Betta

Description

This species’ habitats are located in a karstic area and contain neutral to alkaline water with a pH of 7.0-7.4.The type locality consists of a series of deep limestone sinkholes forming pools at the surface,plus a small ditch which acts as an overflow from the pools.The water is very clear and has a distinctive bright blue-green colour due to the high proportion of dissolved calcium carbonate.According to reports B.simplex is most abundant in the small ditch draining the pools.This often drys out with some of the fish surviving in shallow remnant pools for part of the year.Marginal vegetation grows densely around the ditch although aquatic vegetation is mainly confined to the pools where large beds of Cryptocoryne cordata can be found.Sympatric species in the pool system include Barbodes lateristriga and Trigonostigma espei.