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Related Articles & Questions
- Care Sheets
Complete Tetra Care: Tank Setup, Food, & Compatibility Tips
Learn how to care for a Tetra, recommended diet & habitat setup. Find the right food, supplies & equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on April 9th, 2026
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How to Care for Betta Fish: Tank Setup, Feeding, & Compatibility
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Aquatic Pet Safety: Keep Your Home Aquarium Pets Healthy & Safe
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- Health & Wellness
How to Play With Your Betta Fish
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- Vet Q & A
First fish tank: What Tetras and supplies for my 12-inch tank?
Before you buy any fish, you will need to set up the tank. A basic set up includes: a tank, filter, hood/light, heater, gravel and some decor. The tank should run without fish for at least 4 to 6 weeks. This gives it time to cycle. The Nitrogen Cycle is critical to the health of the tank and any fish you will be keeping. During this time, beneficial bacterial will populate the filter and substrate (gravel). These bacteria will be responsible for breaking down fish wastes and other wastes (uneaten food, dead plants, etc.). You will need a home test kit to monitor water chemistry (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH) or you will have to submit water samples for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. At first, you will see high levels of ammonia and nitrites. Over time, as bacteria grow, these levels will drop. When ammonia and nitrites are at 0 ppm and nitrates are below 20 ppm, you can consider adding fish. Regular (every 1 or 2 weeks) partial water changes as well as filter changes will be needed to maintain stable water chemistry and adequate water quality. The size of your tank will determine what fish and how many you will be able to keep. Most Tetras do best in groups, so a 12 inch tank may not be large enough. There are several article in the Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach Library that will provide more detailed information. Click on "Educational Center" at the top of the page, then scroll down to "Articles" and click. Use the Search Bar to find articles regarding aquarium set up and fish keeping.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
- Training & Behavior
How to safely introduce betta fish to neon tetras and guppies?
Betta are definitively very territorial and you may notice multiple fights for space at the beginning. Definitively the aquarium must have multiple spots for hiding like Terra Cotta Flowerpots and PVC Piping, moss or bushy plants, ornaments, rocks and driftwoods. This will avoid open fights and will provide good places to have some rest.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
- Food & Nutrition
My new betta fish won't eat his pellets. Why is he spitting them out?
Hello, I recommend checking water quality parameters first for any fish displaying abnormal behavior. For starters, I'd recommend keeping your fish in a larger tank as it is much easier to keep the water clean over time. This website is a good reference for basic betta fish care: https://bettafish.org/care/ I hope this helps. Thanks for using PetCoach.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
- Food & Nutrition
How to care for a baby betta fish: tank, water changes, food, heat?
Mushu is very cute! Betta care is very easy. Ideally, a 5 gallon tank should be used to house your Betta. A smaller tank can be used, but the maintenance (water changes) will be much more frequent. A filter is always recommended otherwise water changes will be required every few days to maintain water quality. With a filter, 20% water changes can be done weekly or every two weeks. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Choices for conditioners include AmQuel Plus, NovAqua, StressCoat, Prime or StressZyme. A small submersible heater is necessary since Bettas are tropical fish. They do best in slow moving water between 78F and 80F. You can feed a pelleted diet such as Hikari Micro Pellets until he grows bigger. Baby brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms and blackworms can also be fed. Feed one or twice daily. He should only need 2-3 pellets at each feeding. The conditioners and food can be found in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Please request a consultation to discuss care in greater depth or post another question in the Forum if necessary.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
- Training & Behavior
My new betta fish is hiding in its tank. Is this normal behavior?
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is most likely just normal behavior as he adjusts to his new environment. As he gets more used to you, he will become more interactive most likely. Good luck and have a great day!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
