Before You Buy Your First Betta...

I think every betta fish owner has a similar story: they went to the pet store to buy a betta because of their long, flowing fins and were told they only needed a bowl and some conditioner to keep their fish happy. Sound familiar? That's because bettas have been notoriously marketed as fish that are easy to care for and require little space or attention. Based on this marketing, most betta aquarium tanks and bowls you see are between 0.5-1 gallon. Some of the aquariums will have a filter but others won't.

Let me tell you right now, if you want to keep your new betta from dying a slow death, you cannot put them in anything smaller than a 2.5 gallon tank with a filter and a heater. While betta fish can survive for a time with a small bowl and water changes every few days, they will likely not last much longer than a few months if you're lucky.

Unfortunately, this means that there isn't a pet out there that is a cheap investment. I was one of the individuals who first bought a 1 gallon tank, but I did have all the essential items due to the sales associate knowing what she was talking about when it came to bettas. While the fish was only $10 CAD, the rest of the equipment came out to be $100 CAD.

If this sounds like something you cannot afford, please do not consider purchasing a betta. They may just be a fish to you right now, but it is not fun to watch your new friend slowly wither and die from easily preventable diseases.

To give your betta a happy and fulfilling life, you will need the following:

• An aquarium tank that is at least 2.5 gallons

• A slow-flowing filter (if the aquarium didn't come with one)

• A heater to keep temperature in the range of 76-82 degrees Farhenheit

• An aquarium light (if the aquarium didn't come with one)

• A thermometer (if the heater doesn't have one)

• A water conditioner that removes chlorine from the water

• An aquarium substrate (like sand or gravel)

• A gravel vacuum (a siphon to suck up their waste and leftover food)

• A net (in case you need to move them from one tank to another)

• Food (duh)

• Aquarium decorations

  • It is important that a betta has decorations they can hide in. They also love sitting among fake or real plants (just make sure none of the decorations are sharp)
    

I will be discussing these requirements as well as my recommendations for the best products in another post.

If this list scares you, try not to worry. Many pet stores have aquarium kits that come with most of the things you need for a discounted price. When I upgraded to a 10 gallon (more on this later), I was able to get it as a kit for only $60 CAD that included most of the products listed above (on sale). Further, quite a few of the items on this list are available in cheaper options that will still work great for your betta.

Now that you are prepared, stay tuned for my guide on how to set up your first aquarium!