I believe this type of betta was created by humans through breeding and I was wondering if they have trouble swimming and doing basic stuff because of their big fins. Kinda like its unethical to buy dogs that have short noses because they cant breathe and have a bunch of healthy issues.
I neved had this type of betta before, so I want to be sure before buying one
https://i.redd.it/hpoua78jajfe1.jpeg
Posted by PupperScent
5 Comments
You can give a dumbo betta a good life in a smaller tank with many resting places and soft decorations, but it will still struggle to get around and behave as a natural betta. You will also be putting money directly into the industry that created these conditions. It’s the exact same as brachycephalic dog breeds- you would be knowingly paying for a fish that was bred without concern for its health. Its your decision if that matters to you or not
yes, bettas with long tails are bread for aesthetics and not much else. their fins are heavy, and they swim a lot slower than a plakat, which i believe swims up to 8mph.
they are ‘show bettas’. like your comparison with dogs, the same applies. there are show dogs and working dogs, and shows tend to be overbred for their looks.
that being said, they will still be sold across the world and not always in the best conditions, so if you wanted to give one a better life than just a small cube, then it can be difficult to argue ethics of it. keep an overbred fish for the purpose of giving him a good life, or don’t give money to the companies that breed these fish but with the risk of it living a worse life in someone else’s hands
Yes, long finned bettas definitely have a hard time swimming. Looking at how much my long finned boy relies on his little pectorals to move around, dumbos like the one pictured must have an especially hard time getting around and doing anything. As hypocritical as it is, dumbo bettas is where I personally draw the line, although Tilly is for sure our last long fin ever.
Dumbos don’t seem to have as many problems as halfmoons. I suppose yes, but it’s all subjective; The betta trade in itself is unethical, just look at the temporary set ups we have them in at every shop and store.
I look at conformation more than the variety. I avoid excess finnage, shorter backs / bodies that tend to exacerbate bladder and bloat issues. Those are things that will cause long term issues. I used to order bettas from Malaysian websites, I still occasionally pity purchase the sick ones from the grocery store. But I’ve found the best way to combat unethical breeding is finding a local breeder I like. I can see the bettas up close and judge their health, confirmation as it tends to be better than most big box stores when you have someone breeding for quality fish
Kind of long winded, but I hope this helps. Yes, heavier finned bettas can have their issues. In my experience if you keep up your parameters and have extra resting spots (XL swords, floating logs, etc) their quality of life isn’t any different than my other bettas.
Id say so but some struggle more than others. My first betta I got as an adult was a Dumbo with a huge tail, he looked like a flower at one point. He was so beautiful but after a certain time it was clear to see how it effected him swimming, and turning around etc. he eventually ended up butchering his tail off, which sounds so awful and it horrified me but afterwords he had so much energy after and was his usual happy self, maybe even happier with more zoomies. Throughout his life he continued nipping and kinda keeping his tail at a certain length or thickness, which I think made him much happier because up until his death he was very lively, but it was so sad to see. He was only in a 5.5gal (I’d obviously prior checked the parameters and fish to make sure it wasn’t a sickness or water issue).
I still have another dumbo in a 5gal but thankfully his tail hasn’t grown crazy long like my others, there’s no nipping so far (but I’ve probably just jinxed it) he seems to get around easier but I still feel bad he can’t fully zoom like plakats. He ate a whole family of shrimp babies when he was in the fish shop though so he had no problems navigating there clearly