Fish that are kept in home aquariums for decoration purposes are known as ornamental Fish. These fishes have a wide variety of species with various shapes and sizes. One such species of ornamental fish is the Betta Fish (Betta splendens), also called the Siamese fighting fish. They are the most popular aquarium fish because of their beautiful colors and shapes of fina; it is a great addition to any fish lover’s home.
The Betta Fish require proper care and attention because they are dependent on their caretakers. How to provide a healthy environment for your fish? Does Betta Fish need a companion, or do they prefer to live alone? Read this guide to learn about this aesthetic, colorful, and controversial ornamental fish, the Betta Fish.
In this guide, we will discuss the following outline:
- What is a Betta Fish?
- Where Do Betta Fish Live?
- How Big Do Betta Fish Get?
- How Long Do Betta Fish Live?
- What Do Betta Fish Eat?
- How to Care For Betta Fish?
- What Temperature Do Betta Fish Need?
What is a Betta Fish?
The Betta Fish is one of the 73 recognized species of the genus Betta, a popular aquarium fish due to its diverse and colorful appearance and patterns. They have colored fins and different tail types. The male Betta Fish are more colorful and have long-flowing fins. However, the female Betta Fish are not very colorful and have small fins.
The Betta Fish is also known as a fighting fish because of the territorial and aggressive nature of male Betta Fish. If the male Betta live in the same tank, they fight with each other. The female Betta also becomes territorial if they live in the same tank with less space. In the wild, they are less territorial because of the large space.
Where Do Betta Fish Live?
The Betta Fish is a labyrinth fish (fish that breathes air) means it can breathe directly from the water’s surface. The Betta Fish prefers to swim alone as they are not schooling fish. They feel comfortable and safe in the dense aquatic corners and caves.
The Betta Fish originated from the shallow water of Thailand but can be found in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. In Asia, they live in shallow marshes, streams, rice paddies, and ponds.
How Big Do Betta Fish Get?
The Betta Fishes are quite small as compared to other fishes. The Betta Fish can grow no longer than 3 inches (7cm). The female Betta is of the same size as the male Betta, but the female Betta has smaller fins.
The size of the tank affects the size of the fish; in the smaller tank, the fish can grow to 1.5 to 2 inches, no matter how much you feed them. Beta living in larger tanks grow more and have large fins.
The food also affects the size of the fish, if you feed them with high-rich protein food they will grow faster and become big and beautiful.
How Long Do Betta Fish Live?
The average known lifespan of the Betta Fish is 2 to 5 years, if the proper environment is provided. The older recorded live Betta Fish to the age of 10 years. The age or lifespan of Betta Fish depends on the environment. A clean environment and a healthy diet can help them live a longer life. If they are not kept in the ideal environment, they will start developing diseases and it will shorten their lifespan.
What Do Betta Fish Eat?
Plant food is not adequate food for Betta Fish as they are carnivores, they eat mostly meat. They should be fed the proper high-rich protein diet. It is not recommended to feed fish flakes to Betta Fish. You must treat them with dried or frozen brine shrimp, Krill shrimp, and blood worms. The Betta Fish like eating pellets. The pellets can be used as staples and must be specifically made for betta. When the Betta Fish live in the wild, these species eat small insects like mosquitoes and larvae of aquatic insects.
The Betta Fish is a wild species and eats food whenever they can find it; this makes it very easy for them to overeat the extra available food. They are susceptible to overfeeding as overfeeding affects the health of fish. To prevent overfeeding, feed them only once or two times per day and clean out excess food in the aquarium regularly with a net or a turkey baster.
How to Care For Betta Fish?
Setting up the aquarium for fish and maintaining it with proper care is complex and time intensive. To keep the Betta Fish healthy, it is essential to provide them with an environment similar to their natural habitat. The following instructions must keep in mind if you are thinking of owning Betta fish:
- It is not recommended to place the Betta Fish in the bowl; place the Betta fish in a large enclosure, the minimum size for a single betta is 10 gallons. If you choose 20-gallon tanks, you can add other decorative items in the tank with additional fish.
- The Neon tetras, Pictus catfish, Blue gourami, and other fishes can be kept with betta. They should never be kept in a tank with goldfish because goldfish require cool temperatures and betta live in hot water.
- Tanks with decorative items like plants, rocks, and driftwood provide a great ecosystem for Betta Fish.
- The tap water contains chlorine and chloramine, which will kill fish; properly apply water conditioner to tap water before adding it to the tank.
- 10% of the water should be replaced every week.
- Never use soaps and harsh chemicals to clean the tank as they are dangerous to the health of fish.
- Place the aquarium where temperature and light are controllable.
- To maintain the temperature of the aquarium, place a heater in the aquarium with a thermometer. Choose the heater according to your aquarium size, a heater with 5 watts of power for each gallon of water in the aquarium is recommended.
- The Betta Fish should be kept in the aquarium with a filter to clean it from bacteria and other hurtful toxins.
- The Betta Fish is highly sensitive to PH changes so the PH of the water should be between 6.5 and 8.
What Temperature Do Betta Fish Need?
The water temperature should be between 76- and 82-degrees F. The temperature of water should be maintained with a heater as they are highly sensitive to water changes. The cold water suppresses the immune system of Fish and causes illness, and the hot water makes the fish uncomfortable.
Final Thoughts
The Betta Fish is also known as the Siamese fighting fish and is the most colorful fish breed. They are territorial and can only live with a few other fishes. They have a labyrinth system that allows them to breathe from the surface of water if there is less oxygen in the water.
The Betta Fish is a popular aquarium fish and requires specific attention and care to ensure that they stay happy and healthy in your aquarium. They eat high-rich protein food and can grow up to 2 inches. If they are handled with care, they can live up to 5 years.
