# What to look for in show fish?



## JBonez423

If someone could either give me a rundown of betta breed/types and what to look for in selective breeding/showing as far as.. err.. fish conformation goes, that would be much appreciated! Either that, or could we have an informative sticky or something? For us novices just stepping into the wonderful world of betta showing. :roll:

Much thanks!


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## caissacrowntails

JBonez423 said:


> If someone could either give me a rundown of betta breed/types and what to look for in selective breeding/showing as far as.. err.. fish conformation goes, that would be much appreciated! Either that, or could we have an informative sticky or something? For us novices just stepping into the wonderful world of betta showing. :roll:
> 
> Much thanks!


If you're talking about IBC "standard" show then as far as I know, each tail types have somewhat different details "rules" so if you're looking for details, I suggest you contact IBC judge/s in your area ( or any you can "reach" ), but I think there are some "basic/common" criteria like :
1. Good health, no defects like for eq. : blind, missing fin/s, missing scale/s, body deformities etc.
2. Size, males minimum body size : 1,5 ", females : 1,25 "
3. Good proportion ( for eq. balanced body and fins size )
4. "correct" deportment, flaring at the "opponent/s"


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## JBonez423

caissacrowntails said:


> If you're talking about IBC "standard" show then as far as I know, each tail types have somewhat different details "rules" so if you're looking for details, I suggest you contact IBC judge/s in your area ( or any you can "reach" ), but I think there are some "basic/common" criteria like :
> 1. Good health, no defects like for eq. : blind, missing fin/s, missing scale/s, body deformities etc.
> 2. Size, males minimum body size : 1,5 ", females : 1,25 "
> 3. Good proportion ( for eq. balanced body and fins size )
> 4. "correct" deportment, flaring at the "opponent/s"


Honestly, I have no idea what I'm talking about lol. I was going through a few threads and saw some people discussing tail size vs. ray thickness and number and all this stuff, it just kind of made my head spin with curiosity. I realize there's no way to put that in a nutshell, which is why I'm hoping an expert would want to make a long sticky about it, for the curious newbies out there like myself. ;-)


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## caissacrowntails

JBonez423 said:


> Honestly, I have no idea what I'm talking about lol. I was going through a few threads and saw some people discussing tail size vs. ray thickness and number and all this stuff, it just kind of made my head spin with curiosity. I realize there's no way to put that in a nutshell, which is why I'm hoping an expert would want to make a long sticky about it, for the curious newbies out there like myself. ;-)


LOL, yeah it's kinda hard to understand, especially if there are no pics to show "examples". I think..try this link http://bettysplendens.com , There u can learn about what's going on in a betta show, defining a good HM/CT/PK/DT. And it will surely explain to you about show betta, betta than me, since there are pics there and I'm not an english "native" speaker LOL.


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## JBonez423

Thanks so much! ^.^ Maybe one day I'll be knowledgeable enough to make my own sticky on it, lol!


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## caissacrowntails

no prob , btw, like your avatar pic, really cool painting


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## JBonez423

Thanks! Wish I could take credit for it, but it was a google find. =P


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## Mahsfish

I'm also curios on what is looked for in and in grading show bettas. Does anyone have exact traits. Like let's say dorsal. What about the dorsal. I know there are many very nice bettas but then someone is like oh dorsal or bad top line. But what about it.


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## caissacrowntails

Mahsfish said:


> I'm also curios on what is looked for in and in grading show bettas. Does anyone have exact traits. Like let's say dorsal. What about the dorsal. I know there are many very nice bettas but then someone is like oh dorsal or bad top line. But what about it.


Have you visited the link above? u can find some useful info there , but answering your questions in general, Dorsal fin, ideally, should be wide, spreaded nicely, and if possible, all the rays in it are well balanced, no bended or broken rays. And in proportionate size with the caudal and anal fins. As about top line, Ideally, the top line should "curved" smooth with the "highest" part is somewhere "above" the fish belly. Here's an example of a female with what I think as quite "ideal" topline.








Hope that helps you a bit


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## Mahsfish

Yes I did try visiting the link. It was helpful but did answer all my questions. Thanks for the picture helps me understand the top line better. Also I know that the anal shouldn't extend past the bottom of the cadual, correct? But then also something about the slope of it. Does this mean the front and back of the anal fin should be equal lenght?


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## Mahsfish

How are their top lines? The two cellos are boys.


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## caissacrowntails

Mahsfish said:


> Yes I did try visiting the link. It was helpful but did answer all my questions. Thanks for the picture helps me understand the top line better. Also I know that the anal shouldn't extend past the bottom of the cadual, correct? But then also something about the slope of it. Does this mean the front and back of the anal fin should be equal lenght?


depends on tail types, have a look at bettysplendens.com again..find "the _tailtype" _articles, for example..The Halfmoon..that should explain and give you better examples


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## caissacrowntails

Mahsfish said:


> How are their top lines? The two cellos are boys.


which cellos?


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## Mahsfish

Sorry pic didn't work


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## Mahsfish

Too line on these 3. Here's the pic


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## caissacrowntails

In my opinion, all 3 are quite okay in terms of top line.. , is the one in the last pic..a rosetail?


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## Mahsfish

I'm not really sure yet. The father did have some extensive branching but not too bad. That's why he was bred. The last ones fins were normal before I bought him. The seller said they just grew like that. But I believe it is just damage as some fins webbing is like that but then parts are different. I think it will grow back


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## JBonez423

I reeeeeally like the last one. =]


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## Mahsfish

Haha ThankYou. He was from logistics guy. All 3 are siblings.


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## JBonez423

Oh man, every time I see his posts, his bettas on his avatars make my jaw drop... He has some truly awesome bettas!


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## Mahsfish

I'm hoping to be able to breed the 1st and 3rd one


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