All fish / Osphronemidae

Wine Red Betta

Betta coccina

Also known as scarlet betta, claret betta, coccina betta, red wild betta, betta cocina, wine-red fighting fish, ikan laga merah, ベタ・コッキナ, cupang coccina, 酒红斗鱼, 酒红搏鱼

A small, slender wild betta with a deep wine red body, males often showing a bright green or blue spot on the flank and a pale edge to the fins. It is kept by blackwater enthusiasts who enjoy its colour and natural behaviour in a dim, leaf-filled tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4.5 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

4 to 6.5

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

A pair or small group in a densely planted tank

Diet

Carnivore: small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, bloodworm, brine shrimp and mosquito larvae, plus quality small granules

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Peat swamps of Johor (Peninsular Malaysia) and Jambi, Sumatra (Indonesia)

Breeding

Males build small bubble nests, often in cover such as a cave, leaf or plant stem, and guard the eggs and fry. Spawning is achievable in soft, very acidic water with plenty of cover, but fry are tiny and need infusoria at first.

Good to know

Needs very soft, acidic blackwater and a tight-fitting lid, as it jumps. It is assessed as threatened in the wild due to peat swamp loss, and several similar red species such as Betta rutilans and B. persephone are easily confused with it.