# Which ones are rare???? Pls. help!!!



## Pandher

New here and planning on getting some bettas...
Can anyone help me as the person is putting in order asap and need to know which ones are rare???
http://www.littlefishcompany.com/Little_Fish_Company/PHOTO_GALLERY/Pages/Bettas.html


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## kr1st3n

Not sure, since I don't care too much about rarity. Though, I'd pay a pretty penny for that black halfmoon.


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## Nimble

I wouldn't buy any from that seller, because they don't seem to have any idea what they're talking about. They've mislabeled just about everything on their stock page.


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## Pandher

What do u mean mislabeled? I was interested in the dragon ones and the butterfly ones...those aren't it????


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## Nimble

Most of those fish have very poor form, and are icky hodgepodges genetically, from what I can tell at a glance. Lots of spoon heads and skinny dorsals. Those labeled as Mustard Gas are not so, because Mustard Gas is extinct(hard stop) and was never metallic, like what that breeder is showing.

The Butterfly and Dragons are mostly what they say they are, but really, nothing that seller has is rare.


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## jewelqueen17

By RT they mean Roundtail not Rosetail, right? 

The dorsals are extremely off-putting. The one butterfly I saw had an uneven ratio not 50/50 colors like butterflies should. I don't think I would buy from here if I were you...


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14

The majority of those bettas are pet store quality, that is they look exactly like petco betta I've seen. Sorry, try aquabid. The labels are still fudged but at least the fish are usually a-b class, as opposed to c class (c for petco Cup)


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## kevinap2

Agreed. Those fish look like they're the product of a breeder who looked at two fish and thought "zomg... these fish are sooooooooooooooooooooo pretty I bet they'd have pretty babiez!!!!!!" without any thought to form or finnage. Not that there's anything wrong with that as long as you can find homes for them and you're not trying to sell them as something they're not.


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## TerriGtoo

As others have said, you will most likely be disappointed in the quality from this seller. Your best bet is to check Aquabid. There you will find professional breeders who know their "stuff". Check with a seller called Chard56. i have purchased many from him. I highly recommend him.


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## Pandher

I was just curious if they were show quality but don't really care. It will be purchased from a pet store actually so not expecting perfection. More interested in them being healthy and happy. Not able to afford the prices of the show bettas


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## MoonShadow

Agree with other posters. Most of these fish are mislabled. A lot of them also look skinny and stressed out too. I would definitely not recommend buying from this seller


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## lizcateyes

Nimble said:


> Most of those fish have very poor form, and are icky hodgepodges genetically, from what I can tell at a glance. Lots of spoon heads and skinny dorsals. Those labeled as Mustard Gas are not so, because Mustard Gas is extinct(hard stop) and was never metallic, like what that breeder is showing.
> 
> The Butterfly and Dragons are mostly what they say they are, but really, nothing that seller has is rare.


Out of curiosity, why/how is the Mustard Gas extinct?


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## hrutan

Mustard Gas referred ONLY to the line created by Jude. They bred true, and had a very very distinct color pattern. Most "mustard gas" bettas now only vaguely resemble the original, and they do not breed true. They are not Jude's bettas, and therefore are not real Mustard Gas bettas.

He did trademark the name, however he either allowed it to lapse or did not file a form correctly (one or the other), but I do not use the term because it is both too vague, and considering how important the name was to the creator, disrespectful.


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## Nimble

Because the creator of the Mustard Gas, Jude Als, trademarked the name in 2002, so that it legally couldn't be used by anyone by him. When he stopped breeding, and sold the last of his stock, no more Mustard Gas were being produced, so the line died. Rumors have circulated that Jude may consider getting back into the hobby and reviving the Mustard Gas line by recreating the original spawning of it, but that's not super likely, and he would try to sell them for upwards of $200-$600 for a pair, probably.


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## hrutan

http://www.bettysplendens.com/what-is-a-mustard-gas-betta.html

This tells the full tale.


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## lizcateyes

Thanks, Nimble & hrutan! A very interesting read and story, I had never heard it before. I've seen fish labeled Mustard Gas, not too long ago, so I just was wondering what was going on.


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## hrutan

The common trade name for any blue or green and yellow bicolor is "Mustard Gas" because it sells and sounds more interesting than Blue &Yellow Bicolor.


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## Mathew Olech

*Feathertail Betta*

Exotic bettas are not sold in stores and are only sold and raised by the finest breeders. Some may be striving to create a new type of betta. Rare bettas are very expensive- excellent ones may cost $200.
If want an elegant one, choose a Feathertail Betta...
THOSE ARE PRETTY!!! Its worth the price...


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## Poro

Mathew Olech said:


> Exotic bettas are not sold in stores and are only sold and raised by the finest breeders. Some may be striving to create a new type of betta. Rare bettas are very expensive- excellent ones may cost $200.
> If want an elegant one, choose a Feathertail Betta...
> THOSE ARE PRETTY!!! Its worth the price...


 >.> wha.. 200! Id only do that if i saw a tutwiller. XD


(To the thread maker: just look around. I got these ones andI recently bought alot of koi bettas from a breeder for only 7 dollars online and his line of koi bettas are huge with some good genetics. You just have to reaearch a bit on your bettas and you can find alot of hidden gems like these)


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## hrutan

"Feather tail" is not a healthy variation of fins, the branching is so excessive that as they age, the fin may need to be trimmed due to the sheer amount of weight the fish must drag around with him. The less extreme version, rose tail, has a similar problem but is somewhat less of a detriment while still being beautiful. They still require special care when in a typical "pet tank" setting.


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## Nova betta

+1 to hrutan. i had a rose tail and it was horrible. I needed to watch him, and he would bite, and he could not swim fast enough to catch his food when it sunk, and he was just a pain. i think it is cruel to have an animal live like that.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14

^+1 again to hrutan, my aunt has a double rosetail, if he stops swimming he goes totally nose-to-the-sky, and even when he is swimming he is / instead of --. he spends maybe 90% of the time in his floating tube.


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## Greenapp1es

Hopefully not too off-topic - but what special care does a rosetail need? I have a rosetail boy, haven't had him long but he's doing OK for now. He moves slower than my other boys do but still makes his way all over the tank and is relatively active with no issues. I *have* seen that while staying still in the water he tends to rest slightly nose-up, but not significantly so. Of my 3 boys he's actually my most aggressive and will strut around his tank flaring after a couple of minutes seeing his reflection. He's also my only guy really eager to chase a laser pointer.

If he needs special care, I'd like to know so I can be sure I can give it to him. I know he likes to rest in his floating tube at night - but one of my other boys without heavy fins does as well.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14

He does need some but not a lot, you need to make sure he gets "exercise'' so his tail muscles stay strong, give him a place (floating tube or plastic betta leafx2 to rest (x2 one for him one for his tail) and be a little extra careful to not get him sick since his immune system will be slightly lesser than a normal bettas. IF his tail gets so heavy he can't swim then you will have to do some surgical trimming. It's a last resort, easy, but nerve-wracking procedure.


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## Nova betta

+1 to bikeridingguckgirl14


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## hrutan

Flare training is the way to go with these buddies. Teach them to flare at a mirror while young, or have another male handy, must be flared around 15 minutes 2-3x a day to stay strong.


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## Greenapp1es

Thanks! Flaring isn't a problem - I've already got some great experiences with this guy and his mirror. I'll just be sure to up the frequency.


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## Basement Bettas

There is nothing rare about those fish. They are poor quality any way you look at them and you can get much better at your local petco/pet smart. Notice the postures of all those fish.. just laying around on the bottom. Have no idea who the breeders are but would not waste money on them at all.

I have tons of fish.. my culls are so much better than the best one they have shown. Contact me if interested.. no here .. my FaceBook page as not here much.

If you want rare watch Aquastar on AB.. he produces some unique ones but be prepared to dig deep in your wallet. My black male was $150. plus shipping. Only fish to get a name.. Elvis .. and he is King of my fish room.


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## hrutan

I second that. Aquastar's fish are absolutely stunning. Just...stunning. So are Basement Bettas' - I follow their Facebook page just to look and dream.


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## BettaStarter24

I have a rose tail half moon boy who hasn't started trimming yet, but he has definitely gotten more finnage since I got him. He doesn't have too much trouble swimming yet but I know he will sooner or later, his body is so small compared to his fins.


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## CelticRavens

TerriGtoo said:


> As others have said, you will most likely be disappointed in the quality from this seller. Your best bet is to check Aquabid. There you will find professional breeders who know their "stuff". Check with a seller called Chard56. i have purchased many from him. I highly recommend him.


^+1 Bought my 1st AquaBid betta from Chard56.
Bifrost's healthy & happy. You can see his pics in my album - mine are of him in his QT, and the other 4 Richard sent me that he'd taken with him flared. He takes care when shipping his fish, too. Bifrost's fins were in perfect shape when I received him last week.


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## sharkettelaw1

actually that black piebald is uncommon. And I'd rather see them in full flare before passing judgment like a grump.


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## Optomist

Macrostoma


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