What Do Betta Fish Eat? How Much Does One Betta Fish Cost?

In Vietnamese, betta fish can be called “cá chọi”, “cá betta”, “cá lia thia”, or “cá xiêm”. These terms are the same. In fact, the way Vietnamese people name betta fish depends on their region. This can make some confused. In this article, we at Hi Betta would like to help you (fans of betta fish) understand more about this wonderful type of fish.

1. Where do betta fish come from?

Betta fish is a type of small fish. A mature betta fish is not bigger than a human finger. This species lives in fresh water. In the past they were often found in rice field or low level water areas where water plants could hide them from larger animals.

Betta fish are adored and adopted by many people because of their various colours and the way they swim gracefully in the water. Their tiny size and elegant look are an advantage because they can exist in and adapt to small indoor fish tanks. Just provide each betta a space of about 10 litres of water and that is enough.

Betta fish prefer the hot and rainy climate in tropical countries, espcially in Southeast Asia such as Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. If you need to order top quality betta fighters from Vietnam, contact Hi Betta at www.HiBetta.com (Vietnamese) or www.HiBetta.com/en (English).

2. What are the characteristics of Betta Fish?

Betta fish often possess attractive colours. A mature betta fish is about 6-8 centimetres long.

• Small head, tiny mouth;
• The upper jaw is a bit shorter than the lower one;
• Bulging eyes;
• Small body;
• Humpbacked;
• Body surrounded by long elegant fins;
• Often long caudal fin.

Male betta fish are aggressive. When they are excited in front of a female betta or angry in front of a another male betta, the colours of their body and fins often become vivid and much more good looking. There are plenty of possible colours such as green, blue, orange, red, grey, black, white, and so on.

3. Reproduction in betta fish: How do betta fish make love?

Betta fish have a very special way of reproduction. When mating, the male fish bends around the female fish’s stomach. The female fish releases about 10-40 eggs each time. As soon as the female fish spawns, the male fish fertilize them by releasing sperms into each egg.

After finishing the mating process, the male is responsible for protecting and taking care of the eggs until they hatch.

During the spawning process, male betta fish will release bubbles and create a bubble nest. This is completely normal and compulsory for betta fish. Before mating, the male build a foam to prepare a place for the eggs to hatch. During and after mating, the male continues to release air bubbles with oxygen inside and then suck eggs and release eggs into air bubbles.

The eggs develop and hatch into baby fish after about 30-40 hours. The male fish will take care of the fry for about 2 days. During this time, the young fish that are sunk to the bottom will be picked up by their father and placed into the foam at the surface of the water.

4. Betta fish classification

Betta fish are small fish lines that are loved by many people. They have various body shapes and beautiful colours.

Hi Betta would like to introduce some types of betta fish that are widely adopted in Southeast Asia as well as imported by many other regions in the world such as the USA, Canada, Australia, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Brazil, India, China, etc.

Dragon betta fish

This type of Siamese fighting fish originated from some countries in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. When reaching adulthood, they have a length of about 8 cm and become very colorful.

A dragon betta has a slightly flattened body like a dragon fish. Its fins are large and spread. Below are some common lines of dragon betta fish:

• Red dragon betta fish: The mouth and tail are red. Sometimes the whole body is red;
• Black dragon betta fish: the whole body is black or grey;
• Blue dragon betta fish: the fins or the whole body are blue;
• Yellow dragon betta fish: the body is yellow with widely spread fins;
• Combtail dragon betta fish: The tail has a special structure. It is split, not speads too much;
• Siamese dumbo dragon betta fish: this line of betta fish is favored by many people because of the variety of colours and their widely spread fins.

Koi betta fish

This fish line is the result of a cross between a purebred betta fish and a Koi gold fish (which is a famous type of fish in Japan). The Koi betta fish has a similar body to the koi gold fish and the tail is a cross between both lines. Here are the most popular koi betta fish:

• Fancy koi: Fancy koi fish or fancy betta, Siamese koi, fighting koi is a beautiful line of fish with the ability to change colour. Their body has spots that are extremely colourfuld. Depending on the breeding method, the fancy koi can have a wide spread or a long flexible tail like the koi carp. This fish has small and special blue patches which will glow in the darkness.

• Halfmoon betta: Halfmoon betta is also known as halfmoon Siamese fighting fish, halfmoon fighting fish, etc. This line is usually orange-red, the typical colour of the Koi. Besides the orange and red colours, their body is dotted with black and white patterns which are very eye-catching (this line has more characteristics of the koi than the betta).

Wild betta fish

This kind of fish is often found in the natural environment such as rice fields and areas where there are a lot of muddy trenches (e.g. lotus ponds). In Vietnamese, they are also known as “cá chọi cờ” or “cá cờ”.

Wild betta fish have a dark brown colour and distinctive blue and reddish-brown stripes. Their tail is similar to a flag at some Vietnamese traditional festivals. They have an aggressive and belligerent personality and therefore should be kept separately in different tanks.

Nemo betta fish

Nemo betta fish have many special colours. Aquarium hobbyists will find it extremely interesting to see this type of fish because they will make a strong impression at first sight. This Thai-origin fish line has undergone a rigorous selection and breeding process to produce colourful and attractive Nemo betta fish as we see today.

Nemo betta fish are so named because their main body colours are yellow and red, which are very similar to the Nemo fish in the famous cartoon “Finding Nemo”.

Besides their special colours, the Nemo betta fish shape is not much different when compared to other betta fish. Owning a purebred Nemo betta fish is not simple because this type of fish is rare and often quite expensive.

Galaxy betta fish

The colours of Nemo betta fish are already very beautiful. But if you want even more, then look for Galaxy betta fish. This is the most colourful betta fish line of the betta fish family.

Your home fish tank will become very attractive and look outstanding when there are Galaxy betta fish swimming inside.

The price of Galaxy betta fish is usually higher than other betta fish because they are very attractive and rare. If you want to own them, you should contact a betta fish seller and make an advance order.

Betta fighters

While the colourful fancy betta fish are kept in the tank to watch only, the betta fighting fish or betta fighters are a very special line of breeds bred for the purpose of organizing extremely exciting fish fighting match.

There are two common shapes of betta fighters: short tail and long tail.

The long tail type is also known as “cá phướng” in Vietnamese. It is nearly impossible for a long tailed fish to win against a short-tailed because the short-tailed betta fighters have longer and sharper teeth, harder scales, stronger muscles, and faster swimming speed. However, in a “vortex” game (i.e. putting 2 fish in a circular jar and shaking it, making the water spin fast), a long tailed may win a short tailed because the game final result depends much more on human factors than the power of the fish. The vortex betta fighting game is very popular in some cities in the North of Vietnam such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, etc. The “Nghi Tàm” area of ​​Tây Hồ district has had a long history of long tailed betta fighters. However, this tradition has gradually lost by fish farmers who have changed their business model. Betta fish farms have been replaced by new hostels and hotels. Only very few households in Nghi Tàm are still raising and selling long tailed betta fighters.

Short-tailed betta fighters, also known as Siamese fighting fish (as the ancient origin mostly came from Thailand), have a variety of fighting styles and can cause serious damages to their opponents. This species of fighting fish is becoming more and more popular in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, the two cities that have the strongest betta fighter movement are Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. It is home to many fans of the highest quality betta warriors.

World-class short-fined betta fighters, which are selected and classified carefully, are our flagship products at Hi Betta. They are highly appreciated and bought by many betta fighting fans. The Super Tiger (or “Mãnh Hổ” in Vietnamese) has become our private brand and has recently been storming arenas in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and further lands such as the US and Australia.

5. How to take care of your betta fish

Betta fish (or fighting fish, Siamese fighting fish) are favouvered by many people. In order to adopt them and keep them healthy, it is necessary to get to know some minimum knowledge about them.

Hi Betta will share with you some experience and knowledge needed in nurturing and caring betta fish to make them good looking and healthy below.

What do betta fish eat?

It is generally very easy to raise betta fish because they can eat different types of food such as mosquito larvae, blood worms, black worms, peeled steamed shrimp, and lean meat (beef, pork), and poultry.

It is also fine to feed your betta fish dry food pellets that can be easily purchased at an aquarium store.

Note: Betta fish should be fed up to twice a day, 1 meal early in the morning and 1 meal later in the evening. Putting too much food into the tank may cause the water to become dirty and polluted which badly affects fish health. Therefore, always remember to use a moderate amount of food.

Betta fish tank

Để đảm bảo con cá cảnh Betta của bạn luôn khỏe mạnh và linh động, hoạt bát, các bạn nên có bể nuôi đạt chuẩn về nhiệt độ và chất lượng nước mà cụ thể là độ pH.

To ensure your betta fish are always healthy and active, you should have a tank that meets the temperature and water quality standards, particularly a correct pH level.

Betta fish tank examples

 The temperature of the tank should only fluctuate between 24-29 degrees Celsius, the pH should be in the range of 7-7.5, and the hardness of water dH should range between 7 and 20.

Water in a betta fish tank should be changed regularly, for example every 2 weeks. However, only change 1 / 2-2 / 3 of water. Retaining some old water will help your fish not to be shocked by the changing environment.

Betta fish are aggressive so you should only raise them individually. Do not put too many other fish in the tank. In addition, you should not place a mirror near the tank when it is not necessary because betta fish will consider the image in the mirror as an opponent and attack the mirror, leading to injury to the fish.

Can betta fish be kept together?

Cá chọi Betta có bản năng hiếu chiến và hung dữ nên bạn không nên nuôi chung với cá khác để tránh mâu thuẫn, xô xát không cần thiết, có thể dẫn đến cá bị thương hoặc chết.

Betta fish have an aggressive instinct. Therefore, you should not keep them with other fish to avoid unnecessary conflicts, which can lead to fish injury or death.

In case you want to keep your betta fish with some other fish, you need to be equipped with knowledge. According to experienced aquarium hobbyists, betta fish can live with some other fish such as the Neon King fish, the butterfly mackerels, the rat fish, the zebra snails, etc.

Attention: Do absolutely not keep ornamental betta fish with the long-tailed fish (especially guppies) in the same tank because this can cause the betta fish to be excited and attack other fish. In addition, you should not keep betta fish with smaller or larger types of fish, especially the predatory ones such as arowana, arhat, as this will help avoid the “big fish swallowing small fish” situation.

Note: The above information shows you how to raise and take care of betta fish in general. Regarding betta fighters, in order for the fish to get the top performance at the time of a fight, it is necessary to know some more knowledge. For more details, please contact Hi Betta for tutorials designed specifically for professional fighting fish players.

6. Common diseases of betta fish

Betta fish may experience some diseases during their life.

Faded betta fish

There are many reasons why betta fish fade. An improper diet or polluted water can cause betta fish to be negatively impacted physically, leading to pale skins.

According to betta experts, the biggest factor causing fish discolouration is the rapid weather change that makes the fish unable to adapt. Betta fish, prefer to live in hot and humid environment. However, when the winter comes in the North of Vietnam, the average temperature drops sharply and causes cold stroke.

In order to prevent the fish from getting pale, therefore, you need to make sure the tank water is changed regularly and properly, while keeping the tank temperature stable. Besides, you also need to feed the fish suitable food that you make at home or buy at a reputable shop. Betta fish breeders can contact Hi Betta to order food for fighting fish prepared by Hi Betta using an exclusive formula.

Still betta fish with open gills

A betta fish may have open gills for one of the following two reasons:

• Congenital: Right from the moment of birth, the fish has had open gills. In this case, the problem cannot be overcome.
• Bacteria: A polluted water environment allows bacteria to attack the fish. Some white fluid may be seen at the gills of the fish. In this case, it is necessary to treat the fish as quickly as possible, otherwise it may die within 5-7 days.

In the second case above, it is necessary to isolate the diseased fish from its herd so as not to infect other fish. Next, a high dose of antibiotic should be added to the diseased fish tank according to the standard dosage from experts. Prompt and proper treatment can recover the fish and it may become healthy again after 3-4 days.

7. Where to buy betta fish (Siamese fighting fish) in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City?

Betta fish have a lot of attractions that many people love. Therefore, you absolutely can find many places selling this kind of fish in big cities in Vietnam such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho, etc.

If you are a new player, you should buy fish from a reputable seller. Do not buy from street vendors because it is easy to get poor quality fish.

If you are interested in betta fighters (not ornamental fish, but fish for fighting at an arena), you should contact Hi Betta for information on how to take care of and train betta fighting fish. You can also order betta fighters from Hi Betta at several different price levels.

8. How much does a betta fish cost?

Betta fish are sold at different price levels on the market. A price depends on the several criteria such as size, colour, type and gender of the fish.

The world’s most attractive ornamental betta fish

Below are the common price ranges of ornamental betta fish in 2020 for your reference:

• Male ornamental betta fish: VND 100,000 – 180,000 per fish;
• Female ornamental betta fish: VND 80,000 – 150,000 per fish.

We at HiBetta.com believe that these are acceptable price ranges and that you can buy some fish to play with and to decorate your family space as well.

Professional betta fighting fish players who have a great demand for high quality betta fighters can always find your satisfied warriors at Hi Betta. The price for a male betta fighter in 2020 usually ranges with several levels:

• VND 50,000
• VND 80,000
• VND 150,000
• VND 250,000
• VND 300,000
• VND 400,000
• VND 500,000

In particular, the famous line Super Tiger (or “Mãnh Hổ” in Vietnamese) which has been leading in Southeast Asia may sometimes have a higher price point when the supply is not enough to meet demand. In addition to the top Vietnamese betta fighters, you may also want to experience foreign fish, from Thailand and Indonesia for instance, for the purpose of breeding or exchanging fighting fish. You can evidently order all at Hi Betta. We have long-standing reputable partners abroad and are constantly exchanging, selecting, developing top betta fighters in Southeast Asia.

Hi Betta is pleased to serve betta fighter fans in all provinces of Vietnam: An Giang, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu, Bắc Giang, Bắc Kạn, Bạc Liêu, Bắc Ninh, Bến Tre, Bình Định, Bình Dương, Bình Phước, Bình Thuận, Cà Mau, Cần Thơ, Cao Bằng, Đà Nẵng, Đắk Lắk, Đắk Nông, Điện Biên, Đồng Nai, Đồng Tháp, Gia Lai, Hà Giang, Hà Nam, Hà Nội, Hà Tĩnh, Hải Dương, Hải Phòng, Hậu Giang, Hòa Bình, Hưng Yên, Khánh Hòa, Kiên Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Châu, Lâm Đồng, Lạng Sơn, Lào Cai, Long An, Nam Định, Nghệ An, Ninh Bình, Ninh Thuận, Phú Thọ, Phú Yên, Quảng Bình, Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Quảng Ninh, Quảng Trị, Sóc Trăng, Sơn La, Tây Ninh, Thái Bình, Thái Nguyên, Thanh Hóa, Thừa Thiên Huế, Tiền Giang, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Trà Vinh, Tuyên Quang, Vĩnh Long, Vĩnh Phúc, Yên Bái.

This article belongs to Hi Betta. Should you would like to republish it, you must include the source as the following: “Source: Hi Betta – http://www.HiBetta.com“

 

Read the Vietnamese version: Cá Chọi Betta (Lia Thia, Xiêm) Ăn Gì? Giá Rẻ Nhất Bao Nhiêu?