Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta Splendens)
- Photos of the Siamese Fighting Fish
- Natural Habitat. The Siamese Fighting Fish is endemic to the Mekong basin of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and the Chao Phraya River in Thailand in Southeast Asia.
- Other Bettas of interest. Siamese Fighting Fish will generally accept high-quality dried food such as flakes and granules once they are identified as edible.
What do Siamese fighting fish eat in the aquarium?
Siamese fighting fish are omnivorous and thrive on small aquatic invertebrates. You can use a variety of foods in your aquarium to feed them, but the live foods are recommended for your Siamese fighting fish. You should also try to offer your Siamese fighting fish a range of foods that will make their tank as healthy as possible.
Can male Siamese fighting fish live together?
Similarly, researchers have found that when pairs of male Siamese fighting fish were kept together in the same tank for a three-day period, aggressive behaviour was most prevalent during the mornings of the first two days of their cohabitation. However the researchers observed that the fighting between the two males decreased as the day progressed.
What are the different types of Siamese fighting fish tails?
Their tails, in particular, can be found in endless styles. Depending on your preferences, you can find a Siamese fighting fish with comb-like, crown-like, delta-like, Halfmoon-like, feather, round, spade and veil tail shapes. Most of these types have their own sub-types, and they are often combined into hybrid shapes.
What does the Siamese fighting fish eat?
You should offer high quality specialised Siamese fighting fish pellets/granules and supplement this with black worms, brine shrimp, frozen tubifex worms and daphnia. Siamese fighting fish should be fed 1-2 times per day in very small amounts (2-3 pellets or pieces of other food).
What kind of food do betta fish eat?
Betta Fish typically shouldn't be fed fruits and vegetables since their diet must be 75-90 percent protein. High-protein freeze-dried, and frozen meals can be provided to your betta fish as special treats, but the bulk of their diet should consist of pellets or flakes made specifically for betta nutrition.
What is the best food for fighting fish?
Actual betta pellets and flakes contain the correct level of nutrients for your betta fish. They are easy to portion to protect your fish from over and underfeeding. As special treats, your betta fish can enjoy high protein freeze-dried and frozen foods. These are things like brine shrimp and bloodworms.
Can Siamese fighting fish eat tropical fish food?
Betta Fish Flakes There are specific flakes made specifically for betta fish. Do not feed your betta other tropical fish flakes because they lack the protein requirements bettas need. Betta flakes can be a staple in regular feedings, but they can also be very messy.
What makes betta fish happy?
3:5711:56Top 10 Tips To Make Your Betta Fish Happy - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNot just vadas almost all fish not only is brine shrimp great for your fish. But they also love itMoreNot just vadas almost all fish not only is brine shrimp great for your fish. But they also love it it's one of those foods that almost all fish will go crazy for.
How do you know if your betta fish is hungry?
Signs of a Betta Being HungryAlways Hungry. Bettas are tricksters when it comes to meal time. ... Eating Plants. Your betta isn't trying to play a bit of reverse psychology on you with that angry appearance -- he likes tearing into meat way more than scarfing down a bit of plant material. ... Skinny. ... Lack of Energy. ... Reasons.
Do betta fish prefer pellets or flakes?
Betta fish enjoy eating pellets. Pellets can be used a staple for betta fish diets. The pellets must be specifically made for betta fish!
Can betta fish eat goldfish flakes?
Betta fish can eat goldfish food, but it does not fulfill the dietary needs of a betta fish. Goldfish food consists of primarily carbohydrates as goldfish are omnivores. Betta fish are carnivores and need a lot of protein to remain healthy, which is only partly present in goldfish food.
How many flakes should I feed my betta fish?
Additionally, if there are enough flakes being placed in the tank that the filter can become clogged, there are too many being fed to him, so he may simply not be able to eat them all. Bettas only require one to two pellets or flakes per meal, twice a day.
Can Siamese fighting fish eat flakes?
Betta fish can't survive on plant-based foods and, contrary to what some fish stores will tell you, they do not eat plant roots. The best betta fish diet would include a variety of freeze-dried foods, live foods (mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, bloodworms), and fish flakes and/or pellets that are high in crude protein.
What can I feed my betta if I ran out of food?
In case you run out of food, you can give your Betta pieces of worm or shrimp or even certain kinds of fish. For example, mosquito larvae are among their most favorite food in the wild and it is absolutely suitable to give at home.
Can betta fish eat bananas?
Can Betta Fish Eat Fruits as Treats? Yes, some bettas might eat bananas or mangoes. These fruits are safer than citrusy fruits because they are soft, sweet, and less acidic.
What Does Siamese Fighting Fish Eat?
A typical Betta is carnivorous. They feed on meat. The ones in the wild can be found feasting on blood-worms, shrimp and smaller insects like grasshoppers. Those kept as pets are usually fed freeze-dried blood-worms.
Where do Siamese fight fish live?
In Thailand , it is traditional to house Siamese Fighting Fish in small jars, but these provide little swimming space and make it difficult to maintain the water quality. The natural grace and elegance of the fish will be more apparent in an aquarium.
Why Do Betta Fish Fight?
Siamese Fighting Fish have good color vision, which enables them to spot rivals with relative ease. Even when faced with its own reflection in a mirror, as here, the male responds by adopting an aggressive posture. Aggression is one of the traits developed in this species over the centuries, and most modern strains are far more belligerent than their wild ancestors. However, actual conflict is still a last resort, and the fish initially try to deter one another with ritualized displays, notably raising the fins and flaring the gill covers to make themselves look bigger.
How do I know if my betta fish is stressed and what should I do to help?
Disease organisms and parasites may lie dormant until the Betta has become weakened by fluctuating environmental factors.
What is a fighting fish?
The fish has special qualities and fighting skills (or should we say aggressiveness). The Siamese fighting fish, also referred to as Betta splendens or the Betta, is a popular fish in the aquarium trade.
What is the fighting fish in an aquarium called?
You may have heard an aquarium owner talk about the Siamese Fighting fish or the “ Betta Fish “.
How many gallons of water do bettas need?
If you do decide to do a community tank with other fish then I would recommend a minimum of a 10-gallon tank or pond, and you want it to be well planted with lots of spaces to hide for the fish.
How to take care of a Siamese fighting fish?
To take care of a Siamese fighting fish, keep it in a tank that holds at least 2 1/2 gallons of water so it has plenty of room to swim around and explore. Line the bottom of the tank with aquarium gravel, and decorate it with plants and shelters to make it more comfortable and stimulating for your fish .
How to feed a betta fish?
1. Feed your Betta a high-protein diet. Bettas are meat-eaters, so they must be food that is high in protein content. There are plenty of options, and you should actually vary the type of food your feed your fish, as long as you stick to high-protein options.
What is the name of the fighting fish?
So you’ve decided you want to raise a Siamese fighting fish. The Latin name for this species (the one most often sold at pet stores) is Betta splendens, often shortened to “Betta.”. Male Bettas are especially popular fish to keep as pets, in part because of their wavy, flowing fins and bright colors.
What is the best substrate for a betta tank?
These bacteria convert ammonia that is produced by decomposing fish waste into nitrates. The best type of substrate for a Betta tank is stone gravel, polished or otherwise smoothed. Get gravel from a pet store or online. The individual pieces of gravel should be too large for your Betta to fit in its mouth.
How to keep bettas out of water?
Keep a lid on your Betta’s tank. Bettas will jump right out of their tank if you do not use a lid. Make sure there’s a few inches of space between the surface of the tank’s water and the lid, as Bettas will sometimes surface for a bit of fresh air. Make sure there is a tank light to help any aquatic plants grow.
How to keep algae out of a tank?
Place your tank out of direct sunlight. Place your tank on a stable, solid surface that can safely hold its weight. Make sure that direct sunlight does not hit the tank at any point of the day. Sunlight contributes to excessive algae growth and dangerously high temperatures.
Why is substrate important in a fish tank?
Substrate is an important component of a healthy fish tank, as it allows for the development of healthy bacteria. Your tank’s filter works with the help of this bacteria, which collects in a tanks substrate and also develops on the filter’s internal materials.
What is the difference between Siamese fighting fish and Siamese fighting fish?
The main difference lies in the shape of their finnage and color , which we would discuss in the subsequent section. They feature a torpedo-styled body.
How long do Siamese fighting fish live?
Lifespan of Siamese Fighting Fish. They have a short lifespan. They don’t live beyond 2-4 years. Although it is claimed that with proper care, they may live even further, chances of seeing a betta fish older than four years of age is extremely rare.
Why is my Siamese fighting fish prone to fin rots?
Siamese Fighting Fish Diseases. They are prone to fin rots, which usually results from dirty water. If the water of your fish tank is not cleaned regularly or the water in the betta cup that you carried when buying your betta from the pet shop is not clean enough, it might cause bacterial diseases.
How to decorate a fish tank?
You can add aquatic ornaments to decorate your fish tank. Not only they add to the beauty to your aquarium, but they also serve as good hiding spots for your betta, especially, if there is more than one betta in your tank. Try to keep at least one long ornament/cave that rise to the water surface. This will serve as a resting platform for your fish when it comes to the water surface to breathe in air.
What is a fighting fish?
A type of Gourami, Siamese Fighting Fish is a member of the Osphronemidae family. These fish are also simply known as bettas. They have derived this name from the word ‘Bettah’, which translates to ‘an ancient clan of warriors’. These fish are also known both for their beautiful outlook and their violent nature. The later quality is responsible for them engaging in quick intense fights with not only fish of other species, but also with their own kind too. So, it’s not a big secret as to why they are called Fighting Fish. In Thailand, they are known by their vernacular name ‘ Plakat ’, which means ‘biting fish’ in Thai.
How many gallons of water do you need for a betta?
Ideally, for one betta, you would need a five-gallon water tank. If you want to keep more than one betta in your aquarium or include fish of other species, the tank size will proportionally increase depending on how much space the other fish take.
Why are female fighting fish shorter than males?
The females are much shorter than their male counterparts because the fins in males are larger. In some of the variants of the Siamese Fighting Fish, the fins can be thrice the size of their body. The fins of the female are generally less elaborate than the males and they are much smaller too.
What do you feed a Siamese fighting fish?
A Siamese fighting fish is carnivorous in nature, so you should feed it with live or frozen food so that it gets a lot of animal protein. In addition, there are both special flake food and granulate variants for Bettas.
Where do fighting fish come from?
The fighting fish mostly comes from Thailand and Cambodia. It appeared in Europe for the first time in 1892. But its breeding goes back much further. More precisely by several centuries: Betta splendens, their scientific name, was bred in their home country for shows and, above all, competitions.
What temperature should a betta fish be?
They make little demands on their pool – both in size and in terms of the desired water values. It only requires a temperature of around 26 ° C, plus a pH value between 6 and 8 and a total hardness between 5 and 15. Since it occurs in still water in its home country, no artificial current should be installed.#N#Now on a topic where opinions differ: the required aquarium size.
Where do Siamese fight fish live?
Siamese fighting fish are endemic to the central plain of Thailand and have been domesticated for at least 1,000 years, among the longest of any fish. They were initially bred for aggression and subject to gambling matches akin to cockfighting.
How long do Siamese fish live?
Health and wellness. When properly kept and fed a correct diet, Siamese fighting fish generally live between three and five years in captivity, though in rare cases may live as long as seven to ten years.
What do bettas eat?
Bettas can be fed a varied diet of pellets, flakes, or frozen foods like brine shrimp , bloodworms, daphnia and many others. Due to their short digestive tracts—a characteristic of most carnivores —bettas have difficulty processing carbohydrates such as corn and wheat, which are commonly used as fillers in many commercial fish foods. Thus, regardless of the source, a proper betta diet should consist mostly of animal protein.
How to keep bettas healthy?
Bettas are fairly intelligent and inquisitive, and thus require stimulation; otherwise they can become bored and depressed, leading to lethargy and a weaker immune system. Decorations such as plastic or live plants, rocks, caves, driftwood, and other ornaments provide crucial enrichment—provided they do not have rough textures or jagged edges, which can damage the delicate fins. In the wild, Siamese fighting fish spend most of their time concealing themselves under floating debris or overhanging plants to avoid potential predators. Floating plants and leaves can help bettas feel more secure, while also giving males an anchor from which to build their bubble nests. Abundant vegetation of any kind is generally recommended to provide maximum security and to cater to the betta's instinct to claim protective territory.
What is a fighting fish?
Thus, the term "fighting fish" is used to generalize all Betta species besides the Siamese fighting fish. Siamese fighting fish were originally given the scientific name Macropodus pugnax in 1849—literally "aggressive fish with big feet", likely in reference to their elongated pelvic fins.
Why are bettas so sick?
Most illnesses result from poor water quality and cold water, both of which weaken the immune system.
Why do fish flare?
Both sexes display pale horizontal bars if stressed or frightened. However, such colour changes, common in females of any age, are rare in mature males due to their intensity of colour. Females often flare at other females, especially when setting up a pecking order. Flirting fish behave similarly, with vertical instead of horizontal stripes indicating a willingness and readiness to breed.