Special notes

• Interestingly, the veiltail Betta is now hardly ever shown at fish shows, as it is considered by many Betta breeders as 'common' and not worth displaying any more.
• Several aquarists debate on whether the Betta should be kept in tanks or bowls, since their natural environment consists of "small, shallow areas of water". However their natural environment, while being shallow, is often acres wide.
• Bettas, like Gouramis are a labyrinth fish, in that they have a special organ that allows them to breath air, so they can survive in low oxygenated water. If they are not allowed access to the air then they drown.
• As they age, a Betta's colouration often changes, those with the marble gene constantly change. There is also a redloss gene that means a Betta born with a lot of red in the fins will lose all red as as it matures. The redloss gene is desirable in Betta shows.
• A female will usually outlive a male by a few months.
• Longfinned Bettas, especially halfmoons and veiltails, can sometimes find themselves getting hampered down by their own tails, or through boredom, can turn to tailbiting. Sometimes fish will do these because of a change in environment, as a result of fin rot, or you simply have a nervous fish with a vengeance against it's own tail! There is no real known cure for this, and you may just have to live with a Betta with tatty fins, keep their water clean though to prevent infection.
• If the fry do regular exercise, some aquarists say they'll live much longer. Put a mirror in front of the tank or inside the tank, as soon as it sees its own reflection, it will become active and try to fight the reflection. Do this for half an hour (may be twice a week) then take it out.
• Heavily finned variations such as the halfmoons may occasionally "blow" their tail or develop a split in their tail from flaring. This will heal eventually but must be watched for fungus or bacterial infections initially.