Novice Question

[CoolWater]

Hey all, I have never kept a betta before, but I have to say I think I am slowly being sucked in. So much so i am even considering dedicating my fish hobby solely to them (and maybe breeding them at a later stage)
But that is all just a dream at the moment, and I have two years to plan and dream so hey lets get started with the first (of many I am sure) novice question.

How do you all classify and categorize bettas? Is it by tail type or colour, as I have seen both being used? It made more sense to me that you would categorize them by tail shape? But do they vary in body shape as well?
Also if it is indeed by tail shape, what are all the categories of tails? And can you get mixes?

Sorry if my mumbling has confused some of you, think I may have even have confused myself

Sorry again for the novice question.
Thanks

 

[Synirr]

Categorize? You can describe a betta by tail type and/or colour, so you can classify it by whichever one you like depending on what you're interested in, I suppose?

The most common tail types are:

--Plakat (short finned males as well as females)
--Veiltail (tail hangs downward even when flared)
--Halfmoon/Delta (wider caudal spread than VT, tail is symmetrical when flared. HMs have a caudal spread of 180 degrees when flared)
--Crowntail (fin rays extend past the webbing; these look spikey)
--Doubletail (like it sounds; the tail is split in two. They also have a longer dorsal fin)

There are also a few others you'll hear, like spadetail or roundtail, but you don't see those as often. You can have combinations, like HM plakat or CT DT. This pinned topic is a good place for pics of each tail type

 

[CoolWater]

Thanks Synirr!

Don't know why i did not spot that topic sooner
Now i know the 'betta alphabet & language' a bit better, i can start my thorough research

I was thinking already, (of course lots more planning research and saving yet to do).
But i was going to have a 30 gallon split up into six 5 gallon sections. So i can have a male of each of the 6 common tail types.
Then i was going to have another 30 gallon for the six females.
And then two 10 gallons at a later date after all that, for breeding.

But as i said, hell of a lot more planning, research and saving to do yet
I just can’t stand the thought of having 14 separate tanks all over the show (hence my thinking aloud).

Thanks again

 

[Booboo puppy]

The females could go into one tank together, if they were all introduced at once, if none of them were especially aggressive, and if there were lots of plants and hiding spots available. Females are often kept together, but you should have at least five (in my humble opion) to spread out the aggression so no single one is picked on by the others, and they should be kept in at least a 10-gallon tank.

 

[Taridan]

Yeah, and it might be easier for you if you get 3 ten gallons or 3 5.5 gallons and divide them once and have 2 males in each. I think its harder to find gentle filters for the larger tanks where as for the smaller sizes Whisper filters work well. My my opinion though. <- luvs Whisper filters

 

[CoolWater]

Booboo puppy: Well that is not a problem, i was going to have a 30 gallon and six females, so that defeats those problems. There is plenty of room so they are not bumping into each other much, and of course I would not set the tank out any other way but planted (as usual)

Sanadi: Wouldn't an under-gravel filter to fit the 30 gallons do the trick for filtration?

 

[starrynightxxi]

not meaning to hijack the thread, but cool water said something that caught my attention. the "betta alphabet" aheh, alphabetta

*ahem* okay, sorry, carry on

anyhow, at least 4, at most 6 girls is the usualy rule that goes around here for a 10g. so in a 30g you could fit quite a few more indeed

 

[CoolWater]

My god that is brilliant starrynightxxi!
I might actually name a betta ‘alphabetta’ one day!!

HeHe nice to know if i got a 30 gallon for the girls, i have lots of room to play with.
Though less is more with me, and also will no doubtable be partial to some cory catfish for the tank
Yet, that is a long time off, so no point planning my stocking levels … just yet
I am just trying to do a little research each day or two, so by the time i get my own place (and my betta collection) i will already be a expert

So would an under-gravel filter work for a 30 gallon, divided for just 6 bettas?

 

[Booboo puppy]

I wasn't sure whether or not you planned to divide up the 30 gallon tank for the girls like you were going to do for the six males. I only planned to have one betta myself, but there's something addicting about their little personalities.

 

[Synirr]

I just can’t stand the thought of having 14 separate tanks all over the show (hence my thinking aloud).

Don't ever breed then, you've got to separate the males when they become aggressive
EDIT: Actually, just.... don't ever get a betta, haha! They're too addictive. Before you know it there are tanks everywhere!

 

[lisie]

I wouldn't ever keep female bettas together in a 10 gallon. I did it for a while but frankly, they each like their own space and there's just not enough room in a 10 gallon.

I have a 55 gallon tank with 19 female bettas and I gotta say I wouldn't ever do it again either. There's plenty of space but bettas are bettas and they still act like little b-i-you-know-whats to each other more often than I like. Some of the girls have nipped fins and get picked on and stuff. I think bettas prefer to be kept on their own, and I like them better on their own too.

My two cents.

 

[Taridan]

Hmm, I've never used an under gravel filter before. Maybe a Reverse Under Gravel Filter? Sorry, no experience with that... do know I just divided my 10 gallon and have my beaten up / recovered purple girl on one side and my old man on the other... the girls got breeding bars and George is shakin his tail all over the place showing off