Betta fish are a popular pet, but how big do they grow? Bettas are magnificent species that don’t grow big. They are small and grow on average from six to eight centimeters (2.4-3.1 inches). Their life span is from two to five years depending on the living conditions. Male Bettas grow to be more beautiful than females but they tend to be more aggressive and more territorial too. So, Bettas are breathtaking and small fish by their appearance.
In this article:
How big do Betta fish grow in the wild?
There isn’t any difference in size with Bettas living in the wild. The only difference could be with life span. In the wild Bettas live shorter on average than in the aquarium where everything is set by their needs. If the tank conditions are favorable and you feed your Betta with super nutrient rich foods you can expect that your pet grows a bit bigger.
How Big Do Bettas Get as Pets?
If you provide perfect conditions for your Betta you can expect it to reach maximum size on average 2,4-3,1 inch and a bit bigger.
Female Betta Fish Size
Female Bettas are easy to take care of, they are less aggressive and their color varies. With every Betta, you need to keep the tank arranged properly when it comes to the water conditions, especially the temperature. Feeding your Betta with varied food enriched in proteins will certainly contribute to growth. They grow on average up to 2,25 inches; the tail is not included.
Male Betta Fish Size
Male Bettas are more beautiful than females and they grow on average up to 2,5 inches. They can grow even bigger if the right conditions are provided. The tank size is very important for Betta – 10 gallons minimum, warm water between 76 and 82 degrees, the appropriate levels of nitrate, nitrites and ammonia and pH of the water between 6.5 and 7.5. Having all that set you need to fill the tank with lots of live plants to provide a lot of hiding places and enough oxygen. Add decoration to amuse your fish because if it gets bored it will become stressed and problems will arise. And in the end, a proper diet rich in protein is very important.
Having all this set you can expect to have a healthy Betta that will grow properly or over average which is 2,5 inches.
What is the largest Betta fish?
The largest Betta is Giant Betta fish or Betta Anabatoides. They are a peaceful species where males reach 5 inches in length. Some breeders succeeded in producing Giant Betta in 1999. They used the method of selective breeding by choosing the biggest male and female Betta available. If you are considering producing larger Bettas first you need to provide at least a 40 gallons tank. And different water conditions apply for this kind. Giant Bettas like their water salty and slightly acidic with a low flow. They also require good quality water like many other species. Their life span is the same as with regular Bettas, two to five years. It most certainly depends on the care and feeding and of course genetics. In general, if a Giant Betta hasn’t had an exceptional life it will live two to three years. If you put it in a small tank its life span will be much shorter.
Giant Bettas are also sensitive to temperature and the range is the same as with common Bettas from 76 to 81 degrees. The water should be free of chemicals and heavy metals. Provide slightly acid water between 6.5 and 7.5 pH. Keep the tank clean and maintain regular water changes. Add plants and decorations because they love it. Feed them properly with foods that contain a lot of proteins, they enjoy bloodworms and brine shrimp.
If you fulfill all the conditions mentioned above you may expect your Betta to grow to a maximum size.
How can I make my Betta fish grow bigger?
We are going to offer you several tips on how to make your Betta grow bigger
- Keep your Betta in at least a 5-gallon tank and bigger. They like space
- Keep the tank temperature between 72 and 80 degrees. If stressed due to a change in temperature, Bettas grow slower.
- Provide a diet high in proteins
- Feed your Betta regularly two or three times a day with a two-minute consumption rule. Give her only as much as it can eat within two minutes.
There are also several tricks to make Betta’s fin bigger so try this:
- Keep your Betta alone so that other fish can`t damage the fins when fighting.
- Keep the pH of the water at 7.0 and the temperature between 72 and 82 degrees.
- Adding 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt to every 5 gallons of water will kill bacteria that may cause damage to the tail and fins
- Feed Betta a proper diet
Final Words on How Big Do Betta Fish Grow?
If you take everything into account you see that common Bettas, female or male grow at about 2.5 inches. The exception is Giant Betta which can grow up to 5 inches.
Their growth mostly depends on the conditions you provide. Set the right water parameters, provide a bigger tank, arrange it properly, maintain the conditions inside the tank and use a varied diet rich in proteins. The better the conditions are the bigger your Betta is going to be.
If you have fulfilled all the conditions you may expect your Betta to reach its maximum size.