How to Tell How Old a Betta Fish Is
- Check your betta’s size. Normal adult bettas are usually around 3 inches (7.6 cm) in length. Hold a measuring tape up to your fish’s tank and see how long it is. If your betta is less than the average, your betta is most likely a juvenile.
- Check your betta’s fins. Adult bettas have nice and beautiful flowing fins. If your betta has this characteristic, this is a good sign that it is an adult. If it has tiny fins, then it is either a juvenile or a baby.
- Assess the color of your betta. In general, young bettas are vibrant and middle-aged bettas are slightly faded. The color of the scales of an older betta will be slightly faded and muted.
- Look for changes in your fish’s body. You might notice that with every day, your betta seems to be getting paler or even with daily feeding your fish gets skinnier. These are signs of an aging betta
- Pay attention to changes in energy. Your betta will flare with much less gusto than it used to when it get old. After so many years, many bettas lose the enthusiasm to flare.
- Look for cataracts on the betta’s eyes. Old bettas tend to have “cataracts,” which are filmy or hazy spots inside the eye. This is normal for old bettas, and will happen no matter how big the tank you have is or how clean you keep the water.