Complete Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Betta Fish Healthy and Happy

Betta splendens are intelligent, interactive, and stunning centerpiece fish — but they require more than just a bowl. Here’s how to give your betta a life worth living.

Natural Habitat:

Native to rice paddies, streams, and slow-moving waters of Southeast Asia

Warm, plant-rich environments with low flow and access to air

Tank Requirements:

Minimum: 5 gallons (10+ preferred)

Heater: 78–82°F

Filter: Gentle sponge or baffled HOB

Lid: Required (bettas jump!)

Decor: Live plants, leaf litter, smooth rocks, driftwood

Water Parameters:

Temp: 78–82°F

pH: 6.5–7.5

GH: 6–10

KH: 3–6

Weekly water change: 25–30%

Feeding:

Carnivores — prefer live/frozen foods

Staple: High-quality pellets or granules

Treats: Brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, blackworms

Feed 1–2x per day in small portions

Behavior & Enrichment:

Intelligent and curious — need stimulation

Enrichment ideas:

Mirror (briefly), floating leaves, live food hunting

Rearranged decor

Interaction with you at the glass

Build bubble nests, flare, and explore

Signs of Stress or Illness:

Clamped fins

Lethargy or hiding

Loss of color or appetite

Rapid gill movement or surface gasping

Common issues:

Ich (white spots)

Fin rot (frayed edges)

Velvet (gold dusting)

 

Tankmates:

Can live solo or with peaceful inverts/fish

Avoid: Fin nippers, guppies, gouramis, other bettas

Safer options: Snails, shrimp (with caution), small rasboras or corys in large tanks

Quick Facts:

Lifespan: 3–5 years

Can breathe surface air via labyrinth organ

Each has its own personality

Males are territorial and should be housed alone