# Is he a Spade tail?



## Samurai7 (May 4, 2014)

I took him home after choosing between three other males in my cart at Walmart (I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't resist them/him) and was in love. He had a cotton candy appearance and so I named him cotton.

I thought he was a regular veil tail Betta because he seemed smaller than the other fish that was there and thought that because of his age that the drapery veil types took a while to grow longer. I did a bit a research and looking at different spade types and found out that his fins did display that tail type when flared. I also found out that these little guys are actually kinda rare but he was listed as male Betta when I brought him and they are usually veils.

What do you guys think?
Spade or no Spade?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Almost but not exactly. To be considered a Spade (which is just a variation of VT, not a different tail type) he needs to have a 180 degree spread at his base and the tail needs to be very pointed. Like this boy below, see how his spread is even and your boy is "top heavy" meaning he has more of a spread on top than on bottom of his caudal. This red boy could use more of a point but it is the spade shape.


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## Samurai7 (May 4, 2014)

lilnaugrim said:


> Almost but not exactly. To be considered a Spade (which is just a variation of VT, not a different tail type) he needs to have a 180 degree spread at his base and the tail needs to be very pointed. Like this boy below, see how his spread is even and your boy is "top heavy" meaning he has more of a spread on top than on bottom of his caudal. This red boy could use more of a point but it is the spade shape.


Thank you for your response!!!  Have your personally seen or own a spade tail Betta. It is my first time hearing about them and I thought I had seen a lot of the different types until I came across this site:
http://melbournebetta.weebly.com/types.html

Just found out about the Apache and feathered tails as well. Although I had been reading that they were actually a mutation of some sorts from another tail type.....the Rose type.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Oh that's funny, it's the same red betta picture they use! haha.

I have seen Spades in real life but never actually owned one. One of my Veil girls did come close, she just needed a wider spread is all but she had the point (slightly bitten in this photo) and the even caudal on both sides but not quite 180 degree's.


Spade and Round Tails are both variations of the VT tail type, Comb tail is generally a combination between VTxCT. Rose Tail is a mutation off of the HM tail type, it's a tail that has too many branches which then causes the tail to fold over on itself because they can't spread it wide enough to get it to go flat as it should. Apache is even further mutation on the Rosetail mutation lol along with Feather Tail, Apache is more web reduction though in making it look like individual feathers.


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## Samurai7 (May 4, 2014)

lilnaugrim said:


> Oh that's funny, it's the same red betta picture they use! haha.
> 
> I have seen Spades in real life but never actually owned one. One of my Veil girls did come close, she just needed a wider spread is all but she had the point (slightly bitten in this photo) and the even caudal on both sides but not quite 180 degree's.
> 
> ...


Didn't know that about the Comb being a combo of the VT and CT. Cool. Thank you!!! Yeah I notice it was the same photo as well.lol. Weird I'm reading a few threads that you posted on lymphocystis. Ugh..Dealing with this with my first boy.Thanks for all the info you provide it is most appreciated.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Oh I'm really sorry to hear! At least it's generally non-fatal so as long as you keep his diet high quality, water warm and clean, he should be just fine in the end


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