The Betta Fish or Siamese Fighting Fish hails from the Mekong basin and has featured in fish tanks and bowls for centuries despite its reputation for aggression. Today there is a wide range of colours and tail and fin shapes to delight the aquarist, and these fish are also bred very successfully in captivity, including by hobbyists.
This book will introduce you to these fish by looking at the different types, discussing their appearance and biology, typical Betta Fish behaviour, their feeding requirements, and what makes these elegant fish both fascinating and unique.
It will also tell you what you need to know in order to decide whether or not this is the pet for you and, if it is, where to buy one, how to select your Betta Fish, what you need to buy before you bring it home, and how to take proper care of it.
The hobbyist must know what these fish need with regards to their environment. All the necessary equipment and water and other parameters are examined as the quality of the water and the general environment has a crucial bearing on the health and happiness of Betta or Siamese fighting fish.
Like all fish, the Betta is unfortunately susceptible to a number of different types of bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections and infestations. Anyone who is serious about having a fish and a tank needs to know what to look for and how to deal with common fish ailments.
This book also contains helpful information on their mating behaviour, spawning and on caring for the hatchlings or fry for those who are interested in breeding Bettas.
Other areas of discussion are how to prevent fights between fish and which other species are compatible so you don’t have to deal with aggression and the injuries and stress which inevitably follow fights or bullying.
Covered in this book:
— The basics
— Choosing the right fish
— Social behaviour
— Buying
— Equipment needed
— Setting up the aquarium
— Water & other parameters
— Daily care
— Feeding
— Health
— Breeding
— Prices and costs
….. and much more
