Spotted betta

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Spotted betta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Perciformes Family: Osphronemidae Genus: Betta Species: B. picta
Binomial name
Betta picta (Valenciennes, 1846)

The spotted betta (Betta picta) is a freshwater ray-finned fish in the gourami family (Osphronemidae) of order Perciformes. The type species of genus Betta, it is native to relatively cool, 22‒25 °C (72‒75 °F), highland streams of Java and Sumatra.^{[1] [2] [3]} In 1967, D. S. Johnson reported the species to be common in blackwaters of southern Malaya,^[4] but it is not clear that this population was in fact B. picta, as many similar Betta species had not yet been described at the time.

Of largely unremarkable Betta appearance, B. picta attains an overall length of 6 cm (2.4 in).^[1] It is noted for the pale bars on the male's back, absent in other similar Betta species.^[2]

Mouthbrooders, spotted bettas spawn en masse when triggered by water changes; this is likely to be an adaptation to reduce the chances, by saturating the environment with young, of individual fry falling prey to predators. This betta spawns readily and prolifically in captivity, producing easily-raised fry.^{[2] [5]} Even though it is easily kept and bred, it is not one of the more popular Betta species among hobbyists, likely because, in the words of one B. picta keeper, "many just can not get excited by watching a drab colored fish that spends most of its time hiding away under the rocks and behind the plants."^[6]

Originally described by Valenciennes and assigned to genus Panchax (as P. pictum), it was found to be identical to Betta trifasciata Bleeker, 1850, the type for genus Betta. P. pictum and B. trifasciata are thus invalid synonyms for B. picta.^[1] As the original type specimens are now lost, Tan and Kottelat redescribed the species in 1998.^{[7] [2]}

B. picta is also known as the Java fighting fish.^[8]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Betta picta". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. March 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Goldstein, Robert J. (2001). Bettas: Everything about History, Care, Nutrition, Handling, and Behavior. Hauppauge, New York: Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 0-7641-1653-3. 
3. ^ Betta picta. International Betta Congress. Retrieved on June 30, 2006.
4. ^ Johnson, D. S. (1967). "Distributional Patterns of Malayan Freshwater Fish". Ecology 48: 722‒30. 
5. ^ Fernando, Yohan. Betta picta (Sumatra). International Betta Congress Species Maintenance Program. Retrieved on June 30, 2006.
6. ^ Griffin, Gerald (1988). Betta picta: Not Very Beautiful, But Interesting Nonetheless. International Betta Congress Species Maintenance Program. Retrieved on June 30, 2006.
7. ^ Tan, H. H., and M. Kottelat (1998). "Redescription of Betta picta (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) and description of B. falx sp. n. from central Sumatra". Revue suisse de zoologie 105 (3): 557‒568. 
8. ^ Betta picta (TSN 172621). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 30 June 2006.

[edit] External links

• International Betta Congress Species Maintenance Program photos