REPRODUCTION BIOLOGY OF Betta akarensis

Members of the genus Betta, so called fighting fishes, are widely distributed in Southeast Asia and inhabit a variety of freshwater environments including hill streams, forest creeks, lakes and swamps. One of them is Betta akarensis. Betta akarensis is belongs to akarensis group. It is one of the most common species of wild Betta from central of Sumatera (Riau). The aim of this research was to get preliminary information about Betta akarensis reproduction. Spawning type of this fishes is mouthbreeder. This fishes takes the spawn into their mouths and incubates it there for a period of time until they hatch. The average length for broodstock is 8.054 ± 0.66 cm. Male and female broodstock were mass reared in fibre tank.

The highest mortality occurred on 3^rd month reared. For the lowest density rearing (B), spesifik growth rate is higher than other container (Table 1). Average of larvae length for three month is 3.44±0.38 cm. average of survival rate for three month is 13.3±21.3 %. The number of larva that incubated in the broodstock mouth were 72-160 indv. The eggs were not collect into the broodstock mouth will be broken or eaten by the other fishes. Hatching rate that obtained from these spawning were 42  ± 16.7 % (Table 2)