# breeding setup and royal blue pair!



## evanlovesbettas (Sep 1, 2010)

female = unknown | male = veiltale
the male is starting to build a bubble nest under the half-cup.
the female seems 95% interested in him. she has vertical stripes and is watching his every move. 
tell me your thoughts! i hope its successful.  wish me luck!


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Ooooh nice pair  

If your into veil tails I suggest you breed them for the standard they just came up with for the IBC. I will also be working on this standard after my HMPK Blue Dragon spawn next week.

Here's a link: http://bettysplendens.com/articles/page.imp?articleid=4074 

All of us veil tail lovers have to work hard and try our best to make this standard official.

Best of lukc and I love your pair


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I think your female is a PK so your probably going to get VT with shortened fins. Your male has decent fins for a VT although his caudal isn't pointed like it should be. 

What foods do you have ready to feed the fry?


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## evanlovesbettas (Sep 1, 2010)

thankyou! how exactly will we raise the standards?
and i have brine shrimp eggs and a hatchery set up. i'm going to start the hatchy once i see them embrace because i don't want to start it if it's unsuccessful.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

evanlovesbettas said:


> thankyou! how exactly will we raise the standards?
> and i have brine shrimp eggs and a hatchery set up. i'm going to start the hatchy once i see them embrace because i don't want to start it if it's unsuccessful.


 Well this would to produce fish as close the one in the model on the link. Selectively inbreeding for a few generations then outcrossing works best. Since I'll be working on a few VT lines myself we can trade bettas. Think about it, it may make these fry go form worth nothing to some pretty special bettas 

But you should get a few spawns down before you go for standards.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Read the standards.. learn them and learn how to apply them to a live betta. Keep only bettas that meet or almost meet the standard and use them to breed. Join the IBC and get your bettas in shows... they may not win but no one is going to set IBC standards if no one is going to show their fish.

For instance your male has the wrong tail fin (caudal). It should slope downward and come to a point instead of being wide at the base. So in your fry you should look for fish that have pointed or nearly pointed caudals and use them in your F2.

This is Blue Jeans, he's one of my VT males and he has nearly perfect finnage by posted standards.









See how his caudal is pointed at the end? The dorsal fin should look like a flame almost.. BJs is a little narrow IMO.

Perfect your fish, get them to shows, generate interest and eventually VT will find its way back to popularity in shows.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

1fish2fish said:


> Read the standards.. learn them and learn how to apply them to a live betta. Keep only bettas that meet or almost meet the standard and use them to breed. Join the IBC and get your bettas in shows... they may not win but no one is going to set IBC standards if no one is going to show their fish.
> 
> For instance your male has the wrong tail fin (caudal). It should slope downward and come to a point instead of being wide at the base. So in your fry you should look for fish that have pointed or nearly pointed caudals and use them in your F2.
> 
> ...


Yup. That's it. A lot of people are happy about this and some are mad. I'm happy but I think VTs should be a class for beginner breeders. They're readily available and cheaper than spending $60 (like I just did) on a nicer pair. It would be a great way to get more people into the hobby 

Also, all these petstore fish have screwed up genetics in these fish, it'll take years to create a solid line, this means shipping to a few breeders willing to take on the project, inbreed and add new genetics (DT would be the first thing I'd add) and inbreed some more. Then exchange fish again and inbreed some more, then add more new genetics etc. A lot of work but worth it.

Anyway how is the spawn doing?


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I wouldn't incorporate DT genes into a VT line. Wide dorsals are something you actually do not want in a VT. You want a "flame" like look.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

1fish2fish said:


> I wouldn't incorporate DT genes into a VT line. Wide dorsals are something you actually do not want in a VT. You want a "flame" like look.


 True but most other lines DT IMO is a must. 

I was on another forum where someone mixed a VT to and HM and then three generations down got a super awesome HM. We're just going to have to experiment with these guys. Try to fix them. Even Thai breeders don't have the ideal look in their VTs.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Also adding in two ray fin structures such as plakats (which I agree I think your female is) will help in getting the ideal VT.


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## evanlovesbettas (Sep 1, 2010)

thank you guys!
also quick question, how can you tell if a female is plakat, since they have short fins naturally?


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Females have similar fins to males.. just on a smaller scale. For instance a true HM female will have at least 3 ray branchings and a full 180* spread. A true crowntail will have 30* web reduction.

A true VT will have long-ish fins.. this is a VT female..









Your girls fins scream PK.


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## Zeetrain (Oct 13, 2009)

1fish2fish said:


> Your girls fins scream PK.


 I agree


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