Interesting Facts about Betta Fish

Betta fish are quite colorful. You can find them in white, yellow, orange, pastel, steel blue, royal blue, and many other colors. They have fan-type tails and fins. While buying your fish, ensure that their fins are normally-shaped, they have a straight spine, there are no spots or tears in the fins, and the scales are smooth.

Now, how can you differentiate between the male and the female? It is quite easy actually. The male has the longer flowing fins and he will flare them to intimidate other fish. Its body is also longer and larger than the female. The female are smaller and have a small white dot on their stomach, directly behind the shorter fins.

Betta fish can live in a relatively small aquarium. They can even be kept in a bowl. But don't put them in a vase. This is not the right place for these fish. They are quite territorial in nature and don't swim too far away from their own turf.

However, they do need some moving space, so the tank should ideally be at least three gallons in size. An interesting betta fish fact is that these have a labyrinth organ located just behind the head. It has a small chamber with many folds covered in tissue and blood vessels. This organ allows them to breathe oxygen directly from the surface of the water. Without access to the water surface, your fish will die.

They also need a stable warm temperature ranging from 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The water quality should be soft and neutral to slightly acidic pH.

More than one betta male should never be kept in the same tank. If you do, make sure to provide a barrier between them. Male betta fish are quite aggressive towards each other and this is why these are the ones that have received the 'Siamese fighting fish' tag. They will even attack their own reflection in the mirror.

Live foods are the ideal diet for these fish since in the wild they feed on insects and insect larvae. They can survive on flake foods and frozen foods. However, the ideal diet for these fish are brine shrimp, plankton, tubifex worms, glass worms, beef heart, blood warms, and water daphnia. Or you could simply buy the fish food from Amazon.com.

Betta fish can live for two to three years. Breeding is usually successful when they are under a year old. For breeding, the pH should be around 7.0 and temperature around 80 degrees F.

When the male is ready to spawn, he will blow a bubble nest. Since they can get quite aggressive, the females should be provided a place where they can hide if he gets out of control.

As soon as it time to spawn, the pair displays intense colors and circles each other under the bubble nest. The male wraps himself around the female and she expels her eggs which are then fertilized. The male scoops them up and spits them into the nest. An interesting betta fish fact is that the male will tend the eggs now. So, the female should be removed here since the male may hurt her.

It takes two to three days for the eggs to hatch. Once they hatch, the male should be removed before the young begin swimming on their own.

Now that you know these interesting facts about betta fish, you are ready to set up your own aquarium. Most varieties that you find these days will be tank bred. You can buy a wild variety too. However, they are quite expensive and you will also find it difficult to find one. So, buy a betta fish for your aquarium and enjoy this pet.