If you go on a good day you’ll have dozens of bettas to pick from. Here’s how to identify the healthiest ones:
- Their scales will be uniform – no bumps or swelling underneath, and no ulcers or boils.
- Body color will be rich and deep.
- Fins should be in tact with no tears or ragged edges or signs of fin rot. Fins should be long and flowing.
- Fish should be responsive to you. It should perk up as you get close to its cup, and it should flare its fins and move around when you pick up the cup to inspect it.
- The stomach should be well-rounded but not bloated.
- Fish should not be listing or leaning to one side or the other. It should not have any trouble getting off the bottom of the cup, and it shouldn’t move around like its struggling (except for struggling because the container its in is so unbelievably small…)
- Its eyes should be clear and not looking like they are popping out of their sockets.
- The fish’s excrement should be dark, not colorless.
- The fish’s body and fins should not have any signs of fungus or ich or anything else – take a good close-up look for anything that looks like salt or dust or cotton anywhere on the this. This will be harder if your fish is light colored.
