# Genetics question



## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

I just found a very pretty green and black, leopard spot male,who was labeled as a DT VT, but I believe he's a DT HM. I think I have read that DT is a recesive gene and both parents have to be carriers to produce DT fry, is that right? I love his coloring but don't care for dt's so if I find a suitable HM female will they mostly turn out as HM fry?


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

They fry should be single tailed, but it is hard to say wether they will be SD or if they will reach HM. That will depend on the male's true spread and the female. If you want to "guarantee" better finnage, get a really nice female with a perfect spread.


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

I will post a pic of him later. I found an awesome female for him but then I found her father was a DT grrr.


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

Ya, you would get some DTs then...


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

DTHM usually has a HM caudal split in two - lobes may be touching or overlapping. DTVT is usually longer - the lobes look more like ovals and the lobes are separate from each other (when spread the lobes look like a "V").

DT x DT geno will produce mostly DT. But you will also get normal ST and ones with longer dorsal. If it's a rare color/pattern I would go for it and either sell or cull the DT's.

If you want to produce HM, get females with 11 base ray branching and 8 end ray branching. If you use a 4 end ray branching, you will most probably get VT or delta's.


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

*new boys pics*

Ok here is his pic, like I said I think his coloring is awesome, his iridesence changes in every light and the lace pattern or leopard spot ( ive heard it called both) is so neat. I know he may not be the best but with the right female is he worth spawning?


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

He doesn't look like a DTVT, but more of a delta. Pair him to a nice HM as mentioned above and you should get HM offspring.


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## vette91 (May 27, 2011)

I guess i can post my question in here, but is there a sticky thread or a website with the details of genetics? I've used a few different search engines searching for it but all the websites are hard to read and the information is very short and not detailed.


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

You really just have to read up on it... Tail types are pretty straight forward but color genetics are not exactly well known, you'll learn more through experience than anything else and you'll always be surprised.

There isn't a thread/sticky that addresses genetics specifically but there are a few websites... If you start a new thread with some specific questions I'm sure the people here will give you their two cents


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

ya quit hogging my thread  lol jk Genetics are tricky to me, Ive tried reading up and I just get lost in all the technical terms and stuff, I think it might be easier learned by doing, well I mean as long as I follow the basics and dont get to experimental to soon.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

HD4life said:


> ya quit hogging my thread  lol jk Genetics are tricky to me, Ive tried reading up and I just get lost in all the technical terms and stuff, I think it might be easier learned by doing, well I mean as long as I follow the basics and dont get to experimental to soon.


I agree, you will never really understand genetics unless you try. Specially color genetics...... This color/form is dominant over that color/form. Some say the female is more dominant, others say the male is and some believe they're equal. IME it's not 100% true - you have to find out for yourself. 

But till this day, my experience has led me to believe that females are more dominant for form while males are more for colors - though this isn't 100% true.


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

I would think that, since both parents give half the DNA, they would share equal responsibility for both traits and the color that shows up depends on the "dominance" of the colors in particular, not which parent it comes from. But that is from my experience with other animals, bettas might not play by those rules. 

It is possible that the alleles that control form are on the "X" chromosome and therefore, females play more of a role in form. And then, since male bettas are supposed to be colorful due to nature, I bet the "Y" chromosome plays a bigger role in color. Just a thought


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

That makes sense, and would explain a lot. Unfortunately nothing is "fixed" with these guys. But then again, it wouldn't be much fun if everything were predictable.


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## Dragonlady (Nov 29, 2010)

In the photo, your male's color appears like it *might* be what is often called 'black lace". Although I don't work with that color, I have heard that this color breeds true. If you bred him to a black lace female, I would make an educated guess that you will probably get mostly black lace fish back in the spawn....if that is your goal.


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