How do they show Betta at a show?

[sstacy19]

There is a betta show in April here in Michigan! I would love to go, never heard of the town, so it is probably pretty far away, but what do they do at a show? How do you bring your fish in etc? It would be fun to bring one of my new boys...if it would not be too stressful on them. (barring they receive any damage on the trip home from Thailand-fingers crossed)

[MrVampire181]

Is it an IBC show? They do have non-member shows (unless you are one) but honestly I don't know much about shows.

[1fish2fish]

If its an IBC show its probably closed to IBC members but you can always ask the show chair.

How a show works is the people hosting the show are mailed hundreds of fish from all over the world. There is a limit to how many fish one person can send. The registration fees are paid prior to mailing the fish and fish that aren't going to auction are also sent with money to be shipped back to their homes.

During the show the fish are placed in un-tinted water in plastic containers called beanies. They are lined up shelf by shelf and a card is put on either side of the fish so he cannot see his neighbor. During the judging (which can be open or closed) the judge removes the cards and watches the fish flare and swim.. and judges it on the standards for that fish set by the IBC.

After judging the public is allowed to come in and view the fish, after that auctions are usually held selling the fish (except the ones that go back to the owners). Some fish are sent just to be sold at auction and are not showed at all. Some are showed and auctioned off.

After the show is over and the auction fish have gone home with their new owners the remaining fish are bagged and boxed and ready to be shipped back home.

I believe to participate in a show you must send your fish in or bring him in the day the fish are set up you pay a registration fee of some amount and can choose whether you want your fish auctioned or not.

[Neelie]

^^^ jesus i would never send my fish anywhere! 0_0; i might be prepared to take him with me and put him in a fully prepped tank there and then take him home again end of story... it sounds fairly stressful and confusing...

[1fish2fish]

Its not so bad.. but people who are sending their fish to show are major breeders who want other breeders and enthusiasts to see what kind of fish they are producing. Its not a "whose got a pretty fish" type deal.

Plus most bettas sent to shows are then sent to auction. Not many of them are requested to be shipped back.

[CataclysmKitten]

How does one package a fish to send him? That's what I want to know.

[1fish2fish]

The fish is bagged in a plastic bag with water. The bag is tightly knotted then inverted and put in another bag which is again tightly knotted. The fish is then put in a box lined with bubble wrap and styrofoam. The box is marked with "this side up" and "live fish" and sent on its merry way. Sometimes heat packs are put in with the fish to keep it warm for transit.

Fish are either shipped priority or express or even overnight.

[Neil D]

There is a thread on how to ship em somewheres....

[Tisia]

naughty neil, this thread is over a year old :p

[Neil D]

Awww CRAP! I didn't even see that!

*looks around guiltily* soooooo....how did the show go?