Siamese Fighting Fish Facts, Diet, Characteristics, Habitat

Get detailed information about Siamese Fighting fish diet, characteristics, size, habitat, reproduction and much more. Scroll page down this page to get all these information.

Siamese Fighting Fish

The species is also known as the plakat or betta. It is a popular fish in the aquarium trade. Bettas are a member of the gourami family and are known as the highly territorial. Males have a high level of aggression and will attack each other if housed in the one tank together.

What is Siamese Fighting Fish
The fish species come from the genus Betta and also known as Betta splendens. The species of fish is highly territorial that you can’t put two of them in the same tank. The fish mostly found in standing water of canals, rice paddies, and floodplains. Now, the species is listed Vulnerable by the IUCN.

Siamese Fighting Fish Characteristics
Scientific Name Betta Splendens
Other Names Plakat, Betta
Average Size 2.6 inches
Diet Types Carnivore
Average Life Span 1-4 years
Conservation Status Vulnerable

What does Siamese Fighting Fish look like?
The length of these fish usually grows about 6.5 cm. Although aquarium specimens are widely known for their brilliant colors and large, flowing fins. The natural coloration of these fishes is generally dull green, brown and grey, and the fins of wild specimens are short. In the wild, they exhibit strong colors only when agitated. They have been selectively bred to display a vibrant array of colors and tail types.

Siamese Fighting Fish Facts
  • The fish is a small and colorful body which attracts everyone.
  • The species of fish is the carnivore.
  • These are highly aggressive for its territory.
  • The Siamese fish is native to the Mekong Delta in South-east Asia.
  • These fish have long and elaborate colored fins which are longer on the male fish than the fins of female one.
  • The diet of the Siamese is meat based which included insects and brine shrimp.
  • The female lays about 10-45 eggs.
  • The average clutch size is about 30 eggs.
  • The incubation period of the eggs is about a few days only.
  • The average lifespan of the fish is just between 2-3 years.

Siamese Fighting Fish Behaviour
Males and females puff out their gill covers to appear more impressive, either to intimidate other rivals or as an act of courtship. Other reasons for flaring can include when they are intimidated by movement or change of scene in their environments. They will show the pale horizontal lines if frightened or stressed. However, these colors are common in the females while rare in the males due to the intensity of color.

Siamese Fighting Fish Life Span
The fish have the lifespan of 5 years as per researchers. But these hardly reach up to the age of 2-3 years. A better captivity can increase the lifespan of these fish about 6 months to 1 year.

Siamese Fighting Fish Diet
The major diet of the fish is meat which included insects, shrimps, and also larger food particles. The fish also feed zooplankton, crustaceans, and the larvae of mosquitoes and other water-bound insects. In captivity, they can feed a varied diet of pellets or frozen food.

Siamese Fighting Fish As Pet
The fish have the unique coloration which is enough to attract your guest towards it. But before getting this, you have to fulfill the essential requirement such as a tank, fresh water, heater and thermometer, and environmental enrichment.

Baby Siamese Fighting Fish
The eggs remain in the care of male’s care until they hatch. The male carefully keeps them in his bubble nest, making sure none fall to the bottom, repairing the bubble nest as needed. The incubation process lasts for 24-36 hours; newly hatch larvae remain in the nest for the next two to three days until their yolk sacs are fully absorbed.

Siamese Fighting Fish Habitat
The Siamese fighting fish is native to the Mekong Delta in South-East Asia. But now, it is common in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. Yet the origin of is thought from Thailand. The fish mostly found in the freshwater type. These prefer the temperature of the water around 75-82 degrees Fahrenheit. During the winters, the aquarium heaters are recommended.

Siamese Fighting Fish Reproduction
The male Siamese will flare their gills, spread their fins and twist their bodies in a dance if interested in a female. If the female also takes interest then it will darken in color and develop vertical lines known as the breeding bars, in response. The fertilization of the eggs occurs externally. The female releases the eggs around 10-40 eggs during each embrace until the female is exhausted the eggs the male wraps his body around the female. In the turn, the male releases milt into the water and fertilization takes place externally.

Get more interesting facts on Fish Species