My superdelta betta in the sunlight- like fire!
- Thread starter Flaringshutter
- Start date
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I wish I was a fish I wish.
Yes, I imagine Betta Mahachai is in his bloodlines. Mahachai was crossbred with splendens to intensify irridescent colors. It's how we created 'masked/armadillo' bettas. It's a color trait borrowed from Mahachai.
Wild Betta Splendens had irridescence in his scales, but not as thickly or proliferously as B. Mahachai. This is why bettas originally all had dark heads and bodies. Betta Mahachai had more color to it's head and body due to thick irredescent patterning in its scales, so they were crossed to enhance this in fancy bettas. If memory serves me, crosses were also done to Mahachai to add and intensify the tendency for that striping pattern in the tail finnage and create 'laced' bettas. Not 100% sure on that one, though.
But that thick 'chipped' look on the scales is a dead give-away of crossing with this species. Most true metallic bettas will have mahachai in their bloodlines at some point or another. They wouldn't be possible without that boost of thick metallic irridescent on the scales that the species provides.
Good call.
Wild Betta Splendens had irridescence in his scales, but not as thickly or proliferously as B. Mahachai. This is why bettas originally all had dark heads and bodies. Betta Mahachai had more color to it's head and body due to thick irredescent patterning in its scales, so they were crossed to enhance this in fancy bettas. If memory serves me, crosses were also done to Mahachai to add and intensify the tendency for that striping pattern in the tail finnage and create 'laced' bettas. Not 100% sure on that one, though.
But that thick 'chipped' look on the scales is a dead give-away of crossing with this species. Most true metallic bettas will have mahachai in their bloodlines at some point or another. They wouldn't be possible without that boost of thick metallic irridescent on the scales that the species provides.
Good call.
As I understand it, most metallics were created through crosses with smaragdina or imbellis, since they're much more widely available. You could be right, though.
The double-striped gill plate was what clued me in, a Mahachai-specific trait, and that his body is a little longer than your standard B. splendens. I wonder if he'll throw any plakats as a result?
Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments! He's such a pleasure to keep. And a very active betta! I've had bettas that just sit at the surface, but he keeps swimming. just keep swimming, just keep swimming... lol.
The double-striped gill plate was what clued me in, a Mahachai-specific trait, and that his body is a little longer than your standard B. splendens. I wonder if he'll throw any plakats as a result?
Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments! He's such a pleasure to keep. And a very active betta! I've had bettas that just sit at the surface, but he keeps swimming. just keep swimming, just keep swimming... lol.
That's what I love about my Dante. He's not what I consider to be a 'boring guppy'. He has fire and attitude and is curious and active. He's rarely ever hovering still in the tank. And he's definitely not a timid fish. He sometimes chases the neons in the tank (not as if he'd ever catch them) but I figure I'd rather have a betta with some passion to him than a clamp-finned lazy betta lurking in a corner looking half dead with apathy.
I like them to have a little pep in their step!!
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Oh man, I totally botched that one.... well I feel sheepish!! *chuckles* Yes, you are correct. I've gotten what I've been reading all crossed. Mahachai is actually one of the newer bettas, isn't it? This has been a rotten day for me to remember ANYTHING...
Regardless, My sincerest apologies for the mix up.
