I don't really have intentions to breed, since I wouldn't know what to do with all the offspring, but I still like to read this section of the forum and dream. :P
And every now and then I get a few questions.
I've noticed in a few threads that people warn against breeding rosetails. Why is this? Is this simply for fin structure and quality or is there some other problem in fish that have them? Is the reason not to breed these guys a health reason or is it because most breeding programs seek to improve the species?
I just wonder because I have an orange feathertail male. Is that similar to a rose? When I picked him up from petco I thought that maybe he was a biter or that he had some finrot and that maybe he was clamped, but once he colored up and his finnage smoothed out, I realized that these "folds" were just a natural part of his tail. That led me to research these other less common fin types.
I don't have a good photo of him, but his finnage is similar to this:
Anyway, I was just curious since in my daydreams I often wondered if he'd have many fry with a pretty tail like his. :P Even if I'm not breeding for real, I'd like to daydream as if I were a LEGIT breeder :P
Last edited by inareverie85; 03-23-2012 at 05:53 AM.
Rosetails are basically mutated halfmoons. There is so much branching on the tail, it folds and flops over on itself. Feathertails are a different kind of rosetail, with different branching structure. Breeders try to stay away from them because they are very difficult to breed consistently, and they usually come with a number of other malformations, too, like bad scaling, spinal problems and small ventrals, small bodies, and slow growth. A lot of breeders will cull any rosetails they see early on in their spawn. They are very difficult to breed out of a line.
Such a pity they come with such problems, they sure are gorgeous. Perhaps someone is currently working on breeding the defects out of this strain? And one day we can have normal, healthy, true breeding roses.
Last edited by KadenJames; 03-23-2012 at 07:23 AM.
also, someone i know bought rose tails, but they always seemed unhealthy. they'd die from something as simple as ick. so, their immune systems seem to be pretty weak, and that could be related to the rose tail trait...
I have one little boy, Arthur, that I got at Petco where he was listed as a HMPK, well, he's actually a double tail and his fins have gotten longer, even if they don't seem as long as a regular, long finned Half Moon, but I don't have a lot of betta experience, so who knows.
It does seem to me that my boy's fins are rather ruffled, and he has very, very short ventral fins.
I would kinda prefer he just be some sort of beautiful "mutt" than have possible genetic problems. I already worry enough because I've read that DTs can have challenges with SBD.
I don't know that the attached pics give a true idea of how fluffy his fins are, but maybe someone could tell me if he looks like he might be a rose or feather tail?
Oh, good! Well, my first love is the Standard Poodle, where I'm all about proper breeding methods, I guess it's a good thing that my little guy's just a Petco fishie since he's apparently the equivalent of a BYB "mutt."
I like him! I just wouldn't breed him lol. I actually love every single betta. I'm just picky on my breeding fish lol.
Oh, don't get me wrong! I *firmly* believe that only the best possible representatives of type should be used for breeding purposes.
In dogs, particularly Poodles, unscrupulous people have made all sorts of bad breeding choices in pursuit of profit. And you don't even want to get me started on the "Doodle" dogs. Ugh!
I might think a particular labradoodle or lhasa-poo is cute, or super smart, but I still call them mutts. JMHO.
So my little Arthur is a poorly bred, if beautiful, little mutt. That's cool!
Btw, MrV, I think your fish are lovely & I just might need to get one of your baby bettas one day. ;)
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