OK, so you've now got your new aquariums or bowls and now you are wondering what fish you should stock it with. One such fish to consider is the Siamese fighting fish, more often referred to as Betta fish.

There is a suggestion that Bettas do not need filters or aerators in the aquarium because their early ancestors lived in a poor oxygen environment. Personally, I would disagree and would prefer to add a filter as long as it didn't produce too much current for the fish to swim against. A natural or artificial plant that comes close to the surface is also a good idea, as the fish need to regularly break the water surface for oxygen.

The fish have been bred from their more natural dull colouring into some highly coloured and striking varieties that are incredible to watch. One fish will live happily alone, but do keep the temperature of the water fairly constant at around 78 - 80 degrees. Because of this, avoid placing your aquariums or bowls in direct sunlight. Unlike a lot of other fish, Betta can exist in smaller bowls, such as the Betta Garden Floral Bowl which is reasonably priced around $20. If you have more than one fish, go for a much larger tank and your Betta can live for up to 10 years and grow to around 8 centimetres depending on the particular variety.

Not only should you feed your Bettas on Betta pellets, but they also require their diet to be supplemented with brine shrimps or bloodworms, finely chopped carrots, corn, broccoli or soybeans to keep them healthy.

Even the female Betta fish are naturally aggressive and care needs to be taken during breeding. You will observe it is the males who look after the eggs and, although the females may try and eat the eggs, it is the males who may attempt to eat the young fry following sprawning!

In a small tank or bowl, it's probably advisable not to put Bettas together as they are liable to fight. If you want to add fish to the tank, remember that Betta do not make natural tank mates because of their aggressive nature. The best options to add are something like platies (moons), loaches or Corydoras (catfish).

In summary, Betta are an ideal and interesting fish to observe for a smaller tank as long as you are aware of the aggressiveness of these fish. You must not overcrowd the tank and should seek advice from whoever you buy your Betta from, but do be careful who you partner your Betta with because of the aggressiveness of these fish!