Gambling when getting betta from Thailand.

[Ben]

maybe its ebcause it has gone through shipping? maybe give it a week or 2 before you see it like the AB picture

DD

 

[Bettaman]

Depends how the photos taken i can take pictures say using flash and it looks a total different colour, send you photo to the seller and explain that it don't look the same he may have the answer maybe he didn't condition the fish for transportation, and it looks as if he has bitten his tail during shipping that happens sometimes, they kind of beat them selves up, but look healthy.........but his tail may not grow back to be the same once damaged and some halfmoons will revert to super delta if water conditions are not right for them and you can buy a super delta and give him nice clean water and end up with a half-moon

 

[nashnut]

I've been looking at a lot of the fish up on AB and believe that a lot of the dealers from overseas use either especially colored lights to enhance the color of the fish or use some type of lens which will accomplish the same thing. I first noticed that in one of the local fish stores in my area - the owners were Asian. The betta set up was terrific - large tank divisions, good lighting, etc. However, after I got my fish home and really looked at him I realized that the store had been using color enhanced lights. He definitely was not the same color as in the tank at the store. He was, however, in great shape!!

 

[yeeviabetta]

Thanks for all of your concern. Actually I like this betta because he got a special personal character. He is very friendly and tame. He just want food a lot and that is why his belly looks like a tumor. LOL I know that his tail will not going to look like the picture anymore after he grow back. So i am not hoping for him to be overhalfmoon again. Hopefully he will breed one day if I am planning to do the blue line. He is still very small. Picture looks great here but real life he is very skinny and small.

 

[RandomWiktor]

I'm glad that regardless of who he is, you're enjoying him anyways. I'm too nervous to order a betta from anywere as I'm always thinking the poor thing will die in transit; I'd feel awful if I killed the thing trying to purchase it.
I think regardless, it is a gorgeous fish, even with a beat up tail and a pudgy belly ^^

 

[yeeviabetta]

hahaha I make him a pudgy belly because I fed him a lot and also he is too skinny. LOL He will look stunning if I keep fed him good food. I always walk by the kitchen and he can see me on the betta shelves. He will greeting me and get my attention. FOOD FOOD. LOL

 

[SRC]

In regards to lighting. If you switch from incadescent (regular house lights) to flourescent lights (in most stores) you are going to see a color difference...it's just the difference in teh light bulbs.

Also, a higher grade camera will take a better picture then a lower grade camera. So if they used a really good camera (or a regular camera instead of a digi one)...and used Flourescent lighting the fish is going to look a little different.

Also, if they took the picture and it was dark, they sometimes use photo enhancing programs to brighten them up..which in return changes the color(s) of the fish.

It's hard to take a picture of a fish...and have it look *exactly* like the fish...because their scales are shiny and the flash turns them different colors when it hits it...unless you have a really good camera.

That looks like the same fish to me.

 

[yeeviabetta]

I was expecting the top fin should be shorter and broader but this one is longer and not broader fin like the original picture. That is why I am wondering about it. He still not flaring yet and can't get a picture out of the real fin. Only the 6 rays on the top fin will proved him he is the fish in the original picture.

 

[ral]

The higher end Betta's here sell for about $25-60. The local importer gets his stocks from Stingrays and Kelsons. These are either Competition Grade or Grade a fish. The local reseller posts the pictures on the net.

After having seen about 100 of these "select" fish, it is surprising though how different look in person from the pictures. One example was two Royal Blue Butterly's being sold. One was three times the price of the other. From the pictures the two fish looked nearly identical. On closer inspection one fish had much better colors... somehow his scales simply looked much better.

Basically, I think when you buy a fish from the net based on pictures you are taking a bit of a gamble. Lighting and color of the water would probably play some part in how the Betta looks.

 

[ral]

Forgot to add too. Most shots are taken while flaring. Colors tend to by darker/deeper while flaring.

I must admit though. I am not sure if the fish yeevia got is exactly the same one in the picture. The red/drak patch of color in the anal fin should have shown up in the AB pic.