Crowntail Betta

The Crown Tail Betta has a striking, elaborate tail that differentiates it from other Bettas.

Betta Smaragdina

Betta smaragdina, or the Emerald green betta is a species of Betta. They are anabantoids, and breathe air.

Betta Splendens Dragon

features a rich strong base colour, often red, with the scales on the main part of the body a pale iridescent, sometimes copper colour.

Betta Spawning

Spawning Betta.

Betta Mahachai

The way to identify the Mahachai has green or blue gill plates with no wild spots on the tail rays.

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Betta Splendens Distribution and habitat

 



Betta splendens is a native of Southeast Asia, including the northern Malay Peninsula, central and eastern Thailand, Kampuchea (Cambodia), and southern Vietnam, according to Witte and Schmidt (1992). The species is confined to Thailand, from the Mae Khlong to Chao Phraya basins, the eastern side of the Cardamom highlands (Cambodia), and from the Isthmus of Kra, according to Vidthayanon (2013), a Thai ichthyologist and senior researcher of biodiversity at WWF Thailand. Betta splendens is a native of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, according to a report by Froese and Pauly (2019). Due to human introduction, they are now widespread throughout the neighbouring Malay Peninsula and in nearby areas of Sumatra.


Betta splendens often lives in marshes, floodplains, and paddy fields, which are shallow bodies of water with plenty of vegetation. Bettas were initially discovered and then domesticated by humans because of the historical prominence of rice farming throughout Southeast Asia, which offered a suitable environment for them. This environment likely led to the evolution of the lung-like labyrinth organ, which allows Siamese fighting fish like all members of the suborder Anabantoidei to breathe directly from the air. Because bettas can survive and even thrive in more challenging circumstances than other freshwater fish, they have fewer natural predators and rivals.

The abrupt and dramatic variations in water availability, chemistry, and temperature that characterise the tropical environment of the betta's native habitat. While air temperatures can fluctuate between 15 °C (59 °F) and 40 °C (100 °F), the pH of water can range from mildly acidic (pH 6.9) to strongly alkaline (pH 8.2). The capacity of Siamese fighting fish to effectively colonise bodies of water across the world is due to their exceptional adaptability and durability, which allows them to survive in a range of poisonous or harsh settings.



The aquatic vegetation and surface foliage, such as water lilies and fallen leaves, are what wild bettas love to reside in. Assertive males cohabit by claiming dense patches of vegetation as their domain, and the quantity of plants offers protection from predators and a barrier between them. As well as providing shelter to fry at their earliest and most vulnerable phases, such vegetation also provides protection to females during spawning.


Photo by:Shuxuan Cao from Pexels

Siamese Fighting Fish - Betta Splendens

 



The betta, sometimes referred to as the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), is a freshwater fish that is indigenous to Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Due to their widespread appeal as pets and their comparatively low maintenance requirements, Betta splendens are among the most widely kept aquarium fish in the world. There are 73 species in the genus Betta, but only one is given the name "betta."

The longest of any fish, Siamese fighting fish are unique to the central plains of Thailand, where they were domesticated for the first time at least 1,000 years ago. They were originally bred for ferocity and used in cockfight-style gambling contests. Theodore Cantor, a Danish doctor, biologist, and botanist, is reported to have received several Bettas from King Rama III (1788–1851), who is credited with introducing them to the rest of the world. When they initially arrived in the West in the late 19th century, ornamental fish quickly gained popularity. The term "designer fish of the aquatic world" has been used for them because of their extensive history of selective breeding, which has resulted in a vast variation of colouring and finnage.


Siamese Fighting Fish

Male betta fish are notoriously aggressive and very territorial, and if they are kept in the same tank without a method of escape, they may fight each other and kill one or both fish. In small areas, female bettas might develop territorial behaviour against one another. Due to their unique labyrinth organ, which is a feature specific to the suborder Anabantoidei and allows for the entry of surface air, bettas are highly tolerant to low oxygen levels and poor water quality.

The Siamese fighting fish is not only well-known across the globe, but it is also Thailand's national aquatic animal. Thailand continues to be the principal producer and supplier of betta fish for the international aquarium industry. The IUCN has classed B. splendens as "vulnerable" because of rising pollution and habitat degradation, despite the fact that they are often used as pets.



Image by endri yana yana from Pixabay Image by Seno Aji from Pixabay