Fighting Fish
 Fighting Fish or Siamese fish is also known as Betta fish. Bettas are small fresh water tropical fish which are most commonly found in Thailand and Malaysia. Fighting fish requires very less maintenance and care.
Fighting fish is mainly found in tropical regions. They need warm water temperatures for their living. They can only survive on heat, so it is necessary to keep the water temperature high. If the water temperature falls below 75 degrees F, then there are chances of the fishes getting vanished or died.
Fighting fish is the most common fresh water aquarium fish. This fish is known for its brilliant color. It has large flowing fins which make it more attractive. It normally is in green and brown in color. It has fins which are short and attractive. Due to selective breeding, it has wonderful colored long fins.
These fish have longer lives. If these fighting fishes are kept under favorable conditions, they can grow healthier and stronger. Feed these fishes with a proper diet and keep their environment hygienic to make them live for more years. They approximately live for two to five years, depending on the care they get.
Following are some important points about the Fighting fish:-
- Family: The Family to which fighting fish belongs is Gouramis Family (Osphronemidae).
- Breathing Process:Labyrinth organ present in the head of the Betta fish allows it to take in oxygen from the atmosphere directly as well as through their gills. Fish uses this organ for gulping the air in and spitting out the bubbles resulting in a bubble nest.
- Physical Description: Betta fish grows up to 6cm length having a cylindrical shape, dorsal fin short with spins and approximately 10 soft rays. Caudal fin is rounded whereas anal fin is long and it contains two to five spines and approximately 21 – 26 soft rays.
Males have larger fins and a brighter color combination. Female has shorter fins and they are not highly colored but it attracts attention.
- Reproduction process: The Betta fighting fish mate in a style called Nuptial Embrace in which actually the male and female spiral around each other in which around 10-41 eggs are being released and fertilized at each embrace until the female is exhausted of eggs.
While the eggs are sinking they are carefully collected by the male. Eggs are kept in a bubble nest by making sure that no egg falls out of the nest. Hatching takes place after 24-36 hours at 29°C.After fourth day new born become free to swim.
- Habitat concept: Commonly found in stagnant or standing water bodies, canals, aquatic vegetation and mostly in rice paddies. They can dig into mud and survive in a small cocoon for weeks when the water recedes.
- Behavior: This species fish is very well known for its aggressive nature especially the male fish. When kept in small tanks, males usually fight till one of them is killed.
- Diet: Betta fish normally subsist on insects, larvae of the mosquito and other insects like flies, crickets or grasshoppers. For having variety in their diet, they can also be feed with finely chopped high protein vegetables such as soybeans, green beans corn and carrots.
- Colors: Fighting Fish come in a variety of colors such as red, blue, orange, yellow, green or turquoise. Betta fish change its color according to lighting and different viewing angel.
- Diseases: Bettas fish get infected with the common diseases like "dropsy and fin rot".
So, these above mentioned tips talks about some important information about the Fighting fish which should be considered when we keep this tropical fish in our home aquarium.
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