Butterfly Betta Fish: 6 Care Secrets From Experts

Ever questioned the popularity of butterfly betta fish? It’s not only due to its vibrant body and fins but also due to its uniqueness. However, these are high-maintenance fish which is why they will need the right and perfect care. That is why many butterfly betta owners get confused about how to take proper care of their butterfly betta fish.

Butterfly betta fish will need to have proper care that can include, tank size, water condition, diet, proper tank mates, proper care while breeding, etc. As they are very high-maintenance fish, therefore, you will need to have elaborate knowledge about their care.

What We Need To Know About Butterfly Betta Fish?

The butterfly bettas are really the name of one variant of this lovely species! One of the most uncommon variations of Betta is the butterfly species, commonly known as the half-moon butterfly breed. It is renowned for its stunning coloring, which comes in a variety of vivid hues, including primary hues like red, yellow, and blue as well as additional vivid colors. 

The butterfly betta is notable for its distinctive form as well. Its form is somewhat like a butterfly, as befits its name. One continuous color that reaches into the bottom of a betta’s fins is known as a butterfly pattern. The rest of its body stays transparent or light in hue until the color abruptly ceases in a strong, unmistakable line.

The butterfly betta often has translucent or white fins and tails. Its flowing fin color is basically two-toned, with an additional color band on the outside of each fin that circles the body color of the betta.

6 Care Secrets Of Butterfly Betta Fish

Southeast Asian rivers and marshes, in which the water is seldom too cold, are the habitat of the betta species. The Butterfly Betta thus is not adapted to very hot or very cold water. It prefers just moderately warm water and cannot live in extremely cold water.

In its native Southeast Asia, the rivers’ waters are frequently so slowly flowing that they are practically still. Very little current is present. Tank water that is comparable to these characteristics is preferred by the Butterfly Betta. It’s crucial to understand the fundamentals of maintaining your butterfly betta fish. 

Below are some care secrets that are recommended by the experts that you should know before beginning your tank hobby with butterfly betta fish! 

1. Size Of The Tank

Despite the fact that butterfly bettas are little fish, they shouldn’t be housed in restricted settings like fish bowls.

With adequate room to swim around, shallow waters are ideal for bettas. To do this, a tank of at least 6 gallons is advised so that your tiny companion has places to hide. Considering how curious these young guys may be, putting some toys and plants might also make the space pleasant. Just remember to provide them with a shallow tank so they may swim at a more comfortable depth.

By doing this, they may avoid exhausting their fins when searching for air bubbles on the top. Fortunately, the majority of these fish will consume food near the tank’s surface rather than bothering to eat anywhere else, which will reduce the amount of filth in your betta tank.

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2. The Condition Of The Tank Water

The Butterfly Betta thrives in aquariums with balanced water conditions. Extremely cold water is not favorable for this species. Your Butterfly Betta will be too cold and might die in water that is below 60˚c. The water must be maintained at around 76 degrees. Using a water heater will assist with this.

If there is an excessively strong water movement, the Butterfly Betta’s sensitive fins and tail may be harmed. That is why the water should have a gentle stream and move slowly. Your Butterfly Betta should be maintained in good health by ensuring water pH levels of 6.8 to 7.

Your Butterfly Betta’s vibrant colors will seem even more spectacular with nice tank lighting. Additionally, your fish will feel more at ease under the proper lighting settings. Butterfly Bettas enjoy swimming around and hiding in cracks and beneath vegetation. The plants in the aquarium will require light to grow.

It is a good idea to choose plants that are flexible and soft rather than ones with harsh, jagged edges that can harm the Butterfly Betta’s sensitive fins and tail. 

Installing a filter can help ensure that the water in your fish tank is constantly clean. To maintain the happiness of your valued pet, a clean fish tank is required. You can maintain and enhance the water quality by adding a filtration system. But if it’s too powerful, they may not be able to swim properly. Keep in mind that weekly partial water changes are required, along with cleaning of any substrates in their surroundings.

3. Proper Tank Mates Of Butterfly Betta Fish

The male Butterfly Betta is a very combative fish, especially when it comes to certain other male Bettas of any kind.

He will view other bettas as a danger to his area if they are kept in the same tank as him, and eventually, he will probably attack them. Therefore, it is not advisable to have additional male Bettas in the same tank. Male Butterfly Bettas are typically content to live in a tank with other female Bettas, but it is important to watch them closely to make sure they get along.

The butterfly betta would get along well in a tank with tropical species like guppies, cory fish, ghost shrimp, and kuhli loaches.

Since the majority of these fish are friendly toward the Butterfly Betta, he must be willing to share his tank with them without thinking as though he is being intruded upon.

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4. The Diet Of Butterfly Betta Fish

The butterfly betta fish just like other betta species are considered carnivores. The Butterfly Betta likes to consume meaty things such as live bloodworms, brine shrimp, and insect larvae.

The ideal option is live food, although he will also take to freeze-dried and refrigerated meat-based diets.

You may also feed the Butterfly Betta premium fish food pellets or flakes. These fish meals should be of a reputable brand and include a lot of protein.

Overfeeding your fish poses one of the greatest risks when keeping a tank at home. Fish called Butterfly Bettas are quite tiny. It merely requires a little food each day. Overfeeding is a very simple trap to slip into. Your fish will get bloated, constipated, and very unhealthy if you overfeed them. He could even end up dying from it. 

A very tiny amount of food should be consumed at each meal. The butterfly betta will need to at least once or twice every day. The Butterfly Betta has the intelligence to figure out when he should eat and will swim to the top of the tank as soon as he notices you getting close to feeding time.

5. The Tips And Tricks Of Cleaning The Tank

The Butterfly Betta is an easy fish to maintain in your house aquarium. It merely needs a little amount of attention. The most crucial part of taking care of this fish is making sure the water’s conditions are balanced. Although cleaning the tank might take some time, it is crucial for the health of your Butterfly Betta. 

Otherwise, algae and other dangerous germs soon accumulate. These have the potential to kill your fish or make it extremely unwell. Being careful about maintaining the tank and the water impeccably clean is the only way to avoid this. 

At least once every 2 weeks, it has to be cleaned. Make careful to siphon the gravel and refill at least 15-20% of the water each time you clean the tank. The concentrations of necessary minerals in the water need to be monitored and changed on a routine basis. 

Calcium, potassium, magnesium, and other trace elements should all be maintained at a constant level. We advise evaluating the water quality and mineral concentrations in your tank on a regular basis using a commercial water testing kit. Any inadequacies should be fixed right away if they are found.

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6. The Perfect Care While Breeding

The majority of Betta species may be bred pretty easily. At 6 months of age is when the Butterfly Betta matures and is prepared to reproduce. It is unlikely that breeding efforts with Butterfly Betta under 6 months old would be effective. They do not yet have mature or completely developed reproductive organs. 

The breeding couple should be provided with their own tank to increase their chances of success. If they share their tank with other fish, they are unlikely to reproduce. Only females who are slightly smaller than the male Butterfly Betta will mate only with him. He could feel scared or threatened by a larger female, and he would be hesitant to approach her.

Although there are some minor signals, it may often be challenging to determine whether your Butterfly Betta is prepared for breeding. The female normally undergoes a very small color change. Her tone will slowly deepen, and you could catch a glimpse of a thin stripe running down her body. 

Well, the primary sign that the females show is a white dot between their fins which means they are stomach is full of eggs and they are going to deposit it. It would be appropriate to present the male at this point.

Additionally, you could see that the female is flirtatiously evasive with her partner. She will begin to flare her fins and wag her tail in his direction. She is letting him know that by doing this.

Ironically, all Betta fish sometimes consume their own eggs, which is an unpleasant habit. This is what the female Butterfly Betta does as well.

Trying to ensure the tank has many tiny cracks will help to prevent this from happening. Where the female can’t get to them, the eggs will deposit in these areas. This may be accomplished by filling the tank with pebbles as a substrate and scattering a variety of marbles throughout. The eggs will manage to squeeze themselves into the tiny crevices where they can grow safely and finally hatch.

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Is Your Tank A Good Fit For Butterfly Betta?

Don’t forget to take the essential precautions to make sure your Butterfly Betta is either kept alone in its tank or partnered with appropriately matched tank mates. Your aquarium will look beautiful with this gorgeous, colorful fish in it. 

Keep in mind to keep the correct water parameter balanced and stick by my instructions for all tank circumstances. Your Butterfly Betta will be content as long as his tank is spotless and he has ample room to swim around. Despite the Butterfly Betta’s fairly short lifespan, if you follow my instructions, your Butterfly Betta should live a few years in peace and happiness.

Wrapping Up

So after the above discussion, you might have a clear idea of how to take proper care of your butterfly betta fish. However, you might still want to know how to set up a perfect tank for betta fries. Therefore, I recommend you take a look at my next article. How To Set Up A Tank For Betta Fries?