{"product_id":"dumbo-fighting-fish-male-betta-splendens","title":"Dumbo Fighting Fish Male | Betta splendens","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Dumbo (Elephant Ear) Betta is a Siamese Fighting Fish selectively bred for oversized pectoral fins that fan out like an elephant's ears as it drifts. Every fish is an individual with real personality, flaring in colours and finnage no other fish can match. This is a male, sold as a single hand-picked adult reaching around 6–7 cm including its flowing fins.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eNatural Habitat\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe wild ancestor comes from the shallow, sluggish waters of Thailand and the wider Mekong basin — rice paddies, roadside ditches, floodplains and marshes. These are warm, still, often oxygen-poor waters thick with vegetation, which is why the betta evolved a labyrinth organ to breathe air from the surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Dumbo's signature feature is its greatly enlarged pectoral fins, held out to the sides in bold contrasting colour. Beyond that it carries the full range of betta finnage and a near-endless palette of solids, marbles, bicolours and metallics. Males are larger-finned and far more vividly coloured than females.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTemperament and Compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMales are territorial and will fight other males to the death, so each must be kept on its own. Many will also flare at anything brightly coloured or long-finned. A single male can headline a calm community of peaceful, non-nippy tankmates, but never house two males together and avoid fin-nippers who will shred those trailing fins.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA carnivore and micropredator. Feed a quality betta pellet as the staple, rounded out with live or frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp. Feed small amounts and avoid overfeeding, as bettas are prone to bloat.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCare Requirements\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs a labyrinth fish the betta must be able to reach the surface to gulp air, so never fill to the brim and always keep a lid with a warm air gap above the water — a chill at the surface can cause respiratory problems. Give it a heated, gently-filtered tank of at least 5 litres (20 litres or more is far better), warm stable water, soft planting and a few broad-leaved plants or a betta hammock to rest on.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBreeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA bubble-nest builder. The male blows a raft of bubbles at the surface, embraces the female beneath it and tends the eggs and fry himself. The pair must be conditioned and introduced carefully as spawning can turn rough, and the female is removed once eggs are laid.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecies Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBetta splendens\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDumbo \/ Elephant Ear Fighting Fish (male)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoutheast Asia (Thailand, Mekong basin); captive-bred\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaximum Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e6–7 cm (including fins)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3–5 years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMales solitary (will fight); females more tolerant\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBeginner\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimum Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5 litres\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecommended Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20+ litres\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarnivore (micropredator)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e24–28 °C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003epH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e6.0–7.5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5–20 dGH (soft to medium)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSalinity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable (freshwater)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSuitable For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHeated, lidded betta or calm community aquariums\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eKept solo, or as a single male with peaceful, short-finned companions such as small rasboras, ember tetras, corydoras, kuhli loaches, snails and (with care) dwarf shrimp.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAvoid Keeping With\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther male bettas, fin-nippers such as tiger barbs and serpae tetras, boisterous or aggressive fish, and anything large enough to bully or eat it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","offers":[{"title":"Small (1-5cm)","offer_id":55351901159715,"sku":"AA1745-S","price":40.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Medium (5-10cm)","offer_id":55232796262691,"sku":"AA1745","price":45.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/dumbo-fighting-fish-male-bet-43884047335715-fx.webp?v=1790319642","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/dumbo-fighting-fish-male-betta-splendens","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}