Since betas are from the rice paddies of Southeast Asia, they typically thrive in conditions somewhat similar to their origins. They were originally used for gambling in Thailand when 2 male fish would be put together to fight, sometimes to the death. In the wild, the Siamese fighting fish standing or slow-moving water, including flood plains and rice paddies at temperatures of 24 to 30 degrees Celsius. This level of temperature should be used in the aquarium. Give the fish a fifty percent water change once a week if it is being kept in a small volume of water. Colder water temperatures could lower the bettas’ immune system and cause illness. The PH level should range between 6.5 and 7, which means slightly acidic.
The most important factor in maintaining their ideal tank set-up is that betas require consistent conditions. They are easily stressed by sudden changes in temperature, pH or bacteria.
Normally bettas live to be 2-5 years old, but some live to be nearly 8 years old. The male betta splendens builds a bubblenest which he tends to and keeps the eggs in. The eggs will not develop properly if they are not near the surface of the water. The only fish that could live in a bowl is the betta. They have specific requirements that are simple to meet, so keeping Siamese fighting fish would be an easy task.
An important and often overlooked tip for the proper betta fish care is to have the fish bowl covered. Siamese fish jump from stream to puddle in the wild and the same is true for the captive ones…they jump!! If you do not cover your bowl, you will eventually see you Siamese fighting fish dried up or flopping about on your floor. Be sure to have a gap between the lid and the surface of the water because they need to access the top of the water to breathe air. Always leave at least a half of inch space between the surface of the water and the lid of the bowl. Be sure the lid has air holes so it does not suffocate.
Never use a fish net to catch a Siamese fighting fish when doing changes because their fins are very delicate and can easily get caught in the fiber of the net and be ripped.
