Trusted source for betta parameters?

[JoCinWB]

I see tons of guides for temperature pH kh etc. Some are very different. Some are similar to others. What source/website do you trust for such info?

[ange]

Bettas are so widely distributed now that it's very much dependent on the distributor. Look at the conditions that your LFS/breeder/exporter keeps them in and that's most likely what will work out. I live in an area where my water is basically a rift lake but I primarily keep "soft" water fish and haven't had any issues. That said, I tend to buy local and gravitate toward fish that have been kept at the LFS for longer periods of time.

Probably isn't the answer that you wanted due to how vague it sounds, but observing your livestock and basing your judgements based on their own vitality will get you a lot more mileage than chasing parameters the majority of the time. Trying to mimic the conditions that they came from is the starting point for that.

[FlyingFishKeeper]

Hi, agreed with the above post, it very much varies, and I would try to figure out what your distributer has like the above post says. I'd also like to echo what a lot of people have said before which is to not chase water parameters. From what I've seen pretty much anything within reason should work for bettas. In general I tend to think Fish Lore has some pretty good numbers if you need them. (Although occasionally I have noticed them being a bit (at least in my opinion) conservative in the ranges they give), but again, don't chase parameters as it tends to make a more unstable tank in most situations. Good luck, bettas are adorable little fish! 

 

[AndreaW]

Bettas are quite resilient in KH, GH, pH, etc. as long as your pH doesn't fluctuate. I also agree that chasing numbers is not important for Bettas. The biggest thing beyond a steady pH and a healthy nitrogen cycle is the temp. If you keep them at a lower temp, their metabolism is slower so you will want to feed them less, and in really low temps they will tend to have more health issues.

I agree with @FlyingFishKeeper that Fish Lore seems to have some good parameters if you are looking for specific numbers. 

[gardenman]

There are bettas and there are bettas. The wild types come from Thailand and typically have a pH of 5.0-6.5, so they prefer acidic water. Some (Betta mahachaiensis) even come from brackish water. Most bettas you find in a pet shop are pretty adaptable fish though when it comes to pH. It's not something I'd obsess over with them. Consistency is more important. If you're getting into breeding wild bettas, it's more of an issue. For the more common pet shop Betta Splendens types, just be consistent and the fish will adapt.