How Long do Betta Fish Live?

Betta fish make for dazzling additions to your fish tank. But how long do Betta fish live? Below we explore the expected lifespan of your Betta fish, and what you can do to help them live longer.

In captivity (i.e. an aquarium)

A Betta fish will live to around 3 years on average when kept in a suitable environment. It is not unusual for them to live past this age to 4-5 years old. Although it is difficult to establish the oldest ever Betta fish, it is believed that some have lived to up 10 years.

One thing to bear in mind when thinking about these ages is that the 3 year average applies to the total lifespan. When purchasing a Betta fish tank from a pet store bear in mind that males are often around 1 year old already. Selling at this age has allowed their fins and colors to develop and become visually appealing. Females are often sold a little younger – around 6 months in age.

In the wild

Unlike many fish whose life in an aquarium is shortened, Betta fish live around 1 year less in the wild. That is, the average lifespan of a Betta fish is around 2 years old in the wild. This is due to several factors:

The water quality of their natural habitat is much worse than they experience in captivity. They are native to small bodies of water such as canals and rice paddies in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. These bodies of water cause the Betta fish two main issues:

  1. The water quality is often poor, with pollution posing a particular threat
  2. In the drier months, these water sources can greatly reduce in size and even dry up at times.

In the wild they are much more likely to fight with another Betta fish. As these fish are very territorial it is not uncommon for them to fight in order to protect their territory – particularly when they are moving around in search of better areas of water. They are called Siamese fighting fish for a reason! Fighting greatly increases the chance that a Betta fish will die early.

How to Improve the Lifespan of your Betta Fish

1. Make sure your aquarium is big enough

There are a range of Betta fish tanks on the market today. The important thing is that your tank is large enough to allow your Betta fish enough room to swim. This will help to keep it fit and avoid stunting its growth.

2. Be careful adding more than one Betta fish to the same tank

Betta fish are called Siamese fighting fish for a reason. Male Betta fish can be extraordinarily territorial. If you want your Betta fish to live for a long time you’ll need to think about one of the following:

  1. Only keep one male Betta fish
  2. Add a divider to your tank to keep your Betta fish separate
  3. Purchase a large enough tank so that there is space for each Betta to have its own “territory”. You’ll likely want at least a 10 gallon tank, and ideally a 20 gallon fish tank or larger.

3. Make sure your aquarium is at the correct temperature

Betta fish are happiest when their tank is between 78 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This is equivalent to 25.5 to 26.5 degrees Celsius. Unless you live in a very warm area you’ll need to heat the tank in order to improve the lifespan of your Betta. There are a number of good quality aquarium heaters that can assist you. Something like the 25 Watt Fluval Marina would likely work well.

4. Ensure your aquarium is clean

Get a good quality filter. The best filter will depend on the size of your tank and whether your Betta fish will be alone or have company. The Aqueon Quietflow range is often a good choice.

5. Feed your Betta fish a varied, high quality diet

Betta fish can be fussy eaters. But it is easy to give them a varied and healthy diet. Most people have success with using high protein, high quality pellets or flakes as staple. And then adding freeze dried or live bloodworms or similar to mix things up and ensure you Betta is getting a balanced diet. We spent some time recently outlining what to feed your Betta fish.

6. Choose a healthy Betta when purchasing

How long does a Betta fish live? Longer if they are healthy! Aside from providing you Betta with a good environment you should also ensure that they were healthy to begin with. When selecting your Betta, look for one that is:

  1. Full of color. Pale coloring is a sign of disease
  2. Has no ripped fins of tail
  3. No scratches on its body
  4. Is responsive
  5. Have clear looking eyes

7. Add suitable plants to your Betta fish tank

Adding suitable plants to your Betta fish tank can help keep the tank clean.

8. Ensure you tank pH is suitable

Your tank pH matters. To ensure that your fish tank is in a suitable range (6.5 to 7.5 is good) it is best to get a pH meter and test the pH on a regular basis. If you don’t have one already we outlined our 5 favorite options here.

How Long do Betta Fish Live – Conclusion

How long do Betta fish live? Overall a Betta fish will live 3 years on average when kept in a suitable fish tank. This is around 1 year longer than their expected lifespan in the wild. Just bear in mind that often a male Betta fish will be around 1 year old when purchased from a pet store. Hopefully the above tips will help you to improve the lifespan of your Betta fish.

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