#wild betta

[kieran-aquatics]

the swimerrrr

[dartfrogs]

new fish! got a pair of betta channoides for my bday! their names are kepler and gaia <3

[betta-butch]

the mahachaiensis are getting settled! the tannins developed a bit more overnight so it is a little darker now.

[palaeoplushies]

Betta dennisyongi and his offspring

[ainawgsd]

How is this the same fish?

[endangered-aquarium-fish]

the list!!!

every creature that's endangered or critically endangered or extinct in the wild that you can keep and breed in your own (freshwater) aquarium to stop it from dying out completely.

ive been working on this for a while and its still very not done bc oh my god theres so many-

some of these are super duper rare and expensive but others are widely beloved fish, some of them are rlly surprising to see here

pls lmk if theres anything i should add that i havent yet :3 theres a lot of undescribed species that you dont find in databases and stuff so i need all the obsessed nerds i can find to finish this!!!

not bolded = endangered

bolded = critically endangered

red = extinct in the wild (THESE LITERALLY ONLY EXIST WHERE WE KEEP THEM 0.0)

okay here it is :3

Allodontichthys polylepis - Finescale splitfin

Allotoca catarinae - Catarina allotoca

Allotoca dugesii - Bumblebee goodeid, Opal allotoca

Allotoca goslinei - Banded allotoca

Allotoca maculata - Blackspot goodeid, Blackspot allotoca

Allotoca meeki - Zirahuen allotoca

Allotoca zacapuensis - Zacapu allotoca

Amatitlania kanna - Panama convict cichlid

Amatitlania myrnae - Topaz cichlid

Ambystoma mexicanum - Axolotl

Ameca splendens - Butterfly goodeid

Amphilophus chancho

Amphilophus flaveolus

Amphilophus lyonsi

Amphilophus zaliosus - Arrow cichlid

Apistogramma lineata  

Apistogramma psammophila - two banded dwarf cichlid 

Aponogeton capuronii 

Aponogeton longiplumulosus

Astatotilapia desfontainii

Ataeniobius toweri - Striped goodeid

Aulonocara baenschi - Nkhomo-benga peacock, yellow benga, sunshine peacock

Aulonocara kandeense - Blue orchid peacock

Aulonocara maylandi - Sulfurhead peacock

Bedotia geayi - Madagascar rainbowfish, red-tailed silverside, zona

Bedotia madagascariensis - Madagascar rainbow, Madagascan rainbowfish

Benitochromis conjunctus

Benitochromis finleyi

Benitochromis nigrodorsalis

Benitochromis riomuniensis

Betta albimarginata - Whiteseam fighter

Betta antoni

Betta sp. “api api” - Api api betta

Betta burdigala

Betta channoides - Snakehead betta

Betta chloropharynx - Green throat mouthbrooder

Betta compuncta

Betta cracens

Betta foerschi

Betta hendra

Betta hipposideros

Betta sp. “jade” - Jade betta

Betta livida

Betta mahachaiensis - Mahachai betta

Betta mandor

Betta miniopinna

Betta omega

Betta pardalotos

Betta patoti - Tiger betta

Betta persephone

Betta pi

Betta rubra - Toba betta

Betta rutilans - Fire betta

Betta schalleri 

Betta simplex - Krabi mouthbrooding betta

Betta smaragdina “guitar”

Betta spilotogena

Betta stiktos 

Betta tussyae - Chukai betta

Betta waseri

Brevibora dorsiocellata - Emerald eye rasbora, eyespot rasbora

Cambarellus patzcuarensis - Mexican dwarf crayfish

Caridina dennerli - Cardinal Sulawesi shrimp

Caridina glaubrechti - Red orchid Sulawesi shrimp, red orchid shrimp

Caridina holthuisi - Six banded Sulawesi shrimp

Caridina loehae - Mini blue bee shrimp, orange delight shrimp

Caridina masapi - Towuti tiger shrimp

Caridina profundicola - Sunstripe shrimp

Caridina spinata - Yellow goldflake shrimp, yellow nose shrimp, yellow cheek shrimp

Caridina spongicola

Caridina striata - Red line shrimp

Caridina tenuirostris 

Caridina tigri - Tigris sulawesi shrimp

Caridina woltereckae - Sulawesi harlequin shrimp

Chapalichthys pardalis - Polkadot splitfin

Characodon audax - Bold characodon

Characodon lateralis - Rainbow goodeid, Rainbow characodon

Chilatherina bleheri - Blehers rainbowfish

Chilatherina sentaniensis - Sentani rainbowfish

Chindongo saulosi

Coelotilapia joka

Coptodon bythobates

Coptodon deckerti

Coptodon gutturosus

Coptodon kottae

Coptodon snyderae

Cyprinodon alvarezi - Potosi pupfish

Crenichthys baileyi - White River springfish

Cribroheros bussingi

Cribroheros rhytisma

Danio/Celestichthys erythromicron - Emerald dwarf rasbora

Devario auropurpureus/Inlecypris auropurpurea - Lake Inle danio

Devario pathirana - Barred danio

Dicrossus gladicauda

Epalzeorhynchos bicolor - Redtail shark/red tailed shark

Etroplus canarensis - Canara pearlspot

Gambusia hurtadoi - Crescent gambusia

Girardinichthys multiradiatus - Dark-edged splitfin

Girardinichthys viviparus - Chapultepec splitfin

Glossolepis dorityi - Doritys rainbowfish, Grime rainbowfish

Glossolepis incisus - Red rainbowfish

Glossolepis maculosus - Spotted rainbowfish

Glossolepis wanamensis - Lake Wanam rainbowfish, emerald rainbowfish, green dragon rainbowfish

Gymnogeophagus caaguazuensis

Halocaridina rubra - ‘Opae‘ula

Haplochromis brownae

Haplochromis ishmaeli

Haplochromis latifasciatus - Zebra obliquidens

Haplochromis perrieri

Hemichromis cerasogaster

Herichthys bartoni - Bartons cichlid

Herichthys labridens - Curve-bar cichlid

Herichthys minckleyi - Minckleys cichlid

Herichthys steindachneri - Steindachners cichlid

Hubbsina turneri - Highland splitfin

Hypancistrus zebra - Zebra pleco

Hyphessobrycon flammeus - Flame tetra 

Kiunga ballochi - Glass blue eye

Konia eisentrauti - Konye

Lamprologus kungweensis - Ocellated shell dweller

Limbochromis robertsi 

Limia islai - Tiger limia

Limia nigrofasciata - Humpbacked limia, Black-barred limia

Limia sulphurophila - Sulphur limia

Lipochromis/Cleptochromis/Haplochromis parvidens

Luciocephalus aura - Peppermint pikehead

Malpulutta kretseri - Ornate paradisefish

Mchenga conophoros

Melanochromis chipokae

Melanochromis lepidiadaptes

Melanotaenia ajamaruensis - Ajamaru rainbowfish, Ajamaru lakes rainbowfish

Melanotaenia boesemani - Boesemani rainbowfish

Melanotaenia bowmani - Bowmans rainbowfish

Melanotaenia fasinensis

Melanotaenia gracilis - Slender rainbowfish

Melanotaenia klasioensis - Klasio Creek rainbowfish, Klasio rainbowfish

Melanotaenia lacustris - Turquoise rainbowfish, Lake Kutubu rainbowfish

Melanotaenia mairasi - Lake Furnusu rainbowfish

Melanotaenia parva - Lake Kurumoi rainbowfish, sunset dwarf rainbowfish

Melanotaenia sp. “Running River” - Running River rainbowfish

Melanotaenia sembrae

Melanotaenia sexlineata - Fly River rainbowfish

Melanotaenia susii - Susi Creek rainbowfish

Melanotaenia utcheensis - Utchee rainbowfish, Utchee Creek rainbowfish

Melanotaenia sp. “Williams Creek” - Malanda gold rainbowfish, Williams Creek rainbowfish

Mesoheros gephyrus

Metriaclima koningsi

Metriaclima usisyae

Microrasbora rubescens - Red dwarf rasbora

Myaka myaka - Myaka

Nandopsis ramsdeni

Nannostomus mortenthaleri - Coral red pencilfish

Nanochromis transvestitus

Neoophorus regalis

Neotoca bilineata - Twoline skiffia

Nyassachromis boadzulu

Oreochromis alcalicus - Soda cichlid, common natron tilapia

Osphronemus laticlavius - Giant red tail gourami

Parananochromis ornatus

Paretroplus dambabe

Paretroplus maculatus - Damba mipentina

Paretroplus menarambo - Pinstripe damba

Paretroplus nourissati

Parosphromenus alfredi 

Parosphromenus anjunganensis

Parosphromenus filamentosus

Parosphromenus gunawani

Parosphromenus harveyi

Parosphromenus linkei

Parosphromenus opallios

Parosphromenus ornaticauda

Parosphromenus pahuensis

Parosphromenus paludicola

Parosphromenus phoenicurus

Parosphromenus quindecim

Parosphromenus rubrimontis

Parosphromenus tweediei

Phallichthys quadripunctatus - Four spotted toothcarp, four spotted merry widow

Placidochromis phenochilus

Poropanchax/Congopanchax myersi - Hummingbird lampeye

Pseudomugil connieae - Popondetta blue eye

Pseudomugil furcatus - Forktail blue eye

Pseudomugil ivantsoffi - Ivantsoffs blue eye

Pseudomugil luminatus - Red neon blue eye

Pseudomugil mellis - Honey blue eye

Pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos - Maingano cichlid

Ptychochromis insolitus - Mangarahara cichlid

Ptychochromis oligacanthus

Pungu maclareni - Pungu

Priapella olmecae - Olmec priapella

Quintana atrizona - Barred topminnow

Rocio spinosissima

Sahyadria/Dawkinsonia denisonii - Denison barb, red line torpedo barb, roseline shark

Sarotherodon caroli - Fissi

Sarotherodon knauerae

Sarotherodon linnellii - Blackfin tilapia

Sarotherodon lamprechti

Sarotherodon logbergeri - Keppe, keppi

Sarotherodon steinbachi - Kululu

Scleropages formosus - Asian arowana

Sewellia marmorata

Skiffia francesae - Golden skiffia

Skiffia lermae - Olive skiffia

Skiffia multipunctata - Spotted skiffia

Skiffia sp. “Sayula” - Sayula skiffia

Sphaerichthys vaillanti - Samurai gourami, vaillants chocolate gourami

Stomatepia mariae - Nsess

Stomatepia mongo - Mongo

Stomatepia pindu - Pindu

Tanichthys albiventris 

Tanichthys albonubes - White cloud mountain minnow, white cloud minnow

Tanichthys micagemmae - Vietnamese cardinal minnow, Vietnamese white cloud

Teleogramma brichardi

Tilapia guinasana - Otjikoto tilapia 

Trigonostigma somphongsi

Vieja hartwegi - Tailbar cichlid 

Xenoophorus captivus - Relict splitfin

Xenotoca doadrioi - San Marcos redtail splitfin, San Marcos redtail goodeid

Xenotoca eiseni - Redtail splitfin, Redtail goodeid

Xenotoca lyonsi - Tamazula redtail splitfin

Xenotoca melanosoma - Black splitfin

Xenotoca cf. melanosoma 

Xiphophorus andersi - Spiketail platyfish

Xiphophorus couchianus - Monterrey platyfish

Xiphophorus meyeri - Marbled swordtail

Zoogoneticus tequila - Tequila splitfin

[mod2amaryllis]

Do you have any fish that you dream about one day getting? For me it’s ropefish, gimme those lil snakes

ROPEFISH 🥺🥺🥺 MY LOVES...

i would die for a ropefish.... in the same vein the only monster fish that I've ever put in a heart shaped locket is a birchir. they're even among the smaller monster fish so they're not THAT unattainable, i say, foolishly, longingly (and before anyone gets irresponsible ideas when i say "smaller" i mean 1-2 feet minimum lol, still a monster)

then ever since having my kribs and seeing how cool and intelligent they are, the dream cichlid is a blood parrot AND I KNOW, THEY'RE ASSHOLES, but looooook at itttt.......wawer puppy.... I'd want one in its own big tank as a wet pet

but those are the highly unlikely gets, the top of my realistic wishlist is pretty stereotypical: pea puffers 🥹

they're a perfect mix of attainable + new challenge + omg omg omg cuuuute!!!!!!! it's honestly puffers in general that i desperately wanna try, large puffers are equally adorable to me... if I'm at an aquarium they're my number 2 after arapaima, i could watch a big puffer toot around for hours. they're so visibly intelligent it's amazing!

[mangotarot]

I've had Yonderly for 1 month!! And in just one month he's turned COMPLETELY BLUE!!!!! I'm so proud of him! He's happy, healthy, and thriving! Good job fish son 🤍🩵💙

[doebt]

Big doebt news i have dogy roommates now also we are.moving into a house soon and im so happy and its downtown and its cute and its right by my grandmas house Can you even believe it.

[kieran-aquatics]

chai ☕

[dartfrogs]

lil man is carrying eggs in his mouth already! im in contact w some conservationists in malaysia and borneo, so hopefully ill be able to get some fry sent over to be released into the wild🤞

[chipped-chimera]

Augh Fish Karlach video popping off right after she died ... swim in peace girl. You deserved better breeding than you were stuck with 😔

[betta-butch]

betta mahachaiensis, male on the left & female on the right. please ignore the tannin teabags lmao

[sunshinexlollipops]

got a wild type Betta today. his name is Martian...or Marty lol.

[bufomancer]

What is with the trend of people finding a domestic betta plakat that is matte dark blue with red accents on the fins @ chain pet stores and claiming it is a Betta imbellis

[endangered-aquarium-fish]

Toba betta (Betta rubra)

Endangered

One of the domestic betta's 74+ wild relatives!!! The Toba Betta is just a tiny little guy at only 2 inches long, and it's only found around lake Toba on the island of Sumatra, under a canopy of tropical pine forests. It's known for being very expressive, with just as much personality as domestic bettas- theyre goofy little guys, always exploring and interacting and showing off (or squabbling) with other fish and people, and changing colors to communicate - males seem to glow with a stunningly bright crimson when they're ready to mate.

Betta rubra is one of the more adaptable wild bettas, living both in stagnant peat swamps and fast flowing hillstreams, but always in soft, acidic water. It's one of the best fish for someone who wants to get into wild bettas for the first time.

Most fish in its family build bubble nests to raise their fry, which is such a wonderful thing that anyone who keeps them would recognize, but the Toba Betta has its own way- it comes from an ancestor that only lived in fast currents that would pick up the whole nest and carry it away if they could, so it came up with a new strategy called mouthbrooding - the males just hold the whole clutch inside their cavernous mouths!!! the eggs can take a couple weeks to hatch and the fish holding them goes that entire time without ever eating. Toba bettas can be very aggressive about constantly mating, sometimes doing it right as the fry from last time are released, so they sometimes go for months without any food 0.0

And that's not the only one of its clever tricks either!! Like other fish in the gourami family, Toba bettas have an entire unique organ to help them adapt to stagnant swamps and pools without oxygen. It's called a labyrinth organ after its mazelike fractal structure - and that structure is used to breathe air. Yeah!!! Air breathing fish!!!! They've gotten to the point where they actually need access to both air and water to breathe from or they drown.

Overall they're a lot like a more chill and funky version of a domesticated betta :3

Make sure you have at least a 5-10 gallon tank for your bettas, and 15-20 gallons is really best for a pair or small group - they're normally peaceful but it's important that they can get away from each other if there's a conflict. They jump a lot, so it's also very important that the tank has a lid, and that the water level is about an inch or more below it so they have enough oxygen to breathe (make sure the lid isn't completely airtight - you can poke holes in it or something)

Toba bettas love soft, warm (70-80 F), acidic water with a gentle current and some tannins from decaying leaves, wood, and seed pods. If your tap water isn't naturally soft this may not be the best fish for you. The tannins are medicinal, help grow food for the babies, and help the fish feel a bit safer. My favorite way to get them is from oak leaves and twigs and acorns since they're tannin rich and readily available where I am.

Like most wild bettas, Toba bettas love to have plenty of shade and cover from aquatic plants, rocks, and wood. Some of my favorite plants to use for this are pearlweed, susswassertang, frogbit, banana lilies, and Cryptocorynes- they'll all help your bettas feel safe and at home :3 (and they help the water quality a lot!!! do not underestimate the power of photosynthesis >:3)

Bettas have a reputation for being aggressive, but not these!! They're a bit more peaceful and can be kept in pairs or trios, and with other small, slow moving, peaceful fish if you give everyone enough space and cover, but males are very territorial to each other so only add one unless its a large tank. The one other thing they won't get along with is shrimp - they love eating crustaceans and their adaptation for mouthbrooding means they have a bigger mouth than you think.

They're really easy to feed - other than your shrimp, they love to eat most protein rich foods, like fluval bug bites and freeze dried or frozen blood worms, mysis shrimp, etc., but they really prefer live foods like mosquito larvae and daphnia if you can provide that to them.

They're easy to breed too, just put a male and a female together and keep them happy and well fed and you'll have babies in no time. The male will wrap around the female and squeeze out all her eggs before fertilizing them and scooping them up into his mouth until they hatch a couple weeks later. Keep a separate tank ready so you can move the female after breeding or she's likely to eat the babies once they're free, and don't move or stress the male while he has eggs or he might swallow them. The male should be removed too once the fry are swimming - they don't usually eat their own young, but they certainly can. The fry need humid air, like 90% or more, otherwise their labyrinth organ won't develop properly and they can die - luckily it's pretty easy to just put some plastic wrap or a good lid over the tank. They're super tiny and they love super tiny foods, including the millions of little creatures already living in the substrate, dead leaves, and plants. Some of their favorites are microworms, daphnia, and baby brine shrimp. As long as you keep the water clean and feed them well you'll have lots of new thriving colorful bettas in a couple months :3

Toba bettas are endangered in the wild from habitat destruction/degredation, invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change. So go keep them alive at home!!!!! its fun i promise :3