Moderate
Blue Rim Plakat Male Betta (Betta splendens) XL
24–30°C · pH 6–7.5 · 20L
£44.99
A striking, armored-looking male plakat betta with bold color and compact fins, ideal for a warm, well-maintained solo aquarium. Moderate care, semi-aggressive. 24-30C, pH 6.0-7.5.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Betta splendens
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A striking, armored-looking male plakat betta with bold color and compact fins, ideal for a warm, well-maintained solo aquarium. Moderate care, semi-aggressive. 24-30C, pH 6.0-7.5.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
The betta fish is one of the most popular and most misunderstood freshwater species. This guide covers everything from proper tank size to the truth about tank mates.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Armour suits the plakat. The dragon trait lays thick, metallic, plate-like scaling over the body, and on a short-finned 6 cm male nothing distracts from it — no trailing finnage, just that distinctive armoured look moving fast through the upper water. Dragon plakats are the strain most often described as looking engineered rather than bred.
Semi-aggressive on paper, he is still a betta in practice: the record's first recommendation is best kept alone. Small peaceful snails are sound; shrimp only with caution and only in heavily planted tanks. The avoid list is the species standard — other male bettas, fin-nipping fish, aggressive or highly territorial species, large predators, and long-finned tank mates that draw displays. Where the dragon plakat earns his keep is robustness of care: moderate rating, 25-litre minimum, the full 24–30 °C band, pH 6.0–7.5 and hardness 1–15 dGH. Being short-finned, he handles a little more flow than show-finned males and spends his time patrolling the top of the tank. Breeding condition brings out stronger territorial behaviour, as his record notes.
Dragon plakats suit keepers who want their betta low-maintenance but not low-impact. The armoured scaling requires nothing from you — no special diet, no conditioning — while the short fins remove the flow restrictions and tearing risks that complicate show males. That leaves a genuinely short list: 25 litres or more, heater steady anywhere in 24–30 °C, carnivore feeding, weekly changes inside pH 6.0–7.5 and 1–15 dGH. Use the robustness wisely rather than testing it; stable conditions still determine whether he reaches the three years his record projects. Metallic scales flatten visually under dim light, so give him decent illumination and a dark background and the plating effect does the rest.
Well-scaled dragon males are graded stock and listed individually as they pass our checks. When shown in stock, your fish ships by licensed live-animal courier with live arrival guaranteed, UK-wide.
