Marine Betta

About Marine Betta

Head and body brownish black with small pale blue spots; vertical and pelvic fins dark orange-brown, with many small blue spots; blue ringed black ocellus above base of last 3 dorsal rays; yellow spots at base of upper caudal rays; pectoral rays bright yellow, fin membrane transparent (Ref. 10430).

Found near reefs, and in caves and crevices along drop-offs (Ref. 8631). Nocturnal, hides under ledges and in holes by day (Ref. 9710). It's false eye which is actually the dorsal fin ocellus confuses predators because it poses an inverted image of a fish. When alarmed, it will poke it's head into a hole and expose it's tail end which mimics the head of the moray eel (Ref. 9710). Has been reared in captivity (Ref. 35426).

Ref: Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene. 1990. (Ref. 2334)