TankBud

Ideii betta

Betta ideii

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–79°F
20–26°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
3.3 in
8.3 cm
Minimum tank
21 gal
80 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
South Kalimantan and Pulau Laut, Borneo

Overview

Males can bully smaller fish, so this is not a community betta, but a pair or a small group with plenty of cover does fine in a quiet tank of 80 liters or more. It uses the middle of the water and jumps, so the lid matters. Keep it on the cool side at 20 to 26 C with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 and soft to moderately hard water. Feed frozen and live foods such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, with a good pellet as a base. Small peaceful cyprinids or loaches are the only tank mates worth trying.

In the wild

The Ideii betta comes from the coastal basins of South Kalimantan, Borneo, north of Batulicin where streams drain into the Laut Strait, and from the island of Pulau Laut across the strait. Like other members of the unimaculata group it is a fish of forested streams with relatively clear, flowing water rather than blackwater swamp. Give it a tank of 80 liters or more with a tight lid, driftwood and leaf litter for cover, dim light and a gentle current. It is not fussy about water chemistry, and IBC keepers report it accepts a wide range as long as the water is clean.

Good to know

Betta ideii is a paternal mouthbrooder in the family Osphronemidae, described by Tan and Ng in 2006 and named for the fish collector Takashige Idei. The type series reached 8.3 cm standard length, though aquarium sources report fish of 11 cm, so plan for a large betta. It belongs to the Betta unimaculata group and is told from its closest relative B. patoti by an orange patch between the eye and the upper jaw, by the lack of dark vertical bars on the flanks, and by big males turning almost jet black. The IUCN lists it as Data Deficient.

Did you know

The male carries the eggs in his mouth for 13 to 18 days, with 14 days the most common figure in IBC breeding reports, and eats nothing the whole time. Males also carry an orange flash spot on the cheek that keepers use to tell the sexes apart.

Common questions

What size tank does an Ideii betta need?

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

What temperature and pH does an Ideii betta need?

An Ideii betta is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

How big does an Ideii betta get?

An adult Ideii betta reaches about 3.3 in (8.3 cm).

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