It waves with elegance and offers shimmering colors to whoever observes it. But the fighter is not an object of decoration, it is about a beautiful tropical fish with a strong character. Make the right choice of the aquarium, take care of the quality of the water, the decoration, its food and you will keep a happy and healthy companion for a few years!
Some generalities on Betta Fish
The Betta Fish – or fighters – are tropical freshwater fish from Asia. In the wild, this species is solitary, possessive of the male, and very territorial. These character traits are even more evident in conditions of captivity.
Thus, if you select a male fighting fish, he will not be able to be put in the presence of another male of his species or of a similar species – globally of all winged fish.
If you have a large aquarium, you can set it up with small fish that it can get along with or, at worst, that it will cordially ignore.
If you opt for a female, you can try to install her with other female bettas, especially if they were already in a community at the time of your purchase. Under these conditions, the volume of water at their disposal must be substantial (not less than 80 liters for a bank of 3 individuals).
In any case, before pairing fish, make sure that their environmental and food needs are the same. And before you acquire a fighter, make sure that he is in good health.
A happy fighter swims when you approach him. Its colors are vivid, its scales and fins are impeccable. If he hides most often, lacks spirit, breathes with difficulty, presents a dull color, spots, growths, wounds, the individual is in bad shape!
These few decryption elements will serve you at the time of purchase but also throughout the life of your fighter.
In captivity, fighters have an average lifespan of 2 to 4 years. This will depend on several factors ranging, among others, from the size of the aquarium to the quality of the water and the diet. It may double in the event of a particularly resistant specimen and optimal living conditions.
Choosing, setting up, and maintaining the aquarium
Due to its physical and mental specificities, the Betta splendens requires a large living space where it can swim, parade and hide at the same time. If it can survive in 10 liters of water, 20 liters seems a decent minimum, double or triple in volume an ideal! The small jar will only be retained as a very temporary solution.
The aquarium should be prepared well in advance of the arrival of its guest (s). The start-up will be done at least three weeks in advance so that the nitrogen cycle starts and takes place.
Start by finding the right location. The fighter needs an alternation of light and dark but too intense light is to be avoided, just like direct sun. Place the aquarium away from windows and instead install artificial lighting that will allow you to reproduce a day/night cycle while being able to manage its intensity.
Here is a video with further tips on how to take care of Fighting (Betta) Fish;