Horseshoe betta

Care at a glance

Overview

A pair needs at least 90 liters with a base of 80 cm, very soft acidic blackwater at pH 4.0 to 6.0, and 23 to 27 C. Keep a tight lid and heavy cover. Feed varied live and frozen foods, including small insects, daphnia, and bloodworm. Best kept in a species tank or with very peaceful blackwater fish.

In the wild

Betta hipposideros is a large waser group mouthbrooder from threatened peat swamp forests. The water is extremely soft, very acidic, and deeply tannin stained. It needs a spacious blackwater tank with wood, leaf litter, and a tightly covered surface. Clean, stable, mineral poor water is essential.

Good to know

Described by Ng and Kottelat in 1994, it belongs to the Betta waseri group and is named for the black horseshoe shaped mark on its throat. It is a paternal mouthbrooder. Peat swamp loss has made it uncommon in the wild.

Did you know

Its name comes from the black horseshoe mark under the chin, hipposideros meaning horseshoe in Greek.

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