What type of Betta is this?

Hi guys and girls, I was given this betta yesterday by a friend who has sadly given up the hobby due to his health. I was just wondering what type he is and if there is anything else you can tell me about him from the picture as I know very little about Bettas. He came from a community tank and seems quite happy with his new tank mates.
Any comments welcome

I can't help with the betta type I'm afraid. I just want to suggest you get him his own tank. While the live plants look beautifully healthy and maintained as do the other fish, so I'm sure you know this already, but while the betta might be perfectly content with his tankmates, and may never snap and begin murdering them - the other tankmates can't be sure of that, and will be stressed by having a much larger and territorial, potentially dangerous to them fish in their habitat that they can't escape from.

I see celestial pearls, ember tetra, chili rasbora and glowlight tetra there, and all of these -especially the first three - are shy and nervous species that don't do well with a larger and more predatory fish in their tank. Even if he seems peaceful, bettas are solitary and territorial by nature. I always think it's rather cruel to force them to live with other fish when it's so alien to their nature. But they also release hormones and other chemical messages into the water that the other fish will pick up on, and stress levels will be raised for all the other fish in the tank. So it's unfair to the betta and to the nano species of fish you're keeping him with. Stress negatively affects the immune system as well, making the fish more vulnerable to illness and disease. For all of those reasons, I would get a separate 5-10 gallon for the betta to have as his own territory and kingdom, and have happier fish all round!

Of course, all of this only applies if this is your tank set up, and not a photo of the community tank he was living in before you took him in!

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

I can't help with the betta type I'm afraid. I just want to suggest you get him his own tank. While the live plants look beautifully healthy and maintained as do the other fish, so I'm sure you know this already, but while the betta might be perfectly content with his tankmates, and may never snap and begin murdering them - the other tankmates can't be sure of that, and will be stressed by having a much larger and territorial, potentially dangerous to them fish in their habitat that they can't escape from.

I see celestial pearls, ember tetra, chili rasbora and glowlight tetra there, and all of these -especially the first three - are shy and nervous species that don't do well with a larger and more predatory fish in their tank. Even if he seems peaceful, bettas are solitary and territorial by nature. I always think it's rather cruel to force them to live with other fish when it's so alien to their nature. But they also release hormones and other chemical messages into the water that the other fish will pick up on, and stress levels will be raised for all the other fish in the tank. So it's unfair to the betta and to the nano species of fish you're keeping him with. Stress negatively affects the immune system as well, making the fish more vulnerable to illness and disease. For all of those reasons, I would get a separate 5-10 gallon for the betta to have as his own territory and kingdom, and have happier fish all round!

Of course, all of this only applies if this is your tank set up, and not a photo of the community tank he was living in before you took him in!

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Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, you have a keen eye I do have 2 other tanks but they are both occupied by CPD babies and cherry shrimp at the moment, so they are out of the question, another month or so and the babies can go in the main tank and to my LFS (local fish shop) I know he was in with the same types of fish before including mountain minnows and blue eye rainbowfish the only thing I can do is monitor him and the others until moving day for the babies. I have read about the hormones (mainly testosterone and estrogen) and as long as I keep on top of water changes they shouldn't be a problem. I do 25% every Sunday but I can step it up to 50% twice a week if necessary.
I really feel that I must keep him as it would be such a shame to have to give him up so I may have to setup and put him in the hospital tank for a while

Some bettas are just fine in a community setting, and won't harass (or be harassed) by other fish...but that's the exception, not the norm...just depends on the individual betta, and it's temperament

If the betta came from a community tank, and played well with others in it, you might get lucky, and be able to keep him where he is now

Beautiful betta. Not sure of the type. For bird identification, there is a great app called Merlin. Just take a photo and the bird is identified. Is there a similar app for fish?

Well, the species is Betta splendens, but there are so many tail types, colour patterns and even scale types.

The OP's fish's tail type is veiltail. It's a bicolour (body and fins different colours).

Slaphppy7 said:

Some bettas are just fine in a community setting, and won't harass (or be harassed) by other fish...but that's the exception, not the norm...just depends on the individual betta, and it's temperament

If the betta came from a community tank, and played well with others in it, you might get lucky, and be able to keep him where he is now

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Yes- but even if the betta is fine, that doesn't mean the celestial pearls, ember tetra and absolutely tiny chili rasbora will be fine sharing with him, you know?

If there will be another tank free in a month, then I'd treat it like an experiment. Monitor both the betta and the other tankmates behaviour while he's in there, then see if it changes for any of them after that month and he's been moved to another tank.

As an example, I have a thriving colony of breeding pygmy corydora, and in another large tank, have some bronzes and sterbai. When I happened to have a large batch of bronze cory fry, I put some in the pygmy tank to grow on until I could home them. They were fine at first, but as the bronze babies got bigger, the pygmies got more and more withdrawn. Bronzes are not territorial, neither are pygmies. Neither are aggressive. But the bronzes, even though not much bigger than the pygmies at that stage, were so much more boisterious and competed with the pygmies for food, and disturbed them when the pygmies were trying to just chill out on the sand or on leaves, until I realised how withdrawn the pygmies were becoming, and moved the bronzes back out again. The pygmies went back to their usual behaviour, the tank was their own again!

Tankmates aren't just about whether one fish will bully or murder another. Sometimes even subtle things can change a fish's behaviour quite drastically, and everything I've experienced and read says that especially nano fish don't belong in a general community tank or with larger fish, let alone a solitary territorial larger fish - but a more specialised, small and peaceful fish tank, for the most natural behaviour. You have to put yourself in their fins!

He's a Bi-color VT (VeilTail). He has pretty similar colors to my male Jade! Love him.
(edit- didn't see Essjay's comment on tail type and color, I apologize)

Thanks guys, I am monitoring all of them for temperament and so far so good but it has only been 24 hours I have got a sponge filter cycling just in case but the only thing hiding is the armoured shrimp but that's nothing out of the ordinary he just loves his house under the wood and plays peekaboo

P.S he is called mossy

Just a quick update for you guys, (so far so good) it's been a few days and everything is fine, Mossy has settled in and all the other tankmates are swimming freely and out in the open. I'm not going to lie, there has been a little bit of chasing but more of a get out of the way I'm coming through and the only flaring has been at his own reflection.

Glad things have been okay so far!

Only other word of warning is to be wary about assuming motives for fish behaviour. It's easy for us to assume fish are happy, or that chasing isn't actually aggression, or to misinterpret normal mating behaviour for aggression, as many people do when they first keep certain species, you know? We can't always know precisely what is going on. It's a good sign that the nano fish aren't staying hidden in the plants, but I wouldn't be 100% confident that the chasing means "get out of my way" and relax, thinking it's all good. Worth being aware of our own limitations and keeping a close eye in case it's a prelude to something else.

I do love the new photos! See some kubatoi in there too, and a hillstream loach tucked away in the back there! Would love to see and hear more about this tank. Looks beautiful, plants look long established, and I love the various species of nano fish you have there! Would you be willing to share more about the tank set up and stocking, please?

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

Glad things have been okay so far!

Only other word of warning is to be wary about assuming motives for fish behaviour. It's easy for us to assume fish are happy, or that chasing isn't actually aggression, or to misinterpret normal mating behaviour for aggression, as many people do when they first keep certain species, you know? We can't always know precisely what is going on. It's a good sign that the nano fish aren't staying hidden in the plants, but I wouldn't be 100% confident that the chasing means "get out of my way" and relax, thinking it's all good. Worth being aware of our own limitations and keeping a close eye in case it's a prelude to something else.

I do love the new photos! See some kubatoi in there too, and a hillstream loach tucked away in the back there! Would love to see and hear more about this tank. Looks beautiful, plants look long established, and I love the various species of nano fish you have there! Would you be willing to share more about the tank set up and stocking, please?

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Hi yes, so I think you have named every species in the tank apart from invertebrates; ×7 Amano's, about 100 cherry shrimp, 2 vampire shrimp and 2 nerites.
There are :
1 Betta
5 gold ring Hillstream's
3 glow lights
8 kubatoi
6 CPD
2 Embers
11 Chilli's
There were more but there was a recent parasite problem due to poor quality new stock and me not isolating them for long enough
The tank was stripped and treated about 3 months ago and the fish were all crammed in the hospital tank for treatment but now all is well
The filter is Fluval 307 running at half flow.
The light is Fluval plant 3.0 running at 40% for 9 hours a day
120 L tank
24.5 ⁰C
I'm not going to get into the substrate as there's a lot of different sorts in it all mixed together I find it gives you a more stable PH that way and I don't use root tabs or fertiliser.
Would you like specific plant names?
Basically
Buce
Anubias
Limnophila
Rotala
Bacopa
Java moss
Java fern
Frogbit
Silvania
Cryptocoryne
Hygrophila
Monte carlo
Dwarf baby tears (yes I can grow baby tears without C02 and ferts)
Let me know if you want more info

P.S food
I hatch brine shrimp once a week and freeze what doesn't get eaten.
Fluval bug bites (crushed)
Neutrafin flakes (crushed)
Algae wafer
Hikari crab cuisine
Shrimp king complete
Hikari Betta gold
And I make my own food in the blender with beef heart, tuna, salmon, crab, prawns, boiled egg yolk, spirulina powder and mixed blanched veg. All blended together with a bit of Epson salt to avoid consumption, I sometimes put leftover brine shrimp in there aswell.
Obviously I don't feed all that in one day and I do a no feed day on Sundays (apart from any fry I may have at the time)

Little-Nipper said:

P.S food
I hatch brine shrimp once a week and freeze what doesn't get eaten.
Fluval bug bites (crushed)
Neutrafin flakes (crushed)
Algae wafer
Hikari crab cuisine
Shrimp king complete
Hikari Betta gold
And I make my own food in the blender with beef heart, tuna, salmon, crab, prawns, boiled egg yolk, spirulina powder and mixed blanched veg. All blended together with a bit of Epson salt to avoid consumption, I sometimes put leftover brine shrimp in there aswell.
Obviously I don't feed all that in one day and I do a no feed day on Sundays (apart from any fry I may have at the time)

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Dang, your fish eat better than I do!
I love and really want to keep so many of the species you have! Dying to set up another tank now! Nearly bought some kubatoi the other day, I've wanted some for years, but went for some purple emperor tetra instead. Would have gone for both if I had the funds!

Little-Nipper said:

Hi yes, so I think you have named every species in the tank apart from invertebrates; ×7 Amano's, about 100 cherry shrimp, 2 vampire shrimp and 2 nerites.

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I have amanos and cherries (mixed blue and red, so they throw all different colours, plus wild types) but I've never kept/read up on vampire shrimp, what are they like?

Little-Nipper said:

There were more but there was a recent parasite problem due to poor quality new stock and me not isolating them for long enough
The tank was stripped and treated about 3 months ago and the fish were all crammed in the hospital tank for treatment but now all is well

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Gah that sucks, I'm sorry! It's easily done, parasites can remain hidden for a long time - I had some fish for six months or so before I realised they had camallanus worms. Not fun having to medicate your whole stock and strip everything down! I went through that, it sucks. Glad they're doing better now!

Little-Nipper said:

The filter is Fluval 307 running at half flow.
The light is Fluval plant 3.0 running at 40% for 9 hours a day

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That looks like a really good light - I need to suck it up and save up for something like this, I think! I've only got cheaper Nicews on my tanks right now because a fishtuber uses Nicew and still grows gorgeous low-tech planted tanks, but they're not as bright as I'd like.

Little-Nipper said:

I don't use root tabs or fertiliser.

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No ferts at all? I forget to use my ferts all the time though, lol.

Little-Nipper said:

Would you like specific plant names?
Basically
Buce
Anubias
Limnophila

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I recognise the limnophilia sessiliflora! One of my favourite plants that I recommend a lot! Love how reliable, fast growing and fluffy it is! This was one of my tanks when the plants were well overdue for some taming So many fish fry and shrimp loved that plant for hiding in.

Little-Nipper said:

Rotala

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I can never seem to get rotala to grow for me. Had some that looked great in the above tank for months, but then I added cories, they kept uprooting it while I constantly tried to replant it, and each stem gradually died off. Tried a different one another time, but it just never really grew.

Little-Nipper said:

Monte carlo
Dwarf baby tears (yes I can grow baby tears without C02 and ferts)
Let me know if you want more info

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HOW?? lol! I've never been brave enough to try - did you do any of that dry start method stuff people do?
I'd love to see a full tank shot, if you're happy to share! Or do you have any journal threads I can follow?

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

Dang, your fish eat better than I do!
I love and really want to keep so many of the species you have! Dying to set up another tank now! Nearly bought some kubatoi the other day, I've wanted some for years, but went for some purple emperor tetra instead. Would have gone for both if I had the funds!


I have amanos and cherries (mixed blue and red, so they throw all different colours, plus wild types) but I've never kept/read up on vampire shrimp, what are they like?

Gah that sucks, I'm sorry! It's easily done, parasites can remain hidden for a long time - I had some fish for six months or so before I realised they had camallanus worms. Not fun having to medicate your whole stock and strip everything down! I went through that, it sucks. Glad they're doing better now!

That looks like a really good light - I need to suck it up and save up for something like this, I think! I've only got cheaper Nicews on my tanks right now because a fishtuber uses Nicew and still grows gorgeous low-tech planted tanks, but they're not as bright as I'd like.


No ferts at all? I forget to use my ferts all the time though, lol.


I recognise the limnophilia sessiliflora! One of my favourite plants that I recommend a lot! Love how reliable, fast growing and fluffy it is! This was one of my tanks when the plants were well overdue for some taming So many fish fry and shrimp loved that plant for hiding in.
View attachment 314704

I can never seem to get rotala to grow for me. Had some that looked great in the above tank for months, but then I added cories, they kept uprooting it while I constantly tried to replant it, and each stem gradually died off. Tried a different one another time, but it just never really grew.


HOW?? lol! I've never been brave enough to try - did you do any of that dry start method stuff people do?
I'd love to see a full tank shot, if you're happy to share! Or do you have any journal threads I can follow?

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Blimey, that's a lot to reply to
I'll get an updated photo tomorrow as lights are gone out now I didn't do any dry start method and I went against all advice that I've been told at my lfs and read online asfar as baby tears are concerned, I just thought I'd try a pot and see what happens (live or die) and it is living it does grow very slowly but it is growing and spreading sometimes u just gotta try it for yourself. It maybe because I don't gravel vac and when I setup a substrate I always put filthy water from a canister filter in it and mix it all up. Yes this does make a horrible mess on the first fill but 1 99%water change and refill slowly locks all the nutrients in, while the tank is empty I plant the baby tears in small clumps all over (same with monte carlo and dwarf hairgrass) do not trim!
Rotala / every plant I have grow well using this method although the colours come out much better under the Fluval 3.0. My other tanks just have budget lights on them, everything grows but colours aren't so vibrant.
I do like to mix up the shrimp aswell I love seeing the new and different colours that appear and because there are so many breading at the same time the survival rate isn't so bad but Mossy (the betta) is quite partial to a shrimp or 3 , but I do have backup shrimp in my other tanks just in case
Vampire shrimp are very shy and gentle filter feeders also called armoured shrimp. They do get quite big but they live for years, mine are only young but having everything young so I get to see them grow up and babies are cheaper