[enewton]

Hi all! I'm a completely new betta owner here and I've googled and researched the heck out of everything I can think of. However, I haven't heard anything about colour changing and I'm worried it might be something to do with the tank or my care!

Three weeks ago, I bought a betta from the local pet store. He was completely red with small blue tips on his fins and a bit of transparency on his tail.
(Apologies for having to upload from my deviantart lol, couldn't find anywhere else to do it on phone)
This is the day I got him: http://sta.sh/0e0xqrbgxha

About a week later, I began to notice his tail and find were starting to get really blue! And his body was taking on a purplish tinge. Here are some photos of that. On top of that, the transparency is spreading and one of his fins barely has any colour left at all.
One: http://sta.sh/01r3x1jtafh2 // two: http://sta.sh/029zgjkkm011

And just 10 minutes ago, I was doing his 20% water change when I noticed the scales near his gills and the edges of his gills were turning black. This is happening on both sides in the same place, with the left side being a little darker.
Image with a torch shone on him: http://sta.sh/019d6iiimd2h

The tank is heated with a 25W heater that is usually on 26-28 degrees celcius due to it being winter. The fish is very active and darts around his tank a bit, always eats and acts very feisty when a mirror is held up to the tank. Filtration is low and I'm currently using API water conditioner. He gets fed twice a day - four pellets in the morning, four in the afternoon.

Today I've noticed he is staying to the tank floor mora than usual, but will still dart away if I put my finger to the tank. He also ate fine this afternoon.
Anyone know what's going on?? I'm worried he may have burnt himself on the heater or something? Or is this fin rot maybe?

 

[FinnDublynn]

Color changing is completely normal. 100%. As long as his behavior is active and he's happy, your fish is perfectly fine.

 

[FinnDublynn]

Also, Welcome to the Forum!!

If you go to "Betta Pictures" Section and look for a thread called "Before and After" which is a few pages back, along with one called "Marble Progressions" you'll see a bunch of pictures of betta's changing colors.

 

[FinnDublynn]

HERE is the Before and After thread

and HERE is the marble transformation thread!

One of my favorite transformations is one of the breeders on the forum... his male started like this at the start of his spawn:

And by the end of the spawn session (Not a long time at ALL, really) he looked like this:

Yup. That's the SAME fish!!

 

[enewton]

Oh awesome, that's really a relief to hear! And thanks so much for the links and tips!! Those colour changes are amazing

 

[Aerow]

Silly question how do you tell if your Betta is a marble betta or if its sick or stressed ?

 

[Strawberry12]

Sick/stressed bettas go a sickly pale or grey, marbling bettas still look healthy and vibrant (even with color loss, like a healthy flesh color), just different.

 

[noaveragebetta]

My betta, Mr. Pontiac, has changed colors since I got him about a month ago. He also has clear pieces in his fins. The clear parts on Mr. Pontiac are actually new fin growth. Mr. Pontiac's colors had changed after I upgraded his tank, got him a heater and more plants. As long as your betta is active and has healthy water, I'd say he's just fine