TankBud

Pallifina betta

Betta pallifina

Also known as Pale-finned fighter

FreshwaterFish

Pallifina betta (Betta pallifina)
(c) Stacyh202, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
5.0–7.0
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Upper Barito drainage, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Overview

The Pallifina betta is a larger, active wild mouthbrooder for a well-covered tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

Not every wild betta is a swamp hermit. The Pallifina betta comes from cooler, running hill streams.

Caring for the Pallifina betta

Keep Pallifina bettas as a single pair or a small group in a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L). Add driftwood and roots for cover. This active hill fish can jump, so fit a tight lid.

It needs a well-filtered, oxygen-rich tank with good water movement. A gentle current suits a fish used to moving water. Keep the water clean and on the cool side, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C), with a pH of 5.0 to 7.0.

Feed meaty live and frozen foods, such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, small earthworms and insect larvae. Pallifina bettas are mostly peaceful, and males posture rather than fight. Keep them in a species tank or with calm, medium-sized fish, and avoid anything tiny enough to be eaten.

Males are the flashier fish, while females have pale borders on their fins. The male is a mouthbrooder and holds the eggs and fry in his mouth for up to three weeks. Breeding them is hard.

Good to know

Betta pallifina is a labyrinth fish in the family Osphronemidae, described by Tan and Ng in 2005. It belongs to the unimaculata group, and its name refers to its pale fins.

In the wild

The Pallifina betta lives in clear water in a remote part of the upper Barito river basin, in Central Kalimantan, Borneo.

Common questions

What size tank does a Pallifina betta need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Pallifina betta need?

A Pallifina betta is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 5.0–7.0.

What does a Pallifina betta eat?

A Pallifina betta eats meaty live and frozen foods, such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, small earthworms and insect larvae.

How big does a Pallifina betta get?

An adult Pallifina betta reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

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

Males are the flashier fish, while females have pale borders on their fins.

How does a Pallifina betta breed?

Pallifina betta males are mouthbrooders. The male holds the eggs and fry in his mouth for up to three weeks, and breeding them is hard.

Related species