TankBud

Obscura betta

Betta obscura

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
5.0–7.0
Adult size
2.7 in
6.9 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Upper Barito basin, Central Kalimantan, Borneo

Overview

The Obscura betta is a peaceful mouthbrooder for a large tank with plenty of cover. It needs a little more care than a beginner fish.

Did you know

The Obscura betta's 2005 description was written from preserved museum fish only. The species went on record without anyone noting its live colors, just a brown body with a stripe from the snout through the eye. Some of the type specimens were bought at a fish market in Puruk Cahu, on the Barito, rather than netted.

Caring for the Obscura betta

Treat the Obscura betta like the rest of its group, a calm fish that does fine as a pair or a small group. Give them at least 20 gal (75 L) and a tight lid, and keep one male per tank at this size. Furnish the tank as you would for its relatives, with gentle flow, leaf litter, rock and plenty of cover.

Keep it in soft, slightly acidic water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C), with a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. The cooler end is a sensible start for a fish from the hilly upper Barito.

Feed live and frozen foods with a quality dried food. Keep only small, calm tank mates, and no dwarf shrimp.

The Obscura betta is a paternal mouthbrooder. No published breeding report could be found. Expect it to spawn like its relatives, with the male holding the eggs for about two weeks.

Good to know

Betta obscura belongs to the Betta akarensis group of the family Osphronemidae. Tan and Ng described it, and the name comes from the Latin obscurus, meaning indistinct and inconspicuous. It has a short, stout body, a long, pointed head and a sickle-shaped pelvic fin with a long filament. The IUCN lists it as Data Deficient.

In the wild

The Obscura betta is known only from the upper Barito basin in Central Kalimantan, hill country in the interior of Borneo. It has been found in the Lahei and Murung tributaries and in the main river at Muara Laung. The description records nothing about the water it was taken from.

Common questions

What size tank does an Obscura betta need?

An Obscura betta needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an Obscura betta need?

An Obscura betta is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 5.0–7.0.

What does an Obscura betta eat?

An Obscura betta eats live and frozen foods along with a quality dried food.

How big does an Obscura betta get?

An adult Obscura betta reaches about 2.7 in (6.9 cm).

How does an Obscura betta breed?

The Obscura betta is a paternal mouthbrooder. No published breeding report could be found, so expect the male to hold the eggs for about two weeks, as its relatives do.

Related species