One thing I often notice is, betta fry tank can get really messy in a very short time. The survival rate of the fries will lower drastically if the water condition is not good. So, you need to know how to clean the betta fry tank properly.
To clean a betta fry tank, you’ll need to use an air tube to suck out the dirt from the bottom of the tank. Change 20% to 30% of the water every day with clean aged water or water that has been treated with dechlorinator.
Before even thinking about cleaning the betta fry tank, you’ll need to set it up the right way so that the maintenance gets easier. In this article, first I’ll talk about setting up the betta fry tank (the right way) and later, I’ll discuss how to regularly maintain the tank.
Common Mistakes While Setting Up The Betta Fry Tank
Most of us make a few mistakes while setting up a betta fry tank for the first time. This is mostly because, the set up procedure of an adult betta tank is different in most ways than the set up procedure of a betta fry tank.
Here are some of the most common mistakes I’ve found:
- The most common mistake that I’ve seen is using a substrate layer in the betta fry tank. Using substrate in a fry tank is not harmful for the fries. However, the fry tank needs daily cleaning and maintenance. Having a substrate layer will make the cleaning much tougher for you. That’s why experts always recommend a bare bottom tank for betta fry.
- Betta fries are not strong swimmers from the very first day. They gradually get better at swimming. So, during the first days, they need additional support. Floating plants are great for this purpose. If you don’t have any floating plants around, just take some stem plants and float them on the water.
- Do not use a strong filter in a fry tank. In fact, I’ll suggest nothing except a good sponge filter. Also, keep the air flow at a minimum in the sponge filter to prevent causing any type of discomfort to the fries.
Regular Maintenance Of The Betta Fry Tank
To clean and maintain a betta fry tank, you’ll need to do the following every day till the fries are old enough to be separated.
1. Sucking Out The Dirt From The Bottom
This step is crucial for the survival of the fries. First, you’ll need a air tube. A regular air tube will do, but the ones that are a little bit larger in diameter than a regular air tube will work much better.
Put one end of the tube at the bottom of the tank and suck out air from the other end. As you suck out the air, you’ll see water is being sucked into the tube.
Now, place the other end of the tube inside a bucket. The bucket needs to be at a lower position than the fry tank. Now you’ll see water is draining to the bucket through the air tube.
Now, take the end that is inside the tank and use it to clean all the dirt from the bottom of the tank. Make sure all the uneaten foods, fish waste etc. are cleaned from the tank bottom. As the tank is bare bottom, you’ll be able to easily see and clean the dirt.
2. Changing 20% to 30% Water
After cleaning the bottom, you’ll need to change 20% to 30% of the tank water. The water needs to be replaced with clean aged water or water that has been treated with dechlorinator.
Aged water is important because it doesn’t contain any chlorine or chloramine. Chlorine can be deadly for the fries. If you don’t have aged water, just treat the fresh water with a good dechlorinator. It will make sure the water is safe for the fries.
3. Taking Out The Dead Plants & Leaves
This is the last step. If you have any floating plants or stems on the water, look out for the dead ones. Take out the ones that are not doing great or starting to rot. Also look for floating leaves and other plants stuff. If you see any, take them out.
Final Words
Keep the tank clean is extremely important for the survival rate of the betta fries. Though it may seem a lot of work at first, if you know the correct procedure, eventually it will get easier.
