Details
Betta splendens
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.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses rice fields, marshes, shallow ponds, and slow ditches. Quiet, plant-rich freshwater near the surface is especially suitable.
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.
It is strongly solitary, and males may fight intensely. Surface air-breathing and bubble-nest construction are central behaviors.
It is carnivorous, eating insect larvae, tiny crustaceans, and small animals at the surface. It waits and then makes short strikes at prey.
The male builds a bubble nest and moves eggs into it after spawning. He guards the nest while young develop near the surface.
Its status is listed as Least Concern. Aquarium forms are highly bred, while wild populations still depend on the condition of shallow wetlands.
