It’s simple to grasp the attract of the Blue Betta Fish. Whereas not as showy because the extra widespread Siamese Combating Fish, it nonetheless shares the identical flaring trait as a protection mechanism and courtship show. It’s nonetheless raised for this function in its native Vietnam and Thailand.
Nonetheless, it’s much less widespread within the aquarium commerce, and it might be a problem to seek out one. However, the fanatic will respect the Blue Betta Fish for its distinctive traits. Like different Bettas, it’s simple to boost with the right tank setup.
Fast Info about Blue Betta Fish
| Species Title: | Betta smaragdina |
| Household: | Osphronemidae |
| Care Stage: | Straightforward |
| Temperature: | 72-82℉ |
| Temperament: | Territorial |
| Coloration Type: | Male: Reddish-brown with bluish spots
Feminine: Brown with related coloured stripes |
| Lifespan: | Round three years |
| Dimension: | 2-3” L |
| Eating regimen: | Carnivorous |
| Minimal Tank Dimension: | 3 gallons for a single fish |
| Tank Setup: | Synthetic or dwell vegetation and a hiding place for canopy |
| Compatibility: | Solitary or pairs |
Blue Betta Fish Overview
Little is understood in regards to the Blue Betta Fish within the wild. It lives within the inland wetlands and rice paddies of southeast Asia. The Worldwide Union for Conservation of Nature and Pure Assets lists the species as knowledge poor. Nonetheless, its numbers are regarded as lowering as a consequence of habitat encroachment and hybridization with different home species, together with the Siamese Combating Fish.
The Blue Betta Fish is a labyrinth species, referring to its distinctive respiratory organ that permits it to breathe air on the water’s floor. It makes evolutionary sense as a result of low-oxygen situations are widespread in its native habitat. It’s a benthopelagic fish, which means it may well dwell in any water depth. It shares this trait with different standard aquarium species in its household, the Gouramis.
The Blue Betta Fish is raised primarily for combating and never as a decorative fish. It appears to be like extra just like the species that you just’d encounter within the wild, as a substitute of the selectively bred fish that you just see in pet shops. This coloration supplies wonderful camouflage. You might also see it referred to as the Mekong Combating Fish or the Emerald Inexperienced Betta.
How A lot Do Blue Betta Fish Price?
Discovering a Blue Betta Fish may be tough. It’s important to confirm the species identify. This one is the Betta smaragdina and never the extra widespread Betta splendens. You’ll in all probability must discover a specimen on-line except your native pet retailer can particular order one for you. You may count on to pay anyplace from $20-$60 per fish.
Then again, a Siamese Combating Fish will normally run about $3-$5. It’s value mentioning that you could be see these fish marked as Blue Bettas in reference to their coloration. Going by the species’ scientific identify is the easiest way to make sure that you’re getting the suitable one.
Typical Conduct & Temperament
Except it’s been selectively bred as a fighter, the Blue Betta Fish is a extra docile species. Some folks have saved them efficiently as pairs, offered that there’s sufficient house and canopy. That could be a stark distinction from the extra commonplace Bettas that you just discover in pet shops.
The Blue Betta Fish additionally shows flaring habits. It’ll do it to guard its territory from competing males by showing bigger. It’ll additionally act equally throughout courtship, albeit with out mouth locking or different aggressive strikes.
Look & Varieties
The Blue Betta Fish lacks the finnage and showy coloration of different Bettas. Nonetheless, it’s placing by itself accord. The distinction between the brown and coloured spots on its scales offers it an iridescent look. It has as much as 26 anal delicate rays and 4 to 5 anal rays on its physique. Its caudal fin has a rounded edge that it may well fan.
The feminine has the identical physique buildings however is way drabber in coloration. That’s not unusual in lots of animal species.
The right way to Take Care of Blue Betta Fish
The Blue Betta Fish, like others in its genus, stands out as a pet that’s simple to take care of, due partly to its labyrinth organ. That makes it extra tolerant of less-than-ideal tank situations, a fascinating trait for survival in quite a lot of habitats with slow-moving water.
Habitat, Tank Situations & Setup
The proper setup will go a good distance towards guaranteeing the well being and good high quality of life to your Blue Betta Fish. Your targets are to create an surroundings that replicates its native habitat whereas staying as steady as potential. Drastic modifications can stress your fish and make them extra weak to illness.
Tank Setup
If you happen to plan on retaining only one fish, a 3-gallon tank is appropriate. Whereas you may even see Bettas in bowls, we strongly urge you to go for the bigger aquarium. The situations will keep extra steady, and also you’ll have much less upkeep in your fingers. If you happen to go for a pair, we advise going with a 10-gallon tank. That’ll make the transition simpler if the 2 breed efficiently.
The remainder of the setup is just like what you’d present for different aquarium fish. It ought to have a 3-inch layer of substrate for organic filtration. You may add both dwell or synthetic vegetation. Blue Betta Fish gained’t dig them up or eat them. Floating vegetation are one thing to think about as a result of Bettas will usually swim below them for canopy.
Regardless of the Blue Betta Fish’s tolerance, we advocate including a filter to your tank. It’ll break the floor of the water to facilitate fuel change and get extra dissolved oxygen into the water. You also needs to do 25% water modifications not less than as soon as a month to maintain the situations wholesome to your fish.
Water Chemistry
The right water chemistry is significant for any fish. The Blue Betta is not any exception. We recommend monitoring it with testing not less than each 2 weeks or extra usually if the tank is small. These fish want barely acidic situations round 6.8-7.5 pH. Ideally, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are 0. Nonetheless, they will deal with elevated nitrates as much as 40 ppm.
The Blue Betta Fish does finest with a common hardness of not less than 30 ppm, notably you probably have dwell vegetation in your tank. Likewise, a carbonate hardness of 80-120 ppm will assist preserve the pH stage steady.
Lighting and Heating
The Blue Betta Fish does nicely with not less than 12 hours of UV gentle per day. That’s one thing to bear in mind when deciding the place to position your tank. The opposite consideration is warmth. The sunshine gained’t give off sufficient to maintain the situations steady. As an alternative, you’ll be able to put a submersible heater within the tank to maintain it inside its most well-liked vary of 72-82℉.
Are Blue Betta Fish Good Tank Mates?
The Blue Betta Fish will do finest by itself or in pairs. Whereas it isn’t as weak to nipping as its showy cousins, it nonetheless isn’t as cell as faster-moving fish. If you happen to’d like so as to add different species to your aquarium, we advise sticking with small, docile education fish, corresponding to Zebra Danios and Tetras. Simply be sure that there may be sufficient cowl.
It is best to by no means put aggressive fish, corresponding to Tiger Barbs, in a tank with Blue Betta Fish, if only for the price of changing it if it will get damage. In fact, it is best to solely have one male per tank.
What to Feed Your Blue Betta Fish
Within the wild, the Blue Betta Fish, being a carnivore, would feed on bugs and invertebrates. You may replicate its weight loss plan in your aquarium with freeze-dried brine shrimp or different species. Floating pellets are a superb alternative as a result of these fish usually cling across the floor of the water. You can too provide dwell meals, corresponding to plankton. Make sure that to take away any uneaten meals promptly.
Maintaining Your Blue Betta Fish Wholesome
The Blue Betta Fish is easygoing so far as pets are involved. They’re simple to maintain, with out many different calls for. Steady situations are the easiest way to make sure that they keep wholesome. That’s what makes common water modifications so important. We additionally counsel including décor, corresponding to driftwood, to your tank to offer psychological stimulation for this clever fish.
Breeding
The male Blue Betta Fish is exclusive in that it makes use of its flaring habits throughout courtship. When the feminine is able to spawn, the male will create a bubble nest on the floor of the water. That’s another excuse that it is best to have floating vegetation.
When the feminine releases eggs, the male takes them as much as the protecting cowl of the bubble nest. It’ll even fetch those that don’t make it. Each the female and male will maintain the younger Bettas, or fry. Nonetheless, that’s solely short-lived. Like many different species, the male Blue Betta Fish will ultimately eat the younger. It is best to both take away the fish or put up a barrier to guard them.
Are Blue Betta Fish Appropriate for Your Aquarium?
The Blue Betta Fish may not be the commonest species within the aquarium commerce, however it’s a placing fish that can make a welcome addition to an fanatic’s assortment. The care is just like others of its genus. The one evident distinction is the provision and price of the fish. If you happen to determine to get one, it’s finest to present it its personal setup with one other of its type or a couple of peaceable tankmates.
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Featured Picture Credit score: Jeravano, Shutterstock
