Eyespot betta

Care at a glance

Overview

The eyespot betta is a big, predatory betta that suits a roomy, covered tank. It is a good step up once you have kept easier fish.

Caring for the eyespot betta

Give a pair of eyespot bettas at least 24 gal (90 L), with a base of 80 cm and a very tight lid. It is an adaptable but predatory fish that needs room.

Keep the water soft to medium and slightly acidic to neutral, with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. A cool 70 to 77°F (21 to 25°C) suits its stream origins.

Feed meaty live and frozen foods, and expect it to eat small tank mates. Keep it alone or with robust fish of a similar size. The eyespot betta is a paternal mouthbrooder, and breeding it is moderately difficult.

Good to know

Betta ocellata was described by de Beaufort in 1933. It belongs to the Betta unimaculata complex of large mouthbrooders.

In the wild

The eyespot betta comes from Sabah and the northern tip of East Kalimantan, on Borneo. It lives in a range of habitats there, from clear streams and pools to quiet ponds and oxbow lakes.

Common questions

Related species

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