Edit Betta bellica
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Name
Scientific name
Betta bellica
Described by
Authority Sauvage, Year 1884
Family
Osphronemidae
Common names
Slender Betta
Photograph credits
All 8 credited
Summary
The slender betta, Betta bellica, is a bubble-nesting labyrinth fish from Peninsular Malaysia and northeastern Sumatra, Indonesia. It lends…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
90mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Minimum length 80 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm, Water movement Low: still or sluggish water
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 25–30°C, pH 4–7
Hardness
1–5dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Species tank only
Social needs
A pair
Community suitability
Not for a community
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Indonesia, Malaysia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra
Writing
Etymology
Betta: from ikan betah, the vernacular Malay for species of this genus. bellica: from the Latin bellicus, meaning 'warlike'.
Distribution
Occurs throughout the provinces of Terengganu, Perak, Selangor, Pahang and Johor in Peninsular Malaysia, plus the provinces of Utara and Riau in northeastern S…
Habitat
This species was first recorded from a heavily-vegetated forest swamp in Perak Province on the Malay Peninsula, and since its rediscovery in 1996 has most ofte…
Aquarium size
An aquarium with base dimensions in excess of 80 ∗ 30 cm is recommended.
Maintenance
Can be maintained in a fully-decorated aquarium although many breeders prefer not to use a substrate for ease of maintenance. Driftwood roots and branches can …
Water conditions
Not written yet
Diet
Stomach analyses of wild specimens have shown it to feed almost exclusively on insects, particularly damsel fly larvae, which it hunts at the water surface. It…
Behaviour and compatibility
Not recommended for the standard community aquarium. Its care requirements and disposition mean it is best kept alone or with very peaceful species since much …
Sexual dimorphism
Mature males are more intensely-coloured and develop slightly more extended fins than females.
Reproduction
Bubble nester. It is particularly important to provide plenty of cover for the female, and empty camera film canisters or lengths of plastic tubing are often u…
Notes
This species lends it name to the B. bellica group of closely-related species within the genus, an assemblage of which members share the following set of chara…
References
References
6 on this profile