The fascinating Siamese fighting fish (also known as Betta), is a popular species of freshwater aquarium fish. The wild ancestors of this fish are native to the rice paddies of Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam. The colorful male betta painstakingly builds a bubble nest to prepare for spawning. The act of spawning itself is called a "nuptial embrace", whereby the male wraps his body around the female releasing 10-40 eggs during each embrace, until the female is fully depleted. The male, in his turn, releases milt into the water, and fertilization takes place. During and after spawning, the male tirelessly uses his mouth to retrieve sinking eggs and deposit them in the bubble nest. Once the female has released all of her eggs, she is chased away from the male's territory, as it is likely that she'll eat the eggs due to hunger. The eggs remain in the male's meticulous care. He carefully keeps them in his bubble nest, making sure none fall, while keeping the bubble nest in good repair. Incubation lasts for 24–36 hours; newly-hatched larvae remain in the nest for the next 2–3 days until their yolk sacs are fully absorbed. Afterwards the fry leave the nest and the free-swimming stage begins.