苏门答腊抟鱼 · Scarlet Betta

Overview

The deep-red Betta coccina is a small bubble nester specialized for forest peat swamps. Males carry a green iridescent side blotch absent in females. Stable soft acidic water, shaded retreats, and restrained maintenance are more important than a brightly lit community display.

Distribution & habitat

Records come from Jambi and Riau on Sumatra and Johor on the Malay Peninsula. Forest peat swamps and related streams typically provide dark, low-mineral water over leaves, branches, and roots. Clear-water records occur occasionally. Human disturbance affects some sites, and seasonal drying can force fish into damp litter.

Aquarium setup

Build shelter with wood, roots, pots, tubing, and leaves. Combine subdued lighting with floating cover and shade-tolerant plants. Water should be acidic and very soft with little carbonate hardness. Gentle sponge filtration is suitable. Close the lid securely against jumping while leaving warm humid air above the surface.

Diet & feeding

Aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates are probable natural prey. Fish often learn to accept dry products, but small live or frozen water fleas, brine shrimp, and bloodworms should remain regular offerings. Avoid excessive feeding.

Behaviour & compatibility

A species aquarium is usually preferable. Very quiet small companions may work, depending on conditions and individual behavior. Reports of multiple pairs and harems vary from harmless disputes to prolonged aggression by dominant fish; a pair is easier to supervise.

Sexual dimorphism

Adult males are more colorful, have longer fins, and possess the green side marking. Spawning females become pale with dark vertical bars.

Breeding

Nests may be constructed within tubes, under broad leaves, or among floating plants. Females need retreat space because males often exclude them until the nest is ready. Eggs released during embraces are transferred into the foam. Broods usually contain fewer than twenty eggs, though numbers approaching fifty occur.

Parents can normally remain afterward while the male tends the nest alone. Hatching takes one or two days, followed by another three or four days before free swimming. He retrieves fallen larvae but usually loses interest once they disperse; parents generally do not consume them. Offer tiny live foods with variety, avoid excessive brine shrimp, and maintain humid air with small regular water changes.

Notes

Geographic forms differ, so collection labels help preserve clear bloodlines. The labyrinth organ supports air breathing without making the air layer irrelevant to fry development.