Where Do Betta Fish Come from? | Facts About Betta Fish

Have you ever wondered about where do betta fish come from? It is true that it is one of the most beautiful fishes. They like to live alone and are also called as fighting fish. It’s natural that one wants to know about their existence and their traits.

So, if are planning to keep this beautiful fish at your home, it is necessary to know some details about the origin of the fish and the conditions in which such fishes live and survive.

Due to their fighting attitude, the fish soon gain popularity, and so these fishes were given a new name as “Siamese fighting fish.” Soon people started a small betting contest in their area by making such fishes fight. 

As soon as the king of Siam recognized their fighting skills, he started imposing a tax on such bets. This was the initial origin regarding where do betta fish come from.

Some Interesting Facts About Betta Fishes  

As now, you are familiar with the origin regarding where do betta fish come from, its time to know some more cool facts about these betta fishes.

• Betta fish types are several, and each of them looks very pleasant and attractive. The most fascinating in such fishes apart from their vibrant colors is their tail designs. The tail shape of such betta fish includes veil, spade, round, rose, plakat, halfsun, Halfmoon, double feather, delta, crown, comb, and many more.
• Betta fish that are wild tend to look in dull brown and green colors, and such betta fish usually have shorter fins and are much more understated.
• It’s easy to distinguish between a female and a male betta fish. Male betta fish are usually larger and possess more attractive and vibrant colors than females. Male bettas also have some additional ornate fins as compared to female bettas. You will be amazed to know that male betta fishes are more preferred to keep as a pet fish than the female bettas due to their attractiveness.

• Do you know that fishes have a particular organ known as a labyrinth organ? Due to such an organ, they can easily breathe air from the surface. That is the prime reason that can easily survive in shallow rice paddies that usually have low dissolved oxygen content. They can also survive outside the water for some period due to this quality. But make sure that you do not keep such fishes in your vases or with flowers. Taking oxygen from the air is their ability and never their choice, and it is not good to keep them in such conditions.
• Male bettas make a bubble nests as soon as the female bettas release her eggs. The male gathers the eggs of the female betta fish in his mouth and spits them on its nest. They not only build and protect their nest but also watch over their eggs, and female never participates in all such activities.
• The betta fishes are also known for their intelligence they can easily learn the tricks if you provide them with suitable guidance. Some of the best they can do are to follow your finger as you dip them in your bowl, swimming all through the hoops, and even pushing a ball into a goal.

Best Environment for Betta Fish at Homes   

If you are planning to keep a betta fish as your pet fish, you have to take some extra effort as they are not a regular pet fish. Some of the important points that you have to consider are –

• You have to design your aquarium that is full of exploration. That means you have to arrange rocks, ceramic objects, dense plantation, or with some other decorative products to keep your fish busy and safe. Make sure that the items you have added in your tank should be non-toxic and completely safe for the fishes.
• Keep the tank in a calm and quiet area. Never keep betta fishes near loud televisions, radios, or any such area of your house that are noisy. You should also keep the tank away from direct sunlight.
• Make sure to learn the type of food that the betta fish prefer and also the amount of food that they might need per day. Offering them excess food is just wastage and will degrade the quality of water, and that is definitely of no use.
• Make sure to clean the tank regularly if you are planning to keep betta fish. Betta fish loves to survive in clean water. A partial water change per week and a total cleaning of the tank within one to two months are often recommended to keep the fishes healthy. Do not directly use tap water to fill the tank as they contain chlorine, fluorides, and many impurities that are not safe for the fishes.

Some Common faqs of Betta Fish Owners :

Q1: Do betta fish really feels lonely?

Ans: No betta fish ever feel lonely. They belong to such a category of fish who likes to be alone. If by mistake, you keep them in a group, they will surely fight up to death. Betta fish loves to swim alone and also needs its own personal space. 

They tend to live in such a place where no one can disturb them. You should also know that these fishes like to rest in aquatic caves that are too dense or any densely planted areas of your tank for hours.

Q2: Where do betta fish live in the wild?

Ans: In the open, betta fishes are found in Asia, which is their home. They have usually seen paddy fields waters, ponds. They tend to avoid rivers or streams where there is high water current. 

The main reason that why betta fish choose shallow water is that as such, water bodies are warm due to sunlight. In-home aquarium, too, they prefer to live in water, which is nearly 75 degrees warmer.

Q3: Why are betta fish called betta fish?

Ans: The betta fishes got their names from the ancient class of warriors that were called the “Bettahs” at their time. These species of fishes were given such names due to their ability to fight with their opponent.

Q4: How big do betta fish get in the wild?

Ans: Such fishes will commonly found in shallow ponds or water bodies. They are mainly seen in the paddy fields as the water there is warm enough to keep them comfortable.

Q5: What do Bettas like in their tank?

Ans: Bettas love to cover themselves in hiding areas of tanks such as the rocks or dense plantation, and you should also know that they can survive well in warm water.

Q6: How long does betta fishes can live as a pet?

Ans: In case you have a brought a betta fish from a pet store, they probably have lived up to six months or one year from there. So, you can expect to live for 3 to 4 years more if you keep them properly.

Conclusion

Finally, I hope that you have got all your answers regarding where do betta fish come from. You may also now have become familiar with their likes, dislikes, and their tendencies.

They are undoubtedly one of the most amazing creatures on earth, and so they are the most popular choice among many fish owners. You should also know that a female betta fish requires a larger tank and make sure to offer them their favorite food to keep them healthy and beautiful.