# Bettas splendens/imbellis in the wild - average life span?



## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

I was just thinking about this, because I just read that a Bearded Dragon's life span in the wild is only 3 years, where as in captivity it is 10! So I was just wondering what a wild betta's average life span is, because (these days) a domestic betta's average life span is 3.


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## phikhanhs (Jul 25, 2011)

okay


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## Jexx (Feb 2, 2013)

I don't know the answer to this question, but i can speculate. Many fish only live one full breeding cycle, so 6 months- one year? I would assume a wild betta only lives that long


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I think it would vary like all wild animals. Some would be unlucky and die very early on while others would perhaps be fortunate enough to survive to almost their full life expectancy.

I know in captivity my wild bettas seem to have a lifespan very close to that of the domesticated splendens, and one of my pairs was still spawning at 2 years of age.


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## Jexx (Feb 2, 2013)

LittleBettaFish said:


> I think it would vary like all wild animals. Some would be unlucky and die very early on while others would perhaps be fortunate enough to survive to almost their full life expectancy.
> 
> I know in captivity my wild bettas seem to have a lifespan very close to that of the domesticated splendens, and one of my pairs was still spawning at 2 years of age.


2 years old and spawning!! They practically geriatrics at that point! Impressive!


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I think it is not really though, because most of my fish don't hit adult size until they are at least a year. I wonder if their slow maturation leads to them being able to spawn at an older age, or if people with splendens are just too quick to retire their breeders early on.


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