Betta fish care guide

The betta, or Siamese fighting fish, is sold in tiny cups, which gives the wrong idea. A betta is a tropical fish that needs warm, clean, filtered water and room to swim. Kept that way, its colours and flowing fins are at their best, and it learns to recognise the person who feeds it.

This is a care guide, not veterinary advice. It covers housing, food, routine and safety. It does not diagnose or treat illness. If your pet seems unwell, is hurt or behaves differently, take it to a qualified veterinarian without delay.

At a glance

Lives

Commonly 3 to 5 years

Time each day

5 minutes, plus a weekly water change

Space

A small tank on a desk or shelf. A common guide is 15 to 20 litres or more

Cost

Low to medium

Good with children

Yes, with an adult doing the water changes

Is a betta fish right for you?

What you need before the first day

• A tank with a lid: bettas jump
• A gentle filter, such as a sponge filter
• A small heater and a thermometer where rooms get cool
• Water conditioner
• A water test kit
• Smooth gravel, silk or live plants and a resting place near the surface
• Betta pellets
• A small net and a bucket kept for the tank

The right home

Keep one male per tank. A betta breathes air from the surface as well as using its gills, so leave a gap between water and lid. It prefers still water: choose a filter with a gentle flow. Give it broad leaves or a hammock near the top to rest on. Cycle the tank before the fish arrives, as for any aquarium, and keep the water warm, commonly between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius.

Food and water

Feed a few betta pellets once or twice a day, only what is eaten in a minute or two. Bettas are meat eaters and do not live on plant roots, whatever a vase display may suggest. Remove uneaten food.

Never feed

• Overfeeding: a betta's stomach is very small
• Flake food made for goldfish as the only diet
• Sharp plastic plants that tear fins
• Untreated tap water
• Tank mates that nip fins

Care routine

Tick off today's jobs. Ticks are kept in this browser and the daily list clears itself each morning.

Every day

• Feed and watch the fish eat
• Check the temperature and that the filter runs
• Look at fins and colour

Every week

• Change about a quarter of the water with conditioned water of the same temperature
• Siphon waste from the bottom
• Test the water

Every month

• Rinse the filter sponge in old tank water
• Check the heater and lid
• Tidy plants

Handling and behaviour

Do not handle the fish. A betta will follow your finger along the glass and come up at feeding time. A small mirror shown for a minute or two makes it flare its fins, but do not leave a mirror in place: constant flaring is stress.

When to see a vet

Do not wait and watch if you notice any of these. Go to a qualified vet:

• Fins looking ragged or shrinking
• Lying on the bottom, or not eating for several days
• White spots or a dusty look
• Swollen body
• First test the water: most problems begin there

Find a vet before you need one, and keep the phone number where everyone at home can see it. Follow the vaccination and parasite-control schedule your vet gives you.

In India: climate and rules

In most of India the room is warm enough for much of the year, but winter nights in the north can be too cold without a heater. In summer, keep the tank shaded so it does not overheat. Do not buy fish kept in dirty cups or dyed fish.

More guides

Dog, Cat, Rabbit, Guinea pig, Hamster, Budgerigar, Cockatiel, Goldfish, Tropical fish tank. Also: the first week with a new pet, foods pets must never eat, summer care.

Written in November 2026. Life spans and sizes are the ranges commonly given for well-kept pets. Individual animals differ.