Hello all. I’m new to the betta/fish keeping world. A few months ago I noticed the walmart near me had a few male and one female betta fish for sale. One poor male looked like he was already on death’s door. All five betta’s were in cold, dirty water. I went home and felt bad so ended up going back for two of them since I already had two individual tanks at home already running. I got the female out of pity even though she wasn’t pretty and I didn’t think anyone would buy her. Today, she has a lot of personality and is a totally different color. After seeing pictures of wild betta hendra’s, I’m wondering if it’s possible she’s part hendra? She has two distinct, different colored spots where her gills are on both sides. I’ll try and post pics of what she looked like when I first got her, and what she looks like today. Much appreciated if anyone has any suggestions or insight. Thanks!
Wild female betta from Walmart?
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I know zip about wild bettas, but I would be very, very surprised if a commercial retailer crossed their stock with any wild species. Because of how bettas are bred there's no way it would be an accidental cross, and I honestly can't think of any reason why someone would create a wild crossbreed and then sell them as "just" a domestic.
The spots on her gills (and chin) that you mentioned are very common on domestic betta splendens, not every betta will have grayish-silver patches there but a lot do, no need for wild ancestry.
To my eye she looks like a very lovely VT female, congrats on getting her!
The spots on her gills (and chin) that you mentioned are very common on domestic betta splendens, not every betta will have grayish-silver patches there but a lot do, no need for wild ancestry.
To my eye she looks like a very lovely VT female, congrats on getting her!
I dont know much about wild but in the before pic, she locks very young. Maybe a couple months old? So sad to see them in the care of a store like walmart... congrats on the beautiful find though!!
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I don't know if the OP still visits this forum, but I just wanted to clear up the fact that this is definitely not a Betta hendra female. The size and shape of coccina complex species is very different from that of splendens complex species, and hybridisation between the two complexes is either impossible, or has never occurred in published record.
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