Betta fishes are beautiful, colorful fishes that are found in many tropical places, especially Thailand. In fact, their name comes from an ancient warrior tribe called the “Bettah.”
Did you know that there are different types of Betta fish? There are over a dozen types, one of which is the Spadetail Betta. The only difference between these types is their tail shapes and forms. Spadetails have a spade-looking tail, like their name implies.
In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Spadetail Bettas!
Table of Contents
What is a Spadetail Betta?
A Spadetail Betta is one of the many types of Betta fishes around.
Like other Bettas, can be recognized through their special tails. As the name implies, the Spadetail Betta has a tail that looks like a spade. The base is wide, but it narrows down to a thin point.
Because of this, it’s very difficult to mix them up with other Bettas, who mostly have long, flowing fins, save for a few variants.
However, there’s one big caveat to adopting a Spadetail Betta, which we’ll discuss below.
Are Spadetail Bettas rare?
Spadetail Bettas have been pretty rare for a couple of years now.
The reason for this is that many Spadetail Bettas turn out to not be Spadetails at all.
In order to get the Spadetail look, a Spadetail Betta has to be bred with another Spadetail. Hopefully, their genes will give their offspring the same spade look that makes them Spadetail.
Unfortunately, this type of caudal fin doesn’t always stay forever. Some Spadetail Bettas, when they grow up, develop to become a Veiltail, which is a different type of Betta altogether.
In addition to this, there are more people who want long-finned Betta fishes, like the Halfmoon or Rosetail. That’s why most breeders focus their energy on breeding these types instead.
That said, if you’re talking about wild Betta fishes, spade tail variants aren’t really rare.
One species of Betta, the wild Betta mahachai, is commonly found with a spade tail. This Betta species is found in the southeastern parts of Bangkok, Thailand. If you want to adopt one for your tank, though, you might encounter problems. Since they’re wild, they’re harder to come by for aquarists and tend to be more expensive.
Spadetail Betta Care Guide
Caring for a Spadetail Betta is exactly the same as caring for any other Betta fish variant. They’re a bit more aggressive than some other variants, but in general, taking care of them should be a pretty smooth process.
Tank requirements
Like all Betta fishes, Spadetail Bettas need sufficient space to be healthy and happy.
Ideally, you should house them in a 10-gallon tank, properly cycled and filtered. Add plenty of hiding areas for your fish. In the wild, Bettas are used to living in rice paddies and shallow streams so they’re used to having a lot of leaves, wood, and other debris in their environment.
One amazing addition to any Betta tank is driftwood. Not only can it be a great hiding place, but it also adds tannins to your water, which is good for the Spadetail Betta.
Make sure to also attach a lid to your tank. Betta fishes are notorious jumpers, and the Spadetail is no exception.
Water conditions
Spadetail Bettas are freshwater fish, so they need clean freshwater in their tank. The pH level should remain at 6.5-7.0, while the temperature should be at 78F to 80F. Do a 25%-50% water change at least once or twice a week in order to keep ammonia and nitrate levels low. A larger tank, like 20 gallons, can probably get away with less frequent water changes.
Diet
Spadetail Bettas are carnivorous fish. They enjoy foods that are high in protein so be sure to pick your pellets well. You can also feed them live foods like brine shrimp, insect larvae, or bloodworms, but you don’t have to make it a daily thing. Frozen bloodworms, in particular, should only be given to Bettas once a week at most.
The important part is that you don’t overfeed your Spadetail Betta. If, after 2 minutes, it’s still not done eating, remove the food from the tank. Overfeeding can cause them to become sick and can also make your tank dirtier faster.
Tankmates
Spadetails, like other male Betta variants, don’t do well with other fishes. They can be very aggressive and tend to get into fights easily, which can be deadly for both fishes.
If the tank is big enough, like at least 20 gallons, you can get away with another fish tankmate, but it’s still best to stick with non-fish tankmates.
Some of your options are shrimps and snails, who can also help keep your tank clean. You can also house them with frogs, like the African Dwarf Frog.
Interested in learning more about Bettas? Check out our aquarium blog now!