Betta fish quick study.BETTA FISH IS A GENUS...No, not a genius! You may think YOUR beta is a genius, and he very well may be, but he belongs to the "genus", without the "i".The genus Betta encompasses many species, including, but not limited to, B. splendens, the popular pet store variety. This page deals with the genus Betta in general and begins with the basic...
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE GENUS BETTABetta fish have big mouths! No, I don't mean they talk a lot. I mean their mouths are large in proportion to the rest of their body, a telltale sign of their hostile temperament.The aggressiveness of a species of fish is in direct proportion to the relative size of their mouth, which tells us something about the...
TEMPERAMENT OF THE GENUS BETTABeta males, in most of the species anyway, (including our pet store favorite, B. splendens), are very aggressive, even more so during the breeding period. They'll likely chase and kill the female if she sticks around and even attack their own reflection in a mirror.A notible exception is B. imbellis, commonly known as “Peaceful Beta”. This species is not as domineering, even around spawning time. In the wild, they have plenty of room to stay out of each other's way. In captivity, however, that aggressiveness is why the males are kept in separate bowls. They don’t need aerators in these little bowls either, because of the way...
BETA FISH BREATHE AIRBeta belong to a group known as labyrinth fishes, which means that they can breathe atmospheric air. And you thought only whales and dolphins could do that!This came about as an adaptation to living in small, warm, organically polluted water. Because their natural habitat is oxygen-deficient, they evolved an accessory respiratory system, another breathing organ, known as the labyrinth.
The Siamese fighting fish can thrive in a...
 ... little beta fish bowl, because he doesn't have to take oxygen from the water, as long as he can get to the surface. His gills are too poorly developed to provide him with enough oxygen from the water unless he’s a...
BABY BETA FISHThe labyrinth breathing organ isn't developed until 3-4 weeks after hatching, so up to that point, baby bettas are totally dependent upon their gills as a means of respiration.Baby betta fish are also dependant on daddy, who builds...
THE NEST...out of little air bubbles from his mouth. So that's what those annoying, tiny bubbles are in all those beta bowls! Poor betas, all that work blowing bubbles for nothing, unless......there's a female beta around, then he'll show off to attract her beneath the nest for...
SPAWNING...to fertilize the eggs. He bends closely around her so their vents are nearly touching. When the eggs are released, they’re fertilized in the water, and the two part.The eggs float to the bottom and the male catches them in his mouth and spits them into the bubble nest. They do this again and again, until all the eggs are expelled. Then, the female had better get out of the way, or he’ll likely chase her, attack her, or even kill her. And guess who watches over the nest? Stay-at-home-dad. In the wild, the male’s role of “nest watcher” is very important. There, he protects against predators, vehemently scaring them away and replacing fallen eggs back in the nest, until they hatch and begin to eat...
LIVE FOODBetta fish species are mostly predatory, so they live and grow best on live food, like mesquito larvae. Unfortunately, the babies may become live food themselves any time after hatching, as the male betta may begin eating them at this point. There's just no explaining some things.
- or - Now that you know a little bit about the genus, we’ll talk specifically about B. splendens, both in the wild, and the pet store variety. We'll go way back to the beginning and find out how that plain, gray, wild beta was turned into the colorful, ornamental, trailing fin Betta fish... |