Many people have heard of Betta Fish, also known as Siamese fighting fish. Whether you have owned one yourself or know a friend who has one, you probably know that they are lots of fun.

Betta fish are well known for their beautiful and vibrant colors as well as their fancy fins. However, just like hummingbirds, only the males in this species are the ones who look fancy and colorful. Female Betta fish tend to be smaller and they do not have stylish fins like the males do, but they can be found in different colors.

These fancy fish aren’t called fighting fish for nothing. Betta fish are known to fight with each other, especially the males. Male Betta fish are very territorial so if another fish comes along they will let them know they aren’t allowed there. For this reason, if you are considering getting betta fish you should not place two of them in the same tank unless the tank has a divider in it. Female betta fish can be placed with other female betta fish, however, there usually has to be about 4 of them and there is no guarantee that they won’t try to assert their dominance with each other.

Despite how aggressive these fish can be there are certain kinds of smaller fish and snails that can be placed in the same tank with bettas with a low risk of your fish attacking them. These fish usually should be smaller than your betta and should not have bright colors or fancy fins, because the betta will take that as a challenge.

The tanks that people normally get for betta fish are around 1 gallon or even a bowl. These are very minimal and don’t allow your betta to have much swimming around the room especially since betta fish like to have toys and plants to hide in. Even though these tanks might work a recommended size tank for a betta would be larger, the largest probably being 5 gallons or more, but even a more simple 2.5-gallon tank could work for betta fish, but again it is not recommended. Like most fish, you have to acclimate them in the water before just throwing them in. You also should add some water conditioner meant for fish tanks or aquariums before putting your fish in the water, just to make sure any bad stuff will be gone. Betta fish also like to have their water warmer and they tend to be more active when they are, so if you are interested you can buy a small tank heater. If you are buying a new tank, toys or even some fake plants make sure to wash them but do not wash them with soap because if it gets into the water it can harm your betta. Rinsing them with warm water and scrubbing them will do.

Betta fish are great beginner fish. They are fairly easy to take care of and don’t need too much, plus they usually can live around 3 to 5 years. Betta fish can also have different personalities which also makes them fun to have. Some can be more timid and calm while others can be more social with you and will even follow your finger as you drag it around the tank. Bettas are also easy because they don’t need to eat a whole bunch. They will usually just need around 2 to 4 pellets a day, feeding them in the morning and at night.

Whether it’s the colors, fancy fins, or even just their personalities, Betta fish are lots of fun and they are great pets for anyone of all ages.