Siamese Fighting Fish
Betta splendens
VulnerableFast Facts
About
The Siamese fighting fish, or betta, is a small but spectacular freshwater fish famed for its flowing fins and brilliant metallic colours. Centuries of selective breeding have produced an astonishing array of hues and fin shapes in the aquarium trade.
In the wild it inhabits shallow, oxygen-poor waters such as rice paddies and slow streams, where its unusual breathing adaptations give it a vital advantage.
Behaviour
Bettas possess a labyrinth organ that lets them gulp air at the surface, enabling survival in stagnant water. Males are highly territorial and will flare their gills and fins in dramatic displays, hence the species' long association with staged fighting.
The male builds a floating 'bubble nest' and tends the eggs and fry within it.
Did you know?
- Bettas can breathe air directly thanks to a special labyrinth organ
- Males build floating nests of bubbles to hold and guard the eggs
- Wild bettas are far plainer than the ornate aquarium varieties
- Two rival males will flare spectacularly to intimidate one another
Distribution
Native to the shallow fresh waters of the Mekong basin in Thailand and neighbours
