White betta turning red

As a child I’ve had betta fish before but never a white one and we never used an actual tank. He is my new betta and I’ve only had him for 9 days. This time I got my betta a 3.5 gallon tank , I used Tetra Safe Start to cycle its tank and my betta is extremely active and explores all the time . Lately I’ve noticed red stripes on him but when I bought him I also noticed he has little red freckles. I do change his water frequently but I’m worried he could have something wrong. Should I be worried or is he just gaining color ? I’m sorry if the picture is hard to see , he’s not the most photogenic betta.....

 

He appears to just be gaining color, marbling.

 

He appears to just be gaining color, marbling.

Thank you so much , I was really starting to worry !

 

i got a mostly white male dumbo halfmoon a couple weeks ago. when i bought him he was mostly white with some blue. he's in a cycled tank with a filter and heater and i check the water conditions often, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are at the appropriate levels. he's in a 10 gallon with a few neon tetras and a snail. he started getting kind of pinkish a couple days after i got him and he's slowly getting redder and i cannot for the life of me figure out what's happening. the first picture is when i got home the second picture is today

 

Lots of bettas change color as they age, and that's exactly what's happening with yours. It'll likely grow deeper coloration than he already has. Beautiful fish!

 

So, there’s a genetic pattern in some betta fish we call “marble”
Essentially, the gene jumps. So the fish will change colors throughout its life, possibly even eventually losing color all together. Enjoy it these dudes are crazy cool.

 

Lots of bettas change color as they age, and that's exactly what's happening with yours. It'll likely grow deeper coloration than he already has. Beautiful fish!

so you don't think this is like an illness or some sort of fish "rash"?

 

i got a mostly white male dumbo halfmoon a couple weeks ago. when i bought him he was mostly white with some blue. he's in a cycled tank with a filter and heater and i check the water conditions often, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are at the appropriate levels. he's in a 10 gallon with a few neon tetras and a snail. he started getting kind of pinkish a couple days after i got him and he's slowly getting redder and i cannot for the life of me figure out what's happening. the first picture is when i got home the second picture is today

Don’t worry! My betta was platinum white when I got him but is black and pink and red now. When they are in a good environment with good foods their colors will change. Those are his natural colors

 

Yeah, we had an all white opal betta once. Got the whitest one they had at the store. Took awhile for the red to set in but he did start turning pink within a month after coming home. Was always a pretty fish, if nit always the most dignified!

 

so you don't think this is like an illness or some sort of fish "rash"?

No, it’s 100% the fact that he is a marble betta. The gene is jumping. Completely normal.

Don’t worry! My betta was platinum white when I got him but is black and pink and red now. When they are in a good environment with good foods their colors will change. Those are his natural colors

Not true, it’s the marble gene that makes colors change.

 

Not true, it’s the marble gene that makes colors change.

I mean, it is a little more complicated than that. Many betta fish that aren't marbles do "color up" as they age. Juveniles often don't gain their true color until 5ish months, and this fish looks like a juvenile. I actually don't believe it's a marble at all.

Further, unwell bettas do experience stress striping and dull coloration, so a betta that has been moved form subpar conditions to optimal temp/water quality/environment will frequently become deeper and brighter in color, though that's not what this looks like.

That said, TheWhiteOpalReiichi, your multicolored fish is very likely a marble.

 

I mean, it is a little more complicated than that. Many betta fish that aren't marbles do "color up" as they age. Juveniles often don't gain their true color until 5ish months, and this fish looks like a juvenile. I actually don't believe it's a marble at all.

Further, unwell bettas do experience stress striping and dull coloration, so a betta that has been moved form subpar conditions to optimal temp/water quality/environment will frequently become deeper and brighter in color, though that's not what this looks like.

That said, TheWhiteOpalReiichi, your multicolored fish is very likely a marble.

I’ve bred betta fish, I’m aware that juveniles gain color. Marbles have a specific look.
Infact, marbles usually start out white, or have clear fins.
marbles are what make butterfly and koi.
the fact that the fish was white... and is now turning red... is a clear sign that it is marble.
now, most other juveniles start out white or brown when they are the size of... a pen head to a pea... and from my experience, they start gaining reds and blue at the size of a pea.
And of course food and such can ENHANCE colors. But I’m pretty sure it won’t change a white fish that big... to red. Lol.
I should have specified. What I meant is, it isn’t true, in my opinion, that foods and stress relief will change a betta from white to red. Also, you said you don’t believe it’s a marble then said it’s most likely a marble. What? Lol

 

I’ve bred betta fish, I’m aware that juveniles gain color. Marbles have a specific look.
Infact, marbles usually start out white, or have clear fins.
marbles are what make butterfly and koi.
the fact that the fish was white... and is now turning red... is a clear sign that it is marble.
now, most other juveniles start out white or brown when they are the size of... a pen head to a pea... and from my experience, they start gaining reds and blue at the size of a pea.
And of course food and such can ENHANCE colors. But I’m pretty sure it won’t change a white fish that big... to red. Lol.
I should have specified. What I meant is, it isn’t true, in my opinion, that foods and stress relief will change a betta from white to red. Also, you said you don’t believe it’s a marble then said it’s most likely a marble. What? Lol

I didn't realize the solid bodied butterflies come from the marble gene. Thankfully, I didn't state it as fact that the fish isn't a marble... just that I didn't think it was.

If you read above without looking for an argument instead of a conversation, you'd see that I said exactly that a good environment and care enhances colors, and that this isn't that.

You also would have noticed that I said I didn't think that the fish freshwaterbegginer154 asked about is a marble (my bad, it is) and that the entirely different fish that whiteopal described as "platinum white when I got him but is black and pink and red now" was.

 

I didn't realize the solid bodied butterflies come from the marble gene. Thankfully, I didn't state it as fact that the fish isn't a marble... just that I didn't think it was.

If you read above without looking for an argument instead of a conversation, you'd see that I said exactly that a good environment and care enhances colors, and that this isn't that.

You also would have noticed that I said I didn't think that the fish freshwaterbegginer154 asked about is a marble (my bad, it is) and that the entirely different fish that whiteopal described as "platinum white when I got him but is black and pink and red now" was.

No, I’m looking for conversation. I’m just persistent. Lol.
Marbles are fascinating. People don’t realize the patterns and other “types” the gene creates. It’s all about selective breeding to get that gene to stop jumping. However; unless you’re spending an arm for the fish it’s most likely the seller doesn’t pay mind to genetics.
I’m pretty confident it’s marble.

 

update on this lil guy (his name is shiro!)
he's such a cool little fish, his colour changes depending on the light, sometimes he looks all white, all blue, or mostly red! he's a joy to watch swim around, and the neon tetras he is housed with make his colours pop