Betta Hendra Pair (Betta hendra)

This tiny wild betta is endemic to the Sabangau River basin in Central Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia. It lives in shaded peat swamp forest, in shallow, still, tannin-stained water with no current, and is classed as Critically Endangered. It belongs to the Betta coccina group but is not red like most of its relatives. Hendra have a dark brown body with iridescent blue-green highlights, green to blue-green eyes and prominent red bars on the gill cover, and they are short-finned like a plakat. Males are more colourful than females. This listing is for a male and female pair.

This is a true blackwater species and needs soft, acidic, tannin-stained water and a calm, dimly lit setup. We recommend a dedicated species tank with leaf litter, driftwood and floating plants, a gentle sponge filter, and a tight-fitting lid, as with all bettas. They can prey on smaller tank mates, so we do not recommend keeping them with small fish or shrimp.

Please Note

Wild fish often look subdued when they first arrive, and their full colouration will develop once they have settled into a stable, well-planted aquarium. The fish in our video have just been moved for filming, so they are not showing their full colour. Please message us if you would like to see further videos.

Care

• Origin: Indonesia

• Fish size: up to 4cm

• Tank size: 40 litres minimum for a pair

• Temperature: 24-27℃

• pH: 4.0-6.5

• Water Flow: Low

• Temperament: generally peaceful with their own pair but can be territorial, species-only tank recommended

• Diet: carnivorous, live and frozen foods such as bloodworm and blackworm, and some will take small nano pellets

Breeding

Bubble nester, with the male building a nest at the surface, often under a leaf or in a corner of the tank.