I'm sorry, Auratus. He does have ventrals, but he has them held close to his body in every pic I have of him. Most of my females do not have ventrals. I did buy them that way because it's not genetic and won't affect breeding them.
I have many more pictures to share with you all, but I don't want to hog up space here or make it so that load time is terrible so I'll post them on another day.
Thanks inchworm and wuvmybetta! BOTM? Betta of the month?