How to count rays?

[Mango4Jade]

Yes, I actually do not know how to count the rays in bettas. I see some people have 16 ray HMs, but how do you actually count them? And what do the rays look like? Is it possible if a fellow betta fanatic can post up an image outlines the rays on the fish and which I actually count? Regards Mango <_<

[Callatya]

Here ya go MangoMan

CAUDAL RAY PICTURE

You count the ones that are orange.

an 8 ray has eight *ends*(orange bits) per one *start* (black bit)

a 16 ray has yet another split (each ray splitting in two) after the orange bits, making it 16 ends per one start.

does that make more sense? :)

[Mango4Jade]

Now I get it... I just need more practise at counting rays now, you have cleared up the mix up, thanks Calla Mango :)

[Mango4Jade]

Just had a quick practise...please correct me if Im wrong...

This is a 8ray?

and This is a 16ray?

[Callatya]

Looks right. Although the 16 ray looks a bit like some of the rays haven't split evenly, but its probably just the photo. Def more than 8 from what I can see...? Anyone?

[najrick]

The best thing to do is just keep practising. When a fish is swimming around a tank it can be hard to count. To this day Patrick still can not do it, even though he has better eye sight than me. I personally would call both those boys 8 ray, though the second boy does look like a couple of rays have split again so I think he has potential to make it to 16 ray one day. Though he does look fully grown so I doubt it. Najina

[Phil]

Its easiest to count them if you can take a really clear picture, then it dosent move etc.

[BettaBred]

l find it almost impossible to count a fish swimming rays, photo's are the best as you can enlarge, the second pic looks 8 ray to me although there appears to be some split a little more which could mean this is a fairly young fish still developing. Nice fish are they yours Mango. Steve.

[Bren MacFish]

To me... it looks like the first fish's rays split into two then each of those splits into two and one of those splits again... a 6 ray. The second fishes rays split into two and then each split four ways with the two outside rays splitting again at the end making it... a 10 ray. The fact that 6 and 10 rays aren't standard may be a bit of a problem, but they still look really good.

[Mango4Jade]

I see. atleast now I sort of know how to count the rays Btw, BettaBred the fish isnt mine,,,I think I got the images from BlueBetta But thanks for the help guys :cheer:

[Phil]

Bren are you counting the number of splits from the base to the end. the way i think it goes is however many are at the end of the fin, or the final branching. ie 1-2-4-8-16 if you get me? so that would be a 16 ray fish.

[Bren MacFish]

No... I was counting the ends too. It's just that the outer branches seem to split again at the very end whereas the innies don't. Giving non-cube type figures.

[geek]It's a non-cuboid fish and it doesn't fit the square! [/geek]

I apologise for that bit of mathematical and wordplay humour. Please go about your business

[Figure_8]

I need a really big humungous clear picture to even attempt counting rays.. *squints at the photos*. I do attempt it with live fish, but more often its an educated guess - my eyes aren't what they used to be (actually they never were! )

[Fishchick]

it's really difficult to get an HM with less than 8 rays. They don't hold their form well either. Your top male is most likely an 8 ray, the bottom is 8-10. Uneven splits do occur - you often see it in females - 4-6 rays. The 6 split is usually in the rays in the centre of the tail, not the edges. Cheers, J

[splendidbetta]

I know it might be a little bit late, but...

this is a closeup of the rays of a female betta. male and female bettas follow the same rules of ray-count.

HTH

[Figure_8]

that bottom pic is fabulous. Thanks Stefan!

[splendidbetta]

Thanks Lisa :)

[Phil]

Is this picture correct? can anyone see anything that isnt right, i want to put it on my site but just want a few opinions to make sure it is correct:

Thanks guys :)

[splendidbetta]

I have to say that the picture is incorrect, as he is an 8-ray HM male, not a 4-ray. look at the tips of his rays, where the red fades to clear, you can see the outline of each ray ending dividing again. Y ou can see that more clearly at the bottom half of the tail, where the anal fin overlaps the caudal. eg. I ^ I I ^ ^ I I I I ^ ^ ^ ^ I I I I I I I I and the red defining line that you have drawn should be straight from the base ray to the tip of the end ray. not bent and cornered the way you have drawn it. it should resemble a triangle with the rays forming in between the outer rays from each base ray. am i making sense? if you look closely at were each end-ray (the 8-ray tips) is at the fin, you will see that it makes such a straight diagonal lone, not a crooked one. HTH :)

[Figure_8]

He does look like he has another ray division happening right towards the edge of the caudal :)

[Phil]

Thanks you two, I never even noticed that he branched again. i will re do it, and post a new copy :)