# Extra long pectoral fins on a betta?



## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

So my mate came to me today with this cup, and low and behold he had a betta in it! I asked him if he was finally taking an interest in fish (since he has so far not been terribly enthused about my fish keeping tendencies, I have thus far been dubbed 'a crazy fish-wench' xD and he said yes! I am happy to see he is taking an interest in it himself. 

Alas, interest and knowledge are not the same. He found this betta at Wal-mart and brought him to me, all proud that he'd got himself a fish too. ....although he had no idea what he was going to do with the betta now. I agreed to set up a quarantine tank for the fish, figuring the poor thing was probably going to be ridden with parasites considering where it came from. Strangely enough, I didn't see anything on the visual inspection to indicate any illness, just that his pectoral fins were different. Unlike my two other bettas, this guys pec fins are long and pointed instead of short and rounded. I've never seen anything like it before! I thought at first he was never going to be able to swim properly with fins that long, but once he was in his quarantine tank and out of the cup, he swam around just like any other betta. Granted with such long fins his paddling movements seem greatly exaggerated, so I'm not sure if he really is swinging his fins around a lot harder to move or if it just looks that way because they're so long.

Does any one know anything about this strange mutation? Is this a common betta trait I've just never seen before? Does anyone else have a fish, or have seen a fish like this? I'd really like to learn all I can about this odd phenomenon.

Here's some pics for you all. I've just never seen another betta with pec finnage like that before.

















See how they almost reach all the way down to his tail base?








*wiggle wiggle wiggle* He moves them around so fast when he swims. All flared out to his side like that it's really strange, they almost look like wings.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

That IS wieird, almost like long hair! He's a very pretty fish. Cute pics.


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

Yeah it does make him really handsome looking, but I don't know if its really good for him, or if this is going to make him permanently disabled. Should I get a handicapped sticker for his tank? xD
So strange, I don't know what to make of it.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I don't think it will hurt him in any way, he'll just swim a little slower, I guess.lol Poor little guy. He's a cutie.


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

Today he has been quite active, doing circles around the tank, which I'm taking as a good sign. Took him a few minutes to figure pellets out, he spent several minutes flaring at one as he swam circles around it before finally trying to eat it. After that he caught onto the idea pretty quick xD

Does anyone else have any information in this odd mutation type? I wasn't able to find much about it when I searched online, just that all the other bettas that seem to have this mutation are also red VTs.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Thats an interesting bit of info, that the ones that have this are red vts. I'm glad he's doing well and eating.


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

Yeah I was able to find two other threads on other fish sites that mention bettas with long pectoral fins like this, both mention they were red VTs, although I couldn't really garner much else out of them, couldn't find any posts about WHY or HOW they end up with this. Also, the only other pictures I could find of another betta with elongated pecs was of a red VT. It makes me suspicious that whatever gene causes this mutation may also be paired with red coloring.

...although red is a dominant gene in bettas. The VT tail type is also dominant, so this is alas not narrowing the list all that terribly much genetically.:-?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I never see really bright red bettas at my Petsmart. The ones closest to red are usually more of a rusty red than bright red.


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

My petsmart rarely has any clean red bettas, they're normally more of the typical red-blue mutts. Its disappointing really, red is one of my favorite colors.
Strangely enough though, this guy was from a Wal-mart, not a Petsmart. I wonder what breeder(s) wal-mart gets its bettas from, and whether or not they have figured out how to do this on purpose, or if it's just a genetic abnormality because the betta lines they are breeding are so inbred (inbreeding is actually pretty common from what I understand of betta breeding, as they will often breed siblings together who share traits to better ensure that a particular trait will be present in the fry).


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

They probably throw them all together and let them breed. I have seen some UGLY bettas at Petsmart. They are like a muddy brownish, greenish color.Maybe they look better after they are put in clean, warm water and given a healthy diet. Yeah, there ARE breeders that inbreed a lot.


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

When I go betta hunting I always make sure to take a small flashlight (a penlight works great if you have one) so that I can shine it on the bettas in the cups to get a better look at them. Some stores like PetCo always keep their bettas in blue water that really distorts their colors, but a good bright light helps clear up some consfusion. Even on bettas in clear water cups I find this to be a great help, as they often end up looking quite different under some real light. It's turned a few rather ugly looking bettas into some rather nice lookers xD

The murky greens and browns are closer to a wild betta's natural color, as they weren't always fully irridescent blues and reds, but really, unless one is looking at a wild caught fish or a plakat that's breed for fighting or is only a generation or two removed from the wild, they could at least try to breed some cleaner lines.
I don't think inbreeding is totally bad in bettas, since we would never have developed all the different tail types like Crowntails and Halfmoons, or special color varients like dragons and butterflies if it hadn't been for linebreeding and inbreeding. It's just when it becomes excessive to the point of mutations that harm the betta's ability to function and live that it needs to stop.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

When I first got my female, she was kind of a pearly color and after a couple of days, she turned pink! She's very pretty, pink with maroon trim on her fins.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

I've seen those pectoral fins in some posts on another forum. I've also seen a couple in real life and debated taking them home because it's very interesting looking. Maybe a recessive trait linked to the red color in VT's? All my bettas change color when I bring them home and put them in warm, clean water


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

I haven't noticed much of a color change yet in the three I'm now caring for. My first rescue betta is still a red/blue washed mutt, the only thing that's change color wise is the losses of white patches, but that was a bacterial infection, so that should hardly count xD The black super delta is still black, he's just more feisty now. And this new red VT guy, well, its only been what, two days? He's certainly getting perkier, he swims around like the other two, the longer fins don't really seem to be inhibiting him. 

And he built a bubble nest this morning! It was a pleasant surprise to find it in his quarantine tank when I came to turn his light on this morning. I guess he's adapting well, that was certainly faster than my black super delta, he still hasn't built a bubble nest. 

I am considering looking for another one of these strange little guys myself, as this guy is my mate's and will be going back to his house after his quarantine time is over. I wouldn't mind adding one to my own group though, as I really love watching how he swims around compared to other bettas. I've noticed when he slows down and is just lazing about, he tends to tuck his pectoral fins back along his sides and use his whole body in a snake like side-to-side slithering/swimming motion to move. I haven't seen any of the other betta boys do that yet.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

He's probably had to make some adjustments in his swimming to accommodate the long pecs.


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## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

My little betta usually doesn't use his perctoral fins, rather he wiggles his butt. Its really funn to watch, but seems to be doing ok. Usually its just when he is watching his food move in the current though


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## bentley10 (Mar 1, 2011)

*long fins*

Yes!! my betta is exactly like that! He has such long fins that are long and flowing. Recently, he has been acting strangely and really seems to fight to keep balanced with his extremely long fins. He points diagonally when he swims in the current because his fins are so long. Have you been experiencing any problems like that?


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## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

Bently, please do not "reawaken" dead and old threads. This thread is from 2009.
If you have a question, please ask the forum, but do not reply to old threads like this. Old, resolved posts clog up the forum which disable people who need thier new issues resolved from getting help.


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## jgomez132 (Mar 25, 2014)

My Betta fish has REALLY long pec fins like that only he's blue. I didn't know it wasn't common.  haha but anyway, he's awesome and swims perfectly fine. his fins are really neat! haha


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## brikbl (Jan 9, 2014)

Those are very unique~!


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## Polkadot (Feb 10, 2013)

I didn't know it wasn't common either.My boy Piglet has really long pectoral fins too,they flow back even past the end his tail when he's swimming fast.


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## Pepp (Jul 31, 2014)

*Old threads*

Sorry PewPewPew but that logic doesn't work. Someone posting a new thread to ask a question will 'clog up' the forum just as must as reawakening an old thread; at least with an old thread people can look back at what's already been said on the topic (far less 'clogging' than repeating the whole discussion process again...)

There is, of course, the argument that old threads won't necessarily get replies from the original people that posted- but that doesn't really matter in this instance.



PewPewPew said:


> Bently, please do not "reawaken" dead and old threads. This thread is from 2009.
> If you have a question, please ask the forum, but do not reply to old threads like this. Old, resolved posts clog up the forum which disable people who need thier new issues resolved from getting help.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Guys...this thread is ANCIENT!

Look at the dates before you post please!

EDIT: oh sorry Pepp, didn't see you post there '^_^


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## Bettacrab (Jun 30, 2013)

My male blue VT has long pecs


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