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Why are VT's so Unliked?

3K views 30 replies 22 participants last post by  MrVampire181 
#1 ·
Can you not get VT's in thailand?

I am confused why not many people like VT's in Western culture? Is it because there is a high number in Western civilization?

I love the VT females as mine look like males and in a large sorority, they are awesome to watch. Not many other females in this category.

Many Males are more attractive and comparable, I can see why more are interested in the variety of others.

However, what is it that creates the lack of VT's?

Thoughts?
 
#2 ·
I'm not sure, probably because there are so many mutt VT's that have been mixed with other tail types... so there isn't really a standard. And I suppose their philosophy is the bigger and frillier the fins are, the better.
Personally, I love my VT. He's got just as pretty colors IMO. And he's got amazing personality!
 
#4 ·
I really like VTs, and they are well LIKED..just not as much by the betta enthusiasts. They are in every pet store and usually 'messy'.. messy fins, messy body shape, etc.

Doesn't make them any worse as pets. I really want to see VTs get more popular with enthusiasts.. I want to see the tail form come back and look 'nicer'.. :) I wish there was something I can do to help, honestly, but it doesn't seem like I could do much. Unless I was breeding to help, which would be years away from now if ever(not likely), and if I did, I would donate my best spawn to others breeding for the nice looking VTs :O but that's not going to happen most likely. It's difficult because at this point honestly it looks like to get VTs back into the breeding world, it'll have to start with the petstore fish. I can't help but enjoy looking at the petstore bettas and comparing their fins to the new standard..I've actually seen a few that got pretty darn close :O
 
#6 ·
I like all tail types. They're not my favourite (mine are Rosetails), but I still like them nonethless. :)
 
#8 ·
VTs are not disliked. Breeding them is frowned upon because there are SO MANY in pet stores and they are so over bred that no one even knows where to begin to standardize what a VT should be. Try finding homes for dozens of fry and make ANY money at the same time... who is going to pay more than $3 for a fish that they can get for the same amount at a pet store? Breeding is very expensive and breeding VTs is just asking to lose lots of money.

There have been talks about making a set of standards for VT but again, who is going to put hundreds of dollars into breeding a fish that just isn't popular enough to sell well. Many of the people who breed VT end up giving their fry to pet stores for store credit, that brings up a question of ethics... is it right to breed fish that may end up rotting away on a pet store shelf? Not everyone has a local fish store that takes amazing care of those fish.

As HM and HMPK become more readily available to the general public the VT will become less common and will probably make its way back to popularity. There's a natural cycle with such things.
 
#9 ·
I like VTs. =]
I had just bought a VT over a DT, but he died.. grr pet store..
I think if VTs did have more variety in colors they would be more liked.
I mean, you go into petco/petsmart the VTs are usually all one color, or look the same. then you look at the HM and DT there and they are stunning colors... doesnt help the VTs too much.
 
#10 ·
Like 1f2f said...know one knows where to start. Some VTs have spade shaped tails (my fave), to droopy kinda triangleish shape, to square shaped, to big fluffy droopy tails. Its gonna take year to bring them back. Though HM and HMPK are the big ones now who knows what the future holds.
 
#11 ·
I love my VTs!
3 males, one female. And I think they're just as gorgeous as the next fish. Which I guess doesn't matter a whole lot to me when it comes to choosing a pet, since even the mutts have their charm. :)
 
#15 ·
I like VTs very much. The color variety they have always amazes me... I've never seen such colors in other tails. I have one apricot spotted and I adore him. Here in Mexico they are the most common bettas, you don't find any HM, D, SD, PK at the Maskota (which is the equivalent to Petco in the USA). Every time I tell someone the many tail types in bettas, they just don't get it. I think... that every betta is beautiful. Just because VTs are so common and cheap doesn't mean they aren't gorgeous fishes with great personalities. :)
 
#16 ·
Both of my boys are VT'S :) I actually perfer VTs over other "fancier" breeds of betta. I love their long flowing tails and I don't really know...I've just always liked them. :]
 
#17 ·
They're very unpredictable and hardy...that's why I love them. Breed a mutt VT to a mutt VT and you'll get mutts and several suprises. When it comes to breeding even a solid line can suprise. My blue dragon pair has thrown pure reds...ya no joke. VTs are fun to work with but the tail is undesireable.....but I still love em!
 
#20 ·
luv VT... and tbh i think they are less likely to get finrot and start tailbiting! i had 3 VT and they never had fin problems... the odd ick but never fin issues. i think their immune systems are better than high bred DBT and OHM, even HM and SDT... because to get these "high tuned" fish its common to breed siblings and tbh i think that makes them too vulnerable and less stable than fish that are DEFO not related, like VT.... lol.
 
#22 ·
Ehh, mixed dogs have their own problems, and sometimes if bred to two very unhealthy breeds they can inherit problems of both. My friend had a dog who was half boxer and half dalmation... he had the boxer's seizure problems and was as sick as most people's dalmations! Got all the cons of both breeds

Healthy dogs with healthy dogs make healthy dogs. Just saying it's a mix does not make a healthy dog! :) Although most dog health problems can be avoided with the right diet and care!
 
#24 ·
Not to get off topic but if you do your research and go with a breeder who tiltes and health tests their dogs through OFA and PennHip (etc) you can drastically reduce the liklihood of getting genetic issues in buying a purebred puppy. Most people do not know what to look for in a reputable breeder and then end up getting dogs from breeders who don't do the necessary health testing. A reputable breeder will not breed dogs with a chance of developing hip displaysia (to stick with the GSD) in an effort to reduce the liklihood of that occuring.


As far as fish. VT are actually MORE prone to developing fin rot and tail biting because there are so many of them being cared for improperly. VT also tend to have more health problems because of the mistreatment they receive while at the pet store and due to the fact that they are bred willy nilly. Any long fin, regardelss of tail type has a higher chance of developing fin issues than short fins.

I think the reason long fin HM and DeT have a bad rep for fin issues is because many breeders don't pay enough attention to the thickness of the fins, everyone is so held up on ray counts that many breeders are putting out fish with wimpy fins. A well bred LF should be able to carry his fins without issue AND his fins should not tatter easily if they are thick enough.
 
#25 ·
Not to get off topic but if you do your research and go with a breeder who tiltes and health tests their dogs through OFA and PennHip (etc) you can drastically reduce the liklihood of getting genetic issues in buying a purebred puppy. Most people do not know what to look for in a reputable breeder and then end up getting dogs from breeders who don't do the necessary health testing. A reputable breeder will not breed dogs with a chance of developing hip displaysia (to stick with the GSD) in an effort to reduce the liklihood of that occuring.


As far as fish. VT are actually MORE prone to developing fin rot and tail biting because there are so many of them being cared for improperly. VT also tend to have more health problems because of the mistreatment they receive while at the pet store and due to the fact that they are bred willy nilly. Any long fin, regardelss of tail type has a higher chance of developing fin issues than short fins.

I think the reason long fin HM and DeT have a bad rep for fin issues is because many breeders don't pay enough attention to the thickness of the fins, everyone is so held up on ray counts that many breeders are putting out fish with wimpy fins. A well bred LF should be able to carry his fins without issue AND his fins should not tatter easily if they are thick enough.
I agree that VT breeders should be more careful. Since VTs are so unliked, how about instead of breeding them then letting them rot away in the store only breed them if you can findsuitable homes? And it would probably help if less were bred.
 
#26 ·
I love them, I especially love their flowy tail. My first two Betta's were VT's who bit off their tail's so seeing one now with the flowy tail and all is impressive to me.

The VT I have now may be neurotic and a mutt (Hello! A solid red king Betta that is a VT, sorry but all the research I did on king Betta's showed that they were Plakats, so Jet is this freak of nature and he may have mood swings and threaten to bite off his tail any minute now (I worry about that everyday) but he's still my most active and hardy fish I own. Oh and my pride and joy!!)
 
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