Miniopinna betta

Betta miniopinna

Also known as Small-finned fighter

FreshwaterFish

Miniopinna betta (Betta miniopinna) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 4.0–6.0
Adult size: 1.1 in (2.8 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Bintan Island, Riau, Indonesia
Family: Osphronemidae

Overview

The miniopinna betta is one of the smallest fighting fish, a coccina-group dwarf kept as a pair or a small group in a shaded, well planted tank of about 40 liters. It stays in the middle and lower water among fine plants, roots, and leaf litter. It is mostly peaceful and easily intimidated, so keep it in a species tank or with only tiny, gentle companions, and watch that nothing outcompetes it. Feed small live and frozen foods it can manage, baby brine shrimp, microworm, cyclops, and daphnia. As a bubble-nester it spawns in caves or under leaves, so offer both, and keep the water soft and acidic.

In the wild

Betta miniopinna is found only in peat swamp forest and blackwater streams near Tanjung Bintan on Bintan Island in Indonesia's Riau Archipelago, where the water is dark, very soft, and acidic. Recreate it with driftwood, dried leaves, dense planting, dim light, and small caves. Hold the pH from 4.0 to 6.0 and the temperature from 22 to 27 degrees Celsius, using reverse osmosis water to reach that softness.

Good to know

Betta miniopinna is a labyrinth fish in the family Osphronemidae reaching only about 2.8 centimeters, among the smallest in the genus. It is a paternal bubble-nester: the male tends a small nest, often tucked in a cave, and guards the eggs and fry, though breeding is hard. Its name refers to its reduced fins. It has been listed as critically endangered since the 1990s, with its single-island habitat under heavy pressure.

Did you know

This is a fighting fish smaller than many tetras, endemic to the shrinking peat swamps of a single Indonesian island, and its own name records the point that its fins are unusually small.