A betta arriving at a new practice is a small fish with no visible history. The vet cannot see the warm, planted tank he left, how his fins looked last month, or whether he has been eating eagerly or turning away. The records you hand over supply that missing picture, and for a betta they should centre on water, fins, appetite, and behaviour rather than on paperwork for its own sake.
Start With His Tank and Water
Write down the tank size, whether it is heated and filtered, and the temperature you aim to hold, because a betta kept warm behaves and heals very differently from one in a cool, unfiltered bowl. Bring recent test readings if you have them — ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH — along with how often you change water and roughly how much you replace each time. Note any conditioner or other product you add, and whether the tank shares water with other fish or houses him alone, as most bettas live. If you recently moved him, changed his filter, or added new décor, record that too, since a sudden change in surroundings often lines up with the problem that prompted the visit.
Show His Fins, Colour, and Shape in Photos
A betta's fins carry much of his health story, and they can look different under surgery lighting than they do at home. Bring dated phone photos taken in his own tank: one from the side showing the full spread of tail and fins, one from above showing body shape, and any older photo that shows what his colour and fin edges used to look like. Frayed edges, clamped fins, faded patches, or a thinner body only become obvious when a before picture sits beside a current one. Short video of him swimming and flaring, or failing to, tells the vet more about strength and breathing than a still image can.
Record Food, Appetite, and Daily Behaviour
List the exact foods he eats — pellets, flakes, frozen or live treats — how many pieces he gets, and how many times a day, because overfeeding and underfeeding both hide behind vague notes like 'fed daily.' Record when his appetite last seemed normal and whether he now spits food out, misses pellets, or waits at the bottom instead of rising to eat. Add his usual routine: where he rests, whether he builds bubble nests, how he reacts to you approaching, and when that pattern changed. Note his age if you know it, where he came from, and how long he has been with you, since a young fish and an ageing betta are read very differently.
Include Anything Already Tried at Home
Finish the packet with an honest list of what you have already done: extra water changes, fasting days, salt or herbal additions, any shop-bought remedy poured in, and what happened afterwards. Leaving this out risks the vet repeating something that already failed, or misreading a symptom that a home treatment altered. Also flag anything else living in the tank, such as snails or shrimp, and whether any new fish, plant, or ornament arrived in the weeks before he looked unwell. Bring your own contact details and the name of any previous practice so records can be requested. Keeping this betta-specific history gathered in KinsLe's Pet Passport turns a first appointment into a continuation of his care rather than a fresh guess.