Colour change normal or not

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Ponyta

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Dec 21, 2007
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Toronto, Canada
How do you tell the difference between velvet and colour change? My female betta is developing this yellow color at the base of her ventral fins (and its only visible under a flashlight) and I'm wondering if this is normal. She's also been showing stress stripes ever since I got her 2 weeks ago from petsmart. She's a typical blue veiltail betta (blue body, reddish fins) and the only fish in a 10 gal planted.
 

Kaosu

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Oct 22, 2010
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are you sure they are stress stripes? when female bettas are ready to breed they show vertical pail colored bars

what temp are you keeping her tank at?..filtration? cleaning schedule?

if she has been warm and clean i do not think it would be velvet

it is very common for bettas both male and female to change color throwout there life's mostly when you first get them home and settled in form those nasty little death cups.

is she still active and eating? ..btw a 10 gallon planted is a dream home for a little betta girl!!! i love to see them treated correctly like this!
 

Ponyta

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Dec 21, 2007
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Toronto, Canada
Hi Kaosu, the stripes are horizontal; kind of like in this pic:
http://www.getahugetank.com/images/betta-female.jpg
There are times when she's normal coloured (like when I first turn on the lights), but she turns stripey when I come close to the tank to feed/watch her- maybe she's afraid of me?? :S

The tank is filtered, 80F and gets 50% water changes per week. The Petsmart I got her at kept their bettas near the door-so she may have been exposed to drafts. She's still active and eating; her activity level varies though and she likes to spend a lot of time near the bottom in/around the plants and sometimes she clamps her tail. Seemed to be out and about more since I put in a baffle today (she was quite curious about that)- will see how she is tomorrow :)

I'll see if I can get a good pic where she isn't a fuzzy blur haha.
 

Kaosu

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Oct 22, 2010
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most females and all young betta's have those stripes...if she is still active and eating i Think it would be safe to say its not velvet ...witch is brought on by bad water quality and low water temps. she just might not be fully settled in yet

how much do you feed her?

bettas have tiny tummies and only need a tiny tiny pinch every to every other day..skipping a few days never hurts ^_^.
 

Ponyta

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Dec 21, 2007
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Toronto, Canada
Well she's eating and active..so phew..I'm glad she's doesn't seem sick. It's been almost 4 weeks, so hoping her colours will brighten up with time. I feed her a small pinch of NLS weekdays, 3-4 bloodworms on Saturdays and fast on Sundays.

Anyway, I said I'd try to post pics so tada:


 

Kaosu

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Oct 22, 2010
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perfect!!

she looks very healthy love her colors!

keep up the good work ...and yes those stripes are normal ^_^
 

Ponyta

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Dec 21, 2007
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Toronto, Canada
Yay :) She's a sweet fish- the boys I had in the past beg for food first thing in the morning, but she hovers mid-tank and only rushes over when she seems me coming. She's also active late into the night- perhaps its the weather (it's been really hot this week)..or maybe she's a night owl like me haha.
 
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