Discussion- Bettas good or bad????

[ember04]

I've done threads like this before where I want to start a discussion about controversial fish in the hobby.
I wanted to discuss Bettas today probably the most controversial.

so what does everyone think of the selective breeding of bettas for colours and big tails or fins?

I personally think the colour is ok but I don't like big tails I've kept plakats before with ok results, but friends with long-tailed bettas have problems with tumours, spine issues, skimming problems and a short life span.

what does everyone else think??

 

[Animallover😍]

I love bettas, I think they are very pretty. but I have no experience with keeping bettas is the only thing.

 

[Spyro]

I've done threads like this before where I want to start a discussion about controversial fish in the hobby.
I wanted to discuss Bettas today probably the most controversial.

so what does everyone think of the selective breeding of bettas for colours and big tails or fins?

I personally think the colour is ok but I don't like big tails I've kept plakats before with ok results, but friends with long-tailed bettas have problems with tumours, spine issues, skimming problems and a short life span.

what does everyone else think??

They don't live long, but they are cheap to replace and pretty. So it's ok

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Personally, I despise Man's insistence on changing the appearance of a thing, for purely aesthetic purposes.
Nature in it's natural state is a beautiful thing and to suggest otherwise is both arrogant and disrespectful.
I appreciate that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder', but who really thinks that a white cherry barb looks better than one in its natural colours, or a 'gold' neon tetra, or anything albino, or leucistic?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

They don't live long, but they are cheap to replace and pretty. So it's ok

And I know that you have your tongue placed firmly in your buccal cavity with that comment.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Many, many, many moons ago when Betta came in blue or red only, they were hardy little fish, absolutely unpredictable in behaviour due to their natural genetics but the fish themselves were in proportion regarding tails and fins. My dad's Betta lived happy and healthy for 7 years without illness or disease back when you had just two colour choices.

Today they are the living version of a designer handbag. A multitude of shapes, sizes, colours....frankly mindblowing what has happened to this humble little fish.

They are - in my own and others I know - experience very fragile compared to decades ago. They seem less capable of fighting off the most basic of illness, prone to diseases that the original fish never had any issues with recovering from. They still have the Jeckyll & Hyde temperment, no matter how docile it might appear, they all have a rabid tiger inside them waiting to come out and attack anything that moves.

Personally the recent Glo-Betta along with many of the other colourways and tail/fin growth types are sickening to see. To sit and watch such a tiny little body dragging tails and fins 2 or 3 times larger than they are is extremely cruel.....think of it as diving into the deep end of a pool wearing a massive wedding dress with a very long train attached.....

Betta's have a very unique body language that all owners should learn to interpret, especially when the fish have tankmates, they are intelligent fish and they do communicate when unhappy, unwell or feel unsafe or are going to attack. They are not called Siamese Fighters for no reason. I have seen these fish fight when visiting Thailand and Cambodia, it is no exaggeration to say just how capable they are to rip another to pieces and kill it....just as they will any fish like Guppies who have long flowing tails/fins...they do not differentiate that its a Guppy, they see flowing tails and fins and immediately think...male Betta on my territory...must chase away or kill. That is how they are wired, you will never ever stop that behaviour.

I have owned the more recent variants but never again. Whilst there is a marketplace for these fish, the breeders will find new ways to ruin them in the name of money and I will not be a part of that.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

And I know that you have your tongue placed firmly in your buccal cavity with that comment.

Or, 'tongue in cheek' in other words

 

[Animallover😍]

Many, many, many moons ago when Betta came in blue or red only, they were hardy little fish, absolutely unpredictable in behaviour due to their natural genetics but the fish themselves were in proportion regarding tails and fins. My dad's Betta lived happy and healthy for 7 years without illness or disease back when you had just two colour choices.

Today they are the living version of a designer handbag. A multitude of shapes, sizes, colours....frankly mindblowing what has happened to this humble little fish.

They are - in my own and others I know - experience very fragile compared to decades ago. They seem less capable of fighting off the most basic of illness, prone to diseases that the original fish never had any issues with recovering from. They still have the Jeckyll & Hyde temperment, no matter how docile it might appear, they all have a rabid tiger inside them waiting to come out and attack anything that moves.

Personally the recent Glo-Betta along with many of the other colourways and tail/fin growth types are sickening to see. To sit and watch such a tiny little body dragging tails and fins 2 or 3 times larger than they are is extremely cruel.....think of it as diving into the deep end of a pool wearing a massive wedding dress with a very long train attached.....

Betta's have a very unique body language that all owners should learn to interpret, especially when the fish have tankmates, they are intelligent fish and they do communicate when unhappy, unwell or feel unsafe or are going to attack. They are not called Siamese Fighters for no reason. I have seen these fish fight when visiting Thailand and Cambodia, it is no exaggeration to say just how capable they are to rip another to pieces and kill it....just as they will any fish like Guppies who have long flowing tails/fins...they do not differentiate that its a Guppy, they see flowing tails and fins and immediately think...male Betta on my territory...must chase away or kill. That is how they are wired, you will never ever stop that behaviour.

I have owned the more recent variants but never again. Whilst there is a marketplace for these fish, the breeders will find new ways to ruin them in the name of money and I will not be a part of that.

I was considering getting a betta, but after this.... no thanks.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I was considering getting a betta, but after this.... no thanks.

I do believe that the more natural Betta can still be found, with careful searching amongst breeders.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Personally, I despise Man's insistence on changing the appearance of a thing, for purely aesthetic purposes.
Nature in it's natural state is a beautiful thing and to suggest otherwise is both arrogant and disrespectful.
I appreciate that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder', but who really thinks that a white cherry barb looks better than one in its natural colours, or a 'gold' neon tetra, or anything albino, or leucistic?

I agree....

However..... I also really love a nice big halfmoon crowntail betta with bright reds and blues......

I never claimed to be consistent...

You have to consider that as well as things like colour or fin morphs selective breeding has also given us fish that are more tolerant to wider water conditions and aquarium life in general. Look at discuss for example, 30 years ago these were a lot harder to keep then they are now with captive bred variants.

My person "ethics" is that I'm ok with selective breeding up until the point it starts effecting the life of the creature that is being bred. Long fins on a betta, probably not a massive deal, same for colour morphs. Massive bubble eyes that are prone to being damaged and bodies so deformed that they cant swim properly, yeah I'm not into that.

Also @Bruce Leyland-Jones talking about the awfulness of man made variants... I seem to remember you recently acquiring some Red Cherry Shrimp, which, I believe, are most definitely a man made variant that has been selectively line bred for coloration

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I do believe that the more natural Betta can still be found, with careful searching amongst breeders.

They are available in the UK....one of my suppliers has them

 

[Spyro]

And I know that you have your tongue placed firmly in your buccal cavity with that comment.

OP said controversial! That's how controversial is done

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Also @Bruce Leyland-Jones talking about the awfulness of man made variants... I seem to remember you recently acquiring some Red Cherry Shrimp, which, I believe, are most definitely a man made variant that has been selectively line bred for coloration

True enough...and I also acquired blue and 'yellow fire' shrimp and will be most content if they get jiggy with it and produce natural brown ones as a consequence.
I had to take what was available and chose NOT to buy just the one colour for that very reason.

 

[ember04]

I was considering getting a betta, but after this.... no thanks.

do remember we are talking about betta splendens there are other wide betta types like betta imbellis

 

[Myraan]

While I basically agree....

Every picture I see on here makes me want one.