9/18/2023 0 Comments Beta fish careOnce the female has laid her eggs, she typically leaves. Like seahorses, male bettas care for their young. After a short rest, they repeat the process several times. Flipping the female upside down, he wraps his fins around her, and fertilizes eggs as she releases them. If a female approves of the nest, she turns darker to show her interest.ĭuring mating, the male chases the female-sometimes nipping at her fins-before their nuptial embrace. He then puts on a display to attract a female, becoming brighter and spreading out his fins. Mating and reproductionīefore mating, the male spends hours blowing bubbles at the water’s surface to build what’s called a mucus bubble nest. The drawn-out fights can be brutal: the fish nip at each other’s fins, causing physical damage, until the loser admits defeat or is killed. Before battle begins, they spread their fins and flare their gills to make themselves look bigger. In the wild, betta fish are naturally territorial, and males instinctively fight one another. Selective breeding has also changed the length and shape of their fins: of the many variations, delicate, ribbon-like fins and flowing tails are the most iconic.Īlthough the species is renowned for its stunning appearance, wild bettas are smaller with shorter fins, and are a dull gray, green, olive, or brown. Males are brighter than females and become even more intensely colored when mating or fighting. Rare, coveted colors include turquoise, lavender, and albino. AppearanceĬaptive bettas have been selectively bred for their intense rainbow colors-bright reds, greens, blues, oranges, pinks, and more, as well as intricate color combinations. This ability develops over time: hatchlings rely on their gills, but adults gulp air and capture the oxygen from it using something called a labyrinth organ, which is attached to the gills and functions similarly to a human lung. Their diet mainly consists of plankton, crustaceans, and larvae.īecause their usual habitats are extremely low in oxygen, bettas have evolved to breathe air at the water’s surface. Colder water can cause them to become lethargic, stop eating, or become more prone to disease or infection. Being used to Asian climates, they prefer warm water around 80º Fahrenheit. Wild bettas live in shallow, freshwater areas such as rice paddies, stagnant ponds, marshes, and slow-moving streams. Habitatīetta fish originated from Thailand but can be found in nearby countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Today, betta fighting is illegal in many countries.Īlthough they are often considered to be easy pets, betta fish are sometimes mistreated by owners who aren’t aware of what they need to stay safe and healthy. Early bettas were made to fight for human entertainment, like cockfighting, and were popular among Thai royalty. These characteristics are much more pronounced in captive betta, which have been bred for those traits since the 14th century A.D. īetta splendens are known for their stunning colors, decorative fins, and tendency to fight. Their scientific name, Betta splendens, combines two languages: Malay for “enduring fish,” and the Latin word for “shining.” This species , with its many varieties, is the most common betta fish found in aquariums and pet stores, but it has more than 70 relatives, including the endangered Betta miniopinna and Betta Persephone. Betta fish-also known as Siamese fighting fish-are among the oldest species of domesticated fish.
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