Tricia Sparks, age 13, of Denton, Texas. for her question:

DOES THE BETA FISH BREATHE AIR?

Beta is the common name of a small freshwater fish that is native to Southeast Asia. Also called the Siamese fighting fish, it is often found in home aquariums. Like other fish in its family group, it does not obtain its entire oxygen supply from water but must periodically rise to the surface for air.

A cultivated beta may be any color but most commonly is red, blue or turquoise. The color becomes more vivid when the fish is aroused. An adult measures between an inch and a half and two and a half inches in length.

Male fighting fish are bred in Thailand and Japan for the purpose of competitive combat and people gamble on the outcome of the matches. A fighting fish has been known to attack its own image in a mirror placed in the water.

The fish fight by making a long series of swift attacks. Because their teeth are small, they nibble better than bite, concentrating their attacks on another fish's fins. Fights are interrupted while the fish swim to the surface to replenish their supply of oxygen. Although damage to fins in a fight can be extensive, the fish usually recover in a few weeks.