I just committed to getting a betta and this video just summed everything up perfectly for a new owner. Spent over a month researching how to care for one and $150+ to set up the tank since I went full extra to be able to keep him at the office. Coworkers couldn't understand why. Finally, I had to explain that adopting a cat or dog is easy because they live in the same environment as you but you are responsible for CREATING a healthy environment for a fish. After two months, he's now the office's mascot. Folks come to "visit" him when they're stressed and have even gone as far as donating a dollar or two for his continued care, with talk of adopting a second office betta!
I am actually in the same situation now! I am spending 200+ (getting plants as well so extra money) and people in the office have donated! Just trying to convince them that it is worth it and my boss that I can take care of it 😅
Good News ! I used to keep my betta in a small bowl , then I watched ur videos and got him a 5 gallon ! He is much happier now , and hes gonna get tank mates next week . Thank you so much for helping Iris have a better life !
Maybe 2 or 3 pygmy corys at a push but make sure your cycle is complete (test kit) and you would need to do room temp water changes at least once a week. Betta to keep her on her own. Good luck
@@christinascorner590 Amano shrimp or snails would be fine. Don’t get neocardina (cherry) shrimp because they will become food or glass/ghost shrimp because they are semi aggressive and can poke/scratch your betta.
I’m really loving my beta! He is my first fish and I can’t believe how much I enjoy him. He is a curious fun little guy! He love when I put new toys in the tank so I switch them out. All you info has helped me so much!
My betta is my first fish too. I put a floating log in his tank today. The instructions said “your fish may take a couple of days to get used to it”. Nope! Swam straight up to it, nudged it with his nose a couple of times and dived through the middle. Betta’s have so much personality, mine is definitely not the shy retiring type.
Love extreme betta pellets I’m 13 years old and have 28 bettas and I feed extreme pellets and mosquito lava I’ve Been following you for a wile and learned a lot from Lisa and john
Thank you, Lisa. I lost a Betta due to ignorance, and he got ich. Our AC cooled his water to levels that he was not used to 70F. You and John are the BEST!
Lisa...you are spot on with your advice. I'm new to this hobby and I have a betta in a 5 gal darkscape tank but I have a spare 15 gal tank that I want to move him into.
First, I want to say how much I love that you suggested a book that you are not affiliated with. That truly shows how dedicated you are to are to making sure folks have a guide to take care of happy Bettas! But you also answered a question I was going to ask the next time I was lucky enough to see a live stream. I have a 20 gallon tank with some "odds & ends" fish (3 Tetras and 2 Zebra Danios that survived longer than their buddies when I bought them to school in my 30 gallon tank a few years back, and a Bristlenose Plecolatapus! LOL!!!) ) I visited a Petco recently and they had a NOT SO PRETTY Betta that I just really felt sorry for. I named him Quasimodo. Anyway, he seems super happy in my 20 gallon, and he's getting along with everybody! But I was worried about what to feed him. I bought some Betta food, but how could I be sure he got that when I was feeding those others, too? Well, now I know that he doesn't HAVE to eat only Betta food. Blood worms and Bug Bites are among foods I was already feeding and he LOVES them!!!!! No worries now about the foods. :-) Thanks, Lisa. You're the Betta queen!!!!!
Lisa: "Take care of this fish because he didn't pick you, you picked him." Me: "Apparently you haven't met my betta, Sir Bubbles. Seriously, this little guy definitely picked me and I couldn't be more happier. I'm glad I've stumbled onto this channel. The amount of care both John and Lisa put into these little guys is just phenomenal.
The "too big tank" thing happened to my betta when I first got him! I put him in a 20 gallon tank and he was circling the perimeter and glass surfing non stop for days. I moved him to a 5.5 gallon tank packed with plants and he settled right down.
Same thing happened to mine, moved to the exact same sized tank with plenty of plants to explore (a few unexpected snail friends), and a floating beta log. He is now the most active and curious he has ever been.
Oh, wow! I never thought about this. Luckily, I have a big guy that loves to explore at home. On the other side of the coin, my betta at work hides behind a rock in a 20 gallon tank. Guess my MTS is about to get worse.
Mine is in a 42 gallon tank with lots of plants and plants he can use as hammocks to rest he's currently loving life and much much happier than he looked in the pet store which happened to know abostley nothing about betta tried to get him for three days each day was told we were not aloud him until I asked to speak to the manger who gave us nothing but attitude
Thanks for sharing! I'll have to check out that book. Also I'm super stoked to say that the store I work at I work at is letting me upgrade the betta cups to bigger cups. Its the most we can do with permission from corporate. The next step is to get a betta wall built after I talk with corporate.
The petsmart near me now has bettas in the bigger cups. They also updated their betta wall w special lights at the bottom that warm the cup for the fish. I was so impressed I bought two bettas there.
I lost a betta a couple of months ago due to swim bladders disease:( I was so sad and I was extremely heart broken. Now that I allowed myself to heal, learned to stay on top of tank maintenance and not over feeding. My new Tropical Betta is doing excellent and he’s so happy ❤️
my King Betta Houdini had been looking depressed in the 40 gallon (as my centerpiece because I want mostly schooling fish) but as I've slowly added more to avoid spiking the bioload he's gotten less depressed looking and a little more active. Thankfully he doesn't chase down fish and bully them, he just slowly approaches them and likes to remind them who the big boy in the tank is lol
I wasn't aware that a tank could be too big for a betta, it's good to know but I think that makes me continue to enjoy them because they can thrive in a 5 and 10 gallon and don't require something huge. I say this because it's a lot easier to convince someone to get a 5 or 10 than a 20 or 30! Personally, I have 3 boys and I let them have a few weeks at a time in a full 20g whereas the other two are in a divided 20g! I guess slowly transitioning to a bigger tank makes it less scary becaude my boys enjoy it! (This big tank has quite a few live plants! :D)
My Betta does not seem to like his 29 very much. My peacock gudgeon fry are about big enough to put in the bigger tanks so I can put him back in a 10, I think
Technically...there isn't such an issue as "too big" for a fish tank, the real issue isn't the tank itself. The issue is if the tank is huge AND it doesn't have enough cover for the fish to hide in and/or there are incompatible tankmates/decor. Put those issues together and it won't matter how big the tank is, you will have miserable inhabitants. Ex: If you put a Betta in say, a 30 gallon, great! They have lots of swim room and the ammonia buildup from fish poop/uneaten food will be much more diluted, so your fish won't get sick as easily and you can get away with somewhat less water frequent water changes. BUT if the Betta is in this tank but there's not enough plants or hides to keep him from feeling exposed, or if there's fish in there that bully him (tetras or pea puffers that nip fins, neons that have colouration that makes him think his turf is threatened by rivals, etc.), it won't matter that there's all that swim room. He will be unhappy and stressed, and that makes for a much more easily sick fish.
@@thejasminedragonmerchant6843 I agree ! I kept a betta in a 29 gallon tank, and he loved it. He would explore the tank, checking out every detail. I have had aquariums for 40 years, so I am not new to watching fish behavior. The larger the aquarium, the easier it is to control water parameters. I do not make Noah's arks out of my aquariums, it was just the betta, cherry shrimp, and elephant snails.
I feel like this was good timing. I've never heard of a betta living for 9 years, that's truly unbelievable. Just lost two of my betta's this week, one female in a 40g community tank that went from completely fine to found dead within a day, all other fish and parameters good in the tank (had her close to 2 years), and one small male in a 10 that had been going downhill for 6 months, some combination of damaged fin rot/fungal issues, that I just couldn't seem to solve with erythromycin or mild salt or cattapa leaves (had him closer to 3 years).
Thank u Lisa!! Very informative and insightful!! And omg - 9 years?! That's a new found understanding! Yes I always wonder how old my bettas are at point of purchase. Especially for giant bettas where the Sellers could possibly conceal the actual age and sold a full grown giant at a higher price (cuz of its size) but telling the Buyers that the giant is still at a young age.
Gutted as our Betta, midnight passed away a few days ago. We had him almost 9 months from my LFS. He was in a 8gal planted tank by himself. Mixed diet and regular water changes. Didn't know how old he was when we bought him but I think he was getting old, as over the last few months he wasn't swimming around much and a few nights before he passed he stopped eating :( S.I.P midnight :(
im sorry for your loss, the thought that one day my betta will pass away makes me tear up, i love him so much and i love his personality... so i feel you :( ... im sure that your betta lived a happy life, and you should be proud of you because you made midnight live a wonderful life !
S.I.P. your little buddy 😞 Unfortunately, Bettas can often come from subpar conditions (breeder-provided Bettas notwithstanding) before being found and bought by their new fishkeepers, and those early months can be pretty formative in how well their immune system and overall health holds up when they finally encounter someone willing to take them home (my current Betta, for instance, is adopted from someone who bought them from a chain store with an ocular tumor. They went from a cold, ammonia-filled cup at the store, to a 5-gallon filtered tank with a few silk and real plants with the old owner, to a 7 gallon heated, filtered, heavily planted tank with me). At the 5 gallon when I first got to see him, his fins were full and he didn't show signs of disease, but he was listless, kept bumping his eye into things and recoiling, and was skinnier than he was supposed to be b/c the owner said the eye caused him to struggle a lot to eat since his sight was so bad (the reason he was adoptable was b/c they were worried the Betta would eventually get sick and starve since they couldn't find a way to get him to regularly eat properly, even after several months). I adapted by feeding him stinky live food with tweezers and a very small plastic bulb pipette, and now he's lively, more colourful, and eats like a champ). Ok, I've got off track. The point is, it sounds like you did a lot for your pet. Most Betta owners wouldn't spring for a private 8 gallon (definitely above and beyond the 5 gallon minimum!), or a varied diet, or remember to change the water often so the fish won't get sick from ammonia poisoning from their own poop. Sometimes pet store fish can live for years and years, and some others unfortunately only stick around for less than a year. It's not your fault, it's bad conditions from the early days at the store and/or genetic issues from way back that took your pet early. Your fish was just lucky enough to have had you to give them a good life, even if was shorter than expected.
Hi, Lisa. I hope your day went well. I watched your unboxing video this morning and saw one of your beautiful giant bettas which I have now purchased. I then watched this video with wonderful tips and a recommendation for us to read The Betta Bible, which I have now purchased (the Kindle version) and have started to read. Ten minutes in, and I can already tell it really is a MUST READ! I’m sure I’ll be buying the paperback version, too, as soon as I can. Thank you very much for all the ways you and John inspire and educate us!😊
I got all my Betta as Baby fry so small so I gave them all birthdays of the day I rescued the fry. Hahah She said "You got your photos and your 12 likes".
Lisa, I love your passion for your fish. You take great care of them. Watching you I now want to get a betta. I’ve kept fish for almost 30 years but I never had a betta. I will be buying one soon. Looking for the perfect hell boy 👹. Been watching your inventory for just the right fish. Also I loved the Jay Wilson bit! 😂
I have a beautiful blood red Betta with blue eyes that lives in my 26gal bow tank. He loves swimming with my small group of Harlequin Rasboras. To this day, I still wonder how I got lucky with finding a peaceful Betta when I normally get cranky ones who don't like tank mates. lol
I’m so glad that you pointed out that a tank can be too big! I upgraded Martok from a 2 gallon to a densely planted 10 gallon, and it’s just right for him. The plants provide resting spots at all levels, as his finnage makes him a lousy swimmer. He appeared to be grown when I got him, so don’t know how long he will be with me, but he is living his BEST life 💕
We have a male Betta (and two Mystery Snails). Thank you for the videos! My 5 year old and I watch them and talk about good fish keeping as well as environment preservation. We would love a video on Betta behaviors, like building bubble nests, flaring, activity level (ours is very active), etc.
My betta had too big of a tank when he was first bought. His original owner put him in a 10 gallon while trying to rehab him from the cup. He bit his tail and it got tail rot. She moved him to a smaller tank and he did great. I got him and his tail started growing back like crazy and he’s made his way up to a 10 gallon and happy with his cory cat tank mates
Thanks as always, very informative❤️ (Lisa at her finest🙌) My sons tank, is getting treated 10 gallon, his Beta has pop eye. So far he’s showing more activity but the eye is still popped
Good info. Just got my first halfmoonBetta male . I got Betta flakes and different treats from the pet store. I think needs bigger tank 3 gallon seems small?
Bigger is usually better. As long as you maintain good/great water quality and give them a couple of places to rest (leaves and cave) while still leaving room for him to get around easy, he should be fine. Then you can have a goal to upgrade the lil fella's home in a few months. A 5 gallon takes up almost the same amount of space as my 3 gallon cylinder tank. But the added 2 gallons gives more floor space for him/her to explore and get around.
My boy Fagan (blue betta) has moved from a cup (ugh!) to a 3 gallon tank to a 17 gallon tank and is now in a 26 gallon tank (just moved today...long story) with 14 neon tetras and Majima the bristlenose pleco. Hopefully he likes his new home. I want to try and get some more surface plants for him to sit around in, unfortunately my local aquarium didn't have any.
Most aquarium stores don't sell floating plants because they're usually very invasive and that makes them a potential liability if customers aren't responsible. You can find any floaters you want online, though. I just bought some nice water spangles on Ebay.
I always love seeing all your bettas ❤ they are so cute! Gorgeous babies! I bet they have fun being your little fishy models! I did that at petsmart at my own table with my bettas before!
Glad you mentioned the study! Can not find it, can you put it in the description? You forgot to mention temperature, breeders keep babies at the higher end of the spectrum to increase metabolism and growth rate. This also shortens life span
Some great information on bettas. good feeding tips for there diet and overall health. That book looks awesome. Best order the biggest pizza ever John be soon home lol
I had two male bettas. Each in there own 5 gallon tank. My Dumbo eared betta, Monet is great. I got betta Buddy about 3 months later. I do test my water, have a heater, and a filter. Water changes. Also, my tanks are planted. I have had lots of trouble with my plants. But finally, my plant education, is much better and my plants are doing well. However, the point is my second betta Buddy suddenly died. I don't know what happened. Monet is fine. I also feed 3 different foods. The Xetreme pellets, brine shrimp, and blood worms. Thanks for the recommendation of The Betta Bible book. I will be getting that.
I got a solid white crowntail fed him color enhanced flakes now he look's tie die blue n green. He's now the king of my 75gal with just rocks and new java fern. I had the heat low like 75ish for two days bumped it to 80 he chilled out and ate alot
Lisa, thank you for posting this video! You’re so right about having Something happened and having no clue as to how to fix it when it happens. This happened with my last betta fish and the one I just lost yesterday so now I’m trying to do some research, lots of research before I get another Betta fish to make sure it’s not something I’m doing wrong which I’m almost positive it is but at the same time, like you said, I may be doing everything right and the fish still drop dead so it’s not necessarily my fault but I just have to make sure for next time that I have everything I need, Tools and knowledge before I purchase another Betta fish
My Betta is currently in a heavy planted 20 gallon tank all alone. And he is super active and curious about everything. Planning on making it a community tank, but for now I'm gonna let him enjoy all the space alone since he also came from a cramped up cup full of his own poop.
I'm in the same exact boat (tank in process of being set up/big basin of water justa going then realized didn't want a mosquito breeding ground on my hands...so betta acquired sooner than planned). Betta was super tiny when purchased a few weeks ago and today was the first time he flared, ever (I think). He put 150% of himself into that flare he caused himself stress lines? Two light colored vertical lines where his 'flare folds'(?) would be. He's fine now, lines disappeared. But, I think ina 20L he'll be okay without mirror exposure.
A tip for allowing your Betta to have a large space without it being overwhelming is a slow change up tanks. Start with five, go to ten, go to 20. And with every tank fill them, practically overfill them, with plants and decor. Bettas love having multiple territories and with lots of plants and live decor like rocks and wood it won't be too much space and overwhelming for them. They'll actually love it. And if you have a larger tank like a 20, try putting in some other fish. Bettas lvoe being in a community and the other companions will help them feel not so overwhelmed in a larger tank.
I thought I was the only one who know The Betta Bible book! It' s really complete for infomation and history about betta. The experiment of Walt Maurus about a longevity of nine year old bettas was exceptional (From my knowledge it was the only experiment reference for extreme longevity of bettas). In fact a betta live 2-3 year in average in good care and condition. A betta who live more than 3 years isn't common and depends of multiple factors (condition, exercise, food, genetic, etc).
We have our betta Karl... Or should I say Karl the magnificent. He is beyond spoiled and has his special fluval tank with 8 different snacks, plants, hammock ,toys and floating log. He is beyond spoiled and I just adore him.
I read that they're 4-6 months old by the time we buy them, and I'm assuming that's about how old Cosmo was when I got him in February, as he wasn't full grown and he was a galaxy koi but that turned into almost solid blue over the next few months. He made his first bubble nest in April. I'm going to "celebrate" his "birthday" on September 14 by getting him a cup of live adult brine shrimp for a b-day present. We're moving soon and I can't wait to see if possible different water parameters will make him change color again.
Excellent as always. I need to get that book. Not sure why I don't have it already considering the amount of Bettas I keep.. 🤔 The news breaks are so funny!!
I keep my betta fish in a 3.5 gallon tank but years ago and this was before I knew about the proper way to care for them my first betta Indigo (Indy) was in a vase and he lived to be 2.5 years old I do use the cup my current one came in to check his health and injuries he might have gotten after I cleaned out his tank each week then put him back in there
Thank you, Lisa. This is a very informative video! I don't keep a betta yet, but when i do, i will refer to this video on my saved "Aquarium" library list. Your fish are beautiful! I looked at your stock. Lovely!
I bought Lucifer (he's red) from a crappy pet shop in a plastic cup with an inch of water. The stupid woman gave me huge pellets and said break them into 3 pieces and feed him one per day. I'd never had a fish before and knew nothing. He was only in a slightly larger bowl at that time without a heater. He bloated and was floating on his side for 2 days. I freaked out and looked online and discovered not only frozen peas, but that I didn't know how to take care of him. He survived and then got fin rot. Again, I treated him and the fins grew back beautifully. I then got him a 5 gallon heated tank with filter and decor, and a snail. His aquarium sits right next to my guppies so he doesn't feel lonely. He sees fish all day but he doesn't puff up at them. Last week I gave him a tiny chunk of beef. I'd given him some before and he went crazy, attacking it and really loved it. This time he was so excited and charming that I fed him more and... he was bloated and could hardly swim, like a red butter ball kind of waddling through the aquarium. I was awake all night stressing and worried I'd killed him but the entire next day he did nothing but poop and was soon back to his debonair self. I've had him for almost 6 months now and would be distraught if anything happened to him. Now he gets mostly crushed krill. Lulu is my ❤ and I think he's happy because he bubble nests constantly, but I'm still learning new things all the time, like that he's probably sick of krill so I have to keep stalking Lisa's videos.
Earlier I tried using my cats laser pointer and I put the red dot on the bottom of my bettas tank and he started chasing it around it’s so cute. Even my females chaser the red dor
I got a red crowntail betta fish,his name is Fred. Have been keeping him in a community tank for over 3 yrs. He is looking pale,but I didn't see any changes in his appetite or behaviour. He also flares during excercise. Is this normal or some kind of disease??
Love this video! I have a white/pinkish colored betta that lives in a planted 7 gallon tank with two snails. There is also one blue dream shrimp that hides out in the sponge filter. The betta had a little fin rot in the past but he has never really recovered. I just put in some aquarium salt this past week, only 1/4 tsp to see if it helps his fins. I do consistent weekly water changes and he eats Bio Gold pellets and blood worms. Just wondering how I can help him look better? I keep one almond leaf in the tank as well. I will try exercising him but he seems to have fun hunting down the hiding shrimp. 🤣
I had this problem and realized my sponge filter was the problem and needed to be replaced , as it kept the water gross and was leaking gross stuff into the water
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Can we keep bettas with guppies
How many bettas do you have
@@ghostgaming7994 usually you can depend on how big the tank is.
check my betta's collection @jtx23betta 🤓
Hi When are they guys getting more Bettas?
I just committed to getting a betta and this video just summed everything up perfectly for a new owner. Spent over a month researching how to care for one and $150+ to set up the tank since I went full extra to be able to keep him at the office. Coworkers couldn't understand why. Finally, I had to explain that adopting a cat or dog is easy because they live in the same environment as you but you are responsible for CREATING a healthy environment for a fish.
After two months, he's now the office's mascot. Folks come to "visit" him when they're stressed and have even gone as far as donating a dollar or two for his continued care, with talk of adopting a second office betta!
Coool
That's amazing!! I'd luuuv to see the tank
I am actually in the same situation now! I am spending 200+ (getting plants as well so extra money) and people in the office have donated! Just trying to convince them that it is worth it and my boss that I can take care of it 😅
9 months later, hopefully y'all got like 4 more bettas or some other tanks and fish 🙂
Still working on convincing my boss and office manager 😄
Good News ! I used to keep my betta in a small bowl , then I watched ur videos and got him a 5 gallon ! He is much happier now , and hes gonna get tank mates next week . Thank you so much for helping Iris have a better life !
That is great but I wouldn’t recommend keeping a beta AND rank mates in only a 5 gallon. I would at least recommend 10 gallons.
Dont keep any tankmates
@@sharminsultana1425 it has to be he right fish
Maybe 2 or 3 pygmy corys at a push but make sure your cycle is complete (test kit) and you would need to do room temp water changes at least once a week. Betta to keep her on her own. Good luck
@@christinascorner590
Amano shrimp or snails would be fine.
Don’t get neocardina (cherry) shrimp because they will become food or glass/ghost shrimp because they are semi aggressive and can poke/scratch your betta.
I’m really loving my beta! He is my first fish and I can’t believe how much I enjoy him. He is a curious fun little guy! He love when I put new toys in the tank so I switch them out.
All you info has helped me so much!
My betta is my first fish too. I put a floating log in his tank today. The instructions said “your fish may take a couple of days to get used to it”. Nope! Swam straight up to it, nudged it with his nose a couple of times and dived through the middle. Betta’s have so much personality, mine is definitely not the shy retiring type.
What kind of toys do you use? I've been trying to find some stuff for mine but I get nervous without knowing if they are good or harmful to them!
Love extreme betta pellets I’m 13 years old and have 28 bettas and I feed extreme pellets and mosquito lava I’ve Been following you for a wile and learned a lot from Lisa and john
Thank you, Lisa. I lost a Betta due to ignorance, and he got ich. Our AC cooled his water to levels that he was not used to 70F. You and John are the BEST!
"Your poor husband" lol i freakin love you guys! You literally described half the "betta keepers" here in the states. Keep up the good work!
Your poor husband 🤣😂 , this girl gets me every time
“No more chicken and rice!!!!!!!”
Lisa...you are spot on with your advice. I'm new to this hobby and I have a betta in a 5 gal darkscape tank but I have a spare 15 gal tank that I want to move him into.
I'm hoping I am doing the right thing
First, I want to say how much I love that you suggested a book that you are not affiliated with. That truly shows how dedicated you are to are to making sure folks have a guide to take care of happy Bettas! But you also answered a question I was going to ask the next time I was lucky enough to see a live stream. I have a 20 gallon tank with some "odds & ends" fish (3 Tetras and 2 Zebra Danios that survived longer than their buddies when I bought them to school in my 30 gallon tank a few years back, and a Bristlenose Plecolatapus! LOL!!!) ) I visited a Petco recently and they had a NOT SO PRETTY Betta that I just really felt sorry for. I named him Quasimodo. Anyway, he seems super happy in my 20 gallon, and he's getting along with everybody! But I was worried about what to feed him. I bought some Betta food, but how could I be sure he got that when I was feeding those others, too? Well, now I know that he doesn't HAVE to eat only Betta food. Blood worms and Bug Bites are among foods I was already feeding and he LOVES them!!!!! No worries now about the foods. :-) Thanks, Lisa. You're the Betta queen!!!!!
Lisa: "Take care of this fish because he didn't pick you, you picked him."
Me: "Apparently you haven't met my betta, Sir Bubbles.
Seriously, this little guy definitely picked me and I couldn't be more happier. I'm glad I've stumbled onto this channel. The amount of care both John and Lisa put into these little guys is just phenomenal.
Bettas are very much like cats. You *think you are picking them, but in reality they actually pick you. Happened to me twice 😅
Good Video.
I love seeing solid literature and references, not social media
The "too big tank" thing happened to my betta when I first got him! I put him in a 20 gallon tank and he was circling the perimeter and glass surfing non stop for days. I moved him to a 5.5 gallon tank packed with plants and he settled right down.
Same thing happened to mine, moved to the exact same sized tank with plenty of plants to explore (a few unexpected snail friends), and a floating beta log.
He is now the most active and curious he has ever been.
Oh, wow! I never thought about this. Luckily, I have a big guy that loves to explore at home. On the other side of the coin, my betta at work hides behind a rock in a 20 gallon tank. Guess my MTS is about to get worse.
@@haywardgarner4850 honestly, as long as you add enough plants and hides, a larger tank shouldn't be too much of an issue
No tanks really too big. If you have alot of plants and decorations and dark places they should be just happy
Mine is in a 42 gallon tank with lots of plants and plants he can use as hammocks to rest he's currently loving life and much much happier than he looked in the pet store which happened to know abostley nothing about betta tried to get him for three days each day was told we were not aloud him until I asked to speak to the manger who gave us nothing but attitude
Thanks for sharing! I'll have to check out that book. Also I'm super stoked to say that the store I work at I work at is letting me upgrade the betta cups to bigger cups. Its the most we can do with permission from corporate. The next step is to get a betta wall built after I talk with corporate.
The petsmart near me now has bettas in the bigger cups. They also updated their betta wall w special lights at the bottom that warm the cup for the fish. I was so impressed I bought two bettas there.
A true betta fan when you carry the betta bible everywhere you go. I love that
Water conditions and food variety is key to keeping your Bettas healthy and happy.
I lost a betta a couple of months ago due to swim bladders disease:( I was so sad and I was extremely heart broken. Now that I allowed myself to heal, learned to stay on top of tank maintenance and not over feeding. My new Tropical Betta is doing excellent and he’s so happy ❤️
my King Betta Houdini had been looking depressed in the 40 gallon (as my centerpiece because I want mostly schooling fish) but as I've slowly added more to avoid spiking the bioload he's gotten less depressed looking and a little more active. Thankfully he doesn't chase down fish and bully them, he just slowly approaches them and likes to remind them who the big boy in the tank is lol
How’s he doing now?
Thank you, Lisa - just got some catapa leaves to add to my rescued betta 's tank💕👍
I wasn't aware that a tank could be too big for a betta, it's good to know but I think that makes me continue to enjoy them because they can thrive in a 5 and 10 gallon and don't require something huge. I say this because it's a lot easier to convince someone to get a 5 or 10 than a 20 or 30! Personally, I have 3 boys and I let them have a few weeks at a time in a full 20g whereas the other two are in a divided 20g! I guess slowly transitioning to a bigger tank makes it less scary becaude my boys enjoy it! (This big tank has quite a few live plants! :D)
My Betta does not seem to like his 29 very much. My peacock gudgeon fry are about big enough to put in the bigger tanks so I can put him back in a 10, I think
Technically...there isn't such an issue as "too big" for a fish tank, the real issue isn't the tank itself. The issue is if the tank is huge AND it doesn't have enough cover for the fish to hide in and/or there are incompatible tankmates/decor. Put those issues together and it won't matter how big the tank is, you will have miserable inhabitants.
Ex: If you put a Betta in say, a 30 gallon, great! They have lots of swim room and the ammonia buildup from fish poop/uneaten food will be much more diluted, so your fish won't get sick as easily and you can get away with somewhat less water frequent water changes. BUT if the Betta is in this tank but there's not enough plants or hides to keep him from feeling exposed, or if there's fish in there that bully him (tetras or pea puffers that nip fins, neons that have colouration that makes him think his turf is threatened by rivals, etc.), it won't matter that there's all that swim room. He will be unhappy and stressed, and that makes for a much more easily sick fish.
@@thejasminedragonmerchant6843 I agree ! I kept a betta in a 29 gallon tank, and he loved it. He would explore the tank, checking out every detail. I have had aquariums for 40 years, so I am not new to watching fish behavior. The larger the aquarium, the easier it is to control water parameters. I do not make Noah's arks out of my aquariums, it was just the betta, cherry shrimp, and elephant snails.
Among the fish, Beta is so attractive.
My heart beats every time I see it.
Awesome video. I love Betta fish and have always kept one (peacefully too) in my community tanks.
I feel like this was good timing. I've never heard of a betta living for 9 years, that's truly unbelievable. Just lost two of my betta's this week, one female in a 40g community tank that went from completely fine to found dead within a day, all other fish and parameters good in the tank (had her close to 2 years), and one small male in a 10 that had been going downhill for 6 months, some combination of damaged fin rot/fungal issues, that I just couldn't seem to solve with erythromycin or mild salt or cattapa leaves (had him closer to 3 years).
Thank u Lisa!! Very informative and insightful!! And omg - 9 years?! That's a new found understanding!
Yes I always wonder how old my bettas are at point of purchase. Especially for giant bettas where the Sellers could possibly conceal the actual age and sold a full grown giant at a higher price (cuz of its size) but telling the Buyers that the giant is still at a young age.
Such a perfect video for beginner and more advanced fish keepers! 👍👍
Gutted as our Betta, midnight passed away a few days ago. We had him almost 9 months from my LFS. He was in a 8gal planted tank by himself. Mixed diet and regular water changes. Didn't know how old he was when we bought him but I think he was getting old, as over the last few months he wasn't swimming around much and a few nights before he passed he stopped eating :(
S.I.P midnight :(
im sorry for your loss, the thought that one day my betta will pass away makes me tear up, i love him so much and i love his personality... so i feel you :( ... im sure that your betta lived a happy life, and you should be proud of you because you made midnight live a wonderful life !
@@sleepyjid thank you so much 💝
S.I.P. your little buddy 😞
Unfortunately, Bettas can often come from subpar conditions (breeder-provided Bettas notwithstanding) before being found and bought by their new fishkeepers, and those early months can be pretty formative in how well their immune system and overall health holds up when they finally encounter someone willing to take them home (my current Betta, for instance, is adopted from someone who bought them from a chain store with an ocular tumor. They went from a cold, ammonia-filled cup at the store, to a 5-gallon filtered tank with a few silk and real plants with the old owner, to a 7 gallon heated, filtered, heavily planted tank with me). At the 5 gallon when I first got to see him, his fins were full and he didn't show signs of disease, but he was listless, kept bumping his eye into things and recoiling, and was skinnier than he was supposed to be b/c the owner said the eye caused him to struggle a lot to eat since his sight was so bad (the reason he was adoptable was b/c they were worried the Betta would eventually get sick and starve since they couldn't find a way to get him to regularly eat properly, even after several months). I adapted by feeding him stinky live food with tweezers and a very small plastic bulb pipette, and now he's lively, more colourful, and eats like a champ).
Ok, I've got off track. The point is, it sounds like you did a lot for your pet. Most Betta owners wouldn't spring for a private 8 gallon (definitely above and beyond the 5 gallon minimum!), or a varied diet, or remember to change the water often so the fish won't get sick from ammonia poisoning from their own poop. Sometimes pet store fish can live for years and years, and some others unfortunately only stick around for less than a year. It's not your fault, it's bad conditions from the early days at the store and/or genetic issues from way back that took your pet early. Your fish was just lucky enough to have had you to give them a good life, even if was shorter than expected.
@@thejasminedragonmerchant6843 thank you ❤️
I grieve with you.
Hi, Lisa. I hope your day went well. I watched your unboxing video this morning and saw one of your beautiful giant bettas which I have now purchased. I then watched this video with wonderful tips and a recommendation for us to read The Betta Bible, which I have now purchased (the Kindle version) and have started to read. Ten minutes in, and I can already tell it really is a MUST READ! I’m sure I’ll be buying the paperback version, too, as soon as I can. Thank you very much for all the ways you and John inspire and educate us!😊
You're gonna love that book! It's one of my favorites 😍
I got all my Betta as Baby fry so small so I gave them all birthdays of the day I rescued the fry.
Hahah
She said "You got your photos and your 12 likes".
Lisa, I love your passion for your fish. You take great care of them. Watching you I now want to get a betta. I’ve kept fish for almost 30 years but I never had a betta. I will be buying one soon. Looking for the perfect hell boy 👹. Been watching your inventory for just the right fish. Also I loved the Jay Wilson bit! 😂
I have a beautiful blood red Betta with blue eyes that lives in my 26gal bow tank. He loves swimming with my small group of Harlequin Rasboras. To this day, I still wonder how I got lucky with finding a peaceful Betta when I normally get cranky ones who don't like tank mates. lol
Bettas are now my favorite fish
"Sometimes they don't even take the stickers off"!! Love it!
I’m so glad that you pointed out that a tank can be too big! I upgraded Martok from a 2 gallon to a densely planted 10 gallon, and it’s just right for him. The plants provide resting spots at all levels, as his finnage makes him a lousy swimmer. He appeared to be grown when I got him, so don’t know how long he will be with me, but he is living his BEST life 💕
This is an amazingly helpful channel. Thank you so much!
We have a male Betta (and two Mystery Snails). Thank you for the videos! My 5 year old and I watch them and talk about good fish keeping as well as environment preservation. We would love a video on Betta behaviors, like building bubble nests, flaring, activity level (ours is very active), etc.
I am SOooOo glad you said this about those who think battas are just part of their decor. It's so distressing to think about.
I hope my buddy lives a long time. I got him last February and he has grown a ton. Seems really happy and I've never had any issues with his tank.
I love your plant room! Can you do a plant room tour??
Lisa Great Video, Great Information
My goodness this video really shows Me how much you really love these fish. BRAVO!!
Thanks for the tips, love that you believe in the power of books! Random comment, you're houseplants are stunning, too!
I have a very spoiled, long-lived, and healthy betta. This video is great advice for less experienced owners.
Great tips, My betta definitely got upset when I moved him into a larger tank.
My betta had too big of a tank when he was first bought. His original owner put him in a 10 gallon while trying to rehab him from the cup. He bit his tail and it got tail rot. She moved him to a smaller tank and he did great. I got him and his tail started growing back like crazy and he’s made his way up to a 10 gallon and happy with his cory cat tank mates
Thanks as always, very informative❤️
(Lisa at her finest🙌)
My sons tank, is getting treated 10 gallon, his Beta has pop eye.
So far he’s showing more activity but the eye is still popped
Oh and water conditions are right on the money
Good info. Just got my first halfmoonBetta male . I got Betta flakes and different treats from the pet store. I think needs bigger tank 3 gallon seems small?
Bigger is usually better. As long as you maintain good/great water quality and give them a couple of places to rest (leaves and cave) while still leaving room for him to get around easy, he should be fine. Then you can have a goal to upgrade the lil fella's home in a few months. A 5 gallon takes up almost the same amount of space as my 3 gallon cylinder tank. But the added 2 gallons gives more floor space for him/her to explore and get around.
@@karac5337 Those extra 2 gallons also make a big difference to the stability of water quality! 💜💚💙
I LOVE all of your information on bettas (other fish too, but bettas are my favorite). I always try to share it with my friends and family.
Thank you 🙂
And ur friends and families always criticize u for doing so much for a FISHY?
Its just reality
As a vet tech for 23 years I LOVE her humerus attitude. I GET IT !!
My boy Fagan (blue betta) has moved from a cup (ugh!) to a 3 gallon tank to a 17 gallon tank and is now in a 26 gallon tank (just moved today...long story) with 14 neon tetras and Majima the bristlenose pleco. Hopefully he likes his new home. I want to try and get some more surface plants for him to sit around in, unfortunately my local aquarium didn't have any.
Most aquarium stores don't sell floating plants because they're usually very invasive and that makes them a potential liability if customers aren't responsible. You can find any floaters you want online, though. I just bought some nice water spangles on Ebay.
Thank you for the info! Just ordered my betta a floating mirror for exercise!
Loling at the special news report! Good stuff as always....
You answered my question about containers for Bettas
I always love seeing all your bettas ❤ they are so cute! Gorgeous babies! I bet they have fun being your little fishy models! I did that at petsmart at my own table with my bettas before!
That news skit was hilarious 😂. Very useful information and overall great video 👍.
With me and my fish it was love at first sight ❤ we picked each other! I love my babies❤
Glad you mentioned the study! Can not find it, can you put it in the description? You forgot to mention temperature, breeders keep babies at the higher end of the spectrum to increase metabolism and growth rate. This also shortens life span
Such a good point!
Great info. Thank you Lisa
My rescue, Timbo, is not my pet but family. I ❤ him.
Some great information on bettas. good feeding tips for there diet and overall health. That book looks awesome. Best order the biggest pizza ever John be soon home lol
Thanks for the video you guys!
I had two male bettas. Each in there own 5 gallon tank. My Dumbo eared betta, Monet is great. I got betta Buddy about 3 months later. I do test my water, have a heater, and a filter. Water changes. Also, my tanks are planted. I have had lots of trouble with my plants. But finally, my plant education, is much better and my plants are doing well. However, the point is my second betta Buddy suddenly died. I don't know what happened. Monet is fine. I also feed 3 different foods. The Xetreme pellets, brine shrimp, and blood worms. Thanks for the recommendation of The Betta Bible book. I will be getting that.
I got a solid white crowntail fed him color enhanced flakes now he look's tie die blue n green. He's now the king of my 75gal with just rocks and new java fern. I had the heat low like 75ish for two days bumped it to 80 he chilled out and ate alot
great video and I love the plants in the back
Lisa, thank you for posting this video! You’re so right about having Something happened and having no clue as to how to fix it when it happens. This happened with my last betta fish and the one I just lost yesterday so now I’m trying to do some research, lots of research before I get another Betta fish to make sure it’s not something I’m doing wrong which I’m almost positive it is but at the same time, like you said, I may be doing everything right and the fish still drop dead so it’s not necessarily my fault but I just have to make sure for next time that I have everything I need, Tools and knowledge before I purchase another Betta fish
My Betta is currently in a heavy planted 20 gallon tank all alone. And he is super active and curious about everything. Planning on making it a community tank, but for now I'm gonna let him enjoy all the space alone since he also came from a cramped up cup full of his own poop.
I'm in the same exact boat (tank in process of being set up/big basin of water justa going then realized didn't want a mosquito breeding ground on my hands...so betta acquired sooner than planned). Betta was super tiny when purchased a few weeks ago and today was the first time he flared, ever (I think). He put 150% of himself into that flare he caused himself stress lines? Two light colored vertical lines where his 'flare folds'(?) would be. He's fine now, lines disappeared. But, I think ina 20L he'll be okay without mirror exposure.
Amazing video! I love the plants!
Thank you Melissa 🙂 I love my plants ❤
A tip for allowing your Betta to have a large space without it being overwhelming is a slow change up tanks. Start with five, go to ten, go to 20. And with every tank fill them, practically overfill them, with plants and decor. Bettas love having multiple territories and with lots of plants and live decor like rocks and wood it won't be too much space and overwhelming for them. They'll actually love it. And if you have a larger tank like a 20, try putting in some other fish. Bettas lvoe being in a community and the other companions will help them feel not so overwhelmed in a larger tank.
I thought I was the only one who know The Betta Bible book! It' s really complete for infomation and history about betta. The experiment of Walt Maurus about a longevity of nine year old bettas was exceptional (From my knowledge it was the only experiment reference for extreme longevity of bettas). In fact a betta live 2-3 year in average in good care and condition. A betta who live more than 3 years isn't common and depends of multiple factors (condition, exercise, food, genetic, etc).
We have our betta Karl... Or should I say Karl the magnificent. He is beyond spoiled and has his special fluval tank with 8 different snacks, plants, hammock ,toys and floating log.
He is beyond spoiled and I just adore him.
There, I got my Lisa fix for the week!!
I read that they're 4-6 months old by the time we buy them, and I'm assuming that's about how old Cosmo was when I got him in February, as he wasn't full grown and he was a galaxy koi but that turned into almost solid blue over the next few months. He made his first bubble nest in April. I'm going to "celebrate" his "birthday" on September 14 by getting him a cup of live adult brine shrimp for a b-day present. We're moving soon and I can't wait to see if possible different water parameters will make him change color again.
Yaaaaay! Another news special!🤣
Man, that 'fish are pets not decorations' lecture was outstanding. Brava.
I love the Bette at 4:43 so pretty.
Excellent as always. I need to get that book. Not sure why I don't have it already considering the amount of Bettas I keep.. 🤔 The news breaks are so funny!!
I keep my betta fish in a 3.5 gallon tank but years ago and this was before I knew about the proper way to care for them my first betta Indigo (Indy) was in a vase and he lived to be 2.5 years old I do use the cup my current one came in to check his health and injuries he might have gotten after I cleaned out his tank each week then put him back in there
Thank you, Lisa. This is a very informative video! I don't keep a betta yet, but when i do, i will refer to this video on my saved "Aquarium" library list. Your fish are beautiful! I looked at your stock. Lovely!
4:29 the most beautiful Betta I’ve ever seen
thank you for this. happy fish keeping
Great tips. I really hope the news people find that poor hungry naked man.
I bought Lucifer (he's red) from a crappy pet shop in a plastic cup with an inch of water. The stupid woman gave me huge pellets and said break them into 3 pieces and feed him one per day. I'd never had a fish before and knew nothing. He was only in a slightly larger bowl at that time without a heater. He bloated and was floating on his side for 2 days. I freaked out and looked online and discovered not only frozen peas, but that I didn't know how to take care of him. He survived and then got fin rot. Again, I treated him and the fins grew back beautifully. I then got him a 5 gallon heated tank with filter and decor, and a snail. His aquarium sits right next to my guppies so he doesn't feel lonely. He sees fish all day but he doesn't puff up at them. Last week I gave him a tiny chunk of beef. I'd given him some before and he went crazy, attacking it and really loved it. This time he was so excited and charming that I fed him more and... he was bloated and could hardly swim, like a red butter ball kind of waddling through the aquarium. I was awake all night stressing and worried I'd killed him but the entire next day he did nothing but poop and was soon back to his debonair self. I've had him for almost 6 months now and would be distraught if anything happened to him. Now he gets mostly crushed krill. Lulu is my ❤ and I think he's happy because he bubble nests constantly, but I'm still learning new things all the time, like that he's probably sick of krill so I have to keep stalking Lisa's videos.
Indian almond leaves are super healthy for bettas. I always have some on hand. 💙
I’m literally cracking up alone in my office at the news segment 😂😂
I love betta fish!! Thanks for sharing!
Good video. Also... Beautiful plants in your home. I cant keep land plants alive.
Earlier I tried using my cats laser pointer and I put the red dot on the bottom of my bettas tank and he started chasing it around it’s so cute. Even my females chaser the red dor
Digging the houseplant jungle
Another great video Lisa! I really want a Betta but I'm not allowed another tank 😒😂
The news break is so funny I died
"but I'm awake all day! So I'm burning calories!"
You did not have call out my exercise routine like that Lisa! 🤣
Great information, and, Hilarious at 6 min. :)
I feed my betta dried daphnia and gammarus, as well as some boiled or baked fish, seafood and vegetables from time to time.
My betta just made his first bubble nest!!!
The “your poor husband” 😂😂😂💀 everybody knows exactly the kinda person she talking about
I got a red crowntail betta fish,his name is Fred. Have been keeping him in a community tank for over 3 yrs. He is looking pale,but I didn't see any changes in his appetite or behaviour. He also flares during excercise. Is this normal or some kind of disease??
Thank you
I had a betta for 5 years he was a very happy fish
8:23 what breed are those Bettas? My Betta looks identical to my and I’ve always wanted to know his breed.
I think the main problem with larger tanks is the height
Maybe a larger long tank that keeps the height usually found in 5/10 gallons would be fine?
Absolutely!
@@KGTropicals that's good to know! I'd love to have a long riparium on my office one day with a betta and a school of ember tetras
Love this video! I have a white/pinkish colored betta that lives in a planted 7 gallon tank with two snails. There is also one blue dream shrimp that hides out in the sponge filter. The betta had a little fin rot in the past but he has never really recovered. I just put in some aquarium salt this past week, only 1/4 tsp to see if it helps his fins. I do consistent weekly water changes and he eats Bio Gold pellets and blood worms. Just wondering how I can help him look better? I keep one almond leaf in the tank as well. I will try exercising him but he seems to have fun hunting down the hiding shrimp. 🤣
I had this problem and realized my sponge filter was the problem and needed to be replaced , as it kept the water gross and was leaking gross stuff into the water
LOL, the segment on John 😂