The Galaxy Koi Betta are alluring fish species that easily get noticed due to their fancy Japanese fan-style fins, and multi-color orientation.
These fish display combative spirits when organizations make them fight to win competitions. And since they belong to the Thailand region, the locals refer to them as Galaxy Koi Fighter fish, or Siamese Fighting fish.
Accounting for their glamorous appearance and moderate care requirements, they are listed among the highest popularity bearing aquarium fish till date.
Before buying them as your home pet, you must read this complete care guide to understand what a Galaxy Koi Betta is, along with behavior, feeding patterns, breeding session, and tank setup.
Species Overview
| Table Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Betta Splendens |
| Common Name | Fighting Fish, Galaxy Candy KoiBetta |
| Family | Osphronemidae |
| Origin | South-East Asian Countries |
| Lifespan | 3 – 5 years |
| Size | 2.5 inches |
| Fish Type | Freshwater |
What is a Galaxy Koi Betta?
Bettas are a specific variety of fish that have been classified into many sub-categories based on color patterns, size, or fin length.
Marble Bettas are unique mutations that can change body colors due to the effects of specialized genes present in them. These are known as jumping genes or Transposons that stands responsible for dramatic shades, varying from bright to dark.
The Koi Bettas have changeable color abilities, since they possess the genes of Marble Bettas. But their resemblance with a Koi Carp holds them a copied name.
These two Koi species otherwise do not have any physical or genetic connection. But the question is, what makes a Koi Betta a Galaxy Koi?
The Galaxy Koi Bettas are exotic species in the category. The Koi Bettas are seen in reddish, black, or white shade, while the Galaxy koi Betta appears in a mix of blue, green, red, orange, black, or turquoise colors.
The combination of shades appears as a Galaxy of planets due to the shiny spots over the scales.
The fins of this Galaxy Koi are longer than the Galaxy Koi Plakat Betta, and flows freely in the water, but all the Betta Splendens sub-species can attain a maximum size between 6 – 8 cm.
Depending on the color patterns, these sub-species can be categorized into four major types.
What are the Major Types of Galaxy Koi betta?
- Nemo Galaxy Koi Betta: These are exclusive multi-color species of the Betta fish with usually white or orangish base colors and a mix of 4 – 5 shades of yellow, red, and black.
- Giant Galaxy Koi Betta: These fish display vibrant metallic colors on the body, varying from blue, green, and red. They are a bit large in length and can size up to 4 inches.
- Black Galaxy Koi Betta: They have a typical black or dark brown as the base color with shaded patches of red or blue all over the body and fins.
- Yellow Galaxy Koi Betta: The bright yellow color is primarily spread over the surface of this fish with a few black and white spots around the stomach, while fins are usually in light blue colors with black edges.
Where did They Originate?
The Bettas are primarily found in the Mekong basin of South-East Asia that typically fall under tropical zones.
Biodiversity experts and Thai ichthyologists have submitted several research reports to claim the habitation of these fish ranging between Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, some parts of Laos, and Malay Peninsula.
Regular observers have also located them near the Sumatra Island, but according to the experts, it is only through aquarists who might discard their fish in open waters.
The Galaxy Koi Betta is usually seen in low-depth areas of freshwaters. It likes to be in the flooded region with plants and vegetation usually in the farms, which is abundantly available in these countries.
How Long does Galaxy Koi Betta Live?
These beautiful species have a short lifespan and when in the wild conditions these Bettas are able to survive only for 5 years.
If they are caught or bred in an artificial environment, the life expectancy is observed to get decreased by 1 – 2 years, making them live for less than 3 – 3.5 years. It may be because of less space and low maintenance of the fish.
But it has been found that if ample space is provided with a continuous nutritious diet, these species will stay healthy and survive for about 9 – 10 years, which is quite rare.
Distinguishing Between Male & Female Galaxy Koi Betta
These fish are easy to inspect when one wants to find out their gender-specific symbolisms in the body part. The fins and color combinations give a quick inference about it.
- The ventral fins in male Galaxy Koi Betta are thick and large compared to the female.
- The males usually display brighter shades than the females.
- The male Bettas have rounded stomach while the females have sharp edges.
Price And Availability
The Galaxy Koi Betta became famous for its colorful appearance, body structure, and behavioral characteristics. As they became popular, the demand in the international market has gained pace.
Because they are habitual of sustaining high fluctuation in water parameters, the whole World has eventually become the house of this fish.
This species is close to extinction in the wild regions. Still, because they are harvested in bulk all over the World, you can spot them in many parts of Australia, Singapore, Brazil, or other South & North American countries.
You can get the Galaxy Koi Betta on sale from online portals or at local pet stores for an approximate price of $35.
Exclusive Care Guide
| Quick Care Points | |
|---|---|
| Care Level | Moderate |
| Social | Territorial |
| Temperament | Aggressive |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Breeding | Difficult process |
What are Their Eating Habits?
The Galaxy Koi Betta, though a small fish, eats quite often, and when in open waters, they seem to be hunting all the time. These are carnivore aquatics and only depend on meaty food items.
It is usually during the stressful times of environmental change when this fish avoids consuming any food, which may last for 1 – 2 days. While at sometimes, these can completely put off feeding for up to 15 days.
As a wild fish, they predate Zooplanktons, Small Crustaceans, or Mosquito Larva.
But if you are petting one or more Galaxy Koi Betta in an aquarium or for commercial purposes, you should provide them with live or frozen food, which is of high-quality, and rich in protein. You can safely feed them from the list of given items.
- Pellets
- Flakes
- Brine Shrimps
- Daphnia
- Bloodworms
Note: You must not overfeed them. To monitor their diet, you can follow the method of allowing them to eat only for 4 – 5 minutes every time.
Behavior and Temperament
The Galaxy Koi Betta are mysterious species and sometimes complex to manage in aquariums.
They have strong urges to show anguish temperament in their surroundings, which is a more significant reason for these fish to be used in combative sports activities in Thailand.
Fin nipping or flaring bright colors through gills are part of showing off the hot temper to the competitor or to claim their territory. They often behave in this charged manner even when alone in the tank.
This short-temper in Galaxy Koi Betta is usually impulsive as it costs them lots of energy and oxygen consumption. Effects of this aggression last longer and can be observed during an interaction or as they intake oxygen.
Since they are habitants of shallow and paddy rice fields, the high temperature in the tropical zones leads to a lack of dissolved oxygen in the water because of gaseous evaporation. This led to the development of labyrinth organ in them, which helped in surviving low oxygenated water bodies.
Fact: The labyrinth organ helps to breadth directly from above the water surface. And this makes them highly adaptable to harsh settings.
Reproduction in Galaxy Koi Betta
These fish present complicated patterns while breeding in captivity.
The males and females display communicative movements to engage or attract each other. Males sometimes claim their chance in front of another male by gill flaring or fin nipping.
You must set up a separate tank for a breeding pair and induce a well-fed mature couple after arranging proper water conditions.
Note: The Galaxy Koi Bettas get mature and ready to reproduce at the age of 4 – 5 months after birth.
How do They Mate in Aquarium?
As you put the potential pair in the tank, they start interacting with each other.
The males create dancing patterns by enlarging their fins, gills flaring or turning the body. At the same time, they generate bubble nests on the water surface close to the plants or rocks.
The females darken their shade, while straight lines, known as “breeding bars,” develop on their body. After inspecting the nests, they select the males for mating.
These couples make a unique “nuptial embrace” formation during mating.
Spawning and Fertilization of Eggs
The mating process is repeated in multiple cycles, and each time the females spawn 10 – 40 eggs, the male fish inputs “milt” in the water to fertilize the eggs.
Who Takes Care of the Galaxy Koi Betta’s Eggs and Fry?
The male fish takes care of the eggs with complete dedication. They ensure that the eggs remain inside the bubble nests. And if any of them falls, they carry those eggs in their mouth to put them back in the nest, followed by repairing the nests.
Females, on the other hand, attempt to consume the fallen eggs. They are aggressively pushed out of the territory by the males using the gill flaring technique followed by fin spreading to threaten the females.
Note: It is advised to remove the females from the tank after eggs spawn because males can sometimes get too angry to kill them while protecting the eggs.
Eggs Hatching
The eggs of Galaxy Koi Betta hatch in 24 – 36 hours, but the larva stays in the nest for 48 – 72 hours and feeds over the egg yolk. Later it leaves the nest to swim freely in the water.
Initially, the fry had to breadth through the gills, while the labyrinth organ develops after 45 days of hatching.
Health Conditions
Though being a hardy fish with high sustaining ability, there are chances that the Galaxy Koi Betta may attain health troubles due to several reasons.
Some of the illness issues acquired by them are discussed here.
The most common problem they face is bacterial, fungus, and parasitic infection. It usually occurs due to insignificant water conditions.
Sometimes low water temperatures can also create infections or hamper the immune systems of the Galaxy Koi Betta.
Diseases like Fin rot, White spot, and velvet are caused by infections, but can be cured through regular medicines and changing water frequently, while keeping it a little warm or at higher temperatures.
Dropsy can create severe issues in them since the disease is fatal.
Tank Recommendations
| Quick Tank Details | |
|---|---|
| Tank Size | 5 gallons for one fish |
| Water Temperature | 24 – 28 degrees Celsius |
| Water Hardness | 5 – 35 dGH |
| Lighting | Not Required |
| Water Ph Level | 6 – 8 |
How Much Space Do They Need in the Aquarium?
Considering the small size of the Galaxy Koi Betta, you can keep them in a small-sized tank but do not keep the volume below 20 Litres.
It is hardly understood by sellers who store them or sell out in bowls that these aquatics need a bigger space to stay stress-free and consequently live a long life.
They like to rule a bigger area in the tank, and decreasing their territory will only irritate them.
Necessities for Tank Setup
Galaxy Koi Bettas are pretty active in revealing their presence to the viewer. They analyze the surroundings, whether to house themselves, claim personal space, or make a bubble nest for breeding.
There are some necessary items and accessories, which you can keep in the fish tank to create an engaging environment.
Do Galaxy Koi Betta Likes Plants
Plants or green vegetation are one of the primary requirements to resemble the natural habitat, as this fish loves to play around them or spend most of the time hiding under the shade of debris.
Another proven usefulness of these plants is the tannins, which is a chemical compound that develops through roots and leaves submerged in the water. It is beneficial for maintaining the good health of the fish.
Floating greens are highly recommended for such aquariums as it leaves out vast swimming space. Indian Almond Leaves and Red Foot Floaters are among the recommended plants for these tanks.
Another plant that survives tropical conditions is Amazon Sword Plant.
Do They Need Lighting
A lighting system in the aquarium will definitely fulfill the requirements of the live plants, while the Galaxy Koi Betta also prefers to get exposed to bright light for half of the day.
You can install small LEDs inside the tank, which will also enhance the brilliant colors of its skin. But schedule yourself to turn it off in the evening to let them rest and maintain regular metabolic activities.
Best Substrate for Their Tank
Any substrate, such as sand or gravel stones, will suit the Galaxy Koi Bettas as it hardly affects their lifestyle.
They are either seen under the plants or hiding inside the rock holes, but rarely come to the surface.
You can choose a suitable substrate for rooted plants, if any, in your aquarium.
What Decorative Items are Best for Them?
You must keep ample space in the tank for some accessory items other than live plants to embellish the aquatics experience.
The living organism, especially Galaxy Koi Betta, gets frustrated in an empty space when there is nothing to do except hinder-free swimming.
Plastic pipes or driftwood logs can provide hiding space, or other cave-like structures or toys can keep them busy in interactive activities.
Tank Equipment
If you belong to a low-temperature region and wish to pet these tropical habitants, then to avoid any cause of illness due to cold water, you can install a water heater inside the tank.
It will keep the environment cozy, and the Galaxy Koi Betta will quickly adjust to the environment.
A critical aspect of warm water tanks is maintaining hygiene levels. This is because the left-over food particles or excretion from living creatures quickly decomposes to pollute the water, thereby troubling their good health.
To avoid such scenarios, you can install a mechanical filter in the tank, which will purify the water and improve the dissolved oxygen levels.
Water Parameters
Every aquatic animal has its body adaptability ratios to the water parameters such as temperature, acidity levels, hardness, salinity, etc. The fish keepers should have detailed knowledge about the pet to make them live a healthy life.
The Galaxy Koi Betta are fish with high survival instincts. Though the warm temperature suits them best, they can sustain a wide range of temperature variations.
They are habitual of living in 26 degrees Celsius warm waters, but can adjust their body limits to as low as 13 degrees Celsius and as high as 35 degrees Celsius.
These are freshwater fish and neutral alkalinity, i.e., pH 7 is usually kept in their water tanks, but they can tolerate the pH ranging between 6 – 8 levels.
You should also manage the water hardness levels between 5 – 35 dGH.
Above all, it is also essential to maintain water quality, so schedule to weekly change about 30% of tank water.
Tank Mates of Galaxy Koi Betta
It is strictly advised to specifically examine the aggressive tendencies of your pet. As already they possess territorial temperament, few specimens may show these levels more than the normal.
You can always keep them in pairs of two males together, provided there is enough space for each, but avoid keeping a male with a female except when breeding.
When choosing other companions for the tank, you should ensure that they match the characteristics and behavior of the Galaxy Koi Betta.
They should be peaceful, friendly, and suitable for warm temperatures but do not have provocative flowing fins, as the Betta fish will erode them.
The best tank mates for them would be Tetras, and Danios, as they stay busy in their groups and rarely care to interfere with other fish. Here is a list of compatible fish you can keep together.
Note: For a community tank, you must give preference to other fish to enter the tank first and take over their personal space, instead of making them struggle with the Bettas if added later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Galaxy Koi Betta display a color change?
These fish are sub-categorized from the Marble Bettas, which have Transposons Genes that instigate color change on the body. Thus, the Galaxy Koi’s also show color changes on the body.
Is it a rare species of Koi Betta?
Most of the sub-species are bred in artificially created situations to produce joint characteristics in a single organism. Creatures like Galaxy Koi Betta display vibrancy in appearance or exaggerated behaviors and thus, are pretty rare in existence.
Why can females live with more variety of tank mates?
The female Galaxy Koi Betta is less offensive in its behavior and is not fond of self-allocating territory in the tank. This makes them more agreeable to other species in the tank.
How many of them can I keep in my aquarium?
The Galaxy Koi Bettas are short-tempered fish and vigorously guard their area. Keeping two or more males in a tank may initiate a fight to kill, for which they are already famous.
However, you can keep 4 – 5 females and one male in a tank as they are less aggressive and avoid fights.
Do they fight to their death?
These species are famous for engaging in fights, and their owners arrange bets for competitive matches. But the war lasts for a few minutes until one of the males backs out while the other still behaves energetically.
Final Words
The Galaxy Koi Bettas are a type of fish that first-time keepers must avoid, as they pose a lot of complexities with their behavior towards other tank dwellers.
But if you can handle their tantrums, then these are classic examples of ornamental aquatic animals. They will give a colorful flair to your living room’s aquarium and attract other fish lovers.
Though they can handle substantial changes in environmental conditions, it is suggested to maintain the parameters according to the expert guidelines.
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