Comparing a Male Betta Fish and a Female Betta Fish
Key Differences Between a Male Betta Fish and a Female Betta Fish
One major physical difference between the male and female betta fish is the length of their fins. The males have noticeably longer fins than their female counterparts, and in some species, male fins are four times longer than the females’. Furthermore, the tail (caudal) fins of the male betta fish are generally longer and thicker than that of the female. The same also applies to the ventral fins. We’ll discuss more differences below.
Male vs Female Betta: Colors
Male bettas are typically brighter and more colorful than females, who tend to be more subdued. The bright colors of the male betta fish are, perhaps, why they are the more commonly sold of the two genders at pet stores. You should, however, note that colors are not enough sex markers because some females can take on equally brilliant colors like the males.
Male vs Female Betta: Vertical Stripes
Male bettas do not have vertical stripes. The females, on the other hand, display vertical stripes on both sides of their bodies when they are scared or when they are ready to mate.
Male vs Female Betta: Shape
Another physical difference between both genders of betta fish is their shape. The male betta fish has an elongated body that gives it a slim and narrow look. On the other hand, the female betta fish has a shorter and wide-bodied shape.
Male vs Female Betta: Beard and Flaring
While both male and female bettas have a membrane below their gill plate that appears like a “beard,” the male has a larger beard. Therefore, the beard of a male betta may be visible even when it doesn’t flare its gill plates, but the female’s smaller beard is usually only visible when she flares her gill plates. Furthermore, male bettas usually flare as an aggressive trait, while female bettas may flare in a group to establish dominance. In addition to that, female bettas tend to take a head-down posture when they flare. Males do not take this position.
Male vs Female Betta: Aggressive Behavior
One famous fact about the betta fish is that it is an incredibly aggressive fish to others of its kind. However, male bettas are far more aggressive than female bettas. Male bettas’ aggression towards each other is so steep that keeping them together will most likely lead to the death or maiming of one or both. They may even attack their own reflections. On the other hand, female bettas are far less aggressive and they can even be kept together in groups without any of them dying. It should be noted that keeping just two female bettas together may lead to an increase in aggressive tendencies, but keeping them in groups tends to diffuse the aggression.
Male vs Female Betta: Bubble Nests
Generally, only male bettas construct bubble nests; females do so very rarely. A bubble nest refers to a nest that is made up of saliva bubbles that a betta fish creates on water surfaces. Male bettas make these bubble nests during the breeding season in preparation for a female, whether there is a female in their tank or not. The nest is designed to protect eggs that may be laid.
Similarities Between a Male and a Female Betta
There are certain features that are similar to both genders of betta fish, and we discuss some of them in detail below:
Prey and Predator
Both male and female bettas are carnivorous, and they primarily feed on shrimp, daphnia, brine, the larvae of aquatic insects, as well as other small crustaceans. On the other hand, bettas in the wild have predators such as newts, birds, larger fish, and salamanders. There is also the human factor where they are captured and suffer pollution and habitat destruction due to human expansion.
Naming
Bettas got their name from a clan of warriors referred to as “Bettah”. The colorful fish were conferred with the name as a result of their reputation for fighting. In fact, the battles between bettas became a popular sport in Thailand that the king regulated and taxed. An interesting thing about the sport was that spectators of the sport placed bets based on the bravery of the fish instead of the damage that the victor inflicted.
External Anatomy
Both the male and female betta fish have certain similar parts which enable their feeding, swimming, mating, and fighting. Some of these parts include:
Eyes: Male and female bettas have two eyes that are located on both sides of their head. They have fairly good eyesight, and they see in full colors. However, they do not have eyelids and do not blink as humans do. Mouth and Teeth: All bettas have a mouth and several tiny sharp teeth which help them break down food before ingestion. Their mouth, which is turned upward, enables them to build bubble nests, suck air, and get prey located at the water surface. Operculum: Betta fish have a unique part called the operculum, which protects their fragile gills by forming a protective barrier around them.
