# Critique this fella



## Ilikebutterflies (May 19, 2012)

He is being offered up as a breeding quality giant HMPK. Feel free to point out anything at all so that I can learn from this photo. THanks!


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

I don't breed plakats, but he looks really nice to me.


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

wow... He looks great to me


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## Sceven (May 22, 2012)

I think he is stunning. I would snatch him up if I had the tank space.


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## Ilikebutterflies (May 19, 2012)

I couldn't figure out how to edit a post on this forum so I had to add on here. I just wanted to add that he is 3.5 months old.


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## Curlyfatbottom (Sep 29, 2011)

How big is he????


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## EvilVOG (Nov 23, 2011)

i'm just learning about the standards but he looks pretty good. His anal fin could be a little bit more pointed, and he could use some more caudual, but his fins line up pretty good otherwise.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Well his dorsal fin looks a bit out of line from his caudal. The caudal fin looks to be longer at the top of it and the lower part of it should be more full. The anal fin looks fine to me. The standards say that it can either be a rounded anal or a pointed anal. In his case, he's got a rounded anal. I don't know if it's me, but one of his ventrals look smaller. I think it's how the picture was taken though.

He has very few flaws and IMO great breeding quality. Most of the things are minor flaws.



Ilikebutterflies said:


> He is being offered up as a breeding quality giant HMPK. Feel free to point out anything at all so that I can learn from this photo. THanks!


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## Leeniex (Aug 14, 2011)

I think the saturation in that pic was edited, so his coloration may not be as vivid when you get him. (Just an observation, I edit lots of pics)


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Quality for giants are the same as regulars. So you want the front ray of his dorsal to be long and leaning forward. And you want the dorsal to be the same height as the caudal. His caudal has unequal ray branching and the webbing IMO is too narrow. You want the caudal to be a half circle - his looks a bit ...just doesn't look right. The edges of his caudal should be pointy - his is too round. You want an anal that leans forward as well. All rays should be firm and straight.

The above is an extreme judgement of show bettas - as you requested, for learning. 

That guy is IMO too traditional for my taste. You will have a hard time improving his form. If you plan to breed, look for another guy and get your money's worth.


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## Ilikebutterflies (May 19, 2012)

Fantastic Indjo. Exactly what I am looking for. I look at it like this: I will be paying roughly the same amount for whatever I get. I want great color but don't want to sacrifice conformation to get it. I will keep looking...armed with my new knowledge.


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## Novo623 (May 25, 2012)

i dont like him. round edges and not balanced. not something id breed.


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## KadenJames (Mar 23, 2012)

I agree with the person who said the color looks over-saturated. The picture has been edited, you can tell by the blue saturation splotches in the background. I edit photos every single day for my job, I'm trained to look for things like this. xD anyone who feels the need to "enhance" their fish in PhotoShop IMHO is not an honest person, I'd steer clear of the breeder altogether as you don't know what you're really getting.


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## EvilVOG (Nov 23, 2011)

Rounding of the caudual is acceptable in the traditional hmpk class i believe, the show hmpk is the hard perfect half-circle edge on it. Or at least that's how it was explained to me. That they are two different asymmetrical show classes.


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## KadenJames (Mar 23, 2012)

(From Joep of BettaTerritory, Netherlands)

A. Traditional Plakat
B. Asymmetrical HMPK
C. Symmetrical HMPK


*Examples of Traditional Plakat:*








_(A) was bred by Rung Keereelang (Thailand), (B) and (C) were bred by Joep van Esch (The Netherlands)
Please note that this fish is an example and still exhibits points requiring improvement._

*Examples of Asymmetrical HMPK:*








_(A) was bred by Rung Keereelang (Thailand), (B) and (C) were bred by Joep van Esch (The Netherlands)
Please note that this fish is an example and still exhibits points requiring improvement._

Examples of Symmetrical HMPK:








_(A) Breeder unknown, (B) was bred by Jit Sin (Malaysia) and (C) was bred by Morris Gabriel (Singapore)
Please note that these fish are examples and still exhibit points requiring improvement._


You can get away with rounder edges if you are showing for Traditional HMPK, but not Asymmetrical/Symmetrical HMPK.


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## sparkyjoe (Feb 27, 2012)

Wow, thank you KJ! I've wondered about the differences of the plakats and since I'm a visual learner this is wonderful!

Not that it's critical knowledge to me since I neither breed nor show bettas, but I do love learning what makes one fish closer to the standard than another.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jeffegg2 (Apr 5, 2012)

The Asymmetrical look more natural to me. the Symmetrical look somehow deformed...

Jeff.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

jeffegg2 said:


> The Asymmetrical look more natural to me. the Symmetrical look somehow deformed...
> 
> Jeff.


There is not right or wrong in opinion, but I think they look nice because they look like DTs wi one caudal because of the wide dorsal and wide anal.


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## Ilikebutterflies (May 19, 2012)

I did find, during my looking around, that the fish was not a bad speciman of the traditional plakat. He would need his anal fin improved upon as well as his branching/webbing in the caudal. I think that would be a tall order for a newbie to find a female to improve those!


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## Ilikebutterflies (May 19, 2012)

I asked for a photo of this guy #G18:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVhLyD9hLB4&feature=player_embedded#t=104s

And this girl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVhLyD9hLB4&feature=player_embedded#t=135s


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

IMO, the symmetrical looks weird. :/ I like the traditional plakats.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

When buying giants; ask age and size - they should at least be 5.5-6 cm in 4 months. This size is IMO even doubtful it can grow to 12cm BO. But at least you will have half giants which in time may produce actual giants.

The camera moved too fast to really see their form.


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