Tail types-- the Crowntails.

True betta royalty or just an imposter?

Let’s face it— if you’re looking for betta beauty you don’t have to look far past the magnificent Crowntail. With their split rays and exposed webbing, Crowntails offer a unique, fierce look matched only by their spitfire personalities. They are my beloved favorite of all the types of domestic betta. Crowntail personalities seem stuck on rage and anger most of the time, making them active, athletic fish in a way not seen in other longfin lines. These big personalities can come at a cost— Crowntails are not exempt from a wide host of issues.

Snowfire, a crowntail betta

Their fins, while beautiful, are highly susceptible to poor water conditions due to their thinness and exaggerated surface area. Fungus loves to attack those exposed fin rays, and the end of their rays can crumble right off due to poor water conditions. High ammonia can cause them to shrivel up and curl— a permanent condition. They are unfortunately unforgiving when it comes to water quality and demand the highest level of stability and cleanliness.

Carrots, a crowntail missing all of his fin ends from finrot

Crowntail fins infected with fin fungus

Crowntails also suffer from chronic constipation. This leads to bloating and sometimes even dropsy. They must be fed a mixture of high-quality sinking pellets and frozen foods to prevent buildup. Females in particular are prone to getting extremely eggy, to the point of near-grotesqueness. This can lead to bloating and egg-binding. Seriously, they get huge.

Queenie, an extremely eggy female crowntail

Crowntails also suffer from an eye condition unique to their tail type. They get large, protruding eyes similar to Pop-Eye but not caused by any infection and resistant to every type of treatment I’ve tried so far. I’m pretty sure its a pressure disorder similar to glaucoma in people. One or both eyes can be affected and eventual blindness is certain in affected eyes. These sick eyes are also a source of pain and discomfort. The danger of them rupturing on their own in later stages of the disease is high. For quality of life reasons I have removed affected eyes like these before once they hit a certain stage and recovery has been great, with the betta resuming normal life behaviors after the eye healed. Talk to your vet about possible treatment options.

Cap, a crowntail with a chronic bulging eye

They are also prone to developing fin tumors. These are different from the cauliflower masses other lines develop and nearly always start on the fins themselves. A lot of the time stay start out fin-colored but turn grayer as they progress.

All in all, crowntails are fantastic bettas who need a little specialized care to thrive.