Betta or Siamese fighting fish – Betta splendens
Table of content:
| Introduction Betta Fish The Ideal Tank For Betta Fish Water Changes For The Betta Tank Feeding Betta Fish |
Breeding Betta Fish Part 1 Breeding Betta Fish Part 2 Betta Fry Videos |
Introduction To Betta Fish
Species name: Betta splendens
Common names: Betta, Betta splendens, Siamese fighting fish
Family: Osphronemidae (Gourami family)
subfamily: Macropodusinae
Order: Perciformes
Class: Actinopterygii
Maximum length: 2.4 in
Minimum tank size: They can live in tanks as small as 1 gallon but will do better in larger tanks.
Hardiness: Easy
Aggressiveness: They are also known to eat smaller fish. Two male Bettas housed together will fight, often to their death.
Distribution: Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam
Diet: Its natural diet consist in zooplankton, mosquito and other insect larvae. In the aquarium, it can be fed floating flake food, freeze dried blood worms, live black worms, frozen or live brine shrimp. Feeding Betta fish with too much frozen food has been known to cause problems. We recommend feeding Beta fish 1 or 2 pellets each time. Cloudy water and/or food accumulated on the bottom of the bowl or tank is a sign of overfeeding.
Additional information:
The Siamese fighting fish, also known as Betta fish, Betta splendens or Betta, is one of the most popular species of freshwater aquarium fish. In the wild, they are found in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam where they occur in standing waters of floodplains, canals, rice paddies and medium to large rivers.
The males are known for their bright colors and long fins. Some of the common colors are red, blue, black, green and yellow (bi-color and marbled varieties are also available). These colors are the result of captive breeding and do not occur in the wild.
The body of the female look similar to the body of the male but has short fins and an egg tube.
Bettas have the unique ability to breathe air from the surface via their labyrinth, which acts similarly to the lungs in mammals. For this reason, aeration via filtration is not necessary. Most Betta tank do not have a filter so it is important to do regular water changes to avoid pollution build up. Betta bowl should be clean twice a week. When cleaning the bowl, remember to change a small part of the water and to syphon all left over food if any. New water should be prepared one to two days in advance.
They can live in small tanks or bowl but most of the research indicates that Bettas will do much better if given more space. A 5 gallons tank recreating their natural habitat with rocks, driftwood and live plants would a perfect home. They are jumpers so make sure to keep the top of your Beta Fish bowl or tank covered.
They need warn temperatures from 75 to 85F. Always keep the bowl away from sources of hot and cold air such as air conditioner vents, heater vents, heaters, windows, etc. If temperatures become too low, their metabolism will slow, they will grow at a decreased rate and become more susceptible to disease. They can live in a pH range from 6.5 to 7.5 but prefers water on the soft side
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Article written by Patrice Lapointe for www.aquariumslife.com<>
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