Pi betta

Care at a glance

Overview

The Pi betta is a bigger wild mouthbrooder for a dim, well-covered tank. It suits a keeper with some experience.

Caring for the Pi betta

Keep a pair or small group of Pi bettas in at least 26 gal (100 L), with a base of 90 cm. They need room and a tight lid. A large blackwater tank with driftwood, leaves and heavy cover makes the fish feel secure.

Give them soft, acidic blackwater at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C), with a pH of 4.5 to 6.5. Feed varied live and frozen foods, such as daphnia, artemia and bloodworms.

Pi bettas are mostly peaceful. Keep them in a species tank or with very peaceful blackwater fish. Males are paternal mouthbrooders, and breeding them is moderately difficult.

Good to know

Betta pi was described by Tan in 1998 and is a member of the Betta waseri group. Males use their throat pattern in display and in recognizing their own species.

In the wild

Betta pi lives in blackwater peat swamp streams straddling the Thai and Malaysian border. The water is soft, acidic and darkly stained, with little light and abundant leaf litter.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  Eyespot betta

  Betta ocellata

  3.5 in (9 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)

  3.5 in (9 cm)24 gal (90 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)

• 

  Sims' betta

  Betta simorum

  3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)

  3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Slender betta

  Betta bellica

  3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)

  3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)
• Waseri betta

  Betta waseri

  3.6 in (9.1 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)

  3.6 in (9.1 cm)26 gal (100 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Renata betta

  Betta renata

  3.7 in (9.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)

  3.7 in (9.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
• Ideii betta

  Betta ideii

  3.3 in (8.3 cm) · 21 gal (80 L)

  3.3 in (8.3 cm)21 gal (80 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)