True Fighters Or Short Tails?

[heineken skywalker]

Is there a way to tell the difference from a fighter and a short tail?

 

[lisie]

Fighters are short tails (plakats). "Plakat" is just describing the tail type; "fighter" means that the specific plakat was bred for fighting.

 

[heineken skywalker]

yea so how do you know its a fighter?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

heineken, if you can't tell then you probably shouldn't have a reason to know... but here's what (i think) i know about the subject:

bettas from fighting lines are far more aggressive than your typical plakat; not only do they flare more readily but they also assume attack positions with less provocation. "fighters" also have thicker scales and fins in order to better resist damage. from what i've seen, fighting lines also don't offer much in the way of distinct colors or patterns as compared to your average betta--a plakat that's one single color, a butterfly or has a fancy tail is probably not from a fighting line.

i'd also like to point out that there's a significant difference between a fighter and a betta from a fighting line. for a betta to be a fighter, it needs proper conditioning and, in a sense, training. that means lots of good meaty foods, IAL-treated water, and regular "stimulation" of the instinct to fight. if you just take a betta from a fighting line and plunk him in a bowl with a fighter, then you'll probably wind up with an expensive maimed pet.

bettas from fighting lines aren't cheap, by the way. the best lines come from SE Asia, which adds another $20-$50 worth of shipping in addition to the simple cost of the fish. if you're lucky, you might find a local breeder working from an imported line, but odds of that are somewhat slim. really, price is a decent indicator of whether a plakat is for show or fighting. both show lines and fighting lines are pricey, but if you ask the seller why the fish is worth the money, you'll get different answers. a show plakat will be expensive due to the shape of its fins or the presence of certain colors. a fighting plakat will be expensive because of its physical strengths.

hopefully, Cracker will weigh in on this with some decent advice.

 

[lisie]

The only reason you can know for sure is if the breeder tells you...