Many sororities and fraternities have contests or are outright selling fish to raise money. If you’re reading this, you are probably a potential fish owner. Yay for you! Owning a Beta in college can be a very comforting experience for those of us used to having animals at home. Here are some pro tips to keep your bubbling friend alive this semester.
My fish will turn one year old in two weeks! He is pictured above in a one gallon tank, which is the smallest you’re supposed to keep a fish in. The more space you give them, the better.
Behind him, there is also a filter. This system takes literally zero maintenance and can be purchased on Amazon for $9.74. Such an easy purchase seriously impacts you and your fishes’ quality of life! It makes it so you don’t have to clean your tank nearly as often.
Another thing that keeps you from having to clean and also makes them happy, is keeping the tank out of direct sunlight. Your fishy friend will appreciate some sun during the day, but overexposure grows algae and stresses Betas, who enjoy some shade.
You probably don’t want to drink city water, and neither does your fish! Our water has chlorine in it that is actually okay for us, but bad for your fish. Get “Start Right,” a liquid that cleanses tap water of chlorine and gives the tank a slime coat. I bought a bottle over a year ago and it’s not even half empty. You just put a drop or two in every time you change out the tap water (which should be every two months or so).
Even though Beta’s are very resilient pets that don’t need much maintenance, it’s still a living creature that requires attention and deserves the best living conditions you can give them!
Image Credit: Images provided by author or taken from Instagram