The Siamese fighting fish commonly known as the betta is one of nature’s most striking creatures. With flowing fins and radiant colours that shimmer in reds, blues, purples, and metallic hues, they look like living jewels dancing in water.
However, behind that beauty lies complexity. Male bettas are territorial and competitive, flaring their fins and gills to appear larger when confronting rivals hence the name “fighting fish.”
They also have a unique adaptation, a labyrinth organ which lets them breathe air directly from the surface. This allows them to thrive in low-oxygen environments like rice paddies or shallow pools. In the wild, some even survive the dry season by puddle-hopping from one water source to another.
An unexpected characteristic of the male Betta is their devotion to their young. Male bettas carefully build bubble nests, layers of saliva-coated bubbles that cradle and protect their eggs. They guard the nest fiercely, even from the mother, and continue caring for the fry until they can swim on their own.
What Can We Learn
Fierce doesn’t mean thoughtless. The betta remind us that strength and sensitivity can coexist. You can be competitive and ambitious while also being caring, creative, and intentional.
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