Betta coccina
Text by Gordon Temperley (Birtley AS)
First published in the Christmas 1991 issue of the TTAA Newsletter

LOCATION:
Central Sumatra Malayan Peninsula.
SEXING:
The males have longer pelvic fins than the females.
F.B.A.S. SHOW SIZE:
 75mm, I think that this size is far in excess of the true size which should be around 45mm.
COLOUR:
The scientific name coccina means wine red or claret which is very true of both sexes on a very few males an iridescent blue spot appears on the flanks of the body
COMMENTS:
This fish has only become available in the last few years one of the reasons it will not become common is that it is not a prolific breeder. When it does manage to spawn it tends to produce more females than males.
BREEDING:
Basically it is a bubble nest builder but with a difference the female does all the courtship chasing and sometimes can cause the male severe damage even death. Broods tend to be very small twenty to thirty fry. The male assumes all parental care. The fry hatch in four days and are capable of taking newly hatched brine shrimp at birth. Growth is a little slow at first but after 3 months they shoot away. Sexing is impossible until they are 6 months old Watch out for velvet as this species is very prone to it.