Halfmoon

 Halfmoon

• Tail/Fins: 180° tail with overlapping dorsal and anal fins
• Color: available in all colors
• Common Patterns: Solid, butterfly, dragon scale, piebald, full mask, grizzle, bi-color;  most butterly pattern Bettas are Halfmoon; marble and koi very rare
• Behavior: more aggressive than veil tails

A Halfmoon Betta has an enormous rounded tail that spreads 180°. The trailing edge of the tail is round, so the silhouette of the tail looks like a semicircle (or half-moon!).

The dorsal fin is also quite large and tends to have a rounded shape, not swooped like a veil tail. The anal fin forms a large curtain under the fish’s belly. All three fins overlap each other, making the fish look like a blooming flower (well…to me anyway).

This variety is also widely available in pet stores, but it’s not quite as common as the veil tail and crown tail.

It can be more aggressive than veil tails, but this depends on the individual fish. 

Most butterfly Bettas have the Halfmoon tail type. This makes the pattern look even more beautiful since the anal, dorsal, and caudal fins all overlap each other like flower petals.

Key Characteristics

• A large rounded tail that makes a semicircle
• Rounded dorsal fin
• Anal, caudal and dorsal fin overlap
• Can be overly aggressive
• Most common tail type for butterfly color pattern