Betta Simplex

In The Wild

Date Classified:

1994

Native Location:

Thailand

Environment:

Ponds and muddy pools

Water and Hardness:

Calcium-magnesium – 11

Water Temperature:

72-79 degrees Fahrenheit

Water pH:

7.0

In Aquaria:

Physical Appearance:

  • Male – reddish brown
  • Female – Yellowish brown
  • Head, jaw, eye and gill cover has black horizontal stripe
  • Iridescent green covers the throat and gill cover in the male
  • White covers the throat and gill cover in the female

Finnage:

  • Female has unpaired fins that are not marked
  • Male has fins that are margined with a white line
  • Male’s anal and caudal fins are submargined with a broad, black band

Size:

2 inches in length

Feeding in Captivity:

Live and frozen; commercial flaked and dried

Water and Hardness:

High calcium-magnesium hardness

Water Temperature:

71-79 degrees Fahrenheit

Water pH:

Should be near 8

Breeding:

They breed in the typical mouthbrooder manner. They flourish with live Artemia nauplii or microworms.

Note: Betta Simplex is on the IUCN Red List simply because they are so local to one area that they are susceptible to extinction.