Betta Death

Question
I had a Male Betta for about 1 month and 18 days then he died. But the day before he was up at the top of the tank. His nose touching the water and would not leave his spot! I was frightend. Beacause when he moved he could not go down!! Next day he was on the pebbles on his side DEAD!( I cried for like 20 minutes) And my cat would like to hop up and peer inside the tank!

Answer
Hey Allison

Sorry about your Betta. I'm not sure what killed him, could've been an older Betta that your purchased (they only live 3-5 years). Could of been poor water quality, not feeding him properly, a disease etc.

I'll give you some helpful information on keeping Bettas, so if you decide to get another one, hopefully this won't happen.

First and foremost, keep him in a place where your cat cannot get up close to his tank.

The best way to keep a Betta is in a small filtered and heated aquarium.  A 5 or 6 gallon filtered aquarium is perfect. Keep the temperature at 78-82 degrees with a small heater. Keep the filter running at all times and change 25% of the water every week. Use a small gravelvac to clean waste and food particles out of the gravel.

Bettas are slow, graceful swimmers and like to hover near the surface, and a floating plant would be nice. Also his tank should have a live plant planted in it to allow cover and for him to rest on the leaves. A Peace Lily or a Brazilian Sword Plant are great and easy to care for. Also provide him with a rock or a log that has a tunnel for him to hide in.

Feed your Betta once or twice a day. Buy a special food that is designed for Bettas like BettaMin, BettaFlakes, Brine Shrimp and Bloodworms as a treat a couple of times a week. Do NOT give him pellets. Pellets expand in the Betta's stomach and can cause constipation, indigestion and extreme discomfort. A frozen pea once a week will avoid him getting constipation. Cook the pea until it is tender, remove the outside shell and cut it in small pieces and give it to him one piece at a time. Feed him the pea in the morning and don't feed him anything else that day.

Bettas are prone to skin infections if they are not kept under good conditions. If fin rot or a fungus occurs, change 50% of the water and add Fungus Eliminator or Fungus Guard. Also maintain one tablespoon of Aquarium Salt per 5 gallons of water. The Aquarium Salt will fight parasites and relieve stress.

Hope this is helpful to you, good luck!

Richard