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
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
South Kalimantan and Pulau Laut, Borneo

Overview

The Ideii betta is a large mouthbrooding betta from Borneo for a quiet tank rather than a community setup. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

A male Ideii betta eats nothing at all for the whole time he broods.

Caring for the Ideii betta

Give a pair or a small group of Ideii bettas a quiet tank of at least 21 gal (80 L). Aquarium sources report fish of 11 cm, so plan for a large betta. Furnish the tank with driftwood and leaf litter for plenty of cover, and keep the light dim. They jump, so fit a tight lid.

Keep the water on the cool side, at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C) with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Soft to moderately hard water suits it, with 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.

Feed frozen and live foods such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, with a good pellet as a base. It is mostly peaceful, but males can bully smaller fish, so it is not a community betta. Small peaceful cyprinids or loaches are the only tank mates worth trying.

Males carry an orange flash spot on the cheek, which keepers use to tell the sexes apart. Ideii bettas are paternal mouthbrooders, and breeding them is hard. The male carries the eggs in his mouth for 13 to 18 days, and IBC breeding reports most often give 14.

Good to know

Betta ideii belongs to the Betta unimaculata group in the family Osphronemidae. Tan and Ng described it in 2006 and named it for the fish collector Takashige Idei. It is told apart from its closest relative, B. patoti, by an orange patch between the eye and the upper jaw. It also lacks dark vertical bars on the flanks, and big males turn almost jet black. The IUCN lists it as Data Deficient.

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. It also lives on the island of Pulau Laut, across the strait. Like other members of the unimaculata group, it lives in forested streams with relatively clear, flowing water rather than blackwater swamp.

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.

What does an Ideii betta eat?

An Ideii betta eats frozen and live foods such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp. Give it a good pellet as a base.

How big does an Ideii betta get?

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

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

Males have an orange flash spot on the cheek, and keepers use it to tell the sexes apart.

How does an Ideii betta breed?

Ideii bettas are mouthbrooders, with the male carrying the eggs in his mouth for 13 to 18 days. Breeding them is hard.

Related species