Siam fighting fish are a group of freshwater fish, belonging to the gourami family. Most commonly known as Betta Splendens. They have been bred into a variety of different colors and shapes.
However, all of them can be identified by their long fins and beautiful colors. Bettas come from Thailand, but they’re becoming more and more popular around the world.
The lifespan of Siam Fighting Fish
Fighting fish can live up to three years, but most only live about one or two. The male’s lifespan is shorter than the females’.
Siam Fighting Fish Tankmates
Male Bettas are very aggressive and they must be kept separated from each other (preferably) or in a tank with ample space divided by plastic plants or rocks so that there’s only one male per tank.
They are also territorial fish, so only one should be kept in a tank. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have two or more tanks though. Place the tanks side by side and let the bettas see each other through the glass until they get used to their surroundings, then separate them out again.
Fighting fish will eat anything that fits into their mouths. Anything smaller than the width of the fish is considered food and should not be placed in the tank with them.
Also, avoid adding larger/rough fish like barbs because they will eat off these bettas long flowing fins, which it needs for balance and to attract mates.
The female betta can live in a community aquarium or even with other females but should be monitored if there are male bettas around. The exception to this would be the “Delta” variety of fighting fish. They are less aggressive and make good companions for fish that are similar in size to them.
Breeding Siam Fighting Fish
When breeding, the female betta will build a bubble nest on the surface of the water. She will lay her eggs inside it and protect them until they hatch. The male does not take part in this process at all.
The fry is born looking like little minnows with no color yet. They feed off their yolk sacks for about 36 hours. After that, they are very small and transparent until their color develops.
Males will become aggressive when it is breeding season, which is usually in the spring or summer months. The best way to avoid this is by getting the female betta pregnant only once every few weeks (just before she lays eggs).
Male Betta’s also have a very unique way of communicating with each other. When males see each other, they will flare their gills at each other and display their fins.
Water Temperature and Quality For fighting Fish
Fighting fish prefer water temperatures around 75 – 80 degrees Fahrenheit but can tolerate a wider range of temperatures. They are most active in the early morning and late evening hours.
At night, they rest under leaves or rocks. During the middle of the day, they will usually bury themselves in the gravel.
The one thing you will need to focus on when caring for your fish is its water quality. Because Siam is not like other fish who can survive in less-than-ideal conditions. They don’t do well in dirty aquariums, too high or low pH levels.
Siam will become contaminated by fish wastes that occur when you feed them, even if the food is small enough for them not to swallow it.
This is why you should never feed them too much or it will pollute the water, causing ammonia to slowly build up in the tank until your bettas are swimming in their own waste.
Siam Fighting Fish Diet
They are omnivores so their diet includes both protein and plant matter. They tend to eat small insects like worms and flies as well as algae wafers or pellets made with Spirulina algae (high in protein).
You should also try and stick to one kind of food. Using different foods can cause problems because not all the Siam will eat them, leaving some fish hungry.
If you are not willing to take care of your Siam fish properly don’t bother getting any at all. Many owners allow their bettas to starve because they are too lazy or ignorant about caring for them.
So, if you plan on buying a fighting fish you must know what you’re doing first. Check this post on common problems and diseases of aquarium fish.
Siam Fighting Fish Care Tips
Caring for a fighting fish is not too difficult, they are very hardy and most of the problems associated with them are because of poor water conditions or handling.
The one thing people should be aware of when purchasing this fish is that all bettas do best in solitary tanks. This means they should not be kept in an aquarium with other fish.
Siam is called fighting fish for a reason; they don’t like to share their “territory” with other fish. If you want to keep them in the same tank, make sure it is at least 10 gallons (38 liters) and use plastic plants or rocks to divide the space so that each betta can claim its own territory.
Siam fighting fish are not very expensive, but they will need a larger tank than other fish since they grow quite large (1½ inches). They are also recommended for children since they are tolerant, hardy fish.
As with all pet animals, some special requirements need to be met when caring for fighting fish. They have long-flowing fins which must be kept up by their owners so they can swim easily.
If these fins get let down or torn it will cause the Siam to stop eating and begin to waste away from stress. This is because they rely on these fins for balance when swimming, but also to attract a mate.
In the wild fighting, fish will flash their fins at each other when wanting to show off their strength or impress a female. So, this fin must always be kept in good condition so it can do its job correctly.
Siam fighting fish are also very clean fish, meaning that they need a lot of space to swim around in and the water must be changed often so it stays sparkling clear.
This may seem like extra work, but if you do most of your cleaning at once it will make it easier to maintain the health of your pet fish.
When using a gravel filter, you must make sure that it is not sucking up any bettas, as they swim right into the filter. This could be fatal to your fish as its fins can become torn or matted from being stuck in a fine netting.
Final Thoughts
Fighting fish do well on their own, only keeping one of them will solve most problems with Siam. If you still want to have more fish of your own it is recommended that you get another type of fish with similar care requirements so they are compatible with each other.
I hope this post on Siam fighting fish was helpful. Don’t forget to follow me on Fishbasics Pinterest if you love pet fishkeeping.