(Pictured to the left: ~5 month old F1 b. rubra young adults, the first spawn from the adult wild caught male below.)
Betta rubra are a paternal mouthbrooding species of wild betta native to the Sumatra, Indonesia. “Paternal mouthbrooding” means exactly what it says on the tin: the male fish will carry the fertilized eggs and young fry in his mouth anywhere from 10 to 20 days until the fry are able to swim on their own. During this time, these dutiful dads do not eat at all. They are extremely dedicated fathers!
FWIW: it is likely that many betta rubra in the aquarium trade today have at some stage interbred with b. dennisyongi, a newly described member of the b. rubra complex. I have tried to the best of my ability to ensure that the fish I allow to spawn with each other are b. rubra to avoid further cross-breeding between these threatened species.
Learn more over at the betta rubra entry on Seriously Fish.
Water Conditions
(Source: Betta rubra’s entry at Seriously Fish.)
| Parameter | “Best Practice” | “What I’m Doing” |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 22-27C/72F-82F | 27C/82F |
| pH | 5.0-6.5 | 5.5 |
| Hardness (GH/KH) | 18-90ppm | ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ |
Relevant blog posts
Keeping betta rubra: tank specs, product recommendations, what has worked for me
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“B” is for beginnings–and betta rubra
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