Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Determine the Age of Your Fish by Characteristics
• Method 2 of 2: Identify signs of aging in your fish
• Tips

The fighting fish, also known as the Siamese fighting cock, is well-deserved by hobbyists for its bright colors and luxurious veil fins. If you bought a fish from a pet store, chances are you have no idea how old it is. Of course, you can hardly find out the exact date of birth of your fish, but common sense and observation of your Siamese cock will help you quite accurately determine the age of the fish.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Determine the Age of Your Fish by Characteristics

1. 1 Measure your fish's body length. The body length of an adult fighting cock is about 7.5 centimeters. Attach a measuring tape to the side of the aquarium and determine the size of the fish.If your betta is much smaller, it is most likely that it has not yet reached adulthood and is still growing.
   • It is quite difficult to measure the length of a fish accurately. In most cases, it is sufficient to obtain an approximate value by holding the measuring tape against the glass wall of the aquarium. Be patient - a healthy fish is very mobile and will not wait in one place while you measure it.
2. 2 Check the condition of the cock's fins. Luxurious veiled fins are a characteristic feature of an adult cockerel. If your fish has long, beautiful fins, chances are that it has already reached adulthood. Young fish and fry have rather small fins.
   • Make sure you correctly identify the gender of your fish. Long veil fins are characteristic only of males; in females, the fins look much more modest.
   • It is important to be able to distinguish signs of natural aging of fins from damage that results from disease.
   • In crown-tailed Siamese cockerels, the edges of the fins resemble a fringe.

   In older fish, the fins lose their former splendor. They often look pretty shabby, with jagged, ragged edges.

   
   
3. 3 Assess the color of your fish. In most cases, juveniles are intensely colored, while older fish become less bright. As it ages, the color of the cockerel scales becomes paler and dull.

   On a note: breeders have bred many varieties of cockerels that are distinguished by bright colors. However, individuals of the Siamese fighting fish that live in nature are usually painted gray, a rather nondescript color. The male's scales change color and become very bright only when he meets another fish of the same sex and enters into battle with her.

Method 2 of 2: Identify signs of aging in your fish

1. 1 Pay attention to the change in the body of the fish. If you notice that the fish's scales are becoming less bright, and the fish itself is losing weight despite daily feeding, it is most likely that your fish is approaching old age.

   Advice: with age, the profile of the back of the fish changes - it becomes more rounded. In young bettas, the back is usually straight, but with age, the spine of the fighting fish begins to curve in an arch. A rounded hump forms on the back of an elderly fish (diseases of the spine that cause a change in the shape of the fish's back usually lead to the formation of acute outgrowths).

   
   
2. 2 Notice how energetic your fish is. If you see that your cock, which used to frolic and swim actively, has become much slower, most likely your pet is aging. With age, the Siamese cockerel becomes less active and can no longer swim tirelessly all day.
   • A healthy adult cockerel usually swims throughout the aquarium, while older fish prefer to hide among the plants and decorative elements of the aquarium and move rather slowly.
   • When you feed your fighting fish, pay attention to how quickly and accurately it grabs the food. If you notice that the cock is slowly swimming near the food and misses several times before he can grab a piece, most likely your fish has aged.
3. 3 Look for signs of cataracts in your fish's eyes. In older fish, cataracts often develop - opacities and formations appear in the tissues of the eyes, resembling a whitish film. Such processes sooner or later develop in any older fighting fish, even if you keep the fish in a large aquarium and maintain the necessary purity of the water.

   Advice: if your fish has black eyes that are almost invisible against the background of the head, then the Siamese cockerel is healthy and in full bloom.

   
   

Tips

• If you take proper care of your cock, your pet will live from two to five years.
• Write down or remember the date when you bought your fish. This will help you get a general idea of ​​your pet's age.
• Under no circumstances should you place two male Siamese cockerels in the same aquarium, unless you do so deliberately and knowingly and are aware of the consequences.