Female Betta Fish Popularity Has Grown

Female Betta Fish are Everywhere!

Whenever I walk into an aquarium shop or pet store in my area I find many fancy finned male bettas that have always greeted me from the shelves and tanks. But a rather new trend is that there are a fair amount of female bettas to select from as well. It used to be that only one of the main stores in town even carried females and the pickings were pretty slim. Now I’m seeing the stock consist of about 60% males, 40% females at all locations.

There are noticeable differences between male and female betta fish, particularly in their appearance, but also in the way that you house them. Female betta fish can be kept in groups if an appropriate hierarchy is established and you have them in a large enough aquarium, while males need to be isolated. Both genders are fascinating to keep in their own respect and I encourage you to consider those spunky short-finned females the next time you invite a new betta friend (or two, or more!) into your care.

Are you seeing the same increase of female betta fish available in your area? Comment below!

Betta 101 reminder: male and female should not be housed in a tank together on a regular basis.