Betta edithae
The Betta edithae lives in natural waters on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. The fish can be found in swampy areas among underwater roots, leaf litter, in the shade of overhanging vegetation, as well as in artificial canals located on oil palm plantations. The fish gets its name after naturalist Edith Korthaus, who first discovered it.
Betta edithae males are larger than females, have a wider head shape and elongated fins. They also have more iridescent lines on the head and dark longitudinal stripes on the body. The females are coloured greyish. The size of the fish is 5.5-6 cm.
Fish can best be kept in an aquarium of 80 litres or more, densely planted, e.g. Salvinia natans, Ricca fluitans or tropical lilies of the lily of the valley (Nymphaeaceae) family. Ceramic pots, plastic tubes with a suitable diameter should be placed at the bottom, which the fish can swim in freely, as well as snags. Adding a leaf plate of dried oak or beech leaves to the aquarium will bring the keeping conditions of the fish even closer to natural ones. In addition, it will promote the development of microbial colonies, which are good extra food for the fry.
Edith's bettas can be kept in pairs or as a group with 1 male and several females.
Water parameters: temperature 20-27° C, hardness dH 1-5°, acidity pH 5.0-7.0. Filtration should not be too strong. The aquarium top should be covered with a coverslip or cover, as the fish need warm, moist air to breathe.
In the wild, the Betta edithae feeds on small invertebrates and insects. In an aquarium, a variety of dry food is the main food for the fish. To enhance coloration and immunity, feed Edith cockerels with frozen and live Daphnia, Artemia and bloodworms. If possible, feed the fish with fruit flies Drosophila and small crickets. Try not to overfeed the fish, as they are prone to obesity.
Reproduction
Betta edithae require a separate aquarium for breeding, with a tight lid preventing cool air from reaching the surface of the water.
In the process of courting the female, the male wraps his body around her and at this time she hatches a batch of eggs. After the eggs are fertilized, the male collects them all into his mouth and the spawning process continues. After finishing spawning, the male with the eggs in his mouth hides in a shelter. The eggs are incubated for 9-16 days. During this time, the male can not be disturbed, because during fright, he may swallow or spit out all the eggs.
The mouth of the male leaves the fully formed fry, which are capable of leading an independent life. The producers do not touch their brood, so they can be left in the aquarium with the fry.
The fry are fed with micro worms and artemia. Do not overuse artemia, which causes the fry intestinal problems. Feed the fry 2-3 times a day.
