THE BETTA MYTH

Because of its beautiful colors and fin shapes, the Betta is very popular in the pet trade. Unfortunately, they are also one of the most abused and misunderstood fish on the market.

SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH

Bettas, or Siamese Fighting fish, are from the shallow waters of Cambodia and Thailand. As a type of "labyrinth fish" (a labyrinth organ allows them to take oxygen directly from the atmosphere, rather than using gills), bettas can survive in stagnant water and small spaces where other fish would perish. In the wild, they can be found in rice paddies, shallow ponds, and slow moving streams where they feed on insects and mosquito larvae.

Bettas, males especially, can be very territorial and aggressive. When a male sees another male (or even his own reflection), he will puff himself out and raise his gill covers and fins. They developed this aggression from defending their nests and attracting mates in the wild.

In Asia, bettas were originally kept as fighting fish in a sport similar to cockfighting. Unlike cockfighting, the actual fight was more to test the bravery of the fish than to inflict damage. Spectators would bet on how long a particular fish would fight, and which one would give up first. Deaths and maimings did occur, but were rare. Most of the time the loser was released back into a stream while the winner was kept for breeding.

Nowadays, the breed is very popular with aquarists from beginners to experts. Beginning aquarists appreciate the betta's beautiful colors and hardiness; experienced aquarists enjoy breeding them and have developed many fin and color variations. In fact, wild bettas have very short fins, it is breeders that have developed the bettas with longer, brilliantly colored fins.

Bettas are relatively short lived fish compared to some other species. In captivity, they have an average life span of four years; properly kept specimens often live well beyond six years. There are reports of bettas living ten or more years in laboratory settings.

BETTAS IN PET STORES

Most Bettas in pet stores have been imported from overseas. During transport, they are packed in small plastic bags and given just enough water to stay submerged. Flight delays, temperature extremes, and rough handling dramatically increase their mortality rate.

When the fish arrive at stores, they are kept on display for weeks or months at a time - usually housed in tiny cups full of filthy water and fed a few times a week. It is not uncommon to find displays of mostly dead bettas.

If the fish survive long enough, they are sold to consumers who are often uneducated about proper betta care. These customers usually take the lead from the pet store, keeping the fish in small, inadequate cups or bowls for the rest of their - usually short - lives.

BETTA BOWLS

Many pet stores sell bettas in very small cups or bowls, claiming that they are ideal. While, bettas can survive such conditions, that doesn't mean they should.

The main argument for keeping bettas in such small containers is that, in the wild, they are used to not having any swimming space. This is a MYTH.

During the wet season, bettas live in flooded rice paddies that allow ample room for swimming. Even during the dry season, when the paddies dry out into puddles, the puddles are still connected, allowing for a complete ecosystem - something Betta Bowls can't come close to providing.

These bowls also do not allow for proper temperatures. Bettas are native to Thailand where the climate is very hot and moist. Bettas in small bowls are often listless and lethargic because the water temperature is too low. Although bettas can survive at lower temperatures, they will not display normal behavior.

Under the right temperature range (76-86°F), bettas are normally very active fish. They love to swim and will learn to surface for feeding time when a hand appears over the bowl.

Another common myth is that betta fish have to be kept in 'solitary confinement'. This is also not true. While the males will fight with other male bettas, they can nevertheless be placed in community aquariums containing certain other species of fish. Females can live together with other female bettas or also be placed in a community tank.

BETTA IN A VASE

A new fad in pet stores and online catalogs is the "Betta in a Vase", which consists of a large vase with some marbles in the bottom, a peace lily plant, and a Betta Fish. Instructions come with the setup claiming that the fish can survive by eating the plant roots. In nature, Bettas subsist almost exclusively on insects and insect larvae; they will eat roots only out of desperation. These vases also fail to provide the Bettas with enough surface area to breathe and, when the plant roots die, toxic ammonia is released into the water.

BETTA HUSBANDRY TIPS

• Just because bettas CAN survive in tiny betta bowls or vases doesn't mean they SHOULD. As a rule of thumb, for each inch of fish there must be at least one gallon of water in its tank. Bettas should be kept in a filtered tank (10 gallons or more) and treated like any other freshwater tank fish.
• If the tank is not kept in a warm room, it will need a heater.
• Bettas are very territorial and require a place to hide. They will cling very close to any plants or rocky alcoves, becoming highly possessive of it.
• Repeatedly eliciting aggressive responses (with a mirror or other reflective surface) is a source of stress and should not be done.
• Since Bettas obtain oxygen from the air, the tank must not be covered with an air-tight lid and Bettas must be able to easily reach the surface. (Note that some bettas enjoy leaping out of tanks, so a breathable lid is highly recommended.)

• Keeping males and females together is not recommended since the males are often aggressive.
• Males also tend to attack fish that are similiar in coloration and appearance to their own kind, particularly other gouramies like the dwarf gourami.
• Females may or may not be able to coexist peacefully in the same tank depending on their temperaments. With enough room and many hiding spaces, they can usually learn to get along. There should never be exactly two female bettas in a tank together. With only two fish, one will be the bully and the other will be picked on - with three or more, a peaceful hierarchy can be established.
• Before co-housing Siamese fighting fish with other species, their compatibility should be carefully researched, and the owner should have a back-up plan if the shared tank does not work. Common tankmates include mollies, catfish, or loaches.
• Certain fish should not be housed with bettas - especially aggressive and schooling fish.
• Metals are lethal to Bettas - copper is especially dangerous.

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Betta Husbandry Information