[True Indigo]

So I got Gyarados on March 8th after the tragedy of my first fish, Drake, dying out on me in the first two weeks I had it. I found out just mere minutes ago that the random times I decided to take a picture of him, was in almost monthly intervals. Haha. So this is Gyarados in a 3 month period.


The first picture here is when I first got Gyarados and put him in the 1gal. I had to take a picture with my phone camera (which is terrible) because he was too terrified of my regular camera. This is him on March 8th:

This is Gyarados on April 2nd in his new 5gal. I found out if I cut out a giant piece of paper and taped it to the front of the camera with a hole in it, he didn't freak out but was more cautious than anything. When he went into the five gallon, he bit his fins really bad as you can see:

Here's a second one that used to be my old avatar (he loves sleeping and going through that little stone hut):

This is him today on May 5th. He was in his flare/spawning colors due to him just making a bubble nest (he flared at the camera once until he saw me behind it haha):

And better closeup but without as much spread on his fins (his tail has improved so much I'm really happy):

I'm simply amazed at how much blue he has gotten and the significant color change he overcomes when he flares and is in spawning mode. He went from an almost nearly completely red (with a tiny bit of blue) double tail, to a brilliantly colored Double Tail that I would swear has a little bit of halfmoon in him (and maybe even some crown due to the small breaks in fins near the base of his top and bottom fin).

Love this little flame of mine. He's about three months old in my care and I'm happy to have him. Can't wait till his fins are back to normal!

 

[MollyJean]

wow... long fins..... He's puuuuurdy... *drool*

 

[Jessicatm137]

Wow! That's a big change! Beautiful fish!!!

 

[LebronTheBetta]

That's a really beautiful fish you have there! I can see he is in better care since he was in a pet store. Do you like Pokemon? It's because of his name... Anyway,
he looks so happy! He is a very nice Double-Tail!!!

 

[True Indigo]

Thanks, Molly. His fins are incredibly long (which I think is why he bit them when he went into the 5 gal--so much drag!).

Thank you, Jessica. It is a huge change. I normally don't like red colored fish but Gyarados got me with his personality and I told myself that, after Drake, I wouldn't get a second fish simply based on looks. I'm happy with my decision.

Lebron, thank you very much. And I loved Pokemon as a kid. They're nostalgic now. Gyarados was one of my favorites and there was a Red One in the game (I think it was the first "shiny" pokemon). I named him that because of his color and because he was such a hyper fish and snapped his mouth at me in the store.

 

[Shiverdam]

Beautiful fish! His long, fan-like fins are just too gorgeous. Love his name, too, that was my favorite Pokémon as a child. XD

 

[True Indigo]

Thanks, Shiverdam. Glad we have that in common. Hahaha. I can't wait till his tail fins finally heal all the way. He'll look more gorgeous than he already does. ^__^

 

[mursey]

Wow, I'm very new to keeping bettas- do most or many of them change this significantly when they are young?

 

[Anitax3x]

WOW he is GORGEOUS! I have boys who tail bit in big tanks, and I have boys who Love lots of space lol. Picky fish right!

 

[True Indigo]

Mursey, some do some don't. It really depends but usually as bettas grow their colors become more vibrant (more so for males than females).

And Anita, no kidding, right? I've been deterred from buying long tailed fish though since that. So as much as I love the look of Crowntails and Halfmoons, I'm hoping to stick to one or two plakats. But thanks for the compliment, he is gorgeous.

 

[mursey]

Hmm, I am noticing my orange doubletail has more and more green-blue areas on him. It's kind of fun to see them change and not know what they will look like (if you are picking up "mutts" like me at pet stores . . not ordering fancy ones from Thailand, I guess.)

 

[noellezim]

What do you feed him? im just curious

 

[Blake My First]

He is really gorgeous! The first picture doesn't do him justice but the last two did.

 

[quakersteph]

Beautiful betta! My Draco was predominantly red with some pale green when I got him. Put him on a high-quality varied diet, and he now has bright red fins with streaks of peacock blue towards the body, and then the body becomes a dark, velvet-like royal blue that turns into black at his head. His color changes almost daily, and as his fins grow, the tips have started to show that peacock blue again, like he dipped his fins in paint, lol. The color changes to me just add to the wonder that is a betta, and he is definitely a part of the family. So glad you were able to provide a place for that beauty to thrive!