From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Peaceful Betta
Betta imbellis
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
- pH
- 5 – 7.5
- Min. tank size
- 41 L
- Lifespan
- 2-3 years
- Diet
- carnivore
- Care level
- moderate
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Betta imbellis |
| Family: | Osphronemidae |
| Origin: | Southeast Asia (Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Sumatra) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | moderate |
| Diet: | carnivore |
| Max Size: | 5.00 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | peaceful |
| Min Group: | Can be kept alone |
| Varieties: | No cultivated colour strains in the way B. splendens has them, but a significant purity problem instead. The species hybridises readily with Betta splendens, and hybrids are widespread in the trade — often sold as imbellis on the strength of a blue-green body and red fin margins. Genuinely pure stock generally comes from specialist breeders or as documented wild collections. Locality forms exist across the range in Thailand, Malaysia and Sumatra, and these are worth keeping separate rather than mixing. The wider group is the splendens complex, which contains several closely related bubblenest-building bettas: B. splendens itself, B. smaragdina, the emerald betta, B. mahachaiensis and B. siamorientalis. All hybridise with each other, all have similar requirements, and all are considerably more interesting than a shop fighting fish. Beyond that, the genus contains many mouthbrooding species — B. macrostoma, B. albimarginata, B. channoides and others — which have a quite different reproductive biology. |
| Lifespan: | 2-3 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Low
- Min Tank:41 L
- Substrate:Dark substrate; densely planted with floating cover and a tight lid
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe
- Filtration:Low (gentle flow; surface air access)
Peaceful Betta (Betta imbellis) is a species of fish in the family Osphronemidae. It is native to Southeast Asia (Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Sumatra). The peaceful betta is misnamed, and the specialists say so plainly: despite its name it is not recommended for the standard community aquarium. Betta imbellis — the epithet means "unwarlike" — was named in comparison with Betta splendens, the fighting fish, and against that standard it is indeed mild. Against a community tetra it is not. What the name does describe accurately is male-to-male tolerance. Unlike splendens, more than one male can be kept together provided the tank is large enough and offers plenty of cover, which makes a species tank a genuine option. It reaches 60 mm standard length, wants soft acidic water at pH 5.0 to 7.5, and is a mouthbrooder's relative that builds bubblenests. Wild stock is increasingly hard to find, because the species hybridises readily with B. splendens.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- peaceful
- Keep in
- Can be kept alone
- Swims
- top
- Fin nipper
- No
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Peaceful Betta
Matched on family, then category, then water type