When all the betta variations are considered crowntail bettas are perhaps the second most popular fin variety. Apart from a halfmoon betta it is usually the crown tail beta that you will most likely come across at the pet shop.Crowntail betas are also one of the most prevelant types that are viewed for contests.
The Betta Crowntail have a series of small extensions on their tail on other primary fins. This edge of extra decoration is also know as the point of a crown or crowntail. This is how the siamese fighting fish crowntail variety is drawn from.
A definition of what a good Crowntail Betta (CT) should look like, using the IBC Crowntail Standards. It should be kept in mind that the standards only apply to male CT bettas; females are judged in the standard color classes for their respective color types.
Crowntail Betas are characterized as bettas with at least 33 percent reduction in webbing versus fin length is each of the 3 primary rays (anal, caudal and dorsal). This requirement must be demonstrated in all three primary fins but does not need to be exhibited between all rays to meet the minimum requirement to be classified as a Crowntail betta.
Single ray – In the ‘SR’ CT, web margins are, ideally, uniform and webbing reduction is equal between primary rays and rays with branches.
Cross Ray – The crossing of rays (’CR’) is manifested by pairs of ray extensions that curve over each other.
Double Ray – In the ‘DR’ CT, webbing is reduced at the two levels: one between a pair of rays and the other, more profoundly, between two ray branches. Crowntail Betta Splenden hobbists place the highest value on mulitple fin extensions. These characteristics are considered to be neutral aren’t to be scored above single ray extended Betta Crowntails. Four fin and more fin extensions are not common and the characteristic is almost always liminted to the caudal fin.
Double-Double Fin – “DDF” is a 2×2 ray, otherwise a four ray complete extended branching.
Random Ray – RR occurs when the caudal spread has joined single, double, 3 and 4 fins branching all together. It is used to describe those whose extended ray patterns are not fixed.
For the purpose of judging Crowntail Betta in IBC sanctioned showing, these are the desired traits judges are encouraged to look for:
1. 33% reduction in webbing material for each primary fin is minimum. 50% reduction in webbing material in all three primary fins is ideal.
2. Ray extensions to be uniform in balance, length and spacing (symmetrical).
3. Double and 4 ray extensions in dorsal and anal fins to match caudal extensions.
Undesirable traits for Crowntails:
1. Disaqualifying penalties will be applied when less than 33 percent in webbing occurs in 2 or more of the primary rays.
2. A MAJOR penalty is considered when the reduction in webbing is less than 33 percent.
3. Rays of varying measurements are considered minor faults unless the fins are relatively even and match in pattern.
4. Random rays, for example, single protruding rays in a double ray or 4 ray Crowntail, should not be regarded more than a MINOR fault and ignored if there is only a single ray protruding ray.
5. Bent/Curled ray projections are considered a MINOR fault.
6. Non-symmetrical spaces between ray extensions are each a MINOR fault in Betta Crowntails.