Are Dumbo Bettas Rare?

Undoubtedly, the Dumbo betta fish is a gorgeous addition to any aquarium that can catch anybody’s attention with its resemblance to an elephant-like ear in its pectoral fins. But, you may not always find these unique betta species at your local pet stores or online stores. Hence, the betta lovers always wonder whether Dumbo bettas are rare.

Compared to other betta species, Dumbo betta fish are pretty rare these days. Contamination in their wild habitation, bright coloration, and unique physical features make these Dumbo betta fish one of the rarest betta fish.

In this article, you’ll get a detailed overview of Dumbo ear betta fish, the reasons for being rare in these Dumbo bettas, and other related information. Let’s start with what a Dumbo betta fish is.

Key Takeaways

• You can identify dumbo betta with their large pectoral fins that appear like an elephant ear.
• According to IUCN, Dumbo betta fish is almost an extinct fish that you term as rare.
• Habitation loss and contamination in the wild habitation are the main causes for which it’s hard to find wild Dumbo betta in nature.
• Due to recessive genes, breeding Dumbo betta is a complicated work that doesn’t provide any guarantee to have baby Dumbo betta with ear genes.

What Is A Dumbo Betta?

Dumbo betta fish is a species of Siamese fighting fish or Betta splendens. These bettas are popular for their specialized pectoral gills that appear like the ears of an elephant. The pectoral fins of these Dumbo betta fish are large and fully rounded with a frilly look that is positioned right behind the head of the Dumbo bettas.

The resemblance of elephant ears in pectoral fins isn’t the only attractive thing about Dumbo betta fish. If you’re a betta lover, you’ll find their beautifully ornated fins and tails awesome.

Although Dumbo bettas are cousins of Halfmoon betta, the tail of Dumbo bettas is a bit shorter than other bettas. If your Dumbo betta is a variety of Halfmoon betta, its tail will flair to 180 degrees.

Moreover, these Dumbo bettas come in several types of coloration. You can find these gorgeous Dumbo bettas in blue, pink, gray, light green, lavender, maroon, red, brown, and violet color. In the wild, Dumbo bettas tend to be found in slow-moving streams, rivers, and lakes.

Also, Dumbo betta fish are famous for their fighting spirit. These Dumbo bettas are so territorial that these fish can fight to death.

Overview Of Dumbo Betta Fish

Dumbo betta fish is one of the top choices on the priority list of any beginner or experienced betta owners. To know about Dumbo betta fish a bit more, let’s take a look at the following chart to get an overview of Dumbo betta fish at a glance.

Scientific name	Betta splendens
Common names	Elephant Ear Betta, Dumbo Betta, Dumbo-Siamese Fighting Fish, etc.
Origin	Southeast Asia
Skin type	Scales
Size	2.5-3 inches
Diet	Carnivores
Color	Red, blue, white, lavender, maroon, yellow, pink, etc.
Temperament	Territorial and highly aggressive
Minimum tank size	Over 5 gallon
Water type	Freshwater
Optimal pH	6-8
Optimal temperature	76-82 degrees Fahrenheit (24-28 degrees Celcius)
Breeding	Bubblenest breeders
Care level	Moderate
Lifespan	3-5 years

Are Dumbo Ear Betta Fish Rare?

The answer is yes! These Dumbo Ear betta fish are one of the rarest breeds of Siamese betta fish. According to IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Dumbo betta fish is enlisted as ‘vulnerable’ species in the list of extinct fish.

Compared to their high demand, these Dumbo bettas aren’t readily available. You can rarely find Dumbo ear betta fish in any local or online pet stores.

Why Are Dumbo Bettas Rare In the World?

Several factors work as triggers for the rarity of Dumbo Ear betta fish. Do you want to know why these pretty betta fish are so low in number?

Then, let’s delve into the following reasons that cause Dumbo betta rare in the world.

1. Extinction Of Wild Habitat

If you want to find the root reason for the rarity of Dumbo betta fish, you should look for the sourcing of these pretty betta first.  The wild habitation of Dumbo betta fish is mainly in Southeast Asia. These elephant ear Betta are native to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, etc.

You can find these rare freshwater species in slow-moving streams, rivers, shallow pools, ditches, and rice paddies. But, these are almost myths nowadays. Due to habitat loss, it becomes rare to find Dumbo Ear betta fish in the wild.

Behind the extinction of wild habitation, there are many natural and manmade reasons. Humans have started encroaching on the natural habitat of betta fish for their purposes. Because of vast urbanization, we’re taking away the wild home of Dumbo betta fish where they thrive and breed their future generations.

Continuous contamination of the environment makes the wild habitation of Dumbo betta fish polluted. Also, natural calamities are responsible for such habitation loss of Dumbo ear betta. It results in making Dumbo Elephant Betta fish an endangered fish.

2. Unique Physical Appearance

You might know that demand increases with the special features of any particular self. In cases of Dumbo Ear betta fish, these pretty betta fish can readily take away anybody’s attention with their special body features.

Any betta lover would love to include such a beautiful addition to their aquarium where the pectoral fins of a betta fish resemble the ear of an elephant. Such a unique appearance creates a higher demand for Dumbo betta fish that ends up in scarcity.

3. Bright Coloration

Another fact about rare bettas is that solid-colored betta fish aren’t readily available. On the contrary, the wild Dumbo bettas are found in solid coloration. Such as brown, dull green, and grey.

But, you can see vivid shades in Dumbo betta fish that are bred in captivity. It’s not possible without selective breeding. Hence, you might not often find Dumbo betta fish with specific multiple shades vastly available in stores.

4. Difficult Breeding Procedures

Another factor is the difficult breeding procedures of Dumbo betta fish. The recessive genes of elephant ear in parent Dumbo betta fish make it hard. Also, the highly territorial temperament of these bettas causes failure in breeding Dumbo betta fish. Although male and female parent Dumbo betta fish have strong ear genes, there’s no guarantee of successful breeding of these bettas.

The experienced betta owners also have immense difficulty to breed new betta fry with Dumbo Ear genes. The recessive genes of these bettas make it more complex.

In addition, the highly territorial trait of Dumbo betta fish concludes it almost impossible to make new babies of these bettas. You might think that keeping a male and a female Dumbo betta in a tank will work for spawning. It may surprise you by leaving a dead female Dumbo betta fish and no eggs. So, these are some crucial reasons that make Dumbo betta fish pretty rare in the betta world.

5. Low Survival Rate

Although Dumbo bettas are gorgeous betta fish with fancy fins and tails, these beautifully ornated betta fish can not make survival for a long time. Due to their special feature of pectoral fins, they may seem to have some trouble in swimming. In addition, there are records of Dumbo betta fish getting blind.

That’s why you might have heard of these fish getting died earlier. If they fail to reach their maturity level, there will be less chance of their breeding. In consequence, we’re not getting more Dumbo bettas.

Varieties Of Rare Dumbo Betta With Prices

According to the experts in marketing, the price of any product is related to its demand and supply. In the case of Dumbo Betta fish, it has higher demand in the marketplace compared to its supply. That’s why you may notice high prices of Dumbo betta fish, even if they’re found in any pet stores.

After all, these varieties of dumbo bettas with eye-catchy colors are hard to breed due to their instability of genes. Some of these Dumbo betta varieties have shades of different colors with solid color. Besides, the intensity of coloration in different Dumbo betta fish makes these bettas super rare.

Let’s check out the varieties of some rare Dumbo betta species with their price chart.

Varieties of Dumbo Betta Fish	Price
Over Halfmoon Rosetail Super Dumbo Ear Alicorn (Yellow and Grey)	$70
Golden Red Dumbo Ear Betta	$50
Super Blue Purple Halfmoon Dumbo Betta	$37
Multi Color Dumbo Ear Betta	$40
Lavender Plaket Dumbo Ear Betta	$55
Multicolor Plaket Dumbo Ear Betta	$60
Soft Gold Dumbo Ear Betta	$65
White Plaket Dumbo Ear Betta	$70
Super Rare Copper Grizzle Double Tail Dumbo Ear Betta	$81

Do We Need To Save The Extinction Of Dumbo Ear Betta?

To save these pretty freshwater species, we need to take some powerful approaches. For this, people should take action to save their wild habitat first. Identifying the causes of habitation loss and reducing pollution can save the destruction of the natural habitat of Dumbo ear betta fish.

Since these rare bettas have terrible temperaments, you must choose compatible tank mates for these fish. Otherwise, you’ll lose another Dumbo betta fish dye to your negligence. Also, you should avoid trying to breed Dumbo betta fish unless you’re an expert.

When you keep a Dumbo betta as your pet, you should ensure its utmost care. Make sure to create a comfortable home for their survival. After spawning Dumbo betta fish, you must separate the male and female Dumbo betta.

Before You Go…

I hope you’ve got a good insight about why Dumbo betta fish are rare from this article. If you’re a betta lover, you may be curious about the extinction of Halfmoon betta fish. Let’s take a look at the following article if you’re concerned about rare Halfmoon betta fish.

Are Halfmoon Bettas Rare?

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