Siamese Fighting Fish

freshwater fish · Southeast Asia · colorful · territorial

Super colorful champions. Siamese fighting fish come in amazing shades of red, blue, green, and gold, and each fish is totally unique. Their flowing fins look like silk scarves when they flare them out.

Fierce tiny fighters. Male bettas are so aggressive toward each other that people in Thailand have historically watched them battle, kind of like a sport. Two males in the same tank will fight until one gives up, which is why you can only keep one male per tank.

From Southeast Asia. These fish come from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, where they live in slow-moving freshwater like rice paddies and streams. They're now one of the most popular pet fish all over the world.

Easy to care for. Bettas don't need huge tanks or fancy equipment like many fish do, which is one reason people love keeping them as pets. They can survive in smaller spaces than most aquarium fish, though they're happiest with room to swim and explore.

Over 70 relatives. There are more than 70 different species of Betta fish in Southeast Asia, but the Siamese fighting fish is by far the most famous. It's the only one people just call 'betta' because it became such a beloved pet everywhere.