Betta's Identification/Breeding/Care Sheet
- Thread starter BIG_ONE
- Start date
Zfishies;4618721; said:not taking anysides but is this what you are refering to?
and a guy who breeds them http://www.ram91giantbettas.com/giant.htm
Yes, those are giants. And I'm positive that they aren't at their maximum length from those photos by ram91. They have a lot more room to grow...
Optimal fail. That Jim Sonnier article has been torn to shreds all over the place. Relying on an antiquated article that holds no water pins you as exactly the type of misinformation dispenser to be avoided. Hey, I've done it too, but taking some random second-hand account of an event and using it as fact is a great way to get your foot kicked down your throat.
For the record, I would love to see a 7" Betta Splendens. I've tried every trick in the book to flush out a shred of evidence that they have ever existed. There is nothing. The closest I've come are the giant fighter plakats we're seeing around these days and their body length certainly does not exceed 4" if it even reaches that. I know it's hard to let the dream go, but there's no Easter Bunny, no Flying Spaghetti Monster and no 7" Betta Splendens. Sorry to break it to you in your moment of zeal.
The bettas in those pics do not exceed 3". When you pore through the internet looking for evidence of giants, you'll quickly learn to note various morphological characteristics. Seeing the currently available giant plakats will also be part of that knowledge base. After months of trying to track down a "True" 7" Giant, you'll have to accept that the reason you can't find them is that they are not real.
For the record, I would love to see a 7" Betta Splendens. I've tried every trick in the book to flush out a shred of evidence that they have ever existed. There is nothing. The closest I've come are the giant fighter plakats we're seeing around these days and their body length certainly does not exceed 4" if it even reaches that. I know it's hard to let the dream go, but there's no Easter Bunny, no Flying Spaghetti Monster and no 7" Betta Splendens. Sorry to break it to you in your moment of zeal.
The bettas in those pics do not exceed 3". When you pore through the internet looking for evidence of giants, you'll quickly learn to note various morphological characteristics. Seeing the currently available giant plakats will also be part of that knowledge base. After months of trying to track down a "True" 7" Giant, you'll have to accept that the reason you can't find them is that they are not real.
Here's an article by Gene Lucas, one of the founders of the IBC (international Betta congress) its a 2006 article, pretty up to date.
http://www.bettysplendens.com/articles/page.imp?articleid=1405&v=giant
In 2002 "Giant" bettas were showcased at the IBC. He bought one for $100 its specs are below:
Wild type: 3.2 cm (approximately 1-1/4 inches)
Domestic: 3.7 cm (approximately 1-1/2 inches)
Giant: 6.6 cm (approximately 2-5/8 inches)
While the difference in the length between wild type and "ordinary" domestic Bettas is marginal, the difference between them and the Giant is significant. The domestic Betta is 1.156 times as long, and the Giant 2.06 as long as the wild type; over twice as long.
Another parameter that can be used to compare size is weight. I weighed them with a laboratory triple beam balance and came up with the following:
Wild type: 1.2 grams
Domestic: 1.95 grams
Giant: 8.85 grams
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there's your official documentation. Dr. Lucas is probably one of the most credible sources in the betta world.
- so no... there's no 6" betta splendens out there (yet?).
http://www.bettysplendens.com/articles/page.imp?articleid=1405&v=giant
In 2002 "Giant" bettas were showcased at the IBC. He bought one for $100 its specs are below:
Wild type: 3.2 cm (approximately 1-1/4 inches)
Domestic: 3.7 cm (approximately 1-1/2 inches)
Giant: 6.6 cm (approximately 2-5/8 inches)
While the difference in the length between wild type and "ordinary" domestic Bettas is marginal, the difference between them and the Giant is significant. The domestic Betta is 1.156 times as long, and the Giant 2.06 as long as the wild type; over twice as long.
Another parameter that can be used to compare size is weight. I weighed them with a laboratory triple beam balance and came up with the following:
Wild type: 1.2 grams
Domestic: 1.95 grams
Giant: 8.85 grams
-----------------------------------------------
there's your official documentation. Dr. Lucas is probably one of the most credible sources in the betta world.
- so no... there's no 6" betta splendens out there (yet?).
knifegill;4619057; said:
Believe as you wish, I won't make you change your mind. Let me know when you spend years and not months tracking down giant bettas from the country into master breeders overseas. And as I have stated in the first place, many will not believe it and will take it as a myth and me making such things up. Keeping a giant bettas for more than 3 years in a 40 gal tank solo by itself won't even get you to 6". Let me know when you manage to keep a regular betta for over 6 years and see how large it gets with proper feeding and home. Your call...
Sounds like a deal.
I did have a cambodian female all by herself in a 40 gallon for several months and she did grow to a pretty good heft. I don't doubt that most bettas we see are stunted.
Sadly, even though I have successfully spawned bettas here and raised the fry to adulthood, the actual long-term maintenance of adult bettas always ends in dropsy for me. And I go above and beyond the call of duty for them. Live food, tropical temps, completely cycled tanks with regular water changes and regulated lighting cycles. I don't know if it's something in our local water supply or what. I keep catfish and cichlids with great success, but bettas just seem to die on me. And it's always dropsy, which is only a symptom of organ failure so for all I know their kidneys are being attacked by a specific antigen that lurks in my tanks.
Perhaps the fact that they are forced to live in little cups for weeks and months on end before I can get them into nice big tanks has something to do with it. If the pet stores would step up and keep them in larger tanks that would be great.
I did have a cambodian female all by herself in a 40 gallon for several months and she did grow to a pretty good heft. I don't doubt that most bettas we see are stunted.
Sadly, even though I have successfully spawned bettas here and raised the fry to adulthood, the actual long-term maintenance of adult bettas always ends in dropsy for me. And I go above and beyond the call of duty for them. Live food, tropical temps, completely cycled tanks with regular water changes and regulated lighting cycles. I don't know if it's something in our local water supply or what. I keep catfish and cichlids with great success, but bettas just seem to die on me. And it's always dropsy, which is only a symptom of organ failure so for all I know their kidneys are being attacked by a specific antigen that lurks in my tanks.
Perhaps the fact that they are forced to live in little cups for weeks and months on end before I can get them into nice big tanks has something to do with it. If the pet stores would step up and keep them in larger tanks that would be great.knife i actually had that awhile back i had i under fav's when i was trying to do this just never got around to it
The giant Betta site I originally saved it for the breeding part of the site. sorry wasn't very detailed there
