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Live Betta Fish

Live Betta Fish

How Long Do Betta Fish Live?

Pet betta fish tend to have a pretty good life if you provide them with good nutrition and care. Wild bettas only live about 2 years, while captive betta fish can easily live 3 years or more! The oldest known live betta fish lived to 10 years of age!

Can Betta Fish Live With Other Fish?

Female betta fish can live in a betta fish sorority with other female bettas. Males cannot be housed with other male betta fish. Betta fish can be tank mates with many non-aggressive aquatic and fish species. We recommend trying guppies, neon tetras, ember tetras, cory catfish, harlequin rasboras, plecostomus (plecos), kuhli loaches, african dwarf frogs, ghost shrimp, and zebra snails in a community fish tank with bettas. Be sure to have plenty of space for all the creatures in your tank. Provide at least 1 gallon of tank space for every inch of each aquatic animal’s mature size. Just for one betta fish this adds up to 2 to 3 gallons of tank space.

Live Plants For Betta Fish

Live plants add oxygen to the water and reduce ammonia and nitrate in the water. This is very beneficial for the tank and your live betta fish. Java fern (Microsorum pteropus), java moss (Vesicularia dubyana), amazon sword (Echinodorus amazonicus), anacharis/water weed (Elodea), moss ball (Aegagropila linnaei/Chladophora aegagropila), Anubias (Anubias barteri), and hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) are great aquatic plants that are safe for live betta fish. All of these live tank plants are also extremely low maintenance making them a great option for beginners.

Can Male and Female Betta Fish Live Together?

If you don’t mind the potential for breeding and baby bettas (fry), a male and female betta fish can live together. You will need to have a spare betta tank or a divided tank for introduction, in case the pairing is not successful, and for if/when they breed. It is best if the female betta is slightly smaller than the male. 

How to Care for Live Betta Fish

Betta fish can live in small containers, but this is not the ideal option for your pet fish. A starter tank for your betta fish should be at least 2 gallons, and preferably closer to 5 gallons. Exotic betta fish are tropical fish and therefore thrive in water that is between 76 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. A small tank heater can be used to maintain the appropriate water temperature. Use a water conditioner to dechlorinate the water anytime you add water to your betta’s tank. And, yes, tap water is completely fine to use, just be sure to treat it with a water conditioner. Betta fish should be provided at least one place for them to hide or rest. Silk and live plants and smooth decorations are great options.  Be sure these tank features will be gentle on delicate fins and tails. 

What do Live Betta Fish Eat?

Betta fish are mainly carnivorous so they eat a high protein diet. They eat brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, daphnia, bloodworms, and even very small fish in the wild. The most accessible food source for betta fish is pellets. Betta fish pellets should be good quality and high in protein. A protein source should be the first ingredient on the label. Feed once or twice per day and up to 5 or 6 pellets total. (Always check the recommendations of the food you choose as this can vary with the food and pellet size.) Freeze dried bloodworms, brine, and daphnia shrimp are good treats for your live betta fish. Live foods are also great choices, but carry a higher risk of disease or parasites.

Where to Buy Live Betta Fish?

Buy live betta fish for sale at JV Betta. Our online betta fish store is family owned and operated right here in the United States. We carry exotic types of betta fish including our best selling galaxy koi betta fish. We have live male betta fish for sale and live female betta fish for sale. Our high quality halfmoon plakat galaxy koi bettas for sale are available now to ship to your home. We ship nationwide with priority shipping. Worldwide shipping is also available! 

Does my Betta Fish Have Ick?

If your live betta fish has small white spots covering its body it likely has Ick. Your fish may also scratch against objects in the tank. Ick or Ich is also known as white spot disease and it is caused by a pesky parasitic protozoan (Ichtyophthirius multifiliis). If it is possible, raise the temperature of your fish’s water to 85 degrees. Ich does not like tropical water temperatures, but fortunately your betta fish does. Remove carbon from the filter while using medication to treat white spot disease. Follow the directions on the bottle of the ick treatment you pick. If you do not see results with this treatment,you can try treating the tank with salt. Never add salt directly to the tank. Mix a brine solution by dissolving 2 to 3 teaspoons of salt (per tank gallon) with warm water. Slowly add the mixture to your betta fish tank over a few hours to allow your fish to acclimate to the salinity. Ich is an annoying issue and it may return. In this case you may need to repeat treatment.

For additional options, be sure to browse our Male Betta Fish and Female Betta Fish collections.