TankMatesTankMates
Sign in
Encyclopedia / Gouramis & Bettas / Wine-red betta
★New · no ratings yetPicture coming

Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Wine-red betta

Betta coccina · Red betta, Wine red betta, Burgundy betta, Betta coccina

Peaceful and shy; a pair or small group fits a quiet, planted nano tank.

Local price coming soon
· real AED shop prices, never conversions
5.6 cmBody length, without tail ✓
22–27 °CTemperature ✓
4–6pH ✓
40 LSmallest tank ✓
Add to my tankCompare
Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Wine-red betta is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
Not recommended
  • They need very different water (pH 4–6 vs 7.5–8.5).
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Wine-red betta only grows to 5.6 cm.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (4–6 vs 6.5–8). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 6.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 6.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

117 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 ✓1–5 dGH
Group size ✓2 or more
Temperament ?Peaceful
Swims at ?Top
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2.5–4 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful and shy; a pair or small group fits a quiet, planted nano tank.

Food

Small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, brine shrimp and mosquito larvae.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Males are more colourful, develop longer fins and carry an iridescent green blotch on the flank that females lack.

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 a nest in a tube, under a leaf or among floating plants, and alone guards the eggs and fry. Adults usually do not eat the young; fry take microworm and Artemia nauplii once free-swimming. Very soft, acidic water is needed.

Pairing

A conditioned pair in a very soft, acidic tank.

Setup

20 L soft acidic tank with floating plants, a leaf and low flow.

What starts it

Soft acidic water, live foods and warmth.

Eggs

Usually fewer than 20 eggs, sometimes up to 50. Eggs hatch in 24-48 hours and the fry stay in the nest 3-4 more days.

Raising the fry

Infusoria, then newly hatched brine shrimp; the male guards the eggs.

Common mistakes
  • Hard water
  • Loud tankmates
  • Too-strong flow
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouthern Malay Peninsula & Sumatra
HabitatPeat-swamp forest pools with leaf litter
Native rangeAbout 500 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the wine-red betta

A small dark-red bubble-nesting betta from peat swamp forests in Sumatra (Jambi, Riau) and Johor, Malaysia. Males have an iridescent green spot on the flank, and keepers label stock by collection locality to keep bloodlines pure.

German aquarist and author Jörg Vierke described this small betta in 1979. Its deep wine-red colour made it the namesake of a whole group of small peat-swamp bettas.

First described by Jörg Vierke in 1979. Named for 'Coccina' means scarlet or wine-red.

  • It gives its name to the 'coccina group' of small bettas.
  • Males build small bubble nests, often hidden among plants.
  • It needs very soft, acidic water.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources