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| Picture thanks to The Betta Lady, used with permission. |
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| Picture thanks to The Betta Lady, used with permission. |
Map of where Betta's originated:
Even though these paddies are shallow, there were thousands of acres for these fish to roam. Many people believe that since Betta's came from shallow water, they are able to survive in small cups. Although they can survive in small spaces -such as cups and jars - they cannot thrive. Betta's waste builds up ammonia which will kill your fish. Also, a daily 100% water change will be essential with such small quarters. If you miss a day, next time you check your fish; it’ll be belly up. Sadly, this sudden change of water will stress your Betta out, leaving it even more open to disease. A Betta is also a tropical fish - it needs warm water to live. Small spaces not only makes your fish unhappy, it greatly shortens their lifespan.
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| Bettas can survive in small spaces, but they are unhappy, prone to disease, and water quality is VERY hard to keep ontop of. |
The reason Betta's are able live in shallow amounts of water is because they have a special organ called the labyrinth. The labyrinth allows Betta's to breathe oxygen from the atmosphere of the water surface. The Labyrinth organ is located just above the gills and is made up of tiny folded bones that seem to resemble a maze or labyrinth: hence the name. Other Labyrinth fish include Gouramis and Paradise Fish.
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| Thank you, The Bubblenest for this picture. |
Bettas must have access to the surface to breathe, if they cannot get to it, they will drown.
If you keep your Betta healthy in the correct conditions, your Betta will be thriving for years!
To learn how to take care of your Betta, please read the BETTA CARE section.
