Q&A for How to Care for a Crowntail Betta Fish

You'll know your betta fish is healthy if its eyes are clear, its fins aren't tethered, and it's actively eating.

If you feed your fish in the same location every day, your fish will bond with you and become more friendly. Never tap on the glass since the noise is amplified in the water and it will stress out your fish.

It's possible that your bettas are trying to hide or build a comfortable sleeping place in the substrate. If you don't already have plants and other hiding places in your tank, try adding some. If the problem continues, try removing the sand or gravel--bettas can thrive in a tank with a bare bottom. Check to make sure there isn't too much light shining into your tank, since this can bother bettas and encourage hiding behaviors.

No, not at all. This is called a bubble nest, and it is perfectly healthy.

Yes. A betta fish can have a marble gene that allows it to change colors over periods of time.

That's fine, it will not hurt the fish. However, if you don't have much natural light coming into the room through a window, it's a good idea to have an aquarium light on during the day so your fish can experience a normal day/night cycle.

No, they are freshwater fish. But you have to put conditioner in the water before you put the betta in or it will get sick.

Get him out of the bowl, which is stressful and cramped, and into at least a 5 gallon tank, which can hold decor, a filter, a lamp, and plenty of oxygen. Don't tap his glass, and make sure he sees your face while he eats, so he will bond with you. Don't overfeed him, though, and make sure your fish is out of the way of very bright lights, a lot of noise, or other fish that might fight him.

Around 2 to 4 pellets per feeding time, two times a day. Overfeeding brings on sluggishness. Don't feed them for one day every two weeks, to avoid constipation issues.

He might not eat his food, because he might not like the type of food you are feeding him. You could also be feeding him too much food. If he is not eating on a regular basis, he might be sick.

If he eats it, he likes it! You can offer him some other type of food to see if he eats more ravenously, if you want. Don't overfeed him, though -- only feed twice a day, just a few items per meal.

If your Betta swims a lot, and it rests at a specific place, then it has settled in

When sick, Betta fish may stop eating and move around less. They may also develop a whitish film.

Let it get used to its environment and get more comfortable. Feed it yummy foods like blood worms to coax it out from hiding.

Yes, it is. Your betta was getting used to his new environment and probably recovering from shock.

Betta fish won't get much bigger than about two inches, so depending on how big your fish is now, they may or may not get bigger.

If your betta is motionless, it is likely asleep. You can tell that it's asleep and not dead because the gills will be moving.

Your bettas are probably just stressed out from being carried around and transplanted into a new environment.

Betta fish grow up to 3 inches long. Male betta fish grow slightly larger than females, but they still stay within this 3-inch limit.

Play with it. Use things around your house that won't rub off and contaminate your tank. You could create a hoop using a pipe cleaner for it to go through. This is tricky, though, and it may need to earn your trust, before it thinks it is safe to try it out. You could also get it to follow your finger. Just make sure not to tap the tank.

A betta will need at least 2.5 gallons of water.

DO NOT use soap or any other cleaners when cleaning the tank. Doing so will kill beneficial micro-organisms that build up over time. Simply remove the gravel and decorations, and rinse and scrub them with luke warm water to remove any gunk/ poop / old food etc. Also, wipe down the glass.

The average lifespan would be around 3 - 4 years with proper care: a minimum of 2.5 gallon tank, a heater, decor, regular cleanings, a filter and the proper food can all ensure a long lifespan for your betta.

I recommend never buying fish or any other pets at Walmart as they do not care for their animals very well. If you already have, then use fresh, new water, as the water at Walmart could be contaminated and full of diseases.

Betta fish need some sort of decor or a place to hide when they fell stressed out. Bettas are very aggressive towards other fish, even other betta fish, however bettas don't tend to mind bottom feeders (otocinclus).

Limit the time that the light is on; for example, you could use a cycle of two hours on, one hour off. You could also consider elevating the hood above the water level or using a lower wattage of light.

Get a divider with small holes. Light will flow in, and you will see their colors! This also works to keep them apart.

A red spot could indicate sickness due to polluted/dirty water. If he had the spot when you got him, the fish may have been kept in unclean water before. However, if he has developed the spot recently, his current water environment might be polluted. Try to clean the aquarium water more often.

Check out wikiHow to Determine the Sex of a Betta Fish for some helpful advice.

You can put any other fish except for another betta; they can hurt each other and don't live well together.