2R 2008

These holidays 6 students have been selected by the class to look after the betta fish (fighting fish) at home. You must have permission from your parents before you take the fish home.

The Betta Kit to take home contains:

- A container to house the betta
- Betta food (Hikari: Betta Bio-Gold)
- Water ager (removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water)
- Tea Bag (Indian Almond leaves)
- Straw (for cleaning tank)
- A betta fish (Red, Lite Blue, white, Dark Blue, Blue Short Fin, Purple)

Instructions for looking after your Betta Splendens for the holidays

First Day

• Once you have the fish at home you need to quickly prepare some water in the provided container with some of the water ager and add the tea bag.
• Float the small container with the fish in the container with the new water.
• Every now and then for the next 20 minutes add a little of the new water to the container with the fish.
• After about 20 minutes you should be able to release the betta into it’s larger container.

The Tea bag will need to remain in the water until you bring it back to school. The tea will colour the water and help strengthen the betta’s immune system so it won’t get sick. [The tea bag contains Indian Almond leaves and not drinking tea.]

____________________________________________

Feeding

Using the provided Hikari food you need to feed your betta twice per day, once in the morning and once in the early evening or late afternoon. The Hikari pellets are quite big so you only need 2 or 3 pellets per feeding. If you see lots of food at the bottom then you are feeding too much.

Cleaning (Using a straw)

Removing waste and excess food is very important and needs to be done every 2 or 3 days. This can be easily achieved by using a straw, no you don’t need to suck on it .
Step 1.
Before placing the straw in the tank you need to cover the other end with your finger.
Step 2.
Keep your finger on the end and place the straw near the food and waste.
Step 3.
Remove your finger and the food should fly up into the straw.
Step 4.
Quickly place your finger over the top end of the straw again and remove the straw from the tank.

Repeat this process until the tank is clean.

Changing the water

If you keep the tank clean using the straw method then you should only need to change half the water once or twice during these holidays.

Before you change the water you will need to prepare some more water.
Step 1.
Prepare a 1/2 Litre of water in another container the day before you plan to change the water, don’t forget to add the water ager (read the bottle for directions). If the container has been cleaned with any type of soap then you will need to wash it clean with salt water and then rinse with plain water.
Step 2.
The following day, when both containers are around the same temperature, pour out half the betta’s water and then slowly replace it with the prepared water.

Bringing it back to school (any day in the first week)

In the morning scoop the betta up into the small container you first had him in. Put enough water in so that you can put the lid on tightly and still see the top of the water. Bring it straight into class and I will then do the transfer back into it’s home.

These holidays 5 students have been selected by the class to look after the betta fish (fighting fish) at home. You must have permission from your parents before you take the fish home.

The Betta Kit to take home contains:

- A container to house the betta
- Betta food (Hikari: Betta Bio-Gold)
- Water ager (removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water)
- Tea Bag (Indian Almond leaves)
- Straw (for cleaning tank)
- A betta fish (Blue, Turquoise, Red, Purple or Yellow)

Instructions for looking after your Betta Splendens for the holidays

First Day
When you take the fish home you need to quickly prepare some water in the provided container with some of the water ager and add the tea bag. Then float the small container in the container with the new water. After about 20 minutes you should be able to release the betta into it’s larger container.

The Tea bag will need to remain in the water until you bring it back to school. The tea will colour the water and help strengthen the betta’s immune system so it won’t get sick. [The tea bag contains Indian Almond leaves and not drinking tea.]

____________________________________________

Feeding

Using the provided Hikari food you need to feed your betta twice per day, once in the morning and once in the early evening or late afternoon. The Hikari pellets are quite big so you only need 2 or 3 pellets per feeding. If you see lots of food at the bottom then you are feeding too much.

Cleaning (Using a straw)

Removing waste and excess food is very important and needs to be done every 2 or 3 days. This can be easily achieved by using a straw, no you don’t need to suck on it .
Step 1.
Before placing the straw in the tank you need to cover the other end with your finger.
Step 2.
Keep your finger on the end and place the straw near the food and waste.
Step 3.
Remove your finger and the food should fly up into the straw.
Step 4.
Quickly place your finger over the top end of the straw again and remove the straw from the tank.

Repeat this process until the tank is clean.

Changing the water

If you keep the tank clean using the straw method then you should only need to change half the water once or twice during these holidays.

Before you change the water you will need to prepare some more water.
Step 1.
Prepare a 1/2 Litre of water in another container the day before you plan to change the water, don’t forget to add the water ager (read the bottle for directions). If the container has been cleaned with any type of soap then you will need to wash it clean with salt water and then rinse with plain water.
Step 2.
The following day, when both containers are around the same temperature, pour out half the betta’s water and then slowly replace it with the prepared water.

Bringing it back to school (any day in the first week)

In the morning scoop the betta up into the small container you first had him in. Put enough water in so that you can put the lid on tightly and still see the top of the water. Bring it straight into class and I will then do the transfer back into it’s home.

Since we have been very keen on fish for the last few weeks I thought I would do a Fishy Story Challenge. Below you will find the title of what could be a wonderful fishy story. Can you make up a story to match the title? I am looking to give out our fantastic reward stamps for the best stories as well as 3000 table points for everyone who has a go. Write it in Microsoft Word or on paper, check it and then copy it into the comments box and submit it.

Orientation – Complication – Sequence of events – Conclusion (Resolve the complication)

RUSTIE – The Greatest Fish in the Aquarium

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2R have some wonderful new fish called Betta Splendens (Betta) or Siamese Fighting Fish. These fish are originally from South East Asia. They can be found in Thailand, Vietnam , Cambodia and Malaysia. They are usually found in slow flowing streams, rice fields, large puddles or in mud holes.

The wild bettas look very different are not like the ones in our classroom. They are very plain with only a little colour. After many years of breeding by Thai farmers and other international breeders they now have some wonderful colours.

For more information about Betta Splendens click here.

I thought we should name the Betta Splendens fish since they are kept in individual tanks and are easy to identify. When commenting on names refer to them as light blue, red and dark blue.
Eg I like the name Spot for the light blue one.
We will then vote on the most popular name.