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One of the staples of the hobby, through selective breeding the betta has become one of the most colorful and sought after aquarium fish. Seen in small bowls this is far from the ideal living conditions for them. Just because they can live in confined spaces does not mean that they will thrive in them.

Quick stats:   Listed tank sizes are the minimum Size: Up to 3" (8cm) Tank: Any, .5 gallon or larger is best Strata: All PH: 6.0 to 8.0 Hardness: Soft to hard. dH range: 2.0 - 25.0 Temperature: 73ºF to 86ºF (23-30°C) Classification   Order: Perciformes Suborder: Anababtoidei Family: Belontidae Genera: Betta

Common name

Betta or Siamese Fighting Fish.

Additional species photographs

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Distribution

India, particularly the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Thailand and also Vietnam.

Marshy areas, including rice fields also canals in Thailand.

Long bodied when compared with most other members of the sub order. Anal fin is very long and inserted. Ventral fins are saber shaped. Caudal fin is large and almost circular in shape. The Dorsal fin starts behind the middle of the body. By selective breeding the common Veiltail Bettas we see today bear little resemblance to the wild specimens. They can reach a length of two and one quarter inches (6 cm )

Beautiful Females

The long finned, highly colorful strains of the betta we know today vary greatly from the original wild forms. Today we have Flesh-colored, bright Blue Emerald Green, Red, Red-Violet and even Jet Black. These colors can be found alone or more commonly a mixture of two or more of them. The original form has much less variation. The colors are only intense when the fish is fighting or breeding and tend to be washed out at all other times. When this happens the Betta is a non spectacular Reddish-Brown with two transverse bars visible on the body. Females, even today are mostly Yellow-Brown, with short fins.

Bettas are not at all difficult to keep. They will be very happy in any well lit tank with a dark substrate. The addition of some floating plants will complete the setup. Bettas have an extra organ that allows them to obtain oxygen right from the air and so can be kept in very small quarters if needed. Being tropical in nature they should be kept in water with a temperature range of 73 to 80 degrees f. They have no special requirements regarding water composition and aeration and filtration is not necessary. Bettas like most fish relish live food but have no problems accepting the flake staple foods. Bettas tolerate all other fish well and can be put in a community tank set up. Be sure there are no fin nipping fish like Tiger barbs or your beautiful fish will be stripped of all its fins. The most important thing to remember is that male Bettas will not tolerate the presence of another male and will fight to the death to protect his territory. To this day some Species of Betta are placed together for the sole purpose of fighting, thus the other common name "Siamese Fighting Fish".

Bettas are probably the best known members of the "bubble nest" builders. The nest consists of air bubbles enclosed in saliva and are very strong. The nest is always built by the male and is located at the water surface among floating plants. The eggs when laid sink to the bottom and are gently picked up by the male and spat into the nest. He will keep the nest in constant repair and will try to guard it from all intruders. The female should be removed after spawning as the male may kill her after the eggs are laid. The eggs hatch in one to two days and are very small. The fry can eat only the smallest of food. Growth is rapid. Care must be taken in the first few weeks to maintain temperature as the development of the Labyrinth is sensitive to change.

This is only a basic outline of the betta fish, for more detailed information please visit the sites forum or one of the specialized sites.

Betta splendens Betta - Female Betta - Male Crown Tail Betta Twin Tail Betta Click photo to buy your variety From Live Aquaria

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From: Dave K. Date:2/11/2008 To say that betas are good community fish is mostly true, they mix well with fish of different species in general, but there are some exceptions that I have found in my years as a beta and community tank owner. Female betas Generally have no problems with any fish at all, though you do occasionally get a female beta that as a temper issue. Male betas however, as stated, will kill each other, and cannot be kept together even in the largest of tanks. However, they ALSO will attack certain species of other fish. Any community fish with flowing fins is in danger from a male beta, probably because the fins resemble those of other male betas. Fish like the long finned variety of zebra danios, many species of goldfish, mollies, guppies, and the like, prove to be at a higher level of risk to attack from a male beta. Also beware of having a ram in the tank with a beta. For some reason, the male betas seem to really think that a male ram is a male beta, I suppose it may be their similar build, or the fact that they are both solitary fish, anyway male betas will go beyond simply shredding the fins of rams and will tend to go more for the kill though again, this is not always the case. Some male betas seem to have better vision or something, and leave the rams and other long finned fish alone. From: Shelley Date:9/20/2007 The statement "Bettas will tolerate all other fish well" is WRONG. They may tolerate some tankmates, but you must have a backup in case the betta is aggressive. From: Hayley F Date:5/4/2007 We currently own two males and have kept females in the past. My male is a pastel pink/blue crowntail (Practically perfect finnage as well, lucky me!) male with red masking and red fin tips, named Lord Fitzgibbon. An absolute character, he will flare up at practically anything and blow the hugest bubble nests in his little 5 gallon. The other male, Captain Paddy, shares a 10 gallon with a dwarf African clawed frog named Giblet and a little pond snail. Paddy's a regular royal blue veiltail, but absolutely enormous and with nicely developed muscles along his loins and gorgeous long trailing fins. He's spectacular to watch while flared up at his reflection in his exercise mirror, feeds well like the other but never really seemed interested in bubble blowing, even when females have been floating in the tank to stimulate his manly duties. Females have a lot of character too. We did have six at one time, but lost two to dropsy (failed to respond to treatment, sadly) and the rest in one go to a mystery fungus affecting only them, which also failed to respond to as many treatments as we could find. But I would definitely want to try them again in the future, and will most likely keep single males all the time from now on. I agree with another poster's advice on researching these fish. They do need a big enough tank to swim in, and it's terribly sad to see them stuffed into tiny unheated bowls and vases, bored and depressed. The myth that they only need little water is annoying, seeing as a rice paddy, (most people connect these fish to them) although low in water level, is vast in horizontal area. These fish are built to swim back and forth, rather than up and down, and it's a great privilege to watch them parading along their tanks, and a waste when they're so cooped up they can barely turn around in a circle. From: Jack Date:3/13/2007 I've had two male bettas to date; the first was in a tank with a Cory catfish, and they got along great. After the first died (of old age), I bought another betta. This one immediately taunted and attacked the catfish, so each betta has a different disposition. They are a great fish to have, but you might have to keep him alone if you get an aggressive one. From: Burks Date:9/11/2006 I've never owned a male Betta but can comment on the females. Although some people often regard the female as "dull" or "boring", this is far from the truth. With a little searching you can find females just as colorful as the males. I have two females, one in each 10g, and they are very friendly. One is mainly bright blue with red fins and the other is mainly a medium red with pink fins. These girls are just so friendly with everyone in the tank. Be careful when buying females, sometimes they place young males in the female Betta cup. From: Moonbunny Date:6/19/2006 Always keep your female bettas in threes. I've tried otherwise and the dominant fish bullies the other until the other is blanched with stress and fear. In threes, they mellow out and are friendly, curious, energetic and impish :) You might want to keep the water level about a 1/2 inch lower than usual, though, since they don't seem to have forgotten their ability to jump from puddle to puddle & will do it just to get your attention at food time. 3 bettas and an oto or two in a 10 gallon makes for a surprisingly bright, happy, clean, friendly and altogether rewarding tank. 3 bettas + one oto makes for a very nice beginners tank! Keep them clean and filtered and they'll entertain you for years to come :) From: Don Date:10/6/2004 As with any fish/animal, different personalities will come out despite common species characteristics. I have read everywhere that betas make great community fish. With my own male beta, this has not been the case. He will attack anything that is placed in his 10 gal. aquarium with him, even a plecostomus (a fish that I have never seen bothered by any other species). He is highly territorial. I attempted the breeding thing, but he only attacked the female until she eventually died from stress, even though I moved her away after just a night. But alone in his 10 gal. kingdom, he is an awesome pet. He gets excited (as much as a fish can) when people approach, likely anticipating food, and he curiously explores the slightest change in the tank. I have even seen him flare out his gills (as he does when agitated) toward his food, as though the food were an aggressor - as a side tip, any food that floats is best for the beta. They are a fish made to eat from the surface, usually live insects. So bottom line is each fish has its own personality, but from my own experience, the beta likes his own place, without any other fish around to bother it. And I would like to stress that even though they CAN live in a small unheated bowl, it doesn't mean they SHOULD. They do like small hiding places, but I think it is safe to say that for the vast majority of fish in general, the more space they have to swim around in, the better off they will be. And since the beta is tropical, HEATED water (around 80 or so degrees) is best. To not have a heater means that the water would likely never reach beyond around 72 degrees, and the temperature would fluctuate greatly from night to day, causing more stress for the beta. That's all. Enjoy your betta! From: Rol Date:10/20/2003 I had breed bettas many times. bettas are easy to care for, are real colorful and have lots of different type to choose from, crowntail, half-moon, delta or double tail. To breed bettas u gotta condition them for a week. but I had bred a male before just a day after I bought him. Keep them in a jar feed them 2 or 3 times a day and change water after feeding maybe an hour after they eat. My experience is if the male isn't very aggressive the easier and faster u can mate them. Just make the room smaller so the smaller the female can run from him. But be sure he has built a bubble nest. I put styroform cup to help keep the bubbles from popping. And make sure u have a light and a heater try to keep the temp in about 76 degrees. The female should be first kept in a jar where the male can see and fin her. After a nest has been built put the female in if they do not mate in about 2 hour remove female put back in the jar and try again the next day. If male doesn't build a next try putting another male near him where he can fin and see him. From: Cathy Date:5/16/2001 In the Betta Splendens profile, you say that this fighting fish can be placed in a community tank, but not with fin nipper fishes. In fact Betta splendens IS a fin nipper. So it shouldn't be placed with a fish who has large fins, like guppies. A mistake I've done myself. But, I have to say that all Bettas have distinct characters, some of them may get along with Guppies some of them not. The secret is watching and observing if you introduce a betta in a community tank. If it begins to nip at other fishes fins, they should be removed or placed in a Betta display. That's what I've done with mine. Since it's isolated, it seems happier, doing his bubble nest under the floating plant I gave him. From: Brad Date:08/18/2001 I have 2 Siamese fighting fish. Recently they breed and now im looking after 4 week old fry. Over all this fish is easily looked after and breed. But my female just recently died due to breeding well yeah dats my comment da Siamese fighting fish is my fave fish so far!- CLICK HERE FOR MORE COMMENTS

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