Is this a mutation or something? This betta's fins are huge!!

[n3wport]

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/aucti...hmp&1303157410

Look at that thing!! haha, its really pretty! Has anyone ever seen of these before? would you pay that much for it? I am curious because I really like this fish

If you bred it would the baby fish look the same?

[bettafish15]

I personally wouldnt pay that much for it... it looks like it takes more effort for the betta to swim. Definitly looks harder for them. I wouldnt want to support that. But thats me :P

[1fish2fish]

"Dumbo" bettas are the new fad. There's two camps of thought. One camp thinks is a great new development and possibly should be incorporated into the standards. The other camp of though (the one I'm in) believes that such large pectorals are a detriment to the fish and will inhibit it's swimming capabilities forcing it to be kept in smaller, shallower tanks.

[Luimeril]

that poor thing. D: it must be so hard to swim for him! it's a pretty color, and i'd love a betta with white pec fins, but not that huge! DX

[n3wport]

Yea I agree, it just looks cool! but I hope it doesnt become very popular, I only saw a few on AB

[PewPewPew]

Oh my goodness, thats the biggest Ive ever seen. Im not a huge fan of Dumbos, though Ill admit I think theyre cute when only *slightly* larger than normal, but when theyre big like this, I really think it must be exhausting just to swim around, since thats theyre min source of momentum...

If youre looking for "big ears" search that, and maybe stay away from quuiiiteee that big. Thats certainly not a fun thing for it..

[FuulieQ]

He's beautiful... but I think that particular strain is taking it too far. That fish can't possibly be unhampered by those pectorals. They're simply massive.

My boy has a little bit of what you might call "ears", and I think it makes him adorable, but I hope we don't see too many bettas being bred to have excessive finnage in that department.

[bettalover2033]

Well i think that it is a great development. I mean after all this looks like it was a mistake and then the breeder wanted to get them to get bigger. BUT its not much of a bad idea nor a good, its just in the middle, because it just like the Halfmoons their tails are HUGE and no one is complaining about that. So whats the problem with the "ears"? The Halfmoons are "tortured" then if you think that its hard for a (plakat) or (halfmoon plakat) to swim with these pectorals. Also plakats have such short fins and thats the reason why they are so fast.

If listened to the old saying: "If you give up power...you get speed" But if you give up speed...you get power". And power could mean the bettas live longer or are less prone to disease dont you think? Also this will make them less wanted for fighting.

[bettafish15]

People dont complain about tail size, because the pectorals are more important for moving around. They use them to move around primarily. So if they tire themselves out all the time just trying to move, you wont have a very happy betta.

[FuulieQ]

Originally Posted by bettalover2033

Well i think that it is a great development. I mean after all this looks like it was a mistake and then the breeder wanted to get them to get bigger. BUT its not much of a bad idea nor a good, its just in the middle, because it just like the Halfmoons their tails are HUGE and no one is complaining about that. So whats the problem with the "ears"? The Halfmoons are "tortured" then if you think that its hard for a (plakat) or (halfmoon plakat) to swim with these pectorals. Also plakats have such short fins and thats the reason why they are so fast.

If listened to the old saying: "If you give up power...you get speed" But if you give up speed...you get power". And power could mean the bettas live longer or are less prone to disease dont you think? Also this will make them less wanted for fighting.

I guess what mostly turned me off to this mutation is... have you ever looked at a betta and watched how many times they beat their pectorals per second? Even when they're not actually moving through the water they use them to stabilize themselves, they're constantly moving. I'm just not convinced that the fish pictured can move effectively.

I have thought about halfmoons' finnage, and I think that normally it isn't excessive to the point of discomfort to the animal. And if it is uncomfortable, the fish will just bite it all off anyway. I don't know if a fish could 'trim' its pectorals...