Adult males' gill plates are adorned with metallic scales that range from sky blue to gold, depending on the lighting.

Females have a hyaline band near the outer edges of their anal and caudal fins.

[2] Betta pallifina is only known from clear forest streams in the upper Barito River basin in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.

These streams have soft sandy or leaf-litter bottoms with dense marginal plants and patches of aquatic vegetation.

Fertilized eggs are gathered into the male's mouth and he retreats to brood the fry when spawning is complete.

They will eat a large variety of live foods, such as white worms (Enchytraeus albidus), grindal worms (Enchytraeus buchholzi), wingless fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), and brine shrimp.