Super Delta Female Betta (Betta splendens) - Random Mix

Choose a random-mix female with individual colour and finnage

The Super Delta Female Betta, scientifically named Betta splendens, is a freshwater fish in the family Osphronemidae. The wild species occurs in the Mekong basin and reaches a recorded maximum of 6.5 cm total length. This domestic broad-tail form suits a careful beginner who is ready to maintain a mature, heated and filtered aquarium, measure the water regularly and house one female alone by default.

Plan at least 20 litres, gentle flow, plant cover, a secure lid and clear access to the surface. Tropical Fish Co targets a stable 26–28°C for a typical domestic Betta, with pH 6.0–8.0 and general hardness of 4–12 dGH. Prepare and test the complete aquarium before the fish arrives.

This offer is for one randomly selected female from a mixed-colour group in the XL dispatch grade. “Super Delta” is the trade description for its broad tail form, while “random mix” means colour, markings and exact fin shape vary between individual fish. XL describes the dispatch grade rather than an adult length, age, life stage or exhibition standard. Plan the aquarium around the adult measurement, not the dispatch label.

Sex is guaranteed only when the exact product or selected option explicitly states male or female. This Super Delta Female Betta listing is sold as female.

Know what the offer means

Do not use colour, tail length or a gallery scene to infer age, temperament or breeding potential. Those characteristics differ between ornamental Bettas and can also look different as the fish changes posture or moves under another light. If you want to compare other forms before deciding, use the Betta collection and read the offer details for each animal.

Understand the domestic form without treating colour as identity

The accepted scientific identity is Betta splendens, as listed by the NCBI Taxonomy database. It belongs to the family Osphronemidae and is widely called the Betta or Siamese fighting fish. Super Delta remains a domestic form name rather than a separate species.

FishBase describes the wild species in standing floodplain waters, canals, rice paddies and medium to large rivers in the Mekong basin. Wild fish feed on zooplankton, mosquito larvae and other insect larvae. They are facultative air-breathers, using a labyrinth organ to take atmospheric air at the surface, but they still depend on clean water and effective biological filtration.

That natural history explains several practical choices: leave unobstructed surface access, avoid forceful current and provide cover rather than a bare container. It does not assign a wild locality or collection origin to this female. Domestic aquarium forms have a complex breeding history, and a genome-wide study of domestic Bettas documents extensive diversity in colour, fins, body traits and behaviour.

Read the gallery as a visual guide

The gallery images are representative, based on reference photographs of this species, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal.

One scene shows two fish, but that visible pair does not alter the purchase unit or establish that two females should share an aquarium. The broad tails, mottled colours, plants, wood, gravel and sand are scene details rather than promises about the exact individual. Use the gallery to understand the general domestic form, then make housing and compatibility decisions from the care plan.

Plan the aquarium around adult size, water and usable space

FishBase records a maximum of 6.5 cm total length for male or unsexed Betta splendens. Seriously Fish separately gives a planning length of 70 mm standard length. Use 6.5 cm as the adult-size figure throughout this plan rather than treating XL as the mature size.

Our complete Betta care guide uses at least 20 litres as the starting screen for one typical domestic Betta splendens. Seriously Fish gives a 45 × 30 cm base and approximately 41 litres as large enough for a single male or pair. For this female, begin at 20 litres and choose the larger footprint where practical; decor and the air gap below the lid reduce the real water volume.

OATA’s Betta sheet gives 20–28°C, pH 6.0–8.0 and 4–12 dGH for the group, rather than a species-specific optimum. Seriously Fish gives aquarium ranges of 22–30°C, pH 6.0–8.0 and 1–15 dGH, while FishBase records 24–30°C in the wild environment. Our routine target of 26–28°C, pH 6.0–8.0 and hardness 4–12 dGH remains within the applicable aquarium ranges.

Decide whether this form suits your plan

Use these starting decisions

• Space: at least 20 litres for one fish, with more usable capacity where practical.
• Temperature: hold 26–28°C with a thermostatic heater and separate thermometer.
• Water: keep pH within 6.0–8.0 and general hardness within 4–12 dGH.
• Social plan: one female alone is the lower-risk default.
• Equipment: mature filter, gentle flow, secure lid, surface access and cover.

Build a covered aquarium with shade, refuge and gentle flow

Prepare and mature the aquarium before the fish arrives. If this is your first setup, follow the first tropical aquarium guide and do not use elapsed time or clear-looking water as proof that the filter is ready. Test the finished aquarium and proceed only when ammonia and nitrite are both zero.

Use a thermostatic heater, a separate thermometer and a mature biological filter. The thermometer checks the actual water rather than merely repeating the heater setting. Position equipment so warmth circulates without creating a concentrated jet that pushes the fish away from resting places.

Shape the swimming space

A long, usable footprint gives this territorial fish room to explore, turn and withdraw. Seriously Fish describes a well-planted, shady aquarium with surface cover, tall plants, floating plants, driftwood and additional shelter. Choose smooth aquarium-safe furnishings and retain clear routes between the cover and the surface.

Watch how the individual uses the layout during the first week. Repeatedly being pushed sideways, struggling to remain at a resting point or avoiding the filter side indicates excessive flow. Diffuse or redirect the outlet while keeping the biological filter running.

A labyrinth organ is an adaptation for breathing air, not a substitute for filtration. Keep surface access and well-maintained water together: neither one makes the other optional. Avoid tiny jars and bare containers because they restrict furnishing and make stable heating, filtration and maintenance harder.

Hold stable water inside the routine aquarium ranges

Set the heater to produce a measured water temperature of 26–28°C. Check with a separate thermometer at a consistent time and position, then observe whether heat is distributed throughout the aquarium. Follow the heater maker’s aquarium-volume, installation and minimum-water-depth instructions rather than using one universal wattage formula.

Keep pH between 6.0 and 8.0 and general hardness between 4 and 12 dGH. Stability and gradual matching matter more than forcing either value to the centre with rapid chemical adjustment. UK tap water varies, so test the aquarium and replacement water instead of assuming a value from the postcode or from another keeper’s tank.

Use the water chemistry guide to understand each test, then use the water matcher with measurements from the aquarium itself. Treat tap water with a suitable conditioner before it enters the tank so chlorine or chloramine does not harm the fish or the filter bacteria.

Respond to readings with a measured action

OATA advises nitrate should not exceed 20 mg/L above the normal tap-water level. Record the tap baseline and aquarium result together so the number has context. Never add hot water directly to a cool aquarium or make a large chemistry change simply to reach a preferred decimal.

Protect the biological filter with a repeatable weekly routine

The RSPCA’s aquarium guidance explains that a working biological filter supports bacteria that convert toxic ammonia into nitrite and then the safer nitrate. Clear water can still contain ammonia or nitrite, so testing rather than appearance determines whether the system is coping with waste.

OATA strongly recommends a 25% water change at least once each week. Treat that as the routine starting point and use the nitrate trend, waste accumulation and test results to decide whether this aquarium needs more frequent partial changes. Replacement water must be conditioned and close to the aquarium’s temperature.

Use this maintenance sequence

1. Observe breathing, posture, swimming, fins and appetite before disturbing the tank.
2. Measure temperature, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, recording any change from the normal pattern.
3. Siphon visible waste from accessible substrate while leaving useful refuge in place.
4. Remove 25% of the water and replace it with conditioned, temperature-matched water.
5. Check the filter intake and outlet for blockage or excessive flow.
6. Inspect the heater, thermometer, lid, plants and decor for movement or damage.

If filter media needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in aquarium water removed during the partial change. Do not run it under the tap because chlorine or chloramine may kill the beneficial bacterial population established in the media. Avoid replacing every biological component together; stagger necessary changes so the aquarium retains established filtration.

Uneaten food, heavy feeding or several animals added together can exceed the filter’s present capacity. OATA describes this imbalance as new tank syndrome: waste production rises faster than the nitrifying bacteria can respond. For this offer, start with the one planned fish, keep feeding measured and investigate any ammonia or nitrite result immediately.

A full clean-out is not routine maintenance. Replacing all the water, sterilising the substrate and changing all filter media together removes stability and exposes the fish to abrupt differences. Consistent partial work is safer and makes trends easier to recognise.

Feed complete food first and add small live or frozen variety

In nature, FishBase records zooplankton, mosquito larvae and other insect larvae in the diet of Betta splendens. In the aquarium, use a suitably sized complete Betta pellet or quality aquarium flake as the nutritional base. OATA also recommends small live or frozen foods such as daphnia, small bloodworm or tubifex as variety.

Feed once each day and offer only what the fish consumes within a few minutes. Remove obvious leftovers before they decay. Pellet diameter, density and energy content vary between products, so use the food maker’s directions and the fish’s body condition rather than applying one fixed pellet count to every brand.

Give each food a clear role

Overfeeding affects both body condition and water quality. Seriously Fish notes that Bettas can be prone to obesity, while OATA warns that uneaten food releases toxic waste as it breaks down. If more than one person feeds the aquarium, prepare measured portions so the fish is not fed repeatedly.

A sudden refusal to feed is a prompt to check the whole system rather than to keep adding different foods. Confirm temperature, ammonia, nitrite, breathing, posture and recent maintenance. Remove uneaten attempts promptly. If appetite remains reduced or another sign appears, follow the health sequence below instead of raising the temperature or adding treatment at random.

Manage arrival with a prepared tank and clear checkpoints

Complete the aquarium before the delivery day: filtration mature, ammonia and nitrite at zero, heater stable at 26–28°C, lid secure and surface access clear.

Follow the delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy and use this arrival sequence:

1. Have someone present to receive the parcel; live fish cannot be left unattended.
2. Start filming every delivery while the parcel is still sealed and the outer box is visible.
3. Open the parcel the same day in one continuous take, showing the fish inside the sealed bag before anything is disturbed.
4. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish.
5. Release the fish without pouring the bag water into the aquarium.

OATA’s Betta guidance calls for ammonia and nitrite at zero before introduction. Confirm the heater and filter remain operating, then watch whether the fish can reach the surface and hold position against the flow. Remove uneaten food rather than encouraging repeated feeding.

First-week checks

Test ammonia and nitrite each day if the aquarium is newly matured or if any reading changes. Compare behaviour with the individual’s emerging normal pattern. Continuing distress requires measured checks of temperature, water quality, flow and the environment.

First-month checks

By the end of the first month, you should have a record of weekly temperature, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH readings, the water-change routine and normal feeding response. Use that baseline to notice change early. Adjust the layout only when it creates a clear problem, such as excessive current, blocked surface access or a trapping hazard; constant rearrangement removes familiar refuge.

Do not add another fish simply because the first animal appears settled. Every addition changes waste production and social pressure. For this territorial species, the solitary plan remains the lower-risk default after acclimatisation as well as during the first few days.

Investigate health changes before choosing any treatment

Learn the individual fish’s normal feeding response, breathing rate, posture, swimming route, colour and use of cover. OATA recommends watching for changes in swimming, colour, temperament, breathing, appearance, body condition and feeding. A change is useful information, but one visible sign can have several possible causes.

Begin with the aquarium. The MSD Veterinary Manual emphasises water analysis, aquarium history and appropriate diagnostic work. Confirm temperature and test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, then review recent additions, feeding, cleaning, equipment changes and social events.

Use this order when something changes

1. Confirm the thermometer and heater reading.
2. Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH and compare them with the normal record.
3. Check whether filter flow, surface access or a refuge has changed.
4. Review food intake, waste, maintenance and any new animal or decoration.
5. Separate a clear source of social aggression when safe accommodation is ready.
6. Seek fish-experienced veterinary help for severe, persistent or unexplained signs.

White spots, fluffy growth, fin loss, swelling, weight change, loss of balance, rapid breathing, sitting on the bottom or remaining at the surface all require attention. Do not combine medicines or raise the temperature from a symptom label alone. Some treatments affect biological filtration, oxygen conditions or other aquarium animals, and a mistaken treatment can delay the correct response.

Use OATA’s fish-vet directory when veterinary assessment is needed. Keep photographs, water-test results and a short timeline of feeding, maintenance and behaviour. Those details allow a professional to assess the system rather than relying on a single visual sign.

Correcting toxic water exposure may be urgent, but clean water alone does not identify an infection or injury. Make the immediate environment safe, preserve the aquarium history and choose treatment only after the likely cause has been assessed.

Choose solitary housing unless a demanding group plan is ready

Seriously Fish recommends keeping Betta splendens alone because its disposition and care requirements make community success the exception rather than the expected result. Ornamental strains can be aggressive, and usual practice keeps males and females separately unless breeding. A single female in a furnished aquarium is therefore the clearest starting plan.

Female does not mean socially dependent or automatically peaceful. This fish does not need another Betta as a companion. Solitary housing removes competition for food and resting places and avoids requiring the fish to maintain distance from another territorial individual.

OATA describes a possible female-group plan as at least four females in an aquarium of at least 60 litres. Treat both numbers as minimum conditions, not a promise of peace. The aquarium needs dense planting, broken sight lines, several feeding areas and separate heated accommodation ready before any introductions.

Stop a group attempt when pressure persists

Do not begin with two females on the assumption that a pair is simpler than a group. Do not use the two-fish gallery scene as a housing example. A group that remains motionless or hidden is not necessarily settled; watch access to food, normal swimming and body condition rather than judging success from the absence of an obvious fight.

Breeding is a separate controlled project, not routine pair housing. A male and female should not share the everyday aquarium as companions. This female is sold as one random-mix animal, not as part of a matched breeding pair.

Screen every community plan and keep separation ready

No companion species is automatically safe with this female. Seriously Fish says an individual may sometimes tolerate other species, but that this is not the expected outcome. The RSPCA’s guidance on keeping fish together also places responsibility on the keeper to research compatibility rather than relying on a general community label.

Avoid another Betta. OATA advises that females placed in communities should not be housed with boisterous or aggressive fish. Fin-nipping, feeding competition and constant activity can also create pressure even when no direct attack is seen.

Require every screen to pass

Small shrimp and snails remain uncertain companions because an individual Betta may investigate or hunt small animals, while defensive invertebrates may introduce injury risk. Do not add an animal as a cleaner or feeding experiment. Each animal still needs its own diet, water match, refuge and adult space.

Introduce only after every screen passes and observe beyond the first quiet hour. Watch for chasing, flaring, fin damage, food exclusion, rapid breathing, persistent hiding and changes in normal swimming. Separate promptly when pressure continues; adding more decor after aggression starts is not a substitute for ending unsafe contact.

The honest compatibility limit is individual temperament. A combination that works in another aquarium does not guarantee the same result here, so the backup aquarium is part of the original plan rather than an emergency improvisation.

Answer the key questions before choosing this fish

How big does a Super Delta Female Betta get?

FishBase records a maximum adult size of 6.5 cm total length for male or unsexed Betta splendens. Plan the aquarium around 6.5 cm rather than treating the XL dispatch grade as a body measurement.

What size aquarium does a Super Delta Female Betta need?

Use at least 20 litres for one typical domestic Betta, with a mature filter, heater, separate thermometer, gentle flow, secure lid, surface access and cover. Seriously Fish also gives a 45 × 30 cm base and approximately 41 litres as large enough for a single male or pair.

How many Super Delta Female Bettas should I keep together?

Keep one female alone by default. OATA says females can be kept in groups of at least four and recommends at least 60 litres for a female group, but individual aggression remains possible and separate heated accommodation must be ready.

Is this fish suitable for beginners?

A single Betta can suit a careful beginner after the aquarium has been matured and tested. The heater, mature filter, test kits, lid, gentle flow and safe furnishings must be ready before the fish arrives.

What does a Super Delta Female Betta eat?

Feed a suitably sized complete Betta pellet or quality aquarium flake once daily, offering only what is eaten within a few minutes. Add small live or frozen daphnia, bloodworm or tubifex as variety and remove leftovers.

What temperature and pH does a Super Delta Female Betta need?

Hold the water at Tropical Fish Co’s stable 26–28°C target. Seriously Fish and OATA overlap at pH 6.0–8.0 and 4–12 dGH; keep ammonia and nitrite at 0 mg/L and make changes gradually.

Is it aggressive or likely to nip fins?

This territorial fish may show aggression, and ornamental strains are best treated cautiously. Avoid another Betta and do not house a female with boisterous or aggressive fish; also screen for fin-nipping pressure, food exclusion and persistent chasing.

Which animals can live with this fish?

Seriously Fish says some small cyprinids and loaches may suit an individual after careful screening, although solitary housing is the expected plan. Shrimp and snails remain uncertain; every combination needs matching water, enough adult space and prepared separation.

How does this fish arrive alive in the UK?

Start filming every delivery while the parcel is sealed, then open it in one continuous take and show the fish inside the sealed bag before anything is disturbed. Have someone present to receive it, float the bag for 20–30 minutes, and never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

Consult the references behind the care decisions

• FishBase: Betta splendens — identity, family, wild environment, recorded length, diet and behaviour.
• Seriously Fish: Betta splendens — species aquarium dimensions, water ranges, furnishing, diet and disposition.
• OATA: Siamese fighting fish — UK group husbandry, feeding, maintenance and compatibility guidance.
• RSPCA: aquarium environment — biological filtration and aquarium waste processing.
• NCBI Taxonomy: Betta splendens — scientific identity.
• Kwon et al. 2022 — genetic and visible diversity among domestic Bettas.
• RSPCA: keeping pet fish together — compatibility and social-housing considerations.
• MSD Veterinary Manual: aquarium fish management — water analysis, history and diagnostic context.
• OATA fish-vet directory — route to fish-experienced veterinary care.