# Alien Betta



## laichyee (Apr 22, 2020)

Does anyone have any experience with Alien Betta?

I have seen people keep alien bettas in a pair, some stated that they are less aggressive than the usual bettas.

Are the water parameters they require the same as their other colorful betta counterparts?

Anyone with any knowledge of alien bettas please come in and drop your advice!


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## RaeRae (Apr 5, 2020)

following! I want an imbellis too but no luck for me on getting answers to what they need water-wise. I have heard the same, more peaceful and also they tend to hide more and like cooler water- still fact checking. But there is a FB group too for Wild bettas. Check out this thread there is a user that seems to have alien bettas Betta Imbellis
Also, there is a good site for info on some wilds by category, not sure if Alien would follow imbelli but I think so.. https://www.ibcbettas.org/about-betta-splendens/smp/species


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## laichyee (Apr 22, 2020)

RaeRae said:


> following! I want an imbellis too but no luck for me on getting answers to what they need water-wise. I have heard the same, more peaceful and also they tend to hide more and like cooler water- still fact checking. But there is a FB group too for Wild bettas. Check out this thread there is a user that seems to have alien bettas Betta Imbellis
> Also, there is a good site for info on some wilds by category, not sure if Alien would follow imbelli but I think so.. https://www.ibcbettas.org/about-betta-splendens/smp/species


Hello, fellow answer-seeking mate. Well, first of all, are imbellis the same as an alien? I am scratching my head over this issue when I see numerous care guide about imbellis when i searched for Alien.

I do find the same information as you for them being more docile in nature and being able to tolerate cooler water better than the normal bettas.

Are imbellis/Alien(should they be the same thing) really wild? or are the captive-bred wild bettas?

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

'Alien' bettas are hybrids. I'm not sure what the exact cross is (seems like B. imbellis and B. mahachai are most commonly used), but they're certainly not pure wild bettas, and should never be advertised as such, no matter how close to the real thing they may phenotypically be. 

This is why I am 100% against betta hybrids, no matter how beautiful they may be. Hybridisation in the wild is one of the driving forces of extinction for splendens complex species, and I hate to see people taking fish from the wild and using them to produce hybrids in captivity. All it takes is for these hybrids to be mislabelled as pure, and you can ruin the purity of captive bred fish. 

Alien bettas and any of the splendens complex species can be just as aggressive, if not more so, than the ornamental forms. If experience with bettas has taught me anything, you can't make blanket statements when it comes to aggression and these fish. Some individuals will tolerate living in breeding pairs, or even groups, long-term, while others will attack or even kill their breeding partner. 

Considering their wild heritage, I'd keep an Alien betta like I do my wild bettas. That means, a well-planted tank, with dim lighting, tannin-stained water, and a very well-fitting lid. That should bring out the most natural behaviour, and best colouring.


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## RaeRae (Apr 5, 2020)

That does seem to be the mix to get aliens- I think you are correct. I was trying to ask the breeded on their wilds if caught or bred, I wanted to find our their water conditions because my water is a bit harder and I don't think they will like that if kept in foreign soft water Either way, a good thing to know their current water conditions they like @laichyee  Seems like Aliens though may have some ethical issues surrounding them.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Maybe you should find yourself a pair of B. mahachaiensis? In the wild they actually inhabit areas of higher pH and harder water. While some sources say they need brackish water, this isn't true as a lot of breeders and hobbyists keep them successfully in freshwater. 

If they're captive bred in the US, it's likely they are better suited to local water conditions. 

Hybrids always face opposition from 'purists' such as myself. I personally don't even like seeing different localities of the same species crossed as there's always slight differences in appearance etc. that can be lost.


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## RaeRae (Apr 5, 2020)

LittleBettaFish said:


> Maybe you should find yourself a pair of B. mahachaiensis? In the wild they actually inhabit areas of higher pH and harder water. While some sources say they need brackish water, this isn't true as a lot of breeders and hobbyists keep them successfully in freshwater.
> 
> If they're captive bred in the US, it's likely they are better suited to local water conditions.
> 
> Hybrids always face opposition from 'purists' such as myself. I personally don't even like seeing different localities of the same species crossed as there's always slight differences in appearance etc. that can be lost.


I am with you and won't be purchasing anything hybrid- at least not to my knoweldge. I will look into that then - thanks for the tip! I have a small tank cycling now (5g) for the potential wild, so no pair Too small. But I will consider a small tank mate for them this time.


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## laichyee (Apr 22, 2020)

ah thanks for the advice people! 

I am still considering the option of an alien. I saw one that and was totally mesmerized by it. However, I am quite worried about the lack of care guides that can be found on the internet and other hobbyists as well. 

I have seen a lot of them being kept in tannin colored water and some in freshwater as well. I don't want my tank to look brackish... 

Ah... So many considerations to take note of..


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

No, they don't require brackish water. I was saying that in the wild, Betta mahachaiensis, which may or may not make up the parentage of an Alien betta, can be found in brackish water. But it's not a requirement for their care. They do perfectly fine in freshwater and this is how almost every single hobbyist keeps them.

Alien bettas should be kept in freshwater. 

The wild betta FB group I'm part of, banned posts on hybrids, but based on what I saw, most people were keeping them in a similar method to how they would keep B. imbellis, or other splendens complex species such as B. smaragdina and (wild) B. splendens. 

I'm not sure based on your post whether you thought tannins means a brackish environment?


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