Wild Betta Questions!

[Galligak]

Hello there! So with some misfortunes with heaters and some fortunes with aquarium finds I have found myself with an empty.... 5.5g! I love this tank, I've always wanted a tank this size. It is rimless, but came with a very cool (IMO) bottom holder that keeps it off the stand a little. I need to find a top and filter for it but I am super excited for this tank.

Originally I was going to do chili rasboras with some bee shrimp... but then I went online and kinda fell in love with some wild bettas... I know, I have a betta problem, but I like it

I've looked around for some information, but alas wild bettas are not too common for information. I've looked on the seriouslyfish.com page (which I always find to be amazing!) and the ibcbettas.org website as well, but I want to know if anyone has had experience with Betta coccina or Betta simplex. They are the two I'm between with the bettas, unless you all have some other beautiful wild betta options.

I am going to plant the tank pretty full, and already have some nice rocks and a gorgeous piece of DW picked out. I'm willing to go looking for the weirdest do-da for the tank if it good for the bettas.

So what I would like:
general opinion on them
whether or not they'd be ok in the tank
diet
any special things about them
and if RCS would become a snack (which I'm guessing they would, but hey anything could happen on the wild side)

Wow, that was long!!! Thanks for any help that you can give, or if there was a website that was hiding from my search! Gracias

 

[Galligak]

Oh and I'd also like to add one more wild betta to my list: Betta rutilans

I'm not sure about the betta simplex because it gets a bit large, and I don't want to put the bettas in anything too small for them!

Also if you have any ideas on what kind of plants would be good for them I'd love to know

 

[Galligak]

I know that the bettas need lids on their tanks, and I plan on putting one on if I can. So here's the tank:

But I also want to use this light:

So any advice on the bettas or how I should put a lid on would be very helpful

Also- what filter would be good with the bettas?

 

[severum mama]

HN1 and I have had experience with B coccina and B rutilans. Either species could be kept as a pair in that tank. They will appreciate plenty of plant cover. Both species come from very soft, acidic water. Our water is soft out of the tap but we still used Indian Almond leaves with them.

Wild Bettas are extremely talented jumpers. You would not believe the tiny spaces they can jump out of. We have lost a B rutilans, a couple of B simorum, a couple of B enisae, and an entire group of another species whose name escapes me... ALL of these tanks were covered.

Some Wild Bettas can be picky eaters. Your RCS would likely become prey, but if you get some picky ones, that will no doubt be a good thing. For filtration, I'd suggest a sponge filter powered by an air pump. They aren't going to appreciate the flow from a power filter.