The Betta fish is a very popular fish to breed among aquarium hobbyists because of its bright vibrant colors and also because it is a relatively easy fish to take care of. The Betta fish originally come from South East Asia, where it is also known as the Siamese Fighting Fish, due to its aggressive and highly protective of their territories, these fish pitted against each other in a fight to the death. In their natural environment, Betta fish survive in little muddy ponds, which makes these fish one of the toughest fish.
The first thing that you will need to think about is the fish tank that you plan to keep your Betta in. Everyone knows that Betta fish are so easy to keep that you could breed them in a bowl of water. But if you plan on keeping them healthy and vibrant, prepare a nice sized tank for your fish, a half gallon tank would be fine for an individual male. Betta fish are extremely territorial so do not ever keep two males in the same tank regardless of how large or they will fight each other to the death.
It is alright to use tap water for the Betta fish but it is always best to leave the tap water for 24 hours before introducing the fish into it in order to remove any excess chlorine. It is best not to use bottled water and don't ever use distilled water altogether. The pH of the water should be as close to neutral as possible.
Temperature is one of the most important considerations as Betta fish come from a tropical climate. The most suitable temperature for Betta fish is between 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is too cold, then the fish will become sluggish and if it gets too hot, then this will make the fish hyperactive.
Plants provide your Betta with an ideal cover which it will love and will reduce the amount of stress it feels. Buy the kind that has lots of leaves to provide it with good cover. For the gravel, you have a choice of either natural gravel or even the artificial colorful kind, both are fine for Betta fish.
If your tank is less than five gallons, then you will not need a fish tank filter. Just do a water change once a week of around half the tank water and always get rid of the excess food. Use a siphon to vacuum the gravel but do not rinse it as it will have colonies of beneficial bacteria which aid in performing biological filtration. Since Betta fish come from muddy pools of water, you do not need to provide aeration as it will go to the surface to breathe.
You should feed adult Betta fish once a day. It is alright to feed your fish with Betta fish food which you can buy from the fish store but it would be best if you could also include live or at least freeze dried food. The Betta's natural food is mosquito larvae so try to see if you could get your hands on some freeze dried bloodworms.