{"product_id":"platinum-white-plakat-fighting-fish-betta-splendens","title":"Platinum White Plakat Fighting Fish | Betta splendens","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Platinum White Plakat is a short-finned male Siamese Fighting Fish in solid metallic white — all the muscle and attitude of a plakat without the flowing tails. Plakats are robust, active swimmers and every one is an individual with real personality. Males must be kept on their own, as they will fight other males and flare at their own reflection. A labyrinth breather, he reaches around 6–7 cm and will dazzle for years in a warm, gently-filtered, lidded tank.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eNatural Habitat\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBetta splendens comes from the shallow, slow-moving waters of Thailand and the wider Mekong basin — rice paddies, ditches, marshes and floodplains that are warm, still and often low in oxygen. To cope, the fish evolved a labyrinth organ that lets it gulp air from the surface. Gentle flow, soft planting and floating cover recreate this home and help him settle.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA \"plakat\" (short-finned) male in dense, opaque platinum white, the metallic dragon scaling giving an enamelled finish. Short fins mean a stockier, more athletic profile than the long-finned forms, and colour and confident display improve as he settles over a darker substrate with a good diet.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTemperament and Compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMales are solitary and will fight to the death with other males, so only one male per tank and never within sight of another. He can sometimes share a peaceful community of larger, calm, non-nippy fish, but is safest alone or as the centrepiece of a quiet tank. Plakats are strong swimmers and can be surprisingly bold.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA surface-oriented carnivore and micropredator. Offer good betta pellets as a staple and supplement with frozen or live bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp for colour and condition. Feed small amounts and avoid overfeeding, which quickly fouls the water in small tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCare Requirements\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eProvide a minimum of around 5 L, with 20 L or larger much better for a happy, active fish. Keep temperature at 24–28 °C with a reliable heater, pH 6.5–7.5 and soft to neutral water, GH around 5–20 dGH. Being a labyrinth fish he must be able to reach the surface to breathe, so keep the tank lidded (plakats are keen jumpers) and leave a warm air gap above the water. Gentle filtration and regular water changes keep him at his best.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eBreeding\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA bubble-nesting species. The male builds a nest at the surface, courts the female beneath it and wraps her in an embrace to fertilise the eggs, which he then guards and tends. The female should be removed after spawning. Breeding is rewarding but demands separate tanks, warm still water and plenty of fine-leaved cover for the fry.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSpecies Information\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003ctable\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBetta splendens\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSiamese Fighting Fish (Platinum White Plakat, male)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThailand and the Mekong basin, Southeast Asia\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaximum Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAround 6–7 cm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3–5 years with good care\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSolitary; males will fight\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBeginner\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimum Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5 L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecommended Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 L or larger\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarnivore\/micropredator: betta pellets, frozen and live foods\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e24–28 °C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003epH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e6.5–7.5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoft to neutral, around 5–20 dGH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSalinity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable (freshwater)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSuitable For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarm, planted species or calm community tanks\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003c\/table\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuitable tank mates (in a large enough tank) include small peaceful rasboras, corydoras, kuhli loaches, otocinclus and snails; choose calm, non-nippy species and monitor closely.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAvoid Keeping With\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAvoid keeping with other male bettas, female bettas (except supervised breeding), fin-nippers such as tiger barbs, and large or aggressive fish. Never keep two males together or in sight of one another.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","offers":[{"title":"Small (1-5cm)","offer_id":55351904207139,"sku":"AA3529-S","price":42.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Medium (5-10cm)","offer_id":55232797933859,"sku":"AA3529","price":47.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/platinum-white-plakat-fighti-43884845826339.webp?v=1790306097","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/platinum-white-plakat-fighting-fish-betta-splendens","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}