The fish you live with

And, a piece from Stewart in the Fish as Pets category, looking at the popular betta.

The Siamese fighting fish, or simply fighting fish as it’s commonly referred to in the US, is a fish that comes to us from the rice paddies of Thailand and Cambodia. The species, Betta splendens, earned it’s common name from the fighting behavior exhibited by the males. In nature. the fish are greenish-brown in color - through selective breeding, however, they have be one of the most colorful and sought-after species for freshwater aquaria. The fish typically grow to a length of 2 inches or so, although some varieties can be twice that.  Bettas typically live 2-5 years in captivity.  They belong to the Order Perciformes, which contains nearly 40% of all bony fishes, and are the gourami family (Osphronemidae).  Ahough there are nearly 50 more species in the Betta genus, B. splendens is the most popular species among aquarium hobbyists.

B. splendens has an upturned mouths and is, primarily, a carnivorous surface feeders. In the wild, they feed largely on the larvae of mosquitoes and other insects.  Their reproductive behavior is particularly noteworthy.  To reproduce, the male flares his opercula, spreads his fins, then twists his body when he finds a female of interest.  The female darkens in color and curves her body back and forth. Males build bubble nests on the surface of the water. Then, the “nuptial embrace” takes place as the male wraps his body around the female. Eggs are released from the female as the male releases milt into the water, fertilizing the eggs externally. At this point, the male chases the female out of his territory for fear of her consuming all the eggs as food, and he does the work of retrieving them from the bottom and depositing them into the nest on the surface. Talk about a workout...

A YouTube of spawning bettas...