TANK SIZE
 
When deciding how big a tank to use remember that Bettas are active explorers and need room to swim freely. They are also inquisitive and enjoy having a home they can explore.
 
We suggest a tank / container of as large as possible for your Betta’s permanent home.

CLIMATE
 
Remember - Bettas are tropical fish - cold and/or fluctuating temperatures can make bettas sick or even kill them. Bettas may be fine in jars in the warm shop where you bought them, but the average lounge room is not always the same temperature.
 ​

​If a Betta’s tank is heated, it will help keep the tank at about the same temperature (around 26C) and give him the best chance of staying healthy. Chances are if you feel cold so will your fish.
 
If you decide to use a heater, the tank must be large enough for the smallest available submersible heater – i.e.: a tank at least 10cm deep or more. It is easier to decorate a larger tank too.

Bettas are incredibly territorial – hence their common name “Siamese fighting fish”. Please note that fighting Bettas in Australia is illegal.

​Bettas like to have live plants in their tanks to rest on and hide in.

​Popular choices are java fern, java moss and anubias.



Sickly live plants are not good for water quality.
 

​Unless you can keep aquatic plants healthy, you are better off using silk plants.
 


Don't use hard plastic plants as they are known to tear Bettas’ fins.

CLEAN WATER FOR  YOUR BETTA
 
AMMONIA
 
Like all fish, Bettas’ waste contains ammonia.
 
Ammonia is poisonous, and it burns fish (Do you know how bad cleaning ammonia smells?). If ammonia builds up in a Betta’s tank, it will cause burns and gill damage, and disease may follow.
 
MAKING WATER SAFE FOR YOUR FISH
 
Tap water contains chlorine and chloramines which can burn your Betta’s gills. A water ager should be used to remove the majority of the chlorine before putting it into the Betta’s tank. Tank water and dechlorinated tap water should be aged for at least 24 hours (eg. in a bucket or tub) before it is added to the Betta’s tank.
 
CHANGING THE WATER
 
Please do regular water changes to ensure that ammonia does not build up in your Betta’s tank. How much water you need to change depends on how big the tank is – Eg. 100% of the water in any unfiltered tank of less than 3 litres should be changed at least two times a week, or the Betta will be burned and poisoned by ammonia.
 
If you decide to use a filter, you won't need to change the water as often. We suggest that you use a simple air-driven sponge filter or under gravel filter, as many power filters suck Bettas onto the inlet
 
In a 10 litre tank with plants and a small sponge filter you may only need to change 30% of the water once per week.

MORE INFORMATION ON
 
BETTAS
 
Betta Australis is the Australian Betta club (bettaaustralis.com) and the International Betta Congress (ibcbettas.org) is the International Betta club. Or drop into see Absolutely Fish and Pets. We have staff with current membership of both Betta Australis and the International Betta Congress. Whether you want a pet Betta, help with choosing a Betta or help with breeding Bettas and caring for them the team at Absolutely Fish and Pets can give you the best advice.
 
FEEDING YOUR BETTA

You can feed a Betta any quality pellet food that is small enough for him to eat. A varied diet is good for a Betta so try and add some frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp or black / white mosquito larva to his diet as a treat.
 
A Betta’s stomach is only as big as his eye.
 
Feed only very small portions and never feed more than he can eat in 30 seconds.
 
You can buy an ammonia test kit which will help you see when ammonia is present, so you know a water change must be done.
 
WHAT CAN YOU ADD TO THE WATER
 
Leaves from the Indian almond tree (Terminalia catappa), also known as Ketapang, have been observed to have a beneficial effect on Bettas. The leaves release substances which seem to provide a protective barrier for Bettas against illness. We therefore suggest that you add
 
Ketapang/Indian almond leaves or Betta Spa (or alternatively, black water extract) to your Betta’s water.

Betta Splendens is one of the most popular and colourful tropical fish kept in homes today. Each fish can develop its own personality and be very entertaining.
 
It is not true that Bettas live in buffalo footprints in the wild, or that they only require tiny bodies of water to thrive.
 

In the wild, Bettas (pronounced bet-tahs) live in large bodies of still water where they eat a high protein diet of insects. In their native habitats there is not a lot of dissolved oxygen in these waterways. Bettas have a “labyrinth organ” which allows them to breathe atmospheric air, rather than being solely reliant on dissolved oxygen like most other fish.
This is why your Betta takes mouthfuls of air at the surface of his tank – if air supply is blocked he may suffocate.

VEILTAIL 
The most common Betta is the Veiltail Betta Splendens. The male fish has a long drooping tail as well as long fins top and bottom

CROWNTAIL 
The Crowntail Betta has long fins that have the webbing between the rays reduced in length. This gives an illusion that the double rays extend beyond the fin edges.
Where only single rays extend, (not a desirable trait) these are Combtails however some aquariums still sell them as Crowntails.
 
HALF MOON 
Half Moons are the ultimate in finnage and have huge tail fins where the fin is a perfect letter D shape. These are often quite expensive but extremely showy.

PLAKAT 
The Plakat or short finned Betta is also becoming very popular and more are being seen for sale. The males can sometimes be confused for a female but generally
have longer pectoral fins and flare more readily than the females.

The Australian land hermit crab is endemic to northern parts of  Australia including Northern Territory  and Northern Queensland.

Queensland hermit crabs are light brown to pale brown in colour, with two dark ovals on the front of the head. Their eye stalks are long and are the same colour as the body. Each claw has a dark vertical stripe. They have dark brown spots all over the legs. The abdomen is short and fat
As the hermit crabs grow, they must exchange their shell for a larger one. Since intact gastropod shells are not an unlimited resource, there is frequently strong competition for the available shells, with hermit crabs fighting over shells.
The availability of empty shells depends on the abundance of the gastropods and hermit crabs, but most importantly on the frequency of organisms that predate on gastropods but leave the shells intact.

A hermit crab with a shell, which is too tight, cannot grow as fast as hermit crabs with well-fitting shells, and is more likely to be eaten. Although hermit crabs need to change shells regularly, they will not abandon their old shell unless they have a larger and newer one to change into and unless they feel safe.

Most species are Aquatic and live in varying depths of saltwater, from shallow reefs and shorelines to deep-sea bottoms. Tropical areas host some terrestrial species, though even those have aquatic larvae and therefore need access to water for reproduction. Most hermit crabs are nocturnal.

 

One of Hervey Bay’s most popular pets at pet world are Saltwater Hermit Crabs:-
Note "They must not be kept in Water "
They are an awesome choice of pet because they do not reproduce with any success  at home. The best ones purchased is after (shedding of the outer shell) moulting, this is a sign of them growing, this means they are really healthy. Their old shells or skins are left in the tanks as the hermit crabs eat these for nutrition.
 To really enjoy your pet hermit crab it takes a little time and effort to prepare their perfect home.

A few species do not use a "mobile home" and inhabit immobile structures left by polychaete worms, vermetid gastropods, corals and sponges. Natural sponges, dampened regularly will provide the crabs with another source of water and food and will also provide a source of water to help create a humid environment. Humidity isn't possible without heat. Hermit crabs are cold blooded and require an external, constant heat source. An ideal temperature range is between 24-27degrees C. Under tank heaters work the best. These are buried under the sand and should be connected to a thermostat. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature. Heaters are mainly sold for reptiles but work well for hermit crabs. Over-head lamps will only serve to dry out the tank, killing the crabs. Use a small water mister to spray a fine sheen of water on the tank's sides to provide moisture for a humid environment. The crabs themselves don't seem to mind a spray too.

Spare shells are vitally important. If you've provided the right environment, the crabs will grow. If they don't grow they will die.
Examine the crabs and provide enough shells for each to grow into during its next moult. Use those shells with round openings, not elongated slits. The hole of each subsequent shell should be about 1/3 to 1/2 as large as the crab's current one. Just scatter the shells around the sand. Once the crabs have regained their strength after moulting, they will hop out of their old shell and search around for another that fits. Keep the old exoskeleton in the tank, it is a  source nutrition and the crabs will eat it.
Hermit crabs love a variety of food, and can be offered pellets, cereal, shredded coconut, and a variety of fruits. 
All fruit should be kept fresh and the old fruit removed. 
Hervey Bay Pet World can show you the right pellets that are especially formulated to provide all the nutrients required for a hermit crabs diet. 
It is also essential to provide two bowls of water (sturdy non tipping) – one salt water and one fresh water.  The freshwater is for drinking and the salt water is for bathing.

We are thinking of having a competition for the most colourful hermit Crab shells let us know if you think it's a good idea.

Scorpions are relatively easy to care for and don’t require large enclosures, therefore not taking up a lot of space.  They are best not handled, and are nocturnal creatures.

There are roughly 100+ species of scorpions in Australia, however the most commonly kept and sold in pet shops are the following:-

Water
The best way to supply moisture for a scorpion is to provide a small dish containing a gel such as Gut Load Cricket Drink, or alternatively a dish with a wet cotton wool ball, this is preferable to supplying a small container of water which may leave them in danger of drowning.

Feeding
Scorpions love crickets just let 1or 2 roam around in the Substrate not too many though as they become annoying to them and especially when shedding. Always have at least 1 in the enclosure all the time.Live crickets with a gut load are the best source of nutrient, and only require to be fed once a week.  Any uneaten crickets are best removed at the end of each day, as the crickets sometimes prey on the scorpions, especially during a time when the scorpion has moulted and is at its most vulnerable

Heating

It is desirable to keep the scorpion enclosure at a heat level of between 20 – 25 degrees Celsius, especially in the southern parts of Australia where the temperature drop is more extreme, however they can tolerate a low temperature during winter of 5 degrees.  If using a heat pad then this should not cover more than 1/3 of their enclosure, and care should be taken to make sure they do not overheat