Betta fish come in a wide variety of fin variations. You’ve probably heard of Veiltale’s, Crowntail’s, and Halfmoon’s before but can you tell them apart? What the difference between a Crowntail and a Combtail? Let’s set out to learn how to identify Betta fish by their tails.
The most common betta tail types
These popular fish were traded and collected for sport in the 1800s in modern-day Thailand (formerly Siam). Since these fish were meant for fighting, their shorter fins were desirable.
It wasn’t until the 1890’s that further research was done and they started to be bred specifically for their appearances. First introduced to France in 1892, Germany in 1896, then to the USA in 1910. Now breeders across the world submit their betta’s in various show events that are graded on their tail types and colors.
Veiltale
One of the most commonly found variations. The veiltale is recognizable by its long flowing tail that will be drooping downward.
This tail type was probably the first variation bred into bettas after the standard short-finned plakats of the wild. This is probably due to veiltales having the dominant gene and being the most difficult tail type to breed out.
Crowntail
Crowntails are another very common tail type. Their tails will have spikes that resemble a crown. The tail webbing will extend no more than 2/3rds toward the tips.
This tail type was first bred in Indonesia in 1997 by Achmad Yusuf. Reportedly this was accomplished by continually breeding combtails that had longer spikes until the webbing is as it is today. However, I’ve read several varying techniques and couldn’t independently confirm this method.
The breeder named it Cupang Serit, which translates from Indonesian as “Hickey Betta”. It wasn’t until Henry Yin showed it at the International Betta Congress (IBC), under the name “Crowntail”, that it got its current common name.
Combtail
Much like with crowntails, the combtail will have spikes at the ends. The difference is that with combtails, the webbing will extend more than 2/3rds towards the tips.
When researching breeding techniques to achieve a combtail, I’ve read that you’d combine a crowntail with either a veiltail or a delta. This goes against earlier reports that crowntails were bred from combtails though.
Plakat
Plakats are a variation of betta that has short fins. They are often mistaken for female bettas for this reason. Males will generally show more colors than females.
Short-finned bettas are the most natural fin variation and are the type traditionally found in the wild. It wasn’t until breeders started breeding specifically for longer fins and shapes that we got all the options we have today.
Halfmoon and Over-Halfmoon
Halfmoons have tails that are rounded and will make the perfect half circle resembling a half moon. When the circle is greater than 180˚ it is known as an “Over-Halfmoon”.
Halfmoons were bred from deltas when breeders kept trying to achieve broader caudal fins for showing at the International Betta Congress (IBC). This was first accomplished in 1987 when Guy Delaval successfully bred a few bettas with deltas that achieved 180˚s.
Rosetail and Feathertail
Rosetails are halfmoons with excessive tail branching. The extra branches cause an overlapping effect that resembles a rose. In cases of extreme branching, it is known as Feathertail.
This tail type was at first considered an undesirable trait caused by excessive inbreeding and linebreeding in the creation attempts of the halfmoons. While they can be beautiful, there are breeders that consider this a mutant trait.
Spadetail
If the caudal fin resembles a spade, you’re looking at a spadetail. It will have a wide base that narrows down to a point.
This is one of the hardest variations to find. Although popular at one time they have fallen out of the spotlight. I was only able to find two examples of how they come to be. One is a variant of a plakat who’s tail never fully forms into the round shape. The other is that spadetails are just juvenile veiltales that haven’t fully formed yet.
I’ve never seen one in person and am still on the hunt for more concrete answers.
Delta and Super Delta
This tail will start with a narrow base and spread out to a rounded end. It should look like a triangle. When the flair is wide it is a super-delta. These will never reach the 180˚ of a half moon.
Delta’s were first bred in the 1960’s by breeder Edward Schmidt Focke. After the inception of the International Betta Congress (IBC) in 1967, this trait become a popular category to show. By the 1980’s super delta’s started to come on the scene.
Double Tail
As the name implies, a double tail will have a split caudal fin. This split will begin at the base of the tail and is more common on longer finned bettas.
The gene for double tails can be carried by any betta and is found with every tail type. The only true way to breed this trait is with a parent known to have this gene. However, it is not recommended to breed together two double tails. Since this recessive gene is already a mutation, further breeding can cause exaggerated issues.
Dumbo Ear
Dumbo ears aren’t unique to any particular tail type, but they are easily recognizable. They will have large pectoral fins resembling the ears of an elephant.
These are created by breeding bettas with larger pectoral fins and keeping this trait until the desired “ear” size is achieved. However, it is not recommended to breed two dumbo ear’s together. Although the fry will be mostly dumbo ear, their pectoral fins can become too large to breed, have deformities, and become asymmetrical.
Congrats! You’re now an expert on identifying betta fish tail types
Betta fish are a long time favorite among freshwater fishkeepers. Whether you’re brand new to fishkeeping or a seasoned pro, you’d be hard pressed to find someone that hasn’t, at least once, kept a betta fish.
Now that you can identify the different bettas by their tails, you’ll probably want to get a few more tanks to collect them all. If you want to learn more about betta fish and how to properly take care of them check out this article on Betta Fish Care Requirements.
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