Safe Games For Bettas - a Ball Pit!
Many of us can remember the delight of jumping into one of those ball pit amusements as kids. Or maybe we enjoy watching our children play in them today. Well just like kids, bettas could use some amusement in their lives. Aqueon PURE Betta Beads™ provide just that sort of amusement. Aqueon PURE Betta Beads™ are lightweight, colored, biodegradable balls that provide a new and exciting substrate for bettas.
Hard Gravel Alternative
Ever since bettas were first kept in aquariums, the choices of substrates have been limiting. You could go with no substrate at all, a hard and heavy gravel, or glass or plastic marbles. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these. Aqueon PURE Betta Beads™ offers a new and enriching alternative. Ideally suited for small aquariums that do not have active filtration, the beads are soft and lightweight balls that sink to the bottom to form a soft layer of substrate for bettas to rest on. They will not scrape or damage their fins or slime coat like hard gravel alternatives.
Enrichment Activity
The PURE Betta Beads™ are lightweight enough so your betta can swim through it. Bettas will often burrow through the substrate and rest on the bottom. This is because bettas can “feel” the substrate around them like a cozy blanket with their electro-sensory systems. Although we can see the Betta, they feel they are hidden. The translucent substrate also reveals food that has sunk to the bottom that would be hidden by marbles or gravel. The bettas can push through the beads to find these hidden snacks; it looks as if they are jumping into their own little ball pit! Watching a betta push the beads around with their head and fins can be just as amusing entertainment for their humans. This behavior is reminiscent of how a betta would push through leaf litter and silt looking for food as they would in the wild. To a human, it looks like they are playing with the beads which is providing entertainment and preventing boredom.
In addition to the enriching activity, each package of Aqueon PURE Betta Beads™ is especially hydrated with beneficial bacteria that help break down fish waste and keep the water healthy for your betta. This provides an invisible layer of biological filtration for the aquarium. Over time, the bacteria will consume the gel material and the beads will shrink. Beads may also shrink more quickly if they are put into water with a high hardness or TDS level. If premature shrinking of the beads occurs, it is a quick indicator that the water is not optimal for your Betta. We recommend you use soft water such as deionized or many brands (but not all) of special “Betta Waters” available at your local pet store. To keep the beneficial bacteria active and your aquarium clean and clear, Aqueon recommends replacing the beads with a fresh pack once a month.
Aqueon PURE Betta Beads™ come in a variety of colors to help you create a new and fun home for your betta and are available at your local pet retailer. Mix and match colors for a fun visual in your aquarium!
