Green and Black Dragon Plakat Male Betta (Betta splendens) | Live Freshwater Fish

Meet the Green and Black Dragon Plakat Male Betta (Betta splendens) — a stocky, short-finned showpiece with a metallic green-and-black "dragon scale" body and the bold personality bettas are famous for. Hardy, beginner-friendly, and full of attitude, plakats are the original wild-form fin shape, which makes them stronger swimmers and a little less prone to fin damage than longfin varieties. Browse more live freshwater fish at Squeaky's Aquatics.

Care Guide

• Tank Size: 5-gallon minimum; 10 gallons or larger is ideal for an enriched, planted setup.
• Water Temperature: 76–82°F. Bettas are tropical and need a steady heater — room temperature is too cold.
• pH: 6.5–7.5
• Hardness: 5–20 dGH
• Filtration: Gentle flow only. A sponge filter or low-flow internal filter prevents the male's flowing finnage from being battered.
• Décor: Live or silk plants, smooth driftwood, and at least one cave or hide. Avoid anything sharp.
• Lid Required: Yes — bettas are skilled jumpers.
• Diet: Carnivore. Feed a high-quality betta pellet as a staple, supplemented with frozen or freeze-dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia 2–3 times per week.

Specifications

Compatibility

Male bettas should be kept as the only betta in the tank — they will fight other males and harass female bettas. In a 10-gallon or larger community, a single plakat male can usually be housed with calm, non-fin-nipping tank mates that don't share his coloring or finnage.

• Good tank mates: nerite snails, peaceful corydoras, kuhli loaches, ember tetras, harlequin rasboras, and otocinclus.
• Caution: dwarf shrimp may be eaten — adult amano shrimp do best.
• Avoid: other male bettas, female bettas (in anything under 20+ gallons of heavily planted space), guppies, fancy goldfish, fin nippers like tiger barbs and serpae tetras, and any aggressive cichlids.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• New Life Spectrum Betta Semi-Floating Pellet — staple daily food
• Seachem NutriDiet Betta w/ Probiotics — gut health support
• Seachem Prime Water Conditioner — dechlorinator for every water change
• Aquatop Pisces 25W Nano Heater — perfect for 5–10 gallon betta setups
• Hikari Dark Rock Cave — hiding spot every betta appreciates

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a plakat betta?
"Plakat" is the short-finned form of Betta splendens, closer to the wild type. They have stockier bodies, shorter finnage, and tend to be stronger swimmers than longfin varieties.

Can I keep this betta in a small bowl?
No. Bettas need a heated, filtered tank of at least 5 gallons. They are tropical fish, not bowl decorations.

Do plakat bettas need a lid?
Yes — bettas are excellent jumpers. A tight-fitting lid or hood is essential.

How often should I do water changes?
25% weekly in a properly filtered 5–10 gallon tank, treated with a dechlorinator like Seachem Prime.