Crescent betta

Care at a glance

Overview

It is best kept as a single fish or a bonded pair in a planted tank of around 45 liters with calm water. It tends to hold the middle and upper levels and likes dense cover to retreat into. Keep it in the low to high 20s C with a soft, slightly acidic to neutral pH. Feed small meaty foods like quality pellet, frozen bloodworms, and brine shrimp.

In the wild

Crescent bettas live in shallow, still waters across Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra, including swamps, rice paddies, and small streams. These spots are warm, soft to neutral, and packed with plants near the surface. At home they want a quiet tank with floating plants, plenty of cover, and almost no current. Keep the lid snug and leave a little air gap above the water.

Good to know

This is a wild betta in the Osphronemidae family, reaching about 6 cm. Like its relatives it is a labyrinth fish that gulps air from the surface, and males build bubble nests to hold the eggs. It is much calmer than the domesticated Siamese fighting fish it is related to.

Did you know

Two males can sometimes share a heavily planted tank without the all-out fighting you see in domestic bettas, as long as there is space and sightline breaks. Their wild temperament was never bred up for aggression the way show bettas were.

Related species

• 

  Edith's betta

  Betta edithae

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Enisae betta

  Betta enisae

  2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)

• 

  Krabi mouthbrooder

  Betta simplex

  2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Mahachai betta

  Betta mahachaiensis

  2.4 in (6 cm)10 gal (38 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
• Pulchra betta

  Betta pulchra

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Apollon betta

  Betta apollon

  2.2 in (5.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)