# Can I get a critique?



## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

I found this dude at Petco but I feel like he has excellent form for a pet store fish. I am considering breeding in the future and might consider using him if he has good form. Can I get an honest critique?


----------



## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

I love the shape of his head but his tail fin is a smidge short, I'd try to breed him to a long finned female. (That's the only flaw in him I can find but I'm not a pro)


----------



## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

He is a plakat, so I don't think the caudal is supposed to be longer than it is. I am curious if his ventrals are oversized, though. They are MASSIVE.


----------



## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

1. Dorsal too tall and front ray could be longer (unbalanced)
2. Caudal could be more round
3. Anal (bottom line) could be more straight (he seems to have HM background)
4. Ventrals are too thin and toooo long, but shape is okay
5. Body could be more balanced (top and bottom line)
6. Need lots of work on color - to be SQ


----------



## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Hi, Seki. Nice to see you're still here. We go way back together.

Nice topline, good caudal peduncle, but his caudal is messy and I can't get a good look at it's symmetry. Also, it doesn't quite reach 180* as a half-moon should, and it should have sharper corners (edges). His anal is curved -- should be straight or curved the other way. The dorsal leading rays could be longer. LoL, yes his ventrals are twice as long as they need to be. But I like his coloration.

Check with some breeders before finding a female. There are technical reasons why it's not usually advised to breed pet-store fish; reasons beyond my competency to address.


----------



## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

Thanks, guys, this is the kind of critique I was hoping for! I don't have a breeder's eye, so I never noticed 90% of the things you guys pointed out. I will consider carefully if I want to take on the project of breeding him, or if I'd rather get an AB fish and start from good lines. 

Hally - Heeeeey long time no see! I wander in and out on this site haha. I get distracted by work sometimes and disappear for months at a time, but I'm still in the hobby! Just dealing with the pesky business of being an adult and having responsibilities haha. No fun!


----------



## Basement Bettas (May 12, 2012)

Looks like result of pk x hm. Has PK shaped with the HM length. Branching makes you think more show than trad pk.. but edges not very sharp. If you are looking to breed for fun.. no issues. But as the start of something working towards the standards.. he is a long way off and there is better out there.


----------



## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

Thanks Basement Bettas! My first spawn would be for fun and they would almost all be going to the LFS to be sold as pets (I have already spoken to them and they agreed to take most of the spawn). I just want to breed pretty fish who would have a chance at being purchased and not live out their lives in pet store cups. BUT, I might eventually like to get into showing. I was looking at him as the base of a plakat line, but he seems to be more flawed than I had thought. I think I'll find another male to be the base of my show line, if I get that far. I'll probably have to resort to Aquabid, although I am always wary of buying a fish with only pictures of it haha.


----------



## Basement Bettas (May 12, 2012)

Find US breeders. Megan is breeding some nice metallic pk's now. Look for Indian Wells bettas on Facebook. She can start you off in good direction. I have red trad and black show pk's.


----------

