The betta fish is native to Southeast Asia and can be found on the banks of the Mekong River in countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. However, it is not a river fish, but rather lives in ponds and other small formations of stagnant water. The most characteristic of the betta is that, due to its natural habitat, it is able to live in small spaces. This means that a small aquarium is sufficient for it, but be careful not to fall short. The story that bettas can live even in the puddle of a buffalo footprint is a very curious anecdote, but it is not necessary to subject their life to such minimums. For a single fish, a tank of between 20 and 30 liters would be perfect. Another peculiarity of bettas is that they belong to the labyrinth family. This means that they have an organ, called a labyrinth, that allows them to take oxygen from the air. This double breathing is not only possible but necessary for the animal. So don't be alarmed if you see your betta gasping with its head sticking out of the water. Precisely, to avoid accidents, it is important that you cover your betta tank. They are even capable of jumping, so we are going to protect them from possible accidents. Of course, don't forget to leave a few centimeters between the water level and the cover, so that they can continue to come up to breathe. Don't expect your betta to be a star of the synchronized swimming team. Its swimming is very slow, due to the characteristic mantle of its fins. Moving is difficult for it, so it doesn't do it too much. In fact, it is common to see it standing and resting on the bottom or on some plant. This is another reason not to choose an especially large aquarium, since it will live more comfortably if it has controlled space. For this reason too, you should put a water filter at low power, so that there are no water currents or bubbles that bother it. As for temperature, due to its natural habitat, bettas are fish that are very resistant to water changes. Despite this, they prefer warm water at around 26-28º C. As I mentioned before, the betta is not always swimming, it stops frequently. It likes to rest, but it is also very curious. For these two reasons, a planted aquarium would be great for it. Use natural plants that are soft to the touch and fine gravel. It is important to avoid elements that can hurt its fins, do not forget that it has very wide and fragile fins. Therefore, do not use rocks, plants that can be sharp, or very narrow decorative elements where the betta could get caught and hurt itself. The male betta fish is extremely territorial. Living in small spaces, it defends its space from possible threats using violence if necessary. It is not in vain that it is also known as the “Siamese fighter”. That is why you have to choose its tank mates well. And even its neighbors. What does this mean? If we put 2 males together, it is most likely that they will fight to the death, but also if we put them in separate fish tanks, they can get angry just by seeing each other through the glass. Coexistence with females can also be difficult, but to a lesser extent. That is why it is advisable, if you want to have the male accompanied, to do so with a greater proportion of females. With only one, the fish would release its reproductive instinct and would overwhelm her, but this will not happen if there are more of them. Can they share an aquarium with other fish? In principle, there would be no problem in putting species together, except for some examples such as shrimps, guppies and microrasboras, which would be in danger along with the betta. However, in the case of a shared aquarium, it would not be the betta that would be the threat, but the opposite. Its way of life, as you have seen, is somewhat different from most species (it needs less space, it moves little and slowly, its fins are wide and fragile...) so it is better to separate it to avoid altercations #aquariumphilia #aquariums #fish #plantedaquarium #aquariumkeeping #marineaquarium #aquariumplants #corals #tropicalfish #cichlidfish