Why do betta fish make bubbles? | Reference.com Why do betta fish make bubbles? A: Quick Answer Betta fish primarily make bubbles to construct nests for their eggs and fry. Only male betta fish, which are also known as Siamese fighting fish, create such nests. Male betta fish are the only ones that provide parental care. Full Answer Male betta fish may construct bubble nests without the presence of a female. They may make several such nests over the course of a year, depending upon the male. In the wild, the male leads the female under the nest once it was complete. After a successful courtship dance, the female releases the eggs into the water. The male gathers the eggs, fertilizes them and stores them in the safety of the bubble nest. Betta fish, which originally hail from the stagnant pools of Southeast Asia, are frequently kept as pets in Europe, Asia and the United States. However, the vast majority of the fish that reach pet stores are males, as breeders in Southeast Asia hold back the females so that they can produce eggs. The males also have the bold colors that make the fish such popular pets.

Betta fish can survive dry periods of time by burrowing down into the wet mud at the bottom of their habitats. Do-It-Yourself/Breed siamese fighting fish - Wikibooks, open books for an open world Do-It-Yourself/Breed siamese fighting fish Breeding Siamese Fighting Fish The system of betta fish is based upon aggression & territoriality. There can be serious consequences with fighting between fish, especially if the defeated contender cannot get out of the reach of the victor of the battle. They have been bred to be more aggressive to one another, literally down to the teeth. Even if the loser can escape the victor, both fish have inflicted wounds upon one another that can lead the way for potentially fatal infection. Contents Breeding Notes[ edit ] Not all males build a nest before trying to mate. Some do it as they are mating. A majority of females do not care for the above types of males. Take out the female after they have finished spawning, or when the male is constantly chasing the female and she appears very tired (Some chasing is common before breeding).

The basic equipment list needed includes: 5-10 gallon aquarium without sand or gravel Soft fish net to fish out your breeder bettas when the time comes Styrofoam cup cut in half to contain the bubble nest Thermometer - to monitor your tank's temperature 2 floating plastic plants or other hiding places- to provide protective hiding place for unready female and fry Either Plexiglass, Glass, hood or light - must cover the entire tank...those that do not should be covered with saran wrap . This traps in moist humid air which helps fry's labyrinth develop correctly. Aquarium Heater - should be fully submersible including cord. 25W would be adequate. 1 oz of brine shrimp eggs so you can hatch then and feed your fry as they grow Microworm culture - from breeder 1 Siphon hose to clean your fry tank and vacuum uneaten foods before they rot and cause bacterial outbreaks, which might kill fry. Note: when using siphon hose, use care not to vacuum out fry. Water conditioner Methylene Blue (to protect torn fins from getting infected) spawning Maroxy (to prevent fungus from attacking eggs) Aquarium Salt (to prevent velvet disease) Treat with medicine to cure, not prevent.

Bettas internal organs can be damaged by harsh medicine. Tank Dimensions: Height 14cm. Width 13cm. Length 22cm. Smaller tanks technically could work but, you run the risk of disturbing the nest(empty or otherwise) when adding or removing the female. You may damage the nest either by touching it, causing ripples on the water, or by the wind caused by the movement of your hands(less likely but possible). A bigger tank also means a bigger nest. It should be noted however that the bigger tank has more fry inside. Foilage: Plants with lots of leaves or branches. This is so that the female can run and hide from the male. When she is ready she will not run and hide so no worries there. This will also allow the growth of foods that are small enough for the betta fries to consume. Food: Microscopic food for babies and high protein foods for breeding parents. For the adults, foods like bloodworms, tubifex worms, brine shrimp (frozen, dried, live). You should feed the parents rich foods 1-2 weeks before breeding (Part of conditioning). For fry infusoria, microworms and baby brine shrimp.

Aeration: A small corner or sponge filter,barely bubbling. These bettas need calm waters else the nest will break. Later on though, the fry will need to have VERY LIGHT aeration in their tank. This is to help in breaking the surface of the water. Temperature: Tropical water temperatures. 78-84F People in non tropical climates may need a heater. People who live in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand probably won't need a heater. If you're not living in South-East Asia, you may also want to put a tight fitting cover on top of the tank to maintain the humidity and warmth that the betta fry need. Water: Treated tap water,add aquarium salt,and the correct dose of Maroxy. Summary: Bare tank + plants + warm temperature + water + (later on)microfoods Conditioning[ edit ] For a start, you will get better results by getting the pair into a condition good for breeding. You can feed the adult pair high protein foods like Bloodworms, Tubifex worms, small insects, (Adult)Brine Shrimp (Frozen/Dried/Live), etc...

Tank Setup[ edit ] Put plants in the tank in such a way that the fish can swim around it and chase each other without catching each other too easily. These plants will also later serve as a food source for the baby bettas who will eat microscopic organisms off of it. The growth of these organisms can be stimulated also by dropping a few drops of LiquiFry No. 1 in to the tank. The LiquiFry itself also consists of tiny food particles that the fry can eat. Baby brine shrimp(BBS) are also good. Breeding[ edit ] You know the female is ready for breeding when you can see just behind the ventral fin, a white egg tube sticking out. That is an ovipositor, through which she will release eggs. This does not mean that she is ready for mating with THAT male though. It just means she's ready for breeding. The male is almost always ready for breeding. You may see him flaring and chasing after the female. This is normal. He most probably may have also already built his nest. If you are the cautious type and are waiting for the nest to be ready before you introduce the female, do so now.

The female, may occasionally destroy the male's nest if she feels it is unsatisfactory. If she does this, remove her and let the male rebuild the nest again. Reintroduce her after he has finished building his nest. If after reintroducing her again, she still destroys his nest, you may wish to get another female, or another male. Mating[ edit ] When the female has chosen a male she will maneuver her body so that her head is facing downwards. Depending on her colors you may also see vertical stripes on her body. The female will also occasionally chase the male. After some more chasing the male will eventually capture the female and wrap his body around hers and fertilize her eggs. He will recover quickly and catch the eggs and put them in his nest. The female will stay motionless for a while longer. She occasionally will help by putting the eggs in the nest. DO NOT be fooled -- at times she may be eating them instead. Note: Sometimes the male may be inexperienced and will not embrace the female properly. She will drop out of his grasp and leave him floating in a trance-like state. Do not bother them though. If mating has not occurred after 2 days you should remove the female to let her rest.

Feeding Fry[ edit ] Fry need very small, live foods. Infusoria is the best and is good for the first week of the frys life, to prepare a culture put some lettuce in a bottle of treated water, add a couple of drops of LiquiFry #1. Leave it in bright light. Within 3 weeks millions of infusorians will be ready to feed. Feed only a few drops often to keep the tank clean. Hatching Brine Shrimp, you will need 1 bottle, airline tubing, rock salt, and brine shrimp eggs. Fill the bottle with treated tap water, a rock salt and brine shrimp eggs.Put in your airline tubing, and make your air flow very powerful. After 20 minutes stop the airflow. When your eggs hatch the shrimp will go to the bottom. Suck them out with a turkey baster. Keeping the fry clean[ edit ] Fry need to be kept in clean water or you may end up looking for sick betta fish help , so daily water changes are a must. A 50% water change daily is fine as long as the water being replaced is the same temperature as the original and the pH is the same.Make sure your not getting any fry.

Growout Tanks[ edit ] At 3 weeks of age the fry are ready to be moved to a larger tank. The larger tank should be 20+ gallons. When moving the fry be sure to make the temperature the same and the pH the same. Do weekly water changes in the larger tank.This is not needed with a smaller spawn. Jars[ edit ] At around 8 weeks the males will show finnage and become increasingly aggressive. You should remove them and place them in individual jars. Keep the jars clean and feed the young bettas frozen foods. Siamese Fighting Fish - Siamese Fighting Fish Guide Siamese Fighting Fish Guide Siamese Fighting Fish Welcome to Siamese Fighting Fish .net. This is where you can find information for siamese fighting fish general care and fish illness & disease information. We hope you find this tropical fish guide for Siamese fighting fish beneficial with descriptions and information on Betta fish care, diet, habitat and betta fish diseases. The Siamese fighting fish, also known as the betta, are a very popular aquarium fish. The small bodies of the fish make their fins appear even larger. They build bubble nests and they are in the gourami family.

The fish in the Anabantoidei suborder are known as anabantoids or labyrinth fish. Bettas originate in the shallow waters of Mekong basin of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and parts of China. These areas are home to acres of rice paddies, ponds, slow moving streams, swamps and in standing waters of canals, rice paddies, and floodplains all of which are home to Bettas. Betta Splendens view-source: Bettas are famous for how they “flare” their fins when disturbed or threatened. The male Veiltail Betta will attack another Betta and have been known to attack similar-looking fish. It is recommended that only one Male Betta is housed in an aquarium with plants. The Betta splendens species prefer a warmer water climate than other tropical fish preferably around 77-86 Degrees Fahrenheit (25-30 Degrees Celsius). They have an organ known as the labyrinth organ which allows them to breathe air at the water’s surface. This organ allows labyrinth fish to take in oxygen directly from the air, instead of taking it from the water in which they reside through use of gills.

Male Betta’s are very territorial and if put in a close enough environment attack another Betta or similar sized fish. Generally they are best kept in a tank by themselves. Betta Bubble Nest | Siamese Fighting Fish Published July 13, 2010 | By admin Breeding Bettas, Siamese Fighting Fish, Part 9 – The Betta Bubble Nest Since I’ve now managed to get my second Siamese Fighting Fish spawn to the free swimming stage I’m still far from being an expert but there was a few things that I have noticed about the Betta Bubble Nest that I thought would be worth mentioning especially since they were things I hadn’t come across elsewhere in my research. Firstly though, the Betta Bubble Nest is where the tiny Bettas eggs are stored until they hatch and then afterward the fry will live off their yolk sacs for a few days until they can then swim away from the nest. It is made and maintained by the male Betta until the fry are ready to leave the nest. Therefore if you do your research on this topic you will discover that most breeders use half a Styrofoam cup that has been cut along its length as it should easily float on the surface of the water.

They also use a piece of tape to secure it to the side of the tank so it doesn’t float away. What I discovered in my first spawn though was the cup just seemed to stay where I left it as I had my filter turned on ever so slightly and the small amount of surface current just seemed to keep it in the opposite corner. During my second spawn though I’d tried the same method but discovered that for some reason my cup slowly started to sink (despite coming from the same packaging) over a period of a few days. Not much though, only about a few millimetres, but enough to put some doubt in my mind as to how it would last once the male started to make his bubble nest in it. So the solution was obvious, it had to be secured. Now most breeders just use some tape and secure it to the side of the breeding tank but I had a couple of problems with this idea. Now I’m not going to tell you not to use tape but I will explain my reasoning and then it’s up to you to decided.

Firstly, tape obviously has some sort of chemical in the adhesive and despite the tape being above the water line there is still quite a bit of condensation on the inside of the tank wall (see the photo). So there is some chance that some of this residue will end up in the water. Now that fact that some breeders use it suggests that this isn’t a problem but then again not all tape is the same everywhere so who’s to say just because it worked for the majority that the minority won’t have a problem with it. After all when you read the trouble some breeders go to, to maintain water quality (and rightly so, water quality is very important) and then introduce tape to the water it makes you wonder? After all when the tape is removed it will leave some residue behind and despite it being above the water line at the start, the water level will rise as you add water later as the fry get larger. You can bet then that some of that adhesive residue that was left behind will then get absorbed into the water. So maybe I’m pedantic but I’ll leave it up to you to decided. Enough said.

I used string to suspend both ends of the cup to stop it from slowly sinking and then taped the string to the outside of the breeding tank. Therefore instead of using tape I used string, threaded it through the gap between the two pieces of glass used for the lid/cover and then taped it to the outside of the breeding tank . This also enabled me to secure both ends of the cup to keep it balanced so it wouldn’t sink. The next thing I discovered during my second spawn was the male Betta was having a bit of trouble keeping all the eggs in the bubble nest. One or two would fall out so he’d go and retrieve them from the bottom and when he’d place them back in the nest he’d dislodge more eggs and so the cycle would go on and on, it was a case of……..put some back and then knock some more out. This makes for a lot of work for Mr Betta. Now during my first spawn the male Betta didn’t have this problem at all but the second spawn had two or three times the amount of eggs the first one had. This led me to conclude that the bubble nest in my second spawn was very cramped for space as it spilled over the edges of the cup.

Therefore the next time I breed Siamese Fighting Fish I think I’ll place both the halves of the cup together so if the male needs more space, he’ll have it. Now having said that though, I’m sure that in most cases the male will just extend the bubble nest on the outside of the cup if he needs to but this male didn’t so maybe in hindsight the extra cup side by side may have encouraged a larger nest. Who knows? but if it makes less work for the male then it’s worth it. The next thing about bubble nests I’ve discovered is, if you’re new (or even experienced) it might be best to place the Styrofoam cup on the side of the tank closest to where you can view it and the reason why is this. If you can view it clearly you can keep an eye on how things are progressing. Now during my second spawn I did this initially and the male Betta seemed reluctant to build his nest in it so I concluded he wasn’t happy with the position and wanted a bit more privacy. Therefore I added the other half of the cup just around the corner where I could still see it but was slightly more private.

He then had two choices for his nest but amazingly when he did build his bubble nest he chose the first cup so in the end I suppose privacy really wasn’t the issue and he was just taking his time. As it turned out though he did use part of the second cup as there was a small bubble nest there as well that I noticed had fry dangling from the bottom. Therefore as I said before, I think it’s best to add both halves of the cup side by side and then let the male decide from there. As far as privacy goes it didn’t seem to be an issue. At the end of the day the male will decide where he wants to build his bubble nest so if he doesn’t like where you’ve placed the cup he may just go and make it somewhere else anyway, without a cup. Therefore encouraging the male Betta to make his bubble nest where you can see it clearly has several advantages for a new breeder. As you’ll find when you research this topic on the internet most experienced breeders will tell you the eggs will hatch between 1 to 3 days after spawning.

Now I took this to mean that they will all hatch at about the same time within this time frame and it wasn’t until my second spawn that I discovered this wasn’t quite the case. You see, during my first spawn the bubble nest was on the other side of the tank and my lighting wasn’t as good as it could have been so the fry weren’t as easy to see. For my second spawn, because I’d placed the cup where I could see it more clearly I noticed that the fry don’t all hatch at the same time. Some of the eggs hatched after one day and then the rest continued hatching up until the end of the second day (in this case). So what I found was that some fry that hatched early got a head start eating their yolk sac and then some even preceded to leave the bubble nest while the others were still hatching. Now some of these were retrieved by the male Betta and placed back in the bubble nest but I’m sure there were quite a few that weren’t as he was very busy retrieving falling fry as well. So what I found was that some fry were at the “free swimming” stage (this is where they can swim horizontally away from the nest) while others had just hatched.

This then presents you with the problem of deciding when to start feeding your Betta fry. Now I tried to research if “free swimming” meant the yolk sac was all eaten but couldn’t find a definitive answer so I just decided that once they’d left the nest it was time to start feeding them. You see if you don’t feed them straight away they can get weak and then lose the ability to find food and then die. Having said that though if you do decide to add Java Moss to your breeding tank, I’m led to believe it will add some Infusoria to the water so any “early developers” will have some food to sustain them for a while if you’re slow to feed them. Therefore what I found was for a day I was feeding free swimming fry while the male Betta was still tending to the rest of the fry in the bubble nest. Then on day three after the first fry started to hatch I discovered that the male Betta was catching free swimming fry and placing them back in the nest.

There was still a few fry that appeared to still be reliant on the nest, but it was then I decided it was time to remove the male as most of the fry had left the nest or were continually trying to and getting put back in. Just a few hours after Dads removal the bubble nest was empty and the fry were all free swimming. How many I had at this stage I wasn’t sure but they were quite a bit easier to see than the fry in the first spawn as they were noticeably larger. So you can see how important it is to have a clear view of the bubble nest so you can keep an eye of how things are going. That way you can then judge when to start feeding the fry and when it’s time to remove the male. The other thing to take into account is the importance of keeping the area below the bubble nest clear of any Java Moss . If you decide to place Java Moss in your Betta breeding tank make sure it’s up the other end (this is another advantage of a larger tank) as eggs will fall to the bottom during spawning as well as during their time in the bubble nest.

Also once the fry hatch they will also fall from the bubble nest, sometimes to the bottom, and they will have to be retrieved by the male Betta as well. Another point worth mentioning is the fact that you will have to leave a light on 24 hours a day for the entire time the male Betta is tending to the bubble nest so he can maintain it correctly. You will also find that in a large spawn as this one was that the male will be very busy and will make many, many trip to the bottom of the tank and back. Therefore I’ve concluded that the next time I breed Bettas I might limit the water depth to just 10 cm. The recommended depth is 10 to 15 cm and I used 15cm on both occasions but I feel that by making it just 10 cm you can reduce the workload for the male Betta quite considerably. In the video above you can see the dark lines in the bubble nest which are fry hanging down. Occasionally you will see one or two drop from the bottom and then swimming back up again. Some will also fall and have to retrieved by Dad. You might also notice Dad knocks some free while replacing others.

The amount of fry hanging from the bottom gradually seemed to increase over a 12 hour period as they hatched (despite some leaving the bubble nest) and then decreased again as they started to swim free. This bubble nest was full of a lot of eggs and fry and didn’t really seem quite large enough. Dad was kept very busy replacing eggs and fry for about 3 days after spawning. Another item you may find helpful for checking the bubble nest is a magnifying glass. The fry are very small and although visible you may find any type of magnification helpful. Another method I tried to use to get a better view of the fry was my camera. Unfortunately, it didn’t have a manual focus and the auto focus kept focusing on the side of the tank rather than the subject, the fry. You many have already noticed this from the video above. So these are the basics about bubble nests and what I’ve learnt so far from my two spawns. As I’ve tried to display, both my spawns were different so there will be a very good chance that your’s will be different as well.

Therefore the biggest lesson I’ve learnt so far is to do as much research as possible and not to expect things will go exactly how someone else has described it in a book or on internet site. If you read only one person’s version of how the very inexact science of breeding Bettas is meant to go then there is a very good chance that you will be left scratching your head and wondering why “this didn’t happen” or “why something happened you weren’t expecting”. Siamese Fighting Fish - Bettas Siamese Fighting Fish - Bettas Live foods preferred, will eat flakes and frozen foods Breeding 75-86 F (24-30 C) Origin/Distribution Bettas originate in the shallow waters of Thailand (formerly called Siam, hence their name), Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and parts of China. These areas are home to acres of rice paddies, ponds, slow moving streams and swamps, all of which are home to Bettas. Today Bettas have been introduced in many locations, giving rise to non-native populations in a number of countries. As demand has grown for Bettas, they have been captive-bred globally, both commercially and by private individuals.

Virtually all species for sale are captive-bred. continue reading below our video Profile of Betta Fish for Fresh Water Aquariums Betta splendens is easily the most popular species of Betta bred and sold in the aquarium trade. These captive bred species have become significantly different than the original wild caught specimens they are derived from, having been bred to bring out specific features such as new varieties of tail and fin types as well as unique colors. The common name, Siamese Fighting Fish, was coined due to the practice of organized fights between males, much like cock fights. These matches continue to this day, driven by the income from betting. In some locations males are bred specifically for aggression, to ensure better fights. Description The brilliant coloration and long flowing fins of the male Betta make it one of the most well known of aquarium fish. Females are usually not as highly colored, and have much shorter fins. In nature, this species is not usually brightly colored. However, captive breeding programs have resulted in a wide variety of colors, including white, yellow, orange, red, pink, blue, green, turquoise, brown and black.

A myriad of combinations can be seen, from solid colors to those with different fin and body colors, to patterned colors. Fin types have also changed due to selective breeding. Veil tails have been joined by Crowntails, Deltas, Fans, Halfmoons, Lyre and Split tails, to name a few. Betta competitions and breeding to compete in competitive shows brings new variations to the market regularly. Both sexes have a torpedo-shaped body and an upturned mouth geared for eating at the surface. Mature adults reach a size of two to three inches, with females being slightly smaller than the males. A unique feature of this species is the presence of a labyrinth organ that allows them to take oxygen from the atmosphere instead of from water, thus allowing them to survive in low-oxygen waters. Tankmates Males cannot be kept together unless there are separators in the tank. Multiple females can generally be kept together without problems, and a single male can also be added to the mix. They can be kept with other peaceful species of fish, as long as they are small and are not fin-nipping types, such as Tiger Barbs .

Male Bettas should not be kept with other fish that have similar body types and long fins, as they could mistake them for rivals. Habitat/Care Bettas are one of the most recognized, most colorful and often most controversial fish in the freshwater hobby. Debates rage about the appropriateness of keeping them in small bowls . To fully understand their needs it is important to become familiar with their native habitat, where they live in large rice paddies, shallow ponds, and even in some slow moving streams. Although many fish keepers are aware that Bettas come from shallow waters, what is often overlooked is the water temperature. The home countries of the Betta are tropical, which means the water temperature is quite warm, often into the 80's. Bettas thrive on heat, and will become increasingly listless when the water temperature falls below 75 degrees F. Water temperature is perhaps the biggest argument against keeping a betta in a tiny bowl, which cannot readily be heat controlled. Even though Bettas do well in waters low in dissolved oxygen, that does not mean they require less oxygen than other fish. Bettas have a special respiratory organ that allows them to breath air directly from the surface.

In fact they inherently must do so. In experiments where the labyrinth organ was removed, the fish died from suffocation even though the water was saturated with oxygen. For this reason, Bettas must have access to the water surface to breath air directly from the atmosphere. Optimally the water for keeping healthy Bettas should be soft, warm, with a neutral to slightly acidic pH . Water movement should be kept to a minimum, which means that power filters and powerheads are not suitable. Bettas may be kept in a community tank as long as the water conditions are met, and if no aggressive or fin-nipping fish are present. However, only one male may be kept in each aquarium, unless they are separated by a barrier. The use of plastic boxes that hang inside the aquarium are a suitable option for keeping more than one betta in a tank, or for keeping them in a tank with fish that might nip their fins. Females will generally not fight with each other, and may be kept in the same tank. Note: Selling a Betta in a vase with a plant has become a popular sales technique. However, a flower vase is not a suitable environment for the Betta.

For more information read, "Is it Safe to Keep a Betta in a Vase?" Diet In nature Bettas subsist almost exclusively on insects and insect larvae . They are built with an upturned mouth that is well suited to snatching any hapless insect that might fall into the water. Internally their digestive system is geared for meat, having a much shorter alimentary track than vegetarian fish. For this reason, live foods are the ideal diet for the betta, however they will adapt to eating flake foods and frozen and freeze dried foods. Brine shrimp , Daphnia, plankton, tubifex, glassworms, and beef heart, are all excellent options that may be found frozen or freeze dried. If flake food is fed, it should be supplemented with frozen and freeze-dried foods, and if possible live foods. Sexual Differences Males typically are more brilliantly colored and have long flowing fins. They also have a more distinct "beard" and are larger overall than the females. Females have short fins and will display vertical stripes and an egg spot when ready to mate.

Breeding Bettas have a fairly short lifespan, and are most successful as breeders when they under a year old (bettas in pet shops are usually at least six months old). They breed in bubblenests and do not require a large tank or special equipment. Most breeders find that a bare bottomed tank of roughly ten gallons works well, although smaller tanks are also suitable.Ideally the fish should be conditioned prior to breeding, by feeding them a diet of live foods. The water should be at a pH of about 7.0, and temperature around 80 or slightly above. The male will blow an elaborate bubble nest when he is ready to spawn. The female should be provided with a hiding place, as males may become aggressive during courtship. Even with a hiding place, it is common for the female to lose a few scales or have their fins frayed during spawning. When they are ready to spawn, the pair will display intense coloration and begin circling each other under the bubblenest. The male will wrap himself around the female who has turned on her back. As she expels the eggs, they are fertilized and begin to sink. The male will scoop up the eggs and spit them into the nest.

From this point on the male will tend the brood. It is advisable to remove the female, as the male may become aggressive towards her as he tends his young. The male will continue to tend the bubblenest, spitting eggs that fall out back into the nest. In one to two days the eggs will hatch, and the fry will be visible hanging in the bubblenest with their tails pointing downward. They will feed off their yolk sack for another thirty six hours, during which time the male will continue to pick up any fry that fall out of the nest. The male should be removed within two days after the fry hatch, as they may eat the young once they are free swimming. The fry should be fed a couple of feedings daily of baby brine shrimp or very fine baby food. Tetra makes a dry mixture specifically for egglaying fish, and many pet shops carry frozen baby brine shrimp . Take care not to overfeed, as the uneaten food will foul the water and can quickly prove lethal to the fry.

Siamese Fighting Fish - Betta splendens - Details - Encyclopedia of Life Siamese Fighting Fish Learn more about this article Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens, are small (about 7.5 cm long) fish in the gourami family (Osphronemidae) native to slow moving and stagnant, overgrown waters in Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos. Characteristic of the suborder Anabantoidei to which they belong, Betta splendens have an accessory breathing organ called the labyrinth organ that allows them to survive in waters with low oxygen content, by breathing air from the surface. These fish have been introduced to Brazil, Columbia, Indonesian and Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Canada, the Dominican Republic and the USA and populations are thought to be established in many of these places. Now one of the most common species in the world-wide aquarium trade, domestication of Betta splendens began in Thailand in the 1800s, where these aggressively territorial fish were bred for competitive fighting.

When agitated, wild Siamese fighting fish turn bright colors, and over years of captivity, strains have been bred to take on these colors permanently, as well as varieties with different fin and scale morphologies. In the wild, B. splendens are omnivores, and eat frequently, generally from the surface of the water, such as insects that have fallen in. They also eat algae. Like many gouramis, Siamese fighting fish are bubble breeders, and the males build bubble nests at the surface of the water. After intense courtship displays, the male wraps himself around the female in a nuptial embrace during which he fertilizes eggs released by the female. He then gathers up the eggs in his mouth as they sink and blows them into the nest. This nuptial egg release repeats until the female has no more eggs. The male then tends the eggs until they hatch about 36 hours later. Siamese fighting fish can survive periods in the dry season when water is scarce by aestivating in moist mud. Learn more about this article Occur in standing waters of floodplains, canals, rice paddies (Ref. 12693) and medium to large rivers (Ref.

12975). Feed on zooplankton, mosquito and other insect larvae (Ref. 12693). Air breather and bubble nest builder. Used in behavioral studies (Ref. 4537). Males will fight each other. The many colorful varieties are popular aquarium fish, however, the holding of the males in very small containers should be discouraged (Ref. 1672). Aquarium keeping: sexes should be kept separate unless for mating, and that only one female should be brought into the breeding tank measuring about 20-30 L ( © FishBase Learn more about this article Occur in standing waters of floodplains, canals, rice paddies (Ref. 12693) and medium to large rivers (Ref. 12975). Feeds on zooplankton, mosquito and other insect larvae (Ref. 12693). Air breather and bubble nest builder. Used in behavioral studies (Ref. 4537). Males will fight each other. The many colorful varieties are popular aquarium fish, however, the holding of the males in very small containers should be discouraged (Ref. 1672).

Aquarium keeping: several females for one male; minimum aquarium size 60 cm (Ref. 51539). © FishBase Endemic to Thailand, from the Mae Khlong to Chao Phraya basins, the eastern slope of the Cardamom mountains, and from the Isthmus of Kra. © International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources The wild Siamese Fighting fish can be found swimming amongst the inland waters of the Orient. It is native to Thailand, but can be found worldwide in pet stores as a domesticated fish. (Hargrove 1999) Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native ) Learn more about this article The Betta, on average, is 7.5 centimeters in length. Its body shape is streamlined, allowing it to slip smoothly and effortlessly through open water. The fish's body is covered with scales that overlap each other like the shingles on the roof of a house. These scales consist of thin, transparent plates that help protect the Betta's body from injury and add streamlining for efficient gliding. A mucus layer also covers the scales to provide the fish with extra smoothness and to protect against invading parasites and infection.

The Betta's scales grow out from the skin and are generally lacking in color. The fish's true color actually comes from pigment cells (chromatophores) located in the skin itself. In the wild, the fish uses its coloration to ward off predators and to attract mates. Wild Bettas do not possess the vibrant bright red, lime green, and royal blue colors of their selectively bred counterparts. In fact, they are unusually dull and drab. However, captive-bred Betta males have adopted these new colors and use them to their advantage in mating displays. The actual colors of a Betta are layered. In order to produce a Betta of specific color, other colors that are layered on top must first be "stripped away" through selective breeding. The top color is blue; next is red, then black and finally yellow. Bettas have mouths that are upturned, indicating that they are a top feeder and will scoop up their food on the water's surface. Their fins are used not only for propulsion through the water, but for maintaining balance and turning in different directions. They have one caudal fin, one dorsal fin, two pelvic fins, one anal fin, and two pectoral fins.

(Hargrove 1999) Other Physical Features: bilateral symmetry © The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors Dorsal spines (total): 1; Vertebrae: 29 - 34 © FishBase 6.5 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 12693)); max. reported age: 2 years (Ref. 12193) © FishBase Reddish bars on opercle (Ref. 12693). © FishBase Inhabits intact marshlands in shallow zones, adaptive to paddyfields. Systems Betta splendens live in thickly overgrown ponds and in only very slowly flowing waters such as shallow rice paddies, stagnant pools, polluted streams, and other types of areas in which the water has a low-oxygen content.

(Hargrove 1999) Aquatic Biomes: lakes and ponds; rivers and streams © The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors benthopelagic; freshwater; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19 © FishBase Learn more about this article Wild Betta splendens feed mainly on insects that have fallen into the water. Because of their rapid metabolic rate, Bettas need to eat frequent, small "snacks", such as algae, to hold them over until their next big meal. (Hargrove 1999) Five different feeding methods have been observed in the Betta: snapping, scooping/gulping, grazing, jumping, and spitting. Snapping is the method most commonly used to "capture" their morsels of food. (Vierke 1988) © The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors White spot Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) © FishBase Velvet Disease 2 (Piscinoodinium sp.). Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) © FishBase Fish tuberculosis (FishMB).

Bacterial diseases © FishBase Fin-rot Disease (late stage). Bacterial diseases © FishBase Fin Rot (early stage). Bacterial diseases © FishBase Columnaris Disease (e.). Bacterial diseases © FishBase Bacterial Infections (general). Bacterial diseases © FishBase Builds bubble-nest which is guarded by male. © FishBase Maximum longevity: 2 years Observations: Reproductive senescence has been documented in these animals (Patnaik et al. 1994). © Joao Pedro de Magalhaes Learn more about this article Mating begins with the male Betta building a nest of bubbles. To build this nest, the male swims to the surface, takes a gulp of air and spits out a mucus-coated air bubble. He then quickly takes another bubble of air and releases it near the first one. This process continues for hours with occasional breaks for food or to court the female. After awhile, the nest begins to take on a definate shape. However, the shape and size varies. Once the nest is nearly complete, an extremely intense and often rough courtship begins. The male very aggressively pursues the female, attempting to entice her under the nest.

In his efforts to bring her to the nest, he can be quite brutal if she doesn't willingly respond. More often than not, by the time the first spawning embrace begins, the female's fins are badly torn and she may even be missing some scales. After spawning has occured, the male then guards the nest, taking care of the eggs until the young hatch 24 to 48 hours later, depending upon the temperature of the water. The young Bettas don't begin to show very much color or fin shape until they are about three months old. At about this time, males begin to fight with one another. It is also quite easy to sex Bettas around this age, as the males are usually more brightly colored and have longer fins than the females. The fish reaches sexual maturity around five months. (Ostrow 1989) © The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors Fins used to communicate: fish Fins of some fish send a warning signal to fellow fish or synchronize movements by vibrating. Maintain physical integrity > Protect from biotic factors > Animals "Some fishes use their sense of distant touch not just to navigate but also to communicate, vibrating their fins in specific ways to warn others of their species of danger.

The male of the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), which cares for the young, alerts its offspring to danger by vibrating its long, flowing fins. Other fishes use their powers of distant touch to synchronize their movements when swimming together in schools." (Shuker 2001:35-36) Shuker, KPN. 2001. The Hidden Powers of Animals: Uncovering the Secrets of Nature. London: Marshall Editions Ltd. 240 p. © The Biomimicry Institute The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species. There are 202 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank. Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species. See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

CCTTTATTTAATTTTTGGTGCATGAGCCGGAATAGTTGGCACTGCTCTAAGTTTGCTTATTCGGGCAGAACTAAGCCAGCCAGGATCTCTTCTAGGGAATGATCAGATTTATAATGTAATTGTTACGGCACACGCTTTTGTAATAATTTTTTTTATGGTAATGCCTATAATAATTGGAGGTTTTGGGAATTGACTTATTCCCCTAATGATTGGAGCCCCAGACATAGCCTTTCCCCGTATAAATAATATAAGTTTTTGACTTCTCCCTCCCTCCTTCTTGCTTTTACTTACATCTGCCGGTGTAGAGGCTGGGGCAGGTACCGGGTGAACTGTGTATCCCCCCCTATCTGGTAACTTGGCACACACAGGTGCATCGGTGGATTTAACAATTTTTTCACTACACTTAGCAGGTGTCTCATCTATTTTAGGTGCTATTAACTTTATCACTACAATTTTTAATATAAAACCCCCTGCGATAACCCAATACCAAATACCTTTGTTTGTATG

ATCCGTTTTAATTACTGCTTTCCTCCTCCTTTTATCTCTCCCTGTCTTAGCCGCAGGAATTACAATACTCCTAACAGATCGAAACCTAAACACAACTTTCTTTGATCCAGCAGGCGGAGGAGATCCAATTCTATATCAACACTTA Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats Public Records: 101 Rainboth, W., Ng, H.H.

& Allen, D. Contributor/s Justification This species is threatened by habitat degradation. Habitats across most of its range have been converted into intensive farmland, developed, or polluted, especially in central Thailand which is its centre of population. Genetic erosion from escaped farmed stock into wild habitats is a secondary threat. Currently its exact extent of occurrence and area of occupancy are poorly known, but is locally uncommon in its suitable habitats. The species is assessed as Vulnerable due to a suspected population decline of at least 30% across its range, and a declining area and extent of occurrence. © International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources The Betta is not endangered. US Federal List: no special status CITES: no special status IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: no special status © The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors Locally uncommon throughout its range, suffered much decline due to habitat degradation and pollution. Population Trend Learn more about this article Major Threats Habitat degradation is the main threat to the species, and most of its suitable lowland habitat has been converted into intensive farmland and urban areas, or polluted, especially in central Thailand. Genetic erosion is a secondary threat from escaped farmed stock into wild habitats.

© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Learn more about this article Betta fish are the victims of an enormous and sometimes harmful industry in which humans capture and breed the fish for ornamental value. As pets, betta fish are often mistreated by receiving little care, poor habitat quality, overfeeding, and a general lack of knowledge by the pet owner. While betta fish are solitary creatures, they do need to be paid attention to. They need stimulation, which allows them to expand their gills as a sign of dominance, for proper respiration and exercise. This is often not attended to in the pet industry. While the pet industry has many bettas, the bettas in the wild Thai paddies are decreasing in number due to direct and environmental issues (caused by humans). Captive breeding from wild populations is strongly recommended. Management of known habitats is also needed. © International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems Benefits Bettas are kept as pets for the enjoyment of humans. © The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: highly commercial © FishBase For other uses, see Siamese fighting fish (disambiguation) .

The Siamese fighting fish, also sometimes colloquially known as the betta (Betta splendens), is a species in the gourami family which is popular as an aquarium fish. They are called pla-kad (biting fish) in Thai or trey krem in Khmer . They tend to be rather aggressive. This species is native to the Mekong basin of Laos , Cambodia , Vietnam , and Thailand , the latter formerly known as Siam. The fish can be found in standing waters of canals, rice paddies, and floodplains. [1] In January 2014 a large population of the fish was discovered in the Adelaide River Floodplain in the Northern Territory, Australia. [2] As an invasive species they pose a threat to native fish, frogs and other wildlife in the wetlands. [2] Contents Description[ edit ] B. splendens usually grows to a length of about 6.5 cm (2.6 in). [1] Although aquarium specimens are known for their brilliant colors and large, flowing fins, the natural coloration of B. splendens is a dull green, browns, and gray, and the fins of wild specimens are relatively short.

Betta splendens feeds on zooplankton, crustaceans, and the larvae of mosquitoes and other water-bound insects. [3] Reproduction and early development[ edit ] A pair spawning under a bubble nest in a breeder's tank One-day-old larvae in a bubble nest, their yolk sacs have not yet been absorbed: Betta fry rely entirely on their gills to breathe. Betta splendens fish build bubble nests of varying sizes. A 15-day-old, free-swimming fry is infected with Piscinoodinium sp. ( velvet disease ), a common killer of betta fry in captivity. Male bettas flare their gills, twist their bodies, and spread their fins if interested in a female. The female darkens in colour, then curves her body back and forth as a response. Males build bubble nests of various sizes and thicknesses at the surface of the water. They do this regularly even if there is no female present. Plants or rocks that break the surface often form a base for bubble nests.

The act of spawning itself is called a "nuptial embrace", for the male wraps his body around the female; around 10–40 eggs are released during each embrace, until the female is exhausted of eggs. The male, in his turn, releases milt into the water, and fertilization takes place externally. During and after spawning, the male uses his mouth to retrieve sinking eggs and deposit them in the bubble nest (during mating the female sometimes assists her partner, but more often she simply devours all the eggs she manages to catch). Once the female has released all of her eggs, she is chased away from the male's territory, as she will likely eat the eggs. [4] The eggs remain in the male's care. He carefully keeps them in his bubble nest, making sure none falls to the bottom, repairing the bubble nest as needed. Incubation lasts for 24–36 hours; newly hatched larvae remain in the nest for the next two to three days until their yolk sacs are fully absorbed. Afterwards, the fry leave the nest and the free-swimming stage begins. In this first period of their lives, B.

splendens fry are totally dependent on their gills; the labyrinth organ which allows the species to breathe atmospheric oxygen typically develops at three to six weeks of age, depending on the general growth rate, which can be highly variable. B. splendens can reach sexual maturity at an age as early as 4–5 months. History[ edit ] Some people of Thailand and Malaysia are known to have collected these fish prior to the 19th century from the wild. In the wild, bettas spar for only a few minutes or before one fish backs off. Bred specifically for fighting, domesticated betta matches can go on for much longer, with winners determined by a willingness to continue fighting. Once one fish retreats, the match is over. Seeing the popularity of these fights, the king of Thailand started licensing and collecting these fighting fish. In 1840, he gave some of his prized fish to a man who, in turn, gave them to Dr. Theodor Cantor, a medical scientist. Nine years later, Dr. Cantor wrote an article describing them under the name Macropodus pugnax.

In 1909, the ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan , realizing a species was already named Macropodus pugnax , renamed the domesticated Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens. [5] 1892 this species was imported to France, and 1896 the famous aquarium fish importer Paul Matte in Berlin , imported the first specimens to Germany from Moscow. [6] In the aquarium[ edit ] Betta species prefer a water of around 23ºC-27ºC but have been seen to survive at the extremes of 20ºC-30ºC though their life quality may be diminished at these extremes of the betta's tolerance.[ citation needed ] They have an organ known as the labyrinth organ which allows them to breathe air at the water's surface. This organ was thought to allow the fish to be kept in unmaintained aquaria, [7] but this is a misconception, as poor water quality makes all tropical fish, including Betta splendens, more susceptible to diseases such as fin rot .

Properly kept and fed a correct diet, Siamese fighting fish live about seven years in captivity, and up to 10 years in rare cases.[ citation needed ] Varieties[ edit ] B. splendens can be hybridized with B. imbellis , B. mahachaiensis , and B. smaragdina , though with the latter, the fry tend to have low survival rates. In addition to these hybrids within the Betta genus, intergeneric hybridizing of Betta splendens and Macropodus opercularis, the paradise fish, has been reported. A fairly recent variety to hit the markets is the king betta , a variety of largely unknown provenance which may or may not be derived from crossing B. splendens with B. raja . [8] Breeders around the world continue to develop new varieties. Often, the males of the species are sold preferentially in stores because of their beauty, compared to the females.

Recently, breeders have developed in females the same range of colors previously only bred in males.[ citation needed ] Females almost never develop fins as showy as males of the same type and are often more subdued in coloration, though some breeders manage to get females with fairly long fins and bright colors. . Colors[ edit ] A dalmatian orange male Wild fish exhibit strong colors only when agitated.[ citation needed ] Breeders have been able to make this coloration permanent, and a wide variety of hues breed true . Colors available to the aquarist include red, orange, yellow, blue, steel blue, turquoise/green, black, pastel, white ("opaque" white, not to be confused with albino), and multi-colored fish. The shades of blue, turquoise, and green are slightly iridescent , and can appear to change color with different lighting conditions or viewing angles; this is because these colors (unlike black or red) are not due to pigments , but created through refraction within a layer of translucent guanine crystals.

Breeders have also developed different color patterns such as marble and butterfly, as well as metallic shades through hybridization [9] like copper, gold, or platinum (these were obtained by crossing B. splendens to other Betta species). Purple and blue female A true albino betta has been feverishly sought since one recorded appearance in 1927, and another in 1953 .[ citation needed ] Neither of these was able to establish a line of true albinos. In 1994, a hobbyist named Kenjiro Tanaka claimed to have successfully bred albino bettas. [10] Some bettas will change colors throughout their lifetime (known as marbling), attributed to a transposon . [11] A crowntail male Breeders have developed several different finnage and scale variations: Veil tail (extended finnage length and non-symmetrical tail; caudal fin rays usually only split once) the most common tail type seen in pet stores.

Crown tail (fin rays are extended well beyond the membrane and consequently the tail can take on the appearance of a crown; also called fringetail) Comb tail (less extended version of the crown tail, derived from breeding crown and another finnage type) Half-moon ("D" shaped caudal fin that forms a 180° angle, the edges of the tail are crisp and straight) Over-half-moon (caudal fin is in excess of the 180° angle, byproduct of trying to breed half-moons, can sometimes cause problems because the fins are too big for the fish to swim properly) Rose tail (halfmoon variation with so much finnage that it overlaps and looks like a rose) Feather tail (similar to the rose tail, with a rougher appearance) Short-finned fighting style (sometimes called "plakat") Half-moon plakat (short-finned half-moon, plakat and half-moon cross) Double tail (the tail fin is duplicated into two lobes and the dorsal fin is significantly elongated, the two tails can show different levels of bifurcation depending on the individual) Delta tail (tail spread less than that of a half-moon with sharp edges)

 Half-sun (combtail with caudal fin going 180°, like a half-moon) Elephant ear (pectoral fins are white, and much larger than normal, resembling the ears of an elephant) Spade tail (caudal fin has a wide base that narrows to a small point) Behavior[ edit ] A male attacking and flaring at his reflection in a mirror.

Males and females flare or puff out their gill covers (opercula) to appear more impressive, either to intimidate other rivals or as an act of courtship . Other reasons for flaring is when they are startled by movement or change of scene in their environments. Both sexes display horizontal bars (unless they are too light a color for this to show) if stressed or frightened; however, such a color change, common in females of any age, is very rare in mature males. Females often flare at other females, especially when setting up a pecking order . Flirting fish behave similarly, with vertical instead of horizontal stripes indicating a willingness and readiness to breed (females only). In fact, the fish flare their fins and gill covers as a sign of aggression or flirting with other fish. Bettas sometimes require a place to hide, even in the absence of threats. They may set up a territory centered on a plant or rocky alcove, sometimes becoming highly possessive of it and aggressive toward trespassing rivals. The aggression of this fish has been studied by ethologists and comparative psychologists .

[12] These fish have historically been the objects of gambling; two male fish are pitted against each other in a fight and bets are placed on which one will win. One fish is almost always killed as a result. To avoid this, male Siamese fighting fish are best isolated from one another. Males will occasionally even respond aggressively to their own reflections in a mirror. Though this is obviously safer than exposing the fish to another male, prolonged sight of their reflection can lead to stress in some individuals. Not all Siamese fighting fish respond negatively to other male fish, especially if not too many of them are present.[ citation needed ] Name[ edit ] Although commonly called a betta in the aquarium trade, especially in North America, that is the name of a genus not only containing this fish, but also other species. B. splendens is more accurately called by its scientific name or "Siamese fighting fish", to avoid confusion with the other species in the genus.

In popular culture[ edit ] In the 1963 James Bond movie From Russia with Love , the strategy of the criminal organization SPECTRE is compared to three Siamese fighting fish in the same tank: Two will fight each other to the death while the third will wait its turn to fight the exhausted victor, symbolizing the conflict between the USA and the Soviet Union, with SPECTRE as the fish that waits. The title of S.E. Hinton 's 1975 novel, Rumble Fish , is an eponymous reference to what two brothers call the breed. In Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film adaptation , everything appears in black and white except the Siamese fighting fish. A 2006 episode of Cold Case ("Saving Sammy") features a boy with a pet Siamese fighting fish. The Siamese fighting fish has been used as the default background in the beta and release candidate versions of the 2009 Windows 7 operating system, in an apparent reference to the name "Betta". A similar wallpaper and boot screen also was used in the prereleases of Windows 8 .

A Siamese fighting fish features as a clue in a murder in the 2009 film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans . Milo, one of the main characters in the Disney Channel's 2010 series, Fish Hooks , is a Siamese fighting fish. In the BBC children's series M.I. High, the plot of one episode involves causing the children to have their minds altered to that of a fighting fish by use of brainwaves distributed in a Van de Graaff generator . In a season 4 episode of FX's animated series " Archer " ("Live And Let Dine") character Pam Poovey is shown to have a pet Siamese fighting fish named Germaine. Although she is quite attached to him, he is proven to be very poor at his job, (illegal fish fighting) having driven Pam $14,000 into debt. References[ edit ] ^ a b Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2014). "Betta splendens" in FishBase . February 2014 version. What Happens When Fish Lay Bubbles on the Top of the Water?

| Animals - mom.me What Happens When Fish Lay Bubbles on the Top of the Water? Clusters of bubbles on top of water usually signal a betta fish nest. Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images If you have male betta fish, otherwise known as Japanese or Siamese fighting fish, you’re probably accustomed to occasionally seeing clusters of bubbles floating at the top of the fish bowl. This means a betta is preparing to find a mate. The first step in betta courtship is to build a nest of bubbles in which the offspring, if there are any, will live until they mature enough to swim on their own. Most male bettas build bubble nests regardless of whether a female is in the vicinity. This behavior is a strong indication of a happy, healthy betta. Building the Bubble Nest Male bettas usually start building bubble nests as soon as they’re old enough to reproduce, usually between 8 and 12 weeks of age. In the wild, they first establish their territory through combat with other male bettas. Once he’s staked out his territory, a betta begins building the nest by taking gulps of air at the water’s surface and spitting out bubbles made of saliva.

He will do this in rapid succession, sometimes for hours, until the nest is complete. Filling the Bubble Nest Once the nest is finished, whether in the wild or in a breeding tank shared with a female, the next step is courtship. Male bettas are not gentlemen to their prospective mates; they are aggressive pursuers who will not shy away from brutality to herd a female underneath the nest. In the wild, he spends this time fighting and chasing off male rivals as well as dealing with females who are unreceptive to his advances. Once a female is in place and signals that she’s ready to submit to his advances, spawning takes place; the eggs are captured and held by the bubbles in the nest. Raising the Small Fry Although he’s not a gentlemanly mate, the male betta is a good father, taking sole responsibility for raising the young spawn as a single dad. He vigilantly guards the nest until the eggs hatch one to two days after spawning. The young bettas, also known as “fry, have special cells along their bodies that keep them attached to the nest. In the wild, bubble nests attract infusorians, microscopic organisms that serve to feed the newborn bettas.

The fry will stay in the nest, watched over by their father, until they are old enough to swim away in search of a more substantial meal. Bubbles and the Single Betta The instinctual drive to prepare for mating by creating a bubble nest is strong enough that male bettas will generally do this on a frequent basis regardless of whether they ever have contact with a female. Bubble nests in your solitary betta’s fish bowl are a good sign that your betta regards his tank as his territory and is feeling healthy enough to spawn. In general, the healthier a betta is the more often he’ll build bubble nests. However, a lack of bubbles isn’t necessarily cause for concern. If the fish tank has a filter that creates even a slight current, this might prevent your betta from nest-building. Not all bettas are inclined to build bubble nests on a regular basis. Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images Author After more than a decade of devoting her people-helping skills to the confines of one company, one department, one office at a time, Jean Bauhaus has decided that it's finally time to remove the boundaries and expand her availability to the far reaches of the Internet.

She has worked in the corporate world, in various support roles, since 1997, all the while honing her skills in web design, blogging and desktop publishing, and refining her craft as a writer of both non-fiction and prose. She has also decided that the time has come to parlay years of experience copy editing and proofreading papers, articles, short stories and novels for friends and colleagues into a workable profession, having recently completed formal copy editor training at Mediabistro. She lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her husband Matt and their three pets. When she's not working for clients, she's usually working on her novel. See More Animals Betta Fish Bubble Nests - everything you need to know Betta Fish Bubble Nests January 22, 2013 163 Comments What are the bubbles at the top of my betta fish tank? Have you ever seen clusters of bubbles on the water’s surface in your betta fish tank? These are called bubble nests and they are a completely natural behavior of a betta fish – in fact bubble nests are a good sign that your fish is both healthy and happy. Why do betta fish build bubble nests? It is all to do with the breeding process.

In the wild, male bettas cluster small bubbles on the water surface, or underneath floating debris and leaves to build their nests. The male betta will guard its nest and will wait for (or find) a female betta to spawn with. Soon after spawning the female betta fish releases eggs. It is the male betta fish’s job to swiftly capture the eggs in its mouth and place the eggs securely into the bubble nest. Why are the eggs kept in a bubble nest? In the wild betta fish habitats are often quite dirty, shallow, puddles without much oxygen. Securing eggs inside bubbles means that they are kept moist and are surrounded by oxygen-rich air – and this is why betta fish build bubble nests. Aside from releasing the eggs, the female betta fish do not play any role in raising or protecting the young. It is the male’s job to fight off any potential threats and to guard the nest (and especially the eggs). If any eggs fall from the nest they pick them up and secure them back into place. The eggs will hatch after a few days, but the fry continue to stay under the bubble nest’s protection until they can survive on their own. How often do betta fish build nests?

Well you have learned the reason betta fish build bubble nest is because it forms part of the breeding process. However bubble nest building comes instinctively to the male betta fish even without the presence of a female. Almost all males will a blow bubble nest from time to time, with no other reason than it having a natural urge to do so. If you do see a nest in the tank it is a very good sign that your betta fish is happy and healthy. However there isn’t a ‘normal’ time frame or a ‘normal’ size for bubble nest building. Each individual betta fish has a different pattern. Sometimes a betta fish will build bubble nests weekly or monthly (or daily) and sometimes these nests will be nothing but a few bubbles whereas other times they may be up to an inch thick and span a full corner. Don’t worry too much if your fish doesn’t build bubble nests, it doesn’t have to mean that it is unhappy or unhealthy. There are many factors at hand, health, water parameters, age and the individual fish at hand.

Betta Tip: A reason your betta fish may not blow a bubble nest is that the filter of your tank is causing too strong a current at the top of the tank How to encourage bubble nest building A few factors that will create the best environment to promote your betta fish to build a bubble nest: Ensure your filter is set to a gentle flow – especially if it causes a current at the water’s surface Floating ‘debris’ – such as Amazon swordplant leaves or even the lids of plastic cups will often end up with a bubble nest underneath A very warm temperature – ensure your tank is heated to 78-82 degrees Fahrenheit Clean water – betta fish in need of a water change will often lose interest in building bubble nests The presence of a female (or a strange male) betta fish will also increase the urge for a betta to build a nest In the end, bubble nests are interesting to observe, a good sign of health and happiness but not necessary unless you are breeding betta fish. All the images on this post were submitted by the followers of our Twitter account!

Thank you to @hprincessw @Ingridvpty @_KaylaJoy_ @KatieBeltrame and sorry if you submitted a pic and it wasn’t used! Maybe next time! 🙂 Hope this article helps! Did you find it interesting? So will your friends, hit share and let them know all this information about bubble nests and betta fish care. 🙂 Subscribe today and receive a FREE Betta Fish Care for Beginners eBook Are you a little betta fish crazy? Join over 4200 members and subscribe to our email newsletters for betta fish care tips, betta fish fun and a free betta fish care book. Thank you for subscribing. GIANT Betta Fish Female: what to do when she is lonely and makes a bubble nest (eh?) - YouTube Close GIANT Betta Fish Female: what to do when she is lonely and makes a bubble nest (eh?) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Published on Jan 20, 2013 There is one song out there that must have been written for the lonely isolated Beta fish. It is Three Dog Night's song "one" it is the loneliest number, however I am not singing their song exactly it is my version, I didn't say a good one, but my sweetie pie girl loves it. Well our sweet girl beta fish is getting older and larger. She even dances when I sing to her... cool. Hard to believe it she will need a larger tank already. When we got her she was only about an inch long in this big tank. Now she has out grown it (ok everyone ready to debate this topic? I love the comments these Beta sites get and the wild back and forth to one another that occurs once someone decides that Beta fish can live in tiny cups and others want them in 30 gallon tanks ... hee hee) Anyway ... some new fish moved in next to her and she started gettting egg loaded. I didn't think she would even notice the fish as they are small Molly fish and don't have long tails. But not our Phee Phee. So here she is after laying a bunch of her eggs.

You can see them if you look close. Plus the water is really cloudy from her eating them and well you know. I noticed the other fish trying to get into her tank and then I noticed the eggs. She gave me the saddest look wanting a boy beta and even built a tiny bubble next sort of thing. Did you know females make bubble nests sometimes too? So do you like Siamese Fighting Fish, Beta fish? See my other videos to watch the tricks I taught all my Beta fish to do. They are pretty easy to train and very smart if I can use that term for something so small and tiny brained. If you want to know more about how to care about for a betta fish, how to feed a betta, how to clean a betta tank, how to clean a fish tank, how to train a betta, how to train a betta fish to jump, please check out the rest of my videos on this fun channel with all sorts of different and fun videos. I am fanofaestallings@youtube. I also have goldfish care videos, how to fix dropsy, how to play with your betta fish, and so much more... Category

Question: What do Siamese fighting fish make their nests from
Answer: Bubbles