Brown's betta

Care at a glance

Overview

A pair fits in a tank of about 40 liters with a base of 45 cm, very soft acidic water at pH 4.0 to 6.0, and a temperature of 24 to 28 C. Keep the tank shaded with floating plants, leaf litter, and a tight lid to hold humid air. Feed small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, artemia, and bloodworm. Best kept as a single pair in a quiet species tank.

In the wild

Betta brownorum is a tiny betta from peat swamp forests on Borneo. The water is extremely soft and acidic, often below pH 5, and deeply stained with tannins. It needs a dim, densely planted blackwater tank with leaf litter and driftwood. Bright light and hard water stress this delicate fish.

Good to know

Described by Witte and Schmidt in 1992, it belongs to the Betta coccina group of small red peat swamp fighters. It is a bubble nester, with the male building and guarding a nest under leaves or in cavities. Males show a deep red body with a green or blue side spot.

Did you know

Reaching only about 3 cm, Betta brownorum is one of the smallest bettas, and males flash a bright green spot on a wine red body.

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