Betta tail types: how to tell a halfmoon from a crowntail
"Halfmoon", "crowntail", "HMPK"... betta names can sound like a secret code. Most of the words are about one thing: the shape of the tail. Once you know the six main shapes, you can read any betta listing, including ours. Every fish photo in this guide is a real betta photographed in our shop in Bacoor. Momo is learning the codes too.
MomoLearning the betta codes
HanabiHer halfmoon. Loves to show off.
DangoHer Winter White. Moral support.
Tail types at a glance
Look at the tail when the fish spreads it, not when it's resting. That's when the shape shows.
Halfmoon: the classic show betta
When a halfmoon flares, its tail opens to a full 180 degrees, making a big letter D with straight edges. It's the shape most people picture when they think "betta".
- Spot it: tail edge forms a half circle when spread.
- Care note: big fins are heavy. Keep the water current gentle and give it a leaf to rest on.
Crowntail: spikes instead of curves
On a crowntail, the fin rays reach past the skin between them, so the edges look spiky, like a crown or a comb. Crowntails often look wild and dramatic, especially in dark colours.
- Spot it: pointed "fingers" all along the tail and fins. You may see it written as CT.
- Care note: the spikes can snag, so skip sharp plastic plants and rough decor.
Doubletail: two tails in one
A doubletail's tail is split into two lobes, top and bottom. The top fin (dorsal) is usually extra big too, so the fish looks round and full when it flares.
- Spot it: a notch or split in the middle of the tail.
- Care note: lots of fin, so a gentle current and a rest spot help here too.
Plakat: short fins, big energy
Plakats have short, round fins, closer to how bettas look in the wild. Without heavy fins to drag, they're quick swimmers and very active. A halfmoon plakat (HMPK) has short fins that still open to a D shape.
- Spot it: short tail, body clearly visible. Written as PK, or HMPK.
- Care note: the easiest fins to keep nice, which makes plakats a good first betta.
- Koi and candy colours are very popular in plakats.
Feathertail: a halfmoon with ruffles
A feathertail has the wide spread of a halfmoon, but the fin edges branch and ruffle like the edge of a feather. The result looks soft and layered.
- Spot it: wavy, layered edges on a wide tail.
- Care note: the heaviest fins of all. A low current is a must.
Veiltail: long and flowing
A veiltail's long tail flows and droops downward instead of spreading flat. It's the gentle, classic look many people grew up seeing.
- Spot it: long tail that hangs down like a veil.
- Care note: long fins, so keep the current gentle.
Giant, Hulk and female bettas
These words are about body size and sex, not the tail. A Giant can be a halfmoon, a plakat, any tail type.
- Giant
- Bred to grow much bigger than a regular betta. Ours come from Indonesia.
- Hulk / King
- Big, thick-bodied lines, also from Indonesia.
- Female
- Shorter fins than the males, and still very colourful. Our females have F codes.
Which tail type is right for you?
if it's your first betta, or you want an active fish with fins that stay neat.
if you want the big "wow" spread and can keep the current gentle.
if you want a fish that looks different from everyone else's.
Every betta on our site is listed with its tail type, its tank code and its own photos. The fish in the photo is the fish you get. Just like me!
Questions customers ask us
What does HMPK mean?
Halfmoon plakat: a betta with short plakat fins that still open to a half circle when it flares.
What does CT mean?
Crowntail, a betta with spiky fin edges.
Which betta tail type is easiest to care for?
Plakats. Their short fins don't tire them out and are less likely to tear. Long-finned types like halfmoons, feathertails and veiltails need a gentle current and soft decor.
Is a Giant betta a tail type?
No. Giant is about body size. A Giant can have any tail type.
Do female bettas have long tails?
Usually shorter than the males', but they can be just as colourful.
Can I keep two bettas with different tails together?
No. Tail type doesn't change temperament. Keep one male betta per tank.
The cartoons show our characters Momo, Hanabi and Dango. Every photo in this guide is a real betta from our shop, shown with its tank code.