Edit Betta siamorientalis

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Name

Scientific name

Betta siamorientalis

Described by

Authority Kowasupat, Panijpan, Ruenwongsa & Jeenthong, Year 2012

Family

Osphronemidae

Common names

Not recorded

Photograph credits

All 1 credited

Summary

Betta siamorientalis is a small bubble-nesting labyrinth fish from eastern Thailand, western Cambodia and Vietnam. It lives among submerged…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

33mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 45 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm, Water movement Low: still or sluggish water

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 22–28°C, pH 5.5–7.5

Hardness

1–12dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Species tank only

Community suitability

Not for a community

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Mekong

Writing

Etymology

siamorientalis: derived from Siam, the former name of Thailand, and the Latin orientalis, meaning 'of the east', in reference to this species' type locality in…

Distribution

Currently known only from Chachoengsao, Sa Kaeo, Prachin Buri and Chon Buri provinces in eastern Thailand plus Banteay Meanchey province in western Cambodia (w…

Habitat

This species occurs in still or slowly-moving water where it takes shelter and builds its bubble nests (see 'Reproduction') among submerged vegetation. It's be…

Aquarium size

An aquarium with base measurements of 45 ∗ 30 cm or equivalent is large enough to house a pair.

Maintenance

Should fare best in a well-planted, shady tank with plenty of surface cover in the form of tall stem or floating plants. Driftwood roots and branches can be us…

Water conditions

Not written yet

Diet

Likely to feed mostly on insects and other small invertebrates in nature. Captive fish will normally accept dried products once they're recognised as edible, b…

Behaviour and compatibility

Not recommended for the standard community set-up for reasons already touched upon. It's requirements and disposition mean it's best kept alone or with very pe…

Sexual dimorphism

Males are more colourful and develop more-extended fins than females.

Reproduction

Bubble-nester. Organise a separate tank for breeding purposes unless the fish are already being maintained alone, setting this up as suggested above. It should…

Notes

This species was considered a colour form of the closely-related B. imbellis and commonly-referred to as 'black imbellis' prior to description due to its black…

This species was considered a colour form of the closely-related B. imbellis and commonly-referred to as 'black imbellis' prior to description due to its blackish opercle and body.

It's also previously been confused with B. splendens due to the colour of the vertical opercular bars which tend to be reddish (but may also be pale red, greenish-silvery, plain silvery or without colour in some populations), but DNA analysis has demonstrated it to be a distinct species (Kowasupat et al., 2012).

B. siamorientalis is included in the Betta splendens group of closely-related species within the genus, of which members share the following set of characters: head length short 22-31 % SL; often a brightly-coloured body; iris of the eye with iridescent green or blue patches; body elongate or slender; opercles parallel when head viewed dorsally; caudal-fin rays red or brown and contrasting with the iridescent interradial membranes; unpaired fins without an iridescent margin; opercle with red or blue vertical bars in males; dorsal-fin rays 0-II, 7-9; anal-fin rays II-V, 21-26.

It can be distinguished from other members of the B. splendens group by the following combination of characters: body dark-brown to black; opercle black with two parallel, reddish vertical bars; operculum membrane dark-brown to black with red patches; caudal-fin rays with a red, crescent-shaped distal band and thin black edge; caudal-fin without dark transverse bars; distal half of posterior anal-fin rays red with a small red patch at the distal tip; pelvic-fin black and red with a white tip.

The genus Betta is the most speciose within the family Osphronemidae with almost 70 recognised members and looks set to grow further with new ones continuing to be described on a regular basis since the turn of the century.

Betta species have successfully adapted to inhabit a variety of ecological niches from stagnant ditches to flowing hill streams including some extreme environments such as highly acidic peat swamp forests.

The referral of members to a number of putative groups containing closely-related species is now generally accepted but largely based on morphological and behavioural characters meaning molecular phylogenetic work may prove useful in more precisely determining relationships between these fishes.

A full list of the species groups as currently recognised can be found here.

Like others in the suborder Anabantoidei this species possesses an accessory breathing organ known as the labyrinth.

So-called due to its maze-like structure this organ allows the fish to breathe atmospheric air to a certain extent.

Comprising paired suprabranchial organs formed via expansion of the epibranchial (upper) section of the first gill arch and housed in a chamber above the gills, it contains many highly-vascularised, folded flaps of skin which function as a large respiratory surface.

Its structure varies in complexity between species, tending to be better-developed in those inhabiting harsher environments.

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My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

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References

3 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References