# Photos of near perfection?



## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Does anyone have any photos of bettas showing the closest to 'perfect' or ideal fins? I have seen the charts and graphs, but I would love to see the closest others here have seen or owned to this superb show quality.

I'm sort of interested in making a fun little 'color your dream betta' game, but I'd like to see ideal betta fin/body/scales in photographs first before I draw it out!  


If you can, point out the flaws you DO see in these photos. I know there will likely never be a 100% perfect betta, so it would be interesting to see where you would find faults in a show. A weird scale, some weird rays~Interesting things that most of us who are relatively untrained wouldn't pick up on!

I would also love to see more than just halfmoons! Double tails, plakats, crowntails!  Show me your favorites, the best of the best!



And I believe all bettas are beautiful. All I am referring to right now are simply show quality things, not things that would affect whether it would make a good pet.


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## Martinismommy (Dec 2, 2010)

Here are some good examples of show quality halfmoon betta males..All of these boys were bred by me, Karen Mac Auley..."Mac Auley's Betta Beauties"


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## Martinismommy (Dec 2, 2010)

Not sure if you need pics of females but here are a few of my show quality females all were bred by me...


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## lillylark (Sep 21, 2011)

My betta Jagger is the perfect crowntail...well I think so anyway. haha ;-)


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## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

Umm, I am pretty pleased with my Charlies tail. He's a chocolate half moon. I think thats what it's called. My first half moon so maybe I am bias?


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## mjoy79 (Jul 13, 2011)

here are a few pictures I've found over the months and when i see them I think "near perfect"


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## Tappy4me (Jan 8, 2012)

Minus the couple fin curls he has from being in such poor conditions, I think Tango has beautiful finnage. Not sure if he's show quality or not, but he's one of the nicest VT's I've seen.











Draco's pretty nice looking too, for a little plakat. Again, not sure if he's show quality or not. 










Him displaying









I think Ruger is almost show quality too...but I don't have any pics of him showing off yet as I've only had him for 2 days. He has to settle in.


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## BeautifulBetta (Nov 12, 2011)

This is kinda my idea of a perfect halfmoon lol. The anal isn't too long, ventrals are nice and thick, my only issue is that the dorsal isnt as tall as the tail. BUT...Beautiful fish anyway 









I may have borrowed this photo off a persons website who is on the forum haha. The links they showed are to bettafish.com and tropicalfishkeeping.com. All credit goes to them, obviously


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## BeautifulBetta (Nov 12, 2011)

Best doubletail i've ever seen in my life..Off the same website as that one ^
I'd post a link but it's got curses in it. Trying to keep it PG


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Thanks guys! I like this. I am hoping to do little line drawings of ideal bettas of each fin type(and yes, females too) and I might do more than one of each(since one person's ideal isn't the same as another's) to sort of get a fun little coloring page~ Design your dream betta, be it a possible--or impossible color combination!  Maybe he is an orange dalmation but the spots are all heart shaped. LOL! Just being silly here.

Here are some I had found earlier. 

What are your critiques on each of these? Not going to directly copy any individual betta, would try to work out the bests of each one. So wanting to know what in these fish would get points off at a show. 




























(Also how the heck do you get a crowntail to do this? It's insanely cool looking imo)


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## BeautifulBetta (Nov 12, 2011)

Sounds like a great idea!  I've seen ones on DeviantArt that are horses, dogs, cats, etc, but never bettas!


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## JurassicBetta65 (Jan 23, 2012)

This is Lance. He's a dragonscale doubletail. The picture was taken on the cell phone and trust me when I say this pic doesn't do justice. Plus his water is a bit murky and it was changed right after the pic was taken lol. He is in this while his new home is cycling.


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## BeautifulBetta (Nov 12, 2011)

Can't see Lance  

Here's the perfect crowntail (in my opinion lol) His finnage is all so...EVEN. It's almost ridiculous!


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Oh he is lovely!

Also found this guy! He's got pretty even fins right? Kinda cool looking. I see that the tail is not perfectly straight like a D, that's technically a flaw in a halfmoon show right? Still trying to figure it out, it's cool to know.  I generally pick my fish for color and health, but I enjoy learning about proper finnage and such.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

OMG, what a beautiful fish!!


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## SDragon (Sep 26, 2011)

These are all amazing fish. I am drooling!!!


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Me too. I can't wait to see more. It's hard to find real show quality finnage now that I know what to look for!


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

This is brilliant.  When I start breeding in a few years, I want to bring in good conformation as well as good colour. That crowntail is fantastic!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

They really are pretty fish. I think there are plenty breeders on AB that have fish with very nice finnage. To be honest it is not very easy to breed fish with nice finnage. You would have to selectively breed them to get nice fins. This is how other tail types came about.

It takes more than breeding quality stock. Cn take months or years to develope fish like this and then work on the colors. Colors can be somewhat easier than fins. At least that is in my opinion.


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Oh no I totally understand! I also know that even breeding the perfect finned parents doesn't guarantee perfect finned babies! I was just curious to see what was the highest show quality finnage looked like on a real betta, instead of just the little drawing chart. It's actually helped me quite a bit!


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

More that look nice? Critique please, I'm trying to get as close as possible to the highest standards so I can have the best references! 





































Now..

I don't know what is considered good finnage in HMPKs. Yes the 180 spread, but what else? I know there is supposed to be a balance, but I'm not quite clear on what it's supposed to be. They all look great to me.


And people with veiltails, post them too! I know that there are some gorgeous veiltails out there, and I don't want to leave them out!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

With HMPK's their are different standards because some have the pin needle shaped ending in the anal fin that ends by the caudal. And then there is the one with the rounded anal fin that can align correctly with the rest of the fins like the halfmoons.

PS.
If you really want to be very nitpicky, I wouldn't say that, that DTHM is "perfect" finned Betta. The anal fin is too long. Also if you look at the CTs and draw the outline of their fins without going into the rays, you will get a complete half sun.


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## styggian (Dec 13, 2011)

Martinismommy said:


> Here are some good examples of show quality halfmoon betta males..All of these boys were bred by me, Karen Mac Auley..."Mac Auley's Betta Beauties"


Holy cow I want that turquoise with red spotting in your avater and the turquoise(green?) with cellophane fins :evil: I also like the mustard gas' fins but I like the deeper color like my boy has.


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## Zappity (Oct 15, 2011)

I think this one is the most beautiful I've ever seen


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

What a beautiful fish.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

bettalover2033 said:


> With HMPK's their are different standards because some have the pin needle shaped ending in the anal fin that ends by the caudal. And then there is the one with the rounded anal fin that can align correctly with the rest of the fins like the halfmoons.
> 
> PS.
> If you really want to be very nitpicky, I wouldn't say that, that DTHM is "perfect" finned Betta. The anal fin is too long. Also if you look at the CTs and draw the outline of their fins without going into the rays, you will get a complete half sun.




This is exactly what I meant: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/357590772/in/photostream

If you go to that link you will see the round standard and then the pointed standard.


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## StarBetta (Aug 5, 2011)

Are mustard gas Halfmoon Plakats rare? Just asking


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## MandiceP (Jan 7, 2012)

This is Erador, my new Double Tail HM male. I love him! His fins are the nicest DT fins I've been in the presence of in real life! lol


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## SlinkyInk (Dec 31, 2011)

Oh my gosh, Mandi! Your HM is to die for! He's absolutely gorgeous! I am in love!


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## BeautifulBetta (Nov 12, 2011)

So glad you posted his photo here Mandi! He's just so amazing


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## MandiceP (Jan 7, 2012)

Thank you guys! I was given him by a breeder I've become friends with. I'm pretty sure he's bred him before but now he only breeds HMPKs so he offered this guy to me... what was I gonna say, No? LMAO! I love this fish! <3 I can't wait to breed him to my Gold HM female!!!


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## Gen2387 (Oct 13, 2011)

Hi! Don't know if this is the kind of picture you needed but I thought this one of my Winchester was pretty darn perfect. Lol! He's a cellophane double tail. I entered the picture for this month's contest too. Hope I get a couple of votes.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

StarBetta said:


> Are mustard gas Halfmoon Plakats rare? Just asking


Not at all. I have seen MANY mustard gas HMPK's and HM's at pet stores and AB.

In fact I just bought one Saturday.










And he's a dragon.


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## StarBetta (Aug 5, 2011)

bettalover2033 said:


> Not at all. I have seen MANY mustard gas HMPK's and HM's at pet stores and AB.
> 
> In fact I just bought one Saturday.
> 
> ...


Oh okay! >.< Thanks!


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## angiessa (Dec 19, 2011)

My newest purchase has that pretty yellow outline too.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

angiessa said:


> My newest purchase has that pretty yellow outline too.


Oh my! He looks amazing! I love Marbles! I love bettas with outlines. This is why I really like Salamanders.


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## angiessa (Dec 19, 2011)

Ooh, I'm with you on the salamanders -- I've seen some really gorgeous ones. :-D


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

angiessa said:


> Ooh, I'm with you on the salamanders -- I've seen some really gorgeous ones. :-D


I really like the ones with the nice even color division. Salamanders have the potential to lure certain people (Like myself) in.


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## angiessa (Dec 19, 2011)

I came really close to buying one similar to this awhile back:

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1329341405


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

His color is really cool! I like brighter pink salamanders like this:










Her body is amazing and I had the opportunity to get her, but decided on others for a sorority! The ruffly edges on her are adorable!


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## angiessa (Dec 19, 2011)

She is a beauty!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

You could see that she still had a little more growing to do because of how small the fins were...I was told that she has grown a bit as well.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

I'm still not clear as to what constitutes a salamander.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

@Hollyx: What exactly do you mean?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

Maybe not quite perfection, this is my MG boy. Considering he developed white fuzz when I brought him home (explaining his dorsal), I think he is quite handsome. HE is quite dark, and the scales have distinct outlining (almost pineapple).


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## MandiceP (Jan 7, 2012)

BettaLover... I had seen your thread about that salamander female and messaged GreenTea to see if she still had her to sell as I WANT HER! lol I have a coppery Salamander HMPK at home that I'm desperate to breed. LOL So yes she is a nice fish!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

@MandiceP: I think that if I were to breed her it would be to another salamander or to a lavender salamander t really get some nice colors in them.


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## MandiceP (Jan 7, 2012)

The salamander I have is a male and I have yet to find a female in my area that is suitable to breed to him. I'm bidding on a female on aquabid... but I'm not sure how their colors would go because she is not a salamander, just purpley. So I really want to see if GreenTea is still selling hers, but she has yet to message me back :/


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

MandiceP said:


> The salamander I have is a male and I have yet to find a female in my area that is suitable to breed to him. I'm bidding on a female on aquabid... but I'm not sure how their colors would go because she is not a salamander, just purpley. So I really want to see if GreenTea is still selling hers, but she has yet to message me back :/


Yeah, GT has been going through some troubles lately. When the money ever gets to her, she will be sending me quite a few fish. I am going to receive a giant pair and a sorority of 5 girls including my one female Korra. I just got her address mixed up and it kept coming back to me. I figured it out finally!


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

bettalover2033 said:


> @Hollyx: What exactly do you mean?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I assume "salamander" refers to some distinguishing characteristic --- like butterfly, cellophane or dragonscale --- but I'm not sure what that might be.


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## MandiceP (Jan 7, 2012)

As far as I know salamander is the purpley pink red combo with the thin butterfly around the edges... maybe the butterfly isn't required to be salamander... but like the purpley body with red around the fins. That is what I know salamander to be. I have a coppery salamander butterfly male I will upload pictures of! yay!

like this fish!
http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&...8&tbnw=142&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Hallyx said:


> I assume "salamander" refers to some distinguishing characteristic --- like butterfly, cellophane or dragonscale --- but I'm not sure what that might be.


Just as Mustard Gas, Salamander is just another strain name that a breeder came up with that just explained that it was a betta that has a butterfly pattern of red, pink, purple, or maroon color with the outside layer of color being only white. As MandiceP showed in the google picture.

It cannot be a Butterfly marble with the same colors as I listed though.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Thank you, Mandice and Bettalover


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## Dragonlady (Nov 29, 2010)

Here are some of my blues that went to shows. ;-)


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

gorgeous! Just what I needed to see.

Now I mainly need to figure out what counts as proper fins for PKs and HMPKs and I'm nearly set.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

purplemuffin said:


> gorgeous! Just what I needed to see.
> 
> Now I mainly need to figure out what counts as proper fins for PKs and HMPKs and I'm nearly set.


You might have missed it, but a few posts back I said:

*With HMPK's their are different standards because some have the pin needle shaped ending in the anal fin that ends by the caudal. And then there is the one with the rounded anal fin that can align correctly with the rest of the fins like the halfmoons.*

Then I said:

This is exactly what I meant:









*If you look at that picture, you will see the round standard and then the pointed standard that I was talking about. Also not only their anal fin, but their caudal fins as well. If you look at the "traditional" show plakat (first one) you will see the caudal is a rounder shape than the other two.*

And another example would be this:








*
You can see the anal fins again with the "needle" pointed anal fin.*

I hope I was clear.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

these r pretty


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## BeautifulBetta (Nov 12, 2011)

I found this on Google while trying to find betta show pictures...I was stunned when I saw him. No wonder he was best in show


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

@ Dragonlady

Very handsome fish. I like black-masked blue Betta.

Are those DT females (bottom right)? They really make me smile.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

@Purplemuffin

I got a lot of tips on Betta-spotting from this site:

http://bettysplendens.com/articles/home.imp


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I just drooled all over my keyboard. lol


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## popcornprincess (Feb 26, 2012)

feather tails are beutiful. Definately show quality.


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## Gizmothefreaky (Apr 10, 2011)

I noticed that someone was asking about mustard gas HMPKs... I had one for a while, and rehomed him to my sister in texas. His name is Pollux.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

Here are a coupla of Spike. He is a pretty awesome crown tail. I need to get my glass bowl from mom's house in order to get some close up flares of him. He always flares by the filter xD


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