{"product_id":"betta-fish","title":"Assorted Betta (Betta splendens)","description":"\u003cp\u003eBettas get labeled a beginner fish and a solitary fish in the same breath, and both reputations are a little misleading. \u003cem\u003eBetta splendens\u003c\/em\u003e is a labyrinth fish that breathes surface air through a specialized accessory organ — genuinely low-maintenance on the aeration front — but it's also intelligent, food-motivated, and considerably more interactive than people expect from something sold in a cup. They recognize individual keepers, learn feeding routines quickly, and respond to attention in a way most fish don't.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMales build bubble nests at the surface as part of their natural breeding behavior even with no female present — a floating cluster of mucus-coated air bubbles anchored under plant leaves or floating plants. This is completely normal and a reliable sign of a healthy, content male. A betta that builds nests is a betta in good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWild \u003cem\u003eB. splendens\u003c\/em\u003e originated in shallow rice paddies, irrigation ditches, and slow floodplain streams across Thailand and surrounding countries — warm, often oxygen-poor water where labyrinth breathing became an evolutionary advantage. Famously intolerant of other males and often other long-finned males of any species, but plenty of quiet, fin-safe community tankmates (small corydoras, small tetras, snails, shrimp) work alongside a single male without issue.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScientific name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Betta splendens\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam — rice paddies, slow streams, flood plains, and irrigation canals\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater parameters:\u003c\/strong\u003e Temp 76–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5 · GH 5–20 (adaptable)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTank requirements:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5 gal minimum (10 gal preferred); must have access to surface air; no tight lids without ventilation gaps\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiet:\u003c\/strong\u003e Carnivore — quality betta pellets as staple; supplement with frozen bloodworms, daphnia, and brine shrimp\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompatibility:\u003c\/strong\u003e Males must be kept alone or with carefully chosen fin-safe tankmates; no other male bettas\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHusbandry note:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bettas in cold water (below 76°F) are slow, prone to illness, and rarely display. A small dedicated heater is not optional — it's what the difference between a fish that thrives and one that slowly deteriorates looks like in practice.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"YoCamron's Aquatics","offers":[{"title":"Wild-Caught","offer_id":50153134260461,"sku":"FWFSH-BETTA","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/1032\/8813\/files\/IMG_0019.jpg?v=1782360922","url":"https:\/\/www.yocamronsaquatics.com\/products\/betta-fish","provider":"YoCamron's Aquatics","version":"1.0","type":"link"}