Bettas - Great Pets For Small Kids

Bettas are a great way to introduce children to household pets and the work that is involved.  They are easy to care for and a fun way for kids to get to know the fun of having pets and caring for them.  With many fish, kids might lose interest too quickly, but bettas are unique in this respect.  They obviously can't take them for a walk, or play with them regularly like they can with dogs, for example.  Nonetheless, bettas can be the perfect pet because they are active, have personalities, and are nice and bright with flowing fins!

If you have been considering the options involved with getting pets for your kids the first time, you may want to consider going with a fish.  Despite them requiring little effort to care for properly, you should be able to show your kids responsibility and how to care for living animals.  Bettas can keep your kids interested in a life form, and can show them values of love and joy for nature.

As a parent, it is your responsibility when you decide if you want to start allowing your kids to have pets.  You need to balance the desires of your children with the health and welfare of the pets the kids will care for.  No one wants to see their kid react to the death of a loved pet, so pets that are easy to keep alive are always a better choice.  Bettas are fun, will keep your children interested, and have basic requirements.  If your kids stay interested you will be less likely to get stuck caring for an unwanted pet.

There are only a few things to remember in taking care of them. The rules are very basic and could easily be followed by little children. One, do not dump anything in the fish tank. Two, do not take the fish out of the water. Also, they need a minimal amount of day to day and weekly care. All you have to do is feed them adequately and clean the fish tank at least once a week. Keeping an aquarium of fish can be educational and an enjoyable experience.

First, consider the size of the tank that will be adequate for the betta fish to swim freely. Normally, the aquarium’s size will determine the number and kind of fish that you would get for the child. However, bettas are best kept only one fish in a tank so you can start with a 5 gallon aquarium that will keep your betta happy and healthy. Second, choosing the location of the aquarium in your home is very important.  You don't want an area that is overly hot or drafty. There can be indirect sunlight but direct sun (ie from a big window) is bad as it can cause algae blooms that look disgusting, smell, and can be bad for the betta's health.  Also, choose an area that isn't heavily trafficked to avoid any accidental bumps that can spill over the Siamese fighting fish's aquarium!

After everything is set, teach your child the right amount of feeding. If the kids feed their bettas too much food or too regularly, the uneaten food can cause toxins to build up in the water too regularly. Because of this, always watch them the feed the fish and it may be a good idea to keep the betta's food in a place that isn't easily accessible to little hands!

Cleaning the betta's aquarium is easy. You can do regular changes of about 25% of the water every week on a regular basis. Your kids can have fun doing this surprisingly. You will have to do it but have your children assist you.  These tips will go a long way in helping you and your children to have a blast caring for bettas.  If they show enough responsibility you can even consider breeding your bettas which will let your kids experience the fun of raising betta fry into healthy adults all the while teaching them about the life cycle in nature.