Interesting facts you probably never knew about your betta fish:

10 Facts you probably never knew about your betta fish:

1. There are actually 65 species of fish classified as “Betta”.
2. The most common type of Betta is Betta Splendens, which are also called Siamese Fighting Fish or Japanese Fighting Fish. 
3. Betta originated in Thailand (formerly known as “Siam”), Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and parts of China.
4. Why are they called “fighting fish”? Male Betta’s are very territorial and if put in a close enough environment attack another Betta or similar sized fish. Generally they are best kept in a tank by themselves.
5. In the 1800′s in China the Betta Fish were actually bred to fight.
6. Betta’s can breathe air! They have a unique organ called a labyrinth that allows them to breathe air like you and me. This was critical to their survival as they generally lived in low-oxygen water like rice paddies and slow moving streams – conditions most other fish could not survive in.
7. Betta’s are a fresh-water tropical fish, and fresh water tanks are easy to maintain.
8. Keep the water temperature between 78-82 degrees. Remember they are a tropical fish so they like it warm. Going lower than 78 your stress out your Betta and not be ideal.
9. The average lifespan of a Betta fish is 2-3 years. Betta’s have been known to live 4-5 years in tanks that maintain ideal conditions, and live much shorter spans in a poorly kept tank (sometimes only months).
10. Betta Fish are carnivores and prefer to eat things like frozen brine shrimp, freeze dried blood worms, but will also eat fish flakes and pellets.