Elegant, colorful, and very striking. These are just some of the traits that most characterize a typical betta fish. But are they characteristic of females or males? How can we differentiate them between them? We will solve these and more questions in this article. In which we will show the physical characteristics that differentiate both genders. As well as the behavioral traits that can also help us identify the sex of each fish.
The betta fish, popularly known as the Siamese fighting fish. Belong to the Anabantidae family, also stands out for being one of the most aggressive fish. Both with fish of the same species and with specimens of other different species. Therefore, knowing their care and needs is essential to enjoy a happy and stress-free animal. And for this, the first thing is to identify the sex of the fish. Keep reading and discover how to know if your betta fish is male or female.
Types of betta splendens fish
Although we usually refer to all betta fish with this name, the truth is that there are different types. Each with a different morphology. Thus, before going on to indicate how to differentiate a male betta fish from a female, it is important to learn to identify the type of betta fish that we have before us to offer you the best care. Currently, we find more than 10 types of betta. However, the most common in aquariums are the following:
- Fish betta splendens veil tail or veil tail betta. It is usually the most common. They’recharacterized by presenting a tail fin in the form of a veil.
- Half-tailed betta splendens or Halfmoon betta fish. One of the most striking bettas, it has a spectacular rounded dorsal and caudal fin that, extended, form a D or half-moon.
- Crown-tailed or crowntail betta splendens. It differs from the rest of betta fish by the tips or rays found on its fins and tail, creating an image similar to a crown.
- Double-tailed or double-tailed betta splendens fish. Despite its name, what this betta presents is a caudal fin with the bones divided into two, simulating a “split tail” or “double”.
Despite the existence of so many species of betta, all males and all females have common physical characteristics that help us differentiate them. We show them below.
Characteristics of the male betta fish
In general, distinguishing a male betta fish from an adult female is usually a simple task, the complication is when both are still very young. So, we will have to wait for them to reach sexual maturity and then look at the colors of the fish and the size of their fins.
Physical traits that differentiate them
Once adulthood is reached, the male betta fish, regardless of the type to which it belongs, is more voluminous than the female, this being the first visible difference between the two. Likewise, the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins are much showier than those of the female, not only in size but also in color. In this way, the male betta tends to wear more vibrant, striking, and beautiful colors than the female, with red, blue, and green being the most common (but not the only ones).
On the other hand, and although this is a trait more difficult to perceive with the naked eye, the betta fish has a membrane located just below the gills, with a black or dark brown hue, known as “beard”. In males, this beard is much more noticeable and we can see it when the fish is dominant to another male. In females, we can barely see it because it is smaller and does not usually extend it.
Differential behavior
Regarding the personality and behavior of these fish, the male has a much more aggressive attitude than the female when faced with another male and feels the need to fight for one or more females from the same territory. Therefore, it is not recommended to gather more than one male in the same aquarium, since the result would be a fight between them. Likewise, if you intend to breed betta fish, you should also not join the male with the female without an adequate presentation, since the male could also attack her. In this case, the ideal scenario is to separate the aquarium with glass, for example, and place both specimens in their respective parts so that they can be observed without touching.
When the male feels that he is ready to mate, he will form a bubble nest, which will attract the female and the courtship process will begin.
Bettas spawning underneath a Bubble Nest by ZooFari
Characteristics of the female betta fish
As we said until sexual maturity is reached it is extremely difficult to know if a betta fish is male or female. However, once obtained, the differences between them are really visible.
Physical traits that differentiate them
As we pointed out in the previous section, a male betta is more voluminous, so that females are thinner than males. This does not mean that they must necessarily have a shorter body since we can find males and females with a length of their body similar or equal, but that the females tend to be thinner.
The colors of the betta females are usually more subdued and discreet, going much more unnoticed than the bright and bright tones of the males. Likewise, although the fins of the females have the same characteristics as the males in terms of shape, such as the presence of rays in the crowntail, they differ in size. In this way, female betta has a smaller caudal, anal, and dorsal fins.
And if none of the above features helps us differentiate a male betta fish from a female, we will have to try to find the female ovipositor tube, located at the bottom of the fish and where the eggs are produced. This part appears to the human eye as a round spot or white dot, located between the ventral and anal fins.
Differential behavior
In general, females tend to be less aggressive than males and several can coexist in the same aquarium, provided that it meets the appropriate conditions for size and environmental enrichment. However, this does not mean that the occasional altercation between them cannot occur due to hierarchical issues.
