Anyone who has kept bettas knows that these beautiful fish can be delicate. Keeping them healthy requires frequent water changes, monitoring their diet and parameters, and understanding their unique needs. While keeping giant bettas in large tanks or small bowls presents different challenges, both live the same average lifespan of about 2 years. This article will explain the pros and cons of keeping giant betta fish for sale as well as whether they live longer than regular bettas.
Why Are Bettas Small?
Betta fish have been part of our aquariums for a long time. However, keep in mind that the bettas you may have seen in pet stores are not the same ones kept in homes today. These days you can find over 50 species of bettas, ranging in size from less than 2 inches up to over 3 inches. But the most common types kept as pets are the Siamese Fighting Fish and the Giant Betta.
The Siamese Fighting Fish are the types you may have seen in the wild or in old-timey freak shows. They are the same as “traditional” bettas, but larger. Giant bettas are even larger still. The Giant Betta was developed by breeders looking for a more impressive fish. They wanted to retain the colorful fins and tails that bettas are known for but in a larger size. Giant bettas are regularly sold at pet stores and online, but the Siamese Fighting Fish is relatively rare.
How Long Do Giant Bettas Live?
The average lifespan of a betta is 2 years. However, there are a few factors that will determine how long your betta lives. As mentioned above, though Giant Bettas are larger than traditional bettas, they also have a shorter lifespan. The Giant Betta lives an average of 1 to 2 years. This shorter lifespan is likely due to the genetics of the fish.
The Giant Betta is bred in captivity to be much larger than its original form. It is not as robust as the Siamese Fighting Fish, which has a much longer lifespan of 3 to 4 years. Owners can extend their bettas’ lifespans by providing them with clean and healthy water. Bettas are sensitive fish that like their water to be soft, warm, and heavily filtered.
Giant Betta Care
The Giant Betta is a cool fish to own, but it is also one that needs very specific care. Like other bettas, Giant Bettas appreciate a filtered tank with low-to-moderate temperatures. Giant Bettas also require a large amount of space because they are very active swimmers. They like to have room to explore and jump out of the water as well.
Bettas are also messy eaters, so you’ll need to be prepared for this. Giant Bettas also eat more than their smaller counterparts, which means you will have to feed them more often. It’s best to feed your betta a high-quality flake or pellet food once or twice a day. You can also feel free to feed live or frozen food to your betta to provide a more interesting diet.
Advantages of Keeping a Giant Betta
Giant Bettas, like all bettas, are fascinating creatures. They are gorgeous and colorful fish with unique fin shapes, patterns, and movements. Like other bettas, Giant Bettas are also very graceful swimmers. Giant Bettas are larger than your standard bettas and have an impressive build. You can expect Giant Bettas to grow to be at least 2 or 3 inches long. Giant Bettas are also very personable fish. They like to interact with their owners and will often swim up to the surface of the water to greet you when you walk into the room. Giant Bettas also have diverse personalities, meaning each fish will have its unique quirks and ways of interacting with you.
Disadvantages of Keeping a Giant Betta
Giant Bettas live longer than their smaller counterparts, but this simply means that you need to plan for their lifespan. Giant Bettas are also trickier to care for than traditional bettas. The larger size of your betta means that you will need a larger tank. Giant Bettas also need a higher quality of water. Giant Bettas are messy eaters and produce a lot of waste.
To avoid a messy tank, you need to be prepared to clean your betta’s bowl or aquarium much more than you would a smaller tank. Giant Bettas need higher water quality, which means more frequent water changes. Giant Bettas are more expensive than their smaller counterparts as well. Giant Bettas are more expensive both to purchase and to keep because of their larger size. Giant Bettas also require more food and attention than traditional bettas.
Also Read: Why More And More People Are Turning To Botox.
