Michele Taylor

Do Betta Fish Actually Get Lonely

Do Betta Fish Get Lonely

Do you ever wonder if fish get lonely, swimming around in their tank all by themselves for their entire lives? You have to wonder if they possibly get bored, as well, doing the same thing day after day with no change. 

Do fish actually get bored and lonely? Keep reading to learn how you can keep your Bettas from getting bored and lonely, and actually make them happier and more content in their home environment. 

Do Betta Fish Get Lonely?

No one really knows for certain whether Betta fish actually get lonely or not. Although fish enthusiasts generally believe that Bettas probably do not get lonely. Bettas have a reputation for being a solitary fish due to their aggressiveness towards each other, as well as towards other fish species. 

However, it is believed that Bettas do, indeed, get sad. Evidence shows that Bettas commonly become bored, depressed, and even stressed. It’s your job as the fish enthusiast, to provide everything your Betta needs in order to avoid these unhealthy conditions. By providing stimuli, hiding places, vegetation, and shade, you can be sure your Betta will be happy and content.

Do Betta Fish Prefer Being Alone?

Although Bettas tend to be a solitary fish, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they like to be alone. Each Betta has a different temperament. Some Bettas are more territorial than others and won’t tolerate any other species in their tank. In contrast, other Bettas may actually become more social living with other species in a community tank. 

There is one hard and fast rule for Bettas – never putting two male Bettas in the same tank. They are known as Siamese Fighting Fish for a reason. They are very territorial and aggressive towards other male Bettas. If they feel their territory is being threatened, they will fight each other, usually unto death. 

Nonthreatening species might actually make your Betta happier in their tank. Mollies, platies, snails, shrimp, and some catfish make great tankmates for Bettas. With other fish swimming around, it might make your Betta feel less lonely and more content. 

When there are other fish swimming around the tank along with your Betta, it could indicate that there are no threats in the tank, and there’s nothing for your Betta to be afraid of.

Keeping Bettas with Other Fish

If you prefer to have your Betta in a community tank along with other fish, there are some things you will need to know.

The Tank Should Be Big Enough

Ensuring the tank is large enough for your Betta and other fish to live happily without getting in each other’s territory is one of the most important things you can do as a fish owner.

A five-gallon tank is great for a Betta alone. However, if you want to add more fish to the tank, you will need a bigger tank, starting at ten gallons or larger. In fact, some fish, such as the red tail shark, require at least a 55-gallon tank.

Provide Plenty of Hiding Spaces

If you have a community tank with a Betta as well as other fish, you will want to provide plenty of hiding spaces for all of them. Your fish will feel safer when they have a lot of hiding places, which will make them feel more secure about swimming around in the open.

Monitor the Tank

When first introducing new fish to your Betta, you will need to make sure that you monitor your Betta’s behavior, and it doesn’t get aggressive towards your other fish. You will need to make sure your Betta is not bullying the other fish, as well as monitoring the other fish to make sure they are not bullying your Betta!

If you do see aggressive behavior in your fish towards one another, you will need to either place a divider in the tank to separate them or buy a new tank.

Carefully Choose Tank Mates

You will want to do a little research before going out and buying a bunch of fish. You want to make sure that you are choosing a suitable tankmate for your Betta. Other fish with long, flowing tails and bright colors should be avoided. 

You will also want to avoid buying any fish that occupy the area around the top of the tank because this is the Betta’s territory. If your Bettas feels that another fish is threatening its territory, it will probably attack them.

Bottom feeders make excellent tankmates for your Betta, considering they occupy opposite areas of the tank. Your bottom feeders will stay around the bottom of the tank, and they won’t clash with your Betta.

Do Female Bettas Get Lonely?

It’s well known that male Bettas will not tolerate other male Bettas in the same tank. So, what about female Bettas? Females are similar to the male Bettas in that they are solitary fish and generally don’t have a problem being alone. 

However, you can keep a sorority of female Bettas as long as your tank is large enough. A sorority is a group of female Bettas. The females in a sorority will establish their own unique territories, but they are capable of cohabitating peacefully. They also don’t care if other fish enter their territories. Aggression will sometimes happen, especially if they establish a pecking order. 

If you plan to keep a sorority of Bettas, make sure that your tank is large enough to house them, a minimum of 29 gallons should give them plenty of places to hide. You will still need to monitor your sorority to make sure that none are getting aggressive toward any others. If you do witness aggression, you should separate them with a tank divider or putting them in a separate tank altogether. 

When starting a Betta sorority, you will want to introduce each Betta to the tank one at a time. Introducing them all at the same time will wreak havoc on the ammonia cycle, as well as causing an issue if all of them are aggressive towards each other. You will then need to start adding tanks or putting in tank dividers. 

On the other hand, if you only add them one at a time, you will only have to worry about moving one Betta if something doesn’t go right. Female Bettas can get aggressive, as well, sometimes worse than males. Their smaller fins make them faster swimmers, and they can chase and attack other fish without mercy. Monitoring your tank for this kind of behavior is essential for the health of all your fish.

A Mirror Can Help

Adding a mirror to your tank will stimulate your Betta by making it seem like there are other fish in the tank with your Betta. Your Betta will flex its muscles while getting exercise. Once you take the mirror away, your Betta will think it “won” the fight.

Using a mirror will also trick your Betta into thinking it’s not alone. It will see its reflection in the mirror and think it’s another fish swimming along with it in the tank. This will prompt your Betta to start patrolling the tank more, which will keep him from getting lonely.

Recap

Bettas don’t get lonely the way humans do. Instead, they tend to feel safer when there are other fish in the tank with them. As long as your Betta has a good temperament, it is beneficial for their health if they live in a community tank.

Remember, when adding tankmates to your community tank along with your Betta, you need to be sure to add fish that will not cause your Betta to become aggressive. Long flowing tails and bright colors can agitate your Betta and make it aggressive. 

Female Bettas enjoy company more than they enjoy being on their own. They tend to do better in community tanks than male Bettas do. Sororities are good as long as your tank is large enough to accommodate all of them. However, if your female becomes aggressive towards the other fish in their tank, you will need to separate them to keep your other fish safe.

Betta Fish Ich: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment That Hobbyists Must Know

Betta Fish Ich

One of the most common diseases among freshwater fish is ich, or ick, also called white spot disease. Bettas are highly susceptible to this uncomfortable disease, and death can occur if it is not treated in time. Before treating betta your fish ich, rule out any other possibilities to avoid any adverse effects. 

What is Ich?

Ichthyophthiriasis is a protozoan disease that causes white spots to appear on your fish. Although it’s common in freshwater fish, it tends to be most common for aquarium fish. It’s believed that the close contact and occasional stress that can occur in aquariums can cause ich. 

Symptoms of Betta Fish Ich

White spots that appear on your Betta’s body is the most common and obvious symptom of ich. Although the white spots tend to develop on the body, there are instances when they also appear on the fins.

Sometimes, if the ich spots are small, they might resemble white dust, but you will still need to treat them. However, if the “dust” appears to be yellow or gold in color, then it’s most likely Velvet, which is a parasite that can end up killing your Betta if left untreated. 

Lethargy and loss of appetite will accompany ich. While they are not exclusive to ich, these symptoms are a definite indicator that your fish is suffering from some kind of illness or disease. 

Another sign of ich is seeing your betta rubbing on things in the tank. Once it realizes it has a parasite, it will try to rub it off its skin. Excessive rubbing can cause wounds and sores. If you begin to see signs of wounds and sores, watch carefully for rubbing and look for the tell-tale signs of white spots. 

If you do not see the white spots, but your Betta is still rubbing against things in the tank, it could be a sign of gill flukes or anchor worms. 

Although Bettas are loners, if you begin to notice that your Betta is acting much more reclusive, you should investigate. If you find your Betta actively avoiding other fish or hiding for long periods of time, it could be because your Betta is feeling threatened due to a weakened immune system. 

Another common sign of illness in fish is the clamping of fins, which is caused by extreme stress. Also, because ich affects your Betta’s gills, it can cause distressed breathing if it isn’t caught and treated in time, which could result in respiratory failure and prove fatal. 

What Causes Ich?

Ich is caused by a ciliated protozoan Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, which is a parasite. It affects several different varieties of freshwater fish. However, it’s the most common disease you will find in fish aquariums. 

All new fish that you buy will need to be quarantined before putting them in the community tank because ich may be present in the water, and it’s highly contagious. It’s possible to bring home a new fish that already has ich if they haven’t been taken care of very well. 

Stressed out fish are more likely to catch ich. If they are living in poor water conditions or poorly heated water, they are more likely to catch ich. The ich parasite will also attack aging Bettas, as well. 

How to Treat Ich in Betta Fish

Rapid detection and action are essential for keeping your betta healthy. Otherwise, ich can be fatal if it is not treated properly. Most fish enthusiasts who have owned fish for a long time have had encounters with ich and have subsequently treated their fish at some time or another.

Treating ich is relatively easy; just follow the steps below.

  1. Isolate your Betta in a quarantine tank, so they don’t infect the other fish in your tank.
  2. Slowly begin increasing the temperature in the tank to anywhere from 81 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit for ten days. Because ich parasites love cold water, it leads to a prolonged life cycle and an increase in the reproduction rates. Warmer waters will slow this down while you are treating your Bettas and the tank’s water. 
  3. However, there is less oxygen in warmer waters, so you might consider adding an airstone to your tank. By increasing the oxygen in the tank’s water, you will be giving your Betta’s immune system a much-needed boost. 
  4. Rid Ich Plus is a great medicine for treating ich. It contains formalin and malachite green, which has proven to be a strong and effective treatment. Be sure to follow the medicine’s directions and only give your Bettas the recommended dosage for treating ich. 
  5. You will also need to change out the water every day by 25 – 50% to lower the elevated medication levels, as well as removing ich tomites and trophonts. 

Continue to follow the medication’s directions through to the end of the medicating cycle. Although the ich protozoan only has a life span of seven days, it will only be vulnerable to the medication for two of those days. You will need to be sure to continue the medication until the end of the treatment to ensure that they are completely gone. 

Ich Stages

As mentioned previously, the ich protozoan has a life span of seven days, but it will reproduce rapidly unless it is treated and cared for properly. Ich has three distinct life stages in tropical freshwater aquariums. In order to effectively treat ich, you will need to understand those life stages.

Trophont Stage or Feeding Stage

During this phase of the life cycle, the parasites are attached to your Betta, and they are visible and feeding. During this phase, they are not susceptible to any treatments.

Tomont Stage

During this phase, the adult parasite will release from your Betta and fall into the tank, attaching to another object or the substrate. They will begin to divide by binary fission up to ten times very rapidly during this stage. This is the reproductive stage for the parasite.

Theront Stage

Although the ich parasites can not be seen with the naked eye, they are a free-swimming parasite during this phase and become vulnerable to any treatment you administer.

At this point, they only have 48 hours in order to attach themselves to a host, or they will die. This is the phase in which you need to be medicating your fish and treating your tank. This is essential for the elimination of the ich parasites and recovery for your fish. 

How to Prevent Betta Fish Ich

Although ich is a common disease and easy to treat, if your Betta catches ich, you will need to treat the entire tank. Preventing ich is much easier than treating ich. Here are some steps that will help you prevent your fish from contracting ich in your aquarium.

  • Only purchase your fish from a reputable source, and only purchase healthy fish that are free from any signs of disease.
  • Never purchase any fish from a tank that has a diseased or dead fish in it. 
  • Always quarantine new fish before introducing them into your community tank. You should quarantine them for a minimum of two weeks in a tank that has the water conditions your Betta prefers, as well as lighting, heating, adequate filtration, and a hiding spot for your fish.
  • When buying plants, do not buy them from a dealer that keeps them in a tank among any fish, they could be contaminated. However, if you do purchase plants that have been in a tank with other fish, you can bring them home and place them in the quarantine tank for at least four days.
  • If you are purchasing your Betta online, you should choose as direct a source as possible to reduce handling stress and save on shipping costs.  
  • Frequent inspections of your fish are necessary to catch and immediately quarantine any fish with signs of ich. Once they are quarantined, you can begin treating them immediately for ich. 
  • Keep your tank’s water conditions stable and avoid any kind of fluctuation in the temperature, ammonia levels, and pH levels. Fluctuations of this sort can be very stressful to your fish, which can result in your fish contracting ich.
  • Feed your Bettas a healthy diet of flaked, frozen, and freeze-dried foods that have been stored properly and are not out of date. 
  • Make sure you don’t overstock your fish tank. If your tank has too many fish for that particular size of tank, you are risking your healthy fish becoming stressed, diseased, and eventually dying. 
  • Employ frequent water changes on a regular basis while maintaining the proper water conditions and quality. 

While ich might be one of the most common diseases for aquarium fish, with preventative maintenance, your fish can remain safe from catching it. By following the guidelines we have laid out for you in this article, and rapidly treating any fish that become infected, you will reduce any damage that this potentially deadly disease can cause.

FAQs

Can ich be cured?

Yes, as long as you quarantine the infected fish and begin the proper treatment immediately, ich is quite curable.

How contagious is ich?

Ich is very contagious and will spread rapidly among fish inhabiting the same tank. Ich happens to be a living organism that resembles a white dot the size of a grain of salt. Usually, it will begin on the tails and fins of your fish, then spread to other parts of the body.

The white dot will appear flat on the body at first, but will eventually become raised in the late stages. It is similar to a skin infection, which can be dangerous for a fish. 

Because of binary fission, one spot of ich can divide itself up to ten times very rapidly, multiplying into hundreds of parasites. Ich needs to attach itself to a live fish in order to survive, and will eventually die if there aren’t any live fish to attach itself to.

You need to treat ich immediately, or it will quickly infect your other fish, and if left untreated, they will die quickly. 

Can ich kill Bettas?

Ich is very easy to treat, and as long as you catch it immediately and begin treating it, your Betta has a strong chance of surviving it. However, if you do not spot ich right away and it’s allowed to begin multiplying, it will build up quickly, and eventually, your Bettas will begin to die.

Can Humans catch ich?

It is very rare for a human to catch a disease from a fish. Humans can not catch ich. The only thing a human could possibly catch from a fish would be a bacterial infection, but that is incredibly rare.

Summary

Because fish enthusiasts have become more dependent on medications, ich and other such diseases have adapted and become stronger over the past decades. This explains why most instances of ich can’t be cured unless you use medication. 

Ich can also attach itself to live aquarium plants. By remembering to quarantine any new living plants you bring home as well as new tank mates, you can prevent the potential spread of ich among your community tank. 

There is good news, though. If your Bettas does end up catching ich, they will develop a slight immunity, or tolerance, to ich once you have cured them of it the first time they catch it. It’s highly unlikely that your Betta fish will contract ich at any time in the future after having had it once. 

Prevention is the key. Preventing your Bettas from catching diseases like ich is much easier and less stressful than treating your diseased fish. Make sure that you care for your Betta fish properly as well as maintaining the water quality and tank conditions to reduce possible environmental stressors.

A healthy diet of high-quality flake foods and pellets, freeze-dried foods, and live foods will go a long way in keeping your tank cleaner and your Bettas and other fish healthy and safe from most diseases, including ich. 

Betta Fish Tumor 101 (Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention)

Betta Fish Tumor

Like most pet owners, fish enthusiasts have to deal with sick fish occasionally. Though this is not pleasant, most fish diseases can be cured with a little attention and effort, even betta fish tumor.

Below, we will discuss identifying a tumor on your betta fish, the treatments available to heal your fish, and how to prevent future tumors.

Can Betta Fish Get Tumors and Cancer?

Yes, betta fish can develop tumors and cancers in much the same way as humans and other animals.

How Likely Is It Your Betta Will Get A Tumor?

Although tumors are somewhat rare in bettas, they are one of the least threatening illnesses your betta can catch. Before panicking, do some investigation to rule out ulcers and abscesses, which sometimes look similar to tumors. Fluid retention, constipation, and swim bladder disease can also cause tumor-like spots to appear on your betta’s body. 

What Are Betta Fish Tumor Symptoms?

If you spot any bumps under or on your betta’s skin, it might be tumors. Tumors come in different sizes, from tiny to huge. Large tumors can affect your betta’s buoyancy and make swimming more difficult. 

On the other hand, if the tumor is internal, you will probably not see it. If your fish has difficulty eating and swimming, it may have an internal tumor. If so, your betta will quickly become unhealthy. Unfortunately, internal tumors can’t be healed, and your betta will die. For these situations, the only humane thing to do is to euthanize your fish, so they don’t suffer.

Betta Fish Has A White Tumor

Your Betta Fish Has A White Tumor?

Typically, the bump you have spotted is most likely not a tumor. It’s very rare for a Betta fish to develop a cancerous tumor. Instead, the bump your fish has developed is usually an abscess or an ulcer. Both of these types of bumps resemble tumors. Fluid retention, constipation, and swim bladder disease can also resemble a tumor.

Abscesses

If you spot a white bump on your Betta’s body, it’s probably an abscess rather than a cancerous tumor. Bacterial infections are the main cause of Abscesses. There are various ways your Betta can develop a bacterial infection, such as injuring itself on something sharp within your fish tank. Or, the damage could be caused by another fish nipping at your Betta. You could accidentally cause an abrasion when changing the water or when handling your Betta. 

Abscesses will usually heal themselves. However, if the water in the tank is not changed out frequently and kept healthy, bacteria will infect the site of the wound and infection will begin. 

If an abscess is not treated properly, it will grow until it’s too large for the fish’s skin to contain it, and then it will burst, leaving a large, open area on its body that will become infected, and the entire cycle will begin again.  

Treating A Betta Fish Abscess

If you notice a bump on your fish’s skin, you need to remove it from its main tank and put it in a quarantine tank alone. To set up the quarantine tank, you will need to make sure that the water is set to the same conditions as the main tank. Your quarantine tank will need lighting, heating, an adequate filtration system, as well as a hiding place.

Your quarantine tank needs to be maintained regularly to ensure the tank remains clean, especially after the abscess bursts. Frequent water changes is a must. 

When your Betta is sick, it will feel vulnerable. Providing a place for your Betta to hide in the quarantine tank will keep your fish from becoming stressed out. In a pinch, a plastic plant pot with smooth sides will work. Just set it on its side in the tank and partially bury it in the substrate and you will have created an affordable and safe hideout for your fish.

You could also add plants to the quarantine tank instead of a cave of some sort. Plants are a great hiding spot for your Betta to recuperate in. However, avoid fresh plants as they can sometimes carry unwanted bacteria and parasites that could further harm your Betta. 

If the abscess is not too large, your fish will have a better chance to survive it. You will want to treat the tank’s water with the appropriate antibacterial aquarium product. You can find them online or in your local fish store. Follow the directions, using the recommended dosage. 

It Might Be An Ulcer

Ulcers are common for Betta fish. They look like sores with a red area around the lump on the fish’s skin. Ulcers can make your fish lethargic and cause them to lose their appetite, which eventually will make them look emaciated. 

Bacterial infections are the main cause for ulcers in Bettas. Even when you have cleaned and maintained the tank regularly, there are still bacteria that will remain in the water. Under normal circumstances, this bacteria will not harm your fish. However, if your Betta becomes stressed due to unfavorable conditions in their environment, such as poor water quality, they will become vulnerable to infection from these bacteria.

Treating A Betta Fish Ulcer

As we mentioned previously, it’s important for you to remove your Betta from its main tank and transfer it to a quarantine tank if you see any signs of an ulcer. 

Once the ulcer heals, fungal infections are frequently a possibility. It’s crucial to continue with frequent water changes for at least three weeks after the ulcers have been treated successfully. 

Adding salt to the tank’s water after the first water change will help to encourage the healing of the wound. You only want to add one-fourth of an ounce per gallon of water to reduce the osmotic effect that water has upon entering the ulcer, as well as disinfecting the wound.

After each water change, you should add about 30% of the salt you originally added to maintain the water’s salt content. Monitoring the water’s salt level is easy with the use of a hydrometer. Also, you will want to add an antibacterial aquarium product into the water. Once the ulcer is completely healed, you can return your Betta to its main tank again. 

Where Can Tumors Be Located?

The tumors can appear anywhere on the fish’s body. However, as we mentioned previously, not all lumps are tumors. In fact, there are places on your fish’s body that will develop lumps that are not tumors after all.

Here is a brief guide meant to help you determine the cause of any lumps tht appear on certain areas of a Betta’s body.

Tumor On Your Betta Fish’ Head

Lumps that form on a fish’s head are quite common. Although Bettas can develop tumors on their head, bacterial infections can also cause lumps to develop on their heads. One of the most common bacterial infections is columnaris. This infection will cause tumor-like lesions to develop around the Betta’s mouth and gills.

Lumps on Betta's side

Tumor On Your Betta Fish’s Side

If you spot lumps on your Betta’s side, it could be a variety of possibilities, usually easily treatable. Although the lump might be a cancerous tumor, it is more likely to be swim bladder disease or a bacterial infection.

It Might Be Betta Fish Swim Bladder Disease

If your Betta’s side looks swollen and lumpy, it could be swim bladder disease. The swim bladder is an organ filled with gas that allows the fish to navigate up and down in the tank’s water. This works the same way as a buoyancy aid for a diver. 

One of the tell-tale signs of a fish with swim bladder disease is that their abdomens will appear swollen and become lethargic. They will sink to the tank’s bottom or involuntarily float on the surface of the water. Your Betta can also develop an unbalanced or lopsided position while it’s swimming because it won’t be able to stabilize itself. 

Swim bladder disease is usually caused by overfeeding and constipation. The easiest way to treat swim bladder disease is to abstain from feeding your Betta for a couple of days to all the digestive system to digest whatever food remains in its stomach. Luckily, swim bladder disease isn’t contagious, so you will not need to transfer your Betta to a quarantine tank. You can also talk to your local pet store for other possible treatments.

Bacterial infections

Bacterial infections can develop when your fish has been injured or another fish has nipped it. These infections will often look like lumps on the sides of your Betta. These lumps can become infected and turn into abscesses, as mentioned previously. 

Over-the-counter antibacterial products can be used to treat the water if you have any concerns that your tank has been infected. The OTC antibacterial products will clear up any infections relatively quickly. Be sure to quarantine your infected fish in a separate tank as soon as possible while treating the main tank. 

Tumor On Betta Fish’s Stomach

Lumps that develop on your Betta’s stomach are the most common. Although these lumps can actually be tumors, there are a variety of other culprits as well. A bacterial infection, constipation, swim bladder disease, and dropsy can all cause lumps on your fish’s sides and stomach. 

Constipation

Constipation is a common cause for lumps to develop on your Betta’s stomach, and fortunately can be treated easily. If your fish becomes lethargic, stops eating, and hasn’t passed any feces lately, it’s probably constipated. 

Constipation can even cause swim bladder disease. It can also be treated the same way you treat swim bladder disease, by withholding food for a few days. Once you are ready to feed your Betta again, offering it live and frozen food, such as mosquito larvae or bloodworms, is better than feeding it flakes or dry pellets.

Some of the more experienced fish enthusiasts will add a day of fasting each week to their Betta’s feeding schedule. This will also help prevent constipation in your Betta. 

Tumors in Betta's gills

Tumors in Betta fish’s Gills

Gill hyperplasia is another condition that is known to cause lumps and tumors of the gills. However, this usually only occurs when the gills have been damaged by a physical injury, or bacterial or parasitical infection, or toxins such as nitrites, nitrates, and amonia.

Rather than properly healing, the newly developed gill tissue will grow, covering the damaged area and form a lump that looks like a tumor. The lump will grow larger over time, as new skin forms. Only in some severe instances of hyperplasia can the lumps become permanent. With most minor cases you will see that after the lumps disappear, the gills will become normal again.

How Do You Treat Tumors in Betta Fish?

Unfortunately, there is no effective treatments or cures for most tumors and cancers. If the tumors or cancer is internal, they are usually not diagnosed until the diseasae is in the advanced stages. If you are able to diagnose the cancer early, it is usually inoperable due to the tumor’s position and location. Most fish with cancer or tumors are humanely euthanized for this reason.

However, some tumors are treatable, such as gill tumors, caused by a thyroid issue, and treated by medicating the water in a quarantine tank with iodine.

How to Prevent Tumors in Betta Fish?

As long as you are proactive in choosing and taking care of your Bettas, you can greatly diminish the possibility of them developing any kind of tumors or cancer.

  • You always want to buy from a reputable breeder. Avoid inbred fish. They are more likely to have problems, including developing cancerous tumors.
  • Use and maintain an efficient filtration system will help keep the tank water clean and healthy. Also, changing 25% of the tank water each week will help prevent any bacteria buildup.
  • Feeding your Betta a diet rich in quality foods will give them the proper levels of nutrients and protein they need to stay healthy.  
  • Immediately quarantine any fish that you suspect might be ill in any way before they are able to infect the healthy fish in your tank. This will stop the contagion from spreading.

Summary

Although there are several different causes for lumps on your Betta’s body, most can be treated if caught early enough. Cancer, unfortunately, is not one of those. If you have ruled out all other possibilites for illness in your Bettas and you suspect the lumps to be cancerous, you will need to consider euthanizing your fish. It’s the humane thing to do.

Betta Fish Tank Mates | Huge List Of 50+ Fish That Can Live With

Betta-Fish-Tank-Mates

Are you looking to set up a community tank full of a variety of colorful and strikingly exciting fish? Bettas are the perfect eye candy for your community tank. Their colors are vibrant, and their finnage is flamboyant. 

However, Bettas have a terrible reputation for being aggressive and territorial fish. This can make finding compatible tankmates for your Betta difficult. In general, Bettas are perfectly happy by themselves. But if you want a community aquarium with Bettas, we have the best advice for you today.

Betta Fish Tank Mates Overview

In their natural habitat in the wild, bettas can live among other bettas peacefully. They only show aggression when a male Betta feels his territory is being threatened by another male Betta, as well as during the breeding season. 

However, their temperament becomes more aggressive when placed in captivity and aquariums. Stressful environments and selective breeding are the leading cause of this aggressive behavior. 

When choosing tankmates for your Bettas, you should choose a peaceful fish. They should be a shoaling and fast swimming species, as well. You do not want to pick fish that have a reputation for nipping other fish’s fins. Bottom-dwelling fish work well because they tend to stay away from the Betta’s territory. 

Tetras are perfect tankmates for your Betta. They are a shoaling species and are generally peaceful. They are smaller than Bettas, only growing to around one or two inches, depending on the particular species. Here is a shortlist of compatible Tetras:

  • Neon Tetra – Has a red stripe that goes halfway down its body, smaller, one-inch in size 
  • Black Neon Tetra – Similar to the Neon Tetra, but with a horizontal black stripe down the length of its body, adding variety to the tank
  • Cardinal Tetra – Has a long red stripe down its body, and is a little larger than the Neon Tetra, growing to be around two-inches in size
  • Ember Tetra – Ember in color, smaller, around one-inch in size, they are fast shoaling fish
  • Rummy-nose Tetra – White with a black and white striped tail and a red head
  • Diamond Tetra – Sparkly, diamond colored, hardy, social and active, they do not nip fins
  • Silver Tip Tetra – Tend to be a little more aggressive, nipping at other Tetras
  • Glowlight Tetra – Silver in color with an iridescent orangish-red stripe that goes from nose to tail

Rasboras make excellent tankmates for your male Betta. In their natural habitat in the wild, you can find them cohabitating in the same water as Bettas. They grow to be two inches in length. They are a peaceful but social species that need to be kept in groups of more than eight.

  • Fire Rasbora – A fiery orange color with silver down its back
  • Harlequin Rasbora – Orange and silver with a black triangle from its fin to its stomach

Being bottom dwellers, Catfish make great tankmates for your Betta, as well. They don’t tend to be very active fish, and they won’t invade your Betta’s territory. 

  • Otocinclus Catfish – Also called “Sucker Fish” or “Dwarf Fish,” has rows of plated armor covering its body and an underslung suckermouth
  • Cory Catfish – Silver with black speckles, has armor plating and a flat underside, as well as a short face

Here are some other fish species that make ideal tankmates for your Bettas

  • Kuhli Loach – Small eel looking fish that get more active at night while Bettas sleep
  • Female Guppy – Only female, no male Guppies because they have long, bright-colored fins
  • Pleco – A sucker-mouth catfish, with armor-like scales covering upper body and head
  • Endlers – Colorful green, red, and black fish with a forked tail, only grow to be one-inch long
  • Glass Catfish – A transparent fish, also called ghost fish, grow to be around five inches, best for larger tanks
  • Short-fine Molly – Silver with a yellow-tipped tail, they live in the upper region of the tank
  • Celestial Pearl Danio – Bluish-gray bodies with white speckles and orange fins, shoaling fish
  • Short-finned Platy – Colors vary, short fan-shaped fins, schooling fish that grow to one-and-a-half inches
  • White Cloud Mountain Minnow – Bronze-brown color with a fluorescent line running down its body, shoaling fish

Two Male Bettas in the Same Tank

You can not have two male Bettas in the same tank, regardless of how big the tank is. As we mentioned before, male Bettas have a bad reputation for being aggressive with other males, often fighting to the death when they feel threatened. This usually happens when two male Bettas try to occupy the same space; they will become territorial and start fighting each other. 

two Female Bettas in same tank

Two Female Bettas in the Same Tank

Female bettas aren’t as aggressive as their male counterparts. You can have more than one female in a tank as long as the tank is large enough to give them their own space. 

Because every betta is different, occasionally, you might get an aggressive female. If one of your females starts picking on the other, you should consider removing the aggressive one from the tank and giving it a tank of its own.

When you have female bettas, you can add colorful fish in the tank with them without worrying about their tankmate’s coloration. You can also keep fish that are slightly larger than the female bettas. You don’t want to go too large, though. If the fish is big enough, it will try to eat your bettas.

A Male and a Female Betta

If you plan to keep one male and one female Betta fish together in the same tank, you will need a large, rectangular tank that is at least 30 gallons or more. You will also need plenty of plants and decorations that can be used as hiding spots for the female in case the male starts to get aggressive with her. The plants will help to break the betta’s line of sight. 

If the male does attack your female, you should consider removing either the male or the female and giving it a tank of its own. 

Pumpkin45

Best Tank Mates for Female Betta

Females aren’t as territorial as males and don’t mind when other fish might invade their space. Because of this laid back attitude, you can keep more of a variety of fish when you have female Bettas. 

As always, each fish is different, and there is a possibility that you will get a more aggressive female than usual. Whatever species you do decide on as tankmates for your female Bettas should not have a reputation for nipping other fish’s fins.

Bottom-dwelling fish make perfect tankmates for your female Bettas. Since they won’t go near your Bettas, they won’t upset or annoy them. 

  • Pygmy Cory – Silver with a black stripe down its body
  • Panda Cory – Silver with black spots on its body
  • Clown Pleco – Sucker-mouth fish, brown with yellow stripes
  • Clown Loach – Resembles a tiger with orange and black stripes
  • Yoyo Loach – White with black stripes

Another good choice for tankmates is fast swimming and shoaling fish. If you have an aggressive female, they won’t single out any specific fish if they are shoaling together.

  • Mosquito Rasbora – Silver with a black stripe down its body
  • Penguin Tetra – Silver and white fish with bold black stripe
  • Red Eye Tetra – Silver with black fins and reddish colored eye
  • Blue Tetra – Blue colored with a silver belly
  • Gold Tetra – Golden colored with black fins
Male Betta

Best Tank Mates for Male Betta

When you have male Bettas, finding compatible tankmates can be challenging. You will need to choose tankmates carefully because the males are very territorial and aggressive. They will attack another male, and sometimes a female if they feel like the other fish is invading their space. 

Another thing to consider is males do not like smaller, brightly colored fish. Fish that are red in color need to be avoided altogether because they will trigger your male Betta’s aggression. The male Bettas will also pick on slow swimming fish, as well. Avoid fish with long fins because your males will attack them and kill them.

Shoaling fish are good choices for tankmates for your male Bettas for the same reason as the females; the males won’t single out any specific fish to attack if they are shoaling together.

  • Black-line Rasbora – Silver with a thin black line that ends with red tail
  • Head and Tail Light Tetra – Reddish-orange color around the eye and on the tail
  • Colombian Tetra – Silver and blue body with orange fins
  • Green Neon Tetra – Silver with a fluorescent green stripe down its body
  • Dawn Tetra – Golden colored with black spots on bottom fin and tail

You also want fish that will not trespass into your male Betta’s territory. Fish that occupy the bottom of the tank are perfect options. 

  • Candy Striped Pleco – Yellowish-brown with darker brown or black stripes
  • Snowball Pleco – Black body with white polka dots
  • Bristle Nose Pleco – Also known as Bushy Nose, black body with yellowish spots
  • Albino Cory – Catfish with whitish-pink albino coloring
  • Zebra Loach – Golden colored body with black zebra stripes

When you start to add vegetation and decorations to their tank, you increase the variety and complexity of their environment. Doing so will reduce the aggression your males show towards other fish since they won’t be in their line of sight all the time. All of the vegetation and decorations also provide plenty of places for the other fish to hide. 

Betta Sorority Tank Mates​

Betta Sorority Tank Mates

When you have a tank with five or more female Bettas, you have a Betta sorority, also called a Betta harem. If you plan to have a sorority of Bettas, you will need at least a 30-gallon tank. There should be a variety of decorations and plants, giving your Bettas adequate hiding spaces. They also need lots of room to swim freely.

Even though the females tend to be less aggressive than the male Bettas, each fish is different. Some females can be territorial and aggressive. You will need to choose wisely when considering tank mates for your female Bettas. 

Some of the best tankmates for your sorority are:

  • Guntea Loach – Grey belly with a black back
  • Cory Catfish – Silver body with black spots
  • Guppies – female are best, comes in a variety of colors, 
  • Black Neon Tetra – Golden body with black stripe and neon silver stripe
  • Neon Tetra – Silver body with red strip below the neon green stripe
  • Cherry Barbs – Red body, do not pair with male Bettas

Tank Mates in 5 Gallon Aquarium

Because a five-gallon tank is already so small, we don’t recommend adding tankmates with your Betta. A five-gallon tank is perfect for one Betta since Bettas are not social fish anyway. Instead, they keep to themselves, away from any other fish, regardless of how big or small the tank is.

For a five-gallon tank, you can add live plants to break up the monotony of the tank. Java Ferns and an Amazonian Sword Plant or two would be perfect for your Betta’s tank.

If you don’t want to bother with maintaining live plants, you can add a few artificial soft silk plants. Avoid heavier artificial plastic plants. They could possibly end up damaging your Betta’s finnage.

If you decide that you do want tankmates for your Betta, try ones that are non-fish, such as shrimp and snails.

Tank Mates in 10 Gallon Aquarium

If you want an aquarium with a Betta and other fish, then you should go with a ten-gallon or larger tank. Once again, you will need to set up the tank with plenty of vegetation and decorations to interrupt your Betta’s line of sight and provide hiding spaces for the other fish species. You can even add Bogwood logs to separate the areas of your tank and obstruct your Betta’s line of vision.

The most ideal tankmates for your Betta in a ten-gallon tank are bottom-dwelling fish, such as Catfish and small Loaches. Non-fish tankmates such as frogs, shrimp, and snails are a great addition to this size tank.

More Tank Mates That Can Live With Bettas

If you would like to do something a little different with your tank and not include other species of fish, you can try adding non-fish tankmates to your aquarium that are compatible with your Betta.

When choosing a non-fish tankmate, you want to choose ones that are too large for your Bettas to eat, but they still need to be small enough that they don’t cause any harm to any of your fish.

Below are the best snail tankmates for both your female and male Bettas

  • Malaysian Trumpet Snail – This is a nocturnal species, which is perfect because they only get active when your Bettas are sleeping. They will also keep your tank clean. They will hide in the sediment during the day. 
  • Nerite Snail – These snails will hide in the sediment during the day as well. Because they require brackish water to breed in, you don’t have to worry about them overrunning the aquarium.
  • Mystery Snail – Comes in a variety of colors, will clean the tank and eat left-over food. They also grow to a size big enough that you don’t have to worry about them becoming fish food.

If you want more variety and color with the added bonus of algae maintenance, you can add shrimp to your tank. Make sure you don’t pick the ones that are small enough for the Bettas to eat, instead pick the larger ones, and they’ll be safe. The adult Cherry Shrimp and the Ghost Shrimp make ideal tank mates for your Bettas.

If you want even more variety and a touch of exotic, you should consider adding an amphibian to your tank. The African Dwarf frog is a peaceful frog that will not bother your other fish and makes a great tankmate.

You might also be interested in: Types of Betta Fish – By Tail, Pattern and Color

Summary

As long as the tank is large enough and there is plenty of vegetation and decorations to break up the Betta’s line of sight, any of the fish we mentioned in this article would make great tankmates with your female Bettas and male Bettas unless specifically noted.

A five-gallon tank is the smallest you want to have with just one Betta, anything smaller is considered cruel. 

A ten-gallon tank is the smallest size for keeping other fish with your Bettas.

Lastly, a 30-gallon community tank is the smallest size we recommend if you want to keep a sorority of Bettas.

After reading this article, we hope that you will have the confidence to keep Bettas in your aquarium. 

How Much Do Guppies Cost? (Fancy, Mutt and Competition)

How-Much-Do-Guppies-Cost

Guppies are the ultimate beginner fish. They are affordable, friendly, striking, and simple to care for. But not all guppies are created equal, nor do they cost the same! Guppies come in a large variety of amazing colors and patterns. They run the spectrum from plain grey with minimal finnage to incredibly beautiful guppies with elaborate finnage. 

When determining how much do guppies cost, the breeder takes into consideration exclusive traits, colors, and patterns. If you are wondering how much the average mutt guppy costs compared to fancy guppies, we will answer that question for you in this comprehensive guide. 

How Much Do Fancy Guppies Cost?

The price for fancy guppies can range in cost from $10 to $100 depending on the breeding and exclusive traits. A pair of Blue Delta Guppies will only cost you $9.00 compared to a pair of rare Black Moscow Guppies, which will cost you close to $90 from a breeder.

Fancy guppies have striking patterns and brilliant coloring that sets them apart from the average guppy fish. In addition to their coloring, fancy guppies will have long, flowing fins, and beautiful tails and patterns.

Generations of selective breeding go into creating these striking physical characteristics, which is why fancy guppies cost more than the average guppy. This selective breeding produces guppies that are not necessarily as sturdy as the average guppy fish may be. 

Because of this, breeding and raising fancy guppies might not best for you if you are a beginner. You will be required to engage in tank maintenance more frequently. Some fancy guppies are more sensitive to any changes in the water chemistry that sometimes occurs.

How Much Do Mutt Guppies Cost?

Mutt Guppies tend to be your average guppies. They’re guppies with unknown lines, which makes it difficult to identify which strain they are from. You can buy them at your favorite pet store.

Being unable to identify the particular strain a guppy fish comes from will directly affect its cost. Out of all the types of guppies, mutt guppies tend to cost less, only costing a few dollars each. For as low as $5.00, you can buy a pair for breeding.

Unlike the fancy guppies, mutt guppies are hardier and easier to care for. They adapt well to different water conditions and are easier to breed. This makes them perfect for a beginner aquarist.

Competition-Guppies​

How Much Do Competition Guppies Cost?

For a guppy fish to be considered a competition or show guppy, the guppy fish will need to have unique and striking physical traits that will best represent their species at a fish show.

The physical characteristics, as well as the strain of a competition Guppy, will determine the price, which can start anywhere from $20 and go as high as $100. 

Because competition guppies happen to be similar to fancy guppies in terms of physical traits and their lineage, they are usually priced similarly as well.

How to Breed Guppies for Profit?

There are several steps to breeding guppies for a profit:

Setting up the Tanks

If you plan to engage in selective breeding, you will need eight 10-gallon tanks. Each tank should be set up normally to accommodate your guppies. One of the tanks will be used as a reserve tank, while the other seven tanks will be used by each breeding pair. 

One tank should be for the first generation, another for the second generation, plus separate aquariums for the males and females, with the rest being for selected females and males.

You Need a Superior Breeding Pair

Obtaining a breeding pair of guppies that are of higher quality than the mutt guppies is essential when you plan to breed them for a profit. You can experiment with selective breeding to create your own fancy guppy strains that you can turn around and sell for a profit. 

For higher-quality Guppies, the breeder you purchase from should be able to show you a traceable and established lineage for each breeding pair. The pair you buy should be in excellent health, showcasing their vibrant colors and striking patterns. 

High-Quality Diets

When you are breeding guppies and raising fry, you need to give them a higher-quality diet, which will meet their needs nutritionally during every developmental stage. 

A well-balanced diet will prevent the kind of deformities that result from nutritional deficiencies. A good diet will also help them to develop more vibrant colors, as well as strengthening their immune systems, protecting them from certain diseases. A varied diet is best:

  • Premium flakes
  • Vegetable and organic matter (algae tabs, spirulina)
  • Live cultured foods (vinegar eels, daphnia, brine shrimp)

Monitoring and Recording

Before you begin selectively breeding your guppy fish, you need to have a breeding plan in place. Everything you do should be documented. 

The tanks should be numbered, as well as the fish within each tank. Keep track of the which fish parented which fish, and keep track of the siblings, as well. Keep a record of any breeding techniques you have tried and your results with each. Record each breeding date and the date of the delivery.

How to Improve Your Guppy's Overall Quality?

If you plan to produce higher quality guppies, you will need to begin with a pair that is of the highest quality. Make sure you are not trying to breed guppies with undesirable traits, deformities, and known diseases. 

Here are a few things you can do that will ensure the healthy breeding of your Guppies:

  • Use dechlorinated water when setting up each tank and changing the water
  • Maintain the tanks regularly, keeping the water conditions stable
  • Turn any artificial lights off at night so that the Guppies can rest
  • Be proactive in preventing diseases
  • Offer live plants in your tank
  • Eliminate any stress factors
  • A daily diet should consist of a variety of high-quality foods
  • Make sure your Guppies have the water volume and space they need 
  • Prevent premature breeding by separating the fry by size and gender

Conclusion

If you want to add interest and beauty to your tank, Guppies are a great way to do that because of their price and how easy they are to take care of. 

However, if you want to breed and show your guppy fish, you will need to invest more time and money than you normally would. But for fish enthusiasts, that extra price is well worth the rewards they get from breeding and showing fancy and competition guppies.

Best Commercial & Homemade Guppy Food for Color and Growth

Best-Guppy-Food

In their natural habitat in the wild, Guppies are omnivores. As such, they’ll eat almost anything you offer them. They’ll eat meat-based foods as well as plant-based foods.

Live foods provide a much-needed source of nutrients for guppies. In the wild, guppies will eat a wide variety of live foods. Some of their favorites include:

  • Insect larvae
  • Invertebrates
  • Diatoms
  • Brine shrimp

Commercial foods are available in an endless selection. Not only do you have a variety of manufacturers to choose from, but you also have a large selection of different kinds of commercial foods.

You also have the option of preparing food at home for your guppies. It can be time-consuming, though. If you want healthier and more vibrant colored fish, you might consider making their food at home. However, the commercial foods on the market today are of high quality and full of nutrients.

Guppies in the wild like to nibble on the soft algae that grow on plants. Stocking your aquarium with an abundance of live aquatic plants will serve as an additional organic food source for your adult guppies as well as any guppy fry you may have.

Make sure you don’t overfeed your guppies. Overfeeding can lead to constipation and excess waste, which will ultimately disrupt the water chemistry in your tank.

Best Commercial Guppy Food Reviews

When looking at commercial guppy food, you want ingredients that provide maximum amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fats. 

Adult guppies love freeze-dried blood worms. They are a great source of fat, and you should only feed it to your guppies in small amounts. You can feed it to your fry as well, which will greatly improve their growth rate.

If you are conditioning your guppies, freeze-dried tubifex worms make an excellent treat once a week. However, do not feed your fish live tubifex worms because they can carry harmful bacteria that could kill your fish.

Flake Food

The most popular commercial food amongst hobbyists is flake foods. Flake foods come packed with minerals and vitamins high in the proteins necessary for your guppies to stay healthy. With high-quality flake foods, you only need to feed your guppies once a day. 

Also, make sure to keep an eye on the expiration date of the flake food. The potency of the vitamins and minerals in expired foods will diminish significantly.

Veggie Pellets

Another addition to your guppy’s diet should be veggie pellets. They are high in calcium and iron, as well as vitamins B, C, D, and E. Most brands include greens such as kelp or algae, spirulina, plankton, and various vegetables.

Spirulina Tablets

Spirulina tablets contain natural carotenoid pigments, which will enhance your fish’s natural colors. It will also give your guppies healthier tails and fins, as well as resistance to skin infections.

New Life Spectrum Optimum Flakes

With all-natural preservatives, no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors, this high-quality flake food if perfect for your marine and freshwater fish. Due to their positive buoyancy, the majority of the flakes float rather than sinking to the bottom. 

New Life Spectrum contains garlic to support a healthy immune system, a variety of seaweed and algae, as well as marine proteins that are easily digestible. Naturally enhances your fish’s coloring. Made in the USA.

Hikari Usa Tropical Fancy Guppy For Pet Health

With soft granules, the Hikari USA Tropical Fancy food is perfect for guppy fry, juvenile, and adult fish. The ingredients contain everything needed for healthy guppies, including stabilized vitamin C, which supports a healthy immune system.

It also contains linolenic acid, which promotes growth, as well as seaweed-derived iodine, to improve overall conditioning.

It’s also ideal for livebearers such as guppies, platies, mollies, and swordtails. Rich in protein, these semi-floating granules do not cloud your tank water. The pellets sink very slowly, giving the fish plenty of time to eat before it reaches the bottom of your tank. 

The small pellets act like a sponge and absorb water, making the texture soft without completely dissolving. The food stays together and doesn’t lose any nutrients to the water.

Aquacarium Brine Shrimp

Aquacarium Brine Shrimp is an excellent treat for all fish, whether saltwater or freshwater. Freshly dried and all-natural, this food is made up of large cubed brine shrimp, which can be broken into smaller pieces. 

Your larger fish can enjoy it whole, while smaller fish will be able to pick it apart. This high-quality fish food is perfect for conditioning your fish for breeding.

Brine shrimp is a great source of protein and can be fed to both your adult and fry once or twice a week.

API Fish Food Pellets

Perfect for meeting all nutritional needs, API offers a complete and balanced diet for your small tropical community fish. API combines high-quality shrimp and squid proteins to encourage optimal growth.

It contains an enhanced protein that allows easy and maximum absorption of nutrients, resulting in the fish releasing less ammonia. 

This will help keep the water in your tank cleaner and clearer, which means your fish will have a healthier environment, ensuring they stay healthy as well. 

API pellets are formulated to sink slowly. They are easily digestible, and they enhance your guppy’s natural coloring.

Tropical Micro Pellet Fish Food

Tropical Micro Pellets are perfect for mimicking your guppy’s diet in their natural habitat while meeting their dietary needs. With a new Qik Color formula, the micropellets are small and multi-colored, perfect for tropical fish with small mouths. 

Tropical Micro Pellets offer an ultimate blend of carefully selected proteins, including many beneficial algae. The micro coating locks in nutrition and gives the semi-floating pellets a texture that’s easily digestible, eliminating constipation worries. 

With a unique mixture of vegetable and marine proteins that have been chosen specially, these pellets are perfect for feeding guppies, who have high energy needs. Krill and spirulina have been added to enhance your fish’s natural colors.

Fish at all water levels will be able to enjoy these slow sinking pellets. The remainder of the food that settles on the bottom of the tank will not cause water clouding and will not affect the water chemistry.

Homemade Guppy Food​

Homemade Guppy Food

If you want more control over the ingredients in your guppy’s food, you can make your own fish food at home. Making homemade fish flake foods is simple, although it can be time-consuming. 

In a feed processor, combine fish liver oil, vitamins, spirulina, vegetables, daphnia, fish meal, and bone meal and make a paste out of the ingredients.

Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spread the paste out in a thin layer. You can then place it in the oven and bake it at 250° until it has completely dried out. After it has dried, crush it into small flakes and give it to your guppies on a daily basis.

Guppy Fry Food

The guppy fry’s diet should contain a variety of freeze-dried foods and live foods. Some of the most popular fry foods are:

  • Fry flake food
  • Freeze-dried tubifex
  • Microworms
  • Vinegar eels
  • Live daphnia
  • Live or freeze-dried baby brine shrimp

Another fry-friendly food is egg yolk paste. To make it, all you need to do is crush the egg yolk of a hard-boiled egg into a paste. If you opt for this fry food, make sure you only give it to your fry in tiny amounts because it can contaminate your tank water very quickly if it’s not eaten immediately.

Can You Feed Vegetables to Guppies?

As omnivores, guppies have no problem eating vegetables. Vegetables are actually good for your guppies. When feeding your guppies vegetables, you want to remove the soft parts that can come apart in the water prior to feeding. For cucumbers and zucchinis, you want to scrape out the soft middle parts and only use the firm parts of the vegetables.

You can very easily make homemade vegetable flake food with the following ingredients:

  • Broccoli
  • Cucumber
  • Green beans
  • Zucchini
  • Peas
  • Carrots
  • Spinach
  • Lettuce
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Sweet potato
  • Pumpkin

You can use both fresh and frozen vegetables. Using your blender, blend them all together. You can store your blended vegetables in a sealed bag and place it in the freezer. When your vegetable blend has frozen completely, you can chop off small bits and feed them to your fish. Be sure to remove any food that does not get eaten from the tank. Otherwise, the leftovers will contaminate the water.

As an alternative, you can also make flake food from your vegetable blend. Instead of freezing the mixture, you can spread the blend on a parchment covered cookie sheet and place it in the oven. Bake it at 250° until the mixture has dried out completely. When the blend has dried completely, you can crush it into small bits and store it in an airtight container or a resealable bag.

rainbow fish food

How Often Do Guppies Need to Eat?

Adult guppies will eat whenever you offer them food. But you don’t need to feed them that often. Feeding them too much can cause health issues and will contaminate the tank water. 

You only need to feed adult guppies two to four times a day. Once in the morning and once at night should spread the feedings out adequately. Because guppies breed quickly, and they are livebearers, they need to eat nutritious foods. 

If you don’t separate the fry from the adults, the adults very likely will eat the babies. You need to make sure that the adults have been fed adequately when the juveniles are sharing the same tank.

Because the fry grow so quickly, they will need to be fed more often than the adult guppies. You will want to schedule about five to eight feedings every day. 

Consider removing them to a smaller tank to protect them from the larger, hungrier adults. This will also prevent the adults from eating the fry’s food during their frequent feedings.

If you’re planning a vacation, you don’t need to worry about feeding your guppies. They can survive without food for two weeks. However, there is a product called “vacation block food” if you would rather not leave them for two weeks without food. This block of food has been pre-formed and designed to slowly dissolve in the water, releasing only small bits of food into the water at a time.

How Much to Feed Guppy Fish?

Guppies love to eat and will eat as much as you give them. You want to provide them with only small amounts that they can finish eating in a minute or two, then remove any uneaten food that is left.

When you give your guppies live foods such as brine shrimp or blood worms, you will want to divide them up into multiple doses, don’t throw too much in the tank at one time.

If your guppies develop full and puffy stomachs, you might consider skipping the next feeding and reduce the amount you are giving them with each feeding. 

On the other hand, if some of the food is going uneaten and sinks to the bottom of your tank, you are probably overfeeding your guppies. This can cause constipation in your fish, as well as making them uncomfortable and sluggish. 

Plus, leftover food can end up contaminating your tank’s water. Letting the guppy food pile up on the bottom of the tank will eventually cause problems.

Conclusion

When you choose the right foods for your guppies, not only will they be healthy, but they will also grow big and have enhanced coloring. You want to choose food that has a good variety of vitamins, minerals, and proteins for a healthy immune system. With their high levels of activity, giving your guppies Omega-3’s will give them the added energy boost they love.

Feeding your omnivores a well-balanced diet of meats, vegetables, and organic matter will keep your guppies happy and healthy for a long time.

Scarlet Badis Guide: Is This Bright Colorful Fish For You?

Scarlet-Badis-care

The scarlet badis has become a trendy freshwater fish, as well as one of the most popular nano fish available today. Their behavior, activity level, and beauty make this fish a fun one to observe. They are also easy to take care of and keep healthy, although they do present some challenges in how they are cared for.

Having said that, you should still be aware of some important conditions to the scarlet badis’ care if you want them to thrive in your tank stress-free. Their water cleaning conditions and feeding habits can be a little demanding for beginner aquarists. They are best suited for intermediate aquarists.

This care guide will take you through all the do’s and don’ts about caring for your scarlet badis. We will recommend the perfect tank mates, as well as what they should and should not eat, their water conditions, and much more.

Species Profile Overview

One of the smaller known percoid species of fish, the scarlet badis, or Dario dario as it’s known scientifically, is a tropical freshwater Badidae fish. It prefers to feed on small worms, zooplankton, insect larvae, and other small aquatic crustaceans.

Very popular with the nano aquarium population, the attractive little scarlet badis is also sold under the names of B. bengalensis, and Badis badis bengalensis.

The scarlet badis is a native of India, found in the tributaries that feed into the Brahmaputra river. The Brahmaputra is a large river that flows through Bangladesh, China, and India. They love to inhabit areas where there is a large quantity of plant life, as well as clear, shallow water.

Behavior

The scarlet badis is a calm and slower-moving fish than most. Being a bit shy and fond of being on their own, they tend to be intimidated easily and lose to more aggressive and larger tankmates when it comes to food. 

Because this is a timid fish, it needs an aquarium with lots of dense vegetation in order to provide it with the protection it needs to help it feel secure. The scarlet badis will spend a lot of its time slowly swimming around the bottom and middle regions in the tank, staying hidden in the vegetation.

Although the scarlet badis is a timid and peaceful fish, it will become very territorial and aggressive towards other scarlet badis fish. If you put more than one male in the tank, they could become rivals and start being hostile to one another, especially in smaller aquariums. 

For smaller aquariums, it’s best to only have one male and a female, or one male and several females, but no more than one male scarlet badis in the tank. If you do want other tankmates, it’s best to stick with small pelagic species.

However, in the bigger aquariums, it is possible to have a group of males coexist as long as there is enough space for each male to have its own territory. A tank with plenty of caves thoughtfully spread out and separated from each other. It would be best if you did not cluster the available spawning areas together. 

Appearance

This beautiful little fish has been compared to a flashing jewel, or a ruby, swimming about your tank.

Sporting more prominent fins and vibrant colors, the male of this species is more beautiful than that of the female. The males do not surpass 2 cm in size (0.79 in), whereas the females only reach approximately 1.3 cm in size (0.51 in).

The male scarlet badis gets its vibrant colors from seven vertical iridescent blue stripes, spaced out evenly, on its sides that start near the dorsal fin. There will also be some light blue that fades into the base of their caudal and dorsal fins, but it will be more pronounced on the ventral fins that hang lower than the others. 

As they grow, the males develop extended anal, pelvic, and dorsal fins. Their accented colors create a flickering effect as they swim, which is beautiful and mesmerizing to watch.

The females are smaller in size and not as colorful as the males. They lack the blue, red, and orange pigmentation on their sides, with either a couple of slim pale orange vertical stripes or no stripes at all on their sides, as well as transparent fins. Their short silvery-grey bodies are also stumpier-looking than males, and their fins are less colorful and noticeable as they are on the adult males.

Tank and Water Conditions

Due to their small size, the scarlet badis is a trendy choice for the nano aquariums. Still, a tank around 10 gallons, filled with plants and vegetation, would be perfect for them to spread out and claim their territories to hide within.

Because their natural environment is in shallow, crystal clear water that has dense vegetation along with a gravel and sand substrate, you should remember to use a variety of plants when creating the tank so that the scarlet badis will feel comfortable and establish their territories. Plants from its natural environment that do well in an aquarium are Rotala, Cryptocoryne spp., Vallisneria, Microsorum, Ottelia, Anubias, Limnophila, Taxiphyllum, and Hygrophila. Water plants, like water sprite and java moss, as well as bogwood, make perfect hiding spots.

Previously stated, the scarlet badis is a very territorial fish. Because of this, they need caves and plants to help stop aggressive reactions or attitudes toward one another by allowing them to set their own territories. The abundance of vegetation and plants will also keep the scarlet badis from growing frightened.

For this fish, the aquarium’s water condition is very important and should be maintained at safe levels for the scarlet badis:

  • The water temperature should be between 71 and 79°F
  • The pH range should be between 6.5 and 7.5
  • The hardiness level should be between 10 to 20 dGH
  • The water movement should be slow
  • The lighting should stay moderate

You must replace the water frequently and keep it crystal clean because the scarlet badis is susceptible to pollution. You should change out at least half of the tank’s water and clean your aquarium on a weekly basis to keep your fish healthy.

The scarlet badis is best maintained in a well-structured environment with plenty of hiding places. For the bottom of the tank, a soft substrate such as sand is preferable, but fine-grade gravel is satisfactory, as well.

Food & Diet

By replicating their natural diet in the wild as much as possible, your scarlet badis will be healthy and happy. A diversified and well-balanced diet is the best way to see that they thrive in their aquarium.

Being picky eaters, they will not eat flake foods. Sometimes they will eat the small-sized pellets, but only if they are sinking or moving around in the water. Instead, being micro predators, the scarlet badis prefers to dine on live or frozen foods. Their favorites include insect larvae, banana worms, grindal worms, brine shrimp, cyclops, small crustaceans, daphnia, and other small zooplankton.

Because this species is susceptible to diseases and obesity, low quality food needs to be avoided. The bloodworm and Tubifex should be avoided in their diet because they tend to encourage diseases in the scarlet badis.

Tank Mates

In its natural habitat, you can find the scarlet badis swimming in the thick vegetation that grows near the river shores, sharing their space with similar species, such as the badis kanabo and the badis blosyrus.

It is best if the scarlet badis is kept in a tank inhabited by its species only because of the extremely shy and timid nature they exhibit. Because of this timid nature, more active and larger fish will end up out-competing them for space and food. If their tank mates are too active, it will cause the scarlet badis to hide and not come out at dinner time to eat. Avoid such fish as cichlids, goldfish, and bettas due to their aggressive nature.

It would be best if you were more selective when choosing their tankmates if you decide on a community aquarium. Make sure you put them with similarly small, peaceful fish like a small shoal of gouramis or Rasboras. Your only concern with a shoal is to make sure your scarlet badis gets enough food.

Because the scarlet badis is a micro predator, you should avoid putting non-fish tank dwellers such as snails and shrimp with them. Otherwise, they will eat them

Scarlet Badis Special Care Advice

Although there aren’t any specific diseases that can be attributed to the scarlet badis, they can be prone to some general illnesses. Because this fish has a severe sensitivity to the wrong water conditions, they can be susceptible to ich, along with several forms of bacterial and fungal diseases, also.

Medical Definition of ich. : a severe dermatitis of freshwater fish caused by a protozoan of the genus Ichthyophthirius (I. multifiliis) and especially destructive in aquariums and hatcheries. — also called ichthyophthiriasis, ichthyophthirius.

By maintaining the correct water quality, you lower the chances of afflicting your fish with any of these conditions dramatically. Remember, it’s always best to prevent sickness so that you don’t end up needing to treat the sickness.

Breeding

Having been successfully bred in both slightly acidic waters and alkaline waters, breeding the scarlet badis is pretty routine. Dense vegetation gives them places to spawn their eggs. 

If there are multiple males in the tank, you will need to give each about 30 cm² in order to establish its own territory. Usually, one male will become more dominant than the others, causing the others not to be involved in the breeding process.

The males will show off their bright colors to the females when the spawning begins. By quivering and shaking, the males begin to attract the females to their territory. The females must respond to the males’ attempts. Otherwise, they will attack the female and chase her away.

When she is ready to spawn, she will go into his territory and allow him to mate with her, quite similar to how the Bettas do it. The male will then fertilize the spawned eggs while they are being laid by the female.

It takes around an hour for the female to lay approximately 80 large eggs. After this, the male chases the female away and will then begin to protect and defend the area, caring more about its territory than the eggs.

The spawned eggs have an incubation period of about 2 to 3 days, with up to one week for the fry to absorb the sac of the egg yolk. If you want to make sure you get the maximum number of fry raised, you should either remove the adults to another tank because once the fry have hatched the adults will start preying on them. Or, you can remove the surfaces the eggs attached to and place them in a separate tank with water from the spawning tank to keep them safe from being eaten. 

After hatching, the larvae will disappear for several days before reappearing as juveniles. At this time, the fry will begin to swim around on its own, as well as feed on its own, eating microorganisms they find amongst the vegetation. If you want, you can feed the fry infusoria until they grow big enough to eat food, such as micro worms.

Conclusion

Planting dense vegetation in the tank will allow them to establish their individual territories, making them feel sheltered and safe. Being fussy eaters, they will ignore flake food, but with live and frozen foods, they could become obese.

Jewel-like, the scarlet badis will add beautiful colors to your tank. Just remember that even though they appear timid and peaceful, they are very aggressive towards one another.

While they do best in a species only tank, they will thrive in a community tank as long as you follow the guidelines in this care guide and give them plenty of vegetation and space to establish their own territories.

Ember Tetra 101: Care, Tank Mates, Size & More

Ember-Tetra-care

If you are looking for vibrant, colorful fish to add to your community tank, then the Ember Tetra is perfect. With their fiery coloring and playful behavior, it’s no wonder this tropical fish is so popular among the aquarium hobbyists. They are a relatively inexpensive fish as well, only costing about $1 to $2 per fish.

The Ember Tetras are a schooling fish. You will want to have at least eight Embers in your tank to encourage them to school together. The more Embers you have in your tank, the larger and more brilliant and beautiful their school will be as they dart around playfully in your tank. 

These fish are relatively easy to take care of and are perfect for beginner aquarists. They get along with all fish and are the ideal addition to your community tank, although you will want to protect them by not keeping larger and aggressive fish in the same tank as them. Larger fish and aggressive fish could bully them, causing undue stress to your Ember Tetras, or the larger fish could actually eat your small Ember Tetras, which would be tragic.

Species Profile Overview (lifespan, size, etc.)

The Ember Tetra was first discovered in 1986 by a man named Heiko Bleher in the South American Araguaia River basin. He named the tiny, tropical, freshwater fish Hyphessobrycon Amandae, or the Amanda Tetra, after his mother, Amanda Bleher. It is now most commonly called the Ember Tetra, Red Tetra, Fire Tetra, and Dwarf Red Tetra. The names stemmed from the fish’s vibrant and fiery appearance. 

The Ember Tetra fish belong to a genuinely diverse species called Characiformes, which has about 2,000 fish spread out amongst 19 families. 

Because of its playful nature and vibrant coloring, the Ember Tetra has become very trendy in the past couple of years with more than just the nano aquariums. They are a popular choice for all sizes of aquariums. But don’t let its fiery appearance fool you. The Ember Tetra is a peaceful and easy-going fish. Perfect for both the beginner and experienced aquarium hobbyists.

Within their natural habitats of densely vegetated, forested areas and slow-moving water, these fish have been known to live up to three years. You can enjoy them for the same amount of time if you care for them properly and keep them in a densely planted, well-kept aquarium. 

Their lifespan is an added attraction for beginner aquarists, as well. They are a relatively short term commitment at two to three years, as opposed to some fish that live for five to ten years.

Behavior

The Ember Tetra is a schooling fish, so you need to keep them in groups of at least 5, but preferably many more. They make a beautifully vibrant school, and the more you have, the more striking the school is darting and dancing around your tank. Watching them is truly a treat, and they add so much character to your tank, you’ll be glad you got them. 

Although the Ember Tetras are a peaceful fish, they are also quite active. Despite their small size, they are not a timid fish. With one exception – when they have just been introduced to a new tank, you’ll notice that they can be a bit cautious until they become used to their new tank environment. But once they have become acclimated to their new tank, you will see their frisky, playful nature come out as they swim around your tank in schools, darting in and out of the plants, and decorations. 

These are very non-aggressive fish who don’t compete with the other fish either. They are a perfect addition to any community tank with their peaceful, non-aggressive, and playful behavior as they school together and interact with the other fish in their tank.

Appearance

The Ember Tetra is one of the smaller fish of their species. A completely grown adult fish can grow up to 0.8 inches long. Both the females and males look alike, so it can be challenging when you are trying to distinguish between them. Both are a fiery red color, sometimes with a saturated orange gradient coloring. Their eyes will sometimes have an orange rim around them as well. 

They have an elongated, semi-transparent body. Their bodies have a large caudal fin and a somewhat small dorsal fin. Both of these fins have a little bit of a black or grey gradient. They only have one merged anal fin.

Around the upper part of their heads, around the mouth and above the eyes, they can have a reddish coloring sometimes. Towards the back of their bodies, they look slightly compressed, but this actually allows them to swim around more smoothly. They do have scales, which are very compact, lying next to each other. This is what gives them a slightly transparent appearance.

There are small differences in the females that, if you know what you are looking for, you can identify. The female Ember Tetras usually have a larger air bladder than the male. Also, during the breeding period, the female’s abdomen will get a little bigger than the male’s abdomen. 

The male’s coloring will get much brighter when the females start spawning, as well. When you notice these changes in the females and males, you can transfer them to a breeding tank for spawning.

Diet and Feeding

The Ember Tetra’s feeding habits will directly affect their color and appearance. In its natural habitat, the Ember Tetra’s diet consists mainly of various zooplankton and small invertebrates. Occasionally you will see them grazing on the plants and vegetation, scraping off microbe colonies that live on the vegetation.

When you begin planning their diet, you want to create as diverse a menu as possible. You will want to include dry food such as granules or flakes, as well as frozen or live foods. You can feed them Grindal worms, Daphnia, or Artemia. 

You should also take into account their size when planning their diet. Because Ember Tetras are so small, you might need to grind up their food. You can feed them small portions either two or three times daily. For the fry, you will need to grind the food into even smaller pieces for them to be able to eat it. It’s also a great idea to add plants to their tank that they can naturally graze on for an added vegetation supplement. 

As long as you take care of your Ember Tetras and feed them a suitably diverse diet, they won’t need any other supplementations than what you are already feeding them.

Tank Setup

The Ember Tetra is one of the smallest fish in its species that are kept in tanks. They have become very popular with the nano aquarists, and are perfect for a 10-gallon tank.

A good rule of thumb to avoid overstocking your tank is to make sure you only have roughly one inch of fish per gallon of water. For example, the Ember Tetra is approximately 0.8 inches. If you were to have just Ember Tetras in your 10-gallon tank, you could have a maximum of 12 Ember Tetras in your tank.

In its natural habitat, the Ember Tetra comes from slow-moving waters that have dense water plants, as well as the thick vegetation that grows in the forest above the waters. All of the plants above and in the water tend to block the sunlight, which causes the lighting to be dim. With all the trees and vegetation surrounding their environment, the floor of their habitat is usually covered with branches and leaf debris.

For happy Ember Tetras, you want to mimic those characteristics in their tank. Floating plants are ideal for your aquarium, giving your fish plenty of shadowy places to hide amongst the plants and roots. Anacharis, Java fern, and Java moss will help your Ember Tetras feel right at home. These plants can also serve as shelter, breeding grounds, and food.

Putting down a dark substrate will help to mimic the dim lighting from their natural habitat. You can also put vegetation and other dry leaves along the bottom of the tank to recreate the conditions of a natural river bed. This will help to dim the lighting as well, and the decomposing leaves will leave behind some beneficial bacteria in your tank.

To duplicate the slow-moving waters that they prefer, you will want a water filtration system that is gentle, not too strong. Remember, they are used to slow-moving rivers and lakes. 

Tank Conditions

As mentioned above, the Ember Tetras are freshwater fish that favor smaller rivers that have slow-flowing water. In order to recreate the water conditions, make sure the pH is within the 5.5 to 7 range, the water hardness should be around 18 dH, and the water temperature should stay within the 68 to 82°F range.

Because they are usually located in slow-moving tributaries, far away from the main streams, you want to use a silent aeration and filtrations system that is slow-moving, as well. A regular sponge filter will work quite well for the Ember Tetra’s tank.

Unless you are going with a 5-gallon nano tank, your ideal tank should be at least 10-gallons. Everyone loves plants, vegetation, and decor in their tank, but make sure that you don’t go overboard with them. You want to remember moderation is the key. You want plenty of things for them to hide in and feel safe and secure, but you don’t want to overcrowd the space they swim around in. They may be small, but they are definitely active fish that love to school together and dart around the tank.

How To Care For

Despite their small size, they tend to be healthy and are not particularly prone to diseases. However, similar to other freshwater fish, the Ember Tetra is sensitive to fluctuations in the water acidity and temperature, as well as changes in lighting.

With small fish, you always need to be careful not to overfeed them because it could cause them digestive system problems. The quality of the food you feed your fish can affect their health, as well. Keep an eye on their behavior, and if they start acting strange or lethargic, re-evaluate their food, and possibly consider buying a higher quality of food.

Another consideration for keeping them happy and healthy is regular water renewal. Having consistent water aeration and filtration is also essential to good health.

Your aquarium will require constant attention and upkeep because of all the dense vegetation and plants that you put in there. If you do not keep up with the regular cleaning, water renewal, and filtration, you will end up with a tank full of bacteria and algae.

As well as being ugly to look at, excessive amounts of algae could harm your fish. You also want to make sure that parasites are not added to your tank via other fish, or live or frozen foods. Parasitic diseases can cause their bodies to bloat and sometimes even get creamy dots on their scales and skin. Another indication of the presence of the parasite is dysfunctional shoaling behavior.

Ember Tetra Tank Mates

Ember Tetras make the perfect community fish because of their friendly and peaceful natures. They are non-aggressive and rarely cause any problems among the other fish. Because they spend most of their time in the middle of the water column, they don’t usually pick food off the floor of the tank, making pygmy catfish the perfect tankmate.

Small Corydoras and other fish from the Characidae family with similar temperaments and size are also perfect tankmates for the Ember Tetra. Other kinds of fish that compliment them are fish that swim in a different layer of the water column, such as Neons, Micro Rasboras, Rasboras, Dwarf Cichlids, and Hatchetfish. Other compatible fish include Dwarf Gourami, Discus, Barbs, and Red Cherry Shrimp.

Avoid bigger fish, especially predatory ones. A lot of the larger fish will eat anything that is small enough to fit inside their mouth, even if they are non-aggressive fish. And of course, you do not want to put aggressive fish in the tank with your Ember Tetras. They might bully your fish, compete for food, attack, and possibly kill your fish.

The same goes for non-fish tankmates. For example, most snails and shrimp get along well with the Ember Tetras, as long as they don’t start destroying your plants.

Keeping Ember Tetra Together

Ember Tetras are a schooling fish, so the more, the merrier. It’s recommended that you have at least eight in your tank so they can school together. The more you have, the more comfortable they will feel in your tank, which will decrease any possible stress significantly.

Breeding

It’s not that difficult to breed Ember Tetras. They are actually free spawners, meaning the parents don’t care for their fry.

Spawning can occur regularly without any required intervention under well-monitored conditions. But if you want to increase the number of fry that are spawned, you should control this process. In order to do this, you will need a small breeding tank. Use should use water from your main tank to optimize the acclimation process for the parent fish. 

The females will get bigger when they have eggs, and the male’s coloring will get even brighter and stand out even more in order to attract females. You will want to put the fatter females that are carrying eggs into the breeding tank and place the brightest, most vibrant males in the breeding tank with the females.

If you want to encourage spawning, the lighting should be dim, and the water needs to be gently filtered. Set the water’s pH level to neutral and keep the water temperature between 80-82°F.

You should also consider upping their diet to live foods for two weeks before you want spawning to occur. Once the female has spawned her eggs, it usually takes approximately 36 hours for the eggs to incubate and hatch. Once they hatch, it will be 3 – 4 days before the juveniles start swimming around the tank. 

Once the fry have hatched, you will want to either remove the parent fish from the tank or place a breeding mesh along the base of the tank to separate them from the fry. This will keep the parent fish from eating the fry. Remember, fish will eat anything that is smaller than itself.

As for feeding the fry, since they are so small, you may need to grind the food into smaller pieces than you normally would for the adults.

Conclusion

Although they are super easy to take care of, you do want to take into consideration their small size and their sensitivity to certain water conditions.

In order to keep your Ember Tetras safe, remember to avoid larger fish and aggressive fish. With their peaceful natures, these fish will fit perfectly into almost any kind of aquarium. They even do well in a nano tank of around 10-gallons.

The Aquarium Fish City (AFC) does not intend to provide veterinary advice. While we provide practical tips and advice to help aquarists make informed decisions for the well-being of their freshwater aquarium fishes, plants, and invertebrates, the content here is not a substitute for veterinary guidance.

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