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BETTAS by Jim Sonnier
Beautiful Black genotype Butterfly male
Bettas can live in a wide range of water conditions but some ambient factors are of key importance. There should be no dissolved Chlorine or Chloramine compounds in the water. Of course, there should be no toxic metals or poisons such as pesticides present. Bacterial count should be as low as possible. If you use live plants with your Bettas keep an eye out for signs of parasites. The pH (acidity) should be somewhere near the neutral reading of 7. Water hardness should be in the mid-range.
Most public water systems will supply good water except for dissolved Chlorine or Chloramines. These chemicals are used to control bacteria and must be neutralized before use. Aging the water for 24 hours will remove Chlorine but will not remove Chloramines. These dissolved compounds will kill your Bettas within hours. There are many products available at pet stores that are manufactured specifically to solve this problem. AmQuel Detoxifier is my choice. It removes (neutralizes) Chlorine, Chloramines, and Ammonia from the water.
Aquari-Sol is a good additive to protect against common fish diseases such as Ick and several types of fungal infections. Click diseases for more information. Please note that if you use NovAqua which removes copper it renders Aquarisol ineffective. I also use a marine salt formulation to supply electrolytes and trace elements.
Bacteria and other dangerous micro-organism are best controlled by filtration of the water rather than chemical additives. Some Betta breeders use biological filters in conjunction with ultraviolet sterilization units to wipe out these bad guys before using the water for their Bettas. The equipment is expensive but well worth the investment.
When preparing the water for your Bettas make sure that you cover all the bases with chemical additives and you should have no problems.
Summary
1. Use a detoxifier for Chlorine and Chloramines
2. Use a disease preventative (especially for fungal infections)
3. Use an additive to supply electrolytes and trace elements
4. Biological filters and UV sterilizers are highly recommended
philosophy || basic care || home || foods || diseases || spawning || feeding fry || raising young || jar maintenance || genetics
This page was last updated on 02/05/13
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