The Siamese Fighting Fish

What is Betta splendens?
Betta splendens is a fish typically found in Southeastern Asia, and is a common household pet.

What does the name Betta splendens mean?
The Betta splendens was named by Tate Regan in the early 1900's.  The name Betta is a reference to a legendary warrior tribe called "Bettah" that had a fierce nature (Jones, 2011).  The name splendens comes from the Latin word splendeo meaning shine (Luna, 2011).

What does the Betta splendens look like?
Betta splendens are known for their very vibrant coloration in captivity, but actually have plain, dull coloration in the wild.  They are also known for their fins being very large compared to their bodies.

What does the Betta splendens eat?
Betta splendens are known as carnivorous fish.  In the wild they eat primarily insects, larvae, and occasionally algae since they are top-feeders.

How does the Betta splendens fit into the animal kingdom?
Betta splendens are mainly classified by their reproductive strategies, and anatomy that they have adapted to over millions of years. 

To begin learning about the betta fish click here.