Betta fish have become one of the most popular freshwater tropical fish species for fishkeeping. The emergence of new colors and tail types continues to show how beautiful, intelligent, and unique these fish truly are.
With popularity, unfortunately, comes misinformation and myths – especially for beginners. Below you will find 50 real facts about betta fish you can trust. Both educational and fun, even seasoned aquarists should learn something new.
General Betta Fish Facts
1. Spelling and Pronunciation: Betta is spelled with two t’s. Betta is pronounced as ‘bet-ta’ – now you betta get it right!
2. Life Span: The average lifespan for a betta is approximately 2-4 years in captivity, although some betta fish have lived to be 9 years when properly cared for. Genetics also play a role.
3. Get Out Of My Room!: Betta fish, especially males, are extremely territorial and will attack other males and females. Betta’s are called Siamese Fighting Fish for a reason! Male and female betta fish can live together with some other docile species of fish under the right conditions, and female betta fish can live together in what is known as a sorority with 4-5 or more females.
4. Bettas are Independent: Lots of fish travel in schools, but the betta prefers to be independent.
5. Over 70 Species: Did you know the term “betta” is an inclusive term and refers to more than 70 different species of betta fish. The most common and recognized species of betta is called the Betta splenden, and is what you typically find in pet stores.
6. Length: The average body length of an adult betta is 2.25 inches (5.7cm).
7. Look At Those Chompers: Betta fish have very tiny sharp teeth to help break down their food before ingestion. Don’t worry though, they can’t puncture human skin, and you’ll probably have to get out a magnifying glass to see them.
8. Historical Fighting Competitions: In the 1800s natives in Thailand would collect bettas from the fields and puddles and breed them for fighting. The King of Thailand also took interest in the matches having his own betta victors. This aggression still exists in betta fish today and has not been bred out. This is inhumane treatment, and should not be replicated.
9. Bettas Still Used As Fighting Fish in Japan: With breeding farms located in Singapore and Malaysia, betta splendens are, unfortunately, still being used in Japan for the purpose of fighting. Fighting bettas still produce the most revenue, despite the inhumane treatment of the fish.
10. Diverse Tail Shapes: Betta fish are bred in a variety of tail shapes including: veiltail, crowntail, delta tail, halfmoon, double tail, combtail, rosetail, and spade to name a few.
11. United States Arrival: Betta splendens made their way into the United States by 1910, only after being popular in France and Germany throughout the late 1800s.
Male vs. Female Facts
12. Differentiate Between the Sexes: Male and Female bettas are relatively easy to decipher between. In general, males tend to be larger and more colorful than females. A males fins are larger and more ornate, for the purpose of attracting a female. Females tend to have smaller fins, are duller in color, and have a visible egg spot.
13. Battle of the Sexes: Before actual courtship takes place, the male and female betta will fight for the same territory in an aggressive manner.
14. Bubble Nests: Males will build bubble nests to signal health and strength to a female for mating. After the females eggs are released, the male places the eggs in the bubble nest with his mouth where they will remain until they hatch. This is an instinctual behavior, and males will construct bubble nests with or without the presence of a female.
15. Mr. Mom: The male betta fish not only constructs bubble nests and places the eggs in it, but he also takes an active role in guarding and watching over the eggs until they hatch. The female generally does not participate in this process, and is often chased away by the male. Females may also try to eat the eggs.
16. Males Are More Popular: Due to their larger, more colorful and ornate appearance, most betta fish owners choose to keep male bettas. Female bettas are usually only sought after for breeding purposes as they aren’t as intriguing or “pretty” to look at. (I beg to differ)
Care Facts
17. Bettas Are Tropical Fish: Historically speaking, bettas have had to withstand temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the wild. Therefore, a bettas tank should have a heater if the surrounding room’s temperature is below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
18. They Require Stable Temperatures: Unlike you and I, a betta cannot regulate its body temperature.They require a constant tank temperature of 78-82 degrees Fahrenheit. While bettas are hardy fish, an abrupt rise or fall in temperature could cause stress or illness.
19. Gimme Some Space!: Betta fish should not be kept in tiny tanks or vases. Betta’s require lots of space to swim for optimal health and happiness, with the recommended minimum tank size being 2.5-gallons. While betta fish can “survive” in small volumes of low oxygenated water during droughts in the wild, their natural habitat is shallow but very large (e.g. rice paddies). It’s a common myth that because they come in tiny containers in pet stores, that they prefer these small spaces. These containers are temporary housing to prevent aggression between each other or other fish in community tanks.
20. Salad? No Thanks: Bettas are primarily carnivores, feeding on insects on the surface of the water in the wild. They enjoy mosquito larvae, bloodworms, and brine shrimp to list a few. A diverse diet in captivity is essential to their health, with a mixture of high-quality pellets and bloodworms or brine shrimp.
21. Nom, Nom, Nom: Betta fish are not used to knowing when their next meal will be in the wild, and will gorge on food in captivity if you let them. This can lead to a lot of health issues, and should be avoided. Feed your betta fish 2-3 high-quality pellets, 1-2 times daily. Fasting one day per week is recommended to ensure digestive regularity.
22. Bettas Can Go a While Without Food: Betta fish can live up to 14 days without food if they have to, but please don’t try it.
23. The Importance of Acclimation: Betta fish don’t like abrupt changes in water parameters or temperature. After purchasing a betta fish, or after 100% water changes, avoid dropping him or her back into your fish tank. Allow the betta to float in his plastic bag or cup on the surface of the tank water for at least 20-30 minutes to get used to the tank’s temperature. I also like to slowly add a few drops of the tank water into the container during the acclimation. For more information on acclimation, click here.
24. Betta Fish Ailments: Overfeeding/bloating/constipation are the most common ailments in captivity, closely followed by fin and tail rot.
25. Peas Help Digestive Issues: Betta fish can eat blanched peas, which is helpful for more fiber during constipation and bloating.
26. Fin Color and Health: Dull colored fins on a betta could indicate stress or sickness. The brighter and richer the colors are, the healthier a betta is assumed to be. This is why it’s common for betta fish to change colors or get brighter after administering proper care.
27. Fins Can Regrow: A betta fish’s fins can regrow if they are damaged from decor, fighting, or fin rot.
28. Mirror Mirror on the Wall: Betta fish who see their reflection will try to attack themselves. Using a small mirror should only be done for short periods of time. With hyper-aggressive bettas, an aquarium background may need to be applied to all sides but the front to reduce the reflection from the glass. Constant flaring and aggression can lead to stress, exhaustion, and sickness.
29. Jumping For Joy: Betta’s can and do jump out of the water. Make sure your tank has a secure lid and is not filled all the way. If you don’t, you could come home to find your betta has jumped out of their tank. If you do find your betta out of its tank, place them back in as quickly as possible. Betta fish can survive out of water for some time.
30. Boredom and Tail Biting: Boredom can lead to a betta biting their own tail so keep them occupied with different plants and decor, and change up the position of items every so often.
31. Body Lines: Horizontal lines can appear along the bettas body when they feel stressed or sick – also called “Stress lines”. Vertical lines or bars, on the other hand, can appear along a bettas body during aggression or breeding.
32. Water Conditions: Betta fish can do well in slightly brackish water, or water that has some salt in it (not table salt).
33. Betta Sleep Cycles: Betta fish need day and night cycles just like you and I. So make sure you don’t keep the aquarium light on all day and night. They need time to sleep in darkness.
Interesting Facts
34. Intelligence: Considered to be very intelligent, betta fish can learn to recognize their owners, and do small tricks. Try using food to get them to follow your finger, jump out of the water, or even swim through a hoop.
35. Stomach Size: Their stomachs are about the size of their eye!
36. All Grown Up: Betta fish sold in pet stores are usually 6 months to a year old when you purchase them, because that’s when their fins are fully developed.
37. They Breathe Air: Classified as an anabantoid, the betta can breathe out of water. Bettas have a special organ called the labyrinth organ, which allows them to inhale oxygen from the surface of the water. That’s why it’s important to never fill your tank all the way to the top or obstruct your betta from reaching the water’s surface. Through evolution, this special organ has helped the betta survive in low oxygenated waters, like stagnant ponds or rice paddies.
38. Internal Buoy: Betta fish have an internal organ called the swim bladder which they can inflate and deflate with gas to regulate their depth in the water.
39. I Sleep With Both Eyes Open: Betta fish do sleep and rest with their eyes open. Some prefer to rest during the day, while others rest more at night. It’s important to keep betta fish on a regular day and night schedule just like humans. Never keep an aquarium light on for 24 hours a day.
40. What’s In A Name?: Another referencing name for Betta splenden’s (or Siamese Fighting Fish), is Plakat, which means “tearing or biting fish”.
41. Betta Colors in the Wild: Colorful bettas are the result of selective breeding. In the wild, betta splenden’s are a dull brown or green color with a tinge of red in their fins.
42. Weak Swimmers in Captivity: Because of their long flowing fins, which are specifically bred for, betta fish are pretty weak swimmers in captivity. Wild betta fish have much smaller fins, allowing them to swim faster.
Fun Facts About Betta Fish
43. Popularity: Betta Splendens (Siamese Fighting Fish) are among the top 3 most popular freshwater tropical fish for home aquariums.
44. Colors: Betta fish can be found in a variety of beautiful colors in captivity through selective breeding processes. These include solid colors like red, green, white, blue, pink, purple and orange, and all kinds of mixtures. The most rare colors are solid white and neon green.
45. Their Fins Can Taste Food: A betta’s fins are not only beautiful and useful for swimming, but they also contain nerve cells and even taste buds! This allows a betta to taste food with their fins once it enters the water nearby.
46. Mean Mugs: Betta fish have upturned mouths, which provide strong jaws and the ability to feed more efficiently near the surface of the water. This is also why they tend to look like they are always grumpy.
47. Strong Jaws: A betta’s jaws are more powerful than a great white shark, that is, in proportion to their size and power!
48. Betta Believe We Famous: “Fish Hooks”, a Disney Channel series, features a Siamese Fighting Fish named Milo. A betta fish was used as a live wallpaper option on the Apple iPhone 6s. Betta fish have also been commonly used as screensavers for Windows 7 and 8 operating systems.
49. Don’t Mess With Me: Bettas will flare their gill covers and let out their operculum (it looks like a black beard) when feeling threatened in their territory. This beard is less pronounced on females and is their way to establish dominance by looking larger and more aggressive.
50. Bettas Can Be Purchased Online: You can buy betta fish online through websites like aquabid.com
