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230 Featured Specimen
Siamese fighting fish

Details

Siamese fighting fish

Betta splendens

Size
5–7 cm · 2–5 g
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Cathemeral
Sociality
Loose group
Lifespan
5-20 years

The Siamese fighting fish is a small carnivorous freshwater fish of the Indomalayan realm. Active across day and night, it can breathe air in oxygen-poor water.

Range

Habitat range map
Native range Occasional / Transient
IndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayanIndomalayan

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Details

Habitat

It uses rice fields, marshes, shallow ponds, and slow ditches. Quiet, plant-rich freshwater near the surface is especially suitable.

Appearance

Length is about 5-7 cm and weight about 2-5 g. Wild fish are relatively subdued, while domestic strains show long fins and many colors.

Behavior

It is strongly solitary, and males may fight intensely. Surface air-breathing and bubble-nest construction are central behaviors.

Feeding

It is carnivorous, eating insect larvae, tiny crustaceans, and small animals at the surface. It waits and then makes short strikes at prey.

Reproduction

The male builds a bubble nest and moves eggs into it after spawning. He guards the nest while young develop near the surface.

Notes

Its status is listed as Least Concern. Aquarium forms are highly bred, while wild populations still depend on the condition of shallow wetlands.