TankBud

Tomi betta

Betta tomi

Also known as Tomi mouthbrooder

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
4.5–6.5
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Eastern Johor, Peninsular Malaysia

Overview

The Tomi betta is a short, stout betta that is calm for its kind. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

Singapore's only Tomi betta specimens were collected at Mandai Road in 1937, by Albert Herre and by Tweedie. The swamp forest there has since been lost to development and reservoir expansion. Surveys of the island's last freshwater swamp forest have never turned up another, so the species is treated as extinct in Singapore.

Caring for the Tomi betta

Give Tomi bettas a large planted tank of at least 20 gal (75 L), with caves, dense cover and a tight lid. Keep the light dim and add a fine substrate and leaf litter.

They need soft, acidic water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) and a pH of 4.5 to 6.5. Feed live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia, with dried food as a supplement.

Tomi bettas are peaceful and fine as a pair or a group, but keep only one male per tank at this size. They hold the middle of the water. Keep them alone or with calm fish they cannot swallow, since they will eat dwarf shrimp.

Males carry a broad dark green band along the anal fin edge and bluish scales on the gill cover. Tomi bettas are paternal mouthbrooders, so the male holds the eggs in his mouth. Breeding them is of medium difficulty.

Good to know

Betta tomi belongs to the Betta waseri group of the family Osphronemidae. Ng and Kottelat described it in 1994. They named it for Professor 'Tom' Lam Toong Jin, then head of zoology at the National University of Singapore. Its males have the strongest color in the Betta waseri group, and the IUCN lists it as Endangered.

In the wild

The Tomi betta comes from eastern Johor, at the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia. The type series was netted in well-shaded, shallow freshwater swamp forest streams over very soft mud, deep leaf litter and detritus. The water there was clear and faintly tea-colored, at about pH 5.5.

Common questions

What size tank does a Tomi betta need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Tomi betta need?

A Tomi betta is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.5.

What does a Tomi betta eat?

A Tomi betta eats live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia. Dried food works as a supplement.

How big does a Tomi betta get?

An adult Tomi betta reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

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

Males have a broad dark green band along the edge of the anal fin. They also carry bluish scales on the gill cover.

How does a Tomi betta breed?

Tomi bettas are paternal mouthbrooders, with the male holding the eggs in his mouth. Breeding them is of medium difficulty.

Related species