*** Be sure to scroll to the end to see the video that accompanies this post ***Most parents will be asked at some point by their child if they can have a pet.
My 9-year-old Noah wanted a dog, but I’d already had a dog for 11 years and have been holding the line on getting another one for a long time. They are like having another child, and require a lot of time, money and energy—all of which are in very limited supply at this point in my kids’ lives (my older son Ethan is 11).
Still, a boy’s first pet is a nice way to teach them responsibility, and provides a nice companion and something else to care for from a young age.
So we settled on getting him a fish. Specifically, a betta fish from PETCO.
Our new betta fish, Bruce, named after the mechanical shark in JAWS. Although he is way more shy.
The first one we got from PETCO was a baby. Noah named her Taco. We asked Noah to feed the fish twice a day—breakfast and dinner—but I would be the fish’s caretaker. Which entailed getting supplies and cleaning the tank once a week, which I will tell you now takes about 20 minutes of my weekend.
Anyway, Taco lasted about four months before she just gave up and died. And that was after I’d done a lot of research on how to properly care for these little fish. So we went out and got our next one, which Noah would name Taco again (Taco 2 for the sake of this post).
This time, I was even more determined to be the best fish dad I could be. I read countless articles and watched a lot of videos on YouTube. I became pals with the fish people at PETCO, asking them questions like what decorations might be the best choice, how much to feed them, and what temperature to keep the water. I like to joke that all the learnings amounted to a PhD in marine biology.
I wrote this post to save fellow parents out there a lot of time, and give you a quick-start guide to taking care of your child’s betta fish.
Here’s what you’ll need:
A tank like this. 5 gallons is ideal for a single betta. I like Aqueon’s products and their website, literature and customer service are excellent.
Fish food (I prefer flakes because the pellets were too large for both Tacos). They only need to be fed once a day, but twice is OK, too. Only give them a small pinch, otherwise it will foul the tank. Don’t overfeed as they will keep eating if they can.
A vacuum hose to clean the bottom of the tank. You will also need a bucket to catch the water. Clean the tank once a week, emptying about 10-25%. Bettas need healthy bacteria and algae, so it’s OK if you see a little of that over the week. And they need that “treated” water. Replacing all water is not good for the fish. If you skip a week, that’s OK, but it’s best for the fish to get into a routine. Water quality is everything, which is why you also need…
Test strips to test the water’s pH, and more importantly, ammonia and nitrate levels (i.e. toxins from poop and such). The only thing you really need to worry about are the ammonia and nitrate levels. Water hardness and pH are harder to control, and the betta gets used to the other factors like water hardness.
A toothbrush, rag and larger brush to clean (harmless) brown algae, which you can simply brush off.
A few plants and decorations for the tank. I like plastic since they are less high maintenance than real plants and are very durable in the long run. Bettas need places to relax and hide to get rest, like they have in the shallow puddles they live in in the wild. You will also need a few inches of gravel at the bottom. I tried driftwood once to help with pH but it turned the water an unsightly brown and isn’t really necessary for good water health.
Water treatment to make water safer before you refill the tank. Just put a few drops in before transferring the new 20% of water to the tank. It works instantly, you don’t have to stir it or wait.
A tank heater that keeps the water around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 50 watts is good for a 5-gallon tank.
Filter replacement cartridges. Replace these once a month.
Vacation feeders on hand for when you need them. Bettas can go a day or two without food.
A small container like this to remove the fish when cleaning, and with a lid as they can jump out.
That’s it. Once you get this all set up and get into your weekly cleaning routine, your fish will live a good life, even if you can’t control its lifespan. Here’s Aqueon’s downloadable guide for more info in their typical clear, informative, and digestible way.
Some other things to know about bettas:
They are content and should live alone. Otherwise they get aggressive with each other and other fish.
They have personalities like any other animal. Taco 2 responded to our voices and got visibly excited when talked to, or when we entered the room. She was very charming that way. Talk to them to keep them happy.
Sadly, Taco 2 died today after 1.5 years due to unknown causes. But that’s pretty good for my our second fish.
Feel free to ask any clarifying questions in the comments. Watch the video below if you would like to see me talk through my gear and care routine.
I hope you enjoyed this article and give your new betta a loving and well maintained home.