TankBud

Anabatoides betta

Betta anabatoides

Also known as Giant betta, Pearly betta

FreshwaterFish

Anabatoides betta (Betta anabatoides)
Justin Philbois · CC0

Care at a glance

Temperature
79–84°F
26–29°C
pH
4.5–7.5
Adult size
3.2 in
8.2 cm
Minimum tank
26 gal
100 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Barito and neighbouring basins, South and Central Kalimantan, Borneo

Overview

The Anabatoides betta is a calm, slow-moving wild betta for a large, well-covered tank. It is best kept once you have some experience with easier fish.

Did you know

Old trade lists called the Anabatoides betta the giant betta. That name now mostly means oversized strains of the domestic Betta splendens, so a shop's giant betta is usually not this species at all.

Caring for the Anabatoides betta

Give a pair of Anabatoides bettas at least 26 gal (100 L), with plants, wood, caves and other cover. It is an expert jumper, so fit a tight lid.

Keep the water at 79 to 84°F (26 to 29°C) with a pH of 4.5 to 7.5. It is more forgiving of water chemistry than most of its relatives. Soft, mildly acidic water with tannins suits it best, but that is not essential if the tank is clean and well filtered. Feed live and frozen foods such as blackworm, bloodworm, brine shrimp and small earthworms, and it accepts pellets once settled.

It is one of the wild bettas most often kept in a pair or a group. Keep only one male per tank at this size. It will eat dwarf shrimp and fish it can swallow, so keep it without other species or with calm fish of similar size.

The Anabatoides betta is a paternal mouthbrooder. The male holds the eggs for the better part of two weeks without eating. Breeding it is moderately difficult.

Good to know

Betta anabatoides belongs to the family Osphronemidae and is the name species of the small Betta anabatoides group. It has a thick-set body and a black stripe running from the black lower lip to the eye. Its adult size is a standard length, and shop claims of 5 inches are total length at best. Bleeker described it in 1851 from Banjarmasin and named it for its resemblance to Anabas, the climbing perch. Tan redescribed it and designated a neotype in 2009. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern, and it is caught for local food markets as well as the aquarium trade.

In the wild

The Anabatoides betta comes from the lower Barito basin in South Kalimantan. It also lives in the Kotawaringin, Katingan, Sampit, Mentaya and Kahayan basins of Central Kalimantan. Its habitats are blackwater rivers, peat swamp forest and sluggish, murky streams up to about a meter deep, some of them draining farmland.

Common questions

What size tank does an Anabatoides betta need?

An Anabatoides betta needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an Anabatoides betta need?

An Anabatoides betta is comfortable at 79–84°F (26–29°C) with a pH of 4.5–7.5.

What does an Anabatoides betta eat?

An Anabatoides betta eats live and frozen foods such as blackworm, bloodworm, brine shrimp and small earthworms. Once settled, it accepts pellets too.

How big does an Anabatoides betta get?

An adult Anabatoides betta reaches about 3.2 in (8.2 cm).

How does an Anabatoides betta breed?

Anabatoides bettas are paternal mouthbrooders. The male holds the eggs for the better part of two weeks without eating. Breeding them is moderately difficult.

Related species