| Acclimate |
To introduce new fish into an
aquarium or bowl by slowly letting them become accustomed to their new
water and temperature. |
| Alleles |
Another word for Genes |
| Ammonia |
This is the product of waste
and left over, decaying food. This can be very stressful on bettas and is
why frequent water changes are necessary. See Cycle for more info. |
| Anal Fin |
The bottom fin of your betta.
(See diagram) |
| Belly Slider |
This is a common reference to
young fry that suffer from Swim
Bladder Disorder. |
| BF |
Abbreviation for Butterfly
pattern. |
| BSS |
Abbreviation for Baby Brine
Shrimp, a food for fry. (More
information) |
| Bubble Nest |
Bubbles at the surface of the
water blown by your betta. Will form a nest and sometimes appear foamy.
There are all different sizes and shapes of Bubble nests depending on your
male's ambition and water quality. A Bubble Nest is a a sign of good health and desire to
spawn. |
| Butterfly |
Pattern of coloration on a
betta. Betta's body and first half of fins will all be one color and the
outer half of their fins will be another color. (See
example) |
| Cambodian |
This is a color term, it
refers to the reduction of dark pigment on the bettas body. Resulting in a
light colored body with darker fins. (See
example) |
| Caudal |
Technical term for Tail.
(See diagram) |
| Chloramines |
Chlorine + Ammonia that is
added to many public water systems. This is toxic to fish. This does not dissipate
like Chlorine and must be removed with a chloramine remover. |
| Chlorine |
Chemical added to many public
water systems. This is toxic to fish. If water is left to sit out for 1-2
days and it will dissipate from the water. You can also use a
dechlorinator to remove the Chlorine from water. |
| Combtail |
Slight ray extensions on the edge of the betta's
fins. (See
example) |
| Conditioning |
To prepare
bettas for spawning. (See
instructions) |
| Community Tank |
Aquarium setup with numerous
fish of various species. A community tank can inhabit one male betta only
but can house several female bettas. (Compatible
Tankmates) |
| Crowntail |
Extremely extended rays on a
betta's fins, most importantly their tail. Crowntails are an extreme form
of a Combtail. (See
example) |
| Culling or "To
Cull" |
Separating the desirable
bettas from the less desirable ones. This does not always mean killing the
less desirable, but in many cases it does. |
| Culls |
Bettas that are not desirable.
Usually they are defective in some way from minor to major flaws. Minor
flaws include color and finnage flaws and major flaws include
deformities. |
| Cycle |
The process in which an
aquarium goes through 3 chemical stages. Ammonia will build up until it
spikes causing the nitrites to begin breaking down the ammonia. The
nitrites will then begin to spike until the nitrates begin breaking them
down. In turn the final stage the nitrates spike and level off. Once this
occurs your tank is stable and fully cycled. |
| Deportment |
This is in reference to a
betta's behavior or attitude. The more active and confident he is the
better his deportment. |
| Display |
When a betta struts, shows
off and flares (extends) his fins fully. He will usually do this to
impress females or intimidate other males. |
| Dorsal |
The top fin of your betta. (See diagram) |
| Double Ray |
In reference to a crown tail,
they will have two rays in each extension. |
| Double Tail |
A betta's tail that has two
sections or lobes. Ideally these lobes would be even with a deep split
between them. (See
example) |
| DR |
Double Ray |
| DT |
Abbreviation for Double Tail. |
| Egg bound |
Condition where a female
becomes bloated with eggs and cannot release them. (More
Information) |
| F1/F2.... |
Indicates which generation
your bettas are. F1 indicates the first generation between two unrelated
bettas. F2 is the second generation where brother/sister of
father/daughter and so on, were bred together. It would continue on to F3,
F4 until you bred one of them to an unrelated betta, making it F1 again. |
| Flare |
When a betta extends his
gills out and spreads his fins to their fullest extent. This usually
occurs when he is displaying for a female or attempting to intimidate another
male. |
| Fry |
Baby fish. |
| Geno |
Short for Genotype. |
| Genotype |
Indicates that a betta
carries this trait or genes. In example 'DT Geno' would indicate that the
betta carries the Double Tail gene. |
| Green Water |
Water that has a considerable
amount of Algae and appears green. |
| Grizzled |
A color that is normally a
pastel betta with sporadic dark pigment on it's body. |
| Grow-Out Tank |
Tank for your fry or juveniles
to grow in. A grow out tank should have ample room for all the babies to
grow considering their age and numbers. |
| Halfmoon |
A Tail shape where their tail
has a 180° spread with straight outer rays. These are very gorgeous and
hard to produce. |
| Infusoria |
A first food for fry,
microscopic organisms. (More
Information) |
| Jarring |
Removing your young males
form the grow out tank and placing them in their own jars or containers.
This is done to prevent fighting between juveniles that can result in
ripped fins. |
| Juvenile |
A Young betta that is definitely
past the fry stage but not yet an adult. I usually consider my bettas
juveniles once they start looking like little bettas instead of little
clear babies. I stop considering them juveniles when they start being
jarred and their sex is evident. |
| Labyrinth |
The organ that bettas use to
breathe from the surface of the water instead of using their gills to
breathe from within the water. |
| Marble |
Pattern term, (See
example) |
| Microworms |
A small, easy to culture
nematode. One of fry's, (See
example) |
| Nitrates |
After Nitrites are produced
and is at a peak level, Nitrates will begin forming and 'feeding' off of
the Nitrites . See Cycle for more info. |
| Nitrites |
After Ammonia is produced and
is at a peak level, Nitrites will begin forming and 'feed' from the
Ammonia. See Cycle for more info. |
| Non-Red |
Non-Red is the technical term
for yellow. This gene keep red pigment from forming causing the fish to
appear yellow. |
| Non-Red2 |
Non-Red2 is the theoretical
term for orange. |
| NR |
Non - Red abbreviation. |
| NR2 |
Abbreviation for Non-Red2
(theoretically Orange) |
| Opaque |
A milky-white deposit that
will appear most strongly on the betta's head. It can make a pastel blue
betta appear white. Opaque 'White' bettas are technically steel colored
but the opaque deposits make them appear white. |
| Outcross |
Introducing fresh genes by
breeding an unrelated betta into an established line. This is important to
do after so many generations of inbreeding to prevent weakening the line.
Deformities can also result from inbreeding too long which is another
reason you 'outcross'. |
| Pair |
Male & Female |
| pH |
This is the acidic condition
of your water. A 7.0 ph is neutral, above 7.0 is alkaline and below 7.0 is
acidic. Bettas do best in a STABLE pH, so find a steady one and stick with
it. |
| Pheno |
Short for Phenotype. |
| Phenotype |
Indicates that a betta
exhibits a certain gene or trait. In example 'DT Pheno' would indicate
that the betta exhibits a Double Tail. |
| Piebald |
A betta with a flesh colored
face regardless of the color of his body & fins. (See
example) |
| Punnet Square |
A Genetic tool to determine
what percentage the genotype and phenotype of your fry will be for certain
traits. |
| Red Loss |
This gene will cause red to disappear
in a betta as it grows older. This is an excellent gene to have in your
bettas that you do not want to have red, like Opaque Whites and blues. |
| Ray or Rays |
These are the lines you see
in the betta's fins. They are the support for the fins. The rays in the
tail will in many cases split and branch out. In crown tails it is the
rays that extend past the membrane of the fins causing the crown
appearance. |
| Spawn or Spawning |
This is what the mating of a
male and female betta is called. See our Breeder's Corner for more info. |
| ST |
Abbreviation for Single Tail. |
| Single Tail |
A Betta with one tail section
or lobe. This is the normal betta tail. (See
example) |
| Trio |
Three bettas, usually one
male and two females but it can also consist of two males and one female.
Always ask the breeder to be sure. |
| Unsexed |
This is used to refer to
bettas that are too young to have their gender determined yet. |
| Ventrals |
The two fins that hang down
under the betta's front belly.
(See diagram) |
| Variegated fins |
A color term, refers to the
streaking of color in fins. It also is the gene that produces Butterflies. (See
example) |
|
Genetic Abbreviations |
| c |
Cambodia |
Recessive |
|
|
Keeps black pigmentation from forming on the
body or greatly reduces it. Body then appears lighter than the fins. (See
example) |
|
| b |
Blonde |
Recessive |
|
|
Reduces black |
|
| B1 |
Green |
Incomplete Dominance |
|
|
Iridescent color of blues.
B1B1 - Green/Turquoise (See
example)
B1b1 - Royal Blue (See
example)
b1b1 - Steel Blue (See
example) |
|
| dt |
Double Tail |
Recessive |
|
|
Two tail lobes and wider dorsal. Usually will
increase the width of finnage on ST/dt. (See
example) |
|
| Er or R |
Extended Red |
Dominant |
|
|
Red is spread over the body as well as fins. (See
example) |
|
| HM |
Half Moon |
Unknown |
|
|
180° Tail spread with straight outer rays. (See
example) |
|
| L |
Red Loss |
|
|
|
Red color fades |
Dominant |
| m |
Melano |
Recessive |
|
|
Increases black pigment greatly. Females are
99% infertile. (See
example) |
|
| mb |
Marble |
Recessive |
|
|
Causes color or lack of
color. (See
example) |
|
| nr |
Non-Red |
Recessive |
|
|
Stops the red pigmentation from producing at
the yellow stage, fish then appears yellow. (See
example) |
|
| nr2 |
Non-Red 2 |
Recessive |
|
|
Stops the red pigmentation from producing at
the orange stage, fish then appears orange. This is still in experimental
stages (See
example) |
|
| Op |
Opaque |
Incomplete Dominance |
|
|
Controls the deposit of the opaque layer. (See
example) |
|
| p |
Comb Tail |
Recessive |
|
|
Slight ray extension past the fin webbing
(See
example) |
|
| P |
Veil Tail |
Dominant |
|
|
Long, sloping tail (See
example) |
|
| Si |
Spread Iridocytes |
Dominant |
|
|
This controls the spread of iridescence on
the body. |
|
| ST |
Single Tail |
Dominant |
|
|
Single Tail Lobe (See
example) |
|
| Vf |
Variegated Fins |
Dominant |
|
|
Streaking of color in the fins. This gene
produces Butterflies. (See
example) |
|
| w |
White Eye |
Recessive |
|
|
This controls the color in the outer ring of
a betta's eye. |
|
