Is This A "dragonscale" Betta?

[JenniferRose]

I purchased a really gorgeous (I think) betta from Petco. (I usually don't purchase from them, but couldn't resist this guy and happened to have a cycled tank at home waiting for a betta LOL ) 
 
He was listed as a "dragonscale" betta but the research I've done has left me questioning if this is true.  It doesn't actually matter, but I'm curious. 

 Regardless his name is officially "Drogon" ... Game of Thrones fans will understand. 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
He was placed in his new home today and is already eating like a pig. I gave him three pellets and he's acting like he thinks he's starving. He keeps seeing pellet sized bubbles, swimming up to taste them and spitting them out. Usually bettas take a couple days to acclimate before wanting to eat, but not this guy!
 
Also.. I want him to have a balanced diet that encourages his color to remain in all it's iridescent glory and above all I want him to stay healthy and happy. Should I feed him blood worms now and then or the occasional frozen green pea?
 
thanks folks
He was placed in his new home today and is already eating like a pig. I gave him three pellets and he's acting like he thinks he's starving. He keeps seeing pellet sized bubbles, swimming up to taste them and spitting them out. 
 
Also.. I want him to have a balanced diet that encourages his color to remain in all it's iridescent glory and above all I want him to stay healthy and happy. Should I feed him blood worms now and then or the occasional frozen green pea?

 

[BettaBettas]

blood worms are fine, but regarding the pea I wouldn't feed him frozen ones, cook them and then take of the skin, then (last step lol) squish it up. also this doesn't Look like a dragonscale betta, but ill look into it. brb with another response soon

 Kind of looks like a double tail

 

[JenniferRose]

Thanks!  
 
I've done the bloodworms but never the pea. I keep hearing they are good for bettas and one forum said to put a frozen pea in. Seemed a bit rude to me, thats why I asked. LOL Thanks!

 

[NickAu]

 
the occasional frozen green pea?

 
I keep hearing they are good for bettas

 
Don't feed Bettas peas. Peas were used if the Betta is constipated a better alternative is Daphnia
 
Give him a good quality pellet such as Atisons, New Life Spectrum or Omega.
 
For frozen food I use

Tropical Quintet - Ocean Nutrition is a manufacturer of premium fis

 

[betta fish]

He is lovely, he looks like he has a mixed bag of genetics with some dragon scaling, this is a gene that causes thickening of the scales and can also cover the eyes, I can see a blue sheen to his eye which may account for this. As for the tail type is he halfmoon or Delta tail? difficult to say until you get him to flare for you and look at the tail spread, 180 degrees will be half moon. I don't think he is a double tail that looks more like a split to me? be careful of the plastic plants as they can split long trailing fins, you would be far better to replace them with silk or live, but good find he is absolutely gorgeous 

 

[NickAu]

Adding dry banana leaf to the water will help with the scales over the eyes. 

 

[JenniferRose]

Thanks for the input!    Where is a recommended (trusted) place to get the banana leaf? 
 
I plan to put him in a planted tank soon, the plastic plants are temporary and I tried to select ones that weren't as sharp. I actually just got a replacement for one of them. I'm moving in a few weeks and he will then go in a nicely planted 5 or 10 gallon, once its been cycled. 
 
He does have a split down the middle of his tail. He doesn't really flare much so I haven't seen his full tail yet... he just swims to the top for food when he sees me -- little piggy. LOL I was told long ago its stressful to make them flare but since then have read that it helps their color to flare once in a while due to hormone release? Is this true? 

 

[betta fish]

Never heard of the banana leaf trick regarding the scales over the eyes interesting, what does it do to stop it? I have read that full dragon scales can turn blind eventually due to this and have seen some pics of their eyes completely covered 

 luckily your boy doesn't look to be too badly afflicted.
As for flaring it is only stressful if they are made to do it all the time such as allowing them to see another male or mirror constantly, the occasional flare does them no harm, it's what they do to make themselves look bigger and intimidate as long as the threat goes away job done, though I used to have a betta do it to me whenever I approached with food 

 

[NickAu]

 
I have read that full dragon scales can turn blind eventually due to this and have seen some pics of their eyes completely covered 

 luckily your boy doesn't look to be too badly afflicted.

 
Banana leaves are a traditional Thai treatment for diamond eye.  Banana leaves make the scales less thick, but also causes them to loose their metallic color.