Bettas (Betta splendens) are without a doubt one of the most well-known tropical fish.
They are also known as Siamese Fighting Fish and are renowned for their aggressiveness as well as their beauty. This is a strong reason some people choose to maintain female Bettas. They are far more calm and can even be kept in groups known as sororities. However, among aquarium enthusiasts who raise bettas , the male fish are typically referred to as the “colorful ones.” Males are frequently preferred over females, not just because of their color, but also because males have longer tails and more dominant dispositions.
However, this does not imply that females are all drab, colorless fish. Males are more often maintained in shops, therefore females are more difficult to locate. Even so, you should have little trouble finding ones in your neighborhood. Each fish will cost around $5.
Females, like males, live just around three years. The betta fish is native to Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia, and while most bettas sold in pet stores today are very distantly related to Southeast Asian natives, they share several characteristics. Female bettas have simpler colors and characteristics, and through time, breeding has exacerbated these distinctions, with males more developed for vivid colour and long, flowing fins and tails. There hasn’t been much effort put towards selecting breeding such characteristics in female fish.
Bettas are, unfortunately, a threatened species in their native environment. Because they are widely bred in captivity, they are far more successful. This breeding has resulted in a plethora of variants with different appearances. Other closely related species, such as Gouramis and Paradisefish, are kept in fish tanks as members of the Osphronemidae family. When opposed to their male counterparts, female betta fish are generally less elaborate and adorned.
A male betta fish with considerably bigger fins and more complex coloring. The female betta fish is on the right, and her colors are duller. A female betta fish’s colors might deepen if she responds to a male betta fish’s mating efforts. She is usually smaller than the male betta fish.
Female betta fish, unlike male betta fish, may coexist peacefully in the same tank. When they live together, the group is referred to as a’sorority.’ A recommended number of female betta fish to keep together is 4-6. They want to have their own personal space, which means they should have enough foliage to hide in when they want to be alone. Plants or aquarium decorations may frequently act as ideal hiding spots for betta fish.
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Egg laying
Female egg spotting
Female betta fish will deposit eggs after they mate. The eggs are laid in what is known as a “egg spot,” which is ringed above. The speck, which resembles a grain of salt, is the ovipositor tube, from which the eggs will emerge.
If you are unclear if a betta fish is male or female, use this method to identify it.
Baby Bettas and eggs
The pair should be separated after mating.The eggs will be placed in a bubble nest created by the male betta fish (see Male Betta Fish).In approximately three days, the young betta fish will hatch. They are known as “fry” and are extremely little. Neither parent will look after the infants; they will fend for themselves as they develop.
Tank and Habitat Conditions
These fish may be found in the wild across Asia, therefore while designing the ideal aquarium, we must consider their natural habitats.
They like shallow river basins and rice fields. The warm water would travel at a leisurely pace. Bettas are tough and can live in a variety of water conditions.
This is why they have a labyrinth organ: to obtain oxygen from the air when there isn’t enough in the water. When it comes to tank design, both sexes have the same tastes. We’ll go through how to mimic their natural environment in order to keep them happy and healthy.
How to set up the tank
Sand is always a safe choice for a substrate. It features tiny grains, making it less prone to scratch if your fish start digging or eating from the bottom of the tank. Place groupings of plants in different sections of the tank to behave as separate territories (and help to oxygenate the water).
Making caves out of rocks and other decorations can also assist. Because it is a hardy plant, hornwort is an excellent choice.
You may also choose whether to plant it or float it on the surface. Make careful that plants do not cover too much of the surface.
Bettas use the surface for a variety of purposes, including breeding, breathing, and eating. This species is employed to calm water, so no water or air pumps are required to generate a current. A filter is required to keep the water clean. You will also require a heater. Set it to a temperature between 75°F and 80°F. Maintain a pH of 6-8. The hardness of the water should be between 5-35 dGH.
What size aquarium will they require?
A tank of at least 10 gallons is required for a single female Betta. Keeping them as members of a community will necessitate a larger tank.
How many can be stored in a gallon?
If you intend to retain a sorority of females, each new fish will require an additional 5 liters of water. The more room you offer them, the less likely they are to fight.
Female Betta behaviour
Bettas are known for their aggressiveness. They were really bred for fighting, which is why they got the second moniker Siamese Fighting Fish.
It is now unlawful to fight them. Females are less aggressive, although they will fight if necessary. They like establishing a hierarchy and claiming their area. Because the fights are less violent than when men fight, injuries are less frequent.
The aggressiveness is mostly directed at other Bettas; females accept other species well.
They are typically sluggish swimmers who live in the tank’s middle and higher levels. They will occasionally come to the surface to breathe. They are able to do so because they have a labyrinth organ that allows them to absorb oxygen from the air.
They also have gills, which they employ the most of the time.
Breathing from the air might signal that the water is in bad quality.
How to Tell Whether Your Betta Fish is a Female?
Let’s look at how Males and females can be distinguished. To begin with, females are somewhat smaller, reaching 2.25 inches in length.
Males can reach a height of 2.5-3 inches. Females have smaller fins, especially the anal and dorsal fins.
The tail fin is also a little thinner. Because both sexes of this species have small fins, they are easily confused with typical female Bettas. Look for a “egg spot” to identify an individual’s sex. This is a tiny opening through which the ovipositor tube can release eggs during mating.
It’s on the underside of the body, between the fins and the tail. Female Bettas are available in the same colors as males (blues, purples, reds, Koi, and so on), but they are not as vibrant.
This species comes in numerous variations (such as Crowntail Bettas), but the distinctions between them are more noticeable in males since the fins are generally different. However, there are several variants with multicolored males and females. Females have the ability to modify the strength of their coloring depending on their mood.
During the mating season, for example, they get darker. The brightest displays are found in the wild when females are attempting to form a social order by asserting authority over one another. Females are less frequent because to their decreased fins and colors, but they are still very lovely fish.
Breakdown of differences
You can also consider the the following breakdown features should assist you in determining the gender of your betta. Remember that young fish may not exhibit sexual differences. Rather than utilizing a single characteristic to identify gender, compare mature specimens of the same species and color, and evaluate numerous variables.
Vertical striations When female bettas are ready to mate, they will show vertical stripes on their bodies, but males do not.
Body Type
Female bettas are often shorter and wider-bodied than male bettas. Males have extended bodies that are somewhat flatter from side to side. Males are frequently more brightly colored than females; nevertheless, color alone is not a reliable indicator of gender. Males have more bright colors than females, although females may be extremely colorful as well.
The Egg Spot
The ventral and anal fins of mature females have a “egg spot.” This is the ovipositor, which is responsible for egg laying. Males almost never have an egg spot.
Fins
Male bettas have significantly longer fins, up to three or four times the length of females’ fins. While males in certain betta types have small caudal (tail) fins, females in most varieties have shorter caudal fins and males have longer fins. The male’s ventral fins are significantly longer and thicker than the female’s.
Flaring Male and Female
When bettas flare, the sexes’ distinctions become more evident. Males have a big beard, whilst females have a much smaller, less noticeable beard. Females may also adopt a head-down posture during flaring, which men do not.
The opercular membrane is a membrane found behind the gill plate cover in Beard Bettas. When the fish flares its gill plates, this membrane looks as a “beard.” Males have a significantly bigger beard, which is frequently apparent even when the guy is not flaring. Females have beards as too, although they are considerably smaller and are not apparent when the female is not flaring.
Characteristics of Behavior
Male bettas are known as Siamese fighting fish for a reason: they are extremely aggressive with one another and with female bettas, and their aggression is strong enough to shorten their projected lifespans. This is why you should never keep more than one male betta in a tank at a time. 1 It’s also not a good idea to have male and female bettas together in an aquarium unless they’re mating.
Nests of Bubbles
Only male bettas, in general, blow bubble nests. This is a nest of saliva bubbles that the fish builds on the water’s surface to safeguard the eggs during breeding. 1 Again, this is not absolute, since a female will occasionally blow a bubble nest. Those occurrences, however, are rather unusual. Males build bubble nests in preparation for mating with females, and they will build nests even if there is no mate in the tank.
Aggression
Female bettas aren’t as strong as males, yet they can be hostile against one another and other fish. Aggression between females may be quite unpleasant, especially if there are just two females and one of them is a bully. As a result, if you are keeping more than one, it is advised that you keep at least five females in the same tank so that aggressive behavior is more dispersed and not aimed on the same individual.
Popular Types Of Female Betta Fish
Female Crowntail Bettas
This species is well-known for its crowntail caudal fins as well as its vibrant colors. The name comes from the tail’s webbing, which creates a pretty beautiful spiky crownlike look. Female Veiltail Bettas When fully developed, this type of female Betta fish will typically reach a length of 1.5 to 2 inches. Because of their vivid coloration, they may be the most widely marketed Betta fish subspecies, notably the Royal Blue and Turquoise Veiltail. Because rigorous breeding methods are necessary to generate their bright color variants, they have a stronger constitution than certain Betta species (with the exception of the Steel Veiltail, which has a similar fortitude found in other Bettas).
Female Koi Bettas
The Koi Betta gets its name from its color and patterns, which are similar to those found in Koi fish.
Marbled patterns help to break up hues like golds, yellows, and whites.
Adults can grow to be up to 3 inches long. They are one of the simplest Betta species to care for. This species is also renowned for being one of the more calm Betta types available. This might be a crucial feature if you want to construct a female Betta community tank.
Female Halfmoon Bettas
This Siamese Fighting Fish type is named from the flared curve of their tails. Halfmoon Betta tails may reach 180 degrees when fully extended (the shape of a half moon in the sky). This characteristic is appreciated among many fish caretakers as well as those who breed them.
Female Veiltail Bettas
When fully developed, this type of female Betta fish will typically reach a length of 1.5 to 2 inches. Because of their vivid coloration, they may be the most widely marketed Betta fish subspecies, notably the Royal Blue and Turquoise Veiltail. Because rigorous breeding methods are necessary to generate their bright color variants, they have a stronger constitution than certain Betta species (with the exception of the Steel Veiltail, which has a similar fortitude found in other Bettas).