Siamese Fighting Fish Habitat Range

Siamese fighting fish come originally from southeast Asia, where they've been bred for more than 1,000 years both for fighting and as an ornamental pet species. They come in a range of bright colors and have long, flowing fins, although males are more colorful and have longer fins than females.

  1. Range

    • Siamese fighting fish are originally from parts of southeast Asia. They're native to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand -- which was formerly called Siam, hence the name. However, they've long been bred in captivity and can be found in tanks all across the globe as pets.

    Natural Habitat

    • The natural habitat of Siamese fighting fish is anywhere that still water lies. In the wild they can be found living in rice paddies, floodplains, ditches, overgrown ponds and stagnant pools. They generally live in areas where the water is of low quality and has a poor oxygen content. They're able to survive in low-quality water because they're labyrinthine fish, which means they have a chamber above the gills that allows them to take in oxygen from the air, not just the water.

    Aquarium Habitat

    • Although Siamese fighting fish can live in small spaces and in poor quality water, it doesn't mean you should keep them that way. When setting up an aquarium habitat for your pet you should pick a tank with a capacity of at least 3 gallons, but preferably 4 1/2 gallons or larger. Keep the water between 75 and 82 Fahrenheit, with pH levels of around 7.0, degrees of general hardness between 7 and 9, and degrees of carbonate hardness between 5 and 8. They like to live in a well planted tank, with plenty of places to hide, but avoid any decorations with sharp edges as these could tear your fish's fins.

    Tank Mates

    • Despite their name, Siamese fighting fish are not always aggressive as you might think and can live in a community habitat, as long as you're careful. While two or more male Siamese fighting fish can't be kept together, females can be kept in groups and one male can be kept with one or more females. Both males and females are generally peaceful with other fish, but be careful not to house a male with any long-finned fish as he might mistake them for a male of his species and become aggressive. Also avoid keeping them with fish, such as tetras or barbs, that might try to nip at their fins.