The Crowntail Betta is a highly popular tail type variation. It is for their caudal fins alone that they are considered one of the most popular fish in the U.S. This graceful and multi-hued fish has officially been accepted as Thailand’s national aquatic animal.
The Crowntail is most commonly referred to as the Betta, or its behavioral name, the Siamese Fighting fish. The Betta’s ancestors are native to Thailand and other parts of SouthEast Asia. There it is often referred to as “The Jewel of the Orient.”
The Betta got its name from an ancient clan of fighting warriors, the “Bettah.” The fish was given this name when the sport of fighting fish became popular in the 1800s. It was in 1997 that Achmad Yusuf, a Betta breeder from Indonesia, created the first Crowntail Betta fish.
Because of the highly aggressive nature of the Betta, they may not be the best choice for a beginner aquarist. However, for someone with a little more experience, caring for them can be very much worth it. With flowing fins of vivid red and blue, a male Crowntail Betta can easily become the vivid centerpiece of a small home aquarium.
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Typical Behavior
While each Betta has its own behavioral patterns and unique personality, they are very aggressive fish. Betta fish were bred to fight, and it is for this reason that they’re so prone to aggression.
The Crowntail is a very combative species with territorial tendencies and frequent displays of dominance. Despite this, your Crowntail can be very mild-mannered when given enough solitude and a stress-free environment.
Like with any living being, the better their living conditions, the less likely they are to act out.
How Much do Betta Fish Cost?
You should expect to pay anywhere from 5 to 30 dollars for your Crowntail. This depends on a number of factors such as size, sex, color vibrancy, and the reputation of the dealer you’re buying from.
When buying your Crowntail make sure to source from a reputable seller. This is the best way to ensure the health of your fish. Never buy fish from a tank that contains sick fish.
Be sure to do adequate research beforehand and to ask specific questions before buying.
Best Diet for Betta Fish
Betta are primarily carnivorous, so it’s important to make sure that they get an adequate amount of protein. Some people think that plants in their aquarium will be sufficient for them to feed on, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Betta need protein and fats to keep them healthy. Without the proper nutrition, their beautiful colors will fade. They have upturned mouths, and feed on the water’s surface. Some good choices for feeding are dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia. They can also eat live food such as insect larvae, white worms, wingless fruit flies, and mosquito larvae.
Commercial Betta food is best because it combines all three foods with vitamins and minerals included. Having an optimal diet improves the Beta’s brilliant coloring and longevity.
Don’t overfeed them. Remember that you should provide only as much food as they can eat in about three minutes. Bettas should be fed small portions three times a day. Do not feed your Betta all their days food in one sitting, they have small stomachs, and this can be deadly. If you overfeed your Betta, they can become constipated. Signs of constipation include swollen body and over-large eyes.
Crowntail Betta Tankmates
Betta fish are perfectly happy being solitary fish and often can’t abide by the presence of other fish in their space. Unlike some other species, they will attack their own regardless of gender.
In the wild, Betta lives peacefully with one another. They rarely show aggression unless the breeding season is nearing. In the environment of a home aquarium, however, their temperament is quite different.
This doesn’t mean there aren’t some good options for tankmates. Betta can coexist peacefully with others, so long as they don’t feel threatened. The best way to introduce tankmates is to make sure the Crowntail Betta is established in its tank first.
If you can’t do this, avoid placing your betta in the tank right away. Introduce your Betta to the tank slowly, and watch for signs of aggression. The beginnings of aggression can include puffing of the gills. Even after you’ve settled your Crowntail with its new tankmates, be sure to remain vigilant until you’re sure that everyone is cohabitating peacefully.
Corydora catfish, Kuhli loaches, bristlenose plecos, neon tetras, harlequin rasboras, ghost shrimp, and zebra snails are all viable companions for your Betta fish.
Do not try to pair your Betta with other Betta, especially not two males. In addition, avoid any types of Gouramis. Gouramis are closely related to Bettas, and they will attack each other. Avoid barbs, as they like to nip fins, which will incite the wrath of the Betta. It is commonly thought that Betta should live alone, but this isn’t true. That being said, you should be very careful when choosing tankmates for Betta fish.
What Size Aquarium do They Need?
Sometimes people keep their Betta in a small fishbowl or even a vase. This doesn’t allow the fish enough space to swim around, and they can sometimes injure themselves swimming around in such a limited space.
The recommended tank size for a Betta fish is 5 gallons. The smaller a tank is, the harder it is to keep it clean and ammonia-free.
Crowntail Betta Appearance
The Crowntail has a unique tail fin design. The webbing between the rays is reduced, making the spikes appear more prominent and giving the fin a crown-like appearance.
Its incredible tail fin can be up to eight inches in diameter, which is three times the size of this fish’s body. Crowntail bettas have a wide range of vibrant colors. They can come in as many as 25 different colors, with blues and reds being the most common.
There are also male Crowntails with pastel tones, metallic hues, and albino coloring. Male Bettas are larger than females. Though the males are longer than the females, they are visibly thinner.
Female bettas have smaller tails and fins than males. They tend to look more like your standard fish, while the males have elegant flowing fins and tails. The males are also more likely to have vibrant colors. Females display the same colors but don’t need to be as vivid. Crowntail Bettas generally grow to around 2 ½ inches in length.
Caring for Crowntail Betta
Columnairs is a common ailment for Crowntail Betta. This is a bacterial disease that causes the fins to look ragged. It can also result in skin ulcers as well as lesions. Sometimes it causes breathing difficulties and can lead to death if not treated within 72 hours. Prevent Columnairs by treating any open wounds or infections right away. The main cause of this disease is overcrowding and limited oxygen.
Another common ailment is redmouth. This causes bleeding inside the mouth and eyes and is caused by the growth of bacteria inside the tank. The best way to prevent this is to maintain good water quality. Redmouth can also be treated with antibiotics.
Dropsy is something that Crowntail Bettas can be afflicted with, and is quite common among tropical freshwater fish. The symptoms include sunken eyes and scales that appear to bulge outwards. It causes the fish to develop swollen abdomens when their insides fill with fluid.
A way to treat this is with medications like Betta Revive. The best way, however, is to prevent the disease altogether. Dropsy is fatal more often than not. Keeping your aquarium clean and providing vitamin-rich foods is a way to keep these diseases from becoming a problem for your Crowntail Betta.
Crowntail Betta Environment and Tank Conditions
Most tap water contains chlorine and chloramine, which can kill fish. You should always treat water with a water conditioner before adding it to an aquarium.
The water must be cycled before several weeks before fish can be added. Testing kits can help determine when it is done cycling. About 10% of the water in a tank should be replaced once every week. Do not use soaps or chemicals to clean the tank. Those substances can be deadly to fish.
Using a turkey baster to clean the waste particles from the water is the best way to clean a fish tank. For cleaning objects within the aquarium, use warm water and a brush.
You’ll need a heater and a filter for your tank. You’ll also want to set the tank up with plants like java moss and java fern. Some hiding places, which can be achieved with rocks and caves. You can use smooth gravel for the substrate. Indian almond leaves are another nice touch, as these release natural acids that can improve the health of your Betta.
Bettas need to stay warm, and for this reason, you should never try to pair them with goldfish. Goldfish require colder water to be comfortable. The aquarium should be in a spot where temperature and light are controllable. Since Bettas are labyrinth fish, they obtain oxygen from the surface of the water. So be sure not to overcrowd the surface with vegetation.
Bettas are good jumpers and often leap out of uncovered tanks, so make sure the tank has a lid. With a tank thermometer, you can ensure the water temperature stays between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. You will want to stay at a pH level of 6.4 to 7.0. With water hardness of 2 to 5 carbonate hardness.
It’s best not to use an aeration system because the Crowntail’s long, fragile fins can become damaged in strong currents. If you go on vacation, don’t use a vacation feeder. Consider using an electrically operated feeder. Ask your friends or neighbors to check in on them to make sure everything is functioning properly.
Crowntail Bettas that receive proper care can reach 2 to 5 years of age.
Breeding Crowntail Betta
Caution should be observed when breeding your Betta. They are so combative that trying to get them to spawn can be a challenging process. Crowntails have more aggression compared to the other tail types, so you may need to run interference if you decide to breed your Crowntail.
You’ll want at least two tanks to breed Betta. One as a permanent home, and one as a breeding tank. If you have the funds for a more elaborate setup, you may want to consider a tank for each of the adult fish, a breeding tank, and a tank for the fry.
If you’re not able to have multiple tanks, you’ll need a divider to keep the male and female separate. If he is interested in a female, the male Betta will flare his gills, spread his fins, and twist his body in a dance. If the female is ready, she will darken in color and develop vertical bards known as breeding bars in response.
The males will build bubble nests at the surface of the water. Any plants or rocks that break the surface of the water can form a base for bubble nests. The act of spawning is called a ‘nuptial embrace,’ as the male wraps his body around the female. Around 10-40 eggs are released each embrace.
After the spawning process has completed the female should be removed from the tank. If she is not removed she may be killed by the male. Incubation lasts for 24-36 hours, and newly hatched fry remain in the nest for two to three days until their yolk sacs have been fully absorbed.
Conclusion
It’s a well-known fact that caring for fish can actually improve your mental health. It’s for this reason alone that many people become aquarists. Crowntail Bettas are a truly beautiful species. With their flowing fins and vibrancy of color, they are sure to bring their owners’ awe.
With enough consideration and care, your Betta will lead a peaceful and contented life, bringing both you and your family joy.
