Thai ornamental betta color reference

Standard Breeds of Ornamental Betta Fish in Thailand

Color of Bettas

Bettas have among the widest ranges of color found in ornamental fish. Breeders use imagination together with principles from color-genetics theory to develop new betta colors continually. Newly developed colors can have high market value and bring recognition and pride to their creators, helping sustain interest in keeping and developing betta colors in countries around the world.

Group 1

1. Retro Solid Color

A single-color fish kept since the early period, with the same color throughout the body. It may no longer be as popular in the present era. This includes bettas entered as a line but placed in this category, with red, yellow, or orange fins and body.

Color examples

Red Pine Apple
Orange Pine Apple
Yellow Pine Apple
Green Black Head
Blue Black Head
Steelblue Black Head
Opaque
Cellophane

Opaque: A betta with an opaque white or pinkish-white body. The body may be blue, grey, or green and has no iridescent sheen.

Cellophane: A betta with a clear white body, no iridescent sheen, and transparent, colorless fins; this includes both black-eyed and red-eyed fish.

Three bettas in red, yellow, and orange colors — Red Pine Apple, Yellow Pine Apple, and Orange Pine Apple examples.

Three blue and green bettas with dark heads — Green Black Head, Blue Black Head, and Steelblue Black Head examples.

Pale opaque ornamental betta — Opaque color example.

Light-bodied betta with transparent fins — Cellophane color example.

Group 2

2. Retro Mix Color

A mixed-color fish kept since the early period. Its unpatterned body is green, blue, brown, or grey; the fins are yellow or orange, and their edges match the body color. The body may have either coated or non-coated scales.

Color examples

Mustard Gas
Mustard Blue
Orange Gas
Black Copper
Yellow Copper
Orange Copper
Black Orchid
Melano
Cambodian
Grizzle
Pradu

Black Copper, Yellow Copper, and Orange Copper: Bettas with a dark body and fins throughout. The body color has no pattern.

Black Orchid: A betta with a black body overlaid with blue or grey, no body pattern, and blue lines along the fin rays.

Melano: A betta that is black in all parts, with a faint coating of blue, green, or grey over the body. The body has no pattern, and the head is solid black.

Cambodian: A betta with a pale, unpatterned body and fins that are either one color or mixed colors.

Grizzle: A betta whose outer scales show mixed color, with blue, grey, or green interspersed with white in darker alternating areas on the body and blue fins. Red, yellow, or orange may also be present.

Pradu: A betta with a dark body that may be black, blue, green, or grey; red fins; and a faint dark edge around the fins.

Three bettas with dark bodies and yellow or orange fins — Mustard Gas, Mustard Blue, and Orange Gas examples.

Dark metallic betta with extended fin rays — Black Copper example.

Three bettas with dark, yellow, orange, and copper-toned colors — Black Copper, Yellow Copper, and Orange Copper examples.

Black betta with blue highlights along the fin rays — Black Orchid example.

Solid dark ornamental betta — Melano example.

Pale-bodied betta with red fins — Cambodian example.

Two blue-and-white patterned ornamental bettas — Grizzle examples.

Dark blue betta with red fins — Pradu example.

Group 3

3. Solid Color

A betta with one clearly uniform color across the entire body and fins. Its scales may be coated or non-coated. Colors include red, orange, yellow, gold, white, blue, green, grey, and black.

A collection of ornamental bettas in single colors — Examples of Solid Color bettas.

Group 4

4. Bi Color

A betta whose body is one color and whose fins are another color. A boundary runs around the body color, and all fins share one color.

4.1 Non Metallic Bi Color

A betta with a single-color body, non-coated scales, and fins of another single color, with a clear color boundary around the body.

Pale-bodied betta with contrasting red fins — Non Metallic Bi Color example.

4.2 Metallic Bi Color

A betta with a single-color body, coated scales, and fins of another single color, with a clear color boundary around the body.

Two light-bodied bettas with contrasting dark red and blue fins — Metallic Bi Color examples.

Group 5

5. Butterfly Patterned Color

A betta with a single-color body and fins whose colors form separate bands, with color boundaries resembling butterfly wings.

5.1 Single Band

A betta whose fins have two contrasting colors divided approximately in half. The color boundary, or Butterfly pattern, forms an edge around the middle of the fins.

Example: Single Band with a patterned body.

A collection of bettas with contrasting bands around their fins — Single Band examples, including a patterned body.

5.2 Multi Band

A betta whose fins have more than two contrasting colors, with clearly divided color boundaries forming edges around the fins, or colors resembling a Multi Band pattern.

Two bettas with multiple contrasting color bands in their fins — Multi Band examples.

Group 6

6. Dot Patterned Color

A betta whose fins and/or body carry differently formed color markings, such as dots or patches, scattered across the fins and/or body. The group is divided into two types according to scale color characteristics.

6.1 Non Metallic Dot Patterned Color

A betta whose color pattern varies in the size of its boundaries and forms scattered colored dots, bands, or patches on a non-coated body.

Two bettas with scattered red and dark markings — Non Metallic Dot Patterned Color examples.

Two pale bettas with scattered colored marks across body and fins — Additional non-metallic dot, band, and patch pattern examples.

6.2 Metallic Dot Patterned Color

A betta whose color pattern varies in size and forms scattered colored dots, bands, or patches on a coated body.

Three bettas with scattered multicolor markings on coated bodies — Metallic Dot Patterned Color examples.

Group 7

7. Mixed Color

A betta displaying diverse colors and color patterns without showing the characteristics of the various Butterfly Patterned Color groups.

7.1 Non Metallic Mixed Color

A betta displaying mixed colors in many forms, with non-coated color characteristics.

7.1.1 Non Metallic Marble Two Tone

Two colors appear as markings across the fish, resembling a playing-card pattern or a fancy-koi pattern. The colors have non-coated characteristics.

Red and yellow betta with two-tone markings — Non Metallic Marble Two Tone example.

7.1.2 Non Metallic Multicolor

Three or more colors appear as markings across the fish. The colors have non-coated characteristics.

Betta with red, yellow, and pale multicolor markings — Non Metallic Multicolor example.

7.1.3 Non Metallic Head Marking

A prominent color pattern appears on the front or head of the betta in various forms, resembling a koi Danjo pattern or mottling across the head. The colors have non-coated characteristics.

Top view of a pale betta with a red marking on its head — Non Metallic Head Marking example.

7.1.4 Non Metallic Body Marking

A betta with bands of different colors running across the body. The colors have non-coated characteristics.

Pale-bodied betta with a broad red band across its body — Non Metallic Body Marking example.

7.1.5 Non Metallic Caudal Marking

A prominent color pattern appears near the rear of the fish. The colors have non-coated characteristics.

Two bettas with prominent contrasting colors near the caudal area — Non Metallic Caudal Marking examples.

7.2 Metallic Mixed Color

A betta displaying mixed colors in many forms, with coated color characteristics.

7.2.1 Metallic Marble Two Tone

Two colors appear as markings across the fish. The colors have coated characteristics.

Pale betta with dark two-tone marble markings — Metallic Marble Two Tone example.

7.2.2 Metallic Multicolor

Three or more colors appear as markings across the fish. The colors have coated characteristics.

Betta with multiple bright colors and coated scales — Metallic Multicolor example.

7.2.3 Metallic Head Marking

A prominent color pattern appears on the head of the fish in various forms, resembling a koi Danjo pattern or mottling across the head. The colors have coated characteristics.

Dark betta with a prominent pale marking on its head — Metallic Head Marking example.

7.2.4 Metallic Body Marking

A betta with bands of different colors running across the body. The colors have coated characteristics.

Two bettas with contrasting color bands across their bodies — Metallic Body Marking examples.

7.2.5 Metallic Caudal Marking

A prominent color appears near the rear of the fish. The colors have coated characteristics.

Two bettas with prominent contrasting colors near their caudal fins — Metallic Caudal Marking examples.

7.2.6 Galaxy

A coated-scale betta with scattered spots distributed across the body, resembling stars in the sky.

Two dark bettas with scattered bright spots — Galaxy examples.

7.3 Any Other Color

Color characteristics other than the types described in 7.1–7.2.

Three bettas displaying other mixed color patterns — Any Other Color examples.