Male Blue Veiltail Betta (Betta sp.)

Male Blue Veiltail Betta at a glance

This listing is for one live male blue veiltail betta: a long-finned fighting fish with a deep blue body and long, flowing blue fins. He is kept as the single showpiece of a heated, filtered aquarium, and one rule shapes everything else about his care: he has to be the only male betta in that tank.

Bettas are labyrinth fish. OATA, the UK's ornamental fish trade association, explains that they have a specialised labyrinth organ that lets them breathe air at the surface, and that this does not mean they need any less care than other fish. He still needs a proper aquarium with adequate filtration, a heater and a steady routine.

What you receive

• Quantity: one live fish per purchase.
• Sex: male, as named in the title.
• Form: blue veiltail, a long-finned betta.
• Size when packed: the XL trade grade, which describes his size on dispatch rather than the length he will reach.
• Scientific label: Betta sp., meaning the genus Betta with the species left unnamed.

Why the label reads Betta sp.

The exact species has not been identified, so the care advice here follows the genus Betta and its care group. FishBase lists Betta as a genus of 78 species, and the Wikipedia account of the genus describes small, active, often colourful freshwater fishes in the gourami family, Osphronemidae. The best known of them is Betta splendens, the Siamese fighting fish. OATA notes that it has been selectively bred for a wide range of colours and fin types, and that most bettas in the trade are captive bred for intense colour.

The water, feeding and compatibility advice on this page follows OATA's betta care sheet, which covers the fighting fish of the aquarium trade as a group. Where a figure applies to bettas in general rather than to one identified species, the page says so.

What looking after him involves

The commitment is modest but regular. Each day, check the thermometer, take a short look at his eyes, fins and swimming, and feed him once. Each week, test the water and change 25% of it, using conditioned replacement water. Keep the heater and filter running all the time. Those few habits cover most of what a single male betta needs, and the care tab explains each of them in full.

Sex and trade name

In the aquarium trade he carries the label Libby Betta, Split-Tailed Betta BLUE, graded XL; this page names him by the form that label describes, a blue veiltail male. Sex is guaranteed only when the exact product or selected option explicitly states male or female. This Libby Betta, Split-Tailed Betta BLUE - listing is sold as male. That matters for planning, because OATA points out that males are much brighter than females, carry significantly longer finnage and cannot share a tank with another male.

About the photographs

Gallery images have been digitally enhanced to improve image quality. Natural colour, pattern, size and maturity can vary between live animals. One photograph shows two long-finned blue bettas facing each other among plants. Enjoy it as a colour comparison only, because two males should never be kept together.

Before he arrives

1. Set up a heated, filtered aquarium of at least 20 litres and let the filter mature.
2. Test the water and wait until ammonia and nitrite both read zero.
3. Decide whether he will live alone or with a few very placid fish.
4. Plan to be at home on delivery day to receive the parcel.

He is the wrong choice for a busy community of lively or nippy fish, where his long fins would be a constant target. He is a very good choice for a keeper who wants one fish with real presence in a tank that is planned around him. If you are still choosing between fin types and colours, browse the betta collection before you set up his tank.

Setting up his aquarium

Choosing the tank

OATA's general advice is to buy as large an aquarium as is reasonably possible, and it recommends at least 20 litres for a single male betta. A larger volume keeps temperature and water quality more stable, which is the practical reason to go beyond the minimum if you have the space. Before you buy, make sure the tank will suit him for the whole of his life, not just for his first few weeks.

You may have seen bettas displayed in small, sparsely decorated containers in shops. OATA is clear that those are temporary housing: shop systems run with high filtration capacity, and extra decoration there can get in the way of netting and let waste build up. They are not a model for a home aquarium, where he should have a properly furnished, filtered and heated tank of his own.

Filtration comes first

The RSPCA's aquarium environment advice is plain: no fish should be kept without a well set up and maintained filter. Fish release ammonia, which is toxic. A working biological filter grows beneficial bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite, which is also toxic, and then to nitrate, which is safer.

The labyrinth organ does not excuse a betta from any of this. He takes air from the surface, but his waste still collects in the water around him, and OATA warns that bettas can be stressed by even the smallest amounts of ammonia and nitrite. A filter has to mature before it can protect him, so set the tank up well ahead of his arrival. Our guide to setting up and maturing a first tropical tank walks through that process, and he should only go in once your tests show ammonia and nitrite at zero.

Heating and a thermometer

OATA's broad temperature guidance for tank-reared bettas is 20–28°C. Room temperature in a home rises and falls through the day and the seasons, so a heater sized for the tank and a thermometer you can read at a glance belong in the basic kit rather than the optional extras. Choose one steady temperature inside that range and hold it there; the larger the tank, the easier that becomes.

Furnishing and the surface

Because he breathes air as well as taking oxygen from the water, leave him easy access to the surface. Plants and furnishings give him places to rest and to retreat, which is the opposite of the bare holding containers described above. Place the aquarium where you will see him every day, since the daily look is how you notice the early signs covered in the health section below.

• At least 20 litres for one male, larger if you can.
• A matured biological filter running before he arrives.
• A heater and a thermometer holding one steady temperature within 20–28°C.
• Clear access to the water surface.
• Plants and furnishings that offer resting places and cover.

A simple shopping list

Everything on this list comes straight from the routine described on this page, so nothing here is an optional gadget:

• An aquarium of 20 litres or more, with a filter and a heater.
• A thermometer you can read without disturbing the tank.
• Test kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, plus pH and hardness to check your tap water.
• Tap water conditioner that removes chlorine and chloramine.
• A siphon for weekly water changes and gravel cleaning.
• A good quality flake or pellet, or specialised betta pellets, and a small supply of frozen daphnia or small bloodworm.

Water values and testing

OATA's betta care sheet describes tank-reared bettas as usually undemanding of water chemistry and gives the suggested values below. They are broad guidance for bettas as a group rather than a measured optimum for this fish, and OATA adds that some less common betta species need specific conditions of their own.

Start with your tap water

Test the water from your own tap before you buy. The nitrate figure in the table is measured against your normal tap water level, so you need to know that starting point, and your tap's pH and hardness tell you whether the tank will sit comfortably inside the ranges without any adjustment. The guide to aquarium water chemistry explains what each test measures and why it matters, and the water parameter matcher lets you compare your own readings with the values above.

What the hardness figures mean

General hardness reflects the dissolved minerals in the water, mainly calcium and magnesium, while carbonate hardness is the water's buffering capacity, which helps to hold pH steady. Your tap water test shows where your supply sits against OATA's soft-to-medium figures for both. The nitrate line works as a ceiling on top of your tap water: if your tap reads 10 mg per litre, the tank should stay at or below 30 mg per litre, and a regular water change is the usual way to keep it there.

Why ammonia and nitrite must read zero

OATA explains that the beneficial bacteria in a matured filter have to increase every time more fish are added and feeding increases. Stocking too heavily or too quickly can cause new tank syndrome: there are not enough nitrifying bacteria to cope with the extra waste, ammonia and nitrite climb to unhealthy levels, and fish may become ill or die. Adding a single male to a tank with a matured filter is a light addition, but it still needs that bacterial population in place first.

Keeping values steady

Once the tank is running, aim for steadiness rather than chasing an exact number. Test at least once a week, keep the temperature where you set it, and make changes gradually. Replacement water should be treated with tap water conditioner and brought close to the tank's temperature before it goes in, so that a water change never becomes a sudden shift for him.

If a reading drifts outside the ranges, find the cause before you reach for a remedy. A rising nitrate figure is a prompt to look at the water-change routine and at feeding, both of which are covered in the next sections.

A weekly maintenance routine

Even one fish releases waste into the water every day, whether or not the tank looks dirty, so a fixed weekly routine is what keeps his water within the guidance. OATA's routine for bettas is short and easy to repeat:

1. Test the water at least once a week so that ammonia and nitrite never have the chance to build up unnoticed.
2. Carry out a partial water change of 25% at least once every week, using a siphon to lift solid waste from the gravel as you go.
3. Treat all replacement water with tap water conditioner before it goes in, to remove any chlorine or chloramine.
4. Check the filter for blockages.
5. If the filter media need cleaning, rinse them lightly in the tank water you have just removed, and never run them under the tap. Chlorine or chloramine in tap water can kill the beneficial bacteria living in the media.

Rinsing the media in removed tank water keeps as much of the bacterial population as possible, which is the whole point of a matured filter. Doing the job on the same day each week makes the routine easier to keep.

Why the routine matters so much for bettas

OATA describes good husbandry as essential for bettas, precisely because they can be stressed by even the smallest amounts of ammonia and nitrite. That is why the test kit, rather than how he looks on a given day, should be your guide to water quality.

Keep a simple record of each week's readings and the date of each water change. When a value starts to creep, the record shows you whether it began after a missed change, a new decoration or a change in feeding, which makes the fix obvious.

After each water change

Check the thermometer once the new water is in, and watch him for a minute or two. He should carry on swimming and exploring as before. If he clamps his fins, hides or rests on the bottom afterwards, compare the temperature of your replacement water with the tank next time and make sure the conditioner went in first.

Feeding a male betta

OATA describes bettas as omnivorous fish that will take most food types. In the home aquarium his everyday food should be a good quality flake or pellet, and specialised betta pellets are made specifically for these fish.

Adding variety

Bettas also benefit from small items of live or frozen food, such as daphnia, small bloodworm or tubifex. Offer these alongside his usual flake or pellet rather than instead of it, so that his diet stays varied without relying on a single food.

How much and how often

Feed only what he can eat within a few minutes, once a day. It is easy to overfeed a single fish, and in a small tank any food he leaves behind breaks down and releases toxic waste into the water, which shows up in your ammonia and nitrite tests. If food is still drifting or lying on the gravel after a few minutes, give less at the next meal and remove what is left.

Reading his appetite

A healthy betta usually comes up for food readily. OATA lists reduced intake or a lack of interest in food among the changes worth noticing, along with a gain or loss in body condition. If his appetite drops, test the water before you change his diet.

Signs that he is getting too much

• Food still lying on the gravel or caught in plants a few minutes after feeding.
• Ammonia or nitrite readings above zero in a tank that normally reads clean.
• Nitrate climbing faster than usual between water changes.
• A visible gain in body weight, which OATA lists among the changes to watch.

Any of these is a cue to feed less and to check that the weekly water change is keeping up.

Arrival day and settling in

He travels hand-bagged in pure oxygen inside an insulated poly box, with a heat pack when the weather calls for it, and a licensed live-animal courier carries the parcel. You receive the tracking number and the confirmed delivery date by email, so you know when to be at home. Full details are on our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee page.

Before the parcel comes

Have the aquarium running at a steady temperature within 20–28°C, with a matured filter, and test it the day before. OATA's advice before adding any fish is to check that ammonia and nitrite are at zero. If either reading is above zero, the tank is not ready yet.

What to have ready

Keep your phone charged for the unboxing video, have the thermometer reading and your latest test results to hand, and make sure the heater has held the tank steady for at least a day. Clear a space beside the aquarium so the parcel can be opened in one continuous take without moving around the room.

On arrival day

1. Make sure someone is at the delivery address to receive the parcel; live fish cannot be left unattended.
2. On the day it arrives, start a short, continuous unboxing video before anything is disturbed: show the parcel still sealed with the outer box visible, open it in one take, and keep recording until the fish can be seen inside the sealed bag.
3. Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 20–30 minutes so that he is acclimatised slowly.
4. Release him into the aquarium without pouring the bag water into your tank.
5. If anything has gone wrong, contact us the same day with your order number and the unboxing video; WhatsApp is the fastest route. We will then arrange a replacement or refund.

The Live Arrival Guarantee requires someone at the address to receive the parcel, the parcel to be opened and inspected on the day it arrives, and that continuous unboxing video showing the parcel still sealed.

The first days

Once he is in, give him time to explore and keep the routine calm. OATA describes a healthy fish as having clear, bright eyes, undamaged fins, intact scales, no ulcerations or bumps and appropriate swimming behaviour. Check for those signs each day for the first week, feed only what he eats within a few minutes, and test the water again after a few days so that you know the filter is coping with his waste.

Health checks and warning signs

What a healthy betta looks like

Use OATA's description of a healthy fish as your daily reference: clear, bright eyes, undamaged fins, intact scales, no ulcerations or bumps, and swimming that looks normal for him. A few seconds of watching at feeding time is usually enough, and it is the easiest way to catch a problem early.

Changes to watch for

All fish vary slightly in behaviour and appearance, but OATA lists these changes as the ones that help to identify a problem before it becomes a real health issue:

• Swimming: hanging at the surface, sitting on the bottom or swimming erratically.
• Colour: turning darker or paler than normal.
• Temperament: more or less aggression than usual, or hiding more than normal.
• Breathing: gill covers moving faster or slower than normal.
• Appearance: white spots or fluffy growths, or loss of fins or scales.
• Condition: an increase or decrease in body weight.
• Feeding: reduced intake or no interest in food.

Short visits to the surface are normal for a labyrinth fish, because that is where he takes his breaths of air. What OATA flags is a fish that hangs there, alongside the other signs above.

Keeping stress low

Stress comes up again and again in OATA's advice for bettas. It links fin nipping by other fish to stress, disease and death, and warns that bettas can be stressed by even the smallest amounts of ammonia and nitrite. A matured filter, a steady temperature, a weekly water change and companions that leave him alone remove the causes OATA names before they start, which is why the setup and routine sections matter as much as any treatment.

What to do first

If something looks wrong, test the water straight away. OATA's first step for any health concern is a water-quality test, and the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings tell you whether a water change should come first. Then contact us with what you have seen and your readings, and we can talk it through with you.

Long veiltail fins deserve particular attention. Fin loss is on OATA's list of warning signs, and a male kept with unsuitable companions can suffer torn fins from nipping, which the compatibility section covers in detail.

Tank mates and temperament

OATA is frank that mixing bettas with other fish can be difficult. The good news is that the rules for a single male are clear, and they start with one fixed point.

One male per aquarium

Two males should never be kept together. OATA says males are highly aggressive towards each other and that, if two are mixed, they will fight until one is severely injured or, more likely, killed. That applies whatever the colour or fin type of the other male, so a blue veiltail cannot share a tank with a red one, a crowntail or any other male betta.

Fin nipping is the bigger danger

Away from other bettas, the picture reverses. OATA says males are not aggressive towards other species of fish but are often the subject of intense fin nipping, and that this can cause stress, disease and death. A long-finned veiltail makes an easy target, so the real question when choosing companions is whether they will leave his fins alone.

For that reason OATA recommends keeping males either alone or with very placid tank mates. Keeping him alone is the simplest choice and suits a 20-litre aquarium well.

Why alone is often best

A single male in his own tank is not a lonely compromise. It is the first option OATA gives, it removes the risk of fin nipping entirely, and it lets you run a smaller aquarium without worrying about how much waste several fish produce. It also makes every change in his behaviour easier to read, because there is no other fish to explain it.

Female bettas

Females are much calmer than males and can be kept in groups of at least four. OATA recommends at least 60 litres for a group of females. A male can be kept with a group of at least five females, but they will require a densely planted aquarium to break up line of sight and provide areas to hide in, and OATA says this should not be attempted by inexperienced keepers.

Choosing calm companions

If you do add companions, choose them for temperament first, add them slowly so the filter can keep up, and watch the first days closely. Any chasing, nipping or torn fins means the mix is not working, and he is better kept on his own.

Questions keepers ask

How big does a Male Blue Veiltail Betta get?

OATA's general betta care sheet says bettas grow to about 7 cm. His exact species has not been identified, so treat that as a planning figure for bettas as a group rather than a fixed adult size for this fish. His long veiltail fins make him look larger than his body length.

What size aquarium does a Male Blue Veiltail Betta need?

OATA recommends an aquarium of at least 20 litres for a single male betta and advises buying as large a tank as is reasonable, because a bigger volume keeps temperature and water quality more stable. The tank should be heated, filtered and matured before he arrives.

Can two Male Blue Veiltail Bettas live together?

No. OATA says males are highly aggressive and two should not be mixed, or they will fight until one is severely injured or, more likely, killed. Keep him as the only male betta in the aquarium, whatever the colour or fin type of the other fish.

Is this betta suitable for beginners?

He can suit a careful first-time keeper. OATA notes that tank-reared bettas are usually undemanding of water chemistry, but they still need an appropriate aquarium with adequate filtration. Mature the filter before he arrives, test the water every week and keep him as the only male. Keeping a male with a group of females is a project for experienced keepers only.

What does a Male Blue Veiltail Betta eat?

Bettas are omnivorous and take most food types. Base his diet on a good quality flake or pellet, or a specialised betta pellet, and add small live or frozen foods such as daphnia, small bloodworm or tubifex. Feed only what he eats within a few minutes, once a day.

What temperature and pH does this betta need?

OATA's broad guidance for tank-reared bettas is 20–28°C, pH 6.0–8.0, general hardness of 4–12°dH and carbonate hardness of 3–10°dKH, with ammonia and nitrite at zero. Choose one steady temperature inside that range and hold it with a heater and a thermometer.

Is a Male Blue Veiltail Betta aggressive, and does it nip fins?

He is aggressive towards other male bettas, but OATA says males are not aggressive towards other species of fish. The bigger risk runs the other way: males are often the target of intense fin nipping, which can cause stress, disease and death.

Which fish can live with a male betta?

OATA recommends keeping a male either alone or with very placid tank mates. Avoid other male bettas and any fish that nips fins or behaves boisterously. One male with a group of at least five females needs a densely planted aquarium, and OATA says it should not be attempted by inexperienced keepers.

How does a Male Blue Veiltail Betta arrive alive in the UK?

He is hand-bagged in pure oxygen and packed in an insulated poly box, with a heat pack when the weather calls for it, then carried by a licensed live-animal courier. Someone must be in to receive the parcel. Record a continuous unboxing video from the sealed parcel to the fish still in its bag, open and inspect it the same day, then float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing him. The Live Arrival Guarantee relies on that video.

Sources and further reading

• OATA: How to look after Siamese fighting fish (Bettas): the UK trade body's betta care sheet, used here for water values, tank size, feeding, maintenance, health checks and compatibility as broad guidance for bettas.
• RSPCA: aquarium environment and filtration: general welfare guidance on filters and the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate cycle.
• Wikipedia: Betta: an overview of the genus and its place in the gourami family, Osphronemidae.
• FishBase: species list for the genus Betta: the genus-level identity behind the Betta sp. label.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee page: packing, courier, unboxing video and acclimatisation steps, linked in the arrival section above.