Betta Fish Are Beautiful

The Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), also sometimes colloquially known as the Betta, is a species in the Gourami family which is popular as an aquarium fish. They are called pla-kad (biting fish) in Thai or trey krem in Khmer. They are a very territorial fish and it is unwise to house two males together. Even the females may become territorial towards each other if not housed in a large enough tank.

These species are native to the Mekong basin of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. The fish can be found in vast standing waters of canals, rice paddies and floodplains.[1] The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

In January 2014 a large population of the fish was discovered in the Adelaide River Floodplain in the Northern Territory, Australia.[2] As an invasive species they pose a threat to native fish, frogs and other wildlife in the wetlands.[2]