Assorted Male Ordinary Betta (4-5 CM)
£6.70
Please note, due to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image provided.
The “Ordinary Betta” commonly refers to the Veiltail Betta, which is the most widely available and standard domestic variety of the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens).
10 in stock
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Description
Physical Characteristics
Male ordinary bettas are heavily prized for their elaborate appearance, which is drastically different from wild specimens:
- Fins: The standard male features long, flowing, and downward-swooping fins. The tail drops like a veil, which gives the variety its name.
- Coloration: While wild bettas are naturally a dull green, grey, or brown, captive ordinary males have been selectively bred to display intense solid colors, most commonly vibrant red and blue.
- Size: They typically grow up to 6.5 cm (2.5 inches) in length.
Biological Traits
- The Labyrinth Organ: Like all anabantoids, male bettas possess a specialized lung-like organ called a labyrinth. This allows them to gulp atmospheric air from the water’s surface, a trait that helped their ancestors survive in oxygen-depleted environments like rice paddies and stagnant pools.
- Lifespan: In a proper aquarium setup, they generally live for 2 to 5 years.
Behavior & Reproduction
- Extreme Territorial Aggression: Male bettas are famously highly aggressive towards other males. If placed together in a small space, they will flare their gills, nip fins, and fight to the death. They must always be housed individually.
- Bubble Nesting: When a male is mature and ready to mate, he blows a cluster of sticky air bubbles at the surface of the water. After a complex courtship dance, the female releases eggs, which the male fertilizes, collects in his mouth, and meticulously places inside the bubble nest. He then guards the nest aggressively until the fry hatch.
Aquarium Requirements
Despite the common myth that they can live in tiny bowls, an ordinary male betta requires a healthy aquatic environment to thrive:
- Tank Size: A minimum of 5 gallons (though 1 to 2 gallons is sometimes cited as a bare minimum, larger is ideal for stability).
- Temperature: Being tropical fish from Southeast Asia, they require a heater to keep water temperatures between 75°F and 82°F (24°C–28°C).
- Environment: They prefer slow-moving water filters (as heavy currents damage their long fins) and plenty of silk or live plants to hide in.
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