When all the betta variations are considered crowntail bettas are perhaps the second most popular fin variety. Apart from veil tail bettas it is the crowntail betta fighter that you are most likely to come across when shopping for a pet.  They are also one of the most common species that are breed for judging.

The Betta Crowntail have a series of small extensions on their tail on other primary fins. This edge of extra decoration is also know as the point of a crown or crowntail. This is where this betta variety’s name is drawn from.

A definition of what a good Crowntail Betta (CT) should look like, using the IBC Crowntail Standards. It should be kept in mind that the standards only apply to male CT bettas; females are judged in the standard color classes for their respective color types.

For the purpose of judging in the Crowntail Betta Fish class: CT’s are defined as crowntails showing at least 33% reduction in webbing versus ray size in all of the primary rays including the dorsal, caudal and anal. This requirement must be demonstrated in all three primary fins but does not need to be exhibited between all rays to meet the minimum requirement to be classified as a Crowntail betta.

SR – The Single Ray Betta Crowntail, web margins are uniform and reduction is equal.

Cross Ray : The crossing of rays is exhibited by both ray extensions curving over one another.

Double Ray – In the ‘DR’ CT, webbing is reduced at the two levels: one between a pair of rays and the other, more profoundly, between two ray branches. Breeders put a premium on double-ray and 4 ray extension Crowntails. These traits are to be considered neutral and can not be valued higher than 1 fin extended Crowntail Betta Splendens. Four fin and more fin extensions are not common and the characteristic is almost always liminted to the caudal fin.

Double-Double Fin – “DDF” is a 2×2 ray, otherwise a four ray complete extended branching.

Random Ray : This term basically indicates the caudal span has mixed all variations of rays including single, double, tertiary and quadruple branching all mixed up. It is used to describe those whose extended ray patterns are not fixed.

For the purpose of judging Crowntail Betta in IBC sanctioned showing, these are the desired traits judges are encouraged to look for:

1. Thirty three percent reduction in material for each ray is minimum. 50% reduction in webbing material in all three primary fins is ideal.

2. Ray extensions to be uniform in balance, length and spacing (symmetrical).

3. Double and 4 ray extensions in dorsal and anal fins to match caudal extensions.

Undesirable traits for Crowntails:

1. Disaqualifying penalties will be applied when less than 33 percent in webbing occurs in 2 or more of the primary rays.

2. Less than 33% reduction in webbing material in 1 primary fin is a SEVERE fault.

3. Fins of varying lengths are considered MINOR penalties unless the fins are in a even and repeating pattern.

4. Random rays, for example, single protruding rays in a double ray or 4 ray Crowntail, should not be regarded more than a MINOR fault and ignored if there is only a single ray protruding ray.

5. Curled or bent ray extensions are each a MINOR fault.

6. Non-symmetrical spaces between ray extensions are each a MINOR fault in Betta Crowntails.