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Betta Macrostoma
| Facts | |
| Size | 3.5 to 4.5 inches |
| Lifespan | 3 years to 10 years |
| Care | Expert |
| Tank Size for 2 | 20 Gallons |
| Tank Size for 4 | 40 Gallons |
| pH | 4.4 to 7, Water is Not Critical, Hardy Fish |
| Temperature | Tropical Fish 70 to 80 Fahrenheit |
| Diet | High Protein Such as Frozen Brine Shrimp, Live Food, Insects, Daphnia, Bloodworms, Larvae, Krill, Pellets, Copepods, Mysis Shrimp, White worms |
| Breeding | Mouth Brooder similar to cichlids |
The Betta macrostoma is aquarium freshwater species of the Bornean or Reef halibut.
The species is also known as the Blue Spot Fin or the Golden Spotfin, owing to its beautiful coloration.
It usually inhabits pools of slow-running, cool water near flowing rivers and stream of low-mixed water of about 30 inches or so.
However, unlike other threatened species, the betta macrostoma has a protected habitat in the country of Brunei and Malaysia.
Thus, even though the numbers have declined slightly in the mainland of Borneo, they are now established in more than half of the marine sanctuaries.
The numbers may also have been affected by local over-exploitation for diving and trade.
This has led to some of the islands, especially those that are closer to peninsular Malaysia, being overrun by the introduced betta fish.
The average lifespan of the betta macrostoma is three to four years.
They breed best during late winter or early spring, although it is not uncommon to see them in good numbers at this time in the year, particularly during the months of July and August.
When breeding betta fish, care must be taken not to introduce male bettas into female betta cages.
Since the presence of the opposite sex significantly increases the reproductive success of the female, introducing opposite sexes into the same aquarium has proven to be detrimental for both sexes.
If this is done, the result will be that one or both fish will be extruded during the process of spawning.
The most important thing to remember when keeping betta fish is to maintain tank conditions that are just right.
Too often, betta fish are placed in poor conditions, with poor water quality resulting in less than adequate nutrition, and too much filtration causing excessive build-up of waste in the tank.
Some of these undesirable tank conditions may be brought about by poor water quality or improper filtration.
However, betta fish themselves are usually to blame for such problems because they often create such problems unintentionally by overeating, eating the substrate, or eating too fast.
- Bornean White Spotted Betta, or simply the Betta macrostoma, is another common but little-known species of Betta.
- It is the largest among all the species and is known for its white color along with its distinctive round shaped head.
- The body of the belt is mostly white with dark colored spots, sometimes merging together into a single white patch.
- The two main distinguishing features of the best macrostoma are its broad rounded head and the fact that it has no dorsal fin.
- In addition, it has a very short tail that does not curl over the back.
Like the best macrostoma, the male betta macrostoma has a single large white spot on the dorsal side of the head.
This is called the Benign Hypochondriasis.
The male betta macrostoma can be distinguished from the female betta by the short crescent shaped mark on the pelvic fin of the female.
When fighting other males, the male betta macrostoma will beat the males head rather hard with its tail.
Because of their highly aggressive behavior, and the fact that they have such a unique coloring, bettas can be quite easy to care for.
Fortunately, this fish has several attractive attributes that make it easy to care for and to breed.
One trait that makes better so appealing as a pet is their relatively high tolerance for captivity.
Betta fish are one of the easiest species to care for in captivity, especially when raised in groups.
Within their own group, they will share foods, water conditions, and other roles. This particular type of Betta species are fine with groups as long as there are lots of hiding places.
A key to proper betta care is the use of correct tank set up and a regular cleaning schedule.
Many betta enthusiasts choose to breed betta fish in a specially designed tank that mimics their natural environment; however, betta breeding is no easy task.
For a better owner, the process begins with setting up the tank, adding suitable inhabitants (sponges, small plants, etc. ), and then properly caring for the newly added animals.
Proper betta care includes making sure that the water quality is perfect (an important part of best macrostoma care), that the betta tank is well cared for throughout the year, and that the correct sized bet sponge filters are added to the tank.
Care Tips for Keeping betta Macrostoma
It normally dwells in small lakes of slow-moving, cool water of up to 30 cm or so in clear streams and rivers.
In other regions of the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean, they inhabit fresh water lakes.
They can live in these lakes for a good part of the year.
In the aquarium, they need to be fed continuously with tropical fish food that are rich in protein.
These beautiful fish belong to the genus Microsorum, which is known from only two specimens.
One lives in the fresh water of Cambodia.
The second was found living in a saltwater lake on Borneo.
Firstly, it possesses a unique body arrangement that is quite unique in the aquarium.
The lateral lines of the fish have a more rounded appearance than that of the other members of the family.
This has a great advantage as any other fish would display a more squared-off lateral or “S” shaped body.
In normal water conditions, this will also help to keep the fish warmer as well as preventing rapid changes in water temperatures, which may result in stresses for the fish.
There are several other unique characteristics of the best macrostoma but the ones that interest us the most are its reproductive behavior and the manner in which it feeds.
Unlike all the other members of the Microsorum genus, the best macrostoma has a special mating ritual which involves “brooders”.
This is where male bettas place their pelvic fins in the female’s mouth.
The act of placing the fin first stimulates the female to lay eggs. As such, we can see why these creatures are sometimes referred to as “sponge filters”.
When you try to maintain your fish in good health, one of the first things you must do is to look after its water quality.
Another way to ensure that your betta’s water quality remains good is to provide a healthy diet consisting of live and frozen food as well as algae pellets or flakes.
The presence of live food in the tank means that there will be an ample supply for the microbe’s nutrients while the flakes or algal pellets will facilitate the decomposition of the fats that have accumulated on the body of the fish over time.
If you are having trouble finding your betta’s eggs due to swelling and irregular shapes of the male fins, then you should know that they are not only unable to jump higher but also can hardly ever turn around.
This is because they lack muscular control over their tails.
These fin problems are commonly observed during breeding seasons because of the size and rapid growth of these fish.
During this period, they can become extremely stressed out if they are unable to breed.
In such circumstances, it is best to isolate them from the other betta pairs nearby so that they do not face starvation.
Apart from their inability to swim, they are also prone to snagging on things around the tank that can cause their own demise.
If you want to keep better macrostoma in an aquarium with other Betta fishes, you should separate them during their mating periods to prevent them from fighting against each other.
Females will lay a large number of eggs and they will usually cover the bottom of the aquarium.
When they are ready to be fed, you can feed them by opening a piece of food that is at least 40 gallons in capacity.
However, you should not put the food near the filter system of the aquarium as it might disrupt the filtering process.
It is always safe to hand feed your Betta fish after they have been fed so you can ensure that they receive the nutrition that they require for proper growth and health.
