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To help newcomers to the fishkeeping hobby select fish that are easy to care for, I'm going to post a series of threads about hardy, common fish. The purpose is to help folks ease into caring for fish with forgiving species, and to at the same time dispel myths about certain other fish.

The first fish that I'm going to look at is the Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens. These are some of the most well-known tropical fish out there, and they are very common. Many people all over the world keep these guys, though not always adequately.

Bettas are freshwater fish, and they come from Thailand. They live in still bodies of water, where the oxygen content is low. They have evolved so that they can take air from the surface of the water, and do so even in well-oxygenated tanks. They do this with a special organ located in their head, called a labyrinth organ. This is why bettas fall under the category of labyrinth fish.

Bettas like softer water, with a slightly acidic pH. They also like warm water, with 78 degrees being preferable. That having been said, they are remarkably hardy, and can thrive in all sorts of water conditions. However, like all fish, they benefit from a clean tank, with regular water changes. Bettas don’t need any hiding places or plants, but they do need to be able to reach the water’s surface. This enables them to take oxygen from the air above the water. If a betta does not have access to the surface, then it will die. Also, bettas prefer tanks with little to no water current. They dislike powerful filters, as their long fins are caught up in the water flow, and the fish are tossed about. However, they can be kept in tanks with current, if they are provided with an area of calm water. They will gladly take refuge away from the water movement.

These fish are carnivores, and eat insects and insect larvae in the wild. As this diet is not convenient to most fish keepers, there are many commercially available betta foods. They are easy to serve, just put in a few pellets (or whatever) twice a day, and you'll have a happy betta.

The housing of bettas is an issue that has caused much controversy. Ideally, a single betta should be kept in a 2.5 gallon tank, because that is the smallest tank size that can be easily heated. Many people keep bettas in small, unheated bowls, which I believe is cruel to the fish. Firstly, they hardly have any room to swim. Secondly, they prefer tropical temperatures, higher than most other aquarium fish. If a betta is kept in a small container, it will most probably not live to its average life expectancy of two or three years, and will be more e to sickness and disease. I wholly recommend keeping bettas in tanks with a heater. (By the way, most bettas are around a year or so old when they are sold in stores. They are aged so that their fins have time to grow, making the fish more attractive to customers.) However, many people who own bettas insist on housing their fish in small containers, for convenience. It certainly isn’t convenient for the fish, and I really insist that this practice is not “okay”. The fish would tell you otherwise, if they could speak.

Bettas can be kept in a community fish tank with other peaceful fish, but it really depends on the other fish. Many species of fish (ex. tiger barbs) will gladly rip apart a betta. It would seem that the long, flowing fins are just too tempting. Some fish that won't go well with bettas include those with similar colors (sometimes), nippy schooling fish, and other fish with long fins. If you want to try having a betta in a peaceful tank, be prepared for it to not work out, just in case.

Sexing betta splendens is quite easy. Male bettas have much brighter and more vivid colors, and usually have much longer dorsal, anal, and caudal (tail) fins. Male bettas grow to a maximum of 7 cm (excluding the fins), and females only reach 6 cm (this is normally the case, some females have been known to outgrow males). Males also tend to be more aggressive, though that depends on the fish. Male bettas cannot be kept together, as they will battle fiercely. Even male and female bettas kept together will fight, so they should not be housed in the same tank. However, female bettas are usually compatible with each other, though again, it depends on each individual’s personality. Since this thread is intended to help newcomers, I will not go into the breeding of this fish.

Betta splendens comes in a remarkable variety of colors and tail variations. Their colors can range from black, white, purple, green, orange, and yellow, though red and blue are the most common. As for tails, bettas have been specially bred to acquire new tail shapes. There are many types, including crowntails, double tails, half-moons, etc. The most common form is the veil-tail betta, shown below (my very own betta, recently deceased :
[img] http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/sirbooks/bobthebetta002.jpg[/img]

To sum up, the common betta is a very good aquarium fish, as long as it is taken cared for correctly. It is very easy to maintain, and has quite a personality. These fish are actually somewhat intelligent, and can recognize their owners. I highly recommend these fish for anyone who wishes to get their feet wet in this hobby with a hardy, easy to care for pet.

Special thanks to Joe Potato





Last edited by sirbooks at 15-Dec-2004 20:14[/font]

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Very nice books , keep up the good work.

beautiful betta
sorry for your loss

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''All the clown fish and yellow tangs in the world cant save you now!''

Great idea

Now let's all hope that people actually read it.

Excellent reading sir, keep up the good work!

Great article Sirbooks.
I have a suggestion for your next beginners fish: The Platy. Heh, such a hardy fish no beginner could go wrong.


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Wow, looks like you put a lot of time and effort into that- Awesome job.

I have a question though: I'm keeping mine in a 2 gallon heI feel guilty-it's more like 1 gallon because of low surface area) How often should I do water changes??? I also don't have a heater

I need a tank upgrade - maybe for Christmas, eh?

Last edited by fishnewbie at 19-Nov-2004 20:17

If it doesn't have a filter, then I'd suggest either a 20% water change every two or three days, or a 40-50% water change weekly. If you do have a filter, then just do a 20% change every week. Bettas don't need super water quality, as they are hardy, but it definitely makes them happier.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Yep, it has a little underground filter. Thank ya thank ya

Great idea, next week I suggest guppies...:%)Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Do Short tail fighters have more compatibility with other fish then their long tail counterparts? because i have a short tail male fighter and i was wondering if the fish that like to nip at tails will be compatible with him since he's tail is short?

It depends on the fish. If it were tiger barbs, they would still nip at the betta. However, tetras that only nip a little bit (like my lemons) would leave the betta alone for the most part. What fish were you thinking of?

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I have some HUGE females that are pushing three inches and are easily bigger than any of my males. In fact, I had an issue with a female becoming so full of eggs that I had to try to breed her because she wouldn't release them... she dwarfed all my males.

I've noticed that the bigger girls were ones I had gotten from my fav LFS, while all the smaller ones (while they are admittedly younger) came from chain stores. My big girls have never known life in a cup while the smaller ones did... perhaps this has had an effect on them?

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

i wouldnt doubt a betta becoming stunted in a cup for a second. these cups quickly lose thier water quality. high nitrates will cause stunting so its completly possible. stupid cups should be banned. im not even a huge fan of bettas but i am a huge fan of fish and its obviously not healthy. and to think pet stores use them and even recommend equal sized vases with little lights on top followed by the " live in puddles " story. rice patty dangit not puddles. droubt for a few days sure but its swamp land. akjghfsajhgfa - Rant off -

Good article, but it would have been nice if you could have added some pictures of other types of tails. I really enjoy all the colors they come in.