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The Beautiful Betta Fish
A Fascinating, Interactive and Affordable Pet By Anne Culbreath Watkins
Bettas do well in small containers, and though you often see them for sale in tiny cups, these cups shouldn't be used as the betta's permanent home. A nice, large goldfish bowl works well and one that holds at least a gallon of water would be more than adequate for a single betta.
Keep the bowl in an area of the home where the temperature is stable. A range of around 70 degrees to 75 degrees is fine, and as long as the room doesn't get too cold, a heater in the bowl won't be necessary. Just be careful not to place the bowl where the sun will shine directly on it, and don't set it too close to heating or cooling vents.
Housekeeping
Keep an eye on the water. When it starts to look a little cloudy, it's time to do a water change. Help your grandchild carefully dip the fish out and set it aside in a cup of bowl water. Dump the old water and lightly rinse the gravel and accessories, and then refill the bowl with water that is about the same temperature as the discarded water. It's a good idea to use water that has aged for a few hours or to which you have added a couple of drops of chlorine neutralizer. When your grandchild has finished cleaning and refilling the bowl, gently release the betta back into its home.
You can also change about a quarter of the water twice a week, if you wish. Top the bowl off with fresh water, or use bottled drinking water. If you choose this method, show your grandchild how to use a small fish net to dip any debris out of the bottom of the bowl.
There may sometimes be a lot of bubbles clustered at the top of the bowl, but these are nothing to worry about. The betta is just building bubble nests. An interesting note: Bettas are labrynth fish, which means they are able to breathe air!
