TankBud

Pardalotos betta

Betta pardalotos

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
4.0–6.5
Adult size
2.8 in
7.2 cm
Minimum tank
21 gal
80 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Lower Musi basin near Palembang, South Sumatra

Overview

Calm in a pair or a group in a large tank with cover, one male per tank at this size. It keeps to the middle of the water in soft acidic water, pH 4 to 6.5, at 22 to 27 C. It takes dried food but should get live or frozen Daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworm and small insects such as crickets or fruit flies. Some small peaceful cyprinids and loaches from similar water can share the tank; dwarf shrimp will be eaten.

In the wild

The Pardalotos betta is known from the Gelam River and other small channels draining into the lower Musi River near Palembang in South Sumatra, where it lives alongside Belontia hasseltii, Betta edithae, Luciocephalus pulcher and the three spot gourami. Give it soft acidic water, pH 4 to 6.5, dim light, leaf litter and botanicals, and dense cover. A pair or small group needs a base of about 80 by 30 cm, around 80 liters, with a tight lid.

Good to know

Betta pardalotos is a paternal mouthbrooder in the Betta waseri group of the family Osphronemidae. The type series reached 7.2 cm standard length, though aquarium fish are reported at up to 9 cm, so plan for the larger figure. Heok Hui Tan described it in 2009 and named it for the leopard like rows of black dots along the edge of the gill cover; two round white patches on a black throat and black bars across the dorsal and tail fin membranes mark it out from its relatives. The IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered.

Did you know

Fish shipped from around Palembang in 2006 were taken for Betta chloropharynx from Bangka until they settled in and showed their own throat and gill cover pattern, and the 2009 description separated them. The male broods for 10 to 28 days, one of the longest incubations in the genus, and the fry take microworm and brine shrimp nauplii from release.

Common questions

What size tank does a Pardalotos betta need?

A Pardalotos betta needs at least 21 gal (80 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Pardalotos betta need?

A Pardalotos betta is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 4.0–6.5.

How big does a Pardalotos betta get?

An adult Pardalotos betta reaches about 2.8 in (7.2 cm).

Related species