Compuncta betta
Betta compuncta
Also known as Tattooed betta
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–81°F (22–27°C)
- pH
- 5.0–7.0
- Adult size
- 3 in (7.5 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal (75 L)
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Tankmates
- Tankmates with caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Origin
- Upper Mahakam drainage, East Kalimantan, Indonesia
- Family
- Osphronemidae
Overview
The compuncta betta is a medium-sized wild mouthbrooder that settles best as a single pair or a very small group in a quiet, well covered tank of at least 75 liters. It holds in the middle water among wood and shade and is mostly peaceful, though males shove each other, so give it room and cover to break up sightlines. Choose tankmates carefully: calm, similarly sized fish only, nothing tiny enough to be eaten or fast enough to strip its food. Feed meaty items, small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp, and chopped prawn. A tight lid is essential because these fish jump.
In the wild
Betta compuncta lives in forest streams and swamps of the upper Mahakam drainage in East Kalimantan, Borneo, where shaded water runs soft and mildly acidic over leaf litter and wood. Recreate that with driftwood, dried leaves, gentle flow, and dim lighting. Keep the pH from 5.0 to 7.0 and the temperature from 22 to 27 degrees Celsius. Botanicals that release tannins help keep the fish calm and colored up.
Good to know
Betta compuncta is a labyrinth fish in the family Osphronemidae, described by Tan and Ng in 2006, and reaches about 7.5 centimeters. It is a paternal mouthbrooder in the unimaculata group: after spawning, the male carries the fertilized eggs in his mouth for roughly two weeks before releasing free-swimming fry. Breeding is hard, needing a settled pair and stable, soft water. The species name means tattooed or punctured, for the marks along its flanks.
Did you know
The name compuncta is Latin for pricked or tattooed, chosen for the neat row of dark, stitch-like marks running along the body, as if someone had inked a pattern down each flank.
Common questions
What size tank does a Compuncta betta need?
A Compuncta betta needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH do Compuncta betta need?
Compuncta betta are comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 5.0–7.0.
How big do Compuncta betta get?
An adult Compuncta betta reaches about 3 in (7.5 cm).
Where to buy
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Appears in
Keeping Compuncta betta?
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