Betta Pugnax

Betta Pugnax About the Photo: The image shown is a representative example of this betta variety — it illustrates the size and coloring you may receive. Bettas are living animals and each one is unique; color intensity, pattern, and fin development vary naturally from fish to fish. To choose your exact fish, see our WYSIWYG program below. Betta Pugnax — widely known as the Forest Betta, Penang Betta, or Malayan Betta — is one of the larger and more robust wild betta species, growing well beyond the size of the domesticated Betta splendens. Adults display an olive-brown to brassy-gold body with iridescent scale flecking along the flank, and unpaired fins trimmed in yellow-orange with fine black-and-blue spotting. Native to fast-flowing forest and hill streams of the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, Sumatra, and the Riau Islands, this species behaves and grows more like a small cichlid than the cup-bound fighting fish most hobbyists picture when they hear "betta." In the wild, B. pugnax is found among submerged roots, leaf litter, and overhanging vegetation along the banks of clear, flowing streams — quite different from the still, shallow puddles associated with B. splendens. A well-decorated aquarium with river-rock hardscape, dense planting, driftwood, and gentle water movement recreates this environment well. Unlike many wild bettas, B. pugnax tolerates a bit more current and is not restricted to dead-still water. Males are somewhat more colorful with a more pronounced, domed head and a visibly swollen throat when carrying eggs. Females are duller and slightly smaller. This is a paternal mouthbrooder — after spawning, the male collects the fertilized eggs into his mouth and incubates them for roughly one to two weeks before releasing free-swimming fry. Feeding & Care Tip: Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Bloodworms and Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Baby Brine Shrimp make excellent daily staples — wild bettas are insectivore-biased and respond well to live and frozen invertebrate prey. Feed small amounts 2–3 times daily. Supplement 2–3 times per week with Hikari Frozen Daphnia and Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Tubifex Worms. When moving your betta to a new aquarium, add Seachem Betta Basics to the water — it neutralizes chlorine and chloramines and provides a slime coat supplement to ease the stress of transition. Use it at every water change. Indian almond leaves (Catappa) are appreciated by this species — the tannins soften and lightly acidify the water and recreate the shaded, leaf-litter margins where B. pugnax is found in the wild. Compared to many wild bettas, B. pugnax is considered relatively easygoing in temperament and can be kept in a small group (one male with two or three females) in a sufficiently large, well-decorated tank, rather than requiring strict single-fish isolation. That said, males will spar with one another, especially in cramped quarters, so give the group room and plenty of visual breaks. Our wild bettas are kept in individually filtered, heated, and UV-sterilized homes — each fish with its own stable, carefully maintained water environment. Wild bettas are more sensitive to water quality than domesticated varieties and are maintained accordingly. Betta Pugnax Difficulty Intermediate Temperament Moderately peaceful — males spar with each other Adult Size 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) Group Size 1 male with 2–3 females in a large tank, or species-only single male Ideal Temperature 74–80°F (23–27°C) Ideal pH 6.0–7.5 Ideal GH 2–10 dGH Ideal KH 1–6 dKH Staple Food Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Bloodworms; Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Baby Brine Shrimp Treat / Supplement Hikari Frozen Daphnia; Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Tubifex Worms Notes Housing: More tolerant of tankmates and moderate flow than most wild bettas Breeding: Paternal mouthbrooder — male incubates eggs roughly 1–2 weeks; do not disturb during incubation New Tank: Seachem Betta Basics at setup and every water change Note: One of the larger wild bettas — needs more space than splendens or nano species