Different colors and tail designs are harder to achieve. That's why a crown tail is 5$ and a veil tail is 3$, were as a half moon is 10-15$. Cambodians and dragons can run even higher. Think about genetics and the punitz square, these beautiful tails and rare colors are recessive, a regular veil tail is donimante. Blues and reds are the most common as well, true blacks, a real white (not the pinky color most often seen) and yellows are seen less often. Certain color combinations like those that create the difference between gasslights and cambodians are more expensive as well.
And a "pure breed" betta that will breed true are even more expensive.
I currently have a plakat, 2 female half moons and one male half moon. My male is Absolutely beautiful, but yes, I can see some small rips at the ends of his fins. Despite smooth rocks and silk and live plants he still manages to snag it on things, far more often than vewil tails and crowns I've had in the past.
I absolutlly adore him and the breed because of him. He makes me think of a spanish flaminco dancer when he flares and dances around. I absolutlly love the female as well, they just look so much cuter than the typical veil tail female.
As for breeding, stear clear of pet store bettas unless you are confidante in the stock. Most of theirs will be mutts, great pets but they won't breed true. You're more likelly to end up with a ton of brown, muddy and unsellable fry.
Instead, buy from a breeder, and get two from the same batch if possible, this will gaurentee a true batch of fry. Don't mix colors and tail types until you know more about how these two will breed and about possible mutations that will be thrown into the fry. You're more likelly to end up with unsellable fry if you pick two different colors. Blue and yellow won't nessecarily make green, more than likelly it'll be a washed out brown.
I wouldn't suggest breeding unless you do a lot more research. Every time you breed you risk the parent fishes lifes, so being fully aware is a must. It's usually done in a ten gallon, 82 degree water, usualy half filled as this simulates their breeding time.
Place a half cut styrofoam cup at the surface, a plant for hidding (for the female) and a bare bottom. Make sure the filter is low, possibly forgoe the filter for the breeding as the surface must be very still for the nest. Release the male, and add the female in a hurricane vase (this is after weeks of conditioning seperatlly) This allows him to flare and dance for her as he creates a bubble nest at the surface with the cup.
She should develop vertical bars, horizotal means she's scared. Do not release her with horizontal bars. She should begin swelling as well as she starts to create eggs in response to the male.
Release her and monitor closlly, if he attacks or she attacks, seperate and start all over. She my hide as he dances for her, but eventually he'll direct her to his nest. They should embrace below his nest, he'll squeeze the eggs from her, she'll be stunned but ok as he retreives the fertilized eggs from the floor and places them in the nest. She may help, but monitor closelly as he may attack her. Some will embrace again, others will fight. Remove the female and leave the male. Make sure to have some anitbiotics and aquarium salt on hand for her to have in her new home, as well as prepared for the male once he is removed. She's very susceptible to infection at any tears or nips she may have received from the male.
He will tend the nest, putting back fallen eggs, and cleaning them in his mouth to prevent a fatal fungus. About 24 hrs later, you'll see little wiggly tails! The fry are not free swimming, so they'll fall to the floor, and daddy will pick them up and place back into the nest. If he didn't, many if not all would drown on the floor. When they become free swimming some breeders remove the father, others allow them to grow with him.
Why do some leave him? It's not uncommen for males to become "depressed" after breeding, leaviing him in longer can risk the fry, but tends to forestall the males depression.
Best of Luck!