Learning how to take care of a male betta fish is not that difficult. Most of the usual maintenance and overall betta fish care practices apply to both male and female betta fish. The thing to remember about males is that they are aggressive being bred for centuries to fight,  So for them it is natural to be very territorial and keeping two or more males together in the same tank will only lead to one injuring or killing the other.

In our article "proper male betta fish care" I go over some of the more important things to keep in mind when setting up your tank and making sure that your male betta fish is the happiest and healthiest it can be, Just following a few simple rules can make all the difference in avoiding any unnecessary problems that can lead to betta fish disease or other unwanted circumstances.

Betta's can live up to 6 years if proper care is taken, but sadly most only live 2-3 years due mainly common mistakes that can easily be fixed. The major cause of problems is not keeping your tank clean and free of bacteria, which leads to a sick betta fish, disease and other betta fish problems.

Unlike females, male betta fish care is slightly more difficult. Males can be very aggressive and you need to follow some simple practices to ensure that your male betta is properly taken care of.  Remember there is a reason why betta’s are called siamese fighting fish, and the reason is that they fight.

Some general guidelines for keeping male betta fish

• Never place two or more male betta’s in the same tank

• If you place a male together with a female for breeding purposes make sure that it is only for a very short period of time

Try to keep your aquariums water temperature between 77 and 83 degrees to help keep your betta fish at optimum health as nothing is worse than being faced with trying to cure a sick betta fish and trying to nurse it back to health. Betta's have been bred for several centuries to be aggressive towards each other hence the name "fighting fish" and while general care practices will apply to both female and male betta fish, you must take extra care to ensure that your male does not get injured when setting up your tank. Males are the more attractive of the two, with females being somewhat plain looking in comparison.

Because of this people often mistake a male betta for a female and end up placing several together in their tanks. Female betta fish care is much different and doing this can lead to disaster as the males begin to fight and that leads to injury and death, Males can be identified by their long beautiful fins, despite a common misconception females are the plainer of the two often being shorter and less colorful than the male counterpart. Another thing that separates female from male betta fish is that the females have what is known as a ovipositor gland which is a small white colored tube extending from their undersides.

Female Betta Fish                                               Male Betta Fish

 When breeding wait until the male makes a bubble nest before putting the female and him together, A good trick is to place the female in a small plastic bag to see if the male will "flare up" before adding her to the environment.  If the male shows aggression you will need to put in a divider until they get used to each other. Remember to only keep them together until they have finished mating otherwise one will kill the other one. After mating always remove the female immediately.

Male Betta Fish Care Facts

• Male betta's will flare it's fins when faced with another male or if it feels threatened.
  
• Male's build what is known as a bubble nest among leaves or floating plants in your tank where the female lays her eggs which are than fertilized by the male.
  
• A good rule of thumb for male betta fish care is that the richer more vibrant the color of the male the healthier they are. This does not apply to females as typically they are more dull and greyish in color.
  
• Betta Fish have what is known as a labyrinth organ that is located on top of their head that enables it to breathe air from the surface of your tank.
  
• The crowntail betta gets its name from it's tail fins that extend past the end of their bodies which resembles the fish wearing a crown
  
• Male betta's are very territorial and should always be kept in separate tanks otherwise they will fight other males. They are called siamese fighting fish because they love to fight.
  

There is no difference in feeding practices for either and maintaining proper nutrition is very important.  The right diet will ensure that your fish is both energetic and maintains good coloring. Try to feed your betta one to two times a day being careful to not overfeed him. Betta fish are carnivores and enjoy live food such as blood worms,  mosquitos and brine shrimp. However varying their diet with finely chopped vegetables is a great way to keep your betta healthy, Start by feeding them small amounts and observing the results, if there is a lot left over than you are feeding them to much, if it is all gobbled up try increasing the amount until you reach a perfect level. Just be sure to remove any uneaten food from the tank otherwise it will contaminate the environment and that can lead to sickness and various betta fish diseases.

When taking care of male betta fish the important thing to remember is it's natural aggressive nature. Males are very territorial and unlike females that you can group together (odd numbers are preferable) they will fight other male betta fish if they feel threatened or to establish dominance. A male betta fish in the wild can live up to 6 years and in the home if proper care is taken the average life spam is two to three years. There is no difference in age expectancy between male or female betta's however if you maintain your tank and follow proper male betta fish care practices it is not surprising to see them live up to five years.