Pinguis betta
Betta pinguis
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–81°F
- 22–27°C
- pH
- 5.0–7.0
- Adult size
- 3.1 in
- 7.9 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
- Middle and upper Kapuas basin, West Kalimantan, Borneo
Overview
A calm fish that is fine in a pair or a group in a big tank with cover, one male per tank at this size. It holds the middle of the water in soft acidic water, pH 5 to 7, at 22 to 27 C. It accepts dried food but should get live or frozen Daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm regularly. The male holds the eggs for 14 to 21 days and the fry take microworm and brine shrimp nauplii at once. Keep it with small peaceful fish or on its own, and expect dwarf shrimp to be eaten.
In the wild
The Pinguis betta comes from the middle and upper Kapuas basin in West Kalimantan, where the type series was bought from fishermen who had caught it on hook and line in a small, slightly tannin stained stream in degraded forest, among bank vegetation and leaf litter alongside Betta dimidiata and Betta enisae. Set it up with soft acidic water, gentle flow, dim light, leaf litter 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 pinguis is a paternal mouthbrooder in the Betta akarensis group of the family Osphronemidae, reaching 7.9 cm standard length. Tan and Kottelat described it in 1998, and the name is Latin for stout, a nod to its heavy body, one of the deepest in the group, which comes with a densely marked gill cover. The IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered.
Did you know
FishBase records its only human use as fishing bait, a strange fate for a fish the IUCN rates Critically Endangered. Males carry more iridescence in the pelvic and anal fins than females, which is the easiest way to sex a group.
Common questions
What size tank does a Pinguis betta need?
A Pinguis betta needs at least 21 gal (80 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Pinguis betta need?
A Pinguis betta is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 5.0–7.0.
How big does a Pinguis betta get?
An adult Pinguis betta reaches about 3.1 in (7.9 cm).
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