All fish / Osphronemidae

Brown's Betta

Betta brownorum

Also known as brown's betta, brownorum betta, red spot betta, wild betta brownorum, betta brownorium, ikan pelaga brownorum, ベタ・ブラウンオルム, cupang brownorum, 布朗斗鱼

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Brown's Betta is a tiny wild betta from blackwater peat swamps. The male has a deep red body with a bright green-blue spot on each side, which makes it a prized fish among wild betta keepers. It is kept in dim, soft, very acidic tanks with leaf litter and floating plants.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

3 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

3.5 to 6

Smallest tank

30 litres

Keep as

A pair, or a small group in a larger, well planted tank

Diet

Carnivore: small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, cyclops, mosquito larvae, grindal worms and brine shrimp

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo (peat swamps around Kuching)

Breeding

The male builds a small bubble nest, often hidden in a cave or among leaves, and guards the eggs and fry. Spawning is achievable in soft, acidic water, but the fry are tiny and need infusoria at first, so raising them takes some care.

Good to know

It needs very soft, acidic blackwater and does poorly in hard tap water. It belongs to the Betta coccina group, and similar species such as B. persephone and B. tussyae are easily confused with it.