# Betta imbellis



## Olivia27

It's that time of the night when you can't sleep and wild ideas start popping up on your head. As in, I started reading about B. Imbellis. Information about them is conflicting in the internet world, so I thought I'd ask you guys. I know lots of people here keep wild types, so please do shed some light on this  my questions:

1) can I keep one male in a 10gal?
2) are they social? Everyone seem to sell pairs instead of individuals!
3) my water is hard and basic. I'm talking 8.2 pH. Are these babies as tolerant as the splendens are?
4) If I really must have a pair, won't Dad kill Mom if they happen to spawn? I read they're very similar to splendens when it comes down to breeding behavior 
5) some sources say they're peaceful, some others say they're just like the splendens. I prefer Betta-only tanks over communities anyway, but I'd still like to know which one is correct. So! Peaceful or aggressive?

TBH I arrived at imbellis after stumbling on another wild type; the blue-band Betta (B. enisae). But I quickly dropped the thought after reading that their minimum tank size is 40gal. Is it true though? Is splendens the only species that would do just fine in a 2.5 then? Not that I want to jam all these wild types in a 2.5, but I'm just curious.

If all works out I would probably drop my plan to grab a blue BF HM boy for next semester in favor of either imbellis or enisae (pair/individual, depending on my luck of getting them). My absolute maximum tank size is 10 though  I just can't have a 50gal in an apartment.


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## lilnaugrim

LittleBettaFish is more qualified to answer these questions but I do know some things ^_^

Almost all wilds (if not all of them) absolutely need soft water so you're going to have to buffer like crazy! most species are not tolerant like Splendens are and even then, wild Splenden's are usually as tolerable as domestics are due to breeding.

I think you'll find this thread to be mostly what you're looking for as well! http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=116188


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## Olivia27

Thanks!  I'm thinking of BWE, a heck ton of IAL and 2-week (or more) RO treatment before the fish arrives. Unfortunately I don't know if all those would even work considering my stubborn water, but hey ho if not I'll just have you hunt for a blue BF HM boy XD 

Seriously though. I really like enisae! If not them, then maybe brownorum. Imbellis has fallen off my list after a whole night of contemplation lol they look too much like a regular fancy PK... Which is not bad, but I like how different the enisae and brownorum look. Plus they're native to Indonesia! Made me feel patriotic lol


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## lilnaugrim

Have you seen Simplex? B. Ocellata is beautiful but is much larger so they need a bigger tank. Wilds vary in sizes so you just have to look at that. From what I know, you can likely keep most of the more common ones in singles but they show off their best colors when in pairs or families.

Betta Rubra, Macrostoma, Albimarginata, and Channoides are all beautiful too!


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## Olivia27

Isn't Macrostoma an endangered species now? And you can't legally import them anymore? :0

Aw so they are social! Welp, would definitely keep a pair then. There's this dude in AB selling brownorum for no more than $15. Maybe if I ask nicely I can get a great pair deal XD 

I find Albimarginata to be more pricey than the rest ;__; haven't found Rubra and Channoides yet but I'll look them up


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## LittleBettaFish

I would not touch Betta brownorum if you don't have extremely soft and acidic water. Think a pH of 6.0 or less, and very low KH/GH. 

RO water would really your only option if you want to keep this species. 

I have a website/blog called Red Wine Bettas that outlines everything you need to know about keeping this species. 

I believe it's illegal to take macrostoma from the wild in Brunei, but macrostoma from other localities and also captive bred stock is legal to trade. However, macrostoma are renowned for being particularly sensitive fish, and they are hugely expensive. They also need a large tank, and would not be a species I would recommend as your first foray into wilds. 

Really, your only limitations at the moment are your tank size and your water. If you can bring the pH and hardness of your water down, you could easily keep many of the smaller bubblenesters/mouthbrooding species.


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## Olivia27

I can do RO treatment like crazy along with a truck ton of IAL in the tank 100% of the time, but all that would mean nothing if none can live in a 10gal. I just can't have anything larger ATM  oh well. Splendens it is, then.


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## LittleBettaFish

If you could consistently keep the pH at 6.0 or below a pair of Betta brownorum could live in a 10 gallon. 

A 10 gallon tank would also be fine for the smaller species of mouthbrooders such as channoides, albimarginata, and rubra. 

As an aside, the trick for getting the best colouring and most natural behaviour out of the majority of wild betta species, is dark water, dark substrate, dim lighting, and a heavily planted tank. 

Also if you are getting a wild betta of any sort, I strongly recommend using cling wrap over the top of the tank. It's not a case of if, but when, a wild betta will jump out, and they can get through the smallest of gaps, especially if that gap is near the corner of the tank. I lost probably over a dozen wilds through jumping before I used cling wrap, and since then I have lost none.


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## Olivia27

I can't promise a two whole point drop in pH  ugh. What about imbellis? I read they tolerate >7 pH. Not up to 8, of course, but at least somewhere about 7.2? That sounds like a more realistic goal to me.

Are they still social though? Considering how imbellis is a bubble nester I imagine they're far more closely related to splendens than all those mouthbrooders.


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## LittleBettaFish

Imbellis is in the same complex as Betta splendens, along with stiktos (which is what I briefly kept and bred), smaragdina, siamorientalis, and Betta mahachaiensis. So yes, they are very closely related. 

I believe the splendens complex of fish is a bit more adaptable with the pH than the coccina complex is. The coccina complex is perhaps the most sensitive when it comes to water chemistry. 

However, if pH is a concern, Betta mahachaiensis can supposedly tolerate a higher pH than the other species in this group, as it naturally inhabits harder, brackish waters in the wild. Seriously Fish has a pH range between 7.0-8.5. So this may be a better option than Betta imbellis. 

The main issue with this group is finding truly pure specimens. Sometimes there can be very similar looking hybrids floating around that the buyers claim are pure, so this is something to watch out for. I've seen a few splendens complex species in Oz where I don't believe the fish have been 100% pure. 

As to aggression levels with this species and whether a pair could share a 10 gallon tank outside of breeding, I think it's really going to come down to the individual fish. 

Some wilds can be just as aggressive to breeding partners and conspecifics as the ornamental form of Betta splendens. Most do seem to lack the 'killing instinct' that the Betta splendens has, but as always with these fish it seems like there's never any 100% guarantees. 

However, I have seen hobbyists that keep Betta imbellis either in breeding pairs or groups, so with the right fish, it definitely can be done.


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## Olivia27

Yay! Thanks a lot! I read your blog by the way  very informative.

I'll see if I can ever manage to tinker with my water next semester. If I can... I don't know LOL just gotta somehow settle with one species!


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## LittleBettaFish

Thanks. It's just a place I like to share my personal successes, challenges, and experiences with others.

Yes there are so many species available, and each species possesses its own unique beauty. 

Unfortunately, wild bettas are hugely addictive. So it's very difficult to simply stop at one species!


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## Olivia27

It's easy if each wild type pair is $35-$60 @[email protected] the Macrostoma goes for $200/pair! What! And I thought I already spent a lot importing my double tail girl!

Uugh I still want enisae >< but it looks like it's not wise to get them. I just can't make up my mind. Betta mahachai is hard to come by, it seems. Nobody sells them. Imbellis is a dime a dozen. Except they're $20/individual or $35/pair ._. Only if money grows on trees


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## LittleBettaFish

I personally recommend the sellers Hermanus and Joty if you are looking at purchasing quality wild bettas. Yes, you will have to pay import fees, but I've dealt with both sellers and they are great to work with. The bulk of my stock actually comes from Joty. 

Macrostoma is ridiculously expensive IMO. They are a difficult species to get to breed (the males seem to have a tendency to swallow in most instances), but there always seem to be enough of them around that I don't know if they are deserving of such a high price tag. Here you can see pairs go for $350-400. 

One of the reasons I am giving up on wilds is the price and the difficult import process here in Australia. We have to pay an additional $44 for a smaller pair of wilds to import them into the country, and the Australian dollar is so weak against the USD at the moment that there is an added cost there. It can very quickly add up to over $100 for a pair of 4cm fish.


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## VeeDubs

I was at my local shrimp shop yesterday, that carries fish that the fish store don't carry. They had a breeding pair of wild caught Macrostoma. I thought they were the most beautiful bettas I ever seen, but then he told me they were $200 for the pair and was considering taking them home for his own tanks. But he also had a fry tank, and was taking deposits for them at $50 each and would probably be ready in a couple of months. The parents were already mouthing a second batch.
So if you want a pair of those, they can be reasonably had considering our weak Canadian dollar.
I wish he had more fish, as I will only buy my shrimp from him. The shop has the cleanset tanks I've ever seen with the exception of the purposely grown algae in the shrimp tanks, with not a ghost shrimp in sight.
Shrimpfever.com if you want to check it out. The Macrostoma isn't listed on the site, so you'll need to email the shop.


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## Olivia27

Thanks @VeeDubs but I can't have Macrostoma considering my water conditions  I'm stuck with either Mahachai or Imbellis, with Mahachai being the most suitable species. 

... I don't have that much money either. $50 for a single individual. Wow.


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