# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Anabantoids >  Betta lifespan

## juggler

For those who keep those common betta, how long did it lived?

I know most websites say 2 to 3 years. But for mine, they seem to live for less than a year. Yeah - some succumed to disease, some jumped.  :Sad: 

But those that really died of old age remained with me for at most a year. I bought them as adults from shops. At those sizes, are they easily a year old or older?

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## Justikanz

I had one slightly more than 3 years old and still going strong, eating well and active...

Think it is the genes...

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## bclee

I had one that was with me just over 3 years.

Kept him in my planted tank.

BC

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## juggler

Maybe I should get a young specimen to start with ...  :Smile: 

And BTW - do you feed it live or dried food? I feed mine with insect larva about every other day. Maybe that is too protein rich for them?

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## Justikanz

My fish were fed mainly dried food as they are in the office. Only occassionally will they see live worms...

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## cwtan12

I was a hardcore betta hobbyist before into planted. In fact it's not difficult to keep a betta alive but maintaining a competition grade betta in tip top form is another story. Just make sure your water pH is between 6 and 6.5, clean and not too much current. Feed it consistently eg 2 times a day with clean food but do not overfeed. Overfed bettas wont live too long. Overfeeding reduce the lifespan. You need to exercise them once a while by making it flare. 

Genes play a big part in their lifespan. If you are buying those show grade ones, their lifespan is usually shorter than those $1-2 ones because inbreeding weaken their immunity. So if your betta is those fancyful ones, having a 2 years old is already a good job done.

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## juggler

Thanks for the info! Will try not to overfeed it... and give them some flaring exercise.

Was shopping for more bettas over the weekend at Yishun Aquastar. Prices of crown tails seem to have dropped to as low as the common ones. Got a few to try...

I house my bettas in these setups to prevent mosquito breeding.

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## Justikanz

Hmm... I would like to start something like that...  :Razz: 

Maybe you can advise me, when we meet again, where to get the first plant (on the left)...  :Razz: 

But you have no problems with birds trying to snack on the bettas?

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## cwtan12

> Was shopping for more bettas over the weekend at Yishun Aquastar. Prices of crown tails seem to have dropped to as low as the common ones.



Yeah. That is the normal ones. For a competition grade crowntail, esp KCT, the price is still US$XXX.XX for certain colours. Well, IMO, a normal one from LFS is good enough unless you are grooming for competitions. :Smile:

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## dc88

> 


Hi Juggler

Are these your original idea of submersed planting ? You might hit a jackpot ! I think these have potential to go upmarket. May be you should find a hydroponic partner or interior landscape outlet and offer it as a package startup kits ? And sell the "secret" fert package there after to the installed base.

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## juggler

Dennis: Yep, hit upon this idea after getting tired of trying to keep my emersed Echinodorus moist. Thanks to Armani for giving me those nice tanks.  :Smile: 

I believe other folks have something similar. Maybe they use the whole betta tank laden with substrate like a planted tank?

The bettas keep any mosquito breeding in check. Everything pretty low maintenance. Free natural light in shade. No water change. Just top up. Even the bettas are fed some insect larva I cultivate with expired oat meal.

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## Big Eyes

Hi KF
Nice set up. 

Tee

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## firethorn

This LFS I used to get from many managed to survive for 3 or more years..

Nowadays, this LFS's betta cannot make it.. even for mating also cannot tahan..

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## hwchoy

firehorn, you into betta? want to be introduced to some REAL bettas?

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## firethorn

Sure I'm into Betta...

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## hwchoy

I mean the real wild family of _Betta_, not just fancy "fighting fish".

what I mean is, if you are truly interested in these fishes as a family from Nature, then we could work on something. if you are only interested in the red, blue, crown tail, half moon and so on, then nevermind.

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## firethorn

> I mean the real wild family of _Betta_, not just fancy "fighting fish".
> 
> what I mean is, if you are truly interested in these fishes as a family from Nature, then we could work on something. if you are only interested in the red, blue, crown tail, half moon and so on, then nevermind.


I like looking at fancy fighting fish.

But I'm intrigued by their bubble nests, labyrinth organ, and how they mate(esp the female part)...

If that's what you mean..

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## hwchoy

> I like looking at fancy fighting fish.
> 
> But I'm intrigued by their bubble nests, labyrinth organ, and how they mate(esp the female part)...
> 
> If that's what you mean..



that's a good start. have you seen other _Betta_ other than _B. pugnax_ and the fancy stuff?

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## firethorn

Think i've seen a bellica or something once..

Don't think I've seen any more.. If I did, I don't know their names.

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## hwchoy

unfortunately the really good info on wild _Betta_ isn't here. I would speak with the author either have him post here or post a link.

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## firethorn

what author? lol..

go ahead..

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## hwchoy

In fact there is a really good book on some of the wild _Betta_. It is the Raffles Museum supplement, you can find it at the Botanical Gardens shop at the visitor centre. Plenty of pictures too. and this book, you can read and repeat with authority.  :Smile:

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## Justikanz

Ermm... Off topic liao?? Can start a new thread?  :Razz:

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