I hear a lot about crosses between plakat and long finned types.

I am want to understand why this is done, what are the goals that someone would do a cross like this to achieve?
For example, does this type of cross improve finnage in long tails? Improve color?

What are the results of this in the F1 and farther down. i.e. 50% long fin, 50% short, then 75% long, 25% short in F2 or what.

Do they spawn exactly as a pair of long fin?

Is there a best choice for male & female i.e. plakat male to long fin female, or is it like normal, just size dependent?

Anything you would like to offer on this topic, to help me understand it is appreciated.

RC, you out there?

Lisa

Plakats are nothing more then short finned splendens. The gene that produces long finned fish is a simple single gene dominate. Short fin is the "normal" aka wild form. F1 is 100% Long finned. F2 is 50% LF and 50% SF, but 25% of the LF doesn't carry SF. F3 will depend on what you cross. SFxSF is always 100% SF. LFxLF can produce different things depending on what LF you use. If you get 2 LF that don't carry SF you get 100% LF. If you use 2 LF that do carry SF you get the same %'s as F2 again. If you use 1 LF that carries SF and 1 LF that doesn't carry SF you get 100% LF, but 25% will carry SF. It doesn't matter which fish is LF or SF.

It just depends on size of the two you want to spawn. The gene is not sex related so it doesn't matter what fish in the spawn is LF or plakat.They do spawn just like "regular" splendens since Plakats are the true (wild)form of Betta Splendens. This cross doesn't improve color any more then a LFXLF cross does since the gene that produces LF has no effect on color. This cross has been used to try to get a better spread on LF fish, if the plakat has a better spread then the LF, but crossing two LF are also used to improve the fins.

I've talked to breeders that have spawned plakat "pairs" and ended up with all Long finned fish. This is caused because LF and Plakat Females look the same so "pairs" from a F2 "type" crosses make it very hard to pick true plakat females.
I've been told diffferent ways to tell a plakat female from a LF female, but I haven't found one that works.. for me anyway.


RC

Thanks so much RC, that is really helpful! I appreciate you taking the time!
Wait til I get some fish, then I'll be here asking you to pick them apart for me! Can't wait!

Lisa

Your welcome. I'm just passing along info that someone else took the time to teach me and some time in the future I hope you'll be passing the info along to other Betta people.


RC

WOW! that was some awsome info there RC ! i printed it out lol lol ! :T

Wow! Thanks Rich, you cleared up a couple of points for me even. Great info. I am like you, I love to share what others taught me.
:D