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Encyclopedia / Gouramis & Bettas / Betta
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Variations

14 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Betta

Betta splendens · Siamese fighting fish, Fighter fish, Betta fish, Plakat

A small fish with big, flowing fins and lots of personality. Males must live without other male bettas.

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6.5 cmAdult size ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
41 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Betta eats animals up to about 2.5 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Not recommended
  • Black skirt tetra nips fins, and Betta has long fins.
Not recommended
  • Serpae tetra nips fins, and Betta has long fins.
With conditions
  • Betta may attack colorful long-finned fish like congo tetra.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

383 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓2–15 dGH
Group size ✓Can live alone
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?Top
Care level ?Easy
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 4–6 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Males fight other males to the death: one male per tank. May attack colourful long-finned fish and eat small shrimp.

Food

Carnivore: betta pellets, frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Male Betta
Male
Female Betta
Female

Males have much longer fins and stronger colors. Females have short fins and a small white ovipositor (egg tube) behind the belly fins.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Bubble-nester · Moderate

Bubble-nest builder. The male builds the nest at the surface and alone guards the eggs; they hatch in 24-48 hours, and he loses interest once the fry swim freely. Seriously Fish says the adults can normally be left in place.

Pairing

Buy a healthy male and female from a good source. Condition both with live or frozen foods and let them see each other through glass first.

Setup

A 10 gallon (40 L) tank, 28 C, low water level, floating plants or a foam cup for the nest, and lots of hiding places for the female. Use a lid.

What starts it

Warm water, rich food and a female showing pale vertical stripes. The male builds a bubble nest.

Eggs

100-400 eggs. They hatch in about 24-48 hours; fry swim free in 3-4 days.

Raising the fry

Feed infusoria, then microworms and baby brine shrimp. Remove the female after spawning, and the male when fry swim free. Males must be split into single jars at 8-10 weeks.

Common mistakes
  • Leaving the female in, so the male hurts her
  • Too much water current that breaks the nest
  • Not having enough jars for the fighting males
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionCentral Thailand & Mekong basin – Thailand, Cambodia
Rivers and lakesChao Phraya and Mekong basins
HabitatShallow rice paddies, swamps and ditches
Native rangeAbout 600 km across
See it on the world map

Plants that suit it

AnubiasJava fernJava mossAmazon swordTiger lotusWater wisteriaWater spriteAmazon frogbit

The story of the betta

Bettas come from the shallow rice paddies, ponds and slow streams of central Thailand's Chao Phraya basin. People there bred them for fighting for centuries; genetic work suggests they were domesticated at least 1,000 years ago. Long-finned show forms such as the veiltail appeared in the early 1900s and were developed further after the 1950s.

C. Tate Regan described Betta splendens in 1910. In Siam (Thailand), short-finned fighting fish had already been bred for contests long before that. Breeders have since created countless long-finned forms and colours, far removed from the plainer wild fish.

First described by C. Tate Regan in 1910.

  • Bettas breathe air using a labyrinth organ.
  • Males build bubble nests and guard the eggs.
  • Wild bettas are much plainer than modern show varieties.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources