Hey there! Glad you could make it!
Today, we will be diving into the world of the betta fish. I am no Ichthyologist, but I will try my best to explain behavior, personality, anatomy and other FUN stuff about bettas.
Here's what I'll be covering:
Within the fishkeeping hobby, Betta Hendra are becoming quite popular. Betta Hendra are within the betta family but have a more slender body and bold, iridescent coloring. Below is a photo from Instagram user fishiefishieaz showcasing their male Betta Hendra. fishiefishieaz has been successfully breeding his Hendra pair.
Isn't the Betta Hendra gorgeous?
To be a successful fish keeper, knowing how a fish's body works is highly important and can be a factor of life and death.
Take a look:
The swim bladder helps the fish's equilibrium in the water. Basically, the swim bladder helps the fish stay parallel while swimming, rise to the surface for air or sink to the bottom to scavenge. When a betta overeats or become bloated, the swim bladder will not function properly and will cause the fish to either struggle to swim to the surface or struggle to keep upright. Or both.
Gills help the fish extract oxygen from the water. If there is too much ammonia in the tank, sometimes the gills will turn red or have a blistered look. When bettas become territorial or agitated, they will "flare" their gills.
Remember that scene with the poison-spitting dinosaur?
The labyrinth organ functions very similar to gills. The labyrinth organ also allows the fish to intake oxygen but not from the water directly. The betta will swim to the surface and collect oxygen from out of the water. This oxygen passes through the labyrinth organ and flows directly into the bloodstream. The betta fish is one of few fish who have this organ because gills accomplish this for other fish species. Bettas have this organ due to years of survival in oxygen-less water.
The stomach receives an honorary mention because it is very easy for bettas to keep eating regardless of satisfying their hunger. Don't overfeed your betta!
APPEARANCE & COLOR
Like many other fish species, the betta fish is sought after for its decorative appearance and rich coloring.
Along with different colors, bettas also have different fin/tail types and names! From veiltale to dumbo to halfmoon and super red to copper to galaxy, betta fish may just be the prettiest if not fanciest freshwater fish!
Take a look at the graphic below:
TANK ENVIRONMENT
Bettas are used to a humid, tropical environment and should not be kept in water under 70 degrees F. Honestly, my bettas have struggled in water below 75! They seem to thrive the best in warmer water. Depending on your location, it is dire to install either a chiller or a heater in your tank to ensure your fish is comfortable and healthy. As far as pH level, bettas prefer slightly acidic water (between 6.5 and 7) but I've kept my pH at a solid 7 and they have been fine.
Think of this way: When you are cold, your put on a sweater or vice a versa, when you are hot, you wear minimal clothing. Imagine your thermostat is on the fritz and every minute you switch from hot to cold to polluted air to clean air and back and forth. Your environment, in this scenario, is unstable and rapid changes in anyone's environment can heavily induce stress. Stress, in turn, can weaken the immune system.
Same goes for fish.
Always strive for constant pH levels and temperature rather than unsteady pH levels and temperature.
So how do you keep your water levels constant? I highly recommend a filter in your tank. I do not recommend keeping a tank without a filter. Just, don't. I tried to go there and then I ran back to using filters so just don't. Filters allow the tank to remain cleaner for longer periods of time resulting in healthier water for your fish!
Bettas can jump! Either have a tank with a lid or leave a couple inches at the top of the tank to ensure your fish won't jump out. Jumping is in their nature and unfortunately, the darn fish can't help itself back up and hop into its home. They will die a dumb, slow death. I've heard of people returning from work to find their betta on the floor near their tank...
Be cautious!
DIET
Bettas are carnivorous, meaning their nutrition relies on a heavy protein diet. There are a plethora of food out there marketed specifically for betta fish. I haven't tried all the betta fish food out there, but I will share my favorite types. I give Twerp 2-3 pellets of Omega One brand "betta buffet" in the morning and a second helping in the evening. Don't follow the label, "feed as much as your fish can consume in a couple minutes" because your fish is surely going to die because they will
If your fish's personality comes out in the form of food and the same humdrum food isn't cutting it, mix it up! Pet stores have a frozen food section where you can purchase frozen daphnia or bloodworms and sometimes brine shrimp. Bettas love these! Only give these as a supplement to their pellets, however.
I confess, I also feed my betta freeze-dried bloodworms. Freeze-dried foods are not the best option because live, fresh food is better to mimic their natural environment. I feed 1-2 bloodworms once a week as a supplement to Twerp's nutrition.
BETTA PERSONALITY
Generally, betta fish are aggressive. This applies to both genders but males tend to be more aggressive than females. Every betta you own will display aggression in some form whether it's flaring, nipping at other fish or going for a shrimp!
Did you know you can teach your betta tricks?
The longer you have your betta, the more its personality will show. When I brought home Twerp, she was hesitant for at least 2-3 weeks and then all of a sudden, she started getting sassy at feeding time! She started to understand cues like when the light comes on, it's morning feeding time and when I come to the tank, she can expect attention!
Mostly, they learn to associate you with food so don't think they love you that much, haha.
But yes, there are many a betta owner who teach their bettas tricks. One of my favorite Instagram accounts, BethanyTheBetta, teaches her bettas to "kick" a ball! She also teaches them to jump through hoops. Literally.
Today, we will be diving into the world of the betta fish. I am no Ichthyologist, but I will try my best to explain behavior, personality, anatomy and other FUN stuff about bettas.
Here's what I'll be covering:
ORIGIN
So where do bettas come from?
Betta fish are native to Thailand. Did you know there are over 60 different species of bettas? Specifically, the betta fish that we typically see in pet stores are classified as Betta Splendens. Colloquially, these fish are nicknamed, "Siamese Fighting Fish" because of their aggressive behaviors.
Betta fish are native to Thailand. Did you know there are over 60 different species of bettas? Specifically, the betta fish that we typically see in pet stores are classified as Betta Splendens. Colloquially, these fish are nicknamed, "Siamese Fighting Fish" because of their aggressive behaviors.
Within the fishkeeping hobby, Betta Hendra are becoming quite popular. Betta Hendra are within the betta family but have a more slender body and bold, iridescent coloring. Below is a photo from Instagram user fishiefishieaz showcasing their male Betta Hendra. fishiefishieaz has been successfully breeding his Hendra pair.
Isn't the Betta Hendra gorgeous?
ANATOMY
To be a successful fish keeper, knowing how a fish's body works is highly important and can be a factor of life and death.
The photos below are from JapaneseFightingFish.org.
The first photo names external parts of the fish, and the bottom photo names some internal parts of the fish.
Note the photos depict a male Betta.
Take a look:
I won't go into too much detail because the site already goes into depth about betta fish anatomy. In my opinion, the swim bladder, gills and labyrinth organ are the parts that need the most observation. The stomach gets an honorary mention.
The swim bladder helps the fish's equilibrium in the water. Basically, the swim bladder helps the fish stay parallel while swimming, rise to the surface for air or sink to the bottom to scavenge. When a betta overeats or become bloated, the swim bladder will not function properly and will cause the fish to either struggle to swim to the surface or struggle to keep upright. Or both.
Gills help the fish extract oxygen from the water. If there is too much ammonia in the tank, sometimes the gills will turn red or have a blistered look. When bettas become territorial or agitated, they will "flare" their gills.
Ever seen the Jurassic Park movie?
Remember that scene with the poison-spitting dinosaur?
Bettas "flare" their gills to show aggression towards what they perceive as threatening. This also makes them appear bigger and more intimidating than they really are, just like that poison-spitting dinosaur in Jurassic Park.
Bettas do NOT spit poison, however. Thank God.
The labyrinth organ functions very similar to gills. The labyrinth organ also allows the fish to intake oxygen but not from the water directly. The betta will swim to the surface and collect oxygen from out of the water. This oxygen passes through the labyrinth organ and flows directly into the bloodstream. The betta fish is one of few fish who have this organ because gills accomplish this for other fish species. Bettas have this organ due to years of survival in oxygen-less water.
Pretty amazing, right?
The stomach receives an honorary mention because it is very easy for bettas to keep eating regardless of satisfying their hunger. Don't overfeed your betta!
They seriously don't know (or care?) when to stop.
APPEARANCE & COLOR
Like many other fish species, the betta fish is sought after for its decorative appearance and rich coloring.
But did you know that bettas only show their vivid colors when they flare? Over the years, Betta Splendens have been bred for their vivid colors to become a permanent trait. A Betta's native color is either brown, green or red but other colors such as blue, white, translucent, orange and other color combinations that have been dubbed, "candy koi" or "galaxy" for example.
Along with different colors, bettas also have different fin/tail types and names! From veiltale to dumbo to halfmoon and super red to copper to galaxy, betta fish may just be the prettiest if not fanciest freshwater fish!
Take a look at the graphic below:
Can you tell which fish are female and which fish are male?
(Hint: males are more flashy and decorative!)
Check out Tucky's Bettas for exotic-colored bettas!
Bettas are used to a humid, tropical environment and should not be kept in water under 70 degrees F. Honestly, my bettas have struggled in water below 75! They seem to thrive the best in warmer water. Depending on your location, it is dire to install either a chiller or a heater in your tank to ensure your fish is comfortable and healthy. As far as pH level, bettas prefer slightly acidic water (between 6.5 and 7) but I've kept my pH at a solid 7 and they have been fine.
Think of this way: When you are cold, your put on a sweater or vice a versa, when you are hot, you wear minimal clothing. Imagine your thermostat is on the fritz and every minute you switch from hot to cold to polluted air to clean air and back and forth. Your environment, in this scenario, is unstable and rapid changes in anyone's environment can heavily induce stress. Stress, in turn, can weaken the immune system.
Same goes for fish.
Always strive for constant pH levels and temperature rather than unsteady pH levels and temperature.
So how do you keep your water levels constant? I highly recommend a filter in your tank. I do not recommend keeping a tank without a filter. Just, don't. I tried to go there and then I ran back to using filters so just don't. Filters allow the tank to remain cleaner for longer periods of time resulting in healthier water for your fish!
Filters do not mean skipping a water change, however.
Can my betta have a friend? Yes and no. I have successfully kept my (ONE!) female betta with neon tetras, mystery snails and shrimp. I have not tried housing bettas with other species of fish but sometimes their compatibility depends on their personality. It sounds crazy, but bettas are intelligent for a fish and they each have their own personality!
I once had a betta that hated everyone. She hated snails, shrimp, rocks, you name it. She made it very clear to me she liked being the only one, with minimal decor. My current betta, Twerp, LOVES investigating everything and she's very bold when it comes to protecting her "territory."
Bettas can jump! Either have a tank with a lid or leave a couple inches at the top of the tank to ensure your fish won't jump out. Jumping is in their nature and unfortunately, the darn fish can't help itself back up and hop into its home. They will die a dumb, slow death. I've heard of people returning from work to find their betta on the floor near their tank...
Be cautious!
DIET
Bettas are carnivorous, meaning their nutrition relies on a heavy protein diet. There are a plethora of food out there marketed specifically for betta fish. I haven't tried all the betta fish food out there, but I will share my favorite types. I give Twerp 2-3 pellets of Omega One brand "betta buffet" in the morning and a second helping in the evening. Don't follow the label, "feed as much as your fish can consume in a couple minutes" because your fish is surely going to die because they will
Not. Stop. Eating.
If your fish's personality comes out in the form of food and the same humdrum food isn't cutting it, mix it up! Pet stores have a frozen food section where you can purchase frozen daphnia or bloodworms and sometimes brine shrimp. Bettas love these! Only give these as a supplement to their pellets, however.
I confess, I also feed my betta freeze-dried bloodworms. Freeze-dried foods are not the best option because live, fresh food is better to mimic their natural environment. I feed 1-2 bloodworms once a week as a supplement to Twerp's nutrition.
BETTA PERSONALITY
Ahh, the BEST part about betta fish: their personalities!
Generally, betta fish are aggressive. This applies to both genders but males tend to be more aggressive than females. Every betta you own will display aggression in some form whether it's flaring, nipping at other fish or going for a shrimp!
Did you know you can teach your betta tricks?
The longer you have your betta, the more its personality will show. When I brought home Twerp, she was hesitant for at least 2-3 weeks and then all of a sudden, she started getting sassy at feeding time! She started to understand cues like when the light comes on, it's morning feeding time and when I come to the tank, she can expect attention!
Mostly, they learn to associate you with food so don't think they love you that much, haha.
But yes, there are many a betta owner who teach their bettas tricks. One of my favorite Instagram accounts, BethanyTheBetta, teaches her bettas to "kick" a ball! She also teaches them to jump through hoops. Literally.
She also sells the betta hoop and training stick if you are interested!
Pictured below:
Pictured below:
Twerp has her training stick and hoop but she gets bored with it quickly. Instead of training everyday, we train every other day and she is willing to jump for me.
TIP: When you train your betta this way, they will gobble down whichever food you use for training! Sometimes, I sneak a veggie pellet in her diet! Yes, she actually eats it and doesn't spit it out. Raquel - 1, Twerp - 0.
That's all I have today, folks!
Twerp says stay safe out there and go be your best YOU!
She also would like to point out she knows she's eating a veggie pellet.
Okay. Whatever, Twerp.
-Raquel & Twerp
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