Veiltail Changing Color?

[AkaraSoma]

I'd like to start out by saying I've had many Beta fish as pets over my 21 years. My first pet was a beautiful Veiltail, Moby, who was the darkest violet I've ever seen a beta be.
 
My new Veiltail, Solar Flare, has been in his own round 1 gallon tank with a "beta mix" of fake plastic jems for the bed of the tank for the past 4 and a half weeks. He didn't eat for two of them until I got him some Blood Worms to get him started.
 
I've noticed that he changes color with his tank water temperature; changing from his normal dark blue/purple body and tan and light blue fins to nearly completely tan when the water is a few degrees colder than normal. He's never gone back to his original vivid colors since he first changed his color,  I've never let him get that cold or light colored since then, and I've never seen a Beta do this before.
 
He's getting a new tank with a filter and light, some natural stones and a small filtering water plant for the tank bed tomorrow.
 
Just wondering if there's anyway I can help Solar Flare be a bit more stable and maybe get his color back to the level it was before without doing anything unnatural to him (like chemicals in the water or stuff like that).
 
Any help and/or advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Paradise3]

First off, 1 gallon is way to small for a betta. It's too small for anything. What size is the one you're getting him tomorrow? The change in colour is probably more in reaction to the chemical build up in his tank.

 

[jocie1976]

I agree with Paradise. It's probably just a build up of toxins. Start by doing a large water change. But you really should get him a larger tank. I would say 5g as a minimum. I keep mine in larger tanks (20g, male in one, female in another) with other fish and everybody is happy. And live plants will help with the waste buildup and make him happier. Mine loves to play in his plants and constantly builds bubble nests under them. Good luck with him!

 

[Paradise3]

I agree with Paradise. It's probably just a build up of toxins. Start by doing a large water change. But you really should get him a larger tank. I would say 5g as a minimum. I keep mine in larger tanks (20g, male in one, female in another) with other fish and everybody is happy. And live plants will help with the waste buildup and make him happier. Mine loves to play in his plants and constantly builds bubble nests under them. Good luck with him!

 
Yes 5 gal minimum.