Betta rubra Breeding Guide
Breeding the Rubra Betta Betta rubra: a Sumatran paternal mouthbrooder with a female-fin egg catch and a 10-17 day oral incubation; sexing and fry care.
Overview
Betta rubra is a Sumatran paternal mouthbrooder recorded from former peat swamp forest with stagnant blackwater pools at around pH 5.5. The male incubates the brood orally, and the species is regarded as an advanced subject.
Sexing
Males are more colourful and develop more-extended unpaired fins than females. During spawning, females develop enhanced coloration while attempting to attract males.
Breeding Setup
- Temperature: 22-27 C
- pH: 5.0-6.5
- Hardness: 18-90 ppm (soft, acidic blackwater)
- Quiet, shaded tank with leaf litter and cover
Stable, soft, acidic blackwater matching the stagnant peat-swamp pools of its origin is required for spawning.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The pair engage in a protracted courtship and an embrace typical of osphronemids in which the male wraps his body around the female. Multiple practice embraces may occur before actual spawning, which can last several days. Unusually, the eggs are caught in the anal fin of the female rather than the male.
Egg & Fry Care
The incubation period is 10-17 days, after which the male begins to release fully-formed, free-swimming fry. Fry are large enough to accept motile foods such as microworm and Artemia nauplii immediately; feed small amounts of different foods 2-3 times per day for optimal growth rate.
Common Challenges
Maintaining stable, soft acidic blackwater is the principal difficulty, and the protracted spawning means the holding male must be left undisturbed throughout incubation to avoid early release of the brood.