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Betta Splendens
Siamese Fighting Fish
| Order: | Perciformes | | Suborder: | Anababtoidei | | Family: | Belontiidae | | Genera: | Betta |
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- Originated in Southeast Asia: India, the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
- Original Habitat: Shallow, overgrown waters; irrigation channels; and flooded rice fields that warm up to 86°F (30°C). Often stagnant water.
- Because of their ability to breath air, Labyrinth fish can survive in polluted water with very little oxygen.
- Labyrinth fish have an auxiliary breathing organ, a "labyrinth", which they use to absorb air.
- Size: 5 cm - 8cm long. By selective breeding the “Veiltail Bettas” we see today bear little resemblance to wild specimens. They can reach a 6 cm long.
- Today we have Flesh-colored, bright Blue Emerald Green, Red, Red-Violet and even Jet Black Bettas.
- The colors are only intense when male Bettas are fighting or breeding. They tend to be washed out all other times.
- Females are mostly Yellow-Brown with short fins.
- Males do not get along well with each other.
- Bettas are "bubble nest" builders. Bubble nests consist of air bubbles enclosed in saliva. They are very strong.
- The nest is always built by the male. It 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, but growth is rapid. The “fry” can only eat very small food. Care must be taken in the first few weeks because the developing Labyrinth is very sensitive to change.
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