My bettas

Ollie and Napoleon. Napoleon's flaring. :)

I have two bettas, and they're the best! I have a boy and a girl. Their names are Napoleon and Olivia. I've had Napoleon since I got him last Christmas, and Olivia I think I've had since April.

Napoleon is a veiltail betta. He's a pretty normal fish, he flares, makes bubble nests, and acts happy. He's very active. :) I just love him to death. Once he had fin rot, so some of these pictures will show him quite ratty. But I gave him some medication for that, and it worked wonders. He doesn't have perfect fins now, but they're a lot better than before.

Olivia, (or Ollie, as I'm inclined to call her) is a very interesting betta. She's quite a tomboy.Unlike most females, she flares. A lot. She also attempts to make her own tiny bubble nests., It's very strange. She's very active, and hops around in the water when she sees me. :)' She always stays very close to the surface, also.

Once she had a swim bladder disease, a disease which makes it hard or impossible for the fish to remain upright. She would just float at the surface or float vertically with her nose on the botton of the tank. She wouldn't eat for around a week, even though I still consistently put food in her tank. Then I went into my room and I could have sworn all the food was gone! Her appetite came back, she started swimming normally, and now it's like it never happened. :D

What's a betta?

First and formost, I'd like to explain what a betta fish is, and why they're unique. You can skip it if it bores you. ;)
Bettas are anabantoids, also sometimes incorrectly labeled anabantids. An anabantoid is a fish with a labyrinth organ, which is a is an organ which lets fish breath surface air, and live in very small spaces. (Wild bettas live/lived in shallow bodies of water, like flooded rice paddies.) This organ makes them ideal pets to keep in small bowls and cups.
Bettas are also famous for their long flowing fins. These fins were originally quite small, but genetical engineering has changed that. There are still bettas with small fins though. There are several kinds of bettas. There are "plakats" and "halfmoon plakats", the shortfinned variety. (I prefer this kind.)
Secondly, there are "halfmoons", a type with erect tail fins that span 180 degrees, thus the name "halfmoon". There are also "crowntail" bettas, with fins that look like the rim of Batman's cape, only much more so.
Thirdly, there are "veiltail bettas", which is the kind most people find in petshops. Veiltail bettas have long drooping fins. Fourthly, there are bettas known as "deltas" or "super-deltas". I don't see much difference between them and a halfmoon. (Any knowledge on this? Please comment.)There are also some miscellaneous types.
Bettas are also well known for their fighting urge. For some reason bettas are apathetic to other fish, but like to beat up their own kind. Males will try to kill other males, and behave brutally to females, unless they are in breeding condition. Even then, they will be pretty mean.
As anyone who has kept a betta can tell you, male bettas love to flare their gill covers. (I'll post a picture of this soon.) They will flare at other bettas, bright colors, foreign objects, and just about anything. Females may do this, but rarely.
As you can see, the betta is a very interesting fish, with a lot of personality. Also, you may have noticed I've left some stuff out, like bubble nests. I'll tell more about this stuff in posts to come. :)

Welcome to Bettaz!

Welcome to Bettaz! This is a blog where I'll share my knowledge of the beloved betta fish. I'll tell you information I know, give links to sites I've found especially helpful, etc. :)'