Do betta fish change colors?

B

Bookworm

New member
My betta fish is blue and green, with a TINY tip of red on one of his fins, topped with white. Or he was. Now his tail is streaked with red, and his bottom fin is almost all red except for the outside, and it's a dull red, not shiny like his blue is. Is this normal for a betta?
He's not quite a year old, I bought him in September. About a month ago when I moved home, I lost his food, so I had to go buy more and I switched the kind, and while I was at the store, I bought a live plant that's supposed to be able to live in water, but two out of three of the sprouts died and rotted in the water without my noticing until today. I don't know how long they were rotten for. I changed his water today also, so it's clean. If he's sick, will that help?
Any information would be great. Thanks.
 
I have had two betta fish. One of them I had for two years and he never changed colors. The one I have now has never changed colors. I've had him for about 4 years and never once has he changed colors. He could have changed colors because you switched food. But betas don't usually change colors. I would keep an eye on him and switch back to the origanal food. I think he will be fine but I don't think it is normal for a beta to change colors.
Good luck with your beta. :)
 
20 years ago I joined the International Betta Congress and started meeting Betta breeders and keepers in the Chicago area. That was when I first learned about marbled bettas. There is a specific gene that can cause bettas to change color as well as display dark and light marbled colors both on the body as well as in the fins. Marbled bettas were very popular at that time but you won't find them in your Walmarts, Petcos or Petsmarts. While most common bettas won't change color, don't be so surprised if you find one that does. They have been available for years.
 
I've had over 10 beta fish and have even done projects for school about them. I have one beta that turns from a snowflake white to a yellow-white. I have never heard of a beta turning colors like you described before, however, anything is possible.

good luck :)
 
Yes Betta fish can change colors as they get old. What you are describing is red washing and it is a sign that the coloration didn't breed true.

If you're breeding for a certain color and/or pattern this is a bad thing and could really ruin your rep as a breeder of that certain color.

Otherwise if you're breeding them just so they can be beautiful and interesting pets...it's not a bad thing at all.

It's perfectly normal and is actually a problem I'm having with a line I'm trying to develop. Another breeder has a fish that is red bodied and fins that are red with white on the ends.

I'm trying to do the same but with blue and I keep getting them red-washed. It's a work in progress and all of my "failures" are still selling at the local pet store and are living in good homes.

As for the dead plants, I doubt you've done much if any lasting harm and giving him a water change should have helped him quite nicely. Make it a regular habit to change 25% of the water weekly and watch for what goes on in the tank and your fish should make another several years.
 
Back
Top