Callatya Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Went to a few LFS today and in one there was a tank of what looked like 5 juvie VT males in with some brown females. I mentioned it to the guy, because they were beating the tripe out of each other and flaring like crazy, and we got to talking. He said that they'd been ordered in especially as longfinned females, and that he was under instructions to keep them in the one tank, but was losing a fish a night. They really looked like juvie males, even flared like them. I looked for eggs, and *maybe* saw some in one, but I didn't have a torch or a mirror, so getting enough light and getting them in a position that was good wasn't easy. At least two were flaring with very dark full beards. To me, they were such a jumble bunch. The ventrals were long, but not full. The tails were long (4-5cm?) but not squared on the base like a mature male VT. They were near each other and interacting like females, but they were so beat up and when it was on, it was male style posturing, not a female one. I really don't know what to make of it. He can't recall which supplier they came through, and was a bit dubious about their sex himself. I know I'm not the best at sexing things, so we just chatted and when I left he was going to separate them regardless of sex. But what level are longfinned females at? I would have thought that if they were that far along that we'd be seeing more and more of them in the fancier tail types as breeders, but it seems that it isn't the way it is working. Sheer turnover should mean that VTs pick up these traits faster, but still I would have expected more. Also, if they are females, what on earth are we doing? they looked so... well muddled I guess. Not looking like a boy, not looking like a girl, and not sure how to behave. If they'd had a red, I would have bought it to see if it sprouted more or developed eggs. I'll try to get a photo next time :photo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 wow that's interesting! lol you think they're trying to make a reversal of sorts? with some plakat males turning out to be females and the like... why do they confuse us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splendidbetta Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 They could have been treated with hormones, maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 I've been told that some places inject girls with testosterone... how or why I don't know but I'm told it's done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celeste84 Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 yeah i was told the same thing, BUT i was sold a "long finned" female a few years ago before i really got into bettas...now looking back at her i'm convinced she was a spade tail male! her fins were identical to the classic spade tail and she was extremely agressive, so maybe these new long finned "females" are being accidentally classed wrong since spade tails aren't very common, and they DO look a lot like short finned veil tails, and short fins in a fish that isn't a PK usually means female? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Hmm haven't seen any around here. Though it has been about 6 weeks since I visited an Aquarium :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callatya Posted July 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 They weren't spade tail, most just shortish VT, like the length you get if you cross with PK. I know that you can get long finned females, maybe even to that length, but to have 5 of them from what appeared to be different spawns just seemed odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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