I have been given....a fish...

[Bokkapooh]

Well this is a first for me. I've never had someone gift me an animal without a thought.

Well to be truthful it was given to my daughter who is only 21 months old.

"I bought this for you Eva, here go give to your mom, she will help you care for it."


Exactly those words.....

She then goes on telling me that she bought it for my bfs brother's wife birthday. But thought Eva would enjoy a fish.

I do not know how to Care for a beta fish well. My mom is the fish person... so I took him out of his tiny container and put him in a slightly larger container.

Ugh.

Who gifts someone a pet without consulting them first?

 

[noice]

I always thought that wasn't right. You've no supplies and you have no idea what to do. Is you profile picture Eva? She is precious
There's a ton of fish people here, and your mom to help you

 

[alshgs]

I hate when people do that to you! And then you dont want to take it elsewhere because your kids get all worked up about it...luckily its a betta, and if its a male, they are easy to care for in that fact that they do not need a tank, heater or filter. They would be fine in a big fish bowl like gold fish. And just feed them the necessary food! Although I'm not sure how often. My fish get fed every other day so as not to overfeed them, but I am not sure about bettas.

 

[alshgs]

basic betta care 101

see if this will help

 

[camelotshadow]

Plain rude, thoughtless & inconsiderate to burden someone with a pet they don't want without first asking & give it to a baby.
What happens if the beta dies. That might not be something you want for your child.

Luckily but I have no exxperience with them they seem to do well in a small fish bowl.

Some members have them & they are cute so hope you get good advise & it works out for you.

 

[Jaguar]

Pets as gifts is absolutely cruel and needs to stop. My sister's hubby's mom gave their kids a rabbit for Easter and they had to give it away because they did not have the time nor space and it was absolutely terrified of the kids.

Bettas are fairly easy keepers and great fish, but that doesn't really make it any better. If you don't want it, I'd give it away on a classified site or to a pet store you trust. Otherwise you will need to invest a fair bit of $ into a tank. I would go with at least 2 gallons, preferably 5, and it will need a heater and filter as well. For food I use Hikari Betta Bio-Gold and Omega One Betta Buffet with supplementary frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms. With good care a betta can live 5+ years!

Please do not put it in an unfiltered, unheated bowl. Surviving is a completely different thing than thriving.

 

[Jaguar]

hey are easy to care for in that fact that they do not need a tank, heater or filter. They would be fine in a big fish bowl

Luckily but I have no exxperience with them they seem to do well in a small fish bowl.

you can get a tank with a filter and all if you want, but you don't have to.

You don't HAVE to, bettas are fairly hardy and will survive in a bowl, but the cold, dirty water will slow their immune systems and leave them very susceptible to bacterial infections like fin rot. That and it will probably significantly shorten their lifespan.

Being cheap does not mean these fish are disposable. Like budgies and other small birds, they deserve the best care you can give them too.

 

[Jaguar]

They would be fine in a big fish bowl like gold fish.

Goldfish are one of the messiest fish, and they tend to get very large. They need big tanks with heavy filtration. A goldfish kept in a bowl will die very prematurely, probably of ammonia poisoning.

 

[alshgs]

Of course they would be better with a tank, filter and heater. But for a mom who was looking for an easy solution, they can survive in a large bowl as long as you do water changes. I dont personally keep bettas, but I have had fish my entire life and my male betta that I had when I was younger lived a good long life when you change the water weekly and feed a high quality diet. And I refuse to keep goldfish because of how messy they are. I have cichlids, tetras and a 125 gallon hexagonal bowfront saltwater aquarium...I was just trying to help her out as I know the feeling all too well.

 

[camelotshadow]

I really do like fish & kept fancy goldfish, angel & discus many moon ago I had a few tanks.
Its a calming hobby but it requires equipment supplies & time to do it right. I used to buy them worms. The goldfish are easy but require a tank w filtration.
Goldfish are very personable. I love angel fish but would not do discus again. My fault I guess but they are very fragile & either died for me or jumped out of the tank. It was sad.

Still a lot of work & prep & diet & weekly water changes & seems the fish only lives 1 to 2 years.
Need water conditioners & have water change supply available. Letting water sit will dissipate chlorine.
Some water supplys have switched away from chlorine to another type Chloramine.

Its not a gift to be mindlessly given!
Get a child some toys

 

[Macawnutz]

Mercedes, you've never had a fish?

You might really like it. They are quite relaxing and Eva would love a community tank. I don't know much about the bettas, other than I don't believe they play well with others.

Might think about getting Eva a small 15-30 gallon tank. After owning birds... fish are a breeze. Even well mantained tanks are nothing compared to birds.

 

[Jaguar]

My fault I guess but they are very fragile & either died for me or jumped out of the tank. It was sad.

Discus are definitely one of the hardest fish to keep.

Seachem Prime is probably the best dechlorinator on the market. A small bottle will last a betta a lifetime.

 

[Ankou]

Really? Who gives a baby a fish? WTH.
Like, I get that pets make terrible gifts but that is seriously random.

Anyway, I don't know much about betas aside from the fact that most of what is generally accepted by most people as "okay care" is downright terrible but it sounds like you've gotten some good advice here. I hope if you decide to keep him you can come to enjoy having an easy pet rather than some random burden. Good luck!

 

[Tim]

Saying they don't need a filter is the same as saying keep a budgie in a tiny cage and feed it only seed. If you keep it in a bowl without a filter, you need to change the water EVERY DAY. you can get a small Betta tank with a filter at Petco for about $30. They can be fun little pets, but still need basic care. And yes, lousy gift.

 

[Tim]

I keep one goldfish in a 30 gallon tank with two filters. They get huge, and can live for 12 years!

 

[Jaguar]

Anyway, I don't know much about betas aside from the fact that most of what is generally accepted by most people as "okay care" is downright terrible but it sounds like you've gotten some good advice here.

There's unfortunately still a lot of misconception out there about care for bettas in particular. The biggest argument being "But wild bettas live in mud puddles" - not quite. They live in streams and rice paddies, which, while shallow, span many many miles and get plenty of fresh water from irrigation and rain, as well as filtration from the plants growing in them. Far cry from a mud puddle. And Thailand is a hot/humid tropical region - that makes it pretty clear why they need heaters.

 

[Sylvi_]

I always am puzzled and concerned people give pets as gifts, since no matter the size they are such a big commitment.

I adore Betta's, and have had quite a few. Recently my one of 4 years passed, he was a delight to have.
A 5 gallon tank would be amazing for your new little one, and a gentle filter is needed as they have delicate bodies and fins.
Bigger tanks are actually easier to manage then small bowls, as they'll just need a partial water change weekly, along with a quick clean of the gravel. Smaller bowls usually need to have a complete water change(which isn't recommended for fish, adds a lot of stress) every few days or more to keep the water clean.

I always kept a heater in the tank, at around 78-82 degrees.
This is needed as they're tropical fish. Don't forget a thermometer, to properly regulate the temp.
Another thing to add is if you provide any fake plants, which they benefit from, try to avoid hard materials such as plastic. They can tear their delicate fins on them, instead go for fake silk plants or even a real one.
For food, I always was uncomfortable with flakes. They just add more mess to the tank and more cleaning is needed with them. I find pellets much cleaner IMO. Dried bloodworms are also a great treat every once and a while.

That's pretty much it, also make sure to get a proper declorinater for water changes.
Congrats on the new family member!

 

[Jaguar]

There are some pretty good all in one kits out there nowadays for bettas. I particularly like the Fluval Spec 5g. You can reduce the flow by cutting a few holes in the return hose. Then all you need is a heater I got mine second hand for cheap.

Fluval Spec 5.6 Gallon Aquarium | Aquariums | PetSmart

 

[camelotshadow]

Good luck with your fishy. Post pics when you can.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Mercedes, you've never had a fish?

You might really like it. They are quite relaxing and Eva would love a community tank. I don't know much about the bettas, other than I don't believe they play well with others.

Might think about getting Eva a small 15-30 gallon tank. After owning birds... fish are a breeze. Even well mantained tanks are nothing compared to birds.

I grew up with fish in my life, I've just never had an active role caring for them. My mom is the fish person in the family.

I have so much on my plate right now. Juggling my full time+ job, boyfriend, baby, birds and housework. I feel I would neglect a quiet little fish. Not because I am a cruel mean person, I just dont have that time in my life for anything other than my current schedule. I got really stressed last night when this little blue guy came into our life. I just dont believe fish, no matter how tiny, should be kept in a tiny bowl. It needs a larger bowl/tank, and I just dont have time/space for one. Im seeing about rehoming him ASAP. I'll get the necessary supplies he needs to be happy, but I dont feel I am the right home for a fish. Not right now in life.