{{Short description|Genus of fish}} {{About|the entire genus ''Betta''|the species ''Betta splendens'' which is often called simply "betta"|Siamese fighting fish}} {{pp-move-vandalism|small=yes}} {{pp|small=yes}}
{{Automatic taxobox | image = Betta_albimarginata_060311_8.jpg | image_caption = ''Betta albimarginata'' | taxon = Betta | authority = Bleeker, 1850 | type_species = ''Betta trifasciata'' | type_species_authority = Bleeker, 1850 | synonyms = * ''Anostoma'' <small>van Hasselt, 1859</small> * ''Micracanthus'' <small>Sauvage, 1879</small> * ''Parophiocephalus'' <small>Popta, 1905</small> * ''Oshimia'' <small>D. S. Jordan, 1919</small> * ''Pseudobetta'' <small>Richter, 1981</small> }}
'''''Betta''''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|ɛ|t|ə}}, {{respell|BET|tə}}) is a large genus of small, active, often colorful, freshwater ray-finned fishes, in the gourami family (Osphronemidae).<ref name="fishbase">{{FishBase genus |genus=Betta |month=March |year=2019}}</ref> The best known ''Betta'' species is ''B. splendens,'' commonly known as the Siamese fighting fish and often kept as an aquarium pet.
==Characteristics== All ''Betta'' species are small fishes, but they vary considerably in size, ranging from under 2.5 cm (1 in) total length in ''B. chanoides'' to 14 cm (5.5 in) in the Akar betta (''B. akarensis'').<ref name="fishbase" />
Bettas are anabantoids, which means they can breathe atmospheric air using a unique organ called the labyrinth. This accounts for their ability to thrive in low-oxygen water conditions that would kill most other fish, such as rice paddies, slow-moving streams, drainage ditches, and large puddles.<ref>Marcus Song, ''Caring for Betta Fish'' Lulu Press, 2006. {{ISBN|1-4116-9365-5}}</ref>
The bettas exhibit two kinds of spawning behaviour: some build bubble nests, such as ''B. splendens'', while others are mouthbrooders, such as ''B. picta''. The mouthbrooding species are sometimes called "pseudo bettas", and are sometimes speculated to have evolved from the nest-builders in an adaptation to their fast-moving stream habitats.<ref name="ibc_fernando">{{cite web|author=Fernando, Yohan |title=''Betta edithae'' - a Pseudo ''Betta?'' |publisher=International Betta Congress Species Maintenance Program |url=https://smp.ibcbettas.org/articles/edithae_pseudo.html |access-date=2017-01-30 }}</ref>
A phylogenetic study published in 2004 concluded tentatively that bubble-nesting was the ancestral condition in ''Betta'', and that mouthbrooding has evolved on more than one occasion in the history of the genus. However, it was unable to establish a correlation with any of three habitat variables studied: whether a species was found in lowland or highland streams, whether it was found in peat swamp forests, and whether it was found in water with fast or slow currents.<ref name=evolution53>{{cite journal |last1=Rüber |first1=Lukas |last2=Britz |first2=Ralf |last3=Tan |first3=Heok Hui |last4=Ng |first4=Peter K. L. |last5=Zardoya|first5=Rafael |title=Evolution of Mouthbrooding and Life-History Correlates in the Fighting Fish Genus Betta |journal=Evolution |publisher=Society for the Study of Evolution |date=April 2004 |volume= 53 |issue=4 |pages= 799–813 |jstor=3449277 |doi=10.1554/03-364|bibcode=2004Evolu..58..799R |s2cid=198158291 }}</ref> Mouthbrooding species tend to exhibit less sexual dimorphism, perhaps because they do not need to defend a territory as the bubble-nesters do.<ref name=evolution53/>
==Name== Siamese fighting fish (''B. splendens'') are frequently sold in the United States simply as "bettas". {{As of|2017}}, around 73 species are classified within the genus ''Betta''.<ref name="fishbase"/> A useful distinction is that, while the generic name ''Betta'' is italicized and capitalized, when used as a common name it is usually neither italicized nor capitalized.<ref name="ahd">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.bartleby.com/61/78/B0217800.html |title=Betta |encyclopedia=American Heritage Dictionary |edition=4th |access-date=2006-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030185448/http://www.bartleby.com/61/78/B0217800.html |archive-date=2007-10-30}}</ref>The common name of ''B. pugnax,'' for example, is thus Penang betta. [[File:Kampffisch betta splendenscele4.jpg|thumb|170px|right|''Betta splendens'', the Siamese fighting fish, is often referred to simply as a "betta" in the U.S.]]
The name ''Betta'' (or betta) is pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|ɛ|t|ə}};<ref name="ahd" /> the first part is the same as the English word bet. The name is often pronounced {{IPA|/ˈbeɪtə/}} in American English, and may be spelled with one 't'. The name of the genus is derived from the Malay term ''ikan betah'' ("persistent fish").<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fishbase.org/ComNames/CommonNameSummary.php?autoctr=6989 |title=Common Names Summary - Betta picta |publisher=Fishbase.org |access-date=2012-07-31}}</ref>
The vernacular name "plakat", often applied to the short-finned ornamental strains, derived from ''pla kad'' which means "fighting fish", is the Thai name for all members of the ''B. splendens'' species complex (All have aggressive tendencies in the wild and all are extensively line-bred for aggression in eastern Thailand). The Thai phrase is not restricted to one specific strain. The term "fighting fish" is generalized to all members of the ''B. splendens'' species complex, including the Siamese fighting fish.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/betta-splendens/ |title=Betta splendens – Siamese Fighting Fish (Micracanthus marchei) |access-date=16 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Bettas.html |title=Betta Fish Information; Plakats, Veiltails, Halfmoon, Crowntail |website=www.americanaquariumproducts.com |access-date=16 November 2018}}</ref>
==Diet== Wild ''Betta'' fish are hardy and eat almost any animal small enough to consume. This includes worms, larvae of mosquitoes or other insects, and smaller fish. Their natural environment is often resource-limited, so many ''Betta'' species are generalist feeders.
== Bettas as pets == Bettas are commonly kept as pet fish, especially Siamese fighting fish. Bettas are popular fish due to their color variety and ease to care for, although the males must be kept separated from other bettas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=David |title=Top 25 Most Popular Freshwater Fish For Beginners - Everything Fishkeeping |url=https://www.everythingfishkeeping.com/25-most-popular-freshwater-fish/ |access-date=2022-07-15 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Conservation== While many ''Betta'' species are common and ''B. splendens'' is ubiquitous in the aquarium trade, other bettas are threatened. The IUCN Red List classifies several ''Betta'' species as Vulnerable. In addition, ''B. livida'' is Endangered, and ''B. miniopinna,'' ''B. persephone,'' and ''B. spilotogena'' are Critically Endangered.<ref name="redlist">{{cite web |title=Search: ''Betta'' genus |website=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?taxonomies=109455&searchType=species |access-date=2025-09-02 }}</ref>
The United Nations Environment Programme lists an unconfirmed species, ''Betta'' cf. ''tomi,'' as having become extinct in Singapore between 1970 and 1994.<ref name="unep">{{cite web |title=Extinctions since 1970 |url=http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/latenews/extinct.html |publisher=United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre |year=2006 |access-date=2006-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015448/http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/latenews/extinct.html |archive-date=2007-09-30 }}</ref> This likely refers to the extirpated Singaporean population of ''B. tomi,'' which continues to exist in the wild in Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as in captivity; the Red List classifies it as Vulnerable.<ref name="redlist_tomi">{{cite iucn |author=Low, B.W. |year=2019 |title=''Betta tomi'' |volume=2019 |article-number=e.T2778A89805110 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T2778A89805110.en |access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref><ref name="ibc_tomi">{{cite web |title=''Betta tomi'' |url=http://www.ibc-smp.org/species/tomi.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927004708/http://www.ibc-smp.org/species/tomi.html |archive-date=2007-09-27 |publisher=International Betta Congress Species Maintenance Program |date=2004-01-04 }}</ref>
==Species== [[File:Betta smaragdina pair1.jpg|thumb|right|A pair of ''Betta smaragdina'']]
[[File:Betta tussyae (male) 2010-04-01.JPG|thumb|right|Male ''Betta tussyae'']]
There are currently 78 recognized species in this genus. The currently described ''Betta'' species can be grouped into species complexes:<ref name="fishbase" /><ref name="complex_mgt">{{cite web|title=Species Complex Management|url=https://smp.ibcbettas.org/Pages/complex.html|publisher=International Betta Congress Species Maintenance Program|access-date=2006-07-01 }}</ref><ref name="itis">{{ITIS |id=172610 |taxon=Betta |access-date=30 June 2006}}</ref><ref name=TanNg2005>{{cite journal | author1=Tan, H.H. | author2=Ng, P.K.L. | year=2005 | title=The fighting fishes (Teleostei: Osphronemidae: genus Betta) of Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei | journal=Raffles Bulletin of Zoology | volume=13 | pages=43–99 }}</ref>
* ''B. akarensis'' complex: ** ''Betta akarensis'' <small>Regan, 1910</small> (Akar betta) ** ''Betta antoni'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006</small> ** ''Betta aurigans'' <small>H. H. Tan & K. K. P. Lim, 2004</small> ** ''Betta balunga'' <small>Herre, 1940</small> ** ''Betta chini'' <small>P. K. L. Ng, 1993</small> ** ''Betta ibanorum'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2004</small> ** ''Betta nuluhon'' <small>N. S. S. Kamal, H. H. Tan & Casey K. C. Ng, 2020</small> ** ''Betta obscura'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005</small> ** ''Betta pinguis'' <small>H. H. Tan & Kottelat, 1998</small> * ''B. albimarginata'' complex: ** ''Betta albimarginata'' <small>Kottelat & P. K. L. Ng, 1994</small> ** ''Betta channoides'' <small>Kottelat & P. K. L. Ng, 1994</small> * ''B. anabatoides'' complex: ** ''Betta anabatoides'' <small>Bleeker, 1851</small> (giant betta) ** ''Betta midas'' <small>H. H. Tan, 2009</small> * ''B. bellica'' complex: ** ''Betta bellica'' <small>Sauvage, 1884</small> (slim betta) ** ''Betta simorum'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 1996</small> * ''B. coccina'' complex: ** ''Betta brownorum'' <small>K. E. Witte & J. Schmidt, 1992</small> ** ''Betta burdigala'' <small>Kottelat & P. K. L. Ng, 1994</small> ** ''Betta coccina'' <small>Vierke, 1979</small> ** ''Betta hendra'' <small>I. Schindler & Linke, 2013</small> ** ''Betta iaspis'' <small>Ding, Lei, Haryono, Shi, & Zhang, 2025</small><ref name = Ding>{{cite journal | author1 = Ding, J. | author2 = Lei, W. | author3 = Haryono, H. | author4 = Shi, W. | author5 = Zhang, W. | year = 2025 | title = Phylogenetic analysis of Betta coccina complex (Teleostei, Osphronemidae) from Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra Island with descriptions of two new species | journal = ZooKeys | issue = 1238 | pages = 161–181 | doi = 10.3897/zookeys.1238.142857| pmid = 40416423 | pmc = 12099314 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2025ZooK.1238..161D }}</ref> ** ''Betta livida'' <small>P. K. L. Ng & Kottelat, 1992</small> ** ''Betta miniopinna'' <small>H. H. Tan & S. H. Tan, 1994</small> ** ''Betta mulyadii'' <small>Ding, Lei, Haryono, Shi, & Zhang, 2025</small><ref name = Ding/> ** ''Betta persephone'' <small>Schaller, 1986</small> ** ''Betta rutilans'' <small>K. E. Witte & Kottelat, 1991</small> ** ''Betta tussyae'' <small>Schaller, 1985</small> ** ''Betta uberis'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006</small> * ''B. dimidiata'' complex: ** ''Betta dimidiata'' <small>T. R. Roberts, 1989</small> ** ''Betta krataios'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006</small> * ''B. edithae'' complex: ** ''Betta edithae'' <small>Vierke, 1984</small> * ''B. foerschi'' complex: ** ''Betta dennisyongi'' <small>H. H. Tan, 2013</small> ** ''Betta foerschi'' <small>Vierke, 1979</small> ** ''Betta mandor'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006</small> ** ''Betta rubra'' <small>Perugia, 1893</small> (Toba betta) ** ''Betta strohi'' <small>Schaller & Kottelat, 1989</small> * ''B. picta'' complex: ** ''Betta falx'' <small>H. H. Tan & Kottelat, 1998</small> ** ''Betta picta'' <small>(Valenciennes, 1846)</small> (spotted betta) ** ''Betta simplex'' <small>Kottelat, 1994</small> ** ''Betta taeniata'' <small>Regan, 1910</small> (Borneo betta) * ''B. pugnax'' complex: ** ''Betta apollon'' <small>I. Schindler & J. Schmidt, 2006</small> ** ''Betta breviobesa'' <small>H. H. Tan & Kottelat, 1998<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |editor-last=Froese |editor-first=Rainer |editor2-last=Pauly |editor2-first=Daniel |title=''Betta breviobesa'' |url=https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Betta-breviobesus.html |website=FishBase}}</ref></small> ** ''Betta cracens'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005</small> ** ''Betta enisae'' <small>Kottelat, 1995</small> ** ''Betta ferox'' <small>I. Schindler & J. Schmidt, 2006</small> ** ''Betta fusca'' <small>Regan, 1910</small> (dusky betta) ** ''Betta kuehnei'' <small>I. Schindler & J. Schmidt, 2008</small> ** ''Betta lehi'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005</small> ** ''Betta pallida'' <small>I. Schindler & J. Schmidt, 2004</small> ** ''Betta prima'' <small>Kottelat, 1994</small> ** ''Betta pugnax'' <small>(Cantor, 1849)</small> (Penang betta) ** ''Betta pulchra'' <small>H. H. Tan & S. H. Tan, 1996</small> ** ''Betta raja'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005</small> ** ''Betta schalleri'' <small>Kottelat & P. K. L. Ng, 1994</small> ** ''Betta stigmosa'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005</small> * ''B. splendens'' complex (fighting fish): ** ''Betta imbellis'' <small>Ladiges, 1975</small> (crescent betta) ** ''Betta mahachaiensis'' <small>Kowasupat, Panijpan, Ruenwongsa & Sriwattanarothai, 2012</small> ** ''Betta siamorientalis'' <small>Kowasupat, Panijpan, Ruenwongsa & Jeenthong, 2012</small> ** ''Betta smaragdina'' <small>Ladiges, 1972</small> (Blue betta) ** ''Betta splendens'' <small>Regan, 1910</small> (Siamese fighting fish) ** ''Betta stiktos'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005</small> * ''B. unimaculata'' complex: ** ''Betta compuncta'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006</small> ** ''Betta gladiator'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005</small> ** ''Betta ideii'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2006</small> ** ''Betta macrostoma'' <small>Regan, 1910</small> (spotfin betta) ** ''Betta ocellata'' <small>de Beaufort, 1933</small> ** ''Betta pallifina'' <small>H. H. Tan & P. K. L. Ng, 2005</small> ** ''Betta patoti'' <small>M. C. W. Weber & de Beaufort, 1922</small> ** ''Betta unimaculata'' <small>(Popta, 1905)</small> (Howong betta) * ''B. waseri'' complex: ** ''Betta andrei'' <small>H. H. Tan, 2023</small><ref>{{cite journal | journal = The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology | volume = 71 | issue = | year = 2023 | pages = 491–495 | title = A new species of black water fighting fish from Singkep Island (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) | author = Tan Heok Hui}}</ref> ** ''Betta chloropharynx'' <small>Kottelat & P. K. L. Ng, 1994</small> ** ''Betta hipposideros'' <small>P. K. L. Ng & Kottelat, 1994</small> ** ''Betta omega'' <small>H. H. Tan & Ahmad, 2018</small> ** ''Betta pardalotos'' <small>H. H. Tan, 2009</small><ref>{{cite journal | journal = The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology | volume = 57 | issue = 2 | year = 2009 | pages = 501–504 | title = ''Betta pardalotos'', a new species of fighting fish (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia | author = Tan Heok Hui}}</ref> ** ''Betta pi'' <small>H. H. Tan, 1998</small> ** ''Betta renata'' <small>H. H. Tan, 1998</small> ** ''Betta spilotogena'' <small>P. K. L. Ng & Kottelat, 1994</small> ** ''Betta tomi'' <small>P. K. L. Ng & Kottelat, 1994</small> ** ''Betta waseri'' <small>Krummenacher, 1986</small>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Betta}} * {{Wikispecies-inline}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q4164940}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Betta Category:Macropodusinae Category:Fauna of Southeast Asia Category:Fish of Thailand Category:Freshwater fish genera Category:Taxa named by Pieter Bleeker