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Origin:Indonesia; Sumatra(Jambi, Riau), Malaysia; Malakka( This origin presumed extinct)

Etymology: coccina(L.): Winered, claret

Synonyms:None

First import: 1980-1984?, exported to Europe by the firm Vivaria-Indonesia(Jacarta) who discovered the fish near Jambi.

Description: See picture, this fish is the Jambi variety.

Care: Nagy reports for fish from Selangor forest: Fish occur both in black and in clear water, in slow flowing water, with a pH between 3.8 and 4.6, temperature 25-27 degrees, and Hardness between 27-75 MicroSiemens. If you want to keep the fish a species tank is necessary. The waterconditions that Betta coccina requires are soft and acidic water, filtered over peat, and combined with frequent small waterchanges. The tank doesn't have to be very large, a 40-60 cm tank is suitable for a pair. Shaded light, plants, driftwood and boiled leaves, and a dark soil are beneficial.

Temperature: 24-27

Feeding:Small live food.

Size: 5.6 cm.

pH: 4.5-6.0

Breeding:Difficult. B. coccina is a bubblenester. The water should be extremely soft(dGH 0-2, 0 KH)and acidic(pH below 5.0). Daily waterchanges combinedwith a varied diet (artemia, daphnia, cyclops, grindal worms) and peat filtered slow flowing water. The fish sometimes create a bubblenest at the surface, but it's better to have a PVC tube floating at the surface, and floating plants around it. Even when all these things are supplied another thing is required, patience. It takes a pair a long time to get accustomed to eachother. When the fish show actual interest in spawning, they will show two white/beige horizontal stripes on the sides.Hallmann(2000) reports that the eggs didn't hatch in the first two spawns, but later, as he darkened the bubblenest the fry did hatch.

Sexual dimorphism: Males have more elongated dorsal and anal fins, and a spot on the side.

Prices: Netherlands: 12.50 €

Additional:The fish is an endangered species, and special breeding programs have been set up, among other by the IGL(Internationale Gemeinschaft für Labyrinthfische) in Germany.

Picture references:Picture 1: K. Weissenberg. All other pictures: E. Naus

References:

Baensch, H. A., Riehl, R.(1982): Aquarien Atlas I. Mergus Verlag, Melle, Germany.(click on the link to buy this book)

Hallmann, M.(2000), Der Makropode, 22 jrg, pp 37-43.

Linke, H.(1980): Labyrinthfische - Farbe im Aquarium. Tetra Verlag, Melle, Germany.

Kottelat, M., A.J. Whitten, S.N. Kartikasari and S. Wirjoatmodjo, 1993. Freshwater fishes of Western Indonesia and Sulawesi. Periplus Editions, Hong Kong.

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Betta coccina juvenile, 3 months old	Betta coccina female showing vertical bars