Fish Species: Betta Fish

The jewel of the Orient: Betta fish

Betta fish are known as Siamese fighting fish and the "Jewel of the Orient". The most popular betta fish is the betta splendens. They are from the Osphronemidae family, native to the Mekong River basin, in southeast Asia. In Thailand, they are known a biting fish. There are approximately fifty different types of betta fish.(1)

Betta fish are becoming increasingly popular as freshwater, aquarium fish in North America, partly because of their brilliant colors and large flowing fins, but also because they have a labyrinth organ in their heads that allows them to take oxygen directly from the atmosphere, as well as from the water. In other words, they can live in an aquarium without extra oxygen pumped into the water. (2)

Their colors may range from the natural dull green and brown of their normal habitat, to red, blue, turquoise, orange, yellow, white and green. They are also iridescent, which means that they can appear to change color in a different light or when viewed from a different angle. Black bettas have a shorter life span, than the colored fish. Bettas may exhibit different color patterns or have metallic shades. These features are acquired by breeding. Flirting fish, ready to breed, will show vertical, rather than horizontal stripes. (3)

The male bettas are more frequently sold in stores than the females, because of the beauty of their finnage. It is more showy than that of the female betta fish. The males are normally more aggressive than the females. Both the male and female betta fish will puff out their gill covers, in order to intimidate other betta fish or as an act of courtship. This is also used by the females to show the pecking order to other females. A betta fish will try to attack its own reflection. (4)

Betta fish normally grow to about 2.3 inches in length. The largest "Giant Bettas" are known to have grown to 3.5 inches. The fin lengths can vary. There are a number of long finned varieties eg. veiltail, delta, superdelta and half moon. The tail shapes can vary as well, including the veiltail, which is non-symmetrical and consists of only two rays. The crowntail is highly frilled with extended, spiny rays. The combtail is less extended. A half-moon tail has a large tail fin that forms a half circle. There are also the short-finned fighting tail, double tail, delta tail and fantail tail shapes. (5)

Betta fish do not normally live in schools and prefer being alone. They do appear to be territorial and like to find hiding places on plants or rocks. Normally, males are separated from the females and unless breeding, the males do not cohabit with the females. The females can be aggressive towards one another. The males, when placed together, will fight until one finally retreats, so they are not placed in the same aquarium. (6)

Male bettas can be kept in small containers, but ideally, should be in about a gallon of water for each betta fish. Betta fish require little maintainance. The ideal water temperature should be no lower than 25 degrees centigrade. They do well in bowls or tanks with pebbles or marbles and seem to enjoy small plants, rocks or ornaments with openings to swim through. While betta fish may jump out of the water, if the container is covered, there should still be room for the betta fish to breathe from the top of the water. The water needs to be changed about every seven to ten days. (7)

Whether or not a betta fish is placed with other fish, is determined by the level of aggression of the betta fish. They may harass or kill other fish and the other fish may bite their long fins or tails. Normally, in aquariums, they are isolated. (8)

The male bettas build bubble nests on the top of the water and then, retrieve the eggs left by the female and place them in the bubbles. They will hatch in several days and at five days of age, the baby fish are free-swimming fry. Both males and females may eat them and thus, the adults are removed from the aquarium, for their protection. (9)

In their natural habitat, betta fish eat zooplankton and insect larvae and and thus, are known as carnivorous surface feeders. The broader their diet, the brighter their colors tend to be and the healthier they are. Commercial food for betta fish is a combination of mashed shrimp meal, fish meal, brine shrimp bloodworms and vitamins. Some vegetables may also be included for fiber to prevent constipation. (10)

All in all, betta fish are a wonderful addition to an aquarium.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betta_fish 

(2) Ibid.

(3) Ibid.

(4) Ibid.

(5) Ibid.

(6) Ibid.

(7) Ibid.

(8) Ibid.

(9) Ibid.

(10) Ibid.