Thoughts on Deltas?

[toad]

My very first betta fish, who is currently chilling out in the floating wisteria in a 10 gallon tank, is a Delta tail named Howie.

While Howie is beautiful - he looks like a flower petal - I sometimes wonder if it is cruel to breed these fish to have such disproportionately long and fluffy fins. The fins certainly don't help him swim, and in fact, he sometimes seems to have trouble turning around sharply and loses his balance. He doesn't appear to move with the same ease as my double or crown tail, and certainly doesn't have the grace or speed of my females.

I'm certain that he is perfectly healthy, as he is friendly and alert and looks to be in beautiful condition (to my untrained eyes, anyway!). He just seems to be weighed down by these flower petal fins he's been blessed with.

So, any thoughts of these fluffy guys? Do they notice that their fins are heavy and cumbersome, or does it make no difference to them?

[Bettanewbie60]

Originally Posted by toad

My very first betta fish, who is currently chilling out in the floating wisteria in a 10 gallon tank, is a Delta tail named Howie.

While Howie is beautiful - he looks like a flower petal - I sometimes wonder if it is cruel to breed these fish to have such disproportionately long and fluffy fins. The fins certainly don't help him swim, and in fact, he sometimes seems to have trouble turning around sharply and loses his balance. He doesn't appear to move with the same ease as my double or crown tail, and certainly doesn't have the grace or speed of my females.

I'm certain that he is perfectly healthy, as he is friendly and alert and looks to be in beautiful condition (to my untrained eyes, anyway!). He just seems to be weighed down by these flower petal fins he's been blessed with.

So, any thoughts of these fluffy guys? Do they notice that their fins are heavy and cumbersome, or does it make no difference to them?

My one Delta Tail, Bali, is actually one of my most agile/smallest males..he just jumped his divider a while ago lol...I do have bad feelings sometimes when I see the really large, fluffy fins on some of these bettas though. I was actually thinking of sticking to plackets just so I won't look at them and feel bad.

[bananasammy8]

That sounds exactly like my DTHM Neptune he loves to stay in his mesh hammock and blow bubble nests some times he floats on top of plants and relaxes he's just not an active guy but very healthy:)

[nel3]

my delta had some issues when getting used to the 1g in the 1st 3 days. might've been lazy then but he got over it. he doesnt have any noticable swimming issues atm. it could've been the lack of exercise to swim up to get air. there's a good difference in height from a 5g or 1g tank to swim to the top than a mason jar for air.

[aokashi]

I think deltas are so much more beautiful than half moons XD personal opinion though :)

[registereduser]

Originally Posted by aokashi

I think deltas are so much more beautiful than half moons XD personal opinion though :)

ditto

as long as the current is slight and the water shallow, Irving seems to be quite comfortable. Kind of like a small woman with a huge chest

[toad]

Originally Posted by registereduser

Kind of like a small woman with a huge chest

HAHAHA I don't know what that feels like

Thanks for the opinions, guys :)

[Frazzle]

I personally like plakats and Crowntails the most. My plakat swims so fast and rapid, and I dont worry about him getting stuck on the filter (my crowntail loves resting on the filter... he lays on the intake and then gently swims up for air and returns).

[Friendlyfishies]

I got my first doubletail halfmoon a couple weeks back and he is so beautiful but when I first got him I also noticed he really had to work on his turns lol...im sure it doesnt help that they dont get much exersize in the cups at the petstore and who knows how long there in those sometimes but ive noticed since my guys been in his 6.6 gal (bookshelf/long) hes become quite fit..he still struggles on the turns but hes much more agile and quick now! Its still weird tho to watch my new plakat zip around under roots and such while my halfmoon somewhat waddles around comparitively lol.

[toad]

Originally Posted by Friendlyfishies

Its still weird tho to watch my new plakat zip around under roots and such while my halfmoon somewhat waddles around comparitively lol.

Yes, that's the perfect word for it - it does look like waddling!