WYSIWYG Dumbo Ear White Male Betta (Betta splendens)

This Dumbo Ear White Male Betta (Betta splendens) pairs a clean white body and finnage with the trait that gives dumbo bettas their name: oversized pectoral fins that fan out at his sides like elephant ears and ripple as he hovers. White bettas range from a bright metallic platinum to a soft, milky opaque, and against dark plants or wood either one glows. Hardy, beginner friendly, and a real centerpiece for a small heated tank. Browse the rest of our live freshwater fish and freshwater supplies to set his tank up right.

Why WYSIWYG Matters on a White Dumbo Ear Betta

"White dumbo" describes two traits, and both vary a lot from fish to fish. The white can be a metallic platinum with a pearly shine, a flat opaque white, or a paler white that lets a pink blush show through at the gills and belly. The ears vary even more: some males carry pectorals nearly as long as the body, others only modestly enlarged, and the tail behind them can be a halfmoon, a plakat, or something in between. A stock photo cannot tell you which of those you are getting. The photo on this page is him, in our tank, as he looks right now. Keep in mind that some white bettas carry hidden color genetics and can pick up a few flecks of color as they age, and white fish photograph brighter or softer depending on the light.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 5 gallons minimum, 10 gallons is better. A real heated, filtered, cycled tank gives those big pectoral fins stable, clean water to stay healthy in.
• Temperature: 78 to 82°F, held steady with a heater. A small preset unit like the Aquatop Pisces 25W suits a 5 to 10 gallon tank. Cold water leaves a betta sluggish and prone to illness.
• Low flow. Oversized pectorals work hard just to hold him in place, and a strong current wears him out. Use a gentle sponge filter such as the Hikari Bacto-Surge Foam Filter or baffle the outlet.
• Resting spots near the surface. Dumbo males like to perch. A leaf hammock, broad plant leaves like Anubias Nana, or a floating lounge give him somewhere to rest those fins.
• Nothing sharp. Long pectorals snag and split on rough ornaments and hard plastic plants. Stick with live plants, silk plants, and smooth wood.
• Air gap and a lid. Bettas breathe air at the surface through a labyrinth organ, so leave space under the cover. They also jump, so close the gaps.
• Water parameters: pH 6.5 to 7.5, soft to moderately hard. Change about 25% weekly and treat new water with Seachem Betta Basics. Clean water matters more on a white fish, since any fin damage or cloudiness shows at a glance.
• Feeding: carnivore. A betta pellet such as Hikari Betta Bio-Gold as the staple, plus frozen or freeze-dried bloodworms and brine shrimp two or three times a week. A few pellets twice a day is plenty.
• One male per tank. Two male bettas in the same water will fight until one of them is dead.

Specifications

Compatibility

A dumbo ear male can share a 10 gallon or larger tank with calm neighbors, but those long pectorals are an easy target, so choose carefully. Good choices include Pygmy Corys, Bumblebee Otocinclus, Black Kuhli Loaches, and nerite snails. Amano Shrimp are large enough to usually hold their own, while small shrimp are often eaten.

Skip fin nippers such as tiger barbs and serpae tetras, skip long-finned colorful fish like fancy guppies that he may read as a rival, and never add a second betta of either sex outside a supervised breeding setup. Temperament varies by individual, so watch closely for the first week. Many keepers give a showy dumbo his own planted 5 gallon, where those big fins take center stage.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Hikari Betta Bio-Gold or Fluval Bug Bites Betta Formula as the daily staple
• Fluval Freeze-Dried Bloodworms or frozen bloodworms as a treat
• Seachem Betta Basics for every water change
• Aquatop Pisces 25W Nano Heater for a steady temperature
• ZooMed Betta Bed Leaf Hammock and ZooMed Betta Floating Lounge for resting spots
• Fritz Catappa Leaves for gentle tannins and fin condition

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 "dumbo ear"?
Dumbo, or elephant ear, bettas have greatly enlarged pectoral fins, the pair just behind the gills. On a regular betta they are small and nearly clear. On a dumbo they are broad, often colored to match the body, and fan out like ears as he swims.

Will he stay white?
Usually, but not always. Some white bettas carry color genetics under the white and can develop a few flecks of red, blue, or black as they mature. It is normal and harmless. Stress or cold water can also make a white betta look dull or slightly gray until conditions improve.

Do the big pectoral fins need special care?
Just a little more thought. Keep the flow low, avoid sharp decor, and give him places to rest near the surface. Split or ragged pectorals are usually a sign of snags or water quality, and they grow back once the cause is fixed.

Does he really need a heater and a filter?
Yes to both. Unheated bowls are the reason bettas have a reputation for dying young. 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.