fighting fish

[Shonfield]

hi
just wondering if anyone that keeps fighting fish feeds them crickets? iv been wanting to get a ff for ages now and if i can feed then crickets that will be heaps easy cause i have them for my geckos.
thanks,
sam

 

[kakariki]

I feed mine normal fish food & the occasional mozzie. They love wrigglers too. I think crix would be a bit big for them. You can get some special Betta pellets. They really bring out the colour of the fish.

 

[chris84-07]

i dont know about a cricket mine eat about three or four little pellets a day and u cant leave uneaten food in the water, i think a cricket might be too big

 

[Shonfield]

so some advice for a fighting fish noob please:
do i have to get them special ff pellets? or will they just eat normal fish or goldfish pellets?
if they need ff pellets can i buy these from any normal pet store?
they dont need heating right?
will i need to do anything to the water before i put them in it?
as for mozzies if i kill one can i feed it to them? haha
thanks heaps,
sam

 

[deadflesh]

Fish food is cheap and Fighting Fish don't eat much.

 

[Shonfield]

also what do i need to put in their tank?
anything special?
thanks again,
sam

 

[chris84-07]

you dont need anything when it get too cold put em on the fridge change the water weekly(treat the water first) feed em betta pellets which can be bought from any pet shop. thats about it they are easy to look after

 

[Vixen]

Its a common myth that they dont need heating. Ever wonder why fighters in petshops always look dead, sitting on the bottom of the tank? Thats why. They are actually quite an active fish when properly heated and its wonderful to watch. Best temps are around 25-27 degrees.

They also like still water, this means you shouldnt use a fast flowing filter. I dont use a filter at all in my setups, I just use large rocks that I can easily take out and wash (instead of the tiny gravel) , and clean the water once a week. I use rainwater, it sits at the PH they prefer, and then I dont need to worry about dechlorinating.

I also recommend the proper betta food pellets you can buy, it doesnt seem much in the packet they come in but considering they only eat a few a day, it lasts a very long time.

As for tank decorations, anything you prefer really, but give them something they can hide behind if theyre feeling shy

 

[kakariki]

Yes they do need heating. I have a small pad heater for my small tank but I also have 2 girls in with my neons, glass catfish & black widows. Just ordinary fishfood from the pet shop will do but the pellets really do seem to enhance the colour. Apparently they only live for 2 years. I have the usual ornaments and weeds but my small tank [ 30cm long x 15 cm wide x 20 cm deep ] has a little urn in it. My "finless" fish is in there atm & she loves to hide in it. Have just taken a pic of the tank. She is on my desk next to the computer. The heat pad is on the far left under the gravel. I have only found 1 of these but would like to get some more. I have 3 of these little tanks which are ideal for f/f.

 

[Shonfield]

also pics of ff would be nice
i just love how they look so much hehe

 

[kakariki]

Little buggers won't keep still! Hahahaha This is the best I could do, sorry, they're a bit shaky. Will try again tomorrow.

 

[Shonfield]

haha
thats alright
i just love how they look
and last question...
i read on the internet minimum is about 10-15L tank for one
then on some ff forum i found they say they have less than 5L tanks for theres
how big should it be?
thanks,
sam

 

[kakariki]

In the wild they live in the hoof prints of buffalo so how much would that hold? Not much, I don't reckon [ unless the buffalo were wearing wellies hahaha] I am not a fan of those tiny little jars or square cups some people use but each to their own. I'm not sure how much my small tank holds, about 7L I'd guess. I like seeing them in big tanks though cos as was said earlier they are really active & aren't still very long if given the chance. The males are funny if kept next to each other. They seem to blow their faces up & swim at each other! Get some Sam, you will love them!

 

[Shonfield]

haha well iv decided tomorrow im going into the pet shop to check out tanks, filters, heaters etc.
and i already love them
now im really excited to get them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kakariki]

If you are getting a small tank, don't use a filter. They really don't seem to like the water moving. [ Mine don't anyway. The ones in the big tank keep well away from the filter and the main area where the movement is ]. One other thing......when you get some........................pics please???!!!!!!

 

[bk201]

i kept Betta Splendens for years bred them a few times to they love to hang around floating plants or anything else that floats , flake/pellets are ok if they will eat it but sometimes some bettas wont eat it if thats the case feed them live or frozen or freezedried foods.
the hard part will be picking a healty fish, dont buy a fish with badly riped fins,with holes in the fins,or unactive ones that just lie on the bottom of the tank. some people have said its fun to watch when males are put in tanks next to eachother this may be fun to watch but its stressfull for the fish and so isnt a good idea .
good luck

 

[Shonfield]

haha of corse ill get pics for you
does not having a filter make the tank get dirtier faster? (just a rumor iv heard a few times)
but i spose that wont be a problem if i change the water weekly

 

[kakariki]

bk201... I found ours did get used to each other & ignored the others UNTIL a female was close by. We kept ours in a guppy breeding tank which is 2 ft long, section off long ways so there is a long part across the back but at the front it is divided into 3 sections. We had the males in the front and the females sharing at the back. After the initial through the glass scuffles they weren't particularly bothered but I certainly will keep an eye on that, cheers. Also I feed blood worms once a week or so. They love them. I don't have a problem with dirty water. Just empty some out [ about a third] and refill with rain water [ not tap water]

 

[bk201]

without a filter the tank will get dirtier faster due to the water being stagnant
when you change the water dont use water straight from the tap its best to let it age for a while even if you condition it with chlorine neutraliser as new water will usually cause amonia/nitrite problems
the larger the tank the more stable water conditions will be thats why its best not to keep them in tiny containers

 

[Shonfield]

ok thanks heaps guy
and i think im down to my last 2 questions haha
1. do i need a pump? (im guessing no if i dont really need a filter)
2. will a silk or fake plant possibly rip my betta's tail? (read this somewhere and want to check)
thanks heaps guys,
sam