TankBud

Ibanorum betta

Betta ibanorum

Also known as Iban fightingfish

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
4.0–7.0
Adult size
3.2 in
8.1 cm
Minimum tank
21 gal
80 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Kuching area and Bako National Park, southern Sarawak, Borneo

Overview

The Ibanorum betta is a mostly peaceful betta for a shaded, densely planted blackwater tank. It needs a little more care than the easiest fish.

Did you know

The Ibanorum betta sat in books and shops under the wrong names for decades, as Betta akarensis or Betta climacura. Only the 2004 description sorted it out.

Caring for the Ibanorum betta

Keep Ibanorum bettas as a pair or small group in at least 21 gal (80 L). The tank needs a base of about 80 by 30 cm. Give them dim light, leaf litter, wood, dense planting and plenty of cover, and keep a tight lid on.

Keep the water soft, acidic and tannin-stained, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 4.0 to 7.0. They take dried foods but do best with regular live or frozen daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm.

Ibanorum bettas are calm for a betta, but keep only one male per tank at this size. They use the middle of the tank. Choose small, peaceful tank mates, and expect dwarf shrimp and fry to be eaten.

Adult males carry a green to blue sheen on the rear half of each scale and have a yellow eye. They are paternal mouthbrooders, and the male broods for 14 to 21 days. He can hold up to 60 fry, which are big enough to take brine shrimp nauplii straight away. Breeding is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

Betta ibanorum belongs to the Betta akarensis group of the family Osphronemidae and is the largest member of that group. Tan and Ng, who described it, named it for the Iban people of Sarawak. It is also called the Iban fightingfish. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable, with the loss of peat swamp forest the main threat.

In the wild

The Ibanorum betta lives in blackwater peat swamp streams and clear forest streams around Kuching and Bako National Park, in southern Sarawak, Borneo. It also turns up in roadside ditches and waterfall pools, always under shade with heavy plant growth along the banks.

Common questions

What size tank does an Ibanorum betta need?

An Ibanorum betta needs at least 21 gal (80 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an Ibanorum betta need?

An Ibanorum betta is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 4.0–7.0.

What does an Ibanorum betta eat?

An Ibanorum betta takes dried foods but does best on regular live or frozen daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm.

How big does an Ibanorum betta get?

An adult Ibanorum betta reaches about 3.2 in (8.1 cm).

How can you tell a male Ibanorum betta from a female?

Males carry a green to blue sheen on the rear half of each scale as adults, and they have a yellow eye.

How does an Ibanorum betta breed?

The Ibanorum betta is a paternal mouthbrooder, and the male broods for 14 to 21 days. He can hold up to 60 fry, which can take brine shrimp nauplii straight away. Breeding is a moderate challenge.

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