The Betta fish (Betta splendent) is one of the most popular fish varieties, and with good reason. They have stunning good looks, elegant swimming posture, and those glorious colorful fins they are famous for.
They possess elaborate fins (all of them look showy), but the biggest fins are the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins in general. And they are colorful and huge in proportion to the body size of the fish.
What they are not, however, is ideal for beginners to the hobby. And another thing you should consider is where you source yours from. Native to Thailand, they also go by the name Siamese Fighting Fish.
It was noted that when they were placed together, they would inevitably end up squabbling and sparring.
Their habitat in the wild is small, shallow streams and rice paddies, and they are active during the day and rest at night.
A few reasons they should not be tackled by beginners is because of their delicate needs. They are carnivores exclusively and should not be fed flakes, need tropical climate waters, and they can live a long time: around 5 – 7 years, but 10 is not unheard of.
They are smallish fish with a body length of around 2 – 3 inches, but this does not include their famous flowing fins and tail. They are not a fishbowl species and should be in a proper tank.
They also have the labyrinth organ, which means they need to surface to breathe, so they will need space at the top of the waterline. Lids are a must, too, because they are prolific jumpers!
Low flow filters should form a part of your setup, water changes are done at 25% weekly, and some controlled artificial lighting to allow for their diurnal behavior.
There should never be more than one male in your setup as they will fight, but keeping females is usually okay, and groups of 3 – 5 work well if you have enough gallons. One male with a group of females is okay too.
Some tank mates for Bettas that work well include Neon Tetras, Blue Gourami, African Dwarf Frogs, and Pictus Catfish. Most of these species will keep out of the way and inhabit different spaces within the tank as well as enjoy the same water parameters. But think about keeping them with perhaps just one other type of fish.
What you must avoid is any aggressive species, and in particular, anything that might nip at their flowing fins, which is a recipe for disease and disaster.
So if you’re in the hunt for some Betta Fish, which ones should you be considering from the huge amount out there?
Many are defined by tail shape or coloring, but we’ll go through the most commonly stocked types available to the hobby.
Typical Color Patterns Of Betta Fish
Since many of these fish will be available in various color patterns when we break down their tail and fin shaping later, it’s good to know what those patterns mean.
- Solid is one allover color.
- Bi-Color means one shade on the body and another on the fins
- Full Mask is a black face, with the rest of the body a vibrant shade
- Marble is when there are patches of white on the body randomly scattered
- Dalmatian refers to a white body with black and red blotches and spots
- Grizzle is when there are multiple colors the mesh together and blend gradually
- Piebald is an all-white face with the rest of the body a colorful shade
- Koi refers to shades of white, orange, red, and black marbling
- Butterfly has two or three shades, but the trim of their fins are transparent
- Dragon Scale refers to their scales having a black outline that really defines each one
Typical Colors Of Betta Fish
In the trade, you will see a wide range of shades described for these fish, but here is a short breakdown of some the these as some will need an explanation:
- Blue has multiple types, including Steel Blue and Royal Blue as the most popular.
- Red is the biggest and most dominant shade and often appears as a highlight shade even when not the dominant base shade
- Yellow can be anything from butter to rich gold
- White is all white and, depending on the flare of tail shape, can look beautiful depending on your backdrop
- Purple can be seen in purple-blue tones or violets but are harder to come by
- Green is rare but can be used to describe what looks more like turquoise
- Black Orchids can have blue or purple highlighting on the body
Since most are defined by tail shape or coloring, we’ll go through the most commonly stocked types of Betta Fish available to the hobby.
1. Plakat Betta
Possible one of the least ornate and closer in appearance to wild-caught specimens, these guys are highly aggressive and avid jumpers. They feature much shorter fin lengths are probably don’t initially look like a classic home tank Betta to the casual observer.
They are available in all colors and patterns but are best left in a tank of their own kind.
Their next-level aggression comes from selective breeding and has made them the back alley baddie you won’t want to mess with your tank mates.
Unencumbered by the huge fin sizes of its cousins, Plakats are strong and highly active swimmers who will dart around your tank. Most other Bettas are slow and go with the minimal flow, so to speak.
Try them out if you are in the market for koi or marble patterns, though, as they are often available in these patterns.
2. Crowntail Betta
Possibly the most elaborate and glamorous of tail shapes, the Crowntail has long flowing spikes off the already long, flowing fantail. The fins almost look like tassels due to the reduced webbing between fin rays. The webbing only reaches about the first third of the length of the ray, so super short.
There are three types of Crowntails, including single ray, double ray, and crossed ray. The crossed ray is the hardest to source but is arguably the most beautiful version to look at.
They are highly aggressive too and need pristine water to keep their fins in tip-top condition so expect to be cleaning your tank a lot and taking regular parameter measures to ensure you have excellent water quality.
They are the second most common variety out there but need that high upkeep to keep their good looks.
3. Half Moon Betta
These Bettas have a fantail that forms a full ‘D’-shape of 180º. Their anal fin can actually extend a little longer down than the bottom of the caudal fin, and their dorsal fin looks like it merges with the caudal. Their flowing pectorals make for one spectacular-looking fish.
They come in a wide variety of colors, but blue with black fin details looks particularly gorgeous and stands out.
The way all of the fins appear to merge together makes them almost like like a swimming flower in the tank. Butterfly patterns are most often found in Half Moons, and the rest of the patterns can be found except for koi and marble, which are rare.
4. Veil Tail
The Veil tail is the most commonly available Betta type in the trade. With long-tail fins that rise up and curve back down as they trail behind their swimming action, they do look rather spectacular. They look droopier than their counterparts, but this extra drag action also accounts for why they are such slow swimmers.
Every color and pattern is available, but be advised that they do not do well in currents and are weak swimmers. The other bonus with these fish is that they are less aggressive, which probably adds to their popularity.
5. Dumbo Betta
Perhaps not the nicest name for a Betta, but a key indicator to their name. Their pectoral fins are enormous, ruffled, and fluttery, so they do look like elephant’s ears next to their small faces.
A ‘dumbo’ can be found with any tail shape but is more commonly seen with the Half Moon variety, so it’s a subcategory if you like. They are available in all colors and patterns apart from marble or koi, which are rare.
Their oversized pectoral fins make swimming a little more difficult, so currents should not be present or too overpowering.
6. Rosetail
The flamenco dancer of the Betta world, Rosetails were bred from the ever-popular Half Moons. These fish also have the full 180º fantail and almost overlapping dorsal and anal tails, but their caudal tail has extra rays in it.
This makes the tail dramatically fold in on itself and truly is a ruffle not unlike the tulle in a tutu or the frills of a flamenco dancer.
The cost to the fish is added weight which makes swimming more difficult. You need to take care to have nothing sharp in the tank for these fins to snag onto, as any fin tears are likely to be a high road to infection.
7. Feather Tail
This is probably the most extreme-looking Betta of the bunch. It’s a variety that looks like a cross between the aforementioned Rosetail and the spiky Crowntail.
This results in a hyper-ruffled fin shape that has added rays with spikes branching out in addition which gives it a feathered appearance.
They come in all colors and most patterns but are susceptible to the same issues as the Rosetail in terms of fin weight.
8. Double Tail
This is basically a split caudal tail that has two visible halves, so it has a forked appearance. This is due to a genetic mutation and can be seen in any of the previously mentioned tail shapes but adds some interest.
They can be found in any color and most patterns.
9. Half Sun
Another blended variety that is derived from Half Moon and Crowntail types, these fish have the same shaping as a Half Moon, but all of their fins have ray fringing that extends past the webbing.
The best way to see the shaping is in a multicolored pattern as opposed to solid to really see the sunny shape in the caudal tail at its best.
10. Combtail Betta
Similar to the Crowntail, this is another variety of Betta where they don’t have an unusual shape or size to the typical rounded shape, but again the rays are more prominent. The webbing only reaches up to two-thirds the length of the ray, so it creates an ultra-spiky effect.
Because this effect resembles a rooster’s comb, this became the moniker for this particular variety.
This type looks beautiful in Dragon Scale and other multi-hued colors.
11. Spade Tail Betta
As you might guess, the Spade Tail gets its moniker from its tail shape, which resembles a spade from a deck of cards turned on its side.
The pointed end is unmistakable compared to the rest of the Bettas out there. It still looks really colorful and has that flowing beauty like the rest, but it, too, is less cumbersome.
If you want a faster-moving and more agile type, then this is a good compromise without having to resort to the less glamorous and highly aggressive Plakat Betta.
12. Delta Tail Betta
This tail shape looks like the Greek letter Delta which is a triangle shape. Widest at the body end, it then tapers to a point.
Are Bettas better fish to have around in your tank?
That depends if you’re willing to commit to a rigorous cleaning routine and can devote time and attention to these flowing beauties.
The more space you can offer them, the better, despite what a popular misconception it is that they don’t need much and can hang out in a fishbowl or a flower vase.
There shouldn’t be much more explanation needed as to why they are so popular in the hobby as their dazzling appearance says it all.
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