''Betta'' is a large

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of small, active, often colorful,

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...

es, in the gourami

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

(Osphronemidae). The best known ''Betta'' species is ''B. splendens,'' commonly known as the Siamese fighting fish and often kept as an aquarium pet.

Characteristics

All ''Betta'' species are small fishes, but they vary considerably in size, ranging from under 2.5 cm (1 in) total length in ''B. chanoides'' to 14 cm (5.5 in) in the Akar betta (''B. akarensis''). Bettas are

anabantoid The Anabantoidei are a suborder of anabantiform ray-finned freshwater fish distinguished by their possession of a lung-like labyrinth organ, which enables them to breathe air. The fish in the Anabantoidei suborder are known as anabantoids or lab ...

s, which means they can breathe atmospheric air using a unique organ called the

labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the ...

. This accounts for their ability to thrive in low-oxygen water conditions that would kill most other fish, such as rice paddies, slow-moving streams, drainage ditches, and large puddles. The bettas exhibit two kinds of spawning behaviour: some build bubble nests, such as ''B. splendens'', while others are mouthbrooders, such as ''B. picta''. The mouthbrooding species are sometimes called "pseudo bettas", and are sometimes speculated to have

evolved Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation t ...

from the nest-builders in an

adaptation In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the po ...

to their fast-moving stream habitats. A phylogenetic study published in 2004 concluded tentatively that bubble-nesting was the ancestral condition in ''Betta'', and that mouthbrooding has evolved on more than one occasion in the history of the genus. However it was unable to establish a correlation with any of three habitat variables studied: whether a species was found in lowland or highland streams, whether it was found in peat swamp forests, and whether it was found in water with fast or slow currents. Mouthbrooding species tend to exhibit less sexual dimorphism, perhaps because they do not need to defend a territory as the bubble-nesters do.

Name

Siamese fighting fish (''B. splendens'') are frequently sold in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

simply as "bettas". In fact, , around 73 species are classified within the genus ''Betta''. A useful distinction is that while the

generic Generic or generics may refer to: In business * Generic term, a common name used for a range or class of similar things not protected by trademark * Generic brand, a brand for a product that does not have an associated brand or trademark, other ...

name ''Betta'' is italicized and capitalized, when used as a common name it is usually neither italicized nor capitalized. The

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

of ''B. pugnax,'' for example, is thus

Penang betta The Penang betta (''Betta pugnax'') is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia and common in swiftly flowing forest streams of the Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Sumatra, and the Riau Islands. In addition to its native range, the species has ...

The name ''Betta'' (or betta) is pronounced ; the first part is the same as the English word bet. The name is often pronounced in

American English American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lan ...

, and may be spelled with one 't'. The name of the genus is derived from the

Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...

word ''ikan betah'' ("persistent fish"). The vernacular name "plakat", often applied to the short-finned ornamental strains, derived from ''pla kad'' which means "fighting fish", is the

Thai Thai or THAI may refer to: * Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia ** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand ** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand *** Thai script *** Thai (Unicode block ...

name for all members of the ''B. splendens'' species complex (All have aggressive tendencies in the wild and all are extensively line-bred for aggression in eastern

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

). The Thai phrase is not restricted to one specific strain. The term "fighting fish" is generalized to all members of the ''B. splendens'' species complex, including the Siamese fighting fish.

Diet

Wild ''Betta'' fish are hardy and eat almost any animal small enough for these small fish to consume, including worms, larvae of mosquitoes or other insects, and smaller fish. Their natural environment is often resource-limited, so many ''Betta'' species are generalist feeders.

Bettas as pets

Bettas are commonly kept as pet fish, especially Siamese fighting fish. Bettas are popular fish due to their color variety and ease to care for, although they must be kept separated from other bettas.

Conservation

While many ''Betta'' species are common and ''B. splendens'' is ubiquitous in the aquarium trade, other bettas are threatened. The

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

classifies several ''Betta'' species as Vulnerable. In addition, '' B. livida'' is Endangered, and '' B. miniopinna,'' '' B. persephone,'' and '' B. spilotogena'' are Critically Endangered. The

United Nations Environment Programme The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on th ...

lists an unconfirmed species, ''Betta'' cf. ''tomi,'' as having become

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

between 1970 and 1994. This likely refers to the extirpated Singaporean population of '' B. tomi,'' which continues to exist in the wild in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

and

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

, as well as in captivity; the Red List classifies it as Vulnerable.

Species

There are currently 75 recognized species in this genus. The currently described ''Betta'' species can be grouped into species complexes: * ''B. akarensis'' complex: ** ''

Betta akarensis ''Betta akarensis'', the Akar betta, is a species of gourami endemic to south-east Sarawak, and whose species name ''akar'' was so named after where it was originally found in the river Sungai Akar. This species is a mouthbrooder, and grows to a ...

Regan The family name Regan, along with its cognates O'Regan, O Regan, Reagan, and O'Reagan, is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin or Ó Ríogáin, from Ua Riagáin. The meaning is likely to have originated in ancient Gaelic ''ri'' ...

, 1910 (Akar betta) ** ''

Betta antoni ''Betta antoni'' is a species of gourami endemism, endemic to the Sanggau area in the Kapuas Hulu Regency, Kapuas region. The species name ''antoni'' is named after Irwan Anton "in recognition of his generous help and gift of specimens". This sp ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006 ** ''

Betta aurigans ''Betta aurigans'' is a species of gourami endemic to Indonesian Borneo, specifically the island of Natuna Besar, north-west of the island of Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in As ...

'' H. H. Tan & K. K. P. Lim, 2004 ** ''

Betta balunga ''Betta balunga'' is a species of gourami endemic to the island of Borneo, and whose species name derives from the location where it was first described - the Balung River in Sabah, eastern Malaysia. It inhabits forest and blackwater streams, a ...

'' Herre, 1940 ** ''

Betta chini ''Betta chini'' is a species of gourami endemic to the island Borneo where it is only known from the Malaysian state of Sabah. It inhabits very shallow waters (less than ) of peat swamps. Males of this species can reach a length of SL while f ...

'' P. K. L. Ng, 1993 ** ''

Betta ibanorum ''Betta ibanorum'' (commonly known as the Iban fightingfish) is a species of gourami endemic to southern Sarawak in Malaysia. The species name ''ibanorum'' was named after the Iban people, the largest group of people in the Sarawak (it means "of ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2004 ** ''

Betta nuluhon ''Betta nuluhon'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in western Sabah on the island of Borneo in Malaysia. The species reaches at least 7.06 cm (2.8 inches) in standard length. It was described in 2020 by N. S. S. Kamal ...

'' N. S. S. Kamal, H. H. Tan & Casey K. C. Ng, 2020 ** ''

Betta obscura ''Betta obscura'' (''obscura'' meaning "dark in color") is a species of gourami that occurs in the Barito basin in Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia. This species is a mouthbrooder Mouthbrooding, also known as oral incubation and buccal incubation, ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005 ** ''

Betta pinguis ''Betta pinguis'' is a species of gourami endemic to Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, includ ...

'' H. H. Tan &

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1998 * ''B. albimarginata'' complex: ** ''

Betta albimarginata ''Betta albimarginata'' is a species of betta fish, endemism, endemic to the island of Borneo where it is only found in the Indonesian province of Kalimantan Timur. It inhabits the shallows () of forest streams amongst vegetation and debris alon ...

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

& P. K. L. Ng, 1994 ** ''

Betta channoides ''Betta channoides'' is a species of betta endemism, endemic to the island of Borneo in Indonesia, where it is only found in the province of Kalimantan Timur. It is an inhabitant of the shallows of acidic brown-water forest streams. This specie ...

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

& P. K. L. Ng, 1994 * ''B. anabatoides'' complex: ** ''

Betta anabatoides The giant betta (''Betta anabatoides'') is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the subfamily Macropodusinae, part of the gourami family. It is endemic to South Kalimanatan, Katingan, and Sampit in Indonesian Borneo. It is found in a vari ...

Bleeker Bleeker is a Dutch occupational surname. Bleeker is an old spelling of ''(linnen)bleker'' ("linen bleacher").Betta midas ''Betta midas'' is a species of gourami in the genus ''Betta''. It is native to Asia, specifically the island of Borneo, where it occurs in the Kapuas River basin in West Kalimantan in Indonesia, as well as western Sarawak in Malaysia. It is typi ...

'' H. H. Tan, 2009 * ''B. bellica'' complex: ** ''

Betta bellica ''Betta bellica''. the slim betta or slender betta, is a species of betta native to eastern Sumatra in Indonesia and Peninsular Malaysia. It is an inhabitant of swamp forests and peat swamps. This species grows to a length of . It can also be ...

'' Sauvage, 1884 (slim betta) ** ''

Betta simorum ''Betta simorum'' is a species of gourami endemic to Indonesia. This species grows to a length of SL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade. The species was named ''simorum'' and uses the Latin genitive plural "of the Sims", na ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 1996 * ''B. coccina'' complex: ** ''

Betta brownorum ''Betta brownorum'' is a species of betta native to the island of Borneo in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is an inhabitant of peat swamp Peat swamp forests are tropical moist forests where waterlogged soil prevents dead leaves and wood from f ...

'' K. E. Witte & J. Schmidt, 1992 ** ''

Betta burdigala ''Betta burdigala'' is a species of gourami endemic to Bangka Island in Indonesia. It is an inhabitant of peat swamps. This species grows to a length of . References burdigala Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, ...

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

& P. K. L. Ng, 1994 ** ''

Betta coccina ''Betta coccina'' is a species of betta native to Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra, Indonesia. It grows to a length of . It can be found in the aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having a ...

'' Vierke, 1979 ** ''

Betta hendra ''Betta hendra'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in the Sabangau River basin in Central Kalimantan on the island of Borneo in Indonesia. It is typically found among plants in peat swamp forests shaded by trees and b ...

'' I. Schindler & Linke, 2013 ** ''

Betta livida ''Betta livida'' is a species of gourami endemic to Malaysia, where it is only known from the state of Selangor. It is an inhabitant of peat swamp Peat swamp forests are tropical moist forests where waterlogged soil prevents dead leaves and ...

'' P. K. L. Ng &

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1992 ** ''

Betta miniopinna ''Betta miniopinna'' is a species of gourami endemic to Bintan Island in the Riau Archipelago of Indonesia. Etymology The binomial ''Betta miniopinna'' is derived from the vernacular Malay term ''ikan betah'', which refers to the broad catego ...

'' H. H. Tan & S. H. Tan, 1994 ** ''

Betta persephone ''Betta persephone'' is a species of labyrinth fish endemic to Malaysia where it is only known from Johor. This betta's specific epithet derives from the Greek goddess Persephone, queen of the Underworld, a reference to the largely blackish co ...

'' Schaller, 1986 ** ''

Betta rutilans ''Betta rutilans'' is a species of gourami endemic to Indonesia. Their habitat is blackwater streams and peat swamp forests with very little sunlight. Their name ''rutilans'' is Latin for "reddish", "grow red", or "being red". Description They ...

'' K. E. Witte &

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1991 ** ''

Betta tussyae ''Betta tussyae'' is a species of gourami endemic to Malaysia where it is only known from Pahang. It is an inhabitant of peat swamps. This species grows to a length of SL. The specific name honours Tussy Nagy, the wife of the Austrian aquaris ...

'' Schaller, 1985 ** ''

Betta uberis ''Betta uberis'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in peat swamp forests in West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan on the island of Borneo in Indonesia. The species reaches 3.6 cm (1.4 inches) in standard length ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006 * ''B. dimidiata'' complex: ** ''

Betta dimidiata ''Betta dimidiata'' is a species of gourami endemic to Kalimantan Barat in Indonesia. It is an inhabitant of swamp forest Freshwater swamp forests, or flooded forests, are forests which are inundated with freshwater, either permanently or seas ...

'' T. R. Roberts, 1989 ** ''

Betta krataios ''Betta krataios'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in the lower Kapuas River basin in West Kalimantan on the island of Borneo in Indonesia. The species reaches 4.5 cm (1.8 inches) in standard length and is kno ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006 * ''B. edithae'' complex: ** ''

Betta edithae ''Betta edithae'' is a species of gourami endemic to Indonesia where it occurs in Kalimantan, Sumatra and the Riau Archipelago. This species grows to a length of , and can be found in the aquarium trade. The specific name honours the German aqu ...

'' Vierke, 1984 * ''B. foerschi'' complex: ** ''

Betta dennisyongi ''Betta dennisyongi'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, ranging from Meulaboh to Singkil. It is typically seen in lowland hillstreams and acidic swamps with clear to brown water ...

'' H. H. Tan, 2013 ** ''

Betta foerschi ''Betta foerschi'' is a species of gourami endemic to the island of Borneo, where it is only known from the southern portion. It inhabits creeks in the rain forest. This species grows to a length of . It can be found in the aquarium trade. The ...

'' Vierke, 1979 ** ''

Betta mandor ''Betta mandor'' is a species of gourami endemic to the island of Borneo where it is only known from the Indonesian province of Kalimantan Barat where it is found in the Kapuas basin. It is an inhabitant of streams and pools in forested swamps, ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006 ** ''

Betta rubra The Toba betta (''Betta rubra'') is a species of gourami endemic to Sumatra, Indonesia where it is an inhabitant of peat swamps. The species grows to a length of TL, and it can also be found in the aquarium trade. Parental care Unlike '' Betta ...

Perugia Perugia (, , ; lat, Perusia) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber, and of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and part o ...

, 1893 (Toba betta) ** ''

Betta strohi ''Betta strohi'' is a species of gourami endemic to Indonesia. This species grows to a length of TL. Its specific name honours the German priest and missionary H. Stroh who returned to Germany with examples of this species of which he was the ...

'' Schaller &

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1989 * ''B. picta'' complex: ** ''

Betta falx ''Betta falx'' is a species of betta endemic to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. It is an inhabitant of acidic, nearly stagnant water, where it can be found amongst the vegetation along the banks. This species grows to a length of . Referen ...

'' H. H. Tan &

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1998 ** ''

Betta picta The spotted betta or Java fighting fish (''Betta picta'') is a species of gourami endemic to Indonesia where it inhabits relatively cool, 22‒25 °C (72‒75 °F), highland streams of Java and Sumatra. In 1967, D. S. Johnson rep ...

'' (

Valenciennes Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France. It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a s ...

, 1846) (spotted betta) ** ''

Betta simplex The Krabi mouth-brooding betta, ''Betta simplex'', is a species of gourami endemic to Krabi Province, Thailand. It inhabits karst springs and wetlands, where it lives amongst vegetation close to the banks. This species can reach a length of . ...

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1994 ** ''

Betta taeniata ''Betta taeniata'' is a species of gourami endemic to the Southeast Asian island of Borneo, where it lives in inland waters. Description ''Betta taeniata'' is known to display paternal mouthbrooding. Males of the species have more vibrant co ...

, 1910 (Borneo betta) * ''B. pugnax'' complex: ** ''

Betta apollon ''Betta apollon'' is a species of gourami. It is a freshwater fish native to Asia, where it occurs only in shaded hillstreams in Thailand. It is typically found in shallow, close-to-shore portions of streams in the vicinity of roots, plants, or l ...

'' I. Schindler & J. Schmidt, 2006 ** ''

Betta breviobesus ''Betta'' is a large genus of small, active, often colorful, freshwater ray-finned fishes, in the gourami family (Osphronemidae). The best known ''Betta'' species is ''B. splendens,'' commonly known as the Siamese fighting fish and often kept ...

'' H. H. Tan &

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1998 ** ''

Betta cracens ''Betta cracens'' is a species of gourami endemic to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. It is an inhabitant of freshwater swamp forest. This species grows to a length of , typically inhabits blackwaters that have very soft and very acidic wa ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005 ** ''

Betta enisae ''Betta enisae'' is a species of gourami endemic to the Kapuas River basin of Indonesia. It is an inhabitant of forest streams with slightly acidic waters, and can mostly be found in the shallows amongst the leaf litter. This species grows to a ...

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1995 ** ''

Betta ferox ''Betta ferox'' is a species of gourami endemic to Thailand. It is only found in rivers in Songkhla Province, where it resides along shallow riverbanks among vegetation. This species grows to a length of SL. This species is closely related to ...

'' I. Schindler & J. Schmidt, 2006 ** ''

Betta fusca ''Betta fusca'', commonly known as the dusky betta, is a species of gourami. It is a freshwater fish native to Asia, where it occurs on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. The species reaches 8.2 cm (3.2 inches) in total length and is known to be ...

, 1910 (dusky betta) ** ''

Betta kuehnei ''Betta kuehnei'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in Malaysia and Thailand. It is typically found in shallow, shaded forest creeks among aquatic plants such as ''Cryptocoryne cordata'' and leaf litter. The water in w ...

'' I. Schindler & J. Schmidt, 2008 ** ''

Betta lehi ''Betta lehi'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in the area southwest of Kuching in Sarawak in Malaysia, as well as the lower Kapuas River basin in West Kalimantan in Indonesia. It is typically found among vegetation ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005 ** ''

Betta pallida ''Betta pallida'' is a species of gourami. It is a freshwater fish native to Asia, where it is known only from Thailand. It is typically found in clear, slow-flowing creek environments with a depth of 20 to 50 cm (7.9 to 19.7 inches), a pH o ...

'' I. Schindler & J. Schmidt, 2004 ** ''

Betta prima ''Betta prima'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in southeastern Thailand, and Laos. It is typically found among plants in marshes and slow-flowing streams. The water that the species occurs in is typically clear, wi ...

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1994 ** ''

Betta pugnax The Penang betta (''Betta pugnax'') is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia and common in swiftly flowing forest streams of the Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Sumatra, and the Riau Islands. In addition to its native range, the species has ...

'' ( Cantor, 1849) (Penang betta) ** ''

Betta pulchra ''Betta pulchra'' is a species of gourami endemid that is found in Johor, Malaysia. It is an inhabitant of the acidic black waters of peat swamp Peat swamp forests are tropical moist forests where waterlogged soil prevents dead leaves and ...

'' H. H. Tan & S. H. Tan, 1996 ** ''

Betta raja ''Betta raja'' is a species of betta endemic to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. It is an inhabitant of swamps in lowland forests. This species grows to a length of SL. It is used as bait by local fishermen and has also been found in the ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005 ** ''

Betta schalleri ''Betta schalleri'', sometimes known as Schaller's mouthbrooder, is a species of gourami. It is a freshwater fish native to Asia, where it is known only from Bangka Island in Indonesia. It is typically found in hillstreams and peat swamp forests. ...

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

& P. K. L. Ng, 1994 ** ''

Betta stigmosa ''Betta stigmosa'' is a species of gourami. It is a freshwater fish native to Asia, where it occurs only in the state of Terengganu in Malaysia. It is typically found in hillstreams. The species reaches 4.1 cm (1.6 inches) in standard length ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005 * ''B. splendens'' complex (fighting fish): ** ''

Betta imbellis The peaceful betta or crescent betta (''Betta imbellis'') is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia. ''Betta imbellis'' has a pair of suprabranchial chambers that each house a labyrinth organ, a complex bony structure lined with thin, high ...

'' Ladiges, 1975 (crescent betta) ** ''

Betta mahachaiensis ''Betta mahachaiensis'' is a species of bubble-nesting betta native to Thailand, where it occurs naturally near the Gulf of Thailand. It is typically seen in stagnant waters in swamps, pools, and ponds. The species can be found in brackish wate ...

'' Kowasupat, Panijpan, Ruenwongsa & Sriwattanarothai, 2012 ** ''

Betta siamorientalis ''Betta siamorientalis'' is a species of gourami. It is a freshwater fish native to Asia, where it occurs in shallow marshes, grass fields, and paddy fields in Thailand and Cambodia. It is typically found in still, vegetated environments at the wat ...

'' Kowasupat, Panijpan, Ruenwongsa & Jeenthong, 2012 ** ''

Betta smaragdina ''Betta smaragdina'', commonly known as the emerald green betta, blue betta or Mekong fighting fish ( th, ปลากัดเขียว or ปลากัดอีสาน) is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia. The species gets i ...

'' Ladiges, 1972 (Blue betta) ** ''

Betta splendens The Siamese fighting fish (''Betta splendens''), commonly known as the betta, is a freshwater fish native to Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is one of 73 species of the genus ''Bett ...

, 1910 (Siamese fighting fish) ** ''

Betta stiktos ''Betta stiktos'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in the Mekong basin in Cambodia. The species reaches 2.8 cm (1.1 inches) in standard length and is known to be a facultative air-breather. It is sometimes seen in th ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005 * ''B. unimaculata'' complex: ** ''

Betta compuncta ''Betta compuncta'' is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Osphronemidae. It reaches 6.2 cm (2.4 inches) in standard length. ''Betta compuncta'' is a freshwater fish that occurs in small, slow-flowing streams in swampy areas, although it ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006 ** ''

Betta gladiator ''Betta gladiator'' is a species of gourami endemic to Sabah, Malaysia. It is an inhabitant of the acidic waters of heath forest. It is known as a particularly territorial and aggressive species, especially in captivity. This species grows to a ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005 ** ''

Betta ideii ''Betta ideii'' is a species of gourami. It is a freshwater fish native to Asia, where it is known only from South Kalimantan on the island of Borneo in Indonesia. The species reaches 8.3 cm (3.3 inches) in standard length and is known to be a fa ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006 ** ''

Betta macrostoma The spotfin betta or Brunei beauty (''Betta macrostoma'') is a species of labyrinth fish endemic to the island of Borneo. It generally inhabits pools of very slow-moving water along rivers and streams in very shallow waters of or less. This sp ...

, 1910 (spotfin betta) ** ''

Betta ocellata ''Betta ocellata'', sometimes known as the eyespot mouthbrooder, is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in north-eastern Borneo, specifically Sabah and East Kalimantan, in the countries of Malaysia and Indonesia respective ...

'' de Beaufort, 1933 ** ''

Betta pallifina ''Betta pallifina'' is a species of gourami endemic to the island of Borneo. Description This species can reach a length of SL. The dorsal fin has seven to nine soft rays, the pectoral fin eleven to fourteen and the anal fin twenty-seven to th ...

'' H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005 ** ''

Betta patoti ''Betta patoti'', sometimes known as the tiger betta or zebra betta, is a species of gourami. It is a freshwater fish native to Asia, where it occurs in the southern part of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo in Indonesia. The species reac ...

'' M. C. W. Weber & de Beaufort, 1922 ** ''

Betta unimaculata ''Betta unimaculata'' , the Howong betta, is a species of labyrinth fish endemic to the island of Borneo where it is only known from the eastern portion of the island. This species grows to a length of TL, one of the largest known species of ' ...

'' ( Popta, 1905) (Howong betta) * ''B. waseri'' complex: ** ''

Betta chloropharynx ''Betta chloropharynx'' or the green-throated mouthbrooding betta is a species of gourami endemic to Bangka Island, Indonesia. It inhabits the leaf litter in a single pool in a secondary forest A secondary forest (or second-growth forest) is ...

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

& P. K. L. Ng, 1994 ** ''

Betta hipposideros ''Betta hipposideros'' is a species of gourami native to Malaysia ; its range extends southwards to the Riau Archipelago The Riau Archipelago is a ''geographic'' term (as opposed to administrative region) for the core group of islands within t ...

'' P. K. L. Ng &

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1994 ** ''

Betta omega ''Betta omega'' is a species of Anabantoid. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in the state of Johor in Malaysia. The species reaches 14.77 cm (5.8 inches) in total length. It was described in 2018 by Heok Hui Tan (of the National Univers ...

'' H. H. Tan &

Ahmad Ahmad ( ar, أحمد, ʾAḥmad) is an Arabic male given name common in most parts of the Muslim world. Other spellings of the name include Ahmed and Ahmet. Etymology The word derives from the root (ḥ-m-d), from the Arabic (), from the ve ...

, 2018 ** ''

Betta pardalotos ''Betta pardalotos'' is a species of fish in the family Osphronemidae. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in the Musi River basin on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. The species reaches 7.2 cm (2.8 inches) in standard length and is known ...

'' H. H. Tan, 2009 ** ''

Betta pi ''Betta pi'' is a species of gourami belonging to the genus ''Betta''. It is found in the Pru Toe-Daeng peat swamps in Narathiwat Province in Southern Thailand, but its range also extends into northern Peninsular Malaysia, most notably the states ...

'' H. H. Tan, 1998 ** ''

Betta renata ''Betta renata'' is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in blackwater rivers in the vicinity of peat swamp forests on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. The environments in which the species occurs are characterized by aci ...

'' H. H. Tan, 1998 ** ''

Betta spilotogena ''Betta spilotogena'' is a species of gourami endemic to Indonesia where it is only known from the islands of Bintan and Singkep Singkep is an island in the Lingga Archipelago in Indonesia. Its area is . It is separated from the east coast of S ...

'' P. K. L. Ng &

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1994 ** ''

Betta tomi ''Betta tomi'' is a species of gourami native to the Malaysian Peninsula where it is currently only found in Johor. It previously also occurred in Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island coun ...

'' P. K. L. Ng &

Kottelat Maurice Kottelat (born 16 July 1957 in Delémont, SwitzerlandC ...

, 1994 ** ''

Betta waseri ''Betta waseri'' is a species of gourami endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. It is an inhabitant of well shaded blackwater streams and in peat forests with plentiful organic debris and root growth. This species grows to a length of SL. The spe ...

'' Krummenacher, 1986

References

External links

* * The Aquarium Wiki category on Betta care information for sub varieties {{Authority control Macropodusinae Fauna of Southeast Asia Fish of Thailand Freshwater fish genera Taxa named by Pieter Bleeker