Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)
Males must be housed alone; NOT a bowl fish — needs heated, filtered tank
Overview
The Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish) (Betta splendens) is a Freshwater (Tropical) fish growing to about 2.5–3 in and living 2–4 yrs. It's aggressive (males) and best kept on its own. Plan a tank of at least 5 gal. With a typical lifespan of around 3 years, it's a shorter commitment.
Is the Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish) right for you?
A good match if — you're new to fishkeeping and want a hardy species.
Think twice if — you wanted a peaceful community tank; you wanted several of the same kind together.
What a Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish) needs from you
The ongoing work is water quality: filtration, regular water changes and stable parameters. As a tropical fish it needs a stable, heated tank. Keep it singly, or it will fight its own kind. Don't undersize the tank (minimum about 5 gal).
Key facts
- Water type
- Freshwater (Tropical)
- Scientific name
- Betta splendens
- Adult size
- 2.5–3 in
- Life span
- 2–4 yrs
- Temperament
- aggressive (males)
- Social needs
- solo (males)
- Min. tank
- 5 gal
- Care level
- beginner
- Notes
- Males must be housed alone; NOT a bowl fish — needs heated, filtered tank
What it needs from you (at a glance)
| Space needed | |
| Experience needed | |
| Maintenance | |
| Time per day | |
| Need for company | |
| Handling / closeness | |
| Cost level |
What it costs
Scaled to this breed’s roughly 10 g and a ~3-year life, keeping a Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish) works out at about:
Rough cross-breed averages in USD — a planning guide, not a quote. Break it down by life phase in the Cost Calculator →
Temperament (at a glance)
| Affection | no data yet |
| Energy | no data yet |
| Vocalness | |
| Trainability | no data yet |
| Tolerates alone | no data yet |