Betta Lifespan

[Louise02]

How long does the average betta live?  I realize that if they have healthy genetics, upbringing, environment, and diet that they can live to about nine years.  However, our first four bettas were from less-than-ideal beginnings.  Their lifespans averaged 18 months.  It's very disheartening.  The last one almost didn't make it after we brought her home.  Three of our betta came from the vet, that bought them from someplace like Pet Smart.  The last one came from Pet Smart.  Does 18 months sound about average for coming from a store like this? or am I doing something wrong?

I finally coughed up the money and ordered one by mail, hoping it is healthier.  I don't even care what it looks like.  It is just so hard when they die.  The last one was so sweet that I could remover her from the tank by simply putting my hand in the aquarium- she'd swim right into my cupped hand.  I transferred her that way every time.  Now she's dead.  I honestly don't know how I can blame the food or the environment.  She was sickly in the beginning and at the end.

Any information on lifespan?

[Lennie]

Ive kept 11 bettas to this day. You are right, they dont live too long sadly. Genetics are totally messed up. We also buy many fish at juvenile size in stores, but it is hard to know the age of a betta you buy until you have a clear info on that

If you want hardier bettas you can lean towards wild species that are tankbred

Edited July 21 by Lennie

[johnnyxxl]

Ordering from a reputable breeder can also give you a better chance for the age range.  Someone like Dan's Fish room getting from a hobbyist might know the age versus getting from Petco.

Edited July 21 by johnnyxxl
Autocorrect

[gardenman]

It can take a year or longer for a betta to fully develop and be sellable, so you're typically buying a middle-aged or older fish when you buy one in a store. The vast majority of tropical freshwater fish sold are sold young, but bettas are the exception. They take time to develop before they're sold. A betta's lifespan is typically two to three years (sometimes four), so if you get one that's already 18 months old when you buy it, you'll be lucky to get another eighteen months from it. They're not a long-lived fish.

[Louise02]

Is there such a thing as buying young bettas?

[Scaperoot]

    I don't know if this is normal, but the two males (veil tails) we 'rescued' from big box stores did very well. One lived nearly three years, and the other is still going after three plus years. The females (Kois) we got from a local fish farm have all either died within a few months or are living with tumors. Every single one (6 total). I can't explain it. I started getting Bettas (female Koi) online and those are doing ok, but it's only been a couple months so I can't say for sure that makes a difference. Not sure if this matters, but the ones we got from the box stores were much smaller (younger) than the full-grown females from the fish farm. I hope your next Betta lives a long and healthy life. 

[PluckyD]

On 7/22/2024 at 7:58 AM, Scaperoot said:

I don't know if this is normal, but the two males (veil tails) we 'rescued' from big box stores did very well.

I have also tried big box store, online, and local breeder bettas. My first was a half moon from Petsmart and he lived to about 2 years, but he could barely swim with his long fluffy tail, it was depressing and I decided not to get another fancy tail breed. I then went through a round of koi plakat types from both a local breeder and reputable online importer/breeder, and most developed tumors and all died within 3 to 12 months.
 

I had also read that veiltail are less prone to illness due to less inbreeding so my current betta is a veiltail that I’ve had for about 15 months now. Alas, he developed a tumor under his eye about 3 months ago and looks like this 🤪 but I realized that he might have some dragon scale genes because he has some fancy coloration. I’ve decided that if I ever get another betta splendens again, I am avoiding anything fancy and going with a classic red or blue veiltail.

FWIW, I am highly skeptical that a “local breeder” will have better health and longevity unless you have someone specifically breeding for that, and that would require them to have been breeding for years to have longevity as a thing they select for. Perhaps they are able to filter things out over time when they see certain lines have particularly bad health, but I believe most such breeders I would encounter are just other hobbiests who got their fish from the same places I currently have access to and  invariably are selecting for looks first.

[AtomicSunfish]

A normal betta lifespan is 3-5 years. As mentioned above, when you buy them they’re around a year old. So if you can get them to live another 2-4 years after you bought them, you have given them a good, long life.

[Louise02]

Thank you all for the feedback.  It sounds like we need to keep trying to improve conditions to extend their lives, but that health and longevity are not the traits that are selected for by breeders. 

Do you have any tips, beyond the norm, for helping bettas stay healthy?

I am so scared that the betta coming might die...I am considering setting up another tank for another betta.  The three tanks that we have going are seasoned and flourishing, but only one has the right ecosystem for a betta.  

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Lennie]

On 7/23/2024 at 8:44 AM, Louise02 said:

Thank you all for the feedback.  It sounds like we need to keep trying to improve conditions to extend their lives, but that health and longevity are not the traits that are selected for by breeders. 

Do you have any tips, beyond the norm, for helping bettas stay healthy?

I am so scared that the betta coming might die...I am considering setting up another tank for another betta.  The three tanks that we have going are seasoned and flourishing, but only one has the right ecosystem for a betta.  

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I think you may try avoiding obviously problematic genes for better quality of life

Like avoiding scaled bettas (samurais, dragons, etc for diamond eye aka blindness), constantly coloring up nemos and kois for their tendency of being cancer/developing tumors, long fins and dumbo ears for low quality of life in terms of poor swimming ability

And maybe leaning towards wild options that are tankbred (directly wildcaught ones may be problematic for the environment and usually dont do very well all the shipping procedure and such in my observations)

You can even lean towards some cool unusual options like antutas. Very nice fish overall

[Lennie]

Oh, and double tails are more prone to swim bladder issues from what I know, but I have never kept one myself. Just wanted to add it to the list

[Louise02]

On 7/23/2024 at 2:54 PM, Lennie said:

Oh, and double tails are more prone to swim bladder issues from what I know, but I have never kept one myself. Just wanted to add it to the list

I didn't know that.  Thank you!

[AtomicSunfish]

On 7/23/2024 at 4:45 PM, Louise02 said:

I didn't know that.  Thank you!

As a general rule, animals bred for extreme traits tend to be more prone to genetic infirmity. This is partly due the inbreeding depression, and partly due to problems from the extreme traits themselves. So, just as bulldogs and pugs tend to be less healthy than mixed working and sporting dogs, so too double-tailed bettas, bubble-eyed goldfish, fancy guppies, and electric blue Jack Dempseys tend to be less healthy than the wild types (or close to it) of those species.