Thinking of putting together a...

[homebunnyj]

kind of 'happy betta gift kit' for my mom, so that when I visit her in KY I can give her everything she needs to be successsful in keeping a betta.
First, of course, is to purchase the fish a couple of weeks in advance so I can make sure it is healthy. Nothing is more discouraging than having your fish sicken and die right away when you're a noob.
There'd be an appropriate-sized home, of course; and specific feeding instructions attached to the food container; a plant and a cave or something in the tank/bowl; instructions and supplies for water changes; a "signs of poor water quality and what to do about it" sheet; a "how to tell if my fish is sick" sheet, along with some meds just in case, with instructions on appropriate dosage for the size of tank/bowl provided; and a mini gravel vac.
I'd also include some printouts from betta care websites or else compile my own little booklet. (She doesn't have a computer.)
What do you think? Am I leaving out anything important?
I might try out this idea by gifting a friend on the other side of the county so that if anything goes wrong I can go and help.

 

[FroggyFox]

I think its a good idea....but only if your mom has shown interest in it. Its kind of like buying someone a puppy as a present without knowing if they like dogs. If she doesn't really want it then she's going to be less likely to care for it and you'll get the inevitable "he died" call.

That being said...bettas are pretty easy to care for as long as you include the things we take for granted like water changes, temperature, dechlor, feeding etc

 

[homebunnyj]

Thanks, Froggy, good point, must be taken into consideration when giving.

Some years ago she got one of those 'betta in a vase' disasters with a plant on top, don't-bother-feeding-the-fish things. Of course, it died, and ever since she has occasionally remarked how she'd love to keep a betta on the condition that she could learn to keep it alive. I really, really think she'd love the idea.
If there's any info or items I'm leaving out, I'd really love to hear.

 

[Lotus]

I'd also get a net and a water change bucket/container for her. You might want to think about some test strips. I know they're not the best, but it would be easier for her to use that and tell you over the phone what the colors are, if there's a problem (if she's not the scientific type).

 

[ninamarie]

Sounds great let us know how mom reacts to it all.