How Do I Maintain My Hms

[_cRaCkEr_]

HM tails should be 180 degrees and for some reason after few months or so they can't spread their tails like real Half Moons.

Here's my thing.

Step 1 - Get the Betta and the Scissor

Step 2 - I cut the tip of the tail into 4 parts

Step 3 - Put the Betta Back in the tank with crystal clear water and add salt

Step 4 - Put Methylin Blue to avoid infections, add melafix or bettafix (Follow Instructions)

Do 20% water change daily, add salt and keep the fish in a quiet place and don't flare him. After 7 days do 50% water change, add salt, do sun bathing and try to flare him for a minute. Bring him back to the quiet place add salt, IAL and don't do water change for 3 days. Then do your 20% daily water change again and add. After another 7 days flare him up and your HM is back.

I hope this helps.

 

[mantis147]

Must need a steady hand to do that I would end up cutting the fish in half!!

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Must need a steady hand to do that I would end up cutting the fish in half!!

Ha ha yeah.

 

[liz2]

this is a wind up?

 

[ron1]

Do you REALLY do that? noooo you don't do you? I can't believe that

 

[Joby]

Would that be a permanent fix or would you need to keep doing it every few months?

I don't think my nerves could stand it

edited for my lousy spelling

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Would that be a permanent fix or would you need to keep doing it every few months?

I don't think my nerves could stand it

edited for my lousy spelling

Oh you have to do it again if the tails are not perfect. I know it's going to hurt the fish but this will improve their tails and maintain it's figure.

Now you guys know the secret of HMs this is what some of the HM contesters.

 

[wuvmybetta]

So, cracker, do you say this is a common practice with show fish? Because I've often wondered if they're trimmed. Sometimes the fish is too large for such perky finnage and it makes ya wonder...

I'll stick with my perky plakats, thank you

 

[grahamsokel]

think i like my HM the way they come

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

think i like my HM the way they come

Me too, but if there's a competition these judges anre very particular with the tails and finnage and everything. They will measure the tails and it should be 180 degrees.

If we acn maintain it with out cutting the tails, I guess that's the best !

 

[sukie]

I couldn't do that - I'd be shakin like crzy!!

But that's really interesting to know

 

[l.michelle]

Please take no offence to this, but people were saying about how bad it is to make the fish fight etc because they nip and tear fins, yet it is okay to take scissors to your fish

And you acknowledge that it hurts your fish, why? I mean, so it will look better? That is like saying to dye your dogs hair pink becuause you think it will look prettier.

No offence, but in my opinion, that is disgusting and inhumane to do just to make your fish look nicer.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Please take no offence to this, but people were saying about how bad it is to make the fish fight etc because they nip and tear fins, yet it is okay to take scissors to your fish

And you acknowledge that it hurts your fish, why? I mean, so it will look better? That is like saying to dye your dogs hair pink becuause you think it will look prettier.

No offence, but in my opinion, that is disgusting and inhumane to do just to make your fish look nicer.

I know exactly where you're coming from and I don't blame you. This thing is being done by many breeders who joins competition/show (I'm not one of the breeder who joins show). I know a lot of people will disagree in this method but let us be open minded and reality check ! this is what's happening.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Please take no offence to this, but people were saying about how bad it is to make the fish fight etc because they nip and tear fins, yet it is okay to take scissors to your fish

And you acknowledge that it hurts your fish, why? I mean, so it will look better? That is like saying to dye your dogs hair pink becuause you think it will look prettier.

No offence, but in my opinion, that is disgusting and inhumane to do just to make your fish look nicer.

Understandable, it makes me cringe, too. But I also feel sorry for HM's that are so over-bred for finnage. It gets extremely long and heavy, it's almost back breaking just for them to make it to the surface for a breath of air. So, trimming finnage for appearance sake= not cool, trimming finnage for the sake of the fish= A okay, and trimming finnage for competition seems a bit like cheating. Just a bit.

ETA, what we seem to have here though, is a bit different. When I speak of trimming I mean lying the fish finnage out at full spread and cutting the edges. Cracker, what is exactly does the four section cutting do? Give him a better, yet un-natural spread?

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Please take no offence to this, but people were saying about how bad it is to make the fish fight etc because they nip and tear fins, yet it is okay to take scissors to your fish

And you acknowledge that it hurts your fish, why? I mean, so it will look better? That is like saying to dye your dogs hair pink becuause you think it will look prettier.

No offence, but in my opinion, that is disgusting and inhumane to do just to make your fish look nicer.

Understandable, it makes me cringe, too. But I also feel sorry for HM's that are so over-bred for finnage. It gets extremely long and heavy, it's almost back breaking just for them to make it to the surface for a breath of air. So, trimming finnage for appearance sake= not cool, trimming finnage for the sake of the fish= A okay, and trimming finnage for competition seems a bit like cheating. Just a bit.

ETA, what we seem to have here though, is a bit different. When I speak of trimming I mean lying the fish finnage out at full spread and cutting the edges. Cracker, what is exactly does the four section cutting do? Give him a better, yet un-natural spread?

Tails will be cut in beetween and it will spread out, as ssson as the wound heals it will make the tails spread and gets bigger. I will have to do some drawings and post it here.

Yes indeed it's like cheating lol. Just like people doing plastic surgery and enlargement of their B.