New Betta - help identifying color/pattern?

Hi all!

I went to the LFS planning to pick up some plants and a few more amano shrimp... and I left with a lovely betta named Queenie. I recently lost the fish in my 5.5 gallon, so it has been sad and unoccupied for the first time in almost two years -- needless to say, I'm glad to have activity in the tank again!

Can anyone identify her tail type and color/pattern? The LFS labeled her a dragon.... she has thick white scales and a "skunk stripe", but from what I've read it doesn't seem like dragons are blue/have pale bodies. She looks kind of like a marble or grizzle based on the research I've done. I've only had her for a day, so I haven't observed any changes in color.

Thanks!


View attachment 91017



Skunk Stripe:

Figured I’d post an update -- her colors have developed a lot over the last two weeks, definitely because of better tank conditions (and probably because of marble gene?). She looks like a different fish! I added some driftwood which is leaching tannins, so the tank looks a little warmer in color than usual.

Does anyone have thoughts on her tail type or whether she is a dragon scale?
She looks like a delta/super delta to me, but I don’t have much experience identifying tail types:

Whatever she is, she’s beautiful.

Bettapuppy said:

Whatever she is, she’s beautiful.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I was lucky to find her! She has a great personality, too... cute, feisty, and acts like I never feed her!

Wow, she is gorgeous! By the shape of her tail, I was thinking maybe a comb tail? Don't know about her color pattern though.

FishFinatic77 said:

Wow, she is gorgeous! By the shape of her tail, I was thinking maybe a comb tail? Don't know about her color pattern though.

Click to expand...

Thanks! And good call, combtail definitely fits! I noticed her pronounced rays but they didn't seem as long as crowntail rays.

May as well add another update as she continues to marble. Both of her eyes are almost totally dark now! Added a lot of water sprite so the photo is a little dark -- and she's definitely iridescent, she looks royal blue in some lights and more turquoise in others.