Betta picta can be housed in pairs, species tanks, and community tanks.  Pairs can be housed in a 2.5 gallon tank, groups should be housed in a 10 gallon tank or larger.  Pairs should be given cover such as caves and plants.  In a pair or species situation it is possible that fry could be discovered in the tanks.  For best results remove a brooding male.

Not critical, picta is very tolerant of water chemistry and thrives in almost any type of water as long as it is clean and well filtered.  They should be kept at cool to mid 70s F.

Males have a broader head then females and a much darker stripe on the anal fin.  Females may not have a stripe or faint stripe on the anal fin.  Females ovaries might be visible via spotlighting.

Picta is a paternal mouthbrooder and the male incubates from 9 to 12 days with 10 days being very consistent.  Incubation time can vary with water temperature.  Females normally initiate spawning.

“[Writing about the misnomer Betta pictum]…a small (5 cm – about the size of [B.] smaragdina) mouthbrooder. The color description is like that of [B.] brederi [B. pugnax]; however, [B.] pictum is from high mountain streams in Java, Singapore, and Sumatra, and can stand cooler temperatures.” [125]