Hi!
I drew a betta fish again for the first time in a while. In kanji, it’s written as 闘魚 (fighting fish).

However, this time it’s subtly dragonized, so I’m calling it “闘龍魚” (betta -BabyDragon-).
Bettas are regularly stocked in aquarium shops, often lined up in tiny tanks in large numbers.
The ones with long fins are males, and as the name suggests, they are highly territorial toward others of the same species. Their display of flaring—spreading their fins to intimidate rivals—is one of their most beautiful behaviors.

There’s a wide variety of colors due to extensive selective breeding.

I’ve also created variations like this.

Many say things like “You can keep them without a filter” or “They’re hardy because of their labyrinth organ,” but in my experience, they are quite difficult fish to care for.
Unless you keep them in ultra-soft blackwater and let them flare regularly, their fins can melt and fuse, requiring a lot of maintenance. Without proper knowledge and medications for fish diseases, they can fall ill quickly. Also, the ones sold in shops are usually already adults, so the time you get to spend with them is somewhat limited.

Recently, a type of betta called Plakat—which doesn’t have such long fins—has become quite popular. Among them is a strain called Black Dragon Samurai, which sounds like the name of a fourth grader’s dream. But it more than lives up to the name—it’s incredibly cool. Every time I see one at a shop, I feel tempted to bring one home… though at around ¥5,000 a fish, I end up hesitating.