I agree with a comment below - I love your water test videos. Your one on GH and KH finally allowed me to keep livebearers in my super soft water by investing in the test kits and titrating Equilibrium Interested in test method comparisons; for instance, for pH I get 6.8 on my Tetra test strip, 7.8 on the low pH API liquid, and 8.2 on the high pH API - so frustrating! 😩
I have a question: I’ve had my Betta for awhile now, almost a year. But my Betta hasn’t made any Bubble nests in my tank. Is this normal or should I be concerned? When I got him on the store, he had a bubble nest on his cup and now he doesn’t make it. My tank also doesn’t have a high flow of water on the surface to destroy the bubble nest and I have some artificial floating plants (because floating plants is very very rare in my small town to find). Another question I have is, is having a combination of real plants and artificial plants safe for our Betta?
Ah, thank you so much! I usually re-record the whole section if I "flub up" but it takes more time and is kind of a draining process. Maybe I'll leave more flubs in and stop worrying about it so much. 😅
I’d leave them in. You’ve got so much happening in your life and these are really great! Everybody flubs and the more natural you are the more real you are the more sincere you are - well that’s all that really matters! Your info is great and you are great! I always anticipate your next video!!! Really! So allow the flubs to be!!!
I can't believe I've watched this channel to prepare for a betta, all through the time when I had my betta and... after the little guy's death :(. What a journey
I love bettas because they definitely have personality. I've had some that don't bother to look my way and others who follow me around the room. I use to have one who loved to play with a ball of tinfoil for a few minutes. I also had one that loved to follow my finger or get mad at my camera. Some didn't care for mirrors much and others I think were FAR to stressful for the better in the short amount of time I gave it to them so its trial and error with each one and what your likes to do! I think thats the fun part. Some things work better with one beta then another and it's fun to see how they interact with that. It's fun!
My first betta used to follow me around in his tank hoping for food, I didn’t realize until I stopped and went back and forth he really did follow me around :]
I highly recommend a plakat betta! But IMHO they need to be fed more because they're more active. I still do a complete fin exam every day! If you get a koi betta, prepare for a major color change.
When I first got my female koi betta I thought koi meant spotted. she went from being almost completly white with a red head to a beautiful blue green with a red head
bro i got a galaxy koi plakat that mf eat 6 pellets in the morning PLUS shredded bloodworms an in the evening same thing !!! for the past 3-4 weeks !! till i just saw now its only 4-6 pellets once a day so now hes on a diet hes expecting in the evening but doesnt get i feel bad an give em 1 pellet lol
Yes! My delta tail koi plakat is already a little water dragon! Eats and digests his food very fast. Eats primarily brine shrimp and soaked aqueoun medicated pellets but I supp him on bloodworms on power feed days when the fish are especially food active
I gave up on my fishtanks a few years ago due to a string of newbie & frugality-related failures. I just wanted to say that your channel & presence has been really encouraging now that I am trying to start from square 1 again -- it's especially helpful to see you actually working through the problems that come with these tanks & explaining everything in plain english.
2:09 You wanna definitely avoid Hygrophila balsamica, its similar to water wisteria but finer and more pinnate. I read some studies and also experiences that it is toxic when planted emersed abruptly but will be non-toxic if you successfully grow it submerged. Love your planted tanks and the awareness you share.
My poor half moon will go through through good weeks where his fins are perfect, then all of a sudden a fear tears develop, then they heal and we go through the cycle again, I’ve just gotten used to him.
That's the sad part about the poor "designer" Bettas (Half Moon, Dumbo, etc). Their poor fins are so heavy that some actually drown. My sister's did. They're like Pugs & other dogs w/ smushed noses. So sad.
@@vblackwell3347 so sorry to hear that. Yeah I read somewhere that Ppl say for them it’s like swimming in a ballroom gown, which makes sense. Always good to have wide leaf plants or “betta hammocks” so they can take lots of breaks between swims. It’s kinda cute that they lounge around.
I definitely am in favor of plakats at this point. Just never had luck getting fin rot to go away for an extended period of time with the longer finned one we had before.
In regards to the plants, I think its important to be careful with anything your betta might get caught on or tangled in. Even if they escape them, they could damage a fin in the scuffle
This video is a MILLION times better. Thank you for the natural video. I don’t ever watch the overly edited ones because I find them annoying. So this is a breath of fresh air. Your natural self is amazing.
I keep my blue plakat female in a 15 gal planted aqua scape with some shrimp and endlers guppys. My males are in the same tank, in my 180 gallon. They always chill, eat and sleep together.
Hey Irene. You mentioned that broad leaved plants act as a natural betta hammock. I used an idiom almond leaf to make a natural betta hammock. I put it over the temperature adjuster on my heater and so far every night my betta has been sleeping in it
Got a 10g for my betta and I’m so excited to set it up! I’ve had a 75g tank for like 8 years now and this will be my first betta… trying to figure out the setup and all the plants I want to put in
I wanted a plakat betta, but their very short lifespan is what’s keeping me from getting one (I get super attached to my pets and get _very_ sad when they die.) So I’m now thinking about getting a honey gourami, since they live longer. Irene did a wonderful video about them, and they seem like such lovely, friendly fellows :)
@@EddVCR Huh, really? From what I've heard it's 5 for both, but I could be wrong. 4 years is still a lot, and bettas have more personality than bettas, so I'd still recommend getting one. Especially a rescue if you're an experienced fishkeeper. You'll get to save the life of a Betta and give it happiness until it dies.
@@kirin1230 Irene mentions it here too: 11:11 Unfortunately they don’t live very long. If you get a betta from a big name chain pet store, they tend to be past their breeding prime, since the betta suppliers hold them back until their fins are fully grown out (most appealing to customers,) making them on average 8 months to 1 year old at the time of purchase, leaving you about 2 years with your pet fish. While I agree that fish rescue is a noble cause, betta that’s being adopted out most likely have stayed with the previous owner for at least a year on top of that, so you’re going to have the fish for about 1 year or shorter. Irene goes into further details in this video at 0:45. ua-cam.com/video/FKMzOuIPVoI/v-deo.html But if rescuing bettas is your calling and you don’t mind bringing home a possibility sick fish, I’d say totally go for it. Me personally, I’m a beginner so I’d rather start with a healthy fish and build my fish keeping skills from there.
The best thing perhaps would be to make the best home ever. A beta paradise. So that everytime one of your bettas pass, you can invite a new one to live in paradise instead of the small containers or maybe worse homes they’d be contained in. In the wild, I can’t imagine how they get along.
Personally, the worst thing about having a betta is how much I spend money on him. Which when I think about it really isnt bad, I'm spending money on good decorations for him that he can hide in, plants for his tank, "toys" he can play with during the day, and I'm finding myself in the habit of buying multiple kinds of food. Its everything he needs, and just because I'm spending a lot doesnt mean that you have to. But this has just been my experience. The best thing though, is when he sees me he swims up to me instantly. And he'll fall asleep almost instantly after he known I'm there. Hes honestly like a little puppy, I'm so lucky to have him
I've had the issue of overfeeding with both Bettas and African Dwarf Frogs. I've learn since to feed my Betta every other day, 2 to 3 micro pellets max and I don't feed any of my fish on Sundays. My ADFs are only fed 3x a week. So far it's working out fine.
Hi Irene! I just wanted to say I love your videos. I’ve been a fan of both yours and Aquarium Co-Op’s channels for quite some time now, and when I found out you had joined their team I was so happy! Your informative and straight-to-the-point videos have helped me so much in the fish keeping hobby since I started a couple of years ago. You provide solid advice and tips that gave me the last push I needed to start my first planted tank last year. I also recently started a channel where I post short, light-hearted videos of the little creatures in my aquariums. So, thank you for everything you’ve done to help experienced and rookie fish keepers alike!
Bettas are like the pugs of the fish world. So cute but so many health issues that we maybe shouldn’t support breeders by purchasing them. I can’t imagine not having one though :/
There are ethical breeders out there. But it can be a crap shoot trying to find them. I think too many people view fish like they do cats: Throw away pets. People put more value on dogs, but try finding an ethical breeder of dogs, it's not easy!
My Betta is a plakat. He likes to snuggle up with the prefilter sponge I have on the Spec V pump output nozzle.I have Water Wisteria, Anubias Barteri, and Java Fern in his aquarium. He loves to swim through the leaves of the Wisteria plants and build his bubble nest among them when they reach the surface of the water. I keep the light intensity dimmed with craft mesh and electrical tape so he seems much happier when the lights are on. That helps to keep the algae down and slows the growth of the wisteria, which has to be pruned frequently because it is a fast grower. He does really well in his private little kingdom.
That was very helpful Irene. Thank you! I know my betta eats too much because he is in a community tank with slower eaters. So he pigs out on their food.😬
It is normal to "flub"and as you do more you should "flub" less... Anyway I think you did great! Regarding Betta activities, I total agree on tank mate... I had one who get sick as he was alone in a tank and died. And my current Betta which did alone less, 2 -3 weeks of quarantine and he is in my community tank and he did well. My community tank fish also more active.
You made a good point with the non aquatic plants being tougher physically?! I am preparing to grow a creeping Jenny in a h.o.b. with lava rocks on the bottom. I have 4 female Betta fish in the aquarium. I will keep you posted on the effects,if any, of keeping the creeping Jenny.
Wait is this true? What would be considered firm vs soft. I've only seen soft before, but it was infested with snails and died before I could treat it. I wanted to order some online, but I'm not sure if I request softer pieces if that would mean I could get any. I'm growing plants in a betta tank to replenish my turtle tank plants.
@@midnightbel You can test them by taking a piece of thin fabric like pantyhose and stretching it over the needles of the plant. If the needles snag or rip the pantyhose then it is not a safe piece to put in a betta tank
I set up a dwarf frog tank and put some lucky bamboo in it. I set the tank up about a month ago and I’m having severe melt problems with the bamboo and I really don’t know what the issue is. The tank was set up with the following: a gravel bottom layer, root tabs on top of the gravel, capped off with black sand. Bamboo was planted right into the sand, with the roots in contact with that root tab layer. Some tank ornaments are included as well. The tank is 3gal and has a 50W heater to keep the tank around 75 deg F, and a small hang on back filter. I do 25-50% water changes weekly. The bamboo looked fine for the first two weeks or so, but started to show signs of melt soon after. After leaving the tank for the weekend, the bamboo is severely melting now. I know bamboo can be planted either partially or fully submerged. Some of the stalks and leaves are fully submerged, some have the leaves partially poking out of the water. Both are melting, so it could be a chemical imbalance - my water here in Pennsylvania is quite hard so maybe that’s a factor. The one thing my tank is missing is an overhead light. I put the tank by an east facing window figuring it was getting enough natural light, but I’ve never heard of lack of sufficient light causing melt. I’m probably gonna have to toss this set of bamboo because I don’t think it can be salvaged. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Great info, I love your videos! I just got a driftwood bonsai tree I was going to put with my betta and attach either moss or anubius nana petite but looking at it, it has a ton of tiny branches and I'm wondering if I should skip it as I have a long tailed half moon? Either save it should I get a shorter finned betta or put it in a non betta tank
I’ve been so lucky, petco doesn’t sell lids for aquariums so my tank has been topless and personally love it like that and he hasn’t jumped out 👏🏼 think he loves his home too much to even think about leaving (I hope, he’s spoiled🤩)
My betta ate the roots of the live plant I added and got very sick and bloated. I removed and replaced with silk plants. Mine was a nipper at roots so I can’t have plants sadly. I almost lost her and it was so scary.
I am so excited by your videos, and I've used them to find information in setting up my first tank. I really appreciate that you always give options and alternatives for tips and equipment
Hi I just subbed after watching a few of your Betta videos. I'm setting up a 14 gallon and definitely going for a plakat Betta, this was really helpful thank you!
Hi Irene :-) I love your videos (both here and on the AquariumCoop channel). Your channel are one of only two where I have the notification bell activated :-) Keep up the good work.
I also like clear water, but I use the tannins because I am trying to keep my fish alive and happy rather than just have a pretty tank I guess. Trying for both but if bettas like tannin heavy darker water, thats what I'll go with.
Thank you for always sharing about betta fish 🙏 they are absolutely my favorite and I have an imported pair of candy kois coming in right now 😍 another wonderful video and information Irene. I hope you and your family are having a wonderful day! 🙏🌿🐟🌿
I love the way you talk, unlike other female fishkeeper/vlogger. Very informative. Yet, very Asian, straight to the topic! Subscribed. Hope to see more videos.
Your videos are really helpful! Can you do an in depth video on how to ensure your betta has a long happy life? I’ve not really had too much success with keeping them...
This video said that lucky bamboo is a bad idea, and the points listed were valid, but my lucky bamboo tank is doing great!! Just in case anyone wanted lucky bamboo but felt deterred, lol. I have nine stalks of lucky bamboo in my tank, and my betta *loves* swimming around them. He also sleeps in the branches! I don't have a lid and my water level is high, but he's never tried to jump out. As long as your water conditions are good, in theory your betta shouldn't try to jump out. Although I have heard that some bettas are just really feisty, or if you have two tanks next to each other they might try to jump to the other one. It depends on the fish! My dude isn't a jumper.
Automatic captions are enabled but according to UA-cam, sometimes "the captions aren't available yet due to processing complex audio in the video." If you wait a few days, they should show up eventually. 👍 support.google.com/youtube/answer/6373554#zippy=%2Cautomatic-captions-on-videos-on-demand
Your videos are so great and so helpful!!! Thank you for making them, they're pure pleasure to watch :) I've been thinking about adding a betta to my tank and you helped me understand them a little better
6:00 this reminds me of my Betta galactic he's a dumbo Betta and he loves to sleep on the roots of my bamboo plant that's his favorite resting spot in the hole aquarium.🎍
My betta tanks have hygrophila corymbosa and echinodorus cordifulim. They're easy plants, they grow fast and have wide big leaves. I'm lucky enough to not experience any illness with my current betta fishes. Probably, the hot weather here in my country really helps.
These type of fish it's quite easy for them just to tear like if you're going to get a beta your best off getting like a short fin female placate something that's not too like easy to tear even crowntails are fine. I have never had a veil tell their friend and those are beautiful fish as well
I have some lucky bamboo I’ve been growing in my betta tank. It has gotten massive/ I used to have it in a little suctioned glass planter in my tank but it’s gotten big enough to stand fully out of the water from the substrate now :)
Your betta carrying around the algae wafer like a frisbee 🥺😍. I love bettas they have such fun personalities and are like little fish puppies. I just got a new betta this week from the LFS and he’s a maniac, I’ve never had a busier fish in my life. His poor snail tank mate literally buries himself in the substrate until the fish goes to sleep. Any advice for the snail? I hate to see him stressed all day because the betta is terrorizing the poor guy
I realize you're probably trying to beat the jerks to the punch with the flub count, but I wouldn't have thought twice about any of them without the count 😆 good video. Think I might go get another betta now...
What’s the best way to set up a betta tank? Is natural decor (like wood or rocks) better than the decor you can get at petco and petsmart? Also do you think lava rock would make a good substrate? Thank you.
You know I wish I didn't have to use the leaves that you mentioned but the water in Taiwan is acidicit's the only thing I can use to neutralize it. came across this accidentally when a lady who raises betas is Taiwanese and told me that the best way I could keep betas is to have filtered water because it's suitable for tropical fish I couldn't look a large container of six flights of stairs so I wonder what would happen if I put in three good size pieces of that dried leaves and you know I haven't had to do any water changes at all this week I mean before I was doing so many because the water was so acidic and I was trying to balance out you know with dechlorinator but now I actually don't even have to use any decorator I prepare the clean water and let it sit for 2 days with a few pieces of dried guava leaves or cassava leaves and then when I'm ready to do a water change I do like a 40% water change trying to you know get rid of all the crud at the bottom of the gravel and then I just put in the water and it's completely fine it's not acidic and it's normal He basically have natural tannins and all my tanks which consist of three my landlord said I can only have three pets which means I got to get rid of a tank guppies I'm not sure what to do with them maybe I can ask a friend if she'd like them. My tank's been established for quite a long time and it's quite easy to maintain I just hope I can find someone who's willing to enjoy them as much as I do. I have two female bettas and my dog will be coming back in 6 months when my arm recovers from being broken after about a year I should be able to have him come back home but only three pets so it'll be like two female bettas and my dog my cat will continue to stay with my roommate we've had her since she was a kitten and she's doing well there so I think it's okay because she has lots of room to run around. I taught my godson how to be gentle with her and so she likes him. They get along pretty well and she has plenty of places to like hide and sleep and she's not lonely because she has that but also my dog is nervous around cats. I don't I love my cat I wish she could adjust to having a dog in the house he's never been around cats before and he just doesn't know how to he doesn't know how to connect with her as a dog. He doesn't know that if he's quiet and lies on the floor but she'll come over by him. But she's better off with my roommate we bought her as a kid and we both done her for 11 years so I think she'll do just fine plus I see her everyday so it's okay if she has like a new kitty box and a scratching post and lots of good places to sleep and she can run around and do zoomies I just hope my landlord won't understand that I don't want to get rid of my three tanks. I don't keep the filters running 24/7 but the water is quite clean because I do regular water changes two times a week and they're pretty large tanks I mean they go from 4 to 7 gallons but I think it's not really a problem but it's just so I don't know paranoid he thinks the building is going to burn down but he doesn't understand but they don't run everything all at once Forgive me he just feel sad and disappointed I don't really know who to talk to so I just post comments here. I really do wish I had my own fish room. Let me see it what I'd like to do is buy all the bettas that big chain stores purchase and then they keep in drinking cups and I want to actually have my own like online being a shop through that so people can contact me they pick out a beta with the pictures and then they can you know take them home of course I'll teach them how to create a very simple easy escaped tank that doesn't take much time and effort. I found some good fertilizer capsules and I think if I can teach people how to use a little bit of aquarium soil and then they put in the fertilizer capsules and then they you know cap it with gravel I think it'll be just fine and then they can put in their Driftwood and hardscape if they want or they could just put in some Driftwood and put a bunch of and plants. Taiwanese people like it when things are like I don't know it's simple as possible because they don't want to have to spend much time on it
I really like your videos. Thanks for actually linking other videos of yours in the middle…. It makes me go down a rabbit hole, lol. Did you ever use a floating log with your betas? I am considering getting one for mine.
I recently got a beautiful koi plakat betta after only ever having half moons or veil tails, and WOW. They are so much more active and capable of normal behaviours. I feel like this is the first time I’m seeing what a betta is truly like. He jumps for his food, can speed up and stop on a dime, explores a ton more. I feel bad for my half moon now :(
Happy Saturday! I loved this format and all the great info! PS I swear I saw some of your amazing dwarf red platies at Priscilla’s store yesterday... It was SO hard not to come home with all of them!!! SO cute that I came home and tried to convince my son he needed them (he’s the only one with tankspace currently 🤣).
An employee of a local petstore, not chain, told me to not put any buddies in with my betta. I thought there were specific kinds of fish and whatnot that bettas don't mind. Thoughts???
Dumb question. But i see food scrap regrow just put it in water and i cant help but want to add a beta in it. Well that be okay for both? Example regrow butter lettus sold with roots in a betta plant vase?
I just got my first betta last week and I changed his water and put him in a bigger tank last night. The next morning he was just floating (not belly up yet though!) and he’s not using his side swimmy fins hardly at all, only if I startle him. He’s not eating either which is not like him. He’s watching me cook right now though, so I have hope! Any suggestions?
I'm sorry if this was already asked, but I can't find any information on water lilies? Is it safe or toxic to keep a water lily in with my beta tank? I have him in a small one and a half gallon with the filter tank and I'm getting conflicting answers some say it's safe some say that the roots contain poisonous crystals. What do you say? Thank you.
My question is regarding the buce plant I have in my tank; do you think the plant has the ability to damage the bettas fins? My betta likes to sleep in the buce and will force himself into the bushes of it. My concern is that his lower fin is jagged and has a couple tears/wear areas in the bottom that is pretty consistent with rubbing something on them. They are kept at mid and high level in the tank and are planted on a lot of the hardscape. The only thing with any kind of an edge in the tank I can see would be the Bucephalandra 'Kedagang' by my observations and physical inspections. The kedagang variant has a slightly more jagged edge. Got foam on the intake for the filter as well so no suspect there. Do you think the buce being the issue is plausible?
So if you might have any suggestions: I have a pair of betta falx. I put them in a 20 gal from a 10 gal. and so ever since they are sooooo shy and are so hard to feed. They used to be somewhat timid but always would come to feed anything I gave them up at the top of the aquarium, either dried food or holding worms in tweezers. Now, it's WORK feeding them. I have to drop frozen bloodworms and have them drift down to them when they FINALLY will come out to feed. They never come up top aggressively to feed like they used to. I am worried about them but how do you retrain a betta to eat?
*Thanks for all your betta fish questions! What is the next topic you'd like me to do a Q&A on?*
Do you have any video regarding corydoras. If so then can you pls give the link
GOLDIFHS PLS OR BETTA FRY
Feeding and over-feeding? Like your routine for your tanks, consequences of overfeeding, etc?
I agree with a comment below - I love your water test videos. Your one on GH and KH finally allowed me to keep livebearers in my super soft water by investing in the test kits and titrating Equilibrium Interested in test method comparisons; for instance, for pH I get 6.8 on my Tetra test strip, 7.8 on the low pH API liquid, and 8.2 on the high pH API - so frustrating! 😩
I have a question: I’ve had my Betta for awhile now, almost a year. But my Betta hasn’t made any Bubble nests in my tank. Is this normal or should I be concerned? When I got him on the store, he had a bubble nest on his cup and now he doesn’t make it. My tank also doesn’t have a high flow of water on the surface to destroy the bubble nest and I have some artificial floating plants (because floating plants is very very rare in my small town to find).
Another question I have is, is having a combination of real plants and artificial plants safe for our Betta?
I like your natural engagement with us. Your “flubs” are so natural! It’s great to see you as you - no matter what!! Thank you for these!
Ah, thank you so much! I usually re-record the whole section if I "flub up" but it takes more time and is kind of a draining process. Maybe I'll leave more flubs in and stop worrying about it so much. 😅
I’d leave them in. You’ve got so much happening in your life and these are really great! Everybody flubs and the more natural you are the more real you are the more sincere you are - well that’s all that really matters! Your info is great and you are great! I always anticipate your next video!!! Really! So allow the flubs to be!!!
Every time I watch or rewatch Irene, I wish we were neighbors.
Don't be self-conscious of the "flubs"... I wouldn't even have thought twice about them if you hadn't pointed them out.
I can't believe I've watched this channel to prepare for a betta, all through the time when I had my betta and... after the little guy's death :(. What a journey
SIP
Sorry for your loss. I recently lost my betta due to a fungal infection, he fought for his life, I’m glad he is no longer suffering.
It’s ok it’s a learning process
SIP
I love bettas because they definitely have personality. I've had some that don't bother to look my way and others who follow me around the room. I use to have one who loved to play with a ball of tinfoil for a few minutes. I also had one that loved to follow my finger or get mad at my camera. Some didn't care for mirrors much and others I think were FAR to stressful for the better in the short amount of time I gave it to them so its trial and error with each one and what your likes to do! I think thats the fun part. Some things work better with one beta then another and it's fun to see how they interact with that. It's fun!
I swear mine recognizes his name and comes to greet me when I call him.
My first betta used to follow me around in his tank hoping for food, I didn’t realize until I stopped and went back and forth he really did follow me around :]
I highly recommend a plakat betta! But IMHO they need to be fed more because they're more active. I still do a complete fin exam every day! If you get a koi betta, prepare for a major color change.
Yes! Plakats are great and you don’t really need to worry about fin rot
When I first got my female koi betta I thought koi meant spotted. she went from being almost completly white with a red head to a beautiful blue green with a red head
bro i got a galaxy koi plakat that mf eat 6 pellets in the morning PLUS shredded bloodworms an in the evening same thing !!! for the past 3-4 weeks !! till i just saw now its only 4-6 pellets once a day so now hes on a diet hes expecting in the evening but doesnt get i feel bad an give em 1 pellet lol
Yes! My delta tail koi plakat is already a little water dragon! Eats and digests his food very fast. Eats primarily brine shrimp and soaked aqueoun medicated pellets but I supp him on bloodworms on power feed days when the fish are especially food active
I gave up on my fishtanks a few years ago due to a string of newbie & frugality-related failures. I just wanted to say that your channel & presence has been really encouraging now that I am trying to start from square 1 again -- it's especially helpful to see you actually working through the problems that come with these tanks & explaining everything in plain english.
My betta once got wrapped up in hair algae and it pulled his EYE out, I felt horrible afterwards, it was not a good day at all.
Oh my god 😬
Oh no...is he okay? Did he die?
@@HandiworksbyClyne He died a long time ago. After he eventually got weak and couldn't swim but he lived for about 3 years. :(
Oh I’m so sorry.. you must have been a great owner to keep him for 3 years!
I know this is old. But thank you for sharing your story to warn everyone.
2:09 You wanna definitely avoid Hygrophila balsamica, its similar to water wisteria but finer and more pinnate. I read some studies and also experiences that it is toxic when planted emersed abruptly but will be non-toxic if you successfully grow it submerged. Love your planted tanks and the awareness you share.
is it just that species because i use corymbosa and polysperma
You do you. The reason a lot of people watch is precisely such things. Way more connectable that a over polished TV type kind of deal. I like it.
My poor half moon will go through through good weeks where his fins are perfect, then all of a sudden a fear tears develop, then they heal and we go through the cycle again, I’ve just gotten used to him.
*it
That's the sad part about the poor "designer" Bettas (Half Moon, Dumbo, etc). Their poor fins are so heavy that some actually drown. My sister's did. They're like Pugs & other dogs w/ smushed noses. So sad.
@@vblackwell3347 so sorry to hear that. Yeah I read somewhere that Ppl say for them it’s like swimming in a ballroom gown, which makes sense. Always good to have wide leaf plants or “betta hammocks” so they can take lots of breaks between swims. It’s kinda cute that they lounge around.
Yeah it’s really annoying.. I’ve had halfmoons in the past but I have a plakat now
I definitely am in favor of plakats at this point. Just never had luck getting fin rot to go away for an extended period of time with the longer finned one we had before.
I love the inclusion of your “flubs” it felt like we were just having a nice chat :)
Lol, thank you! I'll try not to be as self-conscious about them in the future.
In regards to the plants, I think its important to be careful with anything your betta might get caught on or tangled in. Even if they escape them, they could damage a fin in the scuffle
This video is a MILLION times better. Thank you for the natural video. I don’t ever watch the overly edited ones because I find them annoying. So this is a breath of fresh air. Your natural self is amazing.
I keep my blue plakat female in a 15 gal planted aqua scape with some shrimp and endlers guppys. My males are in the same tank, in my 180 gallon. They always chill, eat and sleep together.
Hey Irene. You mentioned that broad leaved plants act as a natural betta hammock. I used an idiom almond leaf to make a natural betta hammock. I put it over the temperature adjuster on my heater and so far every night my betta has been sleeping in it
Got a 10g for my betta and I’m so excited to set it up! I’ve had a 75g tank for like 8 years now and this will be my first betta… trying to figure out the setup and all the plants I want to put in
Recently got a plakat Betta and everyone in the family loves him already!
My beta fish Aries lived 5 years! I plan to pick out another in the future
You must’ve been a great owner! Aries had a great life
I wanted a plakat betta, but their very short lifespan is what’s keeping me from getting one (I get super attached to my pets and get _very_ sad when they die.) So I’m now thinking about getting a honey gourami, since they live longer. Irene did a wonderful video about them, and they seem like such lovely, friendly fellows :)
But Bettas and honey gouramis both love for up to 5 years?
@@kirin1230 From what I’ve researched, bettas most commonly live 2-4 years, and honey gouramis live 4-8 years.
@@EddVCR Huh, really? From what I've heard it's 5 for both, but I could be wrong. 4 years is still a lot, and bettas have more personality than bettas, so I'd still recommend getting one. Especially a rescue if you're an experienced fishkeeper. You'll get to save the life of a Betta and give it happiness until it dies.
@@kirin1230 Irene mentions it here too: 11:11
Unfortunately they don’t live very long. If you get a betta from a big name chain pet store, they tend to be past their breeding prime, since the betta suppliers hold them back until their fins are fully grown out (most appealing to customers,) making them on average 8 months to 1 year old at the time of purchase, leaving you about 2 years with your pet fish. While I agree that fish rescue is a noble cause, betta that’s being adopted out most likely have stayed with the previous owner for at least a year on top of that, so you’re going to have the fish for about 1 year or shorter.
Irene goes into further details in this video at 0:45.
ua-cam.com/video/FKMzOuIPVoI/v-deo.html
But if rescuing bettas is your calling and you don’t mind bringing home a possibility sick fish, I’d say totally go for it. Me personally, I’m a beginner so I’d rather start with a healthy fish and build my fish keeping skills from there.
The best thing perhaps would be to make the best home ever. A beta paradise. So that everytime one of your bettas pass, you can invite a new one to live in paradise instead of the small containers or maybe worse homes they’d be contained in. In the wild, I can’t imagine how they get along.
Personally, the worst thing about having a betta is how much I spend money on him. Which when I think about it really isnt bad, I'm spending money on good decorations for him that he can hide in, plants for his tank, "toys" he can play with during the day, and I'm finding myself in the habit of buying multiple kinds of food. Its everything he needs, and just because I'm spending a lot doesnt mean that you have to. But this has just been my experience. The best thing though, is when he sees me he swims up to me instantly. And he'll fall asleep almost instantly after he known I'm there. Hes honestly like a little puppy, I'm so lucky to have him
I've had the issue of overfeeding with both Bettas and African Dwarf Frogs. I've learn since to feed my Betta every other day, 2 to 3 micro pellets max and I don't feed any of my fish on Sundays. My ADFs are only fed 3x a week. So far it's working out fine.
hornwart can def rip(pierce) betta fins , had to remove it from my 29 gallon betta tank for that specific reason
Hi Irene! I just wanted to say I love your videos. I’ve been a fan of both yours and Aquarium Co-Op’s channels for quite some time now, and when I found out you had joined their team I was so happy! Your informative and straight-to-the-point videos have helped me so much in the fish keeping hobby since I started a couple of years ago. You provide solid advice and tips that gave me the last push I needed to start my first planted tank last year. I also recently started a channel where I post short, light-hearted videos of the little creatures in my aquariums. So, thank you for everything you’ve done to help experienced and rookie fish keepers alike!
Bettas are like the pugs of the fish world. So cute but so many health issues that we maybe shouldn’t support breeders by purchasing them. I can’t imagine not having one though :/
There are ethical breeders out there. But it can be a crap shoot trying to find them. I think too many people view fish like they do cats: Throw away pets. People put more value on dogs, but try finding an ethical breeder of dogs, it's not easy!
My Betta is a plakat. He likes to snuggle up with the prefilter sponge I have on the Spec V pump output nozzle.I have Water Wisteria, Anubias Barteri, and Java Fern in his aquarium. He loves to swim through the leaves of the Wisteria plants and build his bubble nest among them when they reach the surface of the water. I keep the light intensity dimmed with craft mesh and electrical tape so he seems much happier when the lights are on. That helps to keep the algae down and slows the growth of the wisteria, which has to be pruned frequently because it is a fast grower. He does really well in his private little kingdom.
That was very helpful Irene. Thank you! I know my betta eats too much because he is in a community tank with slower eaters. So he pigs out on their food.😬
Luved the format. You have nothing to worry about but I do. Bought a Lee's ugf that didn't include instructions! Poor fish.😫
It is normal to "flub"and as you do more you should "flub" less... Anyway I think you did great! Regarding Betta activities, I total agree on tank mate... I had one who get sick as he was alone in a tank and died. And my current Betta which did alone less, 2 -3 weeks of quarantine and he is in my community tank and he did well. My community tank fish also more active.
Great video! Really enjoyed the more natural approach and feel!
You made a good point with the non aquatic plants being tougher physically?!
I am preparing to grow a creeping Jenny in a h.o.b. with lava rocks on the bottom.
I have 4 female Betta fish in the aquarium.
I will keep you posted on the effects,if any, of keeping the creeping Jenny.
In my experience hornwort can mess up their fins, if using it in your tank make sure you pick out soft pieces instead of hard firm pieces
Wait is this true? What would be considered firm vs soft. I've only seen soft before, but it was infested with snails and died before I could treat it. I wanted to order some online, but I'm not sure if I request softer pieces if that would mean I could get any. I'm growing plants in a betta tank to replenish my turtle tank plants.
@@midnightbel You can test them by taking a piece of thin fabric like pantyhose and stretching it over the needles of the plant. If the needles snag or rip the pantyhose then it is not a safe piece to put in a betta tank
Nice video! ❤️Flubbing is a way of life for me, So I understand you perfectly. 🤣I quite enjoyed it because it’s much more natural!
I set up a dwarf frog tank and put some lucky bamboo in it. I set the tank up about a month ago and I’m having severe melt problems with the bamboo and I really don’t know what the issue is. The tank was set up with the following: a gravel bottom layer, root tabs on top of the gravel, capped off with black sand. Bamboo was planted right into the sand, with the roots in contact with that root tab layer. Some tank ornaments are included as well. The tank is 3gal and has a 50W heater to keep the tank around 75 deg F, and a small hang on back filter. I do 25-50% water changes weekly.
The bamboo looked fine for the first two weeks or so, but started to show signs of melt soon after. After leaving the tank for the weekend, the bamboo is severely melting now. I know bamboo can be planted either partially or fully submerged. Some of the stalks and leaves are fully submerged, some have the leaves partially poking out of the water. Both are melting, so it could be a chemical imbalance - my water here in Pennsylvania is quite hard so maybe that’s a factor. The one thing my tank is missing is an overhead light. I put the tank by an east facing window figuring it was getting enough natural light, but I’ve never heard of lack of sufficient light causing melt.
I’m probably gonna have to toss this set of bamboo because I don’t think it can be salvaged. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Great info, I love your videos! I just got a driftwood bonsai tree I was going to put with my betta and attach either moss or anubius nana petite but looking at it, it has a ton of tiny branches and I'm wondering if I should skip it as I have a long tailed half moon? Either save it should I get a shorter finned betta or put it in a non betta tank
Anyone watching this WITH their betta?
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Me and Phoenix my dumbo ear betta
I love my betta!
I’ve been so lucky, petco doesn’t sell lids for aquariums so my tank has been topless and personally love it like that and he hasn’t jumped out 👏🏼 think he loves his home too much to even think about leaving (I hope, he’s spoiled🤩)
I love your videos! But when are you going to breed some more fish! I love the gourami video
Hah, I've been trying but my apistos keep eating their eggs. 😬
@@GirlTalksFish try another fish! We miss that kind of videos! 😊
I have a female betta with 2 anubias and 1 java fern,those plants grow super fast!!
I feel like I've been getting bettas that are already up in age from my local fish store. Is there a way to tell the age of a betta.
I just love how she smiles after completing a point...awwww its so cute 😊☺️
My betta ate the roots of the live plant I added and got very sick and bloated. I removed and replaced with silk plants. Mine was a nipper at roots so I can’t have plants sadly. I almost lost her and it was so scary.
I am so excited by your videos, and I've used them to find information in setting up my first tank. I really appreciate that you always give options and alternatives for tips and equipment
Great video! Tons of good information. Love your work here and with the Co-Op. 😍
Hi I just subbed after watching a few of your Betta videos. I'm setting up a 14 gallon and definitely going for a plakat Betta, this was really helpful thank you!
Hi Irene :-) I love your videos (both here and on the AquariumCoop channel). Your channel are one of only two where I have the notification bell activated :-) Keep up the good work.
Awww, thank you so much!
Thank you for answering my question!
I also like clear water, but I use the tannins because I am trying to keep my fish alive and happy rather than just have a pretty tank I guess. Trying for both but if bettas like tannin heavy darker water, thats what I'll go with.
Thank you for always sharing about betta fish 🙏 they are absolutely my favorite and I have an imported pair of candy kois coming in right now 😍 another wonderful video and information Irene. I hope you and your family are having a wonderful day! 🙏🌿🐟🌿
My wife and I love our alien betta. Plakat bettas are awesome.
I love the way you talk, unlike other female fishkeeper/vlogger. Very informative. Yet, very Asian, straight to the topic! Subscribed. Hope to see more videos.
Your videos are really helpful!
Can you do an in depth video on how to ensure your betta has a long happy life?
I’ve not really had too much success with keeping them...
This video said that lucky bamboo is a bad idea, and the points listed were valid, but my lucky bamboo tank is doing great!! Just in case anyone wanted lucky bamboo but felt deterred, lol. I have nine stalks of lucky bamboo in my tank, and my betta *loves* swimming around them. He also sleeps in the branches! I don't have a lid and my water level is high, but he's never tried to jump out. As long as your water conditions are good, in theory your betta shouldn't try to jump out. Although I have heard that some bettas are just really feisty, or if you have two tanks next to each other they might try to jump to the other one. It depends on the fish! My dude isn't a jumper.
Consider enabling english subtitles for the hard of hearing, thanks!
Automatic captions are enabled but according to UA-cam, sometimes "the captions aren't available yet due to processing complex audio in the video." If you wait a few days, they should show up eventually. 👍 support.google.com/youtube/answer/6373554#zippy=%2Cautomatic-captions-on-videos-on-demand
Do you have any suggestions for feeding greedy bettas in community tanks? My female is convinced it's all for her.
Does anyone else here have Pothos plant in their tank with their Betta? My betta loves swimming through its roots. Lol
I don’t have a betta, but I have pothos in my ranks
I do have pothos in two of my tanks and they love resting on the roots.
@@EternalLove.1111 agreed
I have pothos in my 12 inch betta bowl with java fern.They loved it
Your videos are so great and so helpful!!! Thank you for making them, they're pure pleasure to watch :) I've been thinking about adding a betta to my tank and you helped me understand them a little better
Sonic sleeping on the water sprite was so cuuute
6:00 this reminds me of my Betta galactic he's a dumbo Betta and he loves to sleep on the roots of my bamboo plant that's his favorite resting spot in the hole aquarium.🎍
For my black half moon Dumbo male I keep 2 Cory's to help with over feeding and shrimp for waist
My favorite plants for bettas is the dwarf lily.
My betta tanks have hygrophila corymbosa and echinodorus cordifulim. They're easy plants, they grow fast and have wide big leaves. I'm lucky enough to not experience any illness with my current betta fishes. Probably, the hot weather here in my country really helps.
For sure I read somewhere that warmer waters are harder for certain diseases and bacterias to grow in.
Thanks, all that was very helpful. I’ve had Louie since November. We have another tank in the house with cichlids but I feel like Louie is my bud.
Would you please do a video on safe woods and rocks for a community tank? Please
These type of fish it's quite easy for them just to tear like if you're going to get a beta your best off getting like a short fin female placate something that's not too like easy to tear even crowntails are fine. I have never had a veil tell their friend and those are beautiful fish as well
I have some lucky bamboo I’ve been growing in my betta tank. It has gotten massive/ I used to have it in a little suctioned glass planter in my tank but it’s gotten big enough to stand fully out of the water from the substrate now :)
I lost it on "The Goddess of Food" lol hahaha
Your betta carrying around the algae wafer like a frisbee 🥺😍. I love bettas they have such fun personalities and are like little fish puppies. I just got a new betta this week from the LFS and he’s a maniac, I’ve never had a busier fish in my life. His poor snail tank mate literally buries himself in the substrate until the fish goes to sleep. Any advice for the snail? I hate to see him stressed all day because the betta is terrorizing the poor guy
I'm just getting into aquatic plants so this is very helpful
I realize you're probably trying to beat the jerks to the punch with the flub count, but I wouldn't have thought twice about any of them without the count 😆 good video. Think I might go get another betta now...
1:12 the dog😂
Please make a Q&A for platys.
Thank you so much Mrs.Aileen,
You gave me a lot of knowledge about bettas,
I have a Dragon blue and red Bettas!
What’s the best way to set up a betta tank? Is natural decor (like wood or rocks) better than the decor you can get at petco and petsmart? Also do you think lava rock would make a good substrate?
Thank you.
Natural is always better! And avoid any decor that has rough and pointy edges, same goes for rocks and woods.
Great video💙 I couldn't stop noticing your pretty blue nail polish what is it? My beta fish is a similar color so naturally loving it lol.💙
It's this _amazing_ nail polish by KBShimmer called "Better Lake Than Never." I love love love it!
I recently got a betta fish and I learned so much from you!
Betta videos are always great
You know I wish I didn't have to use the leaves that you mentioned but the water in Taiwan is acidicit's the only thing I can use to neutralize it.
came across this accidentally when a lady who raises betas is Taiwanese and told me that the best way I could keep betas is to have filtered water because it's suitable for tropical fish
I couldn't look a large container of six flights of stairs so I wonder what would happen if I put in three good size pieces of that dried leaves and you know I haven't had to do any water changes at all this week I mean before I was doing so many because the water was so acidic and I was trying to balance out you know with dechlorinator but now I actually don't even have to use any decorator
I prepare the clean water and let it sit for 2 days with a few pieces of dried guava leaves or cassava leaves and then when I'm ready to do a water change I do like a 40% water change trying to you know get rid of all the crud at the bottom of the gravel and then I just put in the water and it's completely fine it's not acidic and it's normal
He basically have natural tannins and all my tanks which consist of three
my landlord said I can only have three pets which means I got to get rid of a tank guppies I'm not sure what to do with them maybe I can ask a friend if she'd like them.
My tank's been established for quite a long time and it's quite easy to maintain I just hope I can find someone who's willing to enjoy them as much as I do.
I have two female bettas and my dog will be coming back in 6 months when my arm recovers from being broken after about a year I should be able to have him come back home but only three pets so it'll be like two female bettas and my dog
my cat will continue to stay with my roommate we've had her since she was a kitten and she's doing well there so I think it's okay because she has lots of room to run around.
I taught my godson how to be gentle with her and so she likes him.
They get along pretty well and she has plenty of places to like hide and sleep and she's not lonely because she has that but also my dog is nervous around cats.
I don't I love my cat I wish she could adjust to having a dog in the house he's never been around cats before and he just doesn't know how to he doesn't know how to connect with her as a dog.
He doesn't know that if he's quiet and lies on the floor but she'll come over by him.
But she's better off with my roommate we bought her as a kid and we both done her for 11 years so I think she'll do just fine plus I see her everyday so it's okay
if she has like a new kitty box and a scratching post and lots of good places to sleep and she can run around and do zoomies
I just hope my landlord won't understand that I don't want to get rid of my three tanks.
I don't keep the filters running 24/7 but the water is quite clean because I do regular water changes two times a week and they're pretty large tanks I mean they go from 4 to 7 gallons but I think it's not really a problem but it's just so I don't know paranoid
he thinks the building is going to burn down but he doesn't understand but they don't run everything all at once
Forgive me he just feel sad and disappointed I don't really know who to talk to so I just post comments here.
I really do wish I had my own fish room. Let me see it what I'd like to do is buy all the bettas that big chain stores purchase and then they keep in drinking cups and I want to actually have my own like online being a shop through that so people can contact me they pick out a beta with the pictures and then they can you know take them home of course I'll teach them how to create a very simple easy escaped tank that doesn't take much time and effort.
I found some good fertilizer capsules and I think if I can teach people how to use a little bit of aquarium soil and then they put in the fertilizer capsules and then they you know cap it with gravel I think it'll be just fine and then they can put in their Driftwood and hardscape if they want or they could just put in some Driftwood and put a bunch of and plants.
Taiwanese people like it when things are like I don't know it's simple as possible because they don't want to have to spend much time on it
I love all your videos, keep up the great work!! My favorite fish are Angel fish, is that something you could cover??
I really like your videos. Thanks for actually linking other videos of yours in the middle…. It makes me go down a rabbit hole, lol.
Did you ever use a floating log with your betas? I am considering getting one for mine.
We have a floating hollowed out log & it’s our betta’s favorite place!
I'm guessing that tank is a 10 gallon I wish I knew where you got your separator from, the vegetation looks awesome by the way 👍
I recently got a beautiful koi plakat betta after only ever having half moons or veil tails, and WOW. They are so much more active and capable of normal behaviours. I feel like this is the first time I’m seeing what a betta is truly like. He jumps for his food, can speed up and stop on a dime, explores a ton more. I feel bad for my half moon now :(
Designer Bettas with heavy fins can actually drown. They're hindered by them all their sad lives. Veil Tails less so than the Dumbos, etc. So sad.
Try getting a wild type betta like the imbellis or siamoriental as your next betta. Black water aquatics has them if you are interested.
Happy Saturday! I loved this format and all the great info! PS I swear I saw some of your amazing dwarf red platies at Priscilla’s store yesterday... It was SO hard not to come home with all of them!!! SO cute that I came home and tried to convince my son he needed them (he’s the only one with tankspace currently 🤣).
hornwort actually ripped up my bettas fins pretty bad :( theyre basically pine needles so if they have rlly long fins, id avoid that
Thanks for the warning!
I love this style of video, your videos are always so good! P.S. I really like the clip of Darth Vader eating the algae wafer.
Haha, he looked so funny trying to pick up that algae wafer! I'm glad I caught it on video.
@@GirlTalksFish What did the fish/inverts in the tank eat after that ?
the long fins are really bad for them if you'd like to get them to live longer I'd recommend short fin betta's or female betta's
sorority
Totally agree. My last girl lived 5 years. The oldest one in my sorority tank is currently 3 years old and shows no signs of slowing
is there a way to heal a wound from something?
An employee of a local petstore, not chain, told me to not put any buddies in with my betta. I thought there were specific kinds of fish and whatnot that bettas don't mind. Thoughts???
Dumb question. But i see food scrap regrow just put it in water and i cant help but want to add a beta in it. Well that be okay for both? Example regrow butter lettus sold with roots in a betta plant vase?
I have a question about plants are water lettuce floating plant alright for Betta Fish beginners???
I have been using bottled spring water for my tanks. Is this good or bad for the fish. Thanks, I really enjoy your videos!
As long there isnt chlorine in it
I have found hornwort to sometimes tear fins. They are really spikey.
Thank you so much for sharing that! I totally forgot about hornwort being kinda like little pine needles.
Thank you so much because my lunar flare betta didn’t like the plants and I put correct ones 🤭
Feed them quality proteins for good fins. You might have to grow live food for them.
I just got my first betta last week and I changed his water and put him in a bigger tank last night. The next morning he was just floating (not belly up yet though!) and he’s not using his side swimmy fins hardly at all, only if I startle him. He’s not eating either which is not like him. He’s watching me cook right now though, so I have hope! Any suggestions?
I'm sorry if this was already asked, but I can't find any information on water lilies? Is it safe or toxic to keep a water lily in with my beta tank? I have him in a small one and a half gallon with the filter tank and I'm getting conflicting answers some say it's safe some say that the roots contain poisonous crystals. What do you say? Thank you.
My question is regarding the buce plant I have in my tank; do you think the plant has the ability to damage the bettas fins? My betta likes to sleep in the buce and will force himself into the bushes of it. My concern is that his lower fin is jagged and has a couple tears/wear areas in the bottom that is pretty consistent with rubbing something on them. They are kept at mid and high level in the tank and are planted on a lot of the hardscape. The only thing with any kind of an edge in the tank I can see would be the Bucephalandra 'Kedagang' by my observations and physical inspections. The kedagang variant has a slightly more jagged edge. Got foam on the intake for the filter as well so no suspect there. Do you think the buce being the issue is plausible?
So if you might have any suggestions: I have a pair of betta falx. I put them in a 20 gal from a 10 gal. and so ever since they are sooooo shy and are so hard to feed. They used to be somewhat timid but always would come to feed anything I gave them up at the top of the aquarium, either dried food or holding worms in tweezers. Now, it's WORK feeding them. I have to drop frozen bloodworms and have them drift down to them when they FINALLY will come out to feed. They never come up top aggressively to feed like they used to. I am worried about them but how do you retrain a betta to eat?