Spotted betta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spotted betta |
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The spotted betta or Java fighting fish (Betta picta) is a type of gourami fish. It is found only in Indonesia, mainly in the cool highland streams of Java. These streams usually have temperatures between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius (72-75 degrees Fahrenheit).
In 1967, a scientist named D. S. Johnson noted that this fish was common in the dark, "blackwater" rivers of southern Malaya.
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What Does a Spotted Betta Look Like?
The spotted betta is not the flashiest fish, but it has its own unique look. It can grow up to about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) long. Male spotted bettas have light-colored stripes on their backs. These stripes help tell them apart from other similar Betta species.
How Do Spotted Bettas Reproduce?
Spotted bettas are special because they are Mouthbrooders. This means the male fish carries the eggs and young in his mouth until they are ready to swim on their own.
These fish often lay many eggs at once, especially after changes in their water. This might be a way for them to protect their babies. By having many young at the same time, it's harder for predators to eat all of them. Spotted bettas can easily have babies in aquariums, and their young are simple to raise.
Keeping Spotted Bettas as Pets
Even though spotted bettas are easy to care for and breed, they are not as popular as some other Betta fish among people who keep aquariums. One reason might be that they are often described as "drab colored." They also tend to spend a lot of their time hiding under rocks and behind plants in their tank.
Who Discovered This Fish?
The spotted betta was first described by a scientist named Valenciennes in 1846. He originally placed it in a different group of fish. Later, in 1850, another scientist named Bleeker described a fish he called Betta trifasciata. It turned out that Bleeker's fish was the same as the one Valenciennes had found.
Since the original fish samples were lost, scientists H. H. Tan and Kottelat described the species again in 1998.
