Clarification on Betta Locality and Sourcing Information

Clarification on Betta Locality and Sourcing Information

Questions were recently raised within the aquarium community regarding the sourcing and locality information for several Betta species we have imported in both recent and past imports.

As hobbyists ourselves, responsible and lawful sourcing is very important to us. We appreciate the passion many aquarists have for conservation and accurate locality information, and we take these discussions seriously.

During our review we confirmed several points regarding the species in question. We would like to clarify those details here and will update descriptions where needed to ensure the information we provide remains accurate.

Betta persephone “Johor”

The Betta persephone we listed as “Johor” were actually captive-bred fish. The breeding stock for these fish was reportedly provided to our contact through a connection with the fisheries department. Our contact maintains and breeds these fish and also works with several Parosphromenus species. We will update the listing description to better reflect this information.

Betta ocellata “Malinau”

Identification within the unimaculata complex can be difficult. The “ocellata” identification was provided to us by the supplier along with the locality information, and that’s what we based our listing on at the time. Whether the identification is correct may ultimately be better determined by specialists, but based on the information we received, the fish were reported to originate from the Malinau area.

The locality “Malinau” refers to Malinau in North Kalimantan, Indonesia, which is distinct from the Maliau Basin in Sabah, Malaysia. Some confusion may arise from a different population sometimes referenced in the hobby as Betta ocellata "Maliau" (aff. gladiator), which refers to fish associated with the Maliau Basin.

Betta macrostoma “Marudi”

Based on the information provided by our supplier, these fish were reported to originate from the surrounding regions of the Marudi area of Sarawak.  Betta macrostoma is known to occur within Brunei and in neighboring areas of Sarawak.

Locality labels are commonly used in the hobby to distinguish closely related populations.  Fish from the Marudi area have been considered similar to those from Brunei due to their geographic proximity, and the “Marudi” label is sometimes applied more broadly to populations in the surrounding areas. There is ongoing discussion within the hobby as to whether these populations are distinct or represent the same species.

Based on the information provided to us, these fish were reported to originate from locations outside of strictly protected areas. They were not reported to originate from national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, or nature reserves.

Betta sp. “Candy”

There appears to be some confusion between Betta sp. “Candy” and Betta Gladiator. These are not the same species.  Betta sp. “Candy” is considered to be more closely related to the Betta compuncta / pallifina group than to Betta Gladiator. The Gladiator population originates from Sarawak, while the Candy population is associated with Kalimantan, Indonesia. 

Betta sp. Candy	Betta cf. ocellata Maliau (aff. Gladiator)

Photos taken by Wentian Shi.

There have been some rumors of undocumented sp. “Candy” populations in Sabah, Malaysia and we would be interested in learning more if any verifiable information becomes available. However, the only populations we are currently aware of originate from Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Listing Status

While reviewing these concerns, we temporarily paused the listings for the species mentioned above. As we clarified the available information, we will continue updating descriptions where needed to ensure locality and identification details remain accurate.

Moving Forward

BWAquatics began as a hobby-driven project and continues to be run by hobbyists who care deeply about fishkeeping and the aquarium community. We remain committed to responsible sourcing and improving the clarity of the information we provide.

We rely on information provided by suppliers and will continue working to verify locality and breeding information as accurately as possible.

We have always worked with a network of local contacts and expect that all sourcing is conducted in accordance with applicable regulations. If we become aware of any information indicating otherwise, we will take appropriate action, including discontinuing those relationships.

We appreciate feedback from members of the community who are passionate about wild Betta conservation and responsible fishkeeping.

Last updated: March 2026