Giant Betta

Can be distinguished from other species in possessing the following combination of characters: a thick-set body (body depth 30.5-33.7 % SL) with the anterior part of the body reminiscent of the taxon Anabas; head devoid of pattern except for a preorbital stripe that runs from the black lower lip to the eye, and continuous with a postorbital stripe to the posterior edge of the opercle; in living specimens, the opercle with faint gold iridescent scales; and some median caudal rays projecting beyond the fin margin (Ref. 81926).Description: dorsal fin situated far back; caudal fin lanceolate; pelvic fin filamentous (Re. 81926).

Male mouth brooder.

Dorsal spines (total): 0 - 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 9; Anal spines: 1 - 2; Analsoft rays: 27 - 29; Vertebrae: 30 - 31

Found in a murky stream, up to 1.2 m deep and pH 7.5. The stream water was sluggish and drained from cultivated area upstream (Ref. 81926). Seen only in local markets. Mouth brooder (Ref. 4537).

fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

The giant betta (Betta anabatoides) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the subfamily Macropodusinae, part of the gourami family. It is endemic to South Kalimanatan, Katingan, and Sampit in Indonesian Borneo. It is found in a variety of freshwater habitats and is a paternal mouthbrooder. The species reaches 8.2 cm (3.2 inches) in standard length and is known to be a facultative air-breather.