WEBVTT - How Do Betta Fish Work?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff production of iHeart Radio, Hey brain

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<v Speaker 1>Stuff Lauren Voga bam here with their striking, bold colors

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<v Speaker 1>and flashy fins. Beta fish are one of the more

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<v Speaker 1>popular types of fish sold for home aquariums, perhaps because, unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 1>there are a number of misconceptions about these creatures. The

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<v Speaker 1>truth is that they're not as hardy and easy to

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<v Speaker 1>care for as many believe. Beta fish, sometimes called fighting fish,

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<v Speaker 1>are tropical fish native to Southeast Asia. Wild beta's typically

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<v Speaker 1>live in rice patties and other shallow, stagnant bodies of water.

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<v Speaker 1>Because these wetlands routinely shrink during the dry season, betas

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<v Speaker 1>hop from puddled puddle trying to find a reasonably deep

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<v Speaker 1>pool where they can hang out until the rains return.

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<v Speaker 1>Due to these conditions, betas developed what's known as a

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<v Speaker 1>labyrinth organ that gives them the ability to obtain some

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<v Speaker 1>oxygen from the air as well as the water. The

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<v Speaker 1>suborder that includes bay is are sometimes called labyrinth fish

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<v Speaker 1>or garami. Beta's got the nickname fighting fish due to

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<v Speaker 1>their territorial nature. During the eighteen hundreds, perhaps especially in

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<v Speaker 1>what's now Thailand. The fish were bred for this purpose

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<v Speaker 1>and fights were forced for entertainment. Beta's were first introduced

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<v Speaker 1>to the United States in the early twentieth century. Wild

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<v Speaker 1>betas generally have small fins and are dull, green or

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<v Speaker 1>brown in color, but today's pet betas have been bred

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<v Speaker 1>to be quite colorful with elaborate fins. With proper care,

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<v Speaker 1>a pet beta can live for two to four years,

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<v Speaker 1>but before you buy one, make sure you're aware of

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<v Speaker 1>these five common fish tails about the beautiful beta fish.

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<v Speaker 1>Perhaps the most widespread myth about beta's is that they

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<v Speaker 1>can live in small bowls. The opposite is true. Beta

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<v Speaker 1>fish need a tank that's at least five gallons about

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<v Speaker 1>twenty leaders and ten gallons or about forty leaders is better.

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<v Speaker 1>The origin behind this persistent myth is uncertain, but it

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<v Speaker 1>may come from the fact that betas are often sold

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<v Speaker 1>in small containers and because they have some ability to

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<v Speaker 1>breathe out of the water. But betas can be stressed

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<v Speaker 1>if they're housed in close quarters, especially if they share

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<v Speaker 1>space with fish perceived as rivals. Small tanks mean there's

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<v Speaker 1>nowhere to hide. Even when housed alone or with fish

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<v Speaker 1>that they get along with, they still need hideouts to

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<v Speaker 1>escape to. But while the tank should be spacious, it

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<v Speaker 1>shouldn't be too deep, as beta's are more comfortable swimming

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<v Speaker 1>back and forth, not up and down. We spoke via

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<v Speaker 1>email with Matt Layton, a long time beta fish owner

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<v Speaker 1>and editor of Vivo Fish, who explained that betas should

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<v Speaker 1>be kept in tanks no deeper than twelve inches or

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<v Speaker 1>thirty centimeters, noting that their fins aren't that powerful. He said,

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<v Speaker 1>if it's too deep, the beta may not be able

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<v Speaker 1>to get up to the surfaces easily. It's heartbreaking to

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<v Speaker 1>see a beta struggling to climb and then be pulled

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<v Speaker 1>down to the bottom by his tail. Another myth is

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<v Speaker 1>that beta aquariums don't need a water heater or filter,

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<v Speaker 1>but betas are tropical fish that need to be kept

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<v Speaker 1>in water ranging from seventy six to eighty one degrees

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<v Speaker 1>fair height that's twenty four to twenty seven celsius. Unless

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<v Speaker 1>your home never veers hotter or colder, you'll need that heater.

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<v Speaker 1>A water filter is important too, even though wild betas

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<v Speaker 1>live in murky puddles. Without a filter, the fishes excrement

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<v Speaker 1>and uneaten food can make the water toxic, though be

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<v Speaker 1>sure to purchase a filter with a gentle flow as

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<v Speaker 1>beta's delicate fins do better in calm water, in addition

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<v Speaker 1>that their fins could be damaged by the section in

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<v Speaker 1>higher flow filters. Meanwhile, it's actually true that betas don't

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<v Speaker 1>mind being alone and that they tend to have issues

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<v Speaker 1>with other fish. If male betas are placed together or

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<v Speaker 1>placed with other fish that have bright colors and large fins,

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<v Speaker 1>their natural territorialism often prompts them to fight. However, they

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<v Speaker 1>can definitely live with other aquatic creatures, such as ghost shrimp, snails,

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<v Speaker 1>and African dwarf frogs. They can also live with other

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<v Speaker 1>species of fish, but they do best with bottom dwellers

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<v Speaker 1>with small fins, as they're less likely to fight over territory.

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<v Speaker 1>Like the coolie loach. Female betas can often live harmoniously

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<v Speaker 1>together given adequate space, which means at least five gallons

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<v Speaker 1>or twenty liters per fish, but always introduce the new

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<v Speaker 1>fish slowly and monitor them. Guides online can help you

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<v Speaker 1>acclimate your existing fish to the idea of a new

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<v Speaker 1>tank mate. Tricks like rearranging hiding spots and feeding your

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<v Speaker 1>current fish before adding a new one can help, but

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<v Speaker 1>you should always watch them carefully for a few days

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<v Speaker 1>and be prepared to move an aggressor to another tank

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<v Speaker 1>or another home. Another misconception is that betas can live

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<v Speaker 1>off of plant roots alone. While beta fish are often

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<v Speaker 1>sold in small vases with a plant, Betas are carnivores,

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<v Speaker 1>not herbivores. In the wild, they chow down on insects

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<v Speaker 1>and larva, so feed your pets fish pellets or flakes

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<v Speaker 1>specially crafted for beta's. You can supplement with high protein

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<v Speaker 1>treats such as blood worms and brine shrimp, but remember

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<v Speaker 1>that fish can become overweight just like any pet, so

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<v Speaker 1>feed in moderation, ideally only as much food as the

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<v Speaker 1>fish can eat within three to five minutes. Finally, don't

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<v Speaker 1>ex spect to beta to be a lay about. Many

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<v Speaker 1>people observed betas and pet stores, where they're often kept

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<v Speaker 1>in small containers that hinder their activity, and many owners

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<v Speaker 1>erroneously keep their beta fish in unheated water, which makes

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<v Speaker 1>them lethargic. But Layton says that beta fish are playful

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<v Speaker 1>in the proper setting. He said, I've seen them push

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<v Speaker 1>moss balls around, dance around their tank, display their tails,

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<v Speaker 1>and generally be quite active. Beta's are inquisitive and will

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<v Speaker 1>interact with plants toys and structures floating or sinking. Just

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<v Speaker 1>make sure they're fish safe and don't have any sharp

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<v Speaker 1>edges that could hurt those beautiful fans. Today's episode was

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<v Speaker 1>written by Melanie Red Zekie McManus and produced by Tyler Clang.

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<v Speaker 1>For more on this and lots of other fishy topics,

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<v Speaker 1>visit how stuff works dot com. Brain Stuff is a

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<v Speaker 1>production of iHeart Radio. For more podcasts my heart Radio,

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<v Speaker 1>visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you

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