Betta Fish Snob

What is a "true" half moon betta? Perhaps that's only a question a betta fish snob would ask, or answer. You didn't know there was such a thing as a betta fish snob? Well, all snobbery aside, the question is really answered by the market place, for it is the most highly prized half moon betta fish characteristics that bring the highest prices. Often those prices can be thousands of dollars. For such a little fish you ask? And how long is he going to live anyway, three years on average, maybe five years at the outside? But that prized betta could father thousands of other little prize winning bettas during that time. That's what betta breeders are thinking and that's why you might want to know what they look for. So let's look at what the experts look at.

Those big halfmoon shaped fins are awfully pretty. But what makes one beautiful halfmoon betta prettier than another? To the discerning betta lover it is the subtleties of form and tone. Of primary importance is that the caudal fin (the tail) forms a full half moon shape. It should spread more than 180 degrees and it should touch and overlap the dorsal fin and anal fin so that there is almost a full circle of finnage around the betta fish when he is flaring. Now look at the edges of the caudal fin. Are they nice and straight with sharp corners? Or are they a little less well defined and rounded? The latter is rather common. The former can mean a possible prize winner.

Moving on from the subtleties of fin form we look at the obvious feature of color. There are many striking color combinations and the more exotic and rare they are the more they command prizes and premium prices. Sometimes the color of a betta is given a little help by calling it something exotic sounding, like steel blue or dark melano. Some beautiful color combinations create marble effects and two tones like silver/red. Particularly rare and hard to achieve even in carefully controlled breeding programs are half moon bettas with perfect finnage and a single pure color tone without any other color splotches. That's a champion and a pricey fish if you can produce it, and license to become a betta fish snob.

Mark George is an American expat who has been living in Thailand for more than six years. He's not working, but enjoying a (very) early retirement. He has taken an interest in many of the unique things about Thailand, including the famous Siamese fighting fish known as betta splendens. For a look at some prize winning half moon betta fish take a look at the slide show at Siam's Best Bettas.

Copyright 2008 - Mark George. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author name credit and follow all of the EzineArticles terms of service for Publishers.