Siamese Fighting Fish ( Betta splendens)

Family name: Osphronemidae
Scientific name: BETTA SPLENDENS
Common names: SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH
Origin:THAILAND, PENNINSULAR MALAYSIA AND CAMBODIA
Size: 7cm
ph: 6.8 - 7.4
Temperature: 24- 30C
Tank size: 10L
Diet: FLAKES AND PELLETS ARE AVAILABLE SPECIFICALLY FORMULATED FOR BETTA FISH AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF LIVE OR GOOD QUALITY FROZEN FOODS ARE APPRECIATED AND EATEN WITH RELISH.
Level occupied in aquarium: GENERALLY AT THE TOP LEVEL BUT WILL EXPLORE THE TANK AS THEY INCREDIBLY CURIOUS.
Aquarium decor: ANYTHING GOES WITH BETTAS AS LONG AS THERE IS NOTHING WITH SHARP EDGES WHICH MAY CATCH OR RIP THEIR FINS.
Aggression: SHOULD NOT BE KEPT WITH OTHER MALES OF THE SAME SPECIES AS THEY WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH IF THERE IS NO WHERE TO GET AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. IT IS POSSIBLE TO KEEP A FEW FEMALES TOGETHER NEVER LESS THAN 4 AS THIS SPREADS AGGRESSION, THERE SHOULD BE ALOT OF HIDING PLACES AND PLACES WHERE THEY CAN SURFACE UNSEEN TO BREATH. GUPPIES ARE NOT ADVISED AS THE MALES SEE THEM AS OTHER MALE BETTAS. BETTAS HAVE DEFINATE PERSONALITIES AND SOME BETTAS ARE JUST NOT SOCIALABLE AND CANT BE KEPT WITH ANYTHING WHILE OTHERS MAY TOLERATE SOME BOTTOM FEEDER SPECIES, CORIES, KHULI LOACHES OR AN APPLE SNAIL, OR A SMALL SCHOOL OF MINNOWS OR PLATIES. BEWARE OF SPECIES KNOWN TO FIN NIP.
Difficulty to keep: EASY
Difficulty to breed: I WOULD SAY MEDIUM ON THE STRENGTH THAT THE FRY ARE DIFFICULT TO CARE FOR, FOOD WISE. AND MALE AND FEMALE CAN BE INJURED DURING THE PROCESS.
Water quality: PREFERABLY GOOD AS IS THE CASE IN ANY TANK. IT IS A MYTH THAT BETTAS ONLY NEED TINY BOWLS TO LIVE, THEY PROMOTE BAD WATER QUALITY LEADING TO DISEASE AND A REDUCED LIFE SPAN.
Sexing: MALES ARE USUALLY MORE COLOURFUL WHILE FEMALES HAVE A SMALL WHITE SPOT AT THE BASE OF THE TAIL. BECAUSE OF THE PLAKAT OR SHORT FIN BETTA VERSION IT CAN BE A RISK GOING ON THE SIZE OF FINS ALONE.
Availability: FAIRLY WIDE SPREAD WITH THE VEILTAIL BEING THE MOST COMMON TAIL TYPE AVAILABLE, HOWEVER SOME OF THE OTHER TAIL TYPES SUCH AS THE DELTA, DOUBLETAIL, CROWNTAIL, PLAKATS AND HALFMOON ARE BECOMING MORE PREVALENT.
Preferred tank mates: SMALL SPECIES OF BOTTOM FEEDERS SUCH AS CORIES, KHULI LOACHES AND APPLE SNAILS
General info: INCREDIBLY CURIOUS AND EASY TO KEEP BETTAS ARE A NICE ADDITION TO ANY SMALL TANK. CARE MUST BE TAKEN IN NOT OVER FEEDING, THEIR STOMACH IS THE SIZE OF THEIR EYE SO JUST A SMALL PINCH ONCE TO TWICE A DAY IS SUFFICIENT. LIVE AND FROZEN FOOD CAN BE FED AS TREATS A FEW TIMES A WEEK. PEAS CAN BE FED ONCE A WEEK TO AID DIGESTION. REMEMBER THEY ARE TROPICAL FISH AND NEED A HEATER AND PREFERABLE A FILTER IF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO DO WATER CHANGES EVERY 2-3 DAYS. CURRENT SHOULD BE KEPT LOW AS THEY BATTLE TO SWIM IN A STRONG CURRENT
Blacklisted: NO
Members comments: BETTAS ARE FULL OF PERSONALITY AND IF HOUSED PROPERLY CAN PROVIDE HOURS OF DELIGHT. THEY CAN BE TRAINED TO TAKE FOOD FROM YOUR HAND AND TO DO TRICKS SUCH AS JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS. THEY WILL INVESTIGATE ANYTHING NEW IN THE TANK AND WILL COME TO RECOGNISE YOU AS THE FOOD GIVER AND DANCE FOR YOU BEGGING FOR FOOD. ALL IN ALL THEY ONE OF THE MORE ENJOYABLE SPECIE OF FISH TO KEEP.
PICTURES: PICTURE 1; CROWNTAIL MALE. PICTURE 2; DOUBLETAIL FEMALE

 

Awesome write-up, thanks.

 

It would be nice to close these threads so it may be used as reference only

 

Damn, there goes my trolling... lol. Kidding.

 

We'll leave them open for a while TM. If there is something wrong or incorrect with them, then this can be corrected. The idea is to clean up the threads and close them afterwards. It would also be nice if people can comment on their experience with a certain fish when they see it being posted.

 

Might chance this a bit as the egg spot is not at the base of the tail.

An egg spot is a tiny white speck, like a grain of salt, located under the female’s belly, between her ventrals and her anal.

Also maybe add that if your betta is not active and just laying on the floor with fins drooping it is a early sign of disease or bad water parameters.

 

just thought i'd add a few more pics of halfmoon males that i found over the net, enjoy:bigsmile:

 

Wow, thanks. Perfect timing they are my next project.