Getting A New Beta Fish – 3 Tips For Bringing It Home
We made a lot of mistakes when we got our first beta fish, Boo. We just went to the pet store, picked out a fish, asked the personnel a few questions and bought a bowl and the other stuff they told us we’d need. Boo got sick and died a few weeks later mostly because we didn’t have a clue. We just jumped in head first and took advice from people that were hardly experts. When my boys wanted another one, I thought, Oh No! Well, we made the same mistake, got another beta fish, Sparkey, without learning anything new. When Sparkey started getting sick, I finally got smart and found a book about caring for beta fish with the right information.
Since hindsight is 20-20, I will share with you the 3 things I should have done…
1 – I should have got a book by someone who really knew about beta fish care. It turned out that they are not that expensive, and would have saved me money in the long run by not buying the wrong stuff.
2 – Then using my new knowledge, I should have made a plan to buy and set up the proper beta home and get all the supplies needed. Then come home and set it all up. I should have had everything ready first before we ever brought home the fish.
3 – Then, and only then, I should have taken Charlie and Jake to pick out a healthy beta to bring home. If I had been knowledgeable I would have known what to look for to get a healthy fish.
Here is a quick list of things to consider when picking out a new beta fish…
- Things you DON”T want to see: looks dull, fins have holes or tears, eyes appear cloudy, the scales have blemishes, the fish is lying near the bottom or on its side.
- Things you DO want to see: color brightness and clarity, dark clear eyes, and smooth looking scales. The fish should be lively with quick darting movements.
A happy beta will have bubbles on the water surface. If there are no bubbles at the store, this is okay because who would be happy in a little plain container anyway. Your job is to give your new little friend the care and attention and in no time you will be seeing plenty of happy bubbles.
