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Fighting Fishes
from Thailand
One to a tank
please.
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LA picHere's how we house our roundtail bettas.
Why call them “Siamese Fighting Fish?” Reason #1. Bettas originally came from Siam -- which we call Thailand these days (Anna changed the name a while back). About 98% of the bettas we sell still come from Thailand. Occasionally we get some from Indonesia and Malaysia. A few we get from breeders here in Des Moines. Reason #2. Bettas like to fight each other.
LA
pic
Here's how they house them at a wholesale distributor. Note the
"lids."
LA
pic
Kept like this, they cannot jump out. And they're easier to feed.
LA
pic
They're housed in very tiny cups with no lids.
LA
pic
Not a whole lot of room in these cups.
Siamese Fighting Fishes Fight. Some people do keep male bettas together. On the average though, do not try to keep two bettas together -- not even a male and a female. Bettas rarely kill each other. However, they will tear each other’s fins off for entertainment. You usually wind up with two ragged, badly colored bettas. Wounds encourage diseases.
We stock lots of bettas at Aqualand.
What are Roundtails? In many parts of Southeast Asia (and Des Moines), the bets get pretty serious on the outcomes of betta fights. The main betta type wagered on is the “roundtail” – a heavier built, short-finned betta. Most tropical fish keepers prefer the prettier, longer finned (and also less expensive) “normal” bettas.
What are Double Tails? If you dig around enough, you can also find a heavier bodied “double tailed betta.” This thick-bodied variety carries twice as many rays in its top and bottom fins and has two tails. You can find several other betta types if you check around -- including comb tails, crown tails, butterflies, half moons .. the list goes on and ....
LA pic
Here's a box of 150 roundtail bettas from Thailand. Note the small size of the
bags.
LA pic
Thailand long fins bettas. Small bags enable them to stuff 150 in a small
box.
LA pic
Indonesian double tail bettas come in these flat bags stapled in sets of five.
LA pic
Bettas from U.S. sources come bagged individually.
Temperature. Since bettas come from Southeast Asia, they hate our winters. They need a minimum of 75o. They prefer 80o. If you intend to breed them, provide the 80o.
Anabantids. Warm water contains less O2. Many fishes that live in extremely warm waters possess a “labyrinth” or auxiliary breathing organ. Our native dogfishes, for instance, can live in shallow, extremely warm, muddy water for a similar reason.
LA pic
Small Java lance ferns help keep their water clean.
Clean Water. The bettas’ labyrinths enable them to breathe atmospheric oxygen. They prefer clean water but will endure bad water for brief periods. Dirty water encourages a nasty disease called velvet. Change their water often.
Velvet Diagnosis. Each scale appears trimmed in the tiniest gold, talcum-powder-sized flecks. Sick bettas clamp their fins and drop to the bottom. Velvet-infected fish cease swimming and look obviously sick. Baby bettas frequently die of velvet or starvation (or both).
Prepared Foods. For years bettas refused all commercial fish foods. Now, you can find several commercial betta foods. We carry the versions by:
-
HBH
-
O.S.I.
-
Hikari
-
San Francisco Bay
Preferred Foods. If you can find them, bettas love mosquito larvae. Bloodworms (freeze-dried or frozen) are a close approximation to the skeeters they eat in nature. They also love house flies, tiny earthworms, frozen brine shrimp, and California blackworms (especially live ones). They also eat the freeze-dried versions of these critters and beef heart. They love white worms and always eat way too many of these tasty morsels.
LA
Pic
You'll find all kinds of support supplies for bettas.
Feed lightly. Feed your bettas sparingly. Bettas burn up little energy compared to most fishes. For instance, a zebra danio needs about 10 times more food because it never stops swimming. Bettas stop swimming all the time. They swim even less in small containers.
LA
Pic
Since they came in these tiny bags, you know you can keep them in
bowls.
Several companies make "betta bowls."
Small Containers. Bettas need little room because they breathe air. Unfortunately, most small containers pose heating problems. You can find “betta barracks“ that attach to the inside of your community tank with suction cups. These house up to four bettas. Small 21/2 gallon tanks divide into three separate compartments and will accept small heaters and filters. Metal-framed seven-compartment “betta tanks“ used to be quite common. You rarely see these anymore -- except in garage sales.
More betta bowls.
Lotsa Bettas. Glass drum-shaped bowls make great betta containers. They’re easier to get your hands into when cleaning. However, you can often find free jars – the bigger the better. Store extra water in a large plastic trash can to age it. Avoid netting the bettas when cleaning. Even the softest nets encourage fungal growth on their tender skin.
Quickie Shelves. You can
easily and quickly knock together a series of 1x4 shelves to hold your bettas.
Tape a sheet of clear plastic over the front and back of the shelves and
heat your betta biotope with a 60-watt light bulb on the bottom shelf.
Use a larger bulb and/or more bulbs to increase the temperature to
between 75o and 80o. LA.
Your article 'Housing Fighting Fishes from Thailand' is one of the most depressing, cruel things I've ever encountered. Encouraging people to keep bettas in tiny bowls? Showing photos of bettas in such cruel, little plastic bags? Do you really find this suitable? It makes me sick.
This 'article' begs to encourage cruelty towards these beautiful creatures. I implore you to change it and encourage people to find their fish more humane housing.
Kirsti
owner of over 30 bettas, who all live in FISH TANKS (imagine!)
A: The small bowls are temporary homes. The plastic bags are shipping containers. LA
On your keeping bettas page, I read the complaint from Kirsti Hanna, and I disagree. I keep well over 100 bettas, and they live 1 per quart mayonnaise jar. My bettas have never enjoyed living in even a 5-gal tank. 1 male living in a mayo jar breeds 4 times per year. Tell me, was he not healthy living in the jar? BTW, I clean their water weekly.
A: I agree with you. Once you see one of the
Thai betta farms with 10,000 bettas living in fifth size whiskey
bottles, you know that very few bettas are captured from the wild.
I keep ours in even smaller containers. They're still happy
enough to build their bubble nests. LA
P.S. Cruelty is stressing bettas out by making them live in large tanks, kinda like sticking someone in a huge warehouse and expecting them to be happy. ^_^
I read the complaint from that Kirsti Hanna and I think it's obvious she doesn't know much about bettas. I'm not a very experienced fish keeper, but I know for a fact that they don't do well in big tanks. I kept one in only a 1.6 gallon tank and he was miserable. He wouldn't even come out of his little castle except to eat! I have found this website to be incredibly helpful with all of my other aquarium fishes and it's been great for figuring out which ones I should purchase next. Keep up the good work!
PS. I keep my new betta in a small bowl with a tiny lamp that comes over it, and he couldn't be happier or more active!
A: Rightyo. LA
Hello, Your website has been very helpful to me! If you could, I would love for these two comments to be posted on the guinea pig and betta page.
I understand the small bags for shipping, but the small tanks are just not ok. Yes, bettas can survive in smaller tanks because of their labyrinth organ, but surviving is far different from thriving. To truthfully thrive a betta needs a steady temperature, which can only be achieved with a heater. I have never seen an unhappy betta in a large tank. All of mine are in tanks of at least 2 gallons with filters and heaters. The number one cause of early death in bettas is liver disease which is caused by small tanks. This is because they have no room to swim around, another reason why larger tanks are beneficial in the long term health of your betta. Another thing I should add is that a bubble nest does not mean they are happy. It is simply instinct. We have to be real here and understand that yes bettas can feel pain, and stress, but happiness is another whole thing. I have seen bettas on the brink of death building bubble nests in pet stores. They where not happy at all. I do not understand why you would want to put pictures of bettas in those tiny bags on your website, maybe one or two to show people how they are shipped, but it saddens me to see them like that. I truly hope you will take what I have said into consideration and change your webpage. I love these fish and yes, I in fact have bred them before and own many. I can safely say that I have never had a betta happy in a small tank, or all ones I have seen in small tanks have had clamped fins and look sickly, I will never put a betta in a small tank.
A: Of course some prefer larger containers. However, I'll post your comments. LA
A: Am I detecting a trend? I'll add your comments to my betta housing page. LA
LA
Fresh shipment -- just arrived.
LA
Tiny ferns feel right at home in betta bowls.
A: People whose bettas live in glass houses should not throw stones. I'll add your comments to my betta housing page. I've started adding java ferns to all our betta bowls. LA
Wendy Parish, FCBA.org, July 29, 2009
It seems that you are very misinformed about betta housing. I’ve been
keeping bettas for years and have never kept one in anything less than a
2.5 gallon tank. I also use 5 gallon tanks and I also house bettas in
my large community tanks. They are not “scared” in larger containers –
they swim about all day exploring and patrolling their homes. Why on
earth would anyone think it’s OK to keep a living creature is such small
accommodations as what you advocate? That is no different than puppy
mills keeping dogs in small crates their entire lives. I’m really
disappointed with the info you are giving out – I wish there was a way
for me to have your website shut down!
A: I'm fairly well informed about betta housing. Are you writing your criticisms on company time? LA
I emailed you during my break. However, I don't see what that has to do with the topic of betta housing. If you're going to respond to my email please stay on topic.
A: Speaking of off topic, bettas are not puppies. I am
not recommemding that you or anyone else keep your bettas in small
containers. You can use whatever size you want. I reported on
real life -- not some imaginary world where every betta lives in a
2.5-gallon tank. Why not a 50-foot bong in Thailand? What
entitles you to keep your bettas in captivity? Anyway, you're entitled
to your own provincial opinion. LA
PS I'll probably keep my website.
|
Pandra, San Diego, CA, August 19, 2009
I have been keeping bettas for over 20 years. I kept them in the little betta cubes that used to be so popular, and my fish were happy and healthy for around three years. Recently I decided to get a betta again and tried to do some research on the Internet. I found such a bewildering number of conflicting opinions on size of tanks, whether or not to use a filter, what kind of food to feed, etc etc etc, that I decided to just continue with what I had been successful with in the past. Keep the fish in a small container, condition the water and change it regularly, and feed it pellets. I did keep surfing and found your webpage, which I thought was very interesting and unlike many others, informative. I now have the fish in a quart container, with a couple of plastic plants and a seashell, and he's zipping around and blowing bubbles and seems very interested whenever anybody walks past. I think he'll live a long, healthy, and happy life like my other bettas did, and I'm grateful to have found a good source of information on these fish. Keep up the great job! |
A: Thanks. I'll add your comments to my betta housing page. Coming soon -- Lobster Roaches -- for roach lovers everywhere. LA
A: How long have you had this fantasy of keeping me in your closet? LA
Wow! After reading all the opposing views of Betta bowls I just felt compelled to write my own experience with these fish. My own blue female just passed last week. I had her for two years . She was a Wal-Mart rescue. I had an extra 10 gal tank with nothing but plants in it, so I bought her and put her in it. She recovered quickly and within two weeks killed a wild caught pond minnow. I have two ponds in front of my apartment with native fish and koi in them. I caught the minnows to try out in a 50 gal container pond on my patio (another story). She didn't kill him outright, just worried him to death. I work 7 days a week so other than feeding and changing water I was not hovering over the fish.
A: I have found that logic and reason rarely change anybody's mind. LA
I've had my betta for 3 years now, his name is Russell, and he's a red half-moon betta. he gets Attison's betta food and a cooked chopped up pea every other Sunday. He lives in a half gallon tank and is very happy. I keep him in my bathroom with the door closed so the temp stays about 78 degrees.
A: Thanks for the endorsement. I'll add it to my betta housing page. Next time you're in, bring in that Attison's stuff. I've never heard of it. LA
Actually, I have a few things to address.
First of all, I want to let you know that I love your site! It's usually one of the first ones I go to when I'm researching new fish or plants.
I just want to let you know that Java fern does not just send out plantlets from the tips of its leaves, one of mine has three plantlets running down the length on one of the leaves. I have (hopefully) enclosed a photo for reference.
Also, I would greatly appreciate it if you add a page (it would be my wish if the link was bold and easy to see) about the Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle. Most fishkeepers (including me) started out without properly cycling a tank, and suffered heavy losses as a result (I lost half my population the first week). Other fish just seemed to drop dead without any apparent reason, though this is actually a result of ammonia poisoning. If you had a page dedicated to the Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle and ways of fishlessly cycling an aquarium, it would greatly reduce the deaths of the fish from newcomers reading your site; the nitrogen cycle is truly one of the most essential aspects of fishkeeping.
I also disagree with your Betta page; in my opinion (note: opinion), bettas should be kept in tanks of at least 2.5 gallons; again, having a too small tank will easily experience ammonia and nitrite spikes that may injure the fish. Despite the common belief, bettas do not come from mud puddles, they originate from spacious but shallow rice fields. Heating and filtration are required; a filter should be used to harbor colonies of beneficial, nitrifying bacteria; a heater is to retain the warm, tropical environments that the bettas were once from. Too small of a tank makes filtration, and especially heating, difficult.
Again, congratulations on such an incredible site! Keep up the good work!
LA
They clone from lef ends ...
LA
And they clone from the middles of the leaves.
A1: Yep, they come from all parts of the leaves.
A2: I wrote
How
to Start a Successful Aquarium
back in 1980. (It's in the left-hand column.)
The quickest way to short circuit the nitrogen cycle -- add a gallon of
water siphoned from a crowded African cichlid under gravel filter.
Voila -- instant aged tank.
A3: Today's bettas come from individual fifth-size whiskey
bottles with twice weekly water changes. They are housed in
unheated pole buildings similar to our egg-factory chicken houses (which I
used to build last millennium). They walk across the bottle tops to
feed and make water changes.
LA
We keep our bettas in small bowls with every other day water changes by Kellie . I added a mini-Java fern to every bowl except the roundtails just before lunch today, I added your report to our betta page. LA
|
Victoria Murphy, June 21, 2010
Hello, I stumbled on your web page. I read the info about bettas and while it did have some true information on it, it sort of left a lot out. I'd like to point out a few things that I think you could add to your page, and a few things that need corrected/clarified. 1. The minimum tank size for a betta is 1 US gallon, and that should be cleaned out 100% every 3-4 days. It's much more convenient to keep them in at least a 2.5gal, since that only needs to be changed 100% once a week and is easier to heat. I realize you point out that their water should be cleaned often, but you never specify what often is. 2. Water is going to be cooler than the air around it, so keeping your room at 75F is not going to keep your fish tank at 75F, just thought I'd point that out. 3. I agree that keeping bettas in small spaces is fine temporarily, the way they are shipped and the way they're kept in stores is FINE so long as the water is changed accordingly and it's a temporary situation. Pet stores never keep animals in containers that they should be in for the rest of their lives. Number one, that would be impractical, and number two it's only temporary. But I would also like to point out that bettas are not scared of large spaces, that is a myth Usually when people have issues with putting bettas in larger tanks has something to do with the other fish in the tank. They take the betta from the bowl to, say, a 20gal with tiger barbs. Then the betta cowers in a corner and tries to escape being attacked by the barbs. This behavior is seen as being scared of a larger tank. Another common problem is not cycling the tank before the fish goes in. Thus stressing the fish and quite possible making him/her lethargic. There is no real logic behind a betta being afraid or stressed out by a larger aquarium. In the wild, bettas have territories spanning 1 square yard or so. Yes, this water is shallow but there is a lot of horizontal space. 4. Wild Betta splendens aren't half as aggressive as domestic bettas. When they were first bred, they were made for fighting. Then they were bred for looks, but the aggression was never bred out of them. It is possible to keep wild Betta splendens together, but 99.9% of the time it's going to end up with you having dead fish if you try it with domestic bettas. It almost always goes wrong in the long run. Just thought that was an interesting factoid that you could add. 5. Bettas do have a labyrinth organ, and yes they can tolerate low oxygen environments. But that is an adaptation to deal with life threatening conditions. Not something you want to re-create in your aquarium. They do not, however, have any adaptation that helps them deal with high ammonia levels. Which is what you really have to worry about in small tanks. 6. Bubble nesting is not a sign of happiness or health, it is an instinct. Breeding is also not a sign of being healthy, look at puppy mills. Those dogs breed even when they're sick/starving. So, that's just a few suggestions of stuff you could put on your page/alter on your page. Bettas are my passion and I really like letting people know the truth about their cage, so when I saw your page I couldn't help myself. lol. |
A: Lots of good info here, so I'm adding it to my
betta housing page. Couple of comments.
2. Water is usually 2 degrees F cooler than room
temperature due to evaporation.
4. Wild bettas are naturally aggressive. They
weren't bred to fight. They want to fight.
LA
Pretty good clue as to condition.
6. Sick and starving critters usually won't breed.
That's why we "condition" them -- also known as pamper them.
LA
Hi there from South Africa. While I'm sure you are tired of hearing about this I felt I should add my own experiences. I have a male crowntail who started off in a 40L community and then graduated to my 1.2m community and I had no problems with him. He enjoyed the space. He now has a 70L that I had especially made for him and that is slightly shallower than a normal tank. I have scaped it with a rock 'mountain' with many caves and live plants including Amazon swords, java fern, Anubias nana and java moss. I will be adding a wood feature as well. I know that there are people trying to get legislation passed in Australia for a minimum requirement of 2 gallons per fish for betta tanks and I think it is a move in the right direction. There is also an activist group campaigning for betta rights. They said it better than I ever could. Would you like to live in your cupboard? Bettas are intelligent and have definite personalities how then can it be justified keeping them in such small quarters. I have found your site to be useful, informative and has great pictures but I think it is up to pet stores like yourself to lead in encouraging people to buy proper tanks for their bettas with filters and heaters. People look to their stores for information and guidance and the stores could help improve the lives of countless bettas in the process. Just because they can live in small bowls and jars doesn't mean they should. Most pet stores don't do the required water changes needed to maintain healthy fish and thousands die for no other reason than laziness. it is sickening. Regards
A: I never get tired of hearing from people (from
all over the world) who want to provide the best for their fish (and
other pets). That's why I do this web site (besides amusing
myself at the same time). My other purpose is to educate other
pet store owners.
I oppose two groups: 1) Those that equate people with
pets (including fish) and 2) governments that feel they have to tell
everyone in the world how they should treat their pets.
I encourage everyone to treat their pets as well as they can.
We tell our customers "the bigger the better" on nearly everything
we sell. I started out keeping fish in gallon jars as a kid
because I could get them free from restaurants. Happily, I can
provide more room these days. At last count we had 471 tanks
with live fish in them. I really need/want about three times
that many -- the larger the better.
Ditto on the other pets. You might say I like them. I
also realize not everyone can have all the equipment they want.
Thank you (and others) for your input. I like hearing from
you. I also enjoy visiting hobbyists who've gotten carried
away with fish and other pets. I'm glad to know there are
others out there almost as obsessed (not really the best word) as I
am. LA
Hi there from Taiwan, first of all I would say that your website has been very helpful and informative which helped me a lot during my 14 years of fishkeeping times. After reading about this "Betta Housing War" I felt that I'd share my experiences with Bettas.
First of all we all know that this fish can survive in small containers. Indeed this is the case, but, they are often in sickly conditions due to poor water management. I've kept many different bettas before, and I have generally concluded that a 5 gallon (roughly 20 litres) tank suits them the best. Whilst they do just fine in small containers, they often appear somewhat dull and inactive. The water also fouls quickly in the tiny cubes. It is fine, although unnecessary, to house them in massive tanks. Surely it provides them space, but from my experience some of them (especially males) get stressed out and hide in the corner all the time. I would recommend betta keepers to offer each fish about 5 gallons of water if possible, which doesn't take up much space (about a 20 cm aquarium) and will house the betta just fine. Smaller containers may be used temporarily, but if you wish to keep your betta healthy it is more ideal to provide them with a reasonable sized container. After all, if you buy a fish, it is your responsibility to keep it healthy and happy. Tiny cubes are, in my opinion, not the ideal container for these fishes.
Concerning the shipping in small bag part, I feel that it is completely okay to ship them in small bags, as long as they are given fresh water and a larger space upon arrival. It is unfortunate to see many betta keepers still retaining the concept "The larger, the better". We should look for an aquarium that is suitable for the betta itself, as a tank too large would be unnecessary. (Just like living in a grand mansion alone.) I'm not saying, however, that small cubes should be encouraged. Simply imagine you living in the toilet room for a week. Surely it wouldn't be a pleasant experience. Finally, I would advise people to think beforehand using some common sense and logic before criticizing others. Regards,
A: Thanks for your input. When keeping fish in very small containers, you need to make daily water changes. If you feed live foods you may change the water as seldom as every three or four days. It helps to have a handy service cart (Rubbermaid makes a good one) and large reservoirs of aged water. Keepers of large quantities of bettas also need to "card" them. You put opaque sheets between the males and pull them a couple times a day. Another suggestion is to rotate the jars so they have new neighbors to flare at every day. There's no real betta housing war. It just that keepers of two or three bettas will always keep them differently than people who keep 50 or 100 bettas. LA
First of all, I'd like to say you have a very nice and informative site. You must have put a lot of work into it and I, for one, really appreciate it, as I own a lot of different types of fish.
A: It stands to reason that people who keep Siamese fighting fish might be a bit belligerent themselves. Bettas are really flexible. There are few absolute standards in the hobby. No need to thank me for the amount of work -- it's a compulsion. LA
Hello LA, I'm in Australia but I love your website, and especially researching on it. Well, you say bettas (commonly called fighter fish over here) live for about 2 yrs. My Nan's fighter, which has a 1 gallon bowl with gravel, java fern and moss, has lived for 5 yrs this year and is still going strong. She has fed HBH betta pellets, dried bloodworms about every 2 months, and very, very occasionally, live blackworms. The tanks gets completely cleaned out every 2 months and the water is surprisingly cool. She got him from a humble Asian breeder in a quite poor suburb. Apparently this one thrives on neglect. Thanks for having a great website :)
A: Her betta certainly helps their average lifespan records. I'll add it to the betta housing page. Thanks. LA
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