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Hey, I just got my male betta, Bob, from a local pet store. They just called him a 'koi betta', but I'm really new to this so I have no idea what that even means... Can someone please help me figure out what kind of betta he is?

Here's Bob!

He appears to be a mix of marble and koi plakat, with the body type of a traditional 'fighter' Betta.

Bob's a real stunner.

Just a heads up, koi bettas often have the marble gene, so his coloring might shift as time goes on. Don't worry if that happens, it's quite normal.

Thanks for identifying Bob's type, I was really curious to know. Appreciate the help, foxlyn

He's a lovely fish, isn't he.

Just a heads up, since he's a koi betta, he's got the marble gene, and that means his coloring might change over time. No need to worry if it does, though.

Oh, and I hope he stays as handsome as he is now.

I agree with the others, he's a Canvas Koi Betta. So, his actual species is Betta splendens, which is your typical short-finned betta. The 'Koi' part refers to the coloring, which resembles that of a Koi carp, pretty cool.

He seems to be a Male canvas Koi Betta Fish. @essjay made a valid point, regarding the "Marble" term - it's used to describe a type of finnage and physical appearance, but more notably, the special genes involved, known as Transposons or "jumping genes".

These genes are what set Marble bettas apart, and as @essjay mentioned, they can cause changes in patterning over time. I came across an article that explains this in more detail - it's worth a read: https://nippyfish.net/2009/06/11/marble ... ing-genes/

I've had a similar experience with my betta, too - it was initially white with ice blue fins, but over time, it transformed into a stunning dark blue and green with hints of black.