TankBud

Channoides betta

Betta channoides

Also known as Snakehead betta, Red Cherry Betta

FreshwaterFish

Channoides betta (Betta channoides)
(c) Ryan O.Hershey, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
4.0–6.5
Adult size
1.6 in
4 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Mahakam River basin, East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia

Overview

The Channoides betta is a small, shy mouthbrooding betta for a soft, acidic species tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

A Channoides betta pair often works the eggs together during spawning. The female nudges dropped eggs back toward the male to catch. He then holds them in his throat pouch without eating, and later spits out a handful of free-swimming fry.

Caring for the Channoides betta

Keep Channoides bettas as a single pair or a small group of their own kind in a species-only tank. Give a pair at least 11 gal (40 L), and a group more room. Add driftwood roots, a layer of leaf litter and low cover, with gentle flow from a sponge filter. They are strong jumpers, so fit a tight lid over a gap of warm, humid air rather than filling the tank to the brim.

Keep the soft, acidic water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and push the pH down to 4.0 to 6.5. Reaching water that soft and acidic usually means mixing in reverse osmosis water or rainwater, since most tap water is far too hard. Feed small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, baby brine shrimp and microworms, because many refuse dry flake.

They spend most of their time among low cover near the bottom. They are mostly peaceful but shy and easily intimidated. Skip boisterous or fast tank mates that would bully them off their food.

The male is a paternal mouthbrooder. He holds a small brood of roughly 10 to 15 eggs in his mouth for about 10 to 21 days, then releases fully formed fry. Breeding is moderately difficult.

Good to know

The Channoides betta is a small betta in the family Osphronemidae, part of the Betta albimarginata complex. It is sometimes called the snakehead betta. Like other bettas, it breathes air through a labyrinth organ.

In the wild

The Channoides betta comes from the Mahakam River basin in East Kalimantan, on the Indonesian side of Borneo. It lives in sluggish forest streams stained dark with tannins, soft and very acidic, and shaded so the light stays dim.

Common questions

What size tank does a Channoides betta need?

A Channoides betta needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Channoides betta need?

A Channoides betta is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 4.0–6.5.

What does a Channoides betta eat?

A Channoides betta eats small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, baby brine shrimp and microworms. Many refuse dry flake.

How big does a Channoides betta get?

An adult Channoides betta reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

How does a Channoides betta breed?

A Channoides betta is a paternal mouthbrooder, and the male holds roughly 10 to 15 eggs in his mouth for about 10 to 21 days. He then releases fully formed fry, and breeding is moderately difficult.

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