects the mucosa of the fish.
• Helps the regeneration and healing of wounds.
• Detoxifies aquariums of compounds such as ammonia, heavy metals and other toxins that are very harmful to fish.
• Avoid massive and sudden deaths of fry due to saprolegia attacks.
• Favors the natural coloring of the fish.
• Repels some external parasites.
• It dyes the water an amber color making the fish feel as similar to their natural habitat.
• Provides a support for the nest, promoting reproduction.
• Increase the calcium dissolved in the water.

REPRODUCTION

Once you have the male and the female, it is very important that before putting them together they meet each other in their tank, or have them in the same tank but with a division so that they can see each other and get to know each other. If you put them together without first knowing each other, it is very likely that the male will attack the female. For this reason, the above is necessary, then provide some moss to the male so that he can make a suitable nest by filling the tank with bubbles and when the female is receptive it will be time to gather them. Courtship consists in that the male seems to embrace the female, having a large number of bubbles in which the male will introduce the small fry and after four or seven days the eggs will hatch and the small young. Once the male deposits the young in the bubbles, remove the female from the male to avoid fighting or eating the young.