Betta Stiktos WILD CAUGHT | Rare Bettas

From the Betta Splendens Complex.

IUCN Red List: Data Deficient (Not enough information at this time but most likely highly endangered in the wild)

THESE ARE f0 caught in JUNE

estimate age around 7 month.

The rarest of all the splendens complex found only in the Mekong River basin in Cambodia from the locality of Stung Streng. This species was thought to be once extinct but a recent reemergence by a handful of breeders was made. Physically they are very similar to Smaragdinas, however, they have a much smaller stouter body as well as fins. The scaling is also different in that they tend to have less spread iridescence on the body but more prominent scaling on the face.

Physical Characteristics

• Body: Slender with a stout head. Their compact body makes them distinct among their splendens peers.  Often smaller than their splendens cousin.
• Coloration: Males exhibit a striking iridescent green-blue pattern on a brown-black background. Females are generally browner with hints of green.  Like all smaragdina they exhibit "snake-scale" like patterns in their body particularly their Opercular cheeks.
• Fins: Fins are typically brown to black with iridescent green-blue interradial membranes.  Betta stiktos are exclusively roundtail.  Compare to their splendens cousin, stiktos have much shorter anal and caudal fins.
• Opercular membrane: Opercular coloration is typical of smaragdina type but the "snake-scale" pattern appears to be more prominent and wide spread.
• Habitat: Found in swamps and shallow ponds where there is dense vegetation and coverage.

Basic Information

Temperament: Males are VERY aggressive and should be kept alone or in tanks with non-male betta mates. Can be kept in a planted community tank of multiple females if there is adequate space.

Max Size: 2 inches

TDS: 60 - 200 (We keep them in soft water with low TDS to match our other wild bettas but they are more tolerant of water conditions.)

pH: 5.0-7.0

Temperature: 75-85 (much better coloration at a warmer temperature above 78 degrees)

Diet: Carnivorous, we currently feed them live blackworms, frozen bloodworms, and pellets.

Breeding: Bubblenester