# Difference?



## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

What is the main difference of show Bettas to regular Bettas? Is it different line? Is it different quality? Just wondering? Is it if they have show blood in them? How many of you keep show bettas?


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

Show bettas are different from "normal" bettas the same way Show dogs are different from regular dogs.

Show dogs have to have perfect qualities, wether it's the right color coat or the right color nose. Bettas are similar. Show bettas are based on certain qualifications and those that don't meet those qualities are usually sold in pet stores, or even by breeders.

None of my boys are show quality (besides Sir Bubs I guess) and I'm fine with that xD

I've never shown but I think it'd be interesting to try.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Thanks I was wondering. I keep a chocolate betta he almost exactly fits dark colored bi color and delta exactly it seems.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

actually there is no such thing as show quality IMO except for the fish that dont have classes.. technically every fish can be shown including VT's in the NB class so there really is no definition of a "show betta" as any fish can technically show in one category or another.. but if you are speaking of a betta with nice FORM then you are talking about the certain qualifications it has such as a good strong 180 degree spread on HM's, Even, and nice ray branching for CT's, and even caudal lobes for DT's these are just some of the many qualifications that a betta must meet in order to have very nice/acceptable form and in order to place in a show


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

Ahhh thank you Mo.

I was completely mixing up things while relating to show dogs xD


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

You mean someone can show a petstore betta in Nb class?


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

pretty much.. it isnt gonna place well.. the only rule is that you have to have bred it yourself.. one year the trashipper Jennifer Vivieros (sp) bought whole bunch of fish and showed tem as her own but ended up getting her points suspended..


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

How can they tell if someone is lying about whether or not they bred the fish?


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## homegrown terror (Aug 6, 2012)

dramaqueen said:


> How can they tell if someone is lying about whether or not they bred the fish?


you probably have to provide photos and/or documentation of the parents, and timescale/birthdate etc, things you'd only accurately have if you bred them yourself.


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## EvilVOG (Nov 23, 2011)

dramaqueen said:


> You mean someone can show a petstore betta in Nb class?


No you cannot, part of what you can show is it has to be either a fish you bred, or you can show a fish bred by someone else, but only as a team (with the actual breeder) in the regular classes. You can only show fish you bred in New Breeder.

Not sure they really can tell if you are the breeder, I think they just go on "good faith". I'm in the new breeder class and no one has questioned me on anything. But also the people that run these shows are the top breeders in the country, and they also personally know most of the other top breeders from here and other countries and their fish, so you're probably not going to sneak in something you got from one of them.


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

Chapter 5 of the IBC handbook states what the ideal show betta is:
"*THE IDEAL SHOW BETTA*
The ideal show Betta is in excellent health as shown by its faultless condition and vigorous deportment. The body
and fins are unblemished. There are no body scars, spots, and missing or misshapen scales. Fin rays are straight or
smoothly curved. Fins are held rigidly erect and gills are fully flared. Movement is continuous and aggressive with violent
response to any intruder.
The ideal show Betta presents nearly mirror-image symmetry above and below an imaginary mid-lateral
line. This Betta is well proportioned with respect to fins and body size. The body is smoothly tapered toward the
caudal peduncle. The dorsal fin approaches the anal fin in shape, width, and size. There is a 180-degree spread
between first and last caudal rays. The outer margins of the dorsal, caudal and anal fins trace a continuous
circular contour with no gaps between fins. Fins are broad and overlap at the edges. Secondary and tertiary
divisions occur at even intervals along the lengths of fin rays.
The ideal show Betta exhibits brilliant coloration of uniform density. In solid color classes there are no off-color
washes in the fins and no blotching or speckling of unwanted colors on the body. Patterned types have dark and bright
colors in shades that produce the highest contrast. The overall appearance of color on this Betta is one of vivid, sparkling​
beauty.

So yes, there is such thing as a show quality betta; if it doesn't meet the standards of said show then it's not of showable quality.

This is a GENERAL description. The handbook then indicates qualities for every class.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Got it.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Oh wow.. So it can't show if it doesn't meet those descprictions? I thought the only disqualifications were damage, no ventral fins, or no visible egg spot on females and vice versa for males


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## EvilVOG (Nov 23, 2011)

The best thing i can tell you is learn the class(es) of the fish you intend to compete in. There are little differences from class to class that the breif there kind of misses, specifically Traditional and asymmetrical plakat will not be "perfect mirror image" and DT bettas should have a much shorter body than any other class, ect.

But Vill is 100% correct, and Mo you're kind of hitting on why there is a "show quality betta" and ones that are not show quality. Those things Mo mentioned are an outright disqualification, along with the fact that any fish entered regardless of class must be at least 1.5". You can send whatever you want to the show, but if it's not at least pretty good form, or if it's got a feature that gets it disqualified, you may as well have sent it for nothing.

That being said don't be too wary about sending fish in. Lots of fish have faults, and if it doesn't they'll invent new ones to set them apart. Sometimes you may even find you're the only one entered in your class, or even see that no one is competing at all in another.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I was just wondering theoretically. I am way to young to go around showing bettas. My parents have a two tank rule so no breeding.


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## inareverie85 (Apr 18, 2008)

It can technically be shown absent those qualities, but it won't place or do well at all. I guess it depends on whether you identify a "show fish" as a fish that can legally be shown or a fish that actually has a chance of placing (ie. adhering as closely as possible to the IBC guidelines).

I'd identify a "show fish" as a show that has a chance of placing, but that's just me. Why put a fish under the stress of shipping/traveling to a show if it won't even have a chance of doing OK in it?


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Yeah. Ashley I agree.. I was looking at those pics that martin posted of the show fish and most were nice but a few we're some that weren't worth the money of showing


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Makes sense I see you got an avatar mo.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Mo, I thought you were a member of the IBC.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

I am but they way the Standards are orginized confuses me. not the sandards myself but the "files Section. It took a while to find them and I cant navigate that page very easily


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I haven't looked over the standards yet because I'm not breeding but I will aomeday. I haven't even looked at the handbook yet.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Sorry wrong thread.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Mo said:


> I am but they way the Standards are orginized confuses me. not the sandards myself but the "files Section. It took a while to find them and I cant navigate that page very easily


How did you get in. If my parents ever agree to let me breed them. I was just wondering also do they have shows for king bettas because if they are bigger than 1.5 they are not show bettas.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

if they are smaller than 1.5 they arent show bettas, you got it the wrong way. there are NO classes for giant bettas


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

O.K. never researched show bettas just like reading what people reccomend for them for laughs, were they come from for info, interesting stories for stories, and spending all my money on my fish because they are great thank you so much for correcting me.


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