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Welcome to our ASD blog, fellow betta keepers🐟!
Bettas are amazingly beautiful, but today’s post is all about how pricey they can get. Did you know there are some betta fish that can sell for over $1,000? This post is all about the most exotic and the most expensive Betta Fish you can buy today.
This is our top 10 list. Get ready to see the best of the best in this post. Let’s take a look 👀!
Key Takeaways
- The rarest betta fish and newest breeds are the most expensive
- The most expensive betta fish in the world sold for $1,530 in 2016
- Not all bettas are expensive. Many pet stores sell veiltail betta fish for under $5
- Many factors affect betta fish pricing. Color, pattern, fin size and shape, and scale type all play a role
How Much Does the Average Betta Fish Cost?
Before we jump into the more expensive breeds, let’s set the benchmark. The average betta costs below twenty dollars, with much great fish selling for as little as three dollars.
Why Are Some So Expensive?
A few factors go into the price of fancy betta fish. The first is the beauty and appeal of the fish. Of course, plenty of other bettas with beautiful shapes and colors cost just a few dollars, which brings us to the next factor – scarcity.
The rarer a betta, the more valuable it is. The world-famous Kachen Worachai fish that sold for an unbelievable sum put its breeder on the map because it had the colors of the flag of Thailand, the native home of the betta fish.
Breeding such a fish requires knowledge, time, resources, and some good luck! Beauty and rarity are very important factors driving betta fish’s price, but there are many more.
Read on to learn more about the most desirable and expensive betta fish traits.
Tail Shape
The wild Betta splendens has a large, beautiful tail with a smooth, rounded edge that spreads to about 120°. Selective breeding has produced the amazing variety of fin and tail shapes we see today.
Fancy breeds include some spectacular finnage, from the 180° smooth Halfmoon betta fish to the spikey crown tail betta fish and the pointed spade tail. Some tail shapes are rarer than others, and these fish tend to be more valuable.
It’s not only their tails that have transformed. Countless generations have produced some variation in the other fins too.
The elephant ear betta fish is a great example of a breed with large fins. These bettas have huge pectoral fins, which is why they are also called dumbo betta.
Color and Scale Pattern
Fancy male bettas are popular for the amazing variety of colors they have. Some colors would be incredibly expensive, like the mythical purple betta, but pretty much every other color is available.
However, the pattern of the colors is very important. Solid color bettas are more expensive than fish with two colors, and multicolored spotted, and speckled types like galaxy bettas and fancier koi fish are also more valuable.
Betta fish have naturally bold and beautiful scales, which have been enhanced through careful breeding. Mutations like the dragon scale have been selected to produce fish with large armor-like scales, just like their legendary namesakes.
Breeder Reputation
Breeders build up a reputation for great-looking and exotic fish. Over the years, their brand name allows them to command a higher price for their rare fish. Most elite breeders are based in Thailand, though there are some that are based in the US and other parts of the world
Top 10 Most Expensive
Now that you know a little more about why some bettas are so expensive, let’s dive right in and discover ten of the most expensive bettas and why they come with such a hefty price tag!
Here is the YouTube video we created from our channel. We go into more detail in the blog post below. Be sure to subscribe to us if you like our content!
1. Fantail
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: Varied
- Unique Traits: Double tail fin
- Approximate Price: Unknown – Rarely available
Fantail bettas have a rare genetic mutation that makes them grow a second caudal fin. That’s right; these valuable fish have two tails! Check out the video above by AquaPros. In the video, he talks about this crazy rare and expensive Betta Fish.
Fantail bettas do not seem to struggle with any major health problems as a result of their unique and colorful fins, and they are stunning fish to watch.
These amazing fish are super rare, but hopefully, they will become more available as serious breeders try to produce them. For now, you can expect to pay four or even five figures for a pair of these stunning betta fish!
2. Kachen Worachai
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: Thai flag (Red, white, and blue stripes)
- Unique Traits: Most expensive betta fish ever sold
- Approximate Price: $1,530
Kachen Worachai is a betta fish breeder from Southeast Asia. In 2016, he produced a stunning plakat betta with the colors of the Thai national flag which sold for a jaw-dropping 53,500 baht ($1530) in an online auction.
This fish had a deep blue body, with white bases to the dorsal and ventral fin, and red margins. This isn’t exactly a breed, but we had to include it for its beauty and record status!
3. Fancy Copper Indo
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: Various shades of blue and copper
- Unique Traits: Amazing metallic sheen and strong Indonesian bloodline
- Approximate Price: $676
Copper betta fish have beautiful metallic scales, but their color can be variable. They often have a blue color, with a copper-like sheen.
Prime specimens can be very expensive, especially when imported from Indonesia, a Southeast Asian country famous for betta fish breeding.
Pee Kloaw, a beautiful specimen with a white body and bold red bar closed at auction for over $600!
4. Wild
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: Varied
- Unique Traits: Various sizes and body shapes with beautiful natural colors
- Approximate Price: $30 – $100 +
There are over 70 wild betta fish species, and some of the rarer ones fetch very high prices. These fish do not have the same bright colors and long fins as the domesticated Siamese Fighting Fish but they are popular with collectors for their natural beauty.
Betta hendra and Betta macrostoma are some of the more valuable and popular wild betta fish, and a breeding pair can cost hundreds of dollars.
5. White Dragon King
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: All white
- Unique Traits: Thick, armor-like scales
- Approximate Price: Unknown
King bettas are large strong bettas that have an aggressive nature. They are a variant of the popular plakat betta; a fish bred for fighting. The fish shown above is a Crown variant.
The combination of the rare white color with the impressive dragon scale gene and the large size and strength of the king betta make this fish a highly sought-after specimen!
6. Half Moon King Of Gold
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: Solid gold
- Unique Traits: D-shaped tail, full fins, and metallic gold color
- Approximate Price: $570
Gold bettas are amazing fish to look at. They sparkle in an aquarium in a way that makes them look unreal.
One beautiful fish with a half-moon tail and solid gold color on the body and fins sold for $570. That fish sold for more than its weight in gold!
7. Galaxy Rose Tail
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: Spotted in various colors
- Unique Traits: Spotted pattern with rose-petal fins
- Approximate Price: Unknown
Galaxy Rose Tails blend the Koi Betta with the traits of a rose tail Betta. They have a marbled appearance and long fins, which gives them a striking appearance. They are rare and command a high price as a result. The tail extends like a Halfmoon but goes past 180 degrees. It makes a great showcase of fish in either a community tank or a solo fish in a smaller tank.
8. Rose White Platinum Dragon
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: White
- Unique Traits: All-white body and fins with large metallic scales
- Approximate Price: $680
The rose-white platinum dragon combines a rare, all-white betta with the eye-catching dragon scale trait which results in large scales with a metallic sheen.
These expensive betta fish have the rose tail gene which results in huge fins and an incredible and oversized caudal fin. This is an elegant betta breed that you can expect to pay a lot for!
One beautiful specimen with a black beard reached nearly $700 dollars at an online auction!
9. Half Moon Plakat
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: Variable
- Unique Traits: Small fins but large D-shaped caudal fins
- Approximate Price: Some specimens sell for over $300
Plakat bettas are classic Siamese fighting fish, bred for power and bite strength. The Halfmoon bettas combine this traditional body shape with a large, D-shaped tail fin, and they can be very valuable in the right color and scale patterns.
Some color forms of the half-moon plakat betta fish are among the most expensive betta fish breeds. High-quality betta fish like the dark nebula can fetch very high prices on auction.
10. True Purple
- Adult Size: 2.5-3 inches
- Color Pattern: Purple
- Unique Traits: Rare purple color
- Approximate Price: Unknown
Betta fish come in an amazing array of colors, but there’s one shade you’ve probably never seen – purple. Solid-class purple bettas are extremely rare, which would make them really valuable if they are ever produced.
A true purple betta fish would look absolutely amazing in a dark-themed aquarium. This is one fish that betta breeders should strive to create!
Are They Expensive to Care For?
Some betta fish can be very expensive, but the cost of the fish is not the only expense involved. Betta fish can’t survive very long in a bowl or a cup, but they don’t need a large aquarium.
Getting everything you need to house a betta can be cheap or expensive, it really depends on the quality of equipment you choose.
Generally, getting set up to keep a betta fish is affordable. This means keeping a single betta fish is one of the cheapest tropical fish tank setups in the aquarium hobby.
Want to know what you need to keep a betta fish? Here is a basic list of the essential items:
Hardware
- Tank with hood
- Filter
- Heater
- Lighting
- Thermometer
Decorations
Maintenance
- Test kit
- Water conditioner/dechlorinator
- Gravel vacuum
- Algae scraper
Food
- High-quality micro-pellets or flakes
- Frozen bloodworms & brine shrimp
The items listed above are pretty much everything you need to get started and are easy to buy online or at most pet stores. However, you may need some other items depending on your specific situation.
Many fish keepers prefer to grow live plants in their betta tank to recreate the fish’s natural habitat, but you can use soft, betta-safe silk plants as an alternative.
Silk plants that are designed to be gentle on fish with fancy fins like Bettas and Fancy Goldfish
Only a single male betta fish can be kept in a home aquarium. Males will fight with each other, and the results are fatal. Many betta owners keep their betta fish with other fish species, but it’s crucial to choose good betta tank mates, and you will need a larger tank if you go this route.
Some experienced aquarists also keep female bettas together in a betta sorority, although this requires a relatively large space (20 gallons +). Female bettas are still great fish; they just don’t have as much color and fin variation as males.
The total cost of these basics comes to much less than most of the expensive betta fish breeds in this article, so the good news is that betta fish are not necessarily expensive to care for!
Can You Make Money By Selling Them?
It is very possible to make a profit by breeding and selling bettas. However, it is not something a beginner could jump into and expect fast results.
Gaining the necessary experience takes time, and input costs are high if you plan on starting with rare bloodlines. It is best to start off by trying to fund your hobby, rather than quitting your day job!
FAQs
What Is The Rarest Color?
Solid purple is the rarest betta fish color. It is unknown whether any of these fish exist, but one of these incredibly rare betta fish would be very expensive. Green bettas are also extremely rare, although turquoise shades are not unusual. Solid orange, yellow, and white bettas are also rare color varieties.
How Expensive Can They Get?
The most expensive betta fish ever sold cost over $1500. That fish was so valuable because its markings perfectly matched the Thai flag’s colors. However, some breeders and owners have fish that they would not sell for less than thousands of dollars. For example, a rare breeding pair of fantail bettas in the USA is valued at a staggering $10,000!
Is Plakat Expensive?
Plakat bettas are a large-jawed breed with very short fins. They tend to be a little more expensive than other varieties like veiltails. You can find plakats for less than $20 if you shop around, but higher-grade fish can be pricey.
Why Are Some More Expensive?
The rarest betta fish colors, patterns, and fin shapes are the most expensive because they are unique and difficult to find.
What Makes Them Expensive?
Beauty and rarity are the most important factors that determine betta fish prices. A rare breed that has never been seen before is likely to fetch high prices, but some breeds are consistently more expensive than other betta fish.
Final Thoughts
Like all pets, some breeds cost more than others. The amazing range of breeds and colors of betta fish makes their prices vary hugely, from less than 5 bucks to over a thousand dollars!
Would you buy an expensive betta fish? Tell us about your dream betta breed in the comments below!
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I’m thrilled that you found Aquarium Store Depot! Here you’ll find information on fish, aquariums, and all things aquatics related. I’m a hobbyist (being doing this since I was 11) and here to help other hobbyists thrive with their aquariums! I adhere to a high quality Editorial Process and Review products with real life field usage and practical analysis.
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