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Bettas, otherwise known as Siamese fighting fish, are known for their snazzy colors and flowing fins. Chances are, however, when you brought your betta home in a cup from a pet store, you had no idea how old it was. It is hard to determine exactly how old your betta is, but by using some common sense and observations of your fish, you might be able to make a very close estimate.
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Check your betta's size. Normal adult bettas are usually around 3 inches (7.6 cm) in length. Hold a measuring tape up to your fish's tank and see how long it is. If your betta is less than the average, your betta is most likely a juvenile. [1] X Research source- It can be hard to measure a betta exactly. In most cases, it will be enough to simply get an estimate by holding up a measuring tape against the glass. Be patient since most healthy bettas do not stay still often.
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Check your betta's fins. Adult bettas have nice and beautiful flowing fins. If your betta has this characteristic, this is a good sign that it is an adult. If it has tiny fins, then it is either a juvenile or a baby. [2] X Research source- Make sure you know the sex of your betta. Female bettas never get long, flowing fins like the males do.
- Don't confuse normal wear with injuries from diseases.
- Crowntails naturally have 'torn'- looking fins.
Older betta's fins have typically undergone lots of wear and tear. They may have tiny tears or shredded ends.
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Assess the color of your betta. In general, young bettas are vibrant and middle-aged bettas are slightly faded. The color of the scales of an older betta will be slightly faded and muted.Note: Bettas that are bred for pets come in a wide variety of colors. However, wild betta fish tend to be grey or dull colored, and only show flashes of color when fighting.
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Look for changes in your fish's body. You might notice that with every day, your betta seems to be getting paler or even with daily feeding your fish gets skinnier. These are signs of an aging betta. [3] X Research sourceTip: As a betta ages, its back may also begin to arch. An old betta's back is usually humped, while a younger betta's back is more straight. The hump is rounded, so don't confuse this for a sharp spinal problem.
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Pay attention to changes in energy. Your betta will flare with much less gusto than it used to when it get old. After so many years, many bettas lose the enthusiasm to flare.- Also, while a healthy adult betta will swim around vigorously in its tank, old bettas will hide behind plants and décor and swim sluggishly.
- When feeding your betta, watch it to see how quickly it spots its food. Old bettas may swim slowly to their food and miss it a couple of times before spotting it.
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Look for cataracts on the betta's eyes. Old bettas tend to have "cataracts," which are filmy or hazy spots inside the eye. This is normal for old bettas, and will happen no matter how big the tank you have is or how clean you keep the water. [4] X Research sourceTip: If the fishes' eyes are black and hard to see, that is a sign of a healthy adult betta.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionMy betta is very active, but he often misses a lot of his food when eating. What does this mean?Deanne Pawlisch is a Certified Veterinary Technician, who does corporate training for veterinary practices and has taught at the NAVTA-approved Veterinary Assistant Program at the Harper College in Illinois. Deanne has been a Board Member of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Foundation in San Antonio, Texas since 2011. She holds a BS in Anthropology from Loyola University and an MA in Anthropology from Northern Illinois University.If your betta is eating when you feed him but not consuming all of his food, you may be overfeeding him. Often bettas only require 2-3 pellets per feeding.
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QuestionI believe my betta was at least a year old when I got him, as he had fully formed fins and a slight arch in his back. He never made a bubble nest, though. What does this mean about his age?Deanne Pawlisch is a Certified Veterinary Technician, who does corporate training for veterinary practices and has taught at the NAVTA-approved Veterinary Assistant Program at the Harper College in Illinois. Deanne has been a Board Member of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Foundation in San Antonio, Texas since 2011. She holds a BS in Anthropology from Loyola University and an MA in Anthropology from Northern Illinois University.You might be correct in your estimate of your betta’s age. Often, tank filtrations systems cause strong currents in your tank that can discourage your fish from making a bubble nest. Bubble nests are part of the breeding process, so if your fish is solitary, it may not build a bubble nest at all.
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Tips
- If taken care of properly, bettas can live between 2 and 6 years.Thanks
- When you purchase a betta fish in a pet store, its age can be anywhere between 3 months to 12 months.Thanks
- Take note of the date when you purchase your betta fish. This will help you keep track of how old it is generally.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Keep the tank clean and feed your betta properly for a happy, healthy fish. Use silk plants instead of plastic to avoid torn fins. A well-cared for betta can live 3-4 years.
- Watch for changes like reduced energy, appetite loss, or cataracts. These can indicate aging. But note bettas aren't always visibly happy!
- Females can have long fins too — don't rely on fin length to determine gender. The egg spot is the best indicator for sexing bettas.
- For multiple bettas, separate tanks are safest. Only house together when breeding, and ensure the female has an egg spot.
- Live plants help oxygenate the water and provide stimulation. Rotate decorations periodically for mental enrichment.
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Article Summary
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To tell how old a betta fish is, measure the fish and asses the size of its fins. Adult bettas will usually be around 3 inches long and have long, flowing fins, while juveniles will be smaller with shorter fins. Another way to tell age is by looking at the coloring of the betta. Bettas are vibrant and colorful when young and generally become duller and more faded as they age. You can tell if bettas are old by seeing if they have a humped body or cataracts in their eyes. To learn how to tell the sex of a betta, scroll down!
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Reader Success Stories
- "Hey! I just got a Betta fish, I named it Killer. It's old but we take good care of it.This article helped me so much. Killer is so playful even though it's old. We haven't got a larger aquarium for it, we have an aquarium but my other fishes are in that one. This showed tips. I thank you for all of them." ..." more
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"Hey! I just got a Betta fish, I named it Killer. It's old but we take good care of it.This article helped me so much. Killer is so playful even though it's old. We haven't got a larger aquarium for it, we have an aquarium but my other fishes are in that one. This showed tips. I thank you for all of them."
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"I know how to care for my bettas--Cotton candy my male betta and my new baby female betta Midnight. Thank you so much Wiki. My male betta cotton candy is sick with ich. I am so sad! And I know how to cure him too. I love him so much and I had him for 2 years and I don't want him to die so soon."
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"This article helped me a lot! Most commonly I was confused because of why my Betta fish was low and had a huge change in body shape. As a fish owner I wanted to know if he was sick or if he was simply getting old. Thanks to these methods. I'm bittersweet."
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"I just got a female betta not too long ago. I asked the store how old the betta was, and they said they didn't know. So I had to try to find out myself. I read this article and now I know that my betta is only about 6 or 7 months old. Thanks for the help."
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"I went to a fish store for some guppies and came across a dirty bowl with a fish. It was a betta baby! I brought him home and I had no prior idea about how to deal with cleaning and all. My daughter spotted your article and it has been a great help."
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