# My new, maybe ?dragon scale? betta



## Airie27 (Dec 11, 2020)

He doesn't have a name yet. I'm probably going to get more plants for him with boxing day sales.


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## Airie27 (Dec 11, 2020)

He's already using the leaf hammock!


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## Barreto (Oct 19, 2020)

If its a dragon scale, it is super young. Looks more like plakat betta from my eyes ofc.

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## Barreto (Oct 19, 2020)

Barreto said:


> If its a dragon scale, it is super young. Looks more like plakat betta from my eyes ofc.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk


Thats my dragon scale









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## Airie27 (Dec 11, 2020)

I got him from petsmart was labeled dragon scale. But he could very well be a plakat. 🤷‍♀️😁


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## X skully X (Mar 17, 2020)

Dragons scale has nothing to do with tail type. True dragons have thick white scales bodies. He does look plakat. Short finned.


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## Airie27 (Dec 11, 2020)

Oh okay! Thank you, I'm new 😊. Is there any major differences between bettas and plakats, or just fin length?


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## Barreto (Oct 19, 2020)

Plakat. Plakat Bettas (pronounced pla-COT) are much more similar to the wild form of the Betta splendens. ... Plakats are also the most aggressive variety of Betta. Only the most aggressive fighting fish were selected for breeding, so these are some rage filled little fish.









Types Of Betta Fish: All Tail, Color, & Pattern Variations


Want to learn about different types of betta fish? In this guide, I've made it easy and broken them down by tail types for you and include pictures and video




modestfish.com





My dragon scale, for example, has a bigger chance to go totally blind. Plakat does not.

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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Neither Betta pictured above is a Dragon, i.e., Betta with noticeably thicker scales. There are Metallics and multi-colors that have thicker scales. Some people consider them Dragons, as well.

However, as defined by those who developed this line, a DS is a bi-colored Betta with thick, white opaque scales.This is a Dragon; not a good one because the color bleeds into the fins. Note the scales are opaque white and thick. Sadly, these thicker scales sometimes grow to cover the eyes; called Diamond, Pearl or Snake Eye. This causes the Betta to eventually go blind..








It is very frustrating that a plethora of blogs and owner-generated sites from so-called "experts" contains so much information that has no basis in reality. 

If anyone wants accuracy, download the Exhibition Standards. People should be warned that it eschews trade names. If memory serves, colors, patterns and fin types start around Page 63.


https://www.ibcbettas.org/upcoming-shows/standards/



Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I've had HM and HMPK over the years and have found aggression to be personality-based; not type-based.


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## KaderTheAnt (Jan 19, 2017)

I agree with Russel, neither are dragon scales. If my memory serves my correctly, I don’t believe the dragon scale gene can be found in blue bettas, that is unless you consider metallic bettas dragon scale.


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## X skully X (Mar 17, 2020)

Airie27 said:


> okay! Thank you, I'm new 😊


Welcome to the forum 💜 really beautiful boy you have


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## Barreto (Oct 19, 2020)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Neither Betta pictured above is a Dragon, i.e., Betta with noticeably thicker scales. There are Metallics and multi-colors that have thicker scales. Some people consider them Dragons, as well.
> 
> However, as defined by those who developed this line, a DS is a bi-colored Betta with thick, white opaque scales.This is a Dragon; not a good one because the color bleeds into the fins. Note the scales are opaque white and thick. Sadly, these thicker scales sometimes grow to cover the eyes; called Diamond, Pearl or Snake Eye. This causes the Betta to eventually go blind..
> View attachment 1024537
> ...


So which one is mine?

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## KaderTheAnt (Jan 19, 2017)

Barreto said:


> So which one is mine?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk


If I had to say, I’d guess he’s a cambodian, a betta with flesh colored scales and red or blue fins. 


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

It is not to my credit that I completely forgot to tell Airie27 how wonderful is her Mustard Gas Betta. 

Can you hold a tape measure up and see if you can tell how long he is from his head to the base of his caudal? Should be a body-only measurement. Thanks!


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## Barreto (Oct 19, 2020)

KaderTheAnt said:


> If I had to say, I’d guess he’s a cambodian, a betta with flesh colored scales and red or blue fins.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Cambodian betta are regular bettas, its just the coloration variation. I think mine is a untrue dragon scale. Probably with a bad genetics from the dragon scale and another variation breed. This betta world is never 100% if u don't go exactly for what u are looking for...and i wasnt lol

Im sending more pictures, one is edited and the other is original.

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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

To be a Dragon his scales _must_ be thick as pictured above.

Personally, I like the cellophane on his caudal. From that photo I'd call him a pastel red and cello. Don't see very many of those. He's lovely no matter his type.

BTW, Airie27: Loki is the perfect name!!!


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## Airie27 (Dec 11, 2020)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> It is not to my credit that I completely forgot to tell Airie27 how wonderful is her Mustard Gas Betta.
> 
> Can you hold a tape measure up and see if you can tell how long he is from his head to the base of his caudal? Should be a body-only measurement. Thanks!


3.5 cm or 1.378 inches


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## KaderTheAnt (Jan 19, 2017)

Barreto said:


> Cambodian betta are regular bettas, its just the coloration variation. I think mine is a untrue dragon scale. Probably with a bad genetics from the dragon scale and another variation breed. This betta world is never 100% if u don't go exactly for what u are looking for...and i wasnt lol
> 
> Im sending more pictures, one is edited and the other is original.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk


I don’t believe that he’s got any dragon scale in him at all. I don’t see any of his scales being actually thicker than the others, though some are accented with the other color you’re seeing.

Another thing to mention is that all bettas under the species betta splenden are the same “regular bettas” , just with different variations in either their tail type or color.

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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Airie27 said:


> 3.5 cm or 1.378 inches


Do you know about how old?


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## Airie27 (Dec 11, 2020)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Do you know about how old?


No I just got him from petsmart. They said he was dragon scale, but they don't really say anything else


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I've sent this thread to a friend. From his body shape I _think_ he may be a King or Giant. Minimum adult male Betta body-only is 1.5"; females 1.25". So, if he's fairly young, which my friend can usually tell, he's very close to the 1.5" already. His body shape is also more like a Giant or a King.

Don't know how or what you're feeding him, but if he is a Giant he should be fed small meals 2-4 times per day; never one big meal.

I could be wrong, though. I'll post when I hear back.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

This is not to say anyone is wrong nor right. Simply my personal opinion based on what I have learned through the years.

Betta splendens can be classified by fin type and or color, and lastly by size. So you can have a dragon plakat (PK - sshort fin) and you could also have a long finned HM dragon.

There are (types):
Veiltail (VT - long fin)
Delta Tail (DeT - usually long fin)
Halfmoon (HM - usually refers to long fin)
Crowntail (CT - usually long fin)
Double Tail (DT)
Plakat (PK - short fin)
*** Other than VT, all come in short fin as well.

Color can be grouped into
Regular, metallic, dragon, and now marbles. Any fin type can be any of those colors.

Sizes are only grouped into regular (usually maximum 4+ cm BO) and giant (minimum size 5.5cm BO). Some call smaller giants as King betta. But genetically kings and giants are similar, if not the same.
. . . . . . .
Dragons were designed to show thick light (white) colored bodies. Their names are given by the color of their fins . . . Red dragons have white bodies with red fins.

However iridescent colors cannot show white bodies without marble genes, hence many do not recognise them as dragons. Instead they are called mere metallic. . . . So you decide what you want to call/classify your fish.

Personally, I view them from a genetic standpoint. Since regular, metallics, and dragons work slightly differently, I call all those carrying the genes as dragons. That being said, I would call your (Airie27) fish a dragon.

@Barreto; your pictures do not show any signs of thick scaling. So I would not call him a dragon. He might have been from a dragon x regular cross. However, regular color genes are too dominant.

@Airie27; your fish is about 3.5cm BO. Regular bettas reach this size after 6 or more months. So if your fish is young, he should at least be able to reach 5cm. In other words, he might carry giant genes.

*** There are no dragon nor giant genes. Those traits are actually produced by a combination if genes. I use the term to simplify explanation.

sorry for the long post.
. . . . . . . . 
Sorry . . . Is your fish 4.5 cm (second post) or is he 3.5cm. . . 
Either way he is rather big. But if 3.5, he might probably a regular sized betta


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## Cattitude (Apr 19, 2012)

I believe this guy is a dragon halfmoon. He's young, so the dragon scales may not have finished developing yet. Or - he's not a dragon.

Ironically his favourite resting place is inside the mouth of a dragon sculpture. I've been trying to get a good pic of him there but he takes off as soon as I get the camera out. He doesn't seem to like to flare much, either.


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## Barreto (Oct 19, 2020)

indjo said:


> This is not to say anyone is wrong nor right. Simply my personal opinion based on what I have learned through the years.
> 
> Betta splendens can be classified by fin type and or color, and lastly by size. So you can have a dragon plakat (PK - sshort fin) and you could also have a long finned HM dragon.
> 
> ...


I agree, he looks like a normal betta but with sharp shaped fins and no signs of hard scale, the fact I dont need to care about my fish losing his eye vision is confortable enough for me... lmao.

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