RSS Feed Best Betta Hammock – Our Top 5 Picks

Watch your betta for a while, and you will undoubtedly notice him sucking in gulps of air at the water surface. But don’t panic! Bettas are labyrinth breathers. That means they can breathe atmospheric air, and this evolutionary quirk enables wild bettas to survive in poorly oxygenated water during the dry season.

Bettas are also surface feeders, so your pet will spend quite a lot of his time at or close to the surface of the water, often laying on a submerged broad leaf. In the absence of a handy leaf, though, your betta might simply wedge himself into a corner of the tank or rest on top of an internal filter system box. It’s perfectly normal behavior for bettas and nothing to be alarmed about.

But if you want to make your fishy friend’s chill-out time more comfortable, you can provide your pet somewhere suitable to rest by investing in a special betta hammock just for him.

What is a betta hammock?


A betta hammock is basically any form of flat underwater surface that you fix to the aquarium glass.

Betta hammocks come in a few different styles, but the most popular and commonly seen is one that looks like a flat leaf, which is the perfect shape for your fish to lay on. In fact, if you have living or silk plants in your betta tank, you’ll probably see your pet relaxing on the leaves.

Betta hammocks are generally made from plastic and come with a suction cup that you can use to fix the hammock to the side of the tank near the surface where your betta wants to be.

The Best Betta Hammocks


In this section of our helpful guide to betta hammocks, we’re reviewing five of our favorite products. You can learn more and read user reviews by clicking on the handy in-text links we’ve provided for you. If you think you’ve found the perfect hammock for your pet, simply click to order.

Zoo Med Betta Bed Leaf Hammock


Zoo Med Laboratories AZMBL20 Betta Hammock

• A naturalistic leaf hammock for your Betta to rest on
• The perfect resting hammock for your natural look aquarium
• Attach near the top of your Betta's tank using the enclosed suction cup

$6.98
Buy on Amazon

The Zoo Med Betta Bed Leaf Hammock is one of the most popular hammocks on the market today.

The Zoo Med betta bed hammock comes in the traditional leaf shape, making it the ideal addition to a natural-looking setup. The hammock is made from soft, safe plastic and comes with a suction cup that you use to fix the leaf to your desired place in your pet’s aquarium.

Unfortunately, the material tends to degrade quite quickly, so you need to replace the hammock fairly frequently. However, you can buy multipacks to spread the cost.

What we like:

• Natural appearance
• Safe and soft leaf
• Inexpensive

Room for improvement:

• Betta bed leaf hammock doesn’t last long before degrading

WXJ13 4 Pieces Betta Fish Leaf Bed

Sale

WXJ13 4 Pieces Betta Fish Leaf Bed, Betta Leaf Hammock with Suction Cup,1 Piece Stick-on Thermometer...

• Package includes: You will receive 4 piece betta fish leaves, 1 piece stick-on thermometer strip, and 5 piece resin starfish
• Material: The betta leaves are made of good quality PVC, which is lightweight, durable, soft for betta fish rest and breeding
• Size: The leaf contains 2 pieces of leaves are in different sizes, the big leave is about 2.36 x 1.77 inches, the small leaf is about 1.97 x 1.5 inches

$9.99
Buy on Amazon

The WXJ13 betta bed leaf hammock comes in a pack of four that includes a stick-on thermometer strip and a five-piece decorative resin starfish set, too.

The double-style leaves are lightweight, durable, and attractive, making the bed a safe, comfortable resting place for your betta. There’s a well-designed suction cup included that makes it easy to fix the hammock wherever you want to in your betta’s aquarium.

What we like:

• The double-leaf design is very attractive
• Nice extras included in the pack
• Inexpensive

Room for improvement:

• Variable quality

LingSY Betta Bed Leaf Hammock, Betta Fish Bed


LingSY Betta Bed Leaf Hammock, Betta Fish Bed (Pink)

• Betta Bed Leaf Hammock, Betta Fish Bed
• Highly simulation betta plant leaf, with environmental BPA material adapted, provide betta a very comfortable rest area
• Attaches to Betta Enclosure with suction cup (included),you can easily put it into any place in the tank you

$7.99
Buy on Amazon

If you want to add a pop of color to your betta tank, you might want to consider the LingSY Betta Bed Leaf Hammock. The leaf comes in vibrant blue, pink, or green colors that can be used to create a lovely contrasting, bright look in your tank.

The leaves are made from soft, durable, safe plastic and come with a suction cup to keep the hammock fixed firmly in place on the walls of your betta’s tank.

What we like:

• Beautiful, bright colors
• Reasonably priced
• Safe and durable

Room for improvement:

• Some bettas may not like bright colors, so they may not use the hammock.

Zoo Med Floating Betta Log


Zoo Med Floating Betta Log

• Zoo Med Floating Betta Log is a natural-looking floating log for your pet Betta to sleep, play, breed, feed or blow a bubblenest in.
• Comes complete with top Aa,A"feeding hole.Aa,A
• Make your Betta happy! Helps relieve boredom from captivity.

$12.95
Buy on Amazon

The Zoo Med Floating Betta Log is a variation on the hammock idea. The hollow resin log floats freely at the top of the water, and your betta fish can swim inside to rest. Some bettas even create bubble nests inside floating logs.

The floating betta log has a feeding hole conveniently located in the top, allowing you to feed your fish inside the safety and shelter of the log. That can be extremely useful for new fish that haven’t settled into their new environment just yet.

As with any betta toy, always run your finger around the inside of the log to make sure that there are no sharp edges. If necessary, use a nail file or emery board to smooth out rough areas before allowing your betta to use the log.

What we like:

• Looks natural
• Inexpensive
• Feeding hole included in the design

Room for improvement:

• Paint flakes off after a while, so the log must be replaced

CousDUoBe Betta Fish Leaf Pad


CousDUoBe 2 Pack Betta Fish Leaf Pad Improves Betta's Health by Simulating The Natural Habitat -...

• 【Double leaf design】: the bigger leaf approx. 2.36''x1.77'', the smaller leaf approx. 1.97''x1.50'',ideal for betta fish playing
• 【Strong sucker design】: you can easily put it into any place you like in the tank. Rinse the betta plant leaf with cool running water before use.Set of 2 pcs.
• 【High quality material】: Featherweight，durable and safe 、long lasting materials - Convenient and practical.The leaves will sway with the waves.

$6.98
Buy on Amazon

The CousDUoBe Betta Fish Leaf Pad comes in a two-pack, offering excellent value for money. We love the double-leaf design of this hammock, complete with one large leaf and one smaller, which offers your betta options for his resting place.

The hammock is designed to look quite realistic and comes complete with a suction cup for easy fixing to the side of your aquarium. The material is durable and of decent quality for a very reasonable price.

What we like:

• Double leaf design gives bettas options for a resting place
• Strong suction cup
• Durable material

Room for improvement:

• Leaves are a bit hard, which can be uncomfortable for the betta

What’s the point of a betta hammock?


There are a couple of good reasons why you should consider investing in one of these accessories for your pet.

It’s a chill-out zone


When it’s not eating or patrolling its territory, a betta loves to spend much of its time resting. By providing your betta with his own hammock, you’re ensuring that your beloved pet has a safe spot in which to rest and generally chill-out.

Bettas sleep and rest in many different spots around their tank, but the most popular place for a nap is among or on plant leaves, just below the water surface.

Interesting fact: Like most fish species, bettas have no eyelids, so they have to sleep with their eyes open.

It helps them breathe easily


You’ll often notice your fish gulping air at the water surface. That’s perfectly normal behavior for your pet and is nothing to worry about, provided that he doesn’t hang at the surface constantly. That could indicate that oxygen levels are poor in the tank, probably because your filtration system needs cleaning, and a partial water change is due.

Like all members of the gourami family, bettas are able to breathe air at the water surface thanks to an anatomical structure called the labyrinth organ.

The labyrinth organ allows the betta to draw oxygen directly from the air to be absorbed into the bloodstream rather than just from the water via the fish’s gills. That ability enables the betta to survive out of the water, albeit only for a very short time. In the wild, bettas are often forced to live in oxygen-depleted puddles during the dry season, and the labyrinth organ enables the fish to breathe.

By providing your betta with a hammock just under the water surface, you’ll make it easy for your pet to breathe air when he wants to.

It takes the weight off


Fancy, long-finned bettas may look beautiful, but those fins are heavy, and it takes the fish a lot of effort to swim, dragging all that glamorous finnage behind him.

So, a good, comfy hammock not only enables your betta to take a break when he wants to but a bed situated close to the water surface allows your pet to breathe air without using all his energy just to stay at the surface.

Benefits of a betta hammock


There are a few benefits to providing your betta with his very own hammock.

Betta fish love hammocks


These fish love a leaf hammock or a floating log! You can be sure that your pet will spend hours resting in his special spot near the surface of the water.

Besides, a hammock is good for a betta; being able to replicate his natural wild behavior is essential for the health and wellbeing of your fish, helping to prevent stress.

Hammocks are easy to move and clean


It’s easy to care for one of these products after it’s been bought for your betta. Because a betta hammock is fixed to the aquarium glass using a simple suction cup, you can easily and quickly remove the hammock for cleaning. When you’re done, simply stick the hammock back onto its spot.

To mix things up for your betta and prevent boredom, try relocating the hammock to the other end of the tank once in a while.

Betta hammocks are space savers


Betta hammocks don’t take up much space in the tank, unlike some other toys, decorations, and plants. A betta hammock lives at the top of the tank, leaving you plenty of room to create a beautifully aquascaped environment below.

Betta hammocks are ideal for small nano tanks where large, broad-leaved plants would take up too much space.

A betta hammock is affordable


Unlike silk plants, which can be very expensive to buy, a betta hammock will set you back just a couple of dollars. And unlike real plants, a betta hammock doesn’t need pruning, and it won’t die either!

Where do I place my betta hammock?


Ideally, you should place your betta’s hammock about three-quarters of an inch below the water surface, although you can tailor the location to suit your betta’s preference. So, if you find that your fish is resting on the suction cup and not the hammock, try moving the hammock a little closer to the surface.

Where shouldn’t I put my betta’s hammock?


Be careful not to place your betta’s hammock…

Close to the filter outlet


Betta fish don’t enjoy too much water movement. In the wild environment, the betta lives in water bodies where the flow is very slow to non-existent, so you need to mimic that in your pet’s tank. Captive bettas, especially the long-finned varieties, can’t swim or remain on an even keel in the water if the flow is too strong.

So, never put your betta hammock in a spot where there’s any water movement, or your fish won’t rest on his bed.

Close to the heater


Although bettas are tropical fish and your aquarium must have a heater so that the water remains at a stable, constant temperature, don’t put your fish’s hammock too close to the heater.

Your betta will definitely enjoy resting in the warmth of the water near the heater, but his fins may be damaged if they come into contact with the heater for long periods.

Are betta hammocks safe?


Yes, betta hammocks are absolutely safe for your pet, provided that you use the hammock correctly.

Fix the hammock in a good spot for your betta to rest near the surface, away from the heater, and not directly in the current, and all should be well.

Before you put a new hammock into your fish tank, rinse it in dechlorinated water to get rid of any dust or residual plastic smell that might be clinging to it. Each week, as part of your regular tank maintenance routine, wash the hammock and scrub off any algae, fish waste, and uneaten food.

Check the leaf periodically to make sure that it hasn’t begun to fray or deteriorate. Some products are made using a metal wire to ensure that the hammock retains its shape. Eventually, that wire might poke through and become corroded, presenting a risk to your betta’s fins. In that case, remove the hammock immediately and throw it away.

In conclusion


Betta fish love to rest close to the top of the aquarium, where they can grab a gulp of air whenever they want to. Since bettas seem to enjoy spending time chilling out and napping, and a comfy hammock provides the perfect place for your pet to do just that.

A betta hammock provides a safe, comfortable bed for your fish, making this inexpensive, space-saving feature the perfect gift for your fishy friend.

To learn more about how to care for your betta buddy, check out this fascinating Betta Book!

The post Best Betta Hammock – Our Top 5 Picks appeared first on Aquariadise.

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