Spade Tail?

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum andhave a quick question. We have just recently got a new male (to replace our first male who passed away) and, as the pet store owner told me when he was getting new fish in, I got first pick (admittedly because I was practically stalking the pet shop until the new arrivals came in ).

So, I picked out a male which had a different tail type to all the others...I know pet shops normally only stock veil tails b/c they are the most common, and I thought he just had a nicer back fin to all the others, but since having him home and seeing him flare, I think I might have a spade tail now. His rear fin is perfectly symmetrical and ends in a perfect point...not ragged like veil tails often are. It looks like a large spade when he is flared and each side (if you were to divide it in half) is identical. But, after looking up fin types on the internet, I have now learned that spade tails are not that common, so I am having my doubts. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Hi there!

This is a Spade tail example for you
http/www.bellaonline.com/misc/rateme/pho...5/photo2090.jpg

They are not that common but we do see a fair few on the forum with people asking what they are! some LFS's seem to get them in with veils so the likelyhood is that you do have one. certainly sounds that way, pictures would mean we could confirm

OK...hope this photo comes out...it was taken tonight with a flash...not the best quality but you should be able to tell what type his tail is. Thanks again

here's another one

scoob said:

here's another one

Click to expand...

Judging by the top photo he is a spade tail, the other photo makes it unlcear but certainly looks like a spade tail to me

His colour looks stunning from that picture!! you got a full fish shot?

Here are some more photos to help with identifying tail type

and here are his full colors

scoob said:

Here are some more photos to help with identifying tail type

and here are his full colors

Click to expand...

beautiful colours!!!! but as i thought by your second tail pic he looks like a veil tail that happens to point perhaps he has the spade tail gene but im not sure he would meet the spade tail classification. Think you have a very good looking veil Others will know for sure I could be wrong!

He is absolutely gorgeous.....what a fantastic colour

The Spade tail is actually a variation of the Veil tail. It looks more spade like when they are younger but as they mature it slightly loses the more defined shape of a spade and becomes longer.

the genetics look like they are there, but perhaps not perfectly developed. he is a lovey boy.

Netty said:

He is absolutely gorgeous.....what a fantastic colour

The Spade tail is actually a variation of the Veil tail. It looks more spade like when they are younger but as they mature it slightly loses the more defined shape of a spade and becomes longer.

Click to expand...

Ah Netty knows it all!

Not at all.......Netty just spends far to much time surfing the internet for all things Betta I have no other life

Netty said:

Not at all.......Netty just spends far to much time surfing the internet for all things Betta I have no other life

Click to expand...

sounds pretty good to me! my newest reading obsession :http/www.waynesthisandthat.com/bettas.htm

Lol...think I've come across that one in my travels. I see he got lots of his Bettas from Bettatalk.

Hi again,

Thanks for all of your informative replies! It's great to have such a fantastic resource of information at your fingretips! Just a quick update...I am currently treating our new fish (the one in the photos) for white spot. I am treating with rapid white spot remedy and have raised the temperature in the tank to 30C. Anything else I should know? Thanks again.