WYSIWYG Black Samurai Plakat Male Betta (Betta splendens)

This Black Samurai Plakat Male Betta (Betta splendens) looks like he is wearing lacquered armor. Samurai bettas combine a deep black base with heavy, dragon-type metallic scales across the body, and each scale is outlined in black, so the flank reads as a grid of bright plates stitched together with dark thread. The fins stay dark, usually black with a little blue or red showing through at the rays, which makes the metallic body pop even harder. Plakat is the short-finned, athletic form, so he is fast, sturdy, and far less prone to fin damage than a long-finned betta. Browse the rest of our live freshwater fish and freshwater supplies to set his tank up right.

Why WYSIWYG Matters on a Samurai Betta

The whole appeal of a samurai is the contrast between the metallic scales and the black mesh around them, and that contrast is different on every fish. Some are almost fully armored from gill plate to tail, others show metallic scaling only on the upper body. The metallic can read silver, steel blue, or green depending on the line, and the black edging can be crisp or smudged. A stock photo cannot tell you where on that range your fish falls. The photo on this page is him, in our tank, as he looks right now. Like all dragon-type bettas, samurai coverage usually keeps building as he ages, so expect him to grow more armored over the months ahead, and expect the metallic shade to shift a little under your lighting.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 5 gallons minimum, 10 gallons is better. Plakats are active patrollers and use every inch of a larger footprint.
• Temperature: 78 to 82°F, held steady with a heater. A preset unit such as the Aquatop Pisces 25W is sized right for a 5 to 10 gallon betta tank.
• Filtration: gentle. Plakats tolerate more flow than long-finned bettas, but a sponge filter like the Hikari Bacto-Surge Foam Filter gives clean water without a current to fight.
• Air gap and a lid. Bettas breathe air at the surface through a labyrinth organ, and plakats jump well. Cover the tank and keep space under the lid.
• Water parameters: pH 6.5 to 7.5, soft to moderately hard. Change about 25% weekly and treat new water with Seachem Betta Basics.
• Feeding: carnivore. A quality pellet like New Life Spectrum Betta as the staple, with frozen or freeze-dried bloodworms and brine shrimp a few times a week. Keep portions small.
• Decor: give him territory. Plants, a cave, and a piece of wood break up sightlines and give him places to rest. A dark background and substrate make the metallic scales stand out.
• Watch the eyes. Dragon-type scaling can slowly grow over the eyes in some lines as the fish gets older. It is not painful, but a fish with reduced vision may need food placed close to him.
• One male per tank. Two male bettas will fight until one is dead.

Specifications

Compatibility

A plakat male can share a planted 10 gallon or larger with calm company, but plakats tend to be more assertive than long-finned bettas, so pick neighbors that keep a low profile. Bottom dwellers and cleanup crew are the safest choices: Panda Corys, Black Kuhli Loaches, Bumblebee Otocinclus, and nerite snails. Amano Shrimp usually hold their own, while small shrimp are likely to be hunted.

Avoid fin nippers like tiger barbs, avoid showy long-finned fish such as fancy guppies, and never add another betta of either sex outside a supervised breeding setup. Every betta has his own personality, so keep an eye on the tank for the first week and have a plan B if he decides he rules the whole thing.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• New Life Spectrum Betta Semi-Floating Pellet or Fluval Bug Bites Betta Formula as the daily staple
• Fluval Freeze-Dried Bloodworms or frozen bloodworms as a treat
• Seachem Betta Basics for water changes
• Hikari Bacto-Surge Foam Filter for gentle filtration
• Hikari Dark Rock Cave and ZooMed Betta Bed Leaf Hammock for resting spots
• Fluval Betta Tropical Almond Leaves for tannins and a natural look

FAQ

Is the photo really this fish?
Yes. That is him in one of our tanks, photographed as he is now. That is what WYSIWYG means. There is one of him, so when he sells the page comes down instead of being restocked with a different betta.

What makes a betta a "samurai"?
A samurai is a dark-bodied betta with thick, dragon-type metallic scales, where each scale keeps a black outline. The result looks like overlapping armor plates. Samurai fins are typically dark, which is what separates the look from a pale-finned dragon.

What is a plakat betta?
Plakat is the short-finned form, the shape closest to wild Betta splendens. Plakats swim faster and hold up better than long-finned bettas, with far fewer problems from torn fins, fin rot, or tail biting.

Will his pattern change?
Expect some change. Metallic scaling on samurai and dragon bettas usually spreads as they mature, so a young fish often becomes more heavily armored. The black base and dark fins generally stay put.

Does he really need a heater and a filter?
Yes to both. Unheated bowls are why bettas have a reputation for short lives. A cycled 5 gallon with a heater and gentle filtration is the real minimum, and in that setup a betta commonly lives three years or more.

Can he live with another betta?
No. Two males will fight to the death, and males and females should only be put together by experienced breeders under supervision. One male per tank, every time.