Help Why Is My Betta Turning Red

so about 2 weeks I got a betta from walmart (I know that’s a bad idea and walmart shouldn’t sell fish, but you know at least I saved one) he just got moved to a 3.5 gallon a couple days ago and it’s heated and filtered, he has been more active but i’ve notice he’s started to become red on is very lower fins and the start of the fins, is it a disease? or I remember the water being blue is it such a thing that they put dye into there water to turn there color or something, I mean it makes sense since he’s purple if they mixed blue in the water it’s horrible to even think like that but i’m new to bettas I just wanted to try them out. here’s some pics I tried getting where he’s turning red but he kept moving.

 

Its not uncommon for Bettas to completely change color.

 

If the betta is a marble type, they will jump colors. I had a red, black and white koi female that is now black, brown, and barely red. Ia slo had a regulr koi hmpk male who is now completely black with a couple of blue scales here and there.

 

I did the Walmart betta thing on a whim, went from full orange to now grayish blueish scales on half the body and grayish blue moving into the base of the fins. Turned out to be an one cool dude, super active, and zero issues with anyone, and eats right out of my hand.

 

I believe bettas go through colour phases (like Uaru cichlids, but less intense). It may be going through a phase, but it may be dye "working its magic". I'd monitor its health and brace for the worst, but I believe its simply a colour phase. I wish you and you betta good luck and good health!

 

Some betta fish, especially in commercial pet stores, have a gene called the marble jumping gene - or “Transposons.” Transposons in essence insert themselves in to other genes; and since genes are responsible for things such as color and pattern, the Transposons can alter the color completely or “cut the color off” (translucent). They can then continue to “jump” to other genes, thus changing colors again, or stay where they’re at. This is what I’m pretty sure is happening with your betta fish.

Here’s a picture of my current betta fish the first week I got him:



And here’s now:




The one I had previously was very similar to yours and his fins also turned red in the same area as yours. It never spread to the rest of his body, but it was just a natural change in coloration if it were on his gills/gill plates I would be concerned.

 

Some betta fish, especially in commercial pet stores, have a gene called the marble jumping gene - or “Transposons.” Transposons in essence insert themselves in to other genes; and since genes are responsible for things such as color and pattern, the Transposons can alter the color completely or “cut the color off” (translucent). They can then continue to “jump” to other genes, thus changing colors again, or stay where they’re at. This is what I’m pretty sure is happening with your betta fish.

Here’s a picture of my current betta fish the first week I got him:
View attachment 505904

And here’s now:
View attachment 505905


The one I had previously was very similar to yours and his fins also turned red in the same area as yours. It never spread to the rest of his body, but it was just a natural change in coloration if it were on his gills/gill plates I would be concerned.

Except yours did not color jump or have a marble gene (which is very different from the fish just coloring up), your fish just gained his full color, he already had the diluted colors in the first picture.

Most bettas that look one color change because they are genetic mutts and can have color chromatophores suddenly stop working or malfunction causing a lack of color or a suddenly different color. Nothing so drastic unless the fish is gaining color (when changing the color it is more gradual than what a disease would do).

 

Except yours did not color jump or have a marble gene (which is very different from the fish just coloring up), your fish just gained his full color, he already had the diluted colors in the first picture.

Most bettas that look one color change because they are genetic mutts and can have color chromatophores suddenly stop working or malfunction causing a lack of color or a suddenly different color. Nothing so drastic unless the fish is gaining color (when changing the color it is more gradual than what a disease would do).

Sorry to correct you but he was translucent when I bought him, not necessarily the colors in the first picture. He had no blue on him when he was purchased, his body was completely translucent with pink and white pectoral fins. He’s still changing coloration to this day, he’s currently going back to a more red based color but I’d rather not post pictures of him because he got in to a scuffle with his driftwood during a water change and it looks like he’s gotten a bob cut; pretty embarrassing on my part.

The first picture is when he was already beginning to change but I figured it showed a big enough difference to use as an example. I can try and look on my old phone to see if I have any pictures of him prior to these ones or the betta fish I had previously. He changed from black and blue to lavender and red.

 

Great idea for a separate thread... show pics of how your betta's colours have changed!!!

 

sorry but I don't see the red on him? he looks dark like black or dark blue. am I color blind? lol

 

I am not seeing what you are talking about

 

sorry but I don't see the red on him? he looks dark like black or dark blue. am I color blind? lol

It is very hard to see but it’s easiest to see in the second picture posted. The part directly underneath it’s body, at the top of the fins (not the ends).

 

Some betta change colors dramatically.

 

Some betta fish, especially in commercial pet stores, have a gene called the marble jumping gene - or “Transposons.” Transposons in essence insert themselves in to other genes; and since genes are responsible for things such as color and pattern, the Transposons can alter the color completely or “cut the color off” (translucent). They can then continue to “jump” to other genes, thus changing colors again, or stay where they’re at. This is what I’m pretty sure is happening with your betta fish.

Here’s a picture of my current betta fish the first week I got him:
View attachment 505904

And here’s now:
View attachment 505905


The one I had previously was very similar to yours and his fins also turned red in the same area as yours. It never spread to the rest of his body, but it was just a natural change in coloration if it were on his gills/gill plates I would be concerned.

That is literally the prettiest Betta I’ve ever seen..... what kind?

Also op I would just continue to monitor and make sure no signs of fin rot (keep your water clean) or other illnesses are popping up, hopefully it’s just the fish’s natural colors changing!

 

As long as he's still active and eating ok it really could just be a natural color change. I bought one betta that was totally black. After two weeks he developed a nice dark blue "saddle" that has spread to most of his back,

 

he is not sick blue bettas get red in there fins it looks like a blue betta has breed with a red betta at some stage to make him that color its very common

 

That is literally the prettiest Betta I’ve ever seen..... what kind?

Also op I would just continue to monitor and make sure no signs of fin rot (keep your water clean) or other illnesses are popping up, hopefully it’s just the fish’s natural colors changing!

He’s a super delta dumbo ear