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Encyclopedia / Gouramis & Bettas / Java combtail
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Variations

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Java combtail

Belontia hasselti · Combtail, Javan combtail, Combtail gourami

Territorial and aggressive toward smaller or timid fish; keep with robust, similar-sized fish in a big tank.

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20 cmBody length, without tail ✓
21–26 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
108 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Java combtail eats animals up to about 7 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Java combtail eats animals up to about 7 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Java combtail eats animals up to about 7 cm. Black neon tetra only grows to 3.2 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.5.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 26 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

251 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓1–25 dGH
Group size ✓2 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 5–8 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Territorial and aggressive toward smaller or timid fish; keep with robust, similar-sized fish in a big tank.

Food

Pellets, frozen foods, small fish and large live foods.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Fully grown males are noticeably larger with longer unpaired fins than females; juveniles cannot be sexed.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Bubble-nester · Hard

Bubble nester; the male builds and guards the nest. Apparently very fecund.

Pairing

Raise a group and let pairs form; a separate pair tank avoids battle.

Setup

200 L planted tank with caves, floating plants and gentle flow.

What starts it

Warm water, high-protein live food and water changes.

Eggs

About 500-700 eggs per spawning.

Raising the fry

Baby brine shrimp, microworms and powdered foods.

Common mistakes
  • Housing the pair with other fish
  • Strong flow
  • Putting a male with a weak female
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionMalay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo & Java
HabitatSlow streams and swamps in forest
Native rangeAbout 1,200 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the java combtail

A large labyrinth fish (to 20 cm SL) from southern Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Java, also called the Malay combtail. Named after Dutch zoologist Johan Coenraad van Hasselt. It differs from its only relative, B. signata, by its brownish-grey body and mosaic pattern in the unpaired fins.

Georges Cuvier described this gourami in 1831, naming it after Johan van Hasselt, who collected in Java. It is a robust fish named for the comb-like rays of its tail.

First described by Georges Cuvier in 1831. Named for Named after Dutch naturalist Johan C. van Hasselt.

  • Its tail fin rays extend past the membrane, like comb teeth.
  • It is fairly territorial and best kept with sturdy fish.
  • Van Hasselt died young while collecting in Java in 1823.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources