Breeding Half Moon Betta

Siamese Fighting Fish

Betta splendens

Betta Love: Kevin + Chelsea

Article Summary: Betta are beautiful, easy to care for, fish that can be housed in a freshwater aquarium or unfiltered bowl. This page covers basic beta care and breeding, as we learn about our new male and female pair, Kevin and Chelsea.

Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), commonly called "betta", originated in the Mekong basin of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand (formerly known as Siam), where they can be found in marshland such as still waters of canals, rice paddies and floodplains.

Siamese Fighting Fish Pairs: Betta Breeding Behavior

Tank Setup for Betta Pair

Since introducing the first male, Smacky, didn't go so well, we took more care in setting up a new tank for Kevin & Chelsea. We purchased a 2.5 gallon tank (no filter or heater), and placed many plastic plants, decorations and shells, to provide more cover and hiding places for when the female wanted a break from the male's pushy attitude.

Young children are natural born scientists, full of curiosity! Join the at-home experiments and explorations of a scientist mom & her kids.

Male Betta Nest Tending

Male bettas are great baby-daddies. When they are ready to breed, they build a bubble nest where the fry (baby fish) will live and be protected by him!

The hardy betta is part of the gourami family. These fish are aggressive towards their own species, although females can coexist. Even though betta fight with their own kind, they can be paired with other tropical fish in an aquarium.