Question
Benny in his Home
Dear Lynda,
I recently bought a male betta fish named Benny from our local pet store. I started him out in a 1 gal. bowl without a filter or heater, and then decided to buy him an actual tank. He now lives in a 1&1/2 gal. tank with a small heater and a filter. I use water conditioner and feed him Betta Bites w/ dried bloodworms as a treat occasionally. He has a little cave he can swim around or hide behind, and a leaf that is attached near the top of his tank with a suction cup for him to lay on, but mostly all he wants to do is stare at me through his tank wall. He gets very excited when I get up in the morning and starts swimming around, following me from his tank as I get ready in the morning; but I feel bad that he doesn't get more stimulation during the day (he doesn't have any tank mates as of yet to keep him company.) Is there anyway I could make his environment more 'fun' for him?
Sorry this message was rather long and thank you so much for your help!!
Megan and Benny
AnswerHi Megan,
Benny is beautiful! Bettas are really loners, and like being alone in their tank. Sometimes you can mix them with other fish, but you would need a bigger tank, and not all bettas accept other fish. Do not worry, he is happy in his tank. Bettas are always happy to see us, they are very clever, and we get so attached to them.
They tend to be glutons, so be very careful when feeding him. Feed him 2-3 times a day in small amounts. Two pellets or Two flakes for one meal. Their tummy is the size of their eye, so we must always remember this when feeding them. ( Small meals, and never one big meal.) Benny should have one frozen pea with the outer layer removed, and cut into tiny pieces once a week. Feed the pieces to Benny one at a time, making sure he eats it, and they do not fall to the bottom of the tank. On the day you choose to feed him the pea, feed him nothing else for the rest of the day. This is so he can clean out his system, and avoid Swim Bladder Disease to which the betta is prone. Swim Bladder begins with constipation which often goes unnoticed. It is important to feed him one pea a week. Vary his diet as much as you can. Daphnia is very good for bettas, as it helps with their digestive system. The more you vary, the healthier he will be. Other foods you may feed him are Betta Flakes, Plankton Flakes, Mealworms, Glassworms, and Frozen Brine Shrimp. Do your water changes, and make sure he has no ammonia, or nitrites in his water. Good food, and good water chemistry go a long way in preventing disease. I see you have a yellow flower in your tank. Bettas do like the colour yellow, so I am sure he loves this. Benny has a lovely tank, and I'm convinced he feels the love you have for him, and that is more than enough for Benny! You can be sure he loves you too, and is very happy.
Lynda
Danio fry, angles, rams
Questionram
QUESTION: HI,
I have a couple quest
Beta Friends?
Question
This is Gunther
Hi there,
Just a quick
Pregnant Balloon Molly
Question
Pregnant Balloon Molly
This balloon molly has
Female betta laying eggs?
Question
Betta fish
I recently purchased a female bett
Oranda goldfish
Question
The bump Side view
Hi, I have 1 o
