Date: Unknown G-06

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BETTA GENETICS

By Bill Hoerner

Ever wondered why blue Bettas crossed with blue Bettas produce some green
offspring, or why reds and yellows do no produce orange when crossed. There must be
hundreds of questions like these. Hopefully some of the answers can be found herein.

This article is written as an expression of what one person, deeply interested in

Bettas, has learned from limited experience, from listening to what others have said, and
from reading what Liebettrau, Lucas, Maurus, Sonnier, and others have written. There is
a wealth of information available. I firmly believe that a reasonable understanding of
Betta genetics can greatly heighten the enjoyment and satisfaction that can be derived
from our hobby. I think anyone who ignores this subject is doing himself or herself a real
disservice.

Bettas possess two genes, one from each parent, for each characteristic. Each
Betta consists of many, many pairs of genes, many of which are characteristics that are
not observable under normal conditions. The gene pairs that are of primary concern to
us are those associated with the coloration and finnage. Lets consider what these
various gene pairs translate to in a normal Betta. The normal Betta is not the exquisitely
colored, magnificently finned beauty found in a bowl flaring at its neighbor, but rather the
inconspicuous wild-type splendens which is short-finned and generally brownish with
green highlights and varying degrees of red in the fins. This normal Betta possesses
layers of normal colors: yellow closest to the body, followed outwardly by red, black, and
green in that order. The lovelies we see today posses for the most part mutations of the
normal colors and short fins found in the wild-type.

A conceptual difficulty arises for some individuals when considering the normal
colors. A Betta possessing normal red is not a red Betta. A Betta that posses normal
black is not a black Betta. A Betta possessing a pair of the normal green or yellow
genes is not a green or yellow Betta. In fact, a Betta possessing all four normal colors is
a multicolor. Green, red, and a brownish variation of black can be observed, although
yellow cannot because of its paleness.

There are basically two types of genes. Type I genes are those that express a
dominant/recessive relationship when paired. The effect of the dominant gene is
observable with regards to color and finnage. The effect of the recessive gene is not
normally observable unless it is paired with a recessive gene. When a dominant long-
finned gene is paired with a recessive short-finned gene, long fins will be observed.
Sometimes a recessive gene can produce effects that are observable when paired with
a dominant gene. Singletail Bettas carrying a doubletail gene usually display wider
based and more expansive fins than their all-singletail counterparts. Type II genes are
those that interfere with each other when paired. A classic example is the pairing of
green and steel blue genes to produce blue.

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The fact that any Betta possesses all the normal colors or their mutations can
cause a bit of a conceptual problem. However, at the risk of oversimplifying, the
observable color or colors will depend upon the relative intensity and distribution of the
various layers. A Betta will, for example, be observably red when the red layer is very
intense and evenly distributed and the other layers are lacking sufficient intensity and
distribution to overcome the red. Solid colored Bettas usually result only when one or
more of the normal colors has mutated.

The chart included herein lists the normal colors and their mutations and briefly
describes each. It is interesting to note that a couple of the mutations are not so much
involved with color as they are with patterns of color. The butterfly pattern is a mutation
of red, and, even though it is dominant over normal red, good butterfly patterns are often
difficult to produce even when crossing butterfly to butterfly. The marble pattern is a
mutation of black that produces many strange and varied effects. Marble Bettas may not
begin to display marble patterning until they are a few months old and then the
patterning can change dramatically over a relatively short period of time.

There are color varieties that are not the result of any single gene pair, but are
produced by more than one gene pair. Pastels, for example, result when green, steel
blue, or blue overlay cambodian. Whites are produced by a combination of mutations of
red, black and green.

The color chart indicates relative dominance within layers, but not between
layers. It has generally been observed that the green layer and its mutations, the top
layer will dominate the other layers when intense enough and evenly distributed.
However, as a result of varying intensity and distribution within layers, more than one
color may be observed, as in multicolors. Intensity and distribution of any layer can be
enhanced or subdued through selective breeding, depending on what ones goals are.
One can select for darker or lighter or brighter reds, greens, blues, or for creamier
cambodian body color, and so forth as desired.

Suppose you are not sure whether genes are functioning as Type I or Type II.
You can find out which Type in as few as two generations, provided you get large
enough spawns, say 100 or more. Theoretically, Type I genes can result in 75% of a
spawn appearing the same color, but Type II genes cannot. Lets check this out.

First, lets consider a Type I example. Assume that only the red color layer is
present and that only the extended red (R) and non-red (Y) genes are involved. The
male carries two Rs and the female one R and one Y. The first generation (F1) will be
50% RR and 50% RY, but they will all appear to be extended red. Why? Each square in
the accompanying blocks represents 25%. Suppose two if the F1 RYs are crossed to
produce the second generation (F2). F2 will consist of 25% RR, 50% RY, and 25% YY.
However, 75% of the offspring will appear to be extended red and 25% non-red. Why?
Review the color chart! Keep the 75% in mind.

R R R Y
F1 R RR RR F2 R RR RY
Y RY RY Y RY YY

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Now, how about a Type II gene in action. Assume that only the green color layer
is present and that only the extended green (G) and steel blue (S) genes are active.The
male carries two Gs and the female one G and one S. The first generation (F1) will be
50% GG and 50% GS. 50% will appear green and 50% blue. If two F1 GSs are crossed
to produced the second generation (F2). The spawn will consist of 25% GG, 50% GS,
and 25% SS. 25% of the offspring will appear green and 50% blue and 25% steel blue.
There is no way that 75% of the offspring can appear to be the same color. Look at the
blocks and gene pairings very carefully and you should be able to tell why 75% look-a-
likes cant occur. Review the color chart again.

G G G S
F1 G GG GG F2 G GG GS
S GS GS S GS SS

The terms phenotype and genotype are frequently bandied about in Betta
discussions. They, especially genotype, can be very important when acquiring breeders.
Phenotype refers to any observable characteristic. If a Betta appears to be red, it is a red
phenotype. A singletail Betta is a singletail phenotype. A doubletail Betta is a doubletail
phenotype. What you see is what you get, or is it. Genotype normally refers to
characteristics that are recessive to those observed. If there is no recessive
characteristic, genotype is the same as phenotype. A red Betta carrying two genes for
extended red is a red phenotype and a red genotype. Breeders who work with melano
strains cant use melano females because they cannot produce viable offspring. The
breeders usually use steel blue females who carry a gene for melano. These females
are steel blue phenotypes, but black (melano) genotypes. Frequently, singletail Bettas
carry a gene for doubletail, making them singletail phenotypes, but doubletail genotypes.
When breeder fish are acquired, it is helpful to know their genotypes. If, for example, the
breeders are both doubletail genotypes while appearing to be singletails, they will
produce doubletail offspring as well as singletail. So you can get more than you see.

Now that you know everything there is to know about Betta genetics, go have
some fun with it.

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NORMAL COLOR PRODUCING GENES AND KNOWN MUTATIONS

Normal Layer Mutation Description

Very pale, innermost layer. Virtually always covered
A. Yellow by other layers. Not observable. Not to be confused
with non-red yellow. No known mutations.
Prevalent in the ventral, anal and caudal fins.
B. Red Denser than normal red and extends over the entire
body and fins. Type I- dominant over normal red.
Non-Red ... Red is replaced by yellow. Type I- recessive to both
normal and extended red.
Red Loss .. Initial red disappears partially or completely as the
fish matures. Type I- dominant over normal red.
Butterfly Pattern Clear to white areas occur in fins where red is
usually predominant. Type I- dominant over non-
butterfly, but variable expressible.
Prevalent throughout, but weakest in the abdominal
C. Black area and caudal fin.
Melano . Black is very dense and extensive. Melano females
are incapable of producing viable offspring. Type I-
recessive to normal black.
Blond . Density of black is greatly reduced, but not absent
as in cambodian. Type I- recessive to normal black.
Cambodian .. Black is eliminated from the body, but may continue
to exist to some degree in the fins. Type I- recessive
to normal black.
Marble .. Black is of varying density which can change over
time. Type I- dominance/recessiveness hasnt been
established due to the variability of the marble
effect. Produces fertile black females capable of
reproducing. The fertile black is less dense than
the melano.
Prevalent in the body area posterior to the head and
D. Green in the bases of the fins.
Extended Green.. Denser than normal green and extends over the
entire body, but not usually over the head area.
Type II- interferes with steel blue to produce blue,
but functions as Type I in being dominant over
normal green. Also referred to as Spread
Iridescence.
Steel Blue Green is replaced by steel blue. Iridescence is of
the same intensity as in the replaced green.
Opaque An iridescent, milky color replaces or combines with
steel blue. Type II- effects are variable.

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