The betta fish, or Betta splendens, is also known as the Siamese fighting fish and is distinguished by its aggressive nature and extensive native range. The betta fish belongs to the Labyrinth family. It is a type of freshwater fish that is native to Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia. What is the betta fish behavior? What are their characteristics? Let’s find out!
To determine a betta’s emotional and physical health before feeding them, you should first observe its behavior. Betta fish are very popular among hobbyists due to their low-maintenance needs and attractive appearance. Although these fish are one of the most popular species of fish kept in terrariums, they are not easy to watch for.
In this article, you will learn about the behavioral characteristics of the betta fish.
Appearance
There are seven types of betta species distinguished by the color of their fins and their body shape. The betta fish comes in a variety of colors, such as white, red, blue, black, orange, and yellow. Bettas usually measure between 3 and 5 inches when fully grown and live for around 2 years.
Betta fish have a reputation for acting strangely and having a distinct appearance. Bettas have an elongated body shape and bright orange-red scales. The fins of male Bettas can be either long or short, and they are frequently brighter than those of females. Some females are less colorful and have smaller fins than males.
Habitat
The temperature of the water should be between 75 and 80 °F. The water must be clean, and the temperature must be consistent at all times to prevent infections. Bettas are semi-aggressive, and you should not pair them with aggressive fish like discus or angelfish.
The main characteristics of betta fish are
- Betta fish are coated with scales and thin adipose fins. Their fins hold them straight and provide power, speed, and directions for swimming.
- The Betta fish use their pectoral fins to “stand up” in the water column to breathe through their gills.
- These fish have a swim bladder at the back of the head that extends about a third of the way through the system.
- These fish have single-chambered hearts and an internal circulatory system. Their eyes are on the sides of their heads, above the waterline.
- The very distinct characteristic that they have is that they can smell food from a distance.
Betta Fish Behavior
There are some interesting behaviors that betta splendens has picked up over generations of breeding. Veiltail Betta is one of the lovely illustrations. Be aware that veiltail belongs to the Betta splendens family. This means these fish are also aggressive.
Betta fish can identify their human caretakers. When they spot their guardian arriving, they frequently swim about with excitement. Betta fish will examine new objects placed in their tank since they are quite interested, which can help keep them cognitively active.
If neither of the two males retreats after performing a ceremonial dance in which they swim together, open their opercula, and spread their tails. The male betta will attack their foe by shredding their fins and inflicting serious wounds. This generally causes the fish to become weak and eventually die from infections.
There have also been instances where a man realizes that his opponent is far more powerful and decides to submit. In such a scenario, the expiring Betta will instantly fade by displaying the stress lines and go for a hiding location in order to flee the combat.
Aggressive Behavior
Betta fish are bred to be aggressive and used in dogfighting-style competitions. However, Bettas continue to exhibit this aggressive behavior. Fish fighting is largely extinct these days. They can’t coexist peacefully with other fish. Even females frequently lose their cool when forced into a tank with other fish.
Slow Swimming With Age
Bettas with unnaturally long tails will swim slower than short-tailed types. Examples of long-tail fish can be veil tails or half-moons, whereas short-tail types are plackets or any female Betta. The heavy fins grow way past the point, which weighs down the fish. This slows down the swimming rate. This is enhanced with age as the fish gets weaker.
Fin Biting
Bettas are prone to fin-biting. There are numerous sources for this. Stress from unpleasant tankmates, an inadequately sized tank, or high ammonia levels in the water could all be contributing factors to their biting. Long-tail species may also bite their fins in a desperate attempt to relieve some of the weight dragging them down. To see this happen to a fish is incredibly sad.
Jumping
Bettas are insectivores and will jump out of the water to catch bugs or snag bugs that have fallen to the water’s surface in the wild. You can tell that these fish hunt in the wild using this technique due to the fact that their mouths are turned up towards the water’s surface.
The domestic betta may attempt to jump for your hand if they see it above the tank due to their method of wild hunting and their association with food. If you don’t reward your fish after it jumps, you can prevent it from happening. Instead, only feed the fish before it jumps to prevent it from feeling the need to.
If you turn your light off, make sure you don’t let any insects float around in the substrate. They will begin calling your betta and may even jump out of the tank to follow them. You can also give your betta a floating object in the water to distract him or her from wanting to jump in.
Sleep Behavior
This is more of a unique adaptation that bettas and a few other fish species have that isn’t strictly related to behavior. Bettas can periodically ascend to the surface and breathe fresh air thanks to the labyrinth organ. Because of this, it can survive in waters with low oxygen levels, such as the rice flats where it originally lived.
Your betta may prefer to remain near the surface so that it can occasionally use its labyrinth organ. It’s best to have a variety of items, like leaves and driftwood, for it to rest near the top of the tank.
Betta fish can display strange sleeping habits, which frequently leads novice betta owners to believe that their fish has recently died. Likewise, betta fish may sleep anywhere they feel comfortable in an aquarium, whether on the substrate at the bottom, floating at midlevel, or on the surface.
Betta fish will snooze on their side, upside down, with their tail or nose looking upward. They frequently curl up or press themselves in confined areas, such as beneath a heater. Betta fish may sleep out of the water on a leaf or any other flat item that protrudes from the water, which is one of their most peculiar sleeping habits.
How To Judge The Health Status Of Betta Fish From Its Appearance?
Look at the color of your betta’s fins to determine whether it is sick. Bettas with vibrant colors and freely swimming fins are in good health. On the other hand, a sick betta will exhibit dull, faded colors, clumped fins, ragged and drooping fins, and stress stripes. It is also possible that it has a bloated stomach.
Social Life
If you have a male Betta, make sure he is not living with another male Betta. Male Bettas frequently fight to the death. Stress from an unstable environment might potentially result in mortality. Additionally, stay away from putting a male betta in a tank with other fish, brightly colored plants, or a betta that resembles another kind of fish. Bettas value solitude.
Swimming Pattern
Bettas that are healthy float vertically and swim around the tank. Move your hand slowly in its direction to avoid frightening your betta. Avoid touching it, and don’t allow it to startle or get very excited. Your betta is probably healthy if it responds to your touch. Additionally, your betta is sick if it appears uncoordinated and frequently hangs out towards the bottom of the tank.
Body
Bettas should have a clean-looking body and fins without any visible sores or wounds. These fish should have smooth skin, and their gills should be bright red. These fish should also have clear eyes that are not cloudy or sunken in.
Betta fish, with a healthy diet, can live longer. Their scales should not be faded since they are vivid. They should not have ripped fins or any discoloration. Pale scales may be an indication of illness or infection. A healthy betta is responsive to your hand and moves about. When you touch it, the bettas will swim around the tank in response.
When confronted by a mirror or another betta, healthy bettas will swell up and retract their gills. Similarly, when threatened, fish will do this, and once the threat has passed, fish will retract their gills. It’s crucial to remember that as a healthy betta adjusts to its surroundings at home, its behavior may alter. This indicates that it could take some time for it to get used to the new setting.
Sickness
A symptom of velvet sickness is rusty mist. The fish must be examined. The sickness may be treated with a salt bath and drugs, but it’s critical to cure the betta fish as soon as possible to avoid a more serious issue. A betta fish body might include an aberrant tumor. However, the course of treatment will depend on the underlying reason if the tumor is benign.
The health of betta fish depends on the water’s characteristics. If your betta displays any signs of disease, check the water’s specifications. A 50% water change may be able to help you with many of these issues. A pH-level test is another way to determine how hard the water is. A water pH test is essential for figuring out a betta’s water pH as well.
How Can I Judge The Emotional State Of A Betta Fish From Its Behaviour?
Observing how your Betta fish acts might help you determine if it’s happy or depressed. A Betta that is happy will eat a lot. The same holds true for stressed fish. Your fish could swim erratically, scrape against pebbles, or smash against the tank bottom. It can possibly decline to welcome you in a customary way. You may examine your betta fish tank’s water temperature and chemistry if you detect any of these behaviors. An unhappy Betta will exhibit indicators of its unhappiness or an oxygen shortage.
Swimming Pattern
Watch how your betta swims. It is a good indication that the fish are happy if they hang around the floating plants for more than 30 minutes. If not, the betta could be swimming a lot in and out of the tank. Betta fish will occasionally remain still for a long time before moving a tiny distance. In this situation, you should observe its behavior and determine the issue.
Aggression Level
Another indication that your betta is in danger is aggression. Your Betta fish will flare its gills to draw attention if it is hostile. In contrast to the rest of the body, which is typically lighter, a fish’s vividly colored chin region should raise suspicion. Additionally, Betta will act aggressively against its partner.
It is advisable to get a Betta fish to the vet as soon as possible when it is in danger. Bettas will kill other animals for pleasure even if they don’t consume them. These fish can begin to attack if you put them in a tank with other animals. You can take action to stop your betta from harming itself if you believe it is in danger.
What Is The Typical Behaviour Of A Female Betta Fish?
The majority of betta fish are fighters. The female Betta fish are quite possessive and build a hierarchy in order to claim their own territory. When kept in close proximity to other fish, these fish are friendly with other fish. They usually have attentive, inquisitive attitudes and are eager to get to know the people who will be taking care of them.
Actually, Betta fish want attention. If they don’t get enough love or attention from other creatures, they experience despair. If they don’t have enough social interactions or physical touch with other creatures, they frequently starve themselves to death.
Signs of A Happy Betta Fish
Bettas are far more likely to show their happiness than their desire to engage in conflict.
Building Bubble Nest
Males create bubble nests. If the male Betta does this, he might be trying to take care of the baby Bettas. Although the male Betta will fight to protect the nest, this suggests that the male Betta is much more interested in mating and rearing young.
Waving Pectoral Fins
Betta fish that are happy will wave their pectoral fins in greeting. The usual motion used to swim around the tank is noticeably different from this. The increased motion of the pectoral fins that male and female bettas make when they stare at you has nothing to do with swimming and everything to do with communicating. The fish will often indicate that it is time for a snack in this situation.
Nap Habits
Bettas, both male and female, like to rest on items toward the surface of the tank rather than at its bottom. Spreading out on a leaf sofa or other decorative item and dozing off is one of the nicest things you will ever see a betta do. Like other animals, male and female bettas are probably feeling secure and content while they are dozing outside in the open.
Normal Betta Fish Behaviour
A betta’s cheerful behavior has a number of traits. The fish will first move around the tank and inspect new items. If you spot a fish, it will also float to the surface. After that, the betta will begin to look for food. When the Betta fish are happy, they will show cheerful and healthy behavior.
Your Betta fish could exhibit signals of happiness as well as boredom and tension. When a Betta fish notices you, it could flare its fins or become animated. On the other hand, this behavior is typical. However, it will start to act more violently as it becomes annoying. Your fish are likely unhappy if they exhibit indications of stress. A betta’s cheerful behavior can be identified by a number of traits.
While your betta fish may not be unhappy in the absence of a bubble nest, it may be lonely or stressed. This is due to the fact that bettas are often gregarious in the wild, and having a bubble nest in their tank is a sign of contentment. Your fish won’t have any mental health issues as long as it is eating and acting in a healthier manner.
Interaction With Betta
Observing how your betta behaves around you is another method to determine its emotional condition. It may be showing signs of fear or tension. You may also attempt drawings or sticky notes on the tank. The betta will eventually pick up on your voice and name. One technique to develop a strong relationship with your betta fish is through this kind of engagement.
Conclusion
Betta fish are highly intelligent beings with feelings and emotions. Many people have a single fixation with Bettas. The psychology of betta fish is as distinct as their physical appearance. These are mysterious beings that can and ought to cause you to reconsider your existing views on the sensibility of animals.
FAQ
Why is my betta fish swimming at the top of the tank?
Because bettas are anabantids, they can breathe both from the air above the water and through their gills to obtain oxygen from the surrounding water. To endure low water quality in the wild, they have developed this capacity. Poor water quality in the tank should be your main worry if you notice your Betta often rising to the surface for air.
Keep your betta in a tank that is five gallons or more, refrain from overfeeding, and do regular water changes and tank cleanings.
What does it mean if my Betta fish is not eating?
If your fish isn’t eating, it can be an indicator of disease. To identify the problem, search for additional symptoms, including a swollen tummy, torn scales, or weakening fins.
The possibility exists that the Betta fish is not hungry.
Remember that bettas are not always voracious eaters as well. Fish with just only a few pellets or a little sprinkling of flakes once each day. Expect him to consume little more than that, and if the fish goes without eating for a few.
