{"product_id":"dragonscale-male-betta","title":"Dragonscale Male Betta","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"betta-desc\"\u003e\n\u003cstyle\u003e\n  .betta-desc { font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:15px;\n    line-height:1.75; color:#1a1a2e; max-width:860px; margin:0 auto; }\n  .betta-desc p { margin-bottom:14px; }\n  h2.fish-title { font-family:Georgia,serif; font-size:1.7em; font-weight:bold;\n    color:#3d1f5c; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:0.03em;\n    border-bottom:2px solid #7b4fa6; padding-bottom:8px; margin-bottom:18px; }\n  .tip-box { background:#f3eafa; border-left:4px solid #7b4fa6; border-radius:4px;\n    padding:12px 16px; margin:18px 0; font-size:0.95em; }\n  .tip-box strong { color:#3d1f5c; }\n  .warn-box { background:#fff3e0; border-left:4px solid #e67e22; border-radius:4px;\n    padding:12px 16px; margin:18px 0; font-size:0.95em; }\n  .warn-box strong { color:#b94600; }\n  .spec-table { width:100%; border-collapse:collapse; margin:20px 0; font-size:0.92em; }\n  .spec-table th { background:#7b4fa6; color:#fff; text-align:left; padding:8px 12px;\n    font-family:Georgia,serif; font-weight:bold; text-transform:uppercase;\n    letter-spacing:0.04em; font-size:0.85em; }\n  .spec-table td { padding:7px 12px; border-bottom:1px solid #e8ddf2; vertical-align:top; }\n  .spec-table tr:nth-child(odd) td { background:#faf7fd; }\n  .spec-table tr:nth-child(even) td { background:#ffffff; }\n  .spec-table td:first-child { font-weight:bold; color:#3d1f5c; white-space:nowrap; width:38%; }\n  .tail-inset { float:right; margin:0 0 0 24px; width:185px; }\n  .tail-inset img { width:100%; height:auto; display:block; }\n\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"fish-title\"\u003eDragonscale Male Betta\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tip-box\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Photo:\u003c\/strong\u003e The image shown is a representative example of this betta variety — it illustrates the tail type and an idea of the coloring you may receive. Bettas are living animals and each one is unique; color intensity, pattern, and fin development vary naturally from fish to fish. To choose your exact fish, see our WYSIWYG program below.\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fish-body-open\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDragonscale Male Betta\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eBetta splendens\u003c\/em\u003e) carries the Dragonscale trait — a genetic mutation that thickens and raises the scales into a metallic, plated texture reminiscent of armor, quite different from the smooth scaling of a standard betta. Dragonscale is a scale-type trait rather than a single color, and shows up over many different base colors — red, black, blue, copper, and multicolor Dragonscale fish are all common in the hobby. This individual's specific base color and tail form are best confirmed on the video for the exact fish in our WYSIWYG program below, since both vary from one Dragonscale fish to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"fish-body\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tip-box\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSelect Your Exact Fish — WYSIWYG:\u003c\/strong\u003e Each betta is individually filmed in their container and video previews are available. Browse the videos, find the fish you want, note the \u003cstrong\u003econtainer number in the bottom right corner\u003c\/strong\u003e, place your order, and include that number in your order notes. You will receive exactly that fish — not one like it.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeople in Thailand have kept and selectively bred \u003cem\u003eBetta splendens\u003c\/em\u003e for \u003cstrong\u003eat least 1,000 years\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of the longest domestication histories of any fish. The breeding tradition focused increasingly on color and fin development over the centuries, producing fish of growing beauty long before they reached the rest of the world. In 1840, King Rama III gave specimens to Danish physician Theodore Cantor, who published the first Western scientific description. Bettas arrived in France in 1892, Germany in 1896, and reached San Francisco in 1910 via importer Frank Locke. It was not until 1927 that the first brightly colored, long-finned specimens reached the United States — transforming the fish from a foreign curiosity into the spectacular ornamental varieties the world knows today. The scientific name \u003cem\u003eBetta splendens\u003c\/em\u003e, given by Charles Tate Regan of the British Museum in 1909, means \"gleaming fighter\" — combining \u003cem\u003esplendens\u003c\/em\u003e (brilliant, shining) with a reference to the ancient Bettah people of Southeast Asia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tip-box\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Cuboid Betta Wall:\u003c\/strong\u003e Our bettas are housed in our \u003cstrong\u003e260-container Betta Wall\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of the largest dedicated betta displays you will find anywhere. Every container has its own \u003cstrong\u003eheated, filtered, UV-sterilized water\u003c\/strong\u003e and a live plant, giving each fish its own stable, enriched environment. While the containers are sized for retail housing rather than permanent home setups, the water quality and conditions are maintained at a standard well above typical retail. When you receive a betta from Cuboid, it has been kept properly — not in a cup.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ideal home aquarium for a betta is a minimum of \u003cstrong\u003e5 gallons\u003c\/strong\u003e — 10 gallons gives more stable water temperature, better water quality, and more territory to explore and inhabit. \u003cstrong\u003eA heater is required.\u003c\/strong\u003e Bettas are tropical fish that need \u003cstrong\u003e78–82°F (25–28°C)\u003c\/strong\u003e consistently. Room temperature in most US homes falls below this range, particularly in winter, and bettas kept too cool are noticeably less active, less colorful, and significantly more prone to disease. Bettas also possess a specialized breathing organ called the \u003cstrong\u003elabyrinth organ\u003c\/strong\u003e — a structure above the gills that allows them to extract oxygen directly from atmospheric air at the surface. Unobstructed \u003cstrong\u003esurface access is a biological necessity\u003c\/strong\u003e. Never cover the surface so completely that a betta cannot reach open air.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"warn-box\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e⚠ Filter Flow:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bettas are native to slow-moving rice paddies and still forest pools — strong current stresses them, exhausts their fins, and can prevent them from swimming comfortably. Use a \u003cstrong\u003egentle sponge filter\u003c\/strong\u003e or baffle a hang-on-back filter to reduce outflow. The surface should ripple gently — not churn.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are genuine habitat for bettas, not merely decoration. Floating plants provide shade and surface cover that significantly reduces stress. \u003cstrong\u003eIndian almond leaves\u003c\/strong\u003e (Catappa) are particularly valuable — they release tannins that replicate the natural blackwater chemistry of betta habitat and have mild antibacterial and antifungal properties. Add one or two leaves per 5 gallons and replace monthly. The slight amber tint they produce is entirely natural and beneficial.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tip-box\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeeding \u0026amp; Care Tip:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHikari Betta Gold\u003c\/strong\u003e is our recommended staple food. Feed \u003cstrong\u003eone pellet at a time\u003c\/strong\u003e — if your betta eats it, offer another, up to \u003cstrong\u003ethree pellets twice daily\u003c\/strong\u003e. If they do not eat a pellet, do not add another — remove uneaten food promptly to protect water quality. Fasting one day per week supports digestive health.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor treats, rotate \u003cstrong\u003eHikari Frozen Bloodworms\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eHikari Frozen Baby Brine Shrimp\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eHikari Frozen Daphnia\u003c\/strong\u003e 2–3 times per week. Daphnia acts as a gentle digestive aid — worth including weekly as bettas on an all-pellet diet can be prone to bloating.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen setting up your betta's new aquarium, add \u003cstrong\u003eSeachem Betta Basics\u003c\/strong\u003e to the water — a betta-specific conditioner that neutralizes chlorine and chloramines and provides a slime coat supplement. It does not contain aloe vera, which can coat the water surface and interfere with a betta's surface breathing. Use it at every water change going forward.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDragon Scale Care:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Dragon Scale gene causes thick metallic scaling that continues to develop throughout the fish's life. In some individuals this scaling can gradually encroach across the eyes — a condition known as \u003cstrong\u003eDiamond Eye\u003c\/strong\u003e or Dragon Eye — progressively reducing and eventually eliminating vision. This is genetic and irreversible; not every Dragon Scale betta develops it, but the risk is real and worth monitoring. Check eye clarity regularly — early signs are a whitening or clouding of the normally dark iris.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe strongly recommend establishing a \u003cstrong\u003etap-and-feed routine\u003c\/strong\u003e from the start: tap gently on the glass before each feeding to signal that food is coming, then offer a pellet. A sighted Dragon Scale betta that learns this association early will be far better prepared to continue feeding normally if Diamond Eye does develop — the conditioned behavior carries over even as vision is lost.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe raised scale texture also means debris and bacteria can lodge between scales more easily than on smooth-scaled fish. Clean water, low nitrates, and regular inspection of the scale surface for any lifting, redness, or irregularity are especially important for Dragon Scale bettas.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne benefit: the metallic Dragon Scale iridescence shows best under moderate to good directional lighting — unlike most bettas that look best in subdued light, Dragon Scale bettas genuinely reward good illumination.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMale bettas cannot be housed together — one male per tank, always. With peaceful, non-fin-nipping community fish in a larger aquarium they can coexist well: small Corydoras, Ember Tetras, small rasboras, and snails are typically compatible. Avoid confirmed fin-nippers such as Tiger Barbs and Serpae Tetras, and brightly colored fish with flowing fins that a betta may perceive as a rival.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost fish are kept. Bettas are known. Give one the right environment, learn its habits, and you will find yourself checking on it not out of obligation but out of genuine curiosity about what it is doing. That is the experience that has made \u003cem\u003eBetta splendens\u003c\/em\u003e one of the most kept fish on Earth for over a thousand years — and it starts with the fish you choose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"spec-table\"\u003e\n  \u003ctr\u003e\u003cth colspan=\"2\"\u003eDragonscale Male Betta\u003c\/th\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eBeginner — Easy\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eMales must be kept one per tank\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eAdult Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003e2.5–3.0 inches (6–7.5 cm)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eGroup Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eOne male only — no other male bettas\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eIdeal Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003e78–82°F (25–28°C) — heater required\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eIdeal pH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003e6.5–7.5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eIdeal GH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003e3–12 dGH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eIdeal KH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003e2–8 dKH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eStaple Food\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eHikari Betta Gold — one pellet at a time, up to 3 pellets twice daily; remove uneaten food promptly\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eTreat \/ Supplement\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eHikari Frozen Bloodworms; Hikari Frozen Baby Brine Shrimp; Hikari Frozen Daphnia (weekly for digestive health)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003eThailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and surrounding Southeast Asia\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#f3eafa;color:#3d1f5c;font-weight:600;width:38%;border:1px solid #e8ddf2; vertical-align:top;\"\u003eNotes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:9px 14px;background-color:#ffffff;color:#2c2c2c;border:1px solid #e8ddf2;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScale Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dragonscale — thick, raised metallic scaling; base color and tail form vary by individual, confirm via WYSIWYG video\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiamond Eye:\u003c\/strong\u003e Monitor eyes regularly for scale growth over the cornea; establish tap-and-feed routine early\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLighting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Directional lighting enhances metallic scale appearance\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFiltration:\u003c\/strong\u003e Gentle sponge filter or baffled HOB only — no strong current\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSurface Access:\u003c\/strong\u003e Required at all times — labyrinth organ breathes atmospheric air\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum Tank:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5 gallons — 10 gallons recommended\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew Tank:\u003c\/strong\u003e Seachem Betta Basics at setup and every water change (no aloe vera)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnrichment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Indian almond leaves; floating plants; live plant in tank\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Cuboid Nature Aquarium","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52854159704375,"sku":"Betta Splendens","price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/cuboidstore.com\/products\/dragonscale-male-betta","provider":"Cuboid Aquatics LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}