# Pakat caudal-ray count



## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

I've been looking at the plakats on Aquabid. In the regular plakat category I see a lot of 2-ray (-branched caudal fin) fish, but mostly 4-ray and even a few 8-ray. A few in this AB category could be entered as HMPKs.

In the HMPK category on AB, while there are some 4-ray PKs, most shown are 8-ray with many 16-ray. Some appear to have even more--- like rosetail or feathertail PKs.

Are just the 180*-ness and crisp edges judged, without regard to the the number of rays in any of the single fins?

Are these backformed from HMs? Why would a PK need a 16-ray caudal?


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

**bump** If you don't mind.

Is this question in the right section?


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

Trad pk should have only 2 rays and should have 180 but round edges.

For hmpk its more of the crispness of the caudal thats judged as long as they have 4 or more ray branching. I hope too much branching is penalized since hmpk really dont need a whole lot of it to each 180. Many are capable of 180 with just 4-8 rays.

I think the excess branching and rt in hmpk came in from hm influence. People would have crossed heavily branched hm into their hmpk lines to increase the branching. Combine that with the constant selection for more branching and we now get the x factor in hmpk.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Too much branching (rosetail) is a fault. 

Read: http://bettysplendens.com/articles/page.imp?articleid=2585


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