Home

Descriptions

General

Links

This site

Origin: Indonesia, Kalimantan(Borneo).Found in forest streams, usually among leaf litter along the shores in shallow water.

Etymology: Unk

Synonyms:None

First import: Unk

Description: See pictures.Looks a bit like Betta taeniata, but they have shorter fins and a round tail, while B. enisae have an extended middle spine of the caudal. Betta enisae lacks the blue margin of the dorsal.

Care:Quiet fish, which like to hide, but can also be very lively too. A bit intolerant against it's own kind. Require a large tank with decent filtration, and some hidouts. Cover the tank, since the fish can jump well.

Temperature:24-26 degrees.

Feeding:All given food is accepted.Not fuzzy about food. They like live food (mosquito larvae, fruitflies), but take dry food as well. Big eaters.

Size: Males 9 cm, females a bit smaller (7/8 cm)

pH: 5.5-6.8

Breeding: Henk grundmeijer reports:mouthbrooder. They need much space (40 gallon and up), beside soft and acidic water. Peat filter. Well planted tanks are appreciated. Give them ample live food and change water frequently. Females often initiate the spawning. Other males and females are driven away by -mainly- the female. The couple embraces on the bottom. The males breeds. After spawning the males gathers the eggs. The female supports and she sometimes keeps the eggs in her mouth for a while, after 'handing them over' to the male. She spits them out and tries to catch them again. After the male gathered the whole spawn, he'll hide between driftwood or thick plants. After 10 days the young are released. They measure almost 1 cm, and are very dark. They take every kind of food and mature within 9 months.

Sexual dimorphism: Males are larger with longer fins. The margins (blue, black and white on the anal and caudal) and the blue colour on the gill cover are the distinguishing characteristics. Females have less developed fins, they show only vague margins on the caudal and anal. They turn light (and plain) brown during courtship.

Prices:Breeders: 6 juveniles: 20-25€, Breeding couple: 15-20€

Additional:

Picture references:Mouthbrooding male picture: Torben Lyng, all other pictures by E. Naus. Fish owned and bred by H. Grundmeijer.

References:Schäfer, F.(1997): Aqualog - All Labyrinths, Verlag A. C. S. Gmbh., Mörfelden - Walldorf, Germany.Kottelat, M., A.J. Whitten, S.N. Kartikasari and S. Wirjoatmodjo, 1993. Freshwater fishes of Western Indonesia and Sulawesi. Periplus Editions, Hong Kong

Acknowledgements: Thanks go out to Henk Grundmeijer for supplying additional information and a breeding report.

If you are interested in this fish please join our anabantoid board