I get a lot of emails, mostly about care questions, but it’s always great to meet and interact with people from all over the world. It’s been a while since we’ve had an owner spotlight, so when Princess reached out to me in an email, I was excited to feature her and her 4 beautiful bettas for everyone.

Her love for bettas has quickly progressed since her first one a few years back. Now they’re starting to take over her bedroom. Keep reading to find out more:

How many bettas do you have? What are their names and tail types?

I have four bettas. My first baby is Connor and he is a blue and red Veiltail. My second male is named Luther and he is also a Veiltail who is white. My two females are named Mushu and North. Mushu is a dark grey dumbo halfmoon betta and North is a pink and red Crowntail.

Is there any significance behind their names?

Connor, Luther and North (and my other fish/snails) are named after characters in my favorite video game Detroit become human.

Name one or two things you wish you knew sooner about betta care.

The first thing I wish I knew was that they needed a heater. My first betta Connor when I first got him was lethargic when he got home then a few days afterwards then I finally put a heater in there and he was just fine. Then the second thing was that females can live together. I thought I would have to have multiple tanks for multiple females.

Tell me a little bit about your habitat setups.

Connor lives in a 3.5-gallon habitat and has one corner with an assortment of fake plants. Then in the back he has a little “Play structure”, for lack of a better word, with multi-colored gravel. Luther is living in a bowl which is temporary with a play structure and pink gravel. Then my 10-gallon tank has blue, teal, and green gravel with multiple fake plants and a few decorations.

How long have you been keeping bettas? What caught your attention about them?

When I was 9-years old I got my first betta who I named Oscar. He was super pretty and I just loved them ever since. I’ve kept bettas for a few years now.

Do you have any big future plans coming up? A new tank or another betta?

For now, not really, but I will be upgrading Luther to a 3.5-gallon tank.

Where do you keep your tanks?

I keep all of my bettas tanks in my bedroom. Connor is on my bookshelf while my 10-gallon sits on my dresser. Lastly, Luther is on my nightstand.

Is there any specific product or group of products you’d recommend to others?

Topfin. I love their products and I wouldn’t recommend anything else.

What’s your favorite tail type, color or colors and why?

My favorite tail type is the Veiltail. Despite it often being seen “basic”, to me they are all different in their own way. My favorite color would have to be Grays, Whites, and Blacks because they seem so unique.

If you had unlimited money, what would be your dream setup?

My dream setup would be a 155-gallon tank with a bunch of female bettas from each tail type and tons of decor.

Thanks for participating Princess, and if anyone has a question for her, please leave it in the comments below!

The post Owner Spotlight: Princess & Her 4 Bettas appeared first on Bettafish.org.

You’ll find a ton of great photos and information on her planted aquariums on her blog. For now, let’s get to know a little more about her and her betta fish named Samblu.

How long have you been an aquarist? What’s your favorite part?

I kept goldfish and angelfish as a kid, then there was a long hiatus while I was in college. I really got back into the aquarium hobby four years ago. My favorite part is watching the fish! It’s better than TV. I could spend hours observing as they drift around, especially in the tank I have, with multiple fish and how they interact.

Your betta fish’s name is Samblu, is there a story behind that name?

Nothing special. I kind of named him after Sam Gamgee, and because of his brilliant color. I was calling him Sam Blue for a while, then just shortened it to Samblu.

I see you also have a knack for aquascaping, and planted tanks. What’re your top 3 favorite live plants?

I’m still learning as I go, with that! It’s so hard to choose – Crypts are great and very versatile, and I love aponogetons in my larger tanks. My top three for my betta tank are Bucephelandra, which does well in my low-light setup and adds a nice blue hue that’s different from the other plants.

Another favorite is Subwassertang, some people call it “freshwater seaweed”. I have some growing on driftwood and in my other tank I tie it down to create low bushes. For floaters, this may sound crazy, but I like Spirodela Polyrhiza – it’s the giant form of duckweed.

It shades the tank, does a good job consuming nitrates, and doesn’t stick to everything or multiply too fast like the common duckweed (trust me, I’ve had that one too). Plus I like the appearance of the little roots.

What’s your favorite betta tail type? Why?

I tend to prefer the short-finned plakat bettas. Long-finned bettas are very beautiful but I really like to see the activity of the plakats, they can zip around the tank when they want to. I’ve had standard ones and double-tailed plakats.

My last betta, Oliver, had very nice form with an arrow-like shape and a double lobed tail. Samblu seems to have some kind of deformity, his body is shorter at the back end and has a bend in it. I’m not sure if he was injured when younger or if it is genetic. But I like him anyway.

What’s your biggest pet peeve when it comes to betta fish?

It really aggravates me to see bettas in a shop displayed in vases and one-gallon fishbowls. That just makes first-time customers believe it’s okay to keep fish in such a small, unfiltered container. I know, because I was there once!

My first betta was in a bowl, I didn’t know any better. Because stores and advertisements show betta fish in small homes, it just perpetuates the idea that it’s ok to keep them that way.

If you had unlimited funds and space, what would be your dream setup?

Well, someday I want to have a large tank for angelfish, and a paludarium with archerfish, and a koi pond… but that’s all going beyond the topic of focus here! For bettas, I’m fairly pleased with my current ten-gallon setup, I don’t know if I’ll ever move beyond that for this fish.

Give one or two pieces of advice to someone new to the hobby of fish keeping – especially betta’s.

Give your betta a heater and a filter- it is so much better for their long-term health. Live plants are great – they oxygenate the water for the fish. Give him or her something interesting to swim around, and it’s fun to learn about and aquascape the plants too.

Small sponge filters are the best. They have gentle flow which is good for fancy bettas and provides both mechanical and biological filtration. I always keep extra sponge filters on hand.

A big thank you to Jeane for participating in our Owner Spotlight. I had a great time getting to know and learn more about her setups and plakat betta Samblu. If you have any comments or questions for Jeane, please leave them in the comments below!

The post Owner Spotlight: Jeane and Samblu appeared first on Bettafish.org.

While dogs and other pets may not be ideal for every family or situation, a betta fish is a great candidate for kids and parents alike. Requiring minimal investment, space, and daily care, a betta will allow you to educate your son or daughter as they grow up.

The Betta Fish Bond

With large personalities and beautiful flowing fins, betta fish instantly become our friends the moment we find the perfect one and bring them home. Then we name them, further strengthening that bond.

I’ve been there myself, never wanting to reuse a name for another betta, even though I loved the name. It just didn’t seem right, especially because it was befitting of his (swim in peace Finley) personality.

Little Boy Doesn’t Want to Flush Cupid

After watching the video below of a little boy named Pierce, you’ll see he too had a very tough time saying goodbye to his buddy Cupid. He even thought for a moment Cupid was still moving, but ultimately with the guidance of his mom Dee, wishes him farewell.

While his mom handles the loss with a little laughter, it was certainly an emotional time for Pierce and an emotional lesson. Luckily for him, she said they could go to their local PetSmart and get him another one.  Pierce overfed Cupid (learn about food and feeding), which led to his short-lived life of just a month. I bet he won’t do that again.

Never Flush a Dead Fish

This is also a great time to let you know that you should never flush a fish, living or dead, down the toilet. There’s obvious reasons like cruelty for a living betta, but there’s also important health and safety issues with dead fish.

Flushing a dead betta introduces bacteria and disease into our water which can eventually harm other fish species or even impact our own water sources. I recommend burial, cremation, or the easiest method which is sealing them in a plastic bag and then disposing of them in the trash.

Educate and Support

Loss is tough, and it affects us at all ages. If you’re a parent, use this time to educate and support your son or daughter. If a betta fish seems insignificant to you as an adult, it could mean the world to a child. Yes life goes on, but not without meaning and learning. As Dee said, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, water to water.”

If you have your own story about losing a betta fish, please share it in the comments below.

The post Betta Fish, Children, and Loss appeared first on Bettafish.org.

Is Blaze your first Betta fish? Where did you get him and why did you choose him specifically?

Blaze is not my first Betta fish. I have had many before him. It has been awhile since I had one and could not resist him at the pet store. I got Blaze from Petco one afternoon when I was getting dog food. I had the planted tank for a while and needed an occupant. I chose Blaze because of his coloring and because he had a spunky personality.

Most people have a reason for naming their pet fish, why did you choose Blaze.

I chose the name Blaze based off a Nickelodeon show, Blaze and the Monster Machines. It is my son’s favorite show. Blaze also loves to speed around his tank. He is super quick.

What specific advice would you give to a new betta owner?

I would tell people to do some research on the betta fish and the best environment for it to live in before making a quick purchase. People make the terrible mistake of falling for the idea that they can live in small bowls, or without a heater or filter. The truth is a betta should have no less than 5 to 6 gallons of water to live in and it should be filtered and kept at a tropical temperature.

It is cruel and unfair to house a betta in small bowls. They need space to swim and plants and decor to explore. A consistent, stable quality of water is very important for the health of your betta. Also remember that a pet is a responsibility and it needs to be cared for properly. Bettas are amazing pets that deserve a happy and healthy home.

Tell us about your tank setup, from plants to the substrate.

I have always liked the idea of long tanks to allow more space for my fish to swim. Never liked the small tanks lengthwise because they are limited. I saw the 6.6 gallon Petco bookshelf tank and just had to have it. It is 24” in length, 8” deep, and 9” tall. I changed the filter to a Marineland Bio-wheel Penguin 100. I have a heater set at 78 degrees. The substrate is eco-complete for my plants.

My plants consist of a betta bulb that opened into a pretty cool plant, a water wisteria, anubias, java moss, dwarf hairgrass, bacopa, and jungle val. I have a piece of driftwood and some other decor for creating hiding places. I also added Nerite snails, an Oto, a white mystery snail, and ghost shrimp for friends. And I changed the light to the Aqueon plant growth light bulb.

What product or products do you recommend to others?

I would recommend using Seachem products. I use Seachem Prime when doing water changes to help remove Chlorine and Chloramine. It also detoxifies ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. It helps provide slime coat as well. I use Seachem Flourish, Trace, and Excel, to keep my plants healthy too. Lastly, I recommend long tanks for fish to have more surface area to swim.

Name one thing you learned recently about betta’s that you didn’t know before.

I have always been told that they cannot be housed with other tank mates. I know now from experience that they can be housed with other tank mates if done properly. They can coexist with neon tetras, platy’s, white cloud minnows, rasboras, cories, etc. Each betta is different so I would recommend having another tank available if it doesn’t work out.

What is your favorite part about caring for a betta fish?

For me, it is the peacefulness I feel watching Blaze explore his environment. He keeps me smiling because he’s always hiding from me but peeking out to see if I am looking for him. He is very playful.

What type of betta fish is Blaze?

Blaze is a Butterfly Betta. He is so beautiful and colorful. He has red, white, and blue colors. Truly a gorgeous fish.

Do you have any unique plans for the future?

I have a 10 gallon tank that I just added a betta fish to. He is my son’s betta and his name is megabyte. Not sure what type of betta he is but he is a gorgeous green and blue. My son loves the responsibility of taking care of his fish family.

Tell us one betta myth that you wish would die forever.

One myth that I wish would die forever is that betta fish do not need more than a cup full of water to live in. That just because a betta fish breathes from the surface of the water he does not need a large amount of water to live in. That is false and inhumane. The truth is bettas need a clean environment to thrive in and enough space to explore.

Having them in such a small amount of water creates extremely poor water quality which can make them very sick very fast. They are basically swimming in their waste. So with that, make sure you have no less than 5 gallons for your betta, have a filter and heater and keep doing water changes to create the ideal, healthy, and stable environment for your betta buddy to live in. When a betta is living in the right ecosystem and aquarium setup, you will see its true personality shine and get to appreciate their beauty for a lot longer.

If you have any questions for Vanessa, drop them in the comments below!

The post Owner Spotlight: Vanessa and Blaze appeared first on Bettafish.org.

Oddly enough though, the manufacturer decided to place a metal wire inside the stem of the leaf to provide it with support and the ability to adjust its direction and location in the water. Over time and while being submerged, this wire will start to rust and quickly be visible on the end that is positioned inside the suction cup. The leaf is still strong enough to support a betta fish’s weight on its own, it just won’t be able to bend into different positions once fixed. Follow these easy steps below to prevent metal from mixing with your betta fish’s water.

Tools Required (pictured above):

• An adult if you’re too young to handle this on your own
• An exacto knife (any blade including a pocket knife will do)
• Needle-nose pliers
• A little patience

Step 1

Remove the leaf and suction cup from the package or from your tank and separate. Once they are separated you can place the suction cup to the side because it is not the affected area. Place the leaf on a cutting board or other hard and flat surface. At the tip of the stem you will need to carefully cut away some of the plastic that surrounds the tip. Keep trimming away small portions at a time until you expose the metal wire just enough to grab it with pliers. Take care to preserve and salvage as much of the end as possible because it still needs to hold the leaf in place inside the suction cup.

Step 2

Now that you have the wire exposed, you’ll need to hold the leaf in place while you extract the wire. For this step I decided to use two pairs of needle-nose pliers and I recommend you do the same (one on the stem for holding the leaf and one on the wire). Once you have the leaf firmly in place, grab the wire with the other pair of pliers. Carefully but forcefully pull in the opposite direction to remove the wire from inside the stem. It may give you a bit of a fight but just keep pulling slowly, taking care to not damage the stem or leaf. Once you have it fully removed that’s it, you’re done (almost).

Great Job!

Your betta fish’s hammock is now safe. Throw the metal wire away, put your tools away, and rinse the leaf and suction cup under hot water for a few moments. Re-insert the leaf into the suction cup and secure the betta bed hammock back into your tank for your betta fish’s enjoyment! Pass this information along to help other betta fish owners too by sharing it below.

The post Betta Fish Hammock Safety Fix appeared first on Bettafish.org.

It’s time for another Owner Spotlight from the community of other betta lovers out there like you and I. Today’s spotlight comes from Mark who has a total of 8 betta fish across several different tanks and has an incredible passion for caring for his males and females. I always love seeing the unique names that other owners decide to name their little buddies! Here’s his story and our one on one below:

How many betta fish do you have, what types and what are their names?

I currently have eight bettas, Lao Tzu is a CTPK male (featured photo above), Grim is a CT male, Reaper is a CT male, Dusit is a HMPK male, Blue is a CTPK female, Big Momma is HMPK female, and Baby Girl and Sweet Potato are also HMPK females.

What inspired you to get into the betta fish husbandry hobby?

Bettas are what I turned to after I lost my dog but I have had bettas all my life.

Have you ever set up or had a sorority?

I do currently have a sorority and am expecting more females shortly to continue expanding it.

What product or products would you like to recommend to others?

I swear by anything made by Seachem, and their Kanaplex has ended a few dropsy battles for the better.

What is the biggest thing you’ve learned recently?

Having bettas, you are always learning and it’s almost impossible to pick one thing. Just always watch how they behave because each fish is different and you will be able to tell when something is wrong.

Tell me one piece of advice you’d give other betta fish owners; especially new owners.

The best advice I can give is to do your research and learn the most you can about tail types and general behavior. Once you know those you can go from there and expand. But when getting a betta make sure to watch them for a little bit, they all behave different and it’s important to know.

How many tanks do you have and what sizes are they?

All eight of my bettas are spread across five tanks. Lao Tzu has a 2.5 gallon heated, Grim is also in a 2.5 heated, Reaper is in a 3 gallon heated, Dusit has the smallest at 1.3 gallon heated that I plan on upgrading to a 2.5 heated soon, and all the females are in a 10 gallon heated and planted tank.

I know favorites are tough, but do you have a favorite out of your bettas?

My favorite is a three-way tie between Lao Tzu, Baby Girl, and Sweet Potato. Lao Tzu is my star stud, Baby Girl is just too cute, and Sweet Potato adores me and always comes over the second I approach the tank.

Have you done any breeding yet?

I do breed Lao Tzu and Blue and I plan on breeding Dusit and Sweet Potato and Baby Girl as soon as the girls are old enough. Right now they are still just a bit too young.

What is your least favorite part of betta fish husbandry?

My least favorite part of fish keeping is water maintenance. Between the water changes and actually keeping the balance good, and with CO2 injection it just gets that much harder.

Thank you to Mark for participating in this Owner Spotlight, and it was a pleasure meeting him and his bettas. If you have any questions for Mark, please drop them in the comments below. If you’re interested in sharing your own story and your bettas, please use the contact page or reach out on social!

The post Owner Spotlight: Mark & His 8 Betta Fish appeared first on Bettafish.org.

Mystery snails require a similar water pH at 7.0-7.5, temperature between 68-82 degrees fahrenheit, and regular day and night cycles just like your betta fish. Your snail won’t be as active as your betta, but they can be very active when they are feeding and in an exploring mood. It is recommended that if you do choose to add a mystery snail to your tank that it be at least 5 gallons in size. This is because of good ecosystem care and space requirements, and the bio-load or amount of waste that can occur. The larger the tank, the more community members that can exist in the tank and remain healthy.

Mystery Snails are Cleaners

A video posted by Betta Fish Fanatics (@bettafishorg) on Nov 2, 2015 at 8:05am PST

One of the biggest advantages to adding a mystery snail to your betta’s tank is that they feed on algae and fish flakes and betta pellets. They will scale across the substrate and sides of the tank’s glass to clean up all that excess waste that builds up! One man’s trash is another man’s treasure right? Do be careful though as mystery snails can become very stressed from similar situations that betta fish undergo. When adding them into the water, make sure they land right side up, and always acclimate them to the water temperature and its other parameters. Not doing so can result in death on day one.

Snails that go motionless for a day or more, or are upside down or floating may be dead. The ‘smell test’ or removing them from the tank and sniffing near them will be the true test. A dead mystery snail expels a very gross and pungent odor. Their average lifespan is much shorter than a betta fish’s and is typically around one year. Remove dead snails immediately to avoid disease and tank pollution (e.g. ammonia) which can harm your betta fish. 

Gary is on the move, cleaning cleaning cleaning. #mysterysnail #mysterysnails A video posted by Betta Fish Fanatics (@bettafishorg) on Nov 2, 2015 at 7:08am PST

Mystery Snails Like to Escape

Although I have never experienced this myself, even from tanks without lids, some mystery snails can be great magicians and escape their habitat. Take care by keeping your tank’s lid on at all times, and lower the water level to prevent any mishaps. Escaped mystery snails should be acclimated back into the tank as soon as possible as they can dry out very quickly and die.

Coloring also varies across mystery snails because what their name implies many are a mystery. The most common coloring is blue and dark shell colors all the way to cream and yellow. They do need a male and female to mate so you also won’t have to worry about them reproducing asexually and taking over your tank. That is unless of course you purchase a pregnant female.

Spotting a Healthy Mystery Snail

Some things to look for when purchasing a mystery snail pal for your betta fish is signs of good health. These include the following: a strong shell with no visible cracks or pitted areas, snails that are actively moving or attached to the tank’s sides, cohabitating with living and healthy fish, and contains all of its tentacles and there is no damage to its eyes or operculum.

Good luck picking out one for your tank, and I’d love to see pictures on Facebook or Instagram if you’d like to share. In the future I plan to make an exhaustive list of betta fish tank mates, but for now I at least wanted to cover the mystery snail because it’s a great beginner addition to care for.

The post Betta Fish and Mystery Snails appeared first on Bettafish.org.

It’s October and Halloween is quickly approaching. You’re probably looking for ways to decorate and spookify your home, apartment, bedroom, or even dorm room right? Sure lights and pumpkins and candles are fun, but you can also decorate your betta fish tank too. Your aquarium is already on display so why not decorate their home in line with the seasons and holidays. Below are some great ideas to get you started.

Halloween Tank Decorations

The easiest way to add some Halloween flair to your tank is by dropping in a halloween themed tank decoration. You can find these on Amazon, big box stores like Wal-Mart and at your local pet stores. They range in size and aren’t made exclusively for betta fish so you may have to do some due diligence before dropping them in the tank. Find one that is proportionate to the size of your tank and then examine it carefully for rough or sharp edges.

These imperfections during manufacturing could injure and rip your betta’s delicate fins. All hope is not lost though. If the decoration does have sharp edges you can use some light grit sandpaper to smooth them out. It’s a little extra work but totally worth it if you can still get an awesome halloween addition that only needs slight modification to be safe. Your betta will thank you.

Halloween-Themed Rocks and Substrate

A second option that requires more work is to change the substrate of your tank. If you can overlap this change during a regular 100% water change that’s even better! Pick up some orange and black aquarium substrate stones to lay as the base and easily make your tank Halloween themed. Pairing this with Halloween tank decorations will make your new environment even spookier. If you’re not fully ready to commit to a full substrate swap, you can also purchase accent stones that are black or orange to lay on top of your existing substrate.

Halloween Inspired Fake Plants

Let’s not forget about fake plant decorations either. Probably the least expensive option is to purchase some accent plants that are Halloween colored. Make sure any fake plants are silk to again prevent them from injuring your betta fish. Find some orange ones to go against an all black substrate bottom, or keep your substrate orange and buy black silk plants. Get creative here because there are many options to make your tank unique and spooky!

Other Halloween Ideas and DIYs

For some final touches you can also find or create a great DIY option. Remember those cling on window stickers for each holiday? Yup, the ones you can find at the dollar store, well you can affix those to the exterior of your tank very easily. While this option isn’t my favorite, it is the quickest and easiest way to add some Halloween decoration to your aquarium. Another option for the exterior of your tank (reserve this option for glass tanks only) is to use paint to draw on spooky designs of black cats, headstones and of course pumpkins and skeletons. Craft paint can be easily removed from glass after Halloween is over.

If you do create your own spooky Halloween betta fish tank DIY, make sure you share it with us in the comments below or on social media! If it gets too scary, I hope your betta has a tough stomach.

The post Halloween Themed Betta Tank Inspiration appeared first on Bettafish.org.

A couple of days ago Alex sent in a picture of Orion to share with me. After exchanging a couple messages back and forth, I asked if she would like to share Orion and his story with everyone else and she said yes! From choosing the name all the way down to offering up some first-timer advice, please welcome Alex and Orion in today’s owner spotlight. She’s got a great setup and one very unique betta splenden.

What inspired you to get a betta fish? Is Orion your first pet fish?

I had a few Bettas and some goldfish when I was younger, after which I didn’t have any other fish for several years. Orion is the third Betta that I’ve had during college. I think what most inspires me to be a “fish mom” is my love for the water and all creatures, especially aquatic ones. Bettas are so colorful, graceful, and each has their own unique personality, which is why I love them. Plus, just taking a few minutes to watch them swim around their little underwater world is enough to melt my stress away.

Share some information and a tour of Orion’s tank. What’s inside and what’s the setup?

Orion lives in a 5 gallon tank complete with LED lights, a heater, a Whisper 10i filter, a green and red silk/plastic plant, a mountain-shaped tank ornament that doubles as a hideaway, and a variety of river rocks and colored pebbles at the bottom of the tan. My overall goal was to complete a natural look as best as possible, that’s what I was aiming for.

What kind of betta is Orion, and has he gone through marbling or color changes?

Orion is a twin tail, double tail halfmoon Betta. He hasn’t experienced any noticeable color changes yet.

What two products would you recommend to other owners?

There are so many great Betta products that I can’t pick just 2! Filters and heaters are a must though, as well as a shelter or hideaway that your Betta can retreat to if they so choose. Shelters help to keep your betta less stressed and feel more secure.

What’s your favorite attribute or personality trait of Orion?

There are so many things that I love about my Orion! One of my favorite qualities is his insatiable curiosity and observant nature. He also swims right over to me whenever I pass by his tank, which is quite adorable!

What is one piece of advice that you’d like beginners to make sure they follow?

My advice to beginners is to make sure that your Betta has enough room to grow and thrive! Please do not keep them in a bowl or any other similarly small container, as they simply won’t be happy there. A filtered, heated 3 to 5 or so gallon tank would suit them best!

Do you have any plans for other tanks in the future or to try breeding some day?

I’m considering having a female Betta sorority tank one day! I may think about breeding Orion in the future too if a particular female Betta catches my eye. I’m not 100% certain on that yet though so don’t hold me to it.

Is there any significance behind choosing the name Orion?

Orion has a metallic-looking white base color that reminds me of starlight. As I was searching through possible nature-related names, “Orion” caught my attention. I thought it would be fitting to name him after a constellation, given his appearance.

What’s your least favorite part about caring for a betta fish?

If I HAD to pick something, I guess it would be doing those weekly water changes. But at the same time, I enjoy having a clean tank and providing Orion with a clean, comfortable home.

Have a question for Alex? Drop it in the comments below.

The post Owner Spotlight: Alex and Orion appeared first on Bettafish.org.

Because of their beauty, betta fish have always been used for all kinds of inspiration. I’ve seen crocheted betta fish, blown glass, and lots of paintings on Etsy and other corners of the web. With something as beautiful as a betta fish, it just begs to be used as a design inspiration. This was a new one for me though. I came across an article on Refinery 29 where a girl named Roxie Darling back in June from Hair Story Studio, was highlighted using betta fish (and hair dye) for a new hair design inspiration.

The result might not be something you’re into for an everyday look per se but there’s no denying how cool, creative and edgy it is. Darling said in response to our aquatic friends that she, “picked a betta fish as a reference for Gina’s hair because she really liked the way that the colors in their tails flow organically when they’re swimming. “I thought there was a way to make that translate into hair, since hair is also a natural, moving fiber.”

From the pictures of hair model Gina I think she nailed it, and it’s pretty neat how every different angle and hairstyle produces a new and colorful flowing look. For Gina’s look they decided to go with yellow and blue hues (from the betta pictured above), starting with blue underneath. I’m sure the possibilities are endless here. Just don’t overdo it with too many colors because eventually you’ll end up looking like you’re wearing a clown’s wig.

There’s also a hairspiration known as ‘mermaid hair’ that has been trending on Instagram for a while. To me, it also looks very similar and could be compared to how betta fish colors and fins flow. With betta fish hair though, it is apparently more focused on replicating how the color moves and adding more dimensions of flowing color gradients.

So what do you think? Will you be trying this new hairstyle out anytime soon, maybe replicating your betta’s colors?

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