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Siamese Fighting Fish
Siamese Fighting Fish Facts
| Kingdom: Five groups that classify all living things | Animalia |
| Phylum: A group of animals within the animal kingdom | Chordata |
| Class: A group of animals within a pylum | Actinopterygii |
| Order: A group of animals within a class | Perciformes |
| Family: A group of animals within an order | Osphronemidae |
| Genus: A group of animals within a family | Betta |
| Common Name: Most widely used name for this species | Siamese Fighting Fish |
| Scientific Name: The name of the animal in science | Betta Splendens |
| Origin: The area where the animal first came from | Southeast Asia |
| Diet: What kind of foods the animal eats | Carnivore |
| Size (L): How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is | 6cm - 8cm (2.4in - 3.1in) |
| Water Type: Either freshwater, brakish or salt | Fresh |
| Optimum pH Level: The perfect acidity conditions for the animal | 6.9 - 7.2 |
| Lifespan: How long the animal lives for | 1 - 4 years |
| Conservation Status: The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct | Least Concern |
| Colour: The colour of the animal's coat or markings | |
| Skin Type: The protective layer of the animal | Scales |
| Favourite Food: The preferred food of this animal | Insects |
| Habitat: The specific area where the animal lives | Mekong river in south-east Asia |
| Average Clutch Size: The average number of eggs laid at once | 30 |
| Main Prey: The food that the animal gains energy from | Insects, Brine Shrimp, Plankton |
| Predators: Other animals that hunt and eat the animal | Fish, Cat, Salamander |
| Distinctive Features: Characteristics unique to this animal | Feisty temperament and long tail fin |
Siamese Fighting Fish Location
Map of Asia
Siamese Fighting Fish
The Siamese fighting fish is a small and colourful carnivorous species of fish found in the Mekong River that runs through a number of countries in south-east Asia.
The Siamese fighting fish is native to the Mekong delta in south-east Asia and although the Siamese fighting fish can today be found naturally in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, it is thought to have originated from Thailand.
The Siamese fighting fish was given its name in Thai "ikan bettah", which means biting fish! The Siamese fighting fish is known for its feisty temperament displayed towards other males and smaller species of fish and can often display very aggressive behaviour towards any animals that the Siamese fighting fish sees as a threat towards it.
The Siamese fighting fish is easily recognised due to the beautiful colours displayed on the body of the Siamese fighting fish. Siamese fighting fish also have long and elaborate coloured fins, which are longer on the male Siamese fighting fish than the fins of the female Siamese fighting fish. The fins of the Siamese fighting fish look particularly elaborate due to the fact that the body of the Siamese fighting fish is relatively small.
The Siamese fighting fish is a carnivorous species of animals and therefore, the diet Siamese fighting fish is meat based. Siamese fighting fish mainly eat insects and brine shrimp and also the larger food particles that are part of the plankton in the water.
Due to its small size, bright colours and long, attractive fins, the Siamese fighting fish is preyed about by many other animals. The predators of the Siamese fighting fish include larger fish, cats, newts, salamanders, birds and humans who catch the Siamese fighting fish to keep in tanks at home.
The Siamese fighting fish mate in a fashion that involves the male Siamese fighting fish and female Siamese fighting fish spiralling around each other. Between 10 and 45 eggs are released and fertilized at each embrace. Once the female Siamese fighting fish has released all of her eggs, she is chased away from the territory of the male Siamese fighting fish, as it is likely that she'll eat the eggs. The male Siamese fighting fish carefully keeps every egg in his bubble nest, making sure none fall to the bottom, and repairing the bubble nest as needed. The incubation period of the eggs of the Siamese fighting fish is a few days. The Siamese fighting fish only lives for up to 5 years, but the Siamese fighting fish normally will only get to the age of 2 or 3.
The Siamese fighting fish is a fairly hassle-free fish to keep in a small aquarium where there only a few fish. The Siamese fighting fish is also a popular aquarium fish due to its brightly coloured body and elaborate fins. The Siamese fighting fish only has a short lifespan though which means that they won't get to as old as the fish in the garden pond!
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First Published: 14th November 2008, Last Updated: 8th November 2019
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