With betta fish rapidly growing in popularity while also being one of the most commonly kept fish in the world, we have noticed more and more people reaching out with a wide range of different questions about keeping pet betta fish.
Although we have been trying to publish as many articles as possible about the more serious questions about betta fish that we see, we wanted to take a look at the translucent betta fish in today’s article after seeing a number of people reaching out about it recently.
Due to the various colors and patterns available for betta fish, it can be difficult to know exactly why your betta is translucent without actually seeing the fish.
There are a number of different potential causes of a translucent betta fish though with many people often referring to a dull betta fish as translucent at times too.
With any luck, we hope that this article will be able to help as many of our readers as possible get a better understanding of what may be wrong with their betta fish if it is appearing translucent though.
Is It Normal For A Betta Fish To Be Translucent?
In many situations, a truly translucent betta fish is totally natural and normal with the betta being a “cellophane betta fish”.
Although rare, these bettas have a distinct lack of pigment in them giving them a translucent look that can often make people new to keeping betta fish worried that there may be something wrong with their betta.
If you do have a translucent betta fish then you are able to breathe a sigh of relief though as it is normal for the fish to be translucent in this specific situation.
All of the other causes of a translucent betta fish are an indication of a potential problem with the fish meaning that you have to put some time and effort into trying to work out the potential problem with the fish but the section below should be able to help with that.
Why Is My Betta Fish Translucent?
If you have a betta fish and it is not one of the cellophane bettas described in the section above, then there are a number of potential problems that may be causing your betta to appear translucent.
Issues With Diet
The first, and by far the most common cause of this issue is related to the diet of the fish with a lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet of the fish often being the issue.
This is a particular problem with betta fish as they are very fussy eaters which often leads to them not getting the full range of nutrients that they require to stay healthy.
One of the easiest ways to solve this problem and improve your bettas health is to simply change the food that you are giving them to a high quality betta fish food that contains all of the nutrients that they require.
As well as this, it is often recommended to supplement your bettas diet with live or frozen foods such as brine shrimp or bloodworms as these can help improve the health of your fish too.
Although betta fish are omnivores, they tend to do much better on a diet that has a large portion of its calories coming from meat based foods, especially insects.
Issues With Stress
If you have been feeding your fish a good quality diet and they are still appearing translucent, then the next most common cause of the issue is stress.
Betta fish are very sensitive to their surroundings and even small changes in their environment can lead to them becoming stressed which will often show itself through a change in coloration such as your betta appearing translucent.
One of the easiest ways to solve this problem is to simply take a look at their environment and try to remove any potential sources of stress such as too much light or noise.
You may also want to consider adding some plants or other hiding places to their tank as this can help reduce stress levels too.
If you have tried all of these things and your betta is still appearing translucent, then it is worth taking them to a vet as they may be suffering from an illness.
Issues With Illness
Although not as common as the other two causes, it is also possible for your betta to appear translucent due to an underlying illness.
There are a number of different illnesses that can cause your betta to appear translucent so it is worth taking them to a vet to get a diagnosis.
If you think that your betta may be ill, then the quickest and best way to get a diagnosis is to take them to a vet as they will be able to ran some tests and give you a definitive answer.
Treating A Translucent Betta Fish
Once you have determined the cause of your bettas translucent appearance, you can then start to look at treating the issue.
If the cause of the problem is stress, then the best way to treat it is to simply remove any potential sources of stress from their environment and try to make their tank as peaceful as possible.
You may also want to consider adding some plants or hiding places to their tank as this can help reduce stress levels too.
If the cause of the problem is a lack of vitamins and minerals in their diet, then the best way to treat it is to simply change the food that you are giving them to a high quality betta fish food that contains all of the nutrients that they require.
What Is Cellophane Betta Fish?
Cellophane betta fish are a type of betta that have a translucent body which you can see through.
They are caused by a genetic mutation and are quite rare, although they are becoming more common as they are bred specifically for their unusual appearance.
Cellophane bettas are perfectly healthy and there is no need to worry about them if you see one for sale, although they are often more expensive than other types of betta fish.
Do Cellophane Betta Fish Need Special Care?
No, cellophane bettas do not need any special care and can be kept in the same way as any other type of betta fish.
They are perfectly healthy and there is no need to worry about them if you see one for sale, although they are often more expensive than other types of betta fish.
