Betta, The Best Pet Fish? 

If you want to see Jason's legendary Betta dance, or you just want more Betta content, please check out our Patreon: www.patreon.com/clintsreptiles I really want to see that dance! 💃

I love bettas and I agree with the score. However, I'm personally giving them extra brownie points for being able to recognize their owners and come greet them when they approach the tank. And that they can be trained too.

As someone who kept aquariums all my life (in third generation) I am so thankful you did not sugar-coat fishkeeping. I am convinced fish are the most mistreated pet. So many people think it's just normal to buy a new "cup" or goldfish for their goldfish bowl (terrible tank choice) every week, even though they can live for years with just.. some preparation. Namely filtered, cycled, appropriate enclosures with plenty of hiding spaces, plants and lighting.

In my early 20’s, I had bettas in planted tanks all over my first apartment. Seeing them do “fish zoomies” when they are put in an aquarium for the first time is so joyous. They are wonderful, beautiful, personable little animals. I adore them.

Clint, has this uncanny ability to explain things to you like you’re 5 years old. Which is perfect, for someone like myself who doesn’t know anything about a specific topic, like beta fish. I think it takes an incredible amount of knowledge to explain something so simply, as he does with everything, reptile/animal related.

I do love trying to think about what's going on in the head of a betta fish, because they're such cute little tiny beautiful fish, And they're just complete hyper violent maniacs.

Something I learned about Betta's the hard way is that they can and will jump. My ten-gallon lid had a minor gap due to the heater and filter wires, and two hours after putting my new buddy in the tank, he made a break for it. While I was able to recover him, and he survived the initial shock to his system, he had fallen a fair distance and ended up passing away later that night. Please ensure your water level is low enough that they cannot jump out if you are using a lidless tank, or ensure you have a lid that does not have any gaps for them to escape through.

The pet stores in my country have adopted a unique style of aquarium for their bettas- a series of tiny tanks that are all linked together to a centralised water cycling system underneath. The water gets properly cleaned this way and the temperatures remain even while keeping everyone safe and secure. You certainly see WAY less sick and dying fish than you used to since they were added.

When you think of the phrase "beginner fish", goldfish is usually the first species to come to mind for inexperienced people. But experienced fishkeepers know that the betta is the true best beginner fish, for all the reasons Clint laid out in this video. The best thing you can say about goldfish is that they don't usually require a heated aquarium. Otherwise, they're pretty high-maintenance fish that produce a huge amount of nitrogenous waste compared to other common home aquarium species. Also, as Clint said, DON'T keep your betta in a cup or even a fishbowl. That's animal cruelty, IMO. A 10-gallon/40-liter tank should be the absolute minimum for an adult male betta.

Well explained! I’d also like to add that plakat bettas, which are basically short-finned bettas, are an option. Their fins don’t weigh them down as much as a regular betta’s, which allows them to swim much more easily. They are also much more resistant to fin damage. In my opinion, they are just as beautiful and healthier than regular bettas. Alternatively, you could get a female betta, which have similar benefits.

I sold fish at two different aquarium shops for about five years in the mid-late 00s, I can add a few details to think about when it comes to common bettas. On Sight - the males are inclined to fight on sight. those big racks of betta cups you see in stores? they all have line of sight to each other. they are literally surrounded by enemies. you'll often see them flaring and trying to get at each other through the cups, but fancy bettas are bred for looks and not endurance, so they'll give up quickly (before they rub their faces raw on the side of the cup). this is still stressful on the fish. if you have bettas in two different tanks with clear line of sight within a few feet of each other, make sure they have plenty of cover so they're not eyeballing each other all day. the use of cards or other sight blockers in between individual betta cups reflects well on a fish store. Territory Size - 120+ gallons in a very wide (at least 18 square footprint), heavily planted tank is not enough. a male fancy betta will claim all of that for himself. at one of the stores we had these enormous flat wide plant stock tanks, full of cover. and we kept the betta cups on top of these tanks. sometimes one would fall in and come open and the betta would get out, and we'd leave it there because a betta under high intensity plant lights in a literal field of green looks *amazing*. but sometimes, a second cup would fall in. they only have the endurance to do a few laps of pursuit (meaning one fish has already lost the fight and is trying to retreat) across a six foot wide tank, and if we didn't spot that happening and extract one of them in time, the loser could wind up hiding, scrunched up vertically in a broad-leafed plant, for a week or more. Conspecific Aggression and Predation - obviously avoid housing with other bettas species, probably a good idea to stay clear of other small anabantids too. avoid small invertebrates (usually dwarf shrimp) and anything bite sized (livebearer fry) if you want to keep such things alive. common knowledge is to avoid male fancy guppies on account of their similarly flowing tails. in one store a betta did manage to jump into the male fancy guppy tank, where it would occasionally attempt to chase them, but lose track in the swarm and give up. this is still aggression, the betta was simply overwhelmed by the target rich environment, and it's still stressful on the betta. we did move the betta to another tank after realizing what was happening (on first sighting, it was not in pursuit, and we thought "maybe it's okay like this?"). if anything, other fish, even community fish, are more likely to pick on a male fancy betta. their fins are irresistible to anything with bitey inclinations. absolutely no tiger barbs! rasboras are usually alright. danios and tetras vary, and may require some caution. even moreso with barbs. platies are fine. swordtails are fine *unless* you wind up with an aggressive male. mollies will not bother the betta directly but are such boisterous eaters that the betta might not get enough food. displaying bettas in main tanks with appropriate tankmates reflects well on a fish store. The Ladies - although they are still territorial, it is possible to apply an African lake cichlid mentality to female fancy bettas. In a small group, the weakest fish will be focused on and eventually killed, repeat until there's only one fish left. but in a group of 10 or more, they are overwhelmed and no one fish comes out wholly on top or at the bottom, replacing focused aggression with a constant low-level tension. this is still an artificial imposition and stressful on all of the fish, so while it is an arguably suitable approach for a store trying to keep as many bettas in main tanks as possible, I don't think I can really suggest this for a home aquarium. Winter, and using Indian Almond Leaf - the colder it gets, the worse it is for a betta. even 40F will not kill a betta instantly in and of itself, but the fish will be so weak that it will be attacked and overwhelmed by bacterial and fungal growth in only a couple of hours. I know this, because one winter, my house heater stopped working in the middle of the night. I also know this, because at *both* stores, we would lose 90%+ of bettas we received in the winter, most of those on the first day. be very cautious buying bettas from stores if the average temperature in your area drops below 60F. even if the store is doing its absolute best, you don't know what conditions are at the distributors, you don't know what conditions are during bulk shipping and transportation (usually bad - a lot of places don't transport bettas in cups, they put them in these 2 cubic inch bags with only enough water to half-cover the fish). not all distributors are equal, of course, but all of the ones in our area always produced the exact same results in the winter. now, if a betta makes it through all that and has been doing fine at the store for a week, it should be safe, but do consider having some basic insulation to contain the bag or cup in so that your own transportation conditions don't cause any complications for the fish. I personally cut winter betta losses at both stores down to about 50%. because I had previously read about Indian Almond Leaf and if there was any time to try it, this was it. fancy bettas aren't just a tropical fish, they're a blackwater fish. they're from swamps. they like tannins and other plant compounds, and Indian Almond Leaf seems to produce their ideal conditions while also suppressing hostile bacterial and fungal growth to some degree. keep in mind, the stuff isn't magic, 50% losses is still absolutely horrible, but at least it's not 90%+. honesty about the condition fish are received in, having some sort of quarantine period, and knowing about - or even better, selling - Indian Almond Leaf all reflect well on a fish store.

“highest score we will ever give to a non- tetrapod fish” lol, love the Cladistics joke.

I wish you would have talked about how bettas can recognize their owners faces, and also about the benefits of a heavily planted tank for these fish! So glad you talked about having a 10 gallon heated and filtered aquarium for these guys, they are one of the most mistreated pet fish (besides comet goldfish) and they really deserve to be treated properly and everyone be educated on how amazing they are!

I saw a sad looking betta in one of those box stores, discounted and a couple years ago. Bought him and dropped him in my twenty gallon planted tank. He's still alive, hiding in the foliage hunting blackworms and guppy fry. He's been a bit sluggish lately and since they live two or three years, he might be reaching the end. All in all, a much better life than being trapped in some two gallon bowl.

Used to manage the aquariums at a pet store. Whenever my fish shipments would come in, id always put the bettas in the main aquarium tanks despite corporate policy being against it. It was clear as day that as long as their tank mates wernt pricks, they looked so much happier and lived longer while waitinf for a customer.

I'm in the UK and I've never seen a fish in a cup in a pet store, I imagine the regulations are different here. And I think the public would probably get a bit upset about it. I had no idea this was an acceptable way to keep them for a short time. Thanks for educating me again, Clint :)

When I was a kid one of my earliest pets was a tank with a handful of guppies I snagged at a yard sale (and cleaned up). What I really wanted was a betta, though. I read they tend to coexist with other, smaller fish pretty well, so I got a lovely blue and red one, named him Dragon, and added him to the tank. He was, indeed, not aggro to the guppies. But in short order they started harassing and stressing him. They picked at his fins and gills in a little swarm. I was going to separate them, but a couple mornings later... I woke up to a tank chummed with guppy bits. One single guppy was left, hiding in the plants. They coexisted from that point onward, at least...

I can remember my sister and I each getting a betta fish when we were little, keeping them in those “critter keeper” plastic containers on top of our entertainment center and how we made sure they could “see” each other by putting those containers so close together they were nearly touching. Needless to say, my fish ate it’s own tail… Within just a day or two… and died. I was devastated. Looking back on it, now that I understand things about bettas better, I understand what happened back then and realize had he not damaged himself beyond repair, he probably wouldn’t have lived very long anyway due to not having a filter or a heater (our house was kept pretty cool nearly all the time). Personally, I’ll never keep fish of any type because there’s so many finicky things you have to keep track of that I know I’d mess something up or forget something important. Fish just aren’t my cup of tea, so to speak. They’re beautiful and interesting to watch, but I’m much more of a hands-on pet owner and would find myself wishing I could “play” with the fish, which I’m sure there are ways to entertain yourself and others and maybe even the fish themselves, but it’s not the same as being able to hold something in your hands for more than a second without harming or killing it. I admire people who have fish and take care of them without too much trouble, however they are definitely *not* the right pet for me. I still found this video interesting and informative, and it brought back memories of my childhood, though they weren’t exactly “happy”. I have realized that I’ve come a long way in my knowledge of pet care since that first pet betta and I’m grateful that I learned that lesson early on so that I won’t make similar mistakes in the future. I make sure to research the snot out of any species I plan to keep before getting them whenever possible, and in the event that I end up with a surprise addition to my collection (which has happened a few times) I know that I can find information on that animal fairly quickly so I can take care of it properly. Thank you for sharing this video, Clint. It got my brain working this morning and allowed me to feel grateful that this “Crazy Critter Lady” as they call me in my area has come a long way since that first unfortunate betta fish disaster and I plan to continue researching the animals I have in my care so that I can keep giving them the best possible care and life in captivity. ☺️💕

I love love LOVE that you set the tank gal limit at 10 minimum. I personally keep my bettas in a 5 gal (obviously only one at a time, but several over the years) and they survive and thrive, but 10 gals are honestly a much better idea. I only use a 5 gal due to space restrictions. If I had the room for a 10 gal, I would 100% have one! I do want to point out that bettas are pretty susceptible to cancer and other illnesses due to severe inbreeding, though. Of the betta fish I've had in my adult life, I've had one die suddenly and unexplained (one day he was fine, the next he was bloated, had no color, and was dead in his tank, and I still have no clue what happened), two die from disease that they picked up at the pet store (one had some unknown infection that we couldn't identify and the other had ich that unfortunately took him despite my attempts to treat it), two from freak accidents (snowstorm in Texas that took out our power for one, and the other got stuck in one of those godawful BettaFlo filters from PetSmart and didn't make it. NEVER use one of those death traps, they WILL kill your fish!!), and finally, the last two died of cancer. Dragonscales especially are VERY prone to cancer, but most bettas are prone to it just as a general. My last one I just lost to cancer about a month ago, and the cancer deaths are usually the hardest ones because it isn't like you just find them dead one day... it's a slow, painful death that usually has to end with humane euthanasia. I've had to euthanize both of my cancer boys. It's nice to be able to end their suffering and watch them drift off peacefully, but it's also incredibly heartbreaking to have to be the one to do it. You can't exactly waltz up to the vet clinic with a betta fish and say "here, I need him euthanized." When a fish that small needs euthanized, you break out the clove oil and do what you have to do. It's either that or you let them suffer a painful death, and I'm not about to let my boys go through that.

One thing I'd like to add is the importance of providing enough cover in the tank to make them feel secure (particularly males). In my experience, a very territorial fish like this can be more prone to stress in a sparsely planted tank.

Beta or Siamese fighting fish are far more interesting than they are ever given credit. I'm old and I worked in pet shoppes in the Late 1980s and early1990. We had a customer who was breeding Betas that per passive and he was able to keep a lot of Betas in a shallow huge aquarium that he designed. He wanted to be the source of "schooling betas" a great idea but didn't work out. He still had relatively passive betas in a few colours, he believed there was a correlation between certain colours and lower aggression. The store I worked at did sell his Bettas but all were sold as Buddha Fish. Fun times Long story short you can not compete with the Betas from Thailand, there are just too many colours at low prices. I believe all betas in Pet Shoppes today, are farm raised in Thailand and sent all over the world, but I could be wrong. My wife is Thai, we met in 2002. I've told her this story and she still does not believe me. I have no proof. So take this all as an interesting story from a stranger on the internet, Maybe someone else from SouthEast Massachusetts knows of "Buddha Fish" but most likely it was such a short fad in 1990s, it's not likely.

As a Betta lover, I approve! I live in Sweden, and I have never actually seen Bettas in cups. Most pet stores here have 4-5 Bettas for sale, all in different tanks 🙂

betta are some of the most interactive, clever and alert fish you can keep, and have very destinct personalities and moods. they are watching you, and can even be taught little tricks! incredibly fun

Thank you for pointing out that bettas need large tanks, not micro tanks- too many bettas suffer and die in unheated bowls or gallon tanks because that’s what pet stores sell for them. I’m currently helping my teaching partner set up a betta tank for her classroom, and after watching your video I’m thinking of getting her a 10g rather than the 5g I gifted her… because then it would be a better betta tank! :)

I really love bettas and they are 100% the best pet fish for me. I have two males, in separate tanks (obviously), they live with their snail friends (Yellow pomacea and Ramshorn snails). Their beauty is astounding and they are really sweet little guys. As with any animal, fish also have their own personalities. While my blue betta, Netuno, is very curious and friendly, my lilac betta is shy, but still curious. Honestly, believe bettas are as good as it can get when it comes to fish keeping.

I had the best betta years ago. I always took him out of his enclosure by hand for cleaning. After only a couple times of that, I could just cup my hand under the water n he'd swim over n get in. Absolutely amazing fish. He was def an outlier for that, but he knew that it meant he was getting a freshly cleaned enclosure and fresh water.

Like many people here, I recommend a planted tank for a betta! There are many easy to grow aquatic plants. My betta races up to the glass when I walk in the room - really delightful fish, so easy to keep for a fish, and available in such variety in colors and finnage that you can definitely find one that speaks to you. ❤️

Ever since you covered arowana I KNEW this was going to come some day! I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again - I love how, despite your name you’re covering more than just reptiles. Leads to equally or maybe even more interesting content!

I had a betta in college! He always freaked out if I tried to take him out for water changes by chasing him into a cup or using a net, but would let me just scoop him into the cup with my (clean) hand without fussing. He was a good little fishy.

I was excited for this video because bettas got me into the fish keeping hobby which in turn got me interested in reptiles and getting my leopard gecko. I do wish this video would've shown bettas in 5 and 10 gallon aquascapes because planted tanks are not only beautiful, but a much healthier environment too! We see this from the other animal videos, but only saw cups here :/ I know clint mentioned that he doesn't agree with them being in cups for long, but I feel like they could've done something different to demonstrate the labyrinth organ than to have the species as a whole demonstrated within said cup. There was great information in this as always though! Really neat to learn about how they utilize their labyrinth organ! I think a cool bit of information is that they're great jumpers and that this could aid in them jumping from one water source to another, when water dries up or when conditions are less favorable. And I'm somewhat joking about this but some people do "handle" their bettas! My bettas confidently swim up to me whenever I do maintenence such as siphoning, and many people do allow their bettas to rest in their hand!

My house just got a beta and I have put it in a 5 gallon. The fish comes up when I walk up and I almost think it’s trying to act tough when I do 😂 it reacts to the lid being taken off and when it’s feeding time. I didn’t realize how interactive they could be.

Great video! I loved the bettas I kept. I do wish there was one step further here, showing common betta "bowls" sold and why those are not okay. Hopefully people will be able to infer from the instructions here, but shops sell things like a pint pot with a plant in it and tell people the fish will eat the roots of the plant and *never need* feeding or water changes. This is extremely typical. Heck, my first betta lived in a large (1.5L ish) vase with plastic plants to hide in, and that was only because child me insisted I wanted to give it more room than the "betta fishbowls" that were offered, and at least I knew to be changing the water. Our house was warm but I am sure now that fish would have liked a heater. A later fish lived much longer in his tank with the whole heater and bubbler setup, and a favorite leaf shelf to nap on. Thanks for the love Lorelei and Thumbtack, you were good fishies.

Betta actually do really, really well in bioactive tanks. It’s easy to get a self sustaining tank with no need for water changes.

Bettas are the coolest little fish, they’re so active and say hi to you and seemingly not just for food- my dream is to have a big sorority tank

I had a female that made bubbles and was more aggressive than any male I owned. She was so cool.

I used to be a member of the International Betta Congress-I haven’t had the space for a tank in several years, sadly-I LOVE these little guys! They’re beautiful, clever, and one of the most aggressive species on the planet, and barely bigger than a thumb! Such a fantastic fish with a rich history and some of the most beautiful colors. I highly recommend them, especially for beginner fish-keepers as they’re much easier to keep and enjoy than standard goldfish. A big tank is a must. Yes, they can live in a little 5gal, but 10+ is much better. A bio active or at least live-planted aquarium is not only beautiful but an excellent habitat. I had a 30gal sorority with three females in college! It was a delight! Fair warning, though, on hardiness: the ones you get at common pet shops (or, gods forbid, Walmart, where I got my first) will NOT be healthy. They are often in those cups for a long period of time and may arrive with fin rot, ick, swim bladder issues, or even dropsy. They can recover well, but they may crash on you. Check the condition of the cups they’re in; if the water is grey, filled with poop, or the fish is listing/sinking/discolored in the cup, it might not survive. It’s worth finding a breeder (the IBC website has great resources) or at least an aquarium hobby shop to avoid this. So glad to see these beautiful animals covered! I love this channel and all its videos. I hope, someday, to have bettas again-and maybe their land equivalent, the beautiful Tokay Gecko!

Bettas have personality. They seem so excited to see you it makes you feel good.

Clint: "Bettas likely don't get pleasure from handling..." Norman, my Betta: "Headpat plz?"

I have never owned a betta, the closest thing i have ever owned is a pearl gourami. It lives in a planted tank with other community fish and while it isnt aggressive to its tankmates it does sometimes chase the brochis catfish when i feed sinking pellets, so similar fish like corydoras may not be the best choice as tankmates for more aggressive individuals. Mine isnt super aggressive, but i know that if it wanted to it probably could kill many other community fish if they were kept in the wrong environment.

Love this fish! Have had it my entire life. Everyone should own one at some time in their lives.

You can get tanks specially for bettas that are essentially a row of interconnected tanks but with water flow between them, so that you can essentially keep multiple bettas together in one tank with one filter but they can't get to each other.

I really appreciate that you are acknowledging history that you do not condone. A lot of people today want to erase that history. It is better to learn from it.

I love bettas! Favorite fish to keep. I bred them a few years ago and tried a sorority. Probably needed a bigger tank, but it was fun while it lasted. Just love Kois. They are smart fish that are fun to watch when they arent bullying something. Molly fish (fat dumb greedy fish) and plated catfish seem to be bully-proof.

Yes! Finally, thank you! I've been hoping for a betta video from this channel

Easily one of the best episodes so far. Your enthusiasm is incredible, and little facts you provide before scoring are extremely interesting

Love it!! Been keeping my Betta for some time now and did a lot of research, but still learned something new! Beautiful fish footage as well

This is the most excited I've been about a newly discovered RU-vid channel in awhile. Fascinating topics and excellent host. I love it!

Thank you for being such a great resource. My friend just got a Betta, and I was able to share this vlog with her as a resource. I think you will really help her understand her new fish better.

YT stopped feeding me your videos for a while. Good to see you again. This was fun and informative as usual.

Bettas got me into fish keeping and I absolutely love how social they can be with their keepers

I am so glad to see you doing another fish! I hope you get to cover more in the future like banjo catfish and swordtails

Bettas have a lot of personality for a fish. I got quite fond of the one I had in college. He would puff out his little face and fluff out his fins when I entered the room and would jump up to "kiss" (i.e. attack) my fingers when I fed him. Indigo lived to be a good 6 years old in a 2 or 3 gallon tank with a heater and bubbler, and is buried under the apple tree in my parents' yard because he deserved better than a "porcelain funeral."

I *love* your videos, I've been watching them all week. Thanks for doing what you do :)

in ireland, the bettas at my local pet store, which is a chain, are kept in (aprox) 2.5 gallon mini tanks, a whole wall of them, with a central water system, with live plants and shrimp!

Thank you so much for covering these highly neglected fish. It's sad how big name pet stores are still pushing such horrible and false info about their care, and I can vouch for the fact you NEED a real tank!!! I was one of those people that thought one of those tiny 0.5 "gallon tanks" was ok. It had a lil filter waterfall and I thought that would be enough. It got dirty so fast, I had to change it twice in a night. Then while I was sleeping it got so dirty the fish died and I took it back literally the next day after buying it. They cannot live in tiny cups, they need a real enclosure set up. I thankfully learned my lesson and now am setting up a 10 gallon tank with a filter and heater and live plants for a new betta.

I really love the science lesson at the front!

I actually had a betta live through a power outage in the winter a few years ago… I was so worried for them but they made it and lived past that. Funny how you make this video just as I was accumulating wish lists of supplies to make a new betta tank so I can have a betta again. They’re just so personable but don’t require as much space as other fish with similar behaviours.

I love this channel! So informative!

I love that you're branched out to include so many different types of animals 😁 Your videos are high-quality, you have a great personality... And betta fish are just so cool! My betta fish is so interactive. I always find him watching me (it's a little creepy at times, tbh) and if I wave at him he'll start swimming back and forth all excited. When I'm cleaning his tank, he follows my hand and tries to hang out it in. They're very smart, I can see him going around studying the snails moving around in his tank or new plants or decor. Betta fish are so much more aware and cognitive than people give them credit for.

When I was a kid I had a betta but they never lived long despite doing everything the pet store said. But hearing they can live up to a decade with proper care. The advice pet stores gave was clearly terrible. I live in a place where it is -30 C outside for half the year and not once was a water heater mentioned. Ever. I remember being confused why my fish kept dying and now I honestly feel bad those fish were put in the hands of someone who didn’t know what they were doing. Don’t go off the advice that a pet store gives. Do your own research. Pet stores are one of the worst places to get care advice. The workers usually don’t know anything about the animals they‘re selling they just are normal people trying to make some money.

Awesome video Clint. Used to have these guys as a kid, and they were very cool to observe. My college buddy kept em as well, in a big fishbowl with plants too.

This is actually the exact video I needed. Thanks Clint

“It’s hard to sell cups with dead fish in them” I guess this guy’s never been to a Poke Bowl.

My beta was my favorite pet fish. He would follow me around when I walked by his tank, get excited to see me if I was gone for a few hours, would swim into my hand to transfer during tank cleaning, and was just an awesome fish.

I'm so happy you did a video on my favourite fish! They're such wonderful little creatures, and I love watching them blow bubble nests (and yes, females can make their own nests!).

I had Bettas growing up, there great for all ages. Fantastic video!

These are 100% my favorite fish to keep. The setups are pretty cheap & I've done some really beautiful aquascapes in 5gallon tanks. They're also one of the more intelligent fish you can keep. They're very interactive. While most fish kind of just float around being fish, betta WILL notice you & you can build a bond with them. I've gotten to where I prefer the shorter finned varieties the most just because they're the most active (I've had females jump from the water and lightly my finger while feeding them) and because the larger finned varieties tend to have some issues. It's a a bit heartbreaking when you have a gorgeous rosetail only for the bones in the tail to snap from the weight once they get older :c

Hey Clint, I really appreciate how you explained why a small cup isnt the best rather then saying it's bad. Ty

Excellent video. Please keep making these.

I've never been this excited for one of your videos before (though they're all great). I've had betas for years and love em. They're so smart and friendly. You can actually play games with them, which is amazing for a fish. It saddens me they're kept in those little cups in the pet store. Even though they can breathe in them, they love to explore. They're so smart and love live plants. Those cups are like the fish version of a jail cell. It's amazing how different their personalities are. The last one I had lived in a tank with a little cat fish and a sucker fish and they all got along all good. When he died, I got another, and he was super uppity to the poor catfish so I had to get a separate tank just for the beta. So now his only roommate is a snail lol. But yeah, these fish are awesome.

I'm so glad. This is going to be the video people see when they decide they want a Betta, and I can't think of anyone better to explain these fish to them!

In one of the recent livestreams someone suggested he do a video on a betta, he said it was a good idea. It is cool that they made this video because of their request.

Nice to see Clint is doing fish videos.

I learned a new word today; conspecific. I'm a wordy, so thanks for teaching me new words Clint! Also Bettas rock! They were one of the first animals that ignited my passion for animals, and while my parents weren't keen on animals as a kid, I now have various lizards, tarantulas, and a freshwater tank. I also attended UVU and loved it. Keep the videos coming Clint!

Love the fish content!

love the edicational content other than care requirements

Great video as always!

Clint really front-loaded the science in this one!

I have 3 males and two females in a 5 gallon planted tank…… I had a few spats at first , but 3 years later ….. there alllll there . Love them .

I really like that you recommend putting them in a 10 gallon minimum.

I don’t think many people watch a Clint video and don’t subscribe. The demeanor of a Clint serves as an antidepressant and anti anxiety medication.

Absolutely love my betta, very cute how he follows me around and goes up to the top for food. He never attacks but he'll float there and stare intently at the snails for a solid couple minutes

I love beta. In england we dont have them in many of our pet shops anymore tho, at least in my town

*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH* OMG OMG OMG bettas have been my absolute favourite fish since I was 10 years old (almost 25 years ago now), I even tried breeding them back then. Been in and out of the aquarium hobby repeatedly since then, but I've never fallen out of love with my bettas. They are indisputably THE BEST pet fish ever in the world, and seeing Clint do a video on them has got me so excited I had to pause this 3 seconds in so I could type this comment outta my system! 😆😆😆😆😆😆

For anyone willing to keep them with other fish, I'd recommend panda Corys, cardinal tetras and bamboo shrimps. Avoid platys and guppies. Also, ideally, you want to add the beta last in the aquarium in order for him to not feel as territorial. Some Bettas actually really like "handling". I'm not talking about pulling them out of the water, but lots of them really like rubbing themselves on your finger once they get to associate you with food. They are also intelligent enough to recognize you from strangers. Their intelligence is really underrated for a fish.

I have been waiting for this video for thousands of years. One was gifted to my wife as a "gift" and I am stuck to take care of it so I decided to make it my own.

Oh man, I love Betta fish! My first pet, and I think I've had 4 of them throughout my life. They are very hearty and easy to care for. I even brought one to my college dorm. Always make sure to have a lid tho cuz them bois jump.

I work at a petstore and deeply love fish. I wish more people cared about them and gave them the respect they deserve. "It's just a fish. Who cares if it dies." Is something I hear almost daily. People get so offended when I recommend a 5 gallon tank minimum for a betta fish. It's pathetic how upset they get. Why get an animal if you don't care for it? Goldfish are even worse. Worst part is I can't deny fish sales. So, even if the person admits they don't care if it dies from neglect, I still have to catch the fish and bag it for them.

"But it's still a fish." I think that's the biggest thing to remember. I've had several betas over the years and it took a lot of trial and error in the early days to figure it all out (about the heater and the filter and the water changes). In college, I'd move mine into a small cooler with stress-zyme to move him to my parents place for the holidays. No fish can compete with betas. But ultimately, I had to accept that "it's still a fish" and that for a pleblian like me, managing an aquatic environment (even for something as delightful as a beta) is an absolute chore.

great info clint, been keeping and breeding this guys for 4 years

Great video! I love bettas and they're delightful fish to keep if you're limited on space and can't have a massive tank, or just don't WANT to care for multiple fish. When I was young and didn't know how to properly care for bettas, I had one in a fish bowl near my sink. We went on vacation, and when I came back my cat had tipped the bowl into the sink. My dried out betta was lying on a bed of its gravel in the sink. I was so upset, and as I started to pick up its little corpse with a paper towel, it twitched! I put it in some fresh water and it lived another couple months. The ordeal doubtless shaved a lot of time off its life, but it had to have been in that sink for upwards of a day. Now that I'm better at caring for bettas, I've had some live for almost 4 years. You can't know how old the bettas are in the store, or what they went through before they got there (a lot were bred before being shipped to the US), but with proper care and not too traumatic of a history they can live a long time! Whenever it's time for a new betta, I go to the pet store and request the sickest one they have and do my best to nurse it back to health. Love these guys.

I remember telling Clint that the first give out of five would be a betta and then he reminded me that handle ability was a category

We used to keep bettas when I was a kid but I never actually knew much about them. This was actually really cool and interesting to learn! We had these vases that we would keep them in and there was a plant that would go in the top of the vase for them to eat and hide in the roots of. It was really pretty but they still didn't live the longest lives. I almost want to get another one now though :)

so much I never knew! thank you!!

I've been waiting for this one

Hi Clint my name is Richard I and I absolutely love your channel so much that I joined your channel I have been a reptile keeper since 1980 and your channel is right up my alley I look forward to watching your beautiful channel for many years to come sincere love and blessings from Canada sincerely ❤ Richard

I remember my favorite betta I had from middle school to college and he was the best. Cobalt was always so jazzed to have me doing stuff in his tank and would swim around my arm and hand as I trimmed plants and did water changes.

The only pet I've ever owned. I named him Peaky because his tail was big and beautiful like a peacock's. RIP Peaky. He was a good fish. :(

Excellent video, ironic now that I'm finally getting back into keeping bettas lol

Love bettas. Caring for one right now. Would you do an episode on tetras in the future?