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''Betta'' is a large genus of small, active, often colorful, freshwater ray-finned fishes, in the gourami family (biology), family (Osphronemidae). The best known ''Betta'' species is ''B. splendens,'' commonly known as the Siamese fighting fish and often kept as an aquarium pet.
The name ''Betta'' (or betta) is pronounced ; the first part is the same as the English language, English word bet. The name is often pronounced in American English, and may be spelled with one 't'. The name of the genus is derived from the Malay language, Malay term ''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 language, Thai 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). 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.
There are currently 76 recognized species in this genus. The currently described ''Betta'' species can be grouped into species complexes:
* ''B. akarensis'' complex:
** ''Betta akarensis'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (Akar betta)
** ''Betta antoni'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
** ''Betta aurigans'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & K. K. P. Lim, 2004
** ''Betta balunga'' Albert William Herre, Herre, 1940
** ''Betta chini'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1993
** ''Betta ibanorum'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2004
** ''Betta nuluhon'' Nur Syafiqah Shamsul Kamal, N. S. S. Kamal, Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Casey Keat Chuan Ng, Casey K. C. Ng, 2020
** ''Betta obscura'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta pinguis'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1998
* ''B. albimarginata'' complex:
** ''Betta albimarginata'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
** ''Betta channoides'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
* ''B. anabatoides'' complex:
** ''Betta anabatoides'' Pieter Bleeker, Bleeker, 1851 (giant betta)
** ''Betta midas'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 2009
* ''B. bellica'' complex:
** ''Betta bellica'' Henri Émile Sauvage, Sauvage, 1884 (slim betta)
** ''Betta simorum'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1996
* ''B. coccina'' complex:
** ''Betta brownorum'' Kai-Erik Witte, K. E. Witte & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 1992
** ''Betta burdigala'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
** ''Betta coccina'' Jörg Vierke, Vierke, 1979
** ''Betta hendra'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Horst Linke, Linke, 2013
** ''Betta iaspis'' Jiali Ding, Ding, Wen Lei, Lei, Haryono, Wentian Shi, Shi, & Wanchang Zhang, Zhang, 2025
** ''Betta livida'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1992
** ''Betta mulyadii'' Jiali Ding, Ding, Wen Lei, Lei, Haryono, Wentian Shi, Shi, & Wanchang Zhang, Zhang, 2025
** ''Betta persephone'' Dieter Schaller (aquarist), Schaller, 1986
** ''Betta rutilans'' Kai-Erik Witte, K. E. Witte & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1991
** ''Betta tussyae'' Dieter Schaller (aquarist), Schaller, 1985
** ''Betta uberis'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
* ''B. dimidiata'' complex:
** ''Betta dimidiata'' Tyson R. Roberts, T. R. Roberts, 1989
** ''Betta krataios'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
* ''B. edithae'' complex:
** ''Betta edithae'' Jörg Vierke, Vierke, 1984
* ''B. foerschi'' complex:
** ''Betta dennisyongi'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 2013
** ''Betta foerschi'' Jörg Vierke, Vierke, 1979
** ''Betta mandor'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
** ''Betta rubra'' Alberto Perugia, Perugia, 1893 (Toba betta)
** ''Betta strohi'' Dieter Schaller (aquarist), Schaller & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1989
* ''B. picta'' complex:
** ''Betta falx'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1998
** ''Betta picta'' (Achille Valenciennes, Valenciennes, 1846) (spotted betta)
** ''Betta simplex'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta taeniata'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (Borneo betta)
* ''B. pugnax'' complex:
** ''Betta apollon'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 2006
** ''Betta breviobesa'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1998
** ''Betta cracens'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta enisae'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1995
** ''Betta ferox'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 2006
** ''Betta fusca'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (dusky betta)
** ''Betta kuehnei'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 2008
** ''Betta lehi'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta pallida'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 2004
** ''Betta prima'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta pugnax'' (Theodore Edward Cantor, Cantor, 1849) (Penang betta)
** ''Betta pulchra'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Tan Swee Hee, S. H. Tan, 1996
** ''Betta raja'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta schalleri'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
** ''Betta stigmosa'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
* ''B. splendens'' complex (fighting fish):
** ''Betta imbellis'' Werner Ladiges, Ladiges, 1975 (crescent betta)
** ''Betta mahachaiensis'' Chanon Kowasupat, Kowasupat, Bhinyo Panijpan, Panijpan, Pintip Ruenwongsa, Ruenwongsa & Namkang Sriwattanarothai, Sriwattanarothai, 2012
** ''Betta siamorientalis'' Chanon Kowasupat, Kowasupat, Bhinyo Panijpan, Panijpan, Pintip Ruenwongsa, Ruenwongsa & Tadsanai Jeenthong, Jeenthong, 2012
** ''Betta smaragdina'' Werner Ladiges, Ladiges, 1972 (Blue betta)
** ''Betta splendens'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (Siamese fighting fish)
** ''Betta stiktos'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
* ''B. unimaculata'' complex:
** ''Betta compuncta'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
** ''Betta gladiator'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta ideii'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
** ''Betta macrostoma'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (spotfin betta)
** ''Betta ocellata'' Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort, de Beaufort, 1933
** ''Betta pallifina'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta patoti'' Max Carl Wilhelm Weber, M. C. W. Weber & Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort, de Beaufort, 1922
** ''Betta unimaculata'' (Canna Maria Louise Popta, Popta, 1905) (Howong betta)
* ''B. waseri'' complex:
** ''Betta andrei'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 2023
** ''Betta chloropharynx'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
** ''Betta hipposideros'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta omega'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Amirrudin bin Ahmad, Ahmad, 2018
** ''Betta pardalotos'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 2009
** ''Betta pi'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 1998
** ''Betta renata'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 1998
** ''Betta spilotogena'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta tomi'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta waseri'' René Krummenacher, Krummenacher, 1986
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 anabantoids, which means they can breathe atmospheric air using a unique organ called the labyrinth organ, labyrinth. This accounts for their ability to thrive in low-oxygen water conditions that would kill most other fish, such as Paddy field, rice paddies, slow-moving Stream, streams, drainage ditches, and large Puddle, 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 evolution, evolved from the nest-builders in an adaptation 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 Peatland, peat swamp Forest, 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 simply as "bettas". , around 73 species are classified within the genus ''Betta''. A useful distinction is that, while the genus, generic name ''Betta'' is italicized and capitalized, when used as a common name it is usually neither italicized nor capitalized. The common name of ''B. pugnax,'' for example, is thus Penang betta.
The name ''Betta'' (or betta) is pronounced ; the first part is the same as the English language, English word bet. The name is often pronounced in American English, and may be spelled with one 't'. The name of the genus is derived from the Malay language, Malay term ''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 language, Thai 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). 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 to consume. This includes 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 the males 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 classifies several ''Betta'' species as Vulnerable. In addition, ''Betta livida, B. livida'' is Endangered, and ''Betta miniopinna, B. miniopinna,'' ''Betta persephone, B. persephone,'' and ''Betta spilotogena, B. spilotogena'' are Critically Endangered. The United Nations Environment Programme lists an unconfirmed species, ''Betta'' cf. ''tomi,'' as having become extinct in Singapore between 1970 and 1994. This likely refers to the Local extinction, extirpated Singaporean population of ''Betta tomi, B. tomi,'' which continues to exist in the wild in Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as in captivity; the Red List classifies it as Vulnerable.Species
There are currently 76 recognized species in this genus. The currently described ''Betta'' species can be grouped into species complexes:
* ''B. akarensis'' complex:
** ''Betta akarensis'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (Akar betta)
** ''Betta antoni'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
** ''Betta aurigans'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & K. K. P. Lim, 2004
** ''Betta balunga'' Albert William Herre, Herre, 1940
** ''Betta chini'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1993
** ''Betta ibanorum'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2004
** ''Betta nuluhon'' Nur Syafiqah Shamsul Kamal, N. S. S. Kamal, Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Casey Keat Chuan Ng, Casey K. C. Ng, 2020
** ''Betta obscura'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta pinguis'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1998
* ''B. albimarginata'' complex:
** ''Betta albimarginata'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
** ''Betta channoides'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
* ''B. anabatoides'' complex:
** ''Betta anabatoides'' Pieter Bleeker, Bleeker, 1851 (giant betta)
** ''Betta midas'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 2009
* ''B. bellica'' complex:
** ''Betta bellica'' Henri Émile Sauvage, Sauvage, 1884 (slim betta)
** ''Betta simorum'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1996
* ''B. coccina'' complex:
** ''Betta brownorum'' Kai-Erik Witte, K. E. Witte & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 1992
** ''Betta burdigala'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
** ''Betta coccina'' Jörg Vierke, Vierke, 1979
** ''Betta hendra'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Horst Linke, Linke, 2013
** ''Betta iaspis'' Jiali Ding, Ding, Wen Lei, Lei, Haryono, Wentian Shi, Shi, & Wanchang Zhang, Zhang, 2025
** ''Betta livida'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1992
** ''Betta mulyadii'' Jiali Ding, Ding, Wen Lei, Lei, Haryono, Wentian Shi, Shi, & Wanchang Zhang, Zhang, 2025
** ''Betta persephone'' Dieter Schaller (aquarist), Schaller, 1986
** ''Betta rutilans'' Kai-Erik Witte, K. E. Witte & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1991
** ''Betta tussyae'' Dieter Schaller (aquarist), Schaller, 1985
** ''Betta uberis'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
* ''B. dimidiata'' complex:
** ''Betta dimidiata'' Tyson R. Roberts, T. R. Roberts, 1989
** ''Betta krataios'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
* ''B. edithae'' complex:
** ''Betta edithae'' Jörg Vierke, Vierke, 1984
* ''B. foerschi'' complex:
** ''Betta dennisyongi'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 2013
** ''Betta foerschi'' Jörg Vierke, Vierke, 1979
** ''Betta mandor'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
** ''Betta rubra'' Alberto Perugia, Perugia, 1893 (Toba betta)
** ''Betta strohi'' Dieter Schaller (aquarist), Schaller & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1989
* ''B. picta'' complex:
** ''Betta falx'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1998
** ''Betta picta'' (Achille Valenciennes, Valenciennes, 1846) (spotted betta)
** ''Betta simplex'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta taeniata'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (Borneo betta)
* ''B. pugnax'' complex:
** ''Betta apollon'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 2006
** ''Betta breviobesa'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1998
** ''Betta cracens'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta enisae'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1995
** ''Betta ferox'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 2006
** ''Betta fusca'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (dusky betta)
** ''Betta kuehnei'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 2008
** ''Betta lehi'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta pallida'' Ingo Schindler, I. Schindler & Jürgen Schmidt (biologist), J. Schmidt, 2004
** ''Betta prima'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta pugnax'' (Theodore Edward Cantor, Cantor, 1849) (Penang betta)
** ''Betta pulchra'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Tan Swee Hee, S. H. Tan, 1996
** ''Betta raja'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta schalleri'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
** ''Betta stigmosa'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
* ''B. splendens'' complex (fighting fish):
** ''Betta imbellis'' Werner Ladiges, Ladiges, 1975 (crescent betta)
** ''Betta mahachaiensis'' Chanon Kowasupat, Kowasupat, Bhinyo Panijpan, Panijpan, Pintip Ruenwongsa, Ruenwongsa & Namkang Sriwattanarothai, Sriwattanarothai, 2012
** ''Betta siamorientalis'' Chanon Kowasupat, Kowasupat, Bhinyo Panijpan, Panijpan, Pintip Ruenwongsa, Ruenwongsa & Tadsanai Jeenthong, Jeenthong, 2012
** ''Betta smaragdina'' Werner Ladiges, Ladiges, 1972 (Blue betta)
** ''Betta splendens'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (Siamese fighting fish)
** ''Betta stiktos'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
* ''B. unimaculata'' complex:
** ''Betta compuncta'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
** ''Betta gladiator'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta ideii'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2006
** ''Betta macrostoma'' Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1910 (spotfin betta)
** ''Betta ocellata'' Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort, de Beaufort, 1933
** ''Betta pallifina'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 2005
** ''Betta patoti'' Max Carl Wilhelm Weber, M. C. W. Weber & Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort, de Beaufort, 1922
** ''Betta unimaculata'' (Canna Maria Louise Popta, Popta, 1905) (Howong betta)
* ''B. waseri'' complex:
** ''Betta andrei'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 2023
** ''Betta chloropharynx'' Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat & Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng, 1994
** ''Betta hipposideros'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta omega'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan & Amirrudin bin Ahmad, Ahmad, 2018
** ''Betta pardalotos'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 2009
** ''Betta pi'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 1998
** ''Betta renata'' Tan Heok Hui, H. H. Tan, 1998
** ''Betta spilotogena'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta tomi'' Peter Ng Kee Lin, P. K. L. Ng & Maurice Kottelat, Kottelat, 1994
** ''Betta waseri'' René Krummenacher, Krummenacher, 1986
References
External links
* * {{Authority control Betta, Macropodusinae Fauna of Southeast Asia Fish of Thailand Freshwater fish genera Taxa named by Pieter Bleeker