# Big ear betta?



## Rain Drop (Jul 4, 2009)

What thaaaaaa xD
check out this betta on aquabid, I've never seen one like it!

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1273740591


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## Cloelia (Apr 27, 2010)

That is really weird looking!


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

I absolutely love bettas with big "ears"!!!!


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I wouldn't buy from a breeder who breeds for "big ears"... they obviously have no care about form and finage whatsoever. Those heavy pectorals probably make it extremely hard for the fish to swim.


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## Rain Drop (Jul 4, 2009)

Oh, they're pectorals? (I couldn't tell, such a strange fish!)
That's too bad then :c
It's not right to breed animals that'll end up suffering because of the aesthetics the breeder wants.


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## Jayy (Dec 23, 2009)

I have to say that i see this all the time on aquabid,but never this bad they look torn


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## Jupiter (Aug 30, 2009)

I think they are just ruffeled. I've always liked the way they look, but 1fish2fish makes a good point.


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## Jayy (Dec 23, 2009)

oh maybe they ruffled i just throught they're torn


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

kinda cool but sad for the beta


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## dipsydoodlenoodle (Mar 3, 2010)

Aww I couldn't see it; the item had closed


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## Jayy (Dec 23, 2009)

just click on it and it will let you see it


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## truthequalslies (Jan 21, 2010)

i seen those before its cute but a bit weired


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

sweet


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

You know, I don't mean to sound cold, but it could be said that breeding bettas to have huge, bulky finnage such as halfmoon or overhalfmoon, rosetail, or basically anything that's not plakat or wild type is cruel to the fish.


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## Rain Drop (Jul 4, 2009)

Maybe so......but as owners, we do try our best to give the most optimal conditions for our long finned friends, do we not? They really are a specialty fish where they can't have certain tank mates or too much water flow etc. because of their fins, but we can set up conditions too eliminate any problems having to do with long fins.


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

i agree with rain drop


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

The difference between these huge pectorals and long finned fish like HM and Veils is that betta's primary source of movement is their pectorals. A fish with completely clamped fins can still somewhat swim, a fish with pectorals that are too heavy or with no pectorals at all is in BIG trouble.


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

true true


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## crownie (Apr 27, 2010)

I've seen these on Aquabid referred to as "Dumbos" I believe. When I first saw them I thought they were cute, but never thought about it being hard for them to swim, but in actuality it probably cuts down on their streamlined evolutionary body survival rate. Not sure if that made sense lol


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

? i dont know what you just said


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## crownie (Apr 27, 2010)

haha it did come out strangely.. I mean the pectorals probably wouldn't be able to work properly enough and if they were in the wild they'd probably die. Not sure why I couldn't just say that before


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I'm sure they work, its just the difference in using your arms with 20lbs weights attached to each versus using your arms with no weights. Your going to get tired much faster with the extra 40lbs to tug around, and for a fish that relies on being able to get to the surface for air, extra weight can be life threatening.


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## crownie (Apr 27, 2010)

^agreed. You put it much better than I did.


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

yeah very true


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

I guess someone would just have to ask a person who owns one, and see if the extra pectorals are really detrimental to the fish's quality of life. The point I was trying to make is that we need to know more before we label it as cruel. I don't want to seem like I'm attacking you guys, but I don't really hear anyone concerned about the effects on the fish's spine that might occur from supporting the OHM fin structure. It seems like the concern placed on new mutations overlooks what selective breeding has already done to alter the fish's fin structure. I mean, sure the big pectorals might be like having 20-pound weights attached to your arms, but if that's the case, than an OHM tail would be like having a 50-pound weight fixed to your bum while you're trying to swim. D:

So I guess what I mean is, it may or may not be cruel, but we can't jump to conclusions. I think a little fringe on the pectorals is cute, but some of the big-eared fish it seems a bit excessive, like this guy here ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EJY3jRDVhA

He seems to get around alright, but this is only like 30 seconds, and he's obviously putting a lot of effort into it.


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## Jayy (Dec 23, 2009)

Yeah, he seems to swim just fine and pretty fast at that


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

yeah


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

Well, the thing is, I would want to observe the fish longer than that if I wanted to know if he was really hindered by it or not.

WELL NO CHOICE, LOOKS LIKE I HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER BETTA. Darn.


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

dang


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Darn it all, anyway! lol


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## Jessiefish (Oct 2, 2009)

They look like little old men with ear hairs...


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

lol agreed


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## crownie (Apr 27, 2010)

FuulieQ said:


> Well, the thing is, I would want to observe the fish longer than that if I wanted to know if he was really hindered by it or not.
> 
> WELL NO CHOICE, LOOKS LIKE I HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER BETTA. Darn.


Agreed. haha... looks like we are all going to have to buy another betta !


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## beta novice (May 9, 2010)

lol totally


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