Betta Fish Pictures

There was a time when the betta, also known as the Siamese fighting fish, could only be found in red, blue and the occasional green at your local pet shop. Today, these fish are truly the jewels of the hobby aquarium world.

Dedicated breeders have worked to establish different fin types as well as an array of color combinations and patterns that could put a rainbow to shame. The possibilities are truly endless. Peruse this gallery of male and female betta fish pictures to see plenty of beautiful bettas.

Take a look at the following pictures and know that this is just a small sample of the incredible beauty these fish have to offer.

The crowntail is a fascinating variety of betta. Through selective breeding, hobbyists have reduced the webbing between the rays of the fins to create a fringed effect. As striking as this fish looks in this photo, it's nothing compared to seeing a live crowntail on the alert and flaring.

The veiltail is the most common betta you'll find at most pet shops, although the word common hardly does these fish justice. They come in every color and pattern imaginable, and their fins will grow quite long and luxurious if you take really good care of them.

Male bettas seem to draw the lion's share of attention because they are so striking, and there certainly was a time when females were only available in drab colors. This is not the case anymore.

Today, you can find females that are just as interesting and colorful as their male counterparts. Take the female in this photo as an example. She is a Cambodian Dalmatian. "Cambodian" refers to her clean, pink body color, while "Dalmatian" refers to the random spotting on her fins.

Plakats are the wild type of bettas, and they look significantly different from their fancy-tailed relatives. The plakat is built for fighting, so he has shorter fins and a fiercer attitude.

Hobbyists have also done some selective breeding with plakats and produced varieties including the red dragon platinum halfmoon plakat pictured here. He's called a halfmoon due to the size and shape of his tail. The term "red dragon platinum" refers to his basic color which is overlaid with a silvery sheen.

Although this betta is resting his fins, he is a halfmoon. The halfmoon betta's tail is rounded and looks distinctly like a halfmoon when the fish flares.

This betta also displays the butterfly pattern on his fins. There is a distinct band of color all around the outside edges. In this case the color is white, but other butterflies have different color edges or even clear edges.

Here's a better example of a halfmoon betta, although this fish is not quite fully flared. Still, you can see how this type of fins is quite different from the veiltail.

Halfmoons are highly sought after, and they command a higher price. While the veiltail can usually be purchased for around $5.00, the halfmoon costs approximately three times as much. Purchase a halfmoon directly from a show breeder, and you can expect to pay $35.00 or more depending on the fish's quality, color and pattern.

It's important to keep betta fish healthy by regularly cleaning the tank and replacing the water. bettas in small bowls without a filter, a common betta set-up, need at least one-third to half of their water changed weekly.

If your tank is larger and has a filter, it's recommended to change around 20% of the water weekly. Their water also needs to be treated with a betta water conditioner for at least 10-15 minutes. Some owners wait up to 24 hours before placing the conditioned water in the tank.

A koi betta gets its name from the marbled pattern that looks like a Japanese koi fish. These fish are specifically bred to achieve this pattern which can be found in several color combinations. Koi betta patterns can also be found with several types of bettas.

Koi betta coloring can also change as they mature and they may fade somewhat and have less of their distinctive patterns.

Although male bettas are aggressive to other males, they can actually live with betta females and even a few other species of fish. There is however a chance they can become aggressive to other fish in their tank.

Fish that can live with a male betta include the neon tetra, bristlenose plecos, glass catfish, blue gourami and khulii loach.

As colorful and beautiful as captive bettas are, you might be surprised to know that wild bettas are much less interesting. Wild bettas have smaller tails and are usually brown or green.

The fancy tails, fins and colors of captive bettas have been bred by betta enthusiasts over many years.

You might be surprised to learn that betta fish can be trained to do tricks. Animal trainers have taught bettas how to swim through hoops, jump up from the surface, target a stick, and other tricks.

Bettas can be trained with positive reinforcement and treats although some trainers use marker training with a small pen light. Marker training is known as clicker training when used with dogs and other animals.

Hopefully, this gallery of betta fish images has piqued your interest in these amazing fish. As beautiful as they are, they also have very interesting personalities. Yes, they are feisty, but each fish seems to have some distinct characteristics of its own. Just like snowflakes, no two bettas are completely alike, and that is just one of many interesting facts about these fish!