What is the deal with black orchids?

[aemaki09]

I've been looking for information on this for a while and have seen there's a lot of conflicting views on it.

If someone was to enter one in a show, would they be faulted for being a "Black fish with irid" or would they be multicolor, or is there another type of class for them?

BO's are my favorite, so I'd like to be able to breed to get them, but wont if they aren't showable.

[dramaqueen]

I thought that I read that iridescent on a black is a fault but Basement Bettas will have to tell you for sure.

[aemaki09]

Yeah I read that somewhere too, but then I read other articles and what-not and most of them said different things so now I'm confused.

[homegrown terror]

red is a tricky proposition with show standards. unless it's obviously "supposed" to be there (as in a solid red, or a red dragon's fins) it's usually a crippling fault. any red patches in fins or scales, or iridescence on top of another color, will severely limit your chances. if i'm not mistaken, for a BO to place, you cannot have ANY colors on him other than the solid black, and the blue-green-purple between his rays.

[DiiQue]

From Basement Bettas (taken from the other thread):

Originally Posted by Basement Bettas

Black orchid is a bad black fish. a black fish should have no other color.. so the orchid pattern is a fault. the came about trying to get fertile females. So you would hope for some really good black fish with the orchids in your spawns.

The dumbos have one fin grossly out of proportion to the other fins. A show betta is all about symetry. Now breed the other fins to be in proportion and you are back in business.. but that might be a bit much.

[Basement Bettas]

A multi should have three colors in random patterns on the fish. A BO is a black fish with metallic on body and into the fins. When you have a solid fish and there is any other color present.. it is a fault. The amount of contrast determines the fault. So steel is not as easy to see as royal blue.. so the stee, would be major fault and the blue a severe fault to the point of Do if enough.

To create a class you would first have to get it established enough as a variation and have enough other people breeding it to make the "cost" of that class worth while. Remember a class takes time to just, time to do admin for the entries and placings and they must have 3 ribbons.

[Basement Bettas]

Originally Posted by aemaki09

Yeah I read that somewhere too, but then I read other articles and what-not and most of them said different things so now I'm confused.

though a real pretty color combo we have to go back to the current IBC standards for what is acceptable in the shows. So some of the BO info on the web may be just discussing the color. In a class it will get faulted as there are some decent blacks being bred. Most of mine are pretty clean as far as irid.. just working on darker black and improved form.

On a side note I do have some eggs in the nest from some blacks as I type.. fingers super crossed....

[Basement Bettas]

If you really want to breed them make the color super good. Just the lace pattern in the fins and have good contrast and enter them in variations. If the form is good you can get some ribbons out of them as you establish them for a possible trial class.

[aemaki09]

Ok so basically, if they have irid on the body it's not worth it.
What about if they only have the blue webbing on the fins?

By the way, thanks for replying basement bettas! I love reading your reviews!

[aemaki09]

Oh you must have been typing while I was.

Thanks for the info!