TankBud

Kuehnei betta

Betta kuehnei

Also known as Blue throat fighting fish, Kuehne's betta

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
70–77°F
21–25°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
2.4 in
6 cm
Minimum tank
16 gal
60 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Kelantan, Malaysia and Narathiwat, Thailand

Overview

The Kuehnei betta is a peaceful mouthbrooder that can live in a group in a planted tank with cover. It is a fair choice once you have kept easier fish.

Did you know

The Kuehnei betta came into the hobby as the blue throat fighting fish before it had a scientific name. Its throat is how you tell it from every other pugnax group betta.

Caring for the Kuehnei betta

Kuehnei bettas are among the more sociable mouthbrooders, and Aquarium Glaser reports several pairs can share a tank with enough hiding places. A group does well in 16 gal (60 L) or more with cover. Set it up with sand, potted crypts, leaf litter, driftwood and floating plants under dim light. Run a gentle sponge filter and fit a tight lid.

Keep the water cool for a betta, at 70 to 77°F (21 to 25°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It is forgiving of hardness, though soft, acidic water helps spawning.

Feed live and frozen daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm, plus small insects, and add dried food once it is accepted. The Kuehnei betta is peaceful, and small calm fish from similar water make fine company. Shrimp will be eaten.

Males carry an intense blue to blue green iridescence over the sides of the head and throat. They have no chin bar or second postorbital stripe. The male holds the eggs in his mouth for around 10 to 12 days. Clutches usually run 40 to 80 eggs of 1 to 1.4 mm, and breeding is moderately difficult.

Good to know

Betta kuehnei belongs to the Betta pugnax group of the family Osphronemidae. Schindler and Schmidt described it in 2008 and named it for Jens Kühne, the German aquarist who found it. Including the tail, it reaches about 8 cm. Unusually for the group, the tail is rounded in both sexes. The IUCN lists it as Data Deficient.

In the wild

The Kuehnei betta lives in the far north of Peninsular Malaysia, in Kelantan, and just across the border in Narathiwat, southern Thailand. The type locality was a shaded forest creek with clear, colorless water at pH 7, 3 dGH and about 25°C. The fish sat in the shallows among beds of Cryptocoryne cordata and leaf litter, alongside Trichopsis vittata and Parosphromenus paludicola.

Common questions

What size tank does a Kuehnei betta need?

A Kuehnei betta needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Kuehnei betta need?

A Kuehnei betta is comfortable at 70–77°F (21–25°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a Kuehnei betta eat?

A Kuehnei betta eats live and frozen daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm, plus small insects. Add dried food once the fish accepts it.

How big does a Kuehnei betta get?

An adult Kuehnei betta reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).

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

Males show an intense blue to blue green iridescence over the sides of the head and throat.

How does a Kuehnei betta breed?

Kuehnei bettas are mouthbrooders, and the male holds the eggs in his mouth for around 10 to 12 days. Clutches usually run 40 to 80 eggs, and breeding is moderately difficult.

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