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Wild Species Bettas

97K views 1K replies 59 participants last post by  evilone 
#1 ·
Due to popular demand, I am creating a Wild Species thread so as not to keep clogging up Setsuna's thread in the Breeding forum :)

Who owns or has an interest in wild species? Do you have pics? Baby wild types for sale to others? Looking for breeding stock? Have questions about care? Are you simply looking for more information on these many species?

Resources

Link to IBC Species Management Program page and species index:
http://www.ibcbettas.org/smp/species/index.html

Seriously Fish species profiles (scroll down to the bottom of the page I've linked to see a full list of current species profiles for wild bettas):http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/betta-imbellis/


FAQ

Q: Do wild bettas need the same care as betta splendens?
A: Not necessarily. Many wild betta species prefer slightly cooler temperatures compared to bettas. Actual wild-caught pairs are the hardest to care for, and it's not necessarily ethical to buy them, seeing as over 56 species are identified by the IBC as in need of preservation. Wild bettas who were born and raised in hobbyist aquariums tend to be much easier to care for. Please be SURE to thoroughly research the species you are interested in before you acquire a pair.

Q: Do male wild bettas need to be separated from other fish like betta splendens?
A: Probably not. Many, if not most, wild betta species can be kept in pairs or communities. The general recommendation for most species is a heavily planted 10 gallon tank for a pair and a 30 gallon tank for a community, but this is not a hard and fast rule and breeders have successfully raised fry in smaller settings.

Q: Can wild betta species interbreed with betta splendens?
A: Some can. That is actually how metallic copper genes were introduced to betta splendens. However, because of the vast global spread of betta splendens and the shrinking natural habitat of many wild betta species, interbreeding is not seen as a responsible thing to do. There may come a day soon when the only populations of wild species exist in the hands of aquarists, and maintaining a pure gene pool is needed right now to boost numbers.

Q: Do wild betta species breed the same way as betta splendens?
A: Some of the more closely related species like betta imbellis are bubble nesters just like betta splendens, although the parents don't need to be separate from their fry. Other species are mouthbrooders (the males carry the fertilized eggs in their mouths until the fry hatch).

Q: Aren't wild bettas dull and uninteresting?
A: Not at all! Of course the aesthetic in wild betta species is their natural beauty, which is different from what many betta keepers may be used to. Betta splendens are the yin (artificially selected for exaggerated traits and bright colors) to the wild betta species yang (naturally evolved beauty). This isn't to say there are only muddy colors going on here. This is just a sampling of different species:


Source: IBC species index


Source: IBC species index



Source: IBC species index


And some Youtube videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSV3nEbCVqE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5yg8Spbiw0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyEHk-A0F7M
 
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#586 ·
My Imbellis and Smaragdina enjoy the same type set ups. Some with gravel, some without. I also rely on guppy grass and java moss(sometimes the java moss wall-clump makes for happy hiding as well)...Hope it turns out you have a pair left. I agree happy betta water makes for lousy pics. My favorite nano tank was started w/ "muck" and water from New Jersey cedar swamp/ Pine Barrens.
 
#587 ·
Sharing some pictures of my Betta burdigala family. Have fry/juveniles of all ages living with their mum and dad. Going to move them into a 10 gallon tank in the next couple of days because they are outgrowing their current one.












A very small sibling


Full coloured male juvenile


What I am hoping is a young female

 
#595 ·
Wild bettas are so easily amused. I have been soaking some oak leaves since early this morning and put them into a couple of my tanks. Straight away everyone is down in amongst the leaves having a look and seeing if they are edible.



I have at least 20 fry/juveniles in that tank with mum and dad. I thought there was 12 but I counted this morning and they seem to be taking over. Fry definitely grow a lot faster when they are kept in tank with mum and dad. My ones in the grow-outs are nowhere near as big even though I feed them twice a day and do larger water changes.
 
#599 ·
Darn you! I need more females than males here.

I do wonder with mine if it is water temperature, as the coccina species seem to hail from cooler waters, whereas hobbyists seem to keep them in a slightly higher range.

The tank where the temperature was only 25 degrees seems to have given me a few more females than the tank where the temperature was 28 degrees or so.

I think it's just going to be harder to sell on a whole bunch of males.
 
#601 ·
Whelp, my jinx continues. I had the lid off while doing maintenance and the male jumped. Unfortunately I have dogs, so I came back to a tank with just one occupant and a smug little dog. Total rookie mistake and I usually know better, but I was just not paying enough attention. Now I'll just wait for the pair Setsuna is conditioning for me and hope that it ends my jinx. I've got a spiffy new ten gallon all set up and running for them.
 
#602 ·
I have at least 20 fry/juveniles in that tank with mum and dad. I thought there was 12 but I counted this morning and they seem to be taking over. Fry definitely grow a lot faster when they are kept in tank with mum and dad. My ones in the grow-outs are nowhere near as big even though I feed them twice a day and do larger water changes.[/QUOTE]

Have two spawns going right now. One in natural planted tank heavy plants gravel bottom... small spawn 30- or less from my Guitar Smaragdina pair. Small spawn/tiny nest ok dad but shy!(maybe a sneaky mom, not sure whether I will pull her) we will see.

2nd spawn Copper Smaragdina(hybrid) in a wild type setup hardscape,leaf litter,bare bottom some plants. Great Dad huge spawn(300+ hope he culls some more) Pulled Mom as she is aggressive and wants to breed again and again. Dad needs a break after his hard work. Dad still in tank w/ younguns...

Wild smard. pair 2 near miss spawns! Good nest from male.First time female blew her eggs while being conditioned/separated. 2nd time Huge nest 3 inches by 4 1/2 inches and up to 3/4 inch thick. eggs ended up on bottom not sure if they were spawning or another near miss from my gal.
 
#604 ·
That really sucks Catie. Wild bettas are buggers for jumping out. I have lost several fish during water changes when the glad wrap has been off for only ten or fifteen minutes and it's only later I find the dried up body.

See efg321, I am glad none of my wilds have spawns with hundreds of fry. I think I would die. I much prefer the 20-50 my pairs generally give me.

Mystery juvenile is growing up. Still on the fence as to whether it is rutilans or brownorum. I have been intending on catching it to put in with my brownorum but I think that will be something I need the time and patience to do.


Mystery juvenile


This is supposed to be a 'full' sibling


This is what I am thinking it may be (Betta brownorum)
 
#606 ·
Macs are nice fish. My pair was just starting to get their full colours and put on some size before their heater boiled them.

I find mouthbrooding really odd. My rutilans male does a combo of mouthbrooding and nesting for some reason.

I think it is probably a good strategy though as you can hold onto your fry and have them come out a little faster and stronger then if they were hanging vulnerable in the nest.
 
#611 ·
A pair of albimarginata would look really cool in there, so long as you get a lid made for it. Similar look but smaller. I'd love to have that tank on my shelves. A little sponge filter on each end, interesting driftwood, and a colored up albimarginata pair? Lovely.
 
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