My First Fish – Betta
Updated on 11/11/15, Originally posted on 12/10/11
Bible Verse: Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Do you know the story of Jonah? If not read it in the Bible. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and cry out against it; for their wickedness had come up before God. But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish in a boat and a huge storm arose. Jonah knew that he was the cause of the storm because he had disobeyed God. Jonah told the men on board to cast him into the sea so the storm would stop. As Jonah began to sink to the bottom a great fish swallowed him and three days later spit him onto dry land. If Jonah had listened to God in the first place, things would have been easier. Will you obey when God tells you to do something or will it take a huge fish to get your attention?
Creature Tip: If you are interested in getting a fish as a pet, Betta fish are a great start. In fact, they are even easier to care for than Goldfish! Because Goldfish produce a lot of ammonia and waste, their water needs to be filtered and changed more frequently. This is not the case with the Betta fish. Most fish need an air pump to add in oxygen into the water; Betta fish can easily surface and breathe in oxygen so an air pump is not mandatory but it can be helpful. It is not necessary to buy an air pump or a filter for a Betta fish. Also a Betta fish can live in a smaller tank and it will not outgrow it like a Goldfish would. Betta fish stay small.
Quick info on Betta fish:
Betta fish can live in a 1-2 gallon fishbowl but do best in a 5 gallon tank or bigger.
Betta fish should be fed a very small amount of fish food once daily or every other day.
Betta fish need a partial water changes about every 1-2 weeks.
Male Betta fish are aggressive and need to live alone 99% of the time.
Betta fish are known as the “Japanese Fighting Fish” but the females can get along with other fish.
Batta fish come from Thailand
Betta fish are a tropical fish and do best at a temperature of 75-82 degrees Fahrenheit but can survive at room temperature of 68.
Betta fish can easily live for several years with proper care.
To lean how to care for a Betta fish’s water see our other “Creature Care” info under “Fish” and look for “Tap Water is Dangerous to Fish” and also “Cleaning a Freshwater Fish tank”.
how long do gold fish live cuase i have had mine for like 3-4 yrs. i thought they were only spost to live for 3-4 days
Hi Caleb,
Gold fish can live for several years even up to 10 years and beyond. It just depends on how well they are cared for.