Where Do Betta Fish Live In Their Natural Environment? You might be wondering where do betta fish live if not in fish tanks. Well, this kind of fish is usually found in rice paddies, river basins, drainage ditches, and small streams in the tropical region of Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. For this reason, betta fish can thrive even in a tank with a small heater and warm room with around 73 to 83 degrees. Meanwhile, they are not good at living in a freezing environment.
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The Natural Home Of Betta Fish
Betta fish live in river basins and rice paddies. The natural abode of this colorful fish species is just about three feet square and is relatively shallow with thick vegetation. Aside from that, such environments have slow-moving streams, and during the dry season, the water can easily evaporate from little to nothing. If this happens, betta fish are forced to migrate in shallow puddles that can keep them alive for a short time.
What allows this small fish species to survive such a situation is its labyrinth. It is a special organ of bettas that will enable them to breathe and get its oxygen from the air.
Bettas can jump skillfully, which they use to transfer from small puddles to a larger surface of the water. Small areas of water connect these tiny puddles into larger bodies. And since the water is always changing in the said kind of environment, bettas living in the area are susceptible to the risk of pollution.
When you keep a betta fish in tiny betta bowls, expect them to survive for quite some time, but they won’t be able to thrive in such limited space.
Do They Need A Plant To Eat?
Betta fish tanks are better with live plants. Some of the best live plants you can put in betta fish aquariums are Java Moss, Frogbit, and this Round-Shaped Marimo Plant. However, betta fish don’t eat them. Instead, they hide and nestle among the leaves of these plants.
Naturally, betta fish do not eat plants. They eat meaty foods. However, when they don’t have any choice but to eat plants, they will. Although for bettas, plants are not the best food for them to thrive.
In their natural habitat, the diet of wild betta fish includes insect larvae, insects, and some plant material. Among the insects that bettas can eat includes fruit flies. You can find this betta food in some pet shops or even online. However, make sure to purchase wingless or flightless fruit flies for your betta fish to prevent them from escaping.
Conclusion
To conclude, you can usually find wild betta fish in shallow bodies of water, such as rice paddies, drainage ditches, river basins, and small streams. They thrive better in tropical countries and places that are not very cold such as Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and many more. But for cold countries, betta fish can survive in fish tanks with a small heater. Among the best fish tank submersible thermostat heater are Mylivell, Tetra, and Marina.
