PetSmart Beta Fish Review

Overall 4.54 of 5 view all 24 reviews

nakialee
West Haven, CT

Betas are smart,pretty,and ethereal.

a pet owner, an animal rescurer

Pros

intelligent

SEP

2008

Betas are very intelligent and fast learners.The males are the bright and have the flowing fins,the females are usually plain.Never put 2 males or more together in the same tank,they are fighting fish and will fight with each other.if you want to see what they do put a mirror in front of the tank so he can see himself,he will puff out his gill flaps and start swimming frantically,this is his way of looking bigger and more vicious to the other male.The male will make a bubble nest that floats on the top of the water when he is ready to breed.If at that time you put a female in there he will wrap around her and squeeze the eggs out of her,then he will fertilize the eggs which get put into the bubble nest.Once he gets the eggs out you must remove the female and let her heal.Some females have died from the mating squeeze that is why it is important to watch and remove her when he has the eggs,also she will eat the eggs and or the young when they hatch so the father is the one who tends the eggs.It is also good to remeber that the water should be like room tempeture because the beta comes from the tropical regions where the water is warm,this also makes him the most colorful and bright.Also they will lay there and not move around much so it is good to make him swim around like tapping the tank or showing him the mirror.Also ,and ask your vet,betas do need other food other than flakes,they need brine shrimp(make sure you take just enough brine shrimp for a feeding and rinse before putiing in the tank)because they do eat meat to(not meat like we eat).they only need the shrimp once every week.It makes them healthy.Also they do not need air pumps and filters but you are better off with it,this way you do not have to change and clean the tank every week.My beta gets excited to see me and starts dancing around and showing off his fins.He knows how to tell me he wants to eat,i keep the yellow jar of food where he can see it and he looks at me,turns around and looks at the jar,then goes up and pretends he is eating then comes back and looks at me again.he will repeat this till i get the message.then when i put my hand in the tank he will come over ans lay in the palm of my hand.Also never use soap or anything but water to wash the tank.and if you stick your finger or hand in the tank or go to handle his food make sure you have no soap,lotions or anything else on your hands.Betas are surface breathers,they pop up and take a breath then go back down.They are amazing,beautiful,smart,and fun.