Betta fish are one of the most popular types of pet fish in our culture today, second only perhaps to the goldfish. Between you and me though, I'd much rather have one of these guys than a goldfish. In this article I've given you some beginner tips on taking care of Betta fish and pointed you towards some helpful resources!

Basic Info: Betta fish originated in or around Siam, which is how they were titled the "Siamese fighting fish." Of course, if you look on a map today you'll find no mention of Siam, as it is present day Thailand. Betta fish now live naively in other countries in Eastern Asia as well. They generally occupy ponds, rice paddies, and slow moving streams.

Diet: In the wild, Betta feed on small insects that either stray too close to, or live on/in the water. What this means is that they are primarily carnivores. A well balanced diet should be fed to Bettas, there are many live foods along with nutrient enriched diets like flakes and pellets. I choose to feed my fish pellets and catch him a small ant to eat every once and a while! Bettas are food dependent and will develop a relationship with you around this, my betta eats food off of my finger and gets very excited when I walk in the room.

Housing and Climate: Bettas should be housed alone as more than one will often result in conflict. They should be kept in a decent size tank, mine absolutely loves his 10 gallon tank and I wouldn't recommend anything less than 5. Temperature should be kept constant at a temperature between 76 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember, bettas are use to the tropics, just try and re-create home!