How Long Does A Betta Fish Live

How long does a betta fish live?

The Betta Fish is without a doubt one of the most beautiful fish to grace freshwater. It therefore comes as no surprise that freshwater aquariums around the world are filled with this beautiful fish. It also comes as no surprise that many people are asking “how long does a Betta Fish Live?” Like most questions though, this isn’t something which is going to be easy to answer by any means, although I will do the best possible job to ensure you know exactly how to extend the life of your Betta Fish.

The average lifespan of a Betta Fish, both in the wild and in captivity is nestled somewhere between two to six years so in short there is your answer to how long does a better fish live, sorry to be so short and sweet, shall we go on?. This has been witnessed by both scientists who carry out research on the fish, as well as breeders who of course look after the fish. These people consider that your fish is generally going to live around three years, if it manages to hit six years without any help from you, then it is certainly doing good for itself!

Perhaps the biggest problem with knowing how long does a betta fish live is that if you aren’t a breeder, you won’t know how old the fish was when you purchased it. Sometimes it could already be up to a year old, and relatively speaking, this means that you won’t have a lot of time with it. When you purchase a Betta Fish, always ask questions of the person that is supplying it to you. That way you can find out as much as possible about the history of the fish.

Many breeders are actually feeding their betta fish with steroids in order to increase the lifespan, and sometimes this means they can hit around seven years old, although normally it is a bit less. You will be surprised how widespread this practice is, and many breeders actually incorporate this into the fish’s diet on a regular basis. When planning the diet of the fish, you should ensure that you don’t over feed them, an overweight fish is at a much greater risk of disease and dying out quickly.

There are a variety of different factors which could affect how long the Betta Fish could last. For example, if the fish has been used for a lot of breeding then you can expect that the lifespan will be shortened considerably as this can put a lot of strain on the fish. Generally speaking, fish purchased from a pet store as opposed to a breeder will also last for fewer years, mainly because the ‘strains’ that have been bred are different, and the amount of care that the fish are receiving during infancy is also different.

Studies have also shown that those Betta Fish which live in larger tanks will probably live much longer than those who are cooped up in smaller tanks. In fact, if you are purchasing any tank you should always purchase the largest that you can both afford and fit into your room. This is going to benefit all of your fish.

Hopefully this has been of some use to you and provide at least a couple of answers as to how long does a betta fish live.