WT-51: Betta picta (Cuvier & Valenciannes 1846)

1986 WT-51 

Fact Sheet: Betta picta (Cuvier & Valenciannes 1846) 

Meristics: Length 50mm, DI/6-8, AII/18-22, P12, mLR28-30, tLR9.5-10.5 

Description: This fish is fairly active in a bowl or bag. It may flare at adjoining Bettas. Should appear 

alert and interested in surroundings. May be alternately labeled as Betta trifasciata, or Betta rubra. A 

dominant male is more colorful. 

Body is blocky, rather stubby. Head very flat, almost no slope to snout. Jaw is blunt, large (a 

mouthbrooder), especially for males. Head appears swollen if fish (male) is brooding. picta should 

appear robust, fins in balanced proportion to body size. Brown, varying shades. Shows three distinct 

dark horizontal stripes, one from above eye, one through eye, and the third across the mouth. The 

bottom line blends into middle line toward caudal peduncle. Areas between stripes are light. 

Head is light brown mottle eye. Male’s throat may be dark blue or black, especially when picta is 

excited or brooding. 

Dorsal fin is narrow, spear-shaped, reddish brown, ideally, near brick red. Edges smooth. 

Caudal fin is short, quite full, male may show a very slight point. Red clay color, male will have a narrow 

blue or black tint. Edges smooth. 

Anal fin is short, slightly tapered (male) red brown, male has band of blue and purple color across 

bottom edge – may be over 1 mm wide. 

Ventral fins are short, fairly full (not extreme like show splendens), pale brown. 

Pectoral fins are colorless. 

Sexual Differences: Male is more colorful than the female, with a very prominent stripe along the 

bottom of the anal fin. The male has a larger head, with a buccal pouch, the female’s head is noticeably 

smaller, more pointed. 

Similar Species and Synonyms: B. trifasciata and B. rubra are considered junior synonyms of B. 

picta. The fish was originally described as Panchax pictum by Cuvier and Valenciennes (1846). Ritcher 

(1983) has tried to create a new genus Pseudobetta for the mouthbrooding Bettas (with incorrect 

protocol) and therefore the species has been listed as “Pseudobetta picta” in some literature. 

Range and Habitat: Sumatra, Java, Singapore. Generally thought to live in slower moving streams 

than the other larger mouthbrooders. Although there are some reports that it is found in mountain 

streams at 5,000 feet in Java! 

Status: B. picta is considered the correct name of the species. It is the first described species of genus 

and thus the type-species of the genus. 

Maintenance: A very hardy species surviving on a variety of foods, but prefers live or frozen foods. 

Females rather than males are scrappy, so do not over crowd. Does very well in cooler 68 to 72 degree 

F water. 

Retyped From Original Article on 08/02/02 By Jacquie Gwatney 

Public Relations committee ~ Technical Assistance Library ~ Retyping team 

Original document date ~ 1986 

Illustrations ~ None 

1 of 1

1986 WT-51 

Breeding and Raising: Perhaps the easiest mouthbrooding Betta to breed and raise. Temperature is 

not critical. They will spawn between 72 to 80 degrees F. 

They may be isolated in pairs to spawn, however, they will spawn “naturally” in a community set up. 

The pair spawn near the bottom. The female is the more aggressive of the two, chasing away rival B. 

picta females and other fish from the spawning site while the male waits. The pair embrace in typical 

anabantoid or Betta fashion at the bottom. The female recovers from the embrace first and picks up the 

eggs off the anal fin of the male and the bottom. The male recovers. The female spits the eggs out in 

front of the male’s mouth, one or sometimes two at a time. They both attempt to snap up the eggs out 

of the mid water. Eventually all the eggs are collected by the male and the pair embraces again. This 

continues until presumably all the eggs are expelled by the female. 

The male holds on to the eggs for 11 to 14 days before spitting the fry out. The fry usually hatch at 

about 3 days in the male’s mouth. At first they are mostly egg sac. By the time the male spits them out 

they have absorbed the egg sac and are relatively large for anabantoid fry. They will eat baby brine 

shrimp easily at this state. 

Sometimes the father will hold on to the fry too long and the fry will die. To prevent this the aquarist can 

choke the male, that is, force his mouth open. The fry of B. picta are relatively hardy and will survive 

choking even if the egg sac is not entirely absorbed. 

Availability (1986): Although not commercially farmed, this is the most readily available mouthbrooding 

Betta species to the hobbyist. This is mainly because it is easy to breed. Sometimes imported 

specimens are available. 

References: 

Fazio R. A. (1985). Why not try some “Tris”, Betta trifasciata, Flare 18:4, 24. 

Goldstein (1971). Anabantoids Gouramis and Related Fishes TFH Publications, Jersey City, N. J. 

Liebetrau, S. (1982). The wild Bettas, part 4, Mixed Up Mouth Brooders. FAMA 5:4, 29. 

Liebetrau, S. (1983). The wild Bettas, part 5, More Mouthbrooders: Sunset and Sunrise. FAMA 5:54, 

38. 

Pinter, H. (1984). Labyrinth Fish. Barron’s Educational Series, Inc., Woodbury N.Y. 

Regan, T. (1909). The Asiatic Fishes of the Family Anabantidae, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 77, 779. 

Richter, J. H. (1982). Das Buch der Labyrinthfische. Translated by M. Cain. 

Saunders, S. (1986). Confessions of a Betta mid-wife. Flare 19:5, 10. 

Saunders, S. (1983). Breeding Betta picta. Flare 17:1, 29. 

Vierke, J. (1978). Labyrinthefische und verwandt arten (German). Wupertal, Pfriem-Verlag. Translated 

by S. & A. Liebetrau, B. Mannion and A. Sigwald. (1981) 

Vierke, J. (1986). The bubblenest building Bettas, an alternative viewpoint. FAMA 9:7, 44. 

Retyped From Original Article on 08/02/02 By Jacquie Gwatney 

Public Relations committee ~ Technical Assistance Library ~ Retyping team 

Original document date ~ 1986 

Illustrations ~ None 

2 of 2

WT-51: Betta picta (Cuvier & Valenciannes 1846)

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