Don’t we all love bettas? Considering all the crowntail betta colors you can find, it’s no surprise these temperamental fish have become one of the favorites for fish keepers all across the globe.
When I started keeping bettas, I had no idea of all the possible colors and patterns I could find!
While it’s challenging to know every single shade that’s out there, I have gathered all the information I possibly could and have constructed a little color guide.
Whether you wish to find a new fish for your tank or are simply curious, this article might help you learn all about the colorful world of crowntail bettas. Let’s begin!
Crowntail Betta Colors
While crowntail bettas can come in almost all colors imaginable, it all usually comes down to shades of these nine colors:
Blue
While solid-colored blue crowntails are somewhat rare, most crowntails have at least a splotch of blue color on them. This is why blue is often listed as the most common crowntail betta color.
There are various recognized blue shades, such as blue wash (the most common shade in bettas), royal blue (a deep shade that seems purple-ish at times), and steel blue (light, almost gray blue shade).
Red
Most solid-colored crowntail bettas come in red color. This vibrant pigment fits betta’s feisty temperament the best, which is why most fish keepers opt for this color. Even my first betta fish was red!
Red crowntail bettas should always be bright and vibrant. If their color looks grayish or washed out, chances are the fish is sick.
Red in bettas is caused by carotenoid pigment that can only be found in several animal families, most notably fish and crustaceans.
Yellow
You’ll rarely hear breeders mention yellow bettas, but that doesn’t mean that these fish are rare. On the contrary – this is one of the fairly common colors in crowntails.
The reason why you won’t see many yellow crowntails being sold is that experts use the term non-red to describe these fish.
While some claim that yellow pigment in bettas comes from various genetic factors, others state that this color is caused by cells called xanthophores.
Just like blue bettas, yellow bettas can come in various shades, such as the pineapple yellow, orange, or even a shade of a banana
Green
Green crowntails are rather rare, and I haven’t seen many of them around.
There are various kinds of green in bettas, such as mint, turquoise, or deep green shades.
Unlike with other hues, most green crowntail bettas are solid-colored. However, some might come with other colors on their fins, as well.
Black Orchid
There’s something special about black orchid crowntails. While most other bettas are vibrant and colorful, black orchid ones are, as their name suggests, usually pitch black. This gives them an elegant yet mysterious appearance.
Black orchid is a sought-after shade in king crowntail bettas, and these fish can cost more than $1,000!
Purple
This is one of the rarest crowntail betta colors. Many people argue that purple bettas don’t exist and that all purple bettas are, in fact, light black orchids. However, you can still find bettas in lighter, almost pastel purple shades that will tell you otherwise.
These fish are rarely solid-colored. They most commonly come with copper, orange, or black fins, although other patterns are possible, as well.
White
White crowntail bettas are pretty rare. This isn’t a color of choice for most fishkeepers, which is why it’s usually found in combination with some other color – although pure white bettas do exist.
Keep in mind that white bettas are not the same as albino bettas, which I’ll talk about in a bit.
Also, many colorful bettas will turn white due to some illness or bad water conditions. If you willingly purchase a white betta, make sure you buy it from a reputable breeder. This will ensure you’ve gotten a true white crowntail, and not just a sick, pale fish.
Cellophane
Cellophane crowntails are extremely rare. These fish appear white or translucent, with a subtle pink tint. However, this tint isn’t caused by pigmentation.
As these crowntails have translucent skin, their organs are slightly visible through the fish. Yes, this pink color you’re seeing in cellophane crowntails are their flesh, blood, guts, and other organs!
Albino
Albino crowntail bettas are probably the rarest types of bettas out there. I am yet to see one with my own eyes!
Albino crowntails are the result of albinism, a condition that leads to a complete loss of pigment. Their bodies are usually white, but they can sometimes be translucent or with a pink tint, just like cellophane bettas.
The main feature that differentiates albino crowntails from white or cellophane crowntails is their red eyes. This eye color is caused by the loss of pigment, as well, and it cannot be found in any other crowntail betta color.
Crowntail Betta Color Patterns
Even if you’ve just started looking into crowntail bettas, you’ve probably noticed that they rarely come in solid color.
While these gorgeous fish can have numerous patterns, these six are the most common ones:
Bicolor and Multicolor
Bicolor is probably the most common pattern in crowntail bettas. As their name suggests, these fish have a body in one color and fins in a second one.
Similarly, multicolor bettas have a third color on their body. Some might even have more.
Most other patterns can be considered bicolor and multicolored.
Cambodian
This is one of the original crowntail betta colors that has lost its popularity over time. In recent years, it isn’t all that common to find a Cambodian crowntail betta as it used to be a decade ago.
Cambodian crowntails have bodies in a pale shade of pink that shouldn’t be confused with cellophane fish, as this pink color is, in fact, caused by the red pigment. At the same time, their fins and tail are bright red.
Some fish keepers consider them to be the same as bicolor crowntails, but they are distinguished by this specific color pattern.
Butterfly
Butterfly crowntails have a body in one color that bleeds into their fins and tail. Their fins also have a white tip, giving them the appearance of a butterfly wing.
In other words, butterfly crowntails look similar to Cambodian crowntails, but with white tips.
Some butterfly crowntail bettas have a split color halfway. While rare, these are highly-prized fish that don’t come cheap.
Marble
Marble crowntails have a body in a pale shade, with splotches of one or more bright colors – usually blue or red, but other colors are possible, as well.
Unlike with most other colors, marble pattern’s history can be traced to a single, accidental breeder, Orville Gulley.
Gulley was an inmate attempting to breed black bettas, but he created marble ones instead. A few of his bettas were bought by Walt Maurus, who started selling them and perfecting the pattern.
Dragon Scale
Dragon scale crowntail bettas are yet another rare and expensive type of betta fish.
These bettas have thick, metallic scales that look almost reptilian. They can come in various bright colors, but all will have a bright glow to them, giving their body the appearance of medieval armor.
Dalmatian
Dalmatian crowntails are very similar to marble bettas, but they come with more pronounced patterns.
Most dalmatian crowntails come in combinations of blue and white or red and orange. While other combinations exist, they mostly come in marble and not a dalmatian pattern.
The Bottom Line
There are so many crowntail betta colors to choose from! Red, blue, green… It’s challenging to pick a single favorite!
While color plays an important role when picking your new pet, the most important thing should be vibrancy. Pale, washed-out colors can be a sign of severe health issues in betta fish, which is why you should avoid them.Similarly, if you notice your crowntail’s color has changed, this might be a sign that something’s wrong. Don’t waste any time and check your water parameters!
Hi fellow aquarists, I’m Ava and I’ve been an enthusiastic aquarium hobbyist for over four years now.
I’ve been amazed by these beautiful creatures since I was a kid and I’m thrilled to be sharing everything I’ve learned over the years with anyone who’s as passionate about the topic as I am.