Last Updated on 11 months by admin

Do betta fish change color?

Siamese fighting fish, also known as Betta Fish are brightly colored fishes with glamorous fins. They are very sought after because they just swim gracefully and it is so calm to look at in your Betta Fish tank. Unlike their other counterparts such as neon fish with darting forward or backward.

Betta Fish has a great personality which everyone likes.

There are several reasons why a Betta Fish changes color:

• Stress
• Age
• illness

The most common reason for Betta Fish to change color is due to stress.

Does Stress contribute to my betta fish changing of color?

Yes under the circumstances when the Betta Fish is stressed then it would change color. They tend to lose some of their color and undergo a condition called : “stress stripes” or “racing stripes”.

What is a stress stripes?

Stress stripes are seen on the Betta Fish from the gill to the tail and the colors maybe: black, red or white. The colors may also mix in combination.

This is likely to be caused by this factors:

• Incorrect water parameters
• Improper water temperature

The correct water parameters should be around pH 7.0 to 7.4 which is right for a healthy and thriving living conditions for the Betta Fish.

The correct temperature must be kept at 78 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit which is the temperature where the Betta Fish is accustomed to the tropical conditions.

It would be a good idea if you can buy a water test kit so that you can monitor the water quality every week or bi weekly to make sure that the levels are in acceptable conditions:

• Ammonia
• Nitrite
• Nitrate
• pH

You sometimes noticed that when you recently purchase the Betta Fish from a store and thinking that it is light red or light blue and when it gets acclimated to your 2.5 or 5 Gallons Betta Fish Water Tank the color perhaps would go deeper than the original color that you saw at the store.

When the Betta Fish is in a very small and tight container in the store, it is likely to be very stressful and might not display the correct depth of color that it is predisposition.

How to test the water in your aquarium video below:

Showing the correct pH level on your Betta Fish Tank video below:

Make sure that you have at least 1 gallon tank and heated. Male Bettas need to be separated since they are very aggressive. Unlike the Female Bettas which can be mixed with a larger community tank.

Does illness make my Betta Fish to change color?

When a Betta Fish is pale in color that can also mean that they are sick. The Betta Fish can have a lighter color when they are struck with:

• Bacterial Infection
• Fungus Infection

The bacterial and fungal infections of your Betta Fish have the Fin Rot and Body Rot as the common Betta Fish disease.

Most illnesses are caused again by the following factors:

• Poor water conditions
• Improper temperature in the fish tank
• Overcrowding in a community tank
• Introduction of an infected fish on the Betta Fish Tank
• Uneaten food on the gravel
• Too much recycled feces on the tank which was neglected in cleaning maintenance

Bacterial and fungal infections leave patches of discolored spots on the body and fins. Ich can also be delibidating on the Betta Fish which appears as many small white spots on the body. Ich is actually a parasite that is latched on the body of the Betta Fish feeding.

Velvet is also another illness can cause color change especially on the gills and scales in a slimy film: Yellow or Brown.

8 Ways to tell if a Betta is Sick ( Color Change )

You may ask what are the visible signs that your Betta Fish is sick?

1. The color of your Betta Fish can be lighter and faded in color
2. If there are signs of Fin Rot or Body Rot then the color of his fins and body may also be dfferent when he was healthy. There are visible micro holes and missing fins. Your Betta Fish may not glare the fins as it is used to when you are feeding or when your finger is on top of the Betta Tank
3. Lethargic. Your Betta Fish is always at the bottom and seems to be sleeping all the time. Lethargy can be caused by improper water temperature. You always have to maintain the correct temperature at 78 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit since they are tropical fishes.
4. Small White spots all over the body. This is caused by Ich, a parasite that lathes the body and especially gills of the fish.
5. Eating habits. If your Betta Fish do not eat then it tells us that she is definitely sick.
6. Breathing problems. Betta fishes that constantly go to the surface is not normal.
7. Betta Fish Rubbing on decors. If your Betta Fish is constantly rubbing its body on all the decors that means that Ich may be present. The Betta Fish wanted to rub off the Ich parasite since it is hooked on the body and gills.
8. Swollen Eyes can be a major problem. This is not normal for the Betta Fish and definitely sick.

Why is my Betta Fish turning white? Losing its color?

Betta Fish is losing its color which stems from stress. The greyish and whitish under the mouth then is it probably cased by stress.

Stress can simply come from not doing regular water changes which is the most common problem. By doing 25% regular water changes every week is needed to keep your Betta Fish healthy.

If your it is a 1 gallon tank then simply dump a small cup of water taken from the surface and top up with tap water or spring water.

The tap water must be aged at least 24 hours so that there is no presence of chlorine from evaporation. Remember that the tap water must be of the same temperature on your Betta Fish tank so that it will not shock the Betta Fish.

Does Age make my Betta Fish to change color?

The average lifespan of a Betta Fish that is kept in captivity is about two to five years. In the wild, Betta Fishes with a large space and abundance of insects and food source may live longer.

With proper care your Betta Fish may even live longer as compared to ones in the wild. When the Bettas are born the color is almost translucent as observed on the Betta Fry.

The color deepens when the Betta Fish is aging normally. When the Betta Fish is about two years old it will gradually lose its luster and dull in appearance. But of course when you take great care in proper feeding your Betta Fish may still maintain its full color.

What is a Marble Betta Color changing fish?

Here are some of the pictures of a Marble Betta Fish

There is a particular type of Betta Fish called “Marble Betta Fish”.

This a condition of a mutation called as “jumping gene”. This gene is able to move the fish’s chromosomes, which will always have different kind of colors. In one morning the color is turquoise and then when you get home it might be red and white star-spangled color pattern which is very cool.

When you purchased a young Betta Fish at a store and when it reaches puberty the color may also change to a deeper color.