Betta Color Morphs: Modern Catalog and Genetics

The modern betta color catalog contains dozens of named morphs. Most trace to combinations of about a dozen major gene loci plus selection. This page is the practical reference: common morphs, genetic basis, breeding behavior. For deeper mechanics, see the genetics guide and the specific spokes.

Solid colors

Red. Erythrophore-dominant body. NR/NR or NR/nr at the non-red locus. Extended red alleles deepen the hue. Breeds mostly true to red.

Royal blue. Heavy iridescent blue coverage. ST/ST at the steel locus. Melanophores provide background contrast. Breeds true.

Steel blue. Paler, grayer blue. ST/st. Breeds 50/50 steel and royal (or green) with a heterozygous partner.

Green. st/st. Breeds true when both parents are green.

Black melano. Deep black. bl/bl. Females infertile. See black melano.

Black lace. Dark black without infertility. Different allelic basis. Fertile both sexes.

Yellow. Xanthophore-dominant, absent erythrophore or reduced red expression. Yellow requires multiple alleles; less predictable than red.

White (clear/opaque-white). Absent or minimal pigment. Can be cellophane (see below) or opaque white (Op gene with pale base).

Cellophane. Transparent fins, flesh-colored body showing through skin. No major pigment expressed. Flesh color comes from underlying tissues.

Pattern morphs

Cambodian. Pale body (often pinkish or white) with colored fins. nr/nr at non-red plus reduced melanin. Body has no red/blue, fins retain color.

Butterfly. Color bands in fins with distinct edge where color changes to white or another color. Polygenic, selected across generations.

Pineapple. Yellow body with darker fin edges. Yellow base plus pattern gene.

Marble. Irregular patches of colors. Kit Ligand A transposon. Pattern shifts through life. See marble gene.

Koi. Red, black, and white calico marble. Selected version of marble genetics.

Galaxy koi. Koi with iridescent spots added (opaque gene).

Candy. Pastel marble, often pale blue/pink/yellow mix.

Nemo. Red and black marble with orange accents. Named after the movie clownfish.

Iridescent intensification

Dragon. Thick metallic scale coverage. Opaque gene plus multi-generation selection. See dragon scale.

Super red dragon. Red base with full dragon scale.

Red dragon plakat. Dragon on a plakat (short-finned) body.

Copper. Iridophore with copper-brown cast. Often mistaken for light brown.

Gold dragon. Yellow-gold metallic scale coverage. Rare.

Less common morphs

Chocolate. Dark brown body, often yellow fins. Melanophore plus xanthophore.

Orange. Xanthophore plus erythrophore partial expression. Less common than red.

Salamander. Orange-red body with white marble-like patches.

Mustard gas. Blue body, yellow fins with dark edges. A classic older morph.

Black orchid. Black base with fin extensions and faint iridescent tips.

Paradise. Mimics paradise fish (Macropodus) color pattern. Rare, selective.

Show standards vs. pet market

IBC Exhibition Standards categorize competition classes by color and pattern. Show bettas are judged against specific criteria for each class. Pet market colors are less strict: anything with strong visual appeal sells.

Pet-store common colors (2020-2026):

• Red
• Royal blue
• Galaxy koi
• Dragon variants
• Marble

Serious collector colors:

• Black melano
• Yellow dragon
• White platinum
• Chocolate
• Wild-type (rare, mostly from wild-type breeding programs)

The color-fin combination grid

In the modern hobby, color and fin type are combined into named categories:

• Halfmoon red
• Halfmoon royal blue
• Halfmoon koi
• Plakat red dragon
• Plakat black copper
• Crowntail red
• Crowntail blue
• Double-tail galaxy koi
• … and dozens more combinations.

Each combination has its own breeding population and its own lineages.

Color at purchase vs. adult color

A betta’s color can change from purchase (week 10-12) to adult peak (month 6-9):

• Colors may intensify (iridescence deepens, red darkens).
• Patterns may shift (marble notably).
• Fins may extend and gain fin-specific coloration.

Don’t assume the fish you bring home is the fish you’ll have in 6 months. For marble fish, assume significant pattern change.

Color loss in aging fish

Old fish (3+ years) often dull:

• Iridescence fades.
• Red desaturates.
• Pattern becomes more diffuse.

Normal aging, not disease.

Buying for color

If a specific color matters to you, buy from a breeder who can show parent fish of the same color. Pet-store bettas are mass-farm products; specific color lines trace to specific breeders.

If you want predictable adult color, buy a fish closer to adulthood (4-6 months, not 10 weeks). Younger fish change more.

If you’re breeding for color, read the specific genetics spokes and source documented lines.

The color catalog is the floor, not the ceiling

New color morphs appear each year through hobbyist selection. The catalog above is the 2020-2026 mainstream. Hobby publications and AquaBid listings constantly introduce new combinations.

Follow IBC standards for the formal classification. Follow Aquabid and breeder Instagram accounts for the leading edge.

Color is the most visually obvious dimension of betta keeping. It’s also the dimension with the deepest selective-breeding history. A red halfmoon in 2026 is the result of 100 years of pet-trade color selection. Appreciate the lineage behind the fish.

Related on this site

• Betta Genetics: Color, Fin, and Pattern Inheritance
• The Marble Gene: A Transposable Element in Kit Ligand A
• Betta Iridescence: Blue, Steel, Green, and the Structural Color System
• Betta Black Melano Genetics: Why Females Are Infertile
• Betta Dragon Scale Genetics: Intensified Iridophore Selection