My Betta is Changing Colors

I have noticed that at night by daughters Betta is blue with red fins and head, and in the morning is more of a green/teal color. I guess that this is normal but why does it happen?

 

It might be the way the scales catch the light, but also fish change color depending on mood and the light around them and all kinds of things...you might want to observe the fish more closely to see what the consistency of appearance is.

 

It appears to happen on a daily basis, and he is changing colors it is not the reflection of the light.

 

Well as long as he is not losing color and it is not coming back, it is probably not going to be a bad thing. When they pale out and stay that way it generally means they are sick, but he seems to be a bit of a chameleon and changes color to suit his environment or mood or something. I know that there are times when mine seem to have more color than others but not to that degree. It is not a cause for concern as far as I know and when you have fed him color enhancing foods (if you decide to) for a period of time I am supposing that his color will stabilize and he will decide what color he is going to stay and be there all the time. He just may be not well nourished and pales out overnight and needs to be fed during the day to bring his system back up to normal. Doubtful that he could be that far gone but just keep on with the good treatment and he will settle in.

Sounds like he is loving you. Have you given him a name? We do like to refer to our bettas by name here in the community and welcome them formally. They are so "human" that it just seems right. Welcome to you both.

Rose

 

Thanks rose. My daughter named him Sky.

 

Well actually, they found a certain type of betta called "marble bettas" that change colors.

 

Oh, I hadn't heard of them yet. Do you have any articles or references you could let us share. I would love to see any information you might be willing to share. I am always on the prowl for new betta info for my files. ;D

Thanks for letting us know.

Rose

 

I read that in a betta book at the library. I don't remember what the title was though. I'll look through them and see if I cand find a article about them by google.

I found a paragraph about them! It is on (you need to scrolldown the page) or you can go to google and type in Marble Bettas and then go to the second article on the result page.

 

About a month or 2 ago, I bought my betta Murphy. When I got him he had finrot (He was a plastic cup save) And now as more and more tail grows back, it looks like there is more and more blue on him, so hes like red with a blue ring around his tail. is this normal for bettas to change colors like that? I know the colors can pop more, but this is red fin growing back blue.

Okay so basically has anyone else heard of this?

 

If you look at my photo gallery there is before and after pictures of our black male betta after his being shipped from Thailand... I think. That shows just how dramatic of a color-improvement a betta can have after settling in. Blue is one of the colors in bettas that tends to fade almost completely out when stressed/extremely ill. Our black male betta showed as almost transparent and very little if any blue when we first received him, and now he is a vibrantly opaque-ish black with blue highlights in the tail.

I wouldn't worry and would chalk it up as a good thing that he is calming down and being more settled.

 

Oh no, it is definitely a good thing, I'm just curious to see how normal such a change is.

And its not his original finage turning colors, just the stuff he's growing now.

 

Yea, we see different degrees of color changes in our Bettas.

 

It's pretty typical for bettas that have been living in less than ideal conditions to not be at their most colorful. The stress and lack of proper environment/food/conditions would all leave them not at their best.

The two female bettas I brought home this week from DeathCo have drastically increased their colors. The first was a dark grey with a hint of blue hidden deep within. Now she is a vibrant almost neon bright blue all over. The 2nd had a faint pink tail with a whitish body. She now has a bright red tail and a pinkish body.

And of course as mentioned in other posts on the forum, lighting changes can be another reason for the color fluctuation.

 

I agrea when a betta settles in colours that were dull become more virbant. Also fins that grow back can be a diferent colour. I have seen this in one or 2 or my bettas.

 

it's just amazing that they can pull you in with their eyes at the store, even when they're dull and faded, and then when you get them home, it's as if they're so relieved and happy that they just burst out with color! I think maybe it's their gift to us.

 

If you look at my photo gallery there is before and after pictures of our black male betta after his being shipped from Thailand... I think. That shows just how dramatic of a color-improvement a betta can have after settling in. Blue is one of the colors in bettas that tends to fade almost completely out when stressed/extremely ill. Our black male betta showed as almost transparent and very little if any blue when we first received him, and now he is a vibrantly opaque-ish black with blue highlights in the tail.

I wouldn't worry and would chalk it up as a good thing that he is calming down and being more settled.

That's interesting. I bought what I thought was a Red CT, but after one week his body has changed to mostly blue, while retaining the red fins.

 

it's just amazing that they can pull you in with their eyes at the store, even when they're dull and faded, and then when you get them home, it's as if they're so relieved and happy that they just burst out with color! I think maybe it's their gift to us.

What a nice thought!

My girl colored up real well after a few weeks in a bigger tank and clean water.


angelfish220,
I've heard new growth can come in a different color.

 

When they lose part of a fin or have finrot it is the general thing that they do sometimes come in a different color or shade of the previous color. I do not know if it is a type of scar tissue issue or what but it does happen frequently.

Rose

 

Emerson used to be green, but now he's blue! Also, he's got more orange color in his fins. I dunno what happened there...
But, I had my camera out again recently, so I'm going to send a barrage of photos at you yet again!
First, a few of what he used to look like:

 

in a way that is real cool!!

over what period of time did this happen? or when did you notice this?

 

It happened slowly over maybe 2 months, since I got him. He just lost his green!

 

He still looks real healthy and it looks like the blue is much richer than what the green was... still strange though.
I'm sure Lucy will be able to help... "Lucy...please tell us what is going on here?"
(lol) :;pumpkin

 

Yeah... I mean some of my bettas did change color a bit, but it was usually just richening up the colors they already had, not changing to a completely different color!

 

I'd say PFP took such good care of Emerson that he's now showing his true colors.....gorgeous colors too!! Wow!

 

Aw thanks

 

Look what I found on a site:

"It's very common for a Betta's coloration to change shortly after you bring him home. When the fish goes from cold dirty water at the store and is placed in a clean warm environment their true colors begin to intensify in their vibrancy and often the change can be quite drastic. I have observed this color change happen anywhere from the first couple of days up to a month or more after arrival. As Bettas age, their color changes as well so you may notice even more surprises over the next year. When the fish reaches the end of his natural life you may again notice the color changing but this time it will become dull and faded."

 

Blue or green, no matter, he's absolutely STUNNING!!!

I LOVE his face!! it looks like such an elegant little face

is he a RoseTail? I love his fins too!!

 

Like Lucy said... you probably looked after him so well that he is 'glowing' with happiness

 

Thanks for the info isis, makes me feel better about it
and thanks minx! I don't really know the exact definition of rosetail... I think he might be... I can't figure out the exact definition of a dragon either... I just don't know too much about all these fancy kinds of bettas I guess!

 

you can have a look at this site for a pic and description/name of the different types of bettas.

 

Hmm... from that article I'd guess he's a rosetail.

 

He could be purple with red spots and still be gorgeous! He has a little mustard gas coloring going on and also some butterfly patterning...Very handsome boy Pink!

 

Thanks MM!

 

The color on a few of my betta's has gotten more vibrant. My boy Sid was Blue green when I bought him. Then he turned royal blue. Then he was injured, and then most of his fins grew back red. That was a real shocker.

I rescued a little girl from Walmart the other day. I figured no one would pick her because she was kind of brown and plain. After about 20 minutes in her new home, she turned blue and red. Now she's a cutie

 

Oh wow, that's crazy!
I bet your girl's glad you found her!

 

He could be purple with red spots and still be gorgeous! He has a little mustard gas coloring going on and also some butterfly patterning...Very handsome boy Pink!

That what I was going to say too.

I love him.
yes they do go thru changes especially if you get a young one. They grow in to their colors or are so happy to not be in a cup so they just blossom.
It's really cool.

 

That what I was going to say too.

I love him.
yes they do go thru changes especially if you get a young one. They grow in to their colors or are so happy to not be in a cup so they just blossom.
It's really cool.

Thanks
He is a little guy

 

I had my 2nd betta do that when we moved. He was pastel colors. In the car vivid orange and at the new house dark blues and greens with a touch of red.

 

he is very beautiful!

 

I need to stop looking at betta pictures...makes me want one and I don't have any more room for tanks.