There is a small pet store near my house that sells a few basic fish - nothing fancy. Most of the weekday staff don't know anything about fish. I drop in from time to time to check out their bettas. Usually veiltails and crowntails, but healthy and kept in small tanks rather than the cups the other stores close by keep theirs in.
I went in a couple of weeks ago and saw some tiny silver metallic female bettas that looked to be a better grade than they normally get in. They were so tiny, I really didn't pay them much attention. I went back in today after getting some groceries and discovered that they were still there and growing. It looks like they were from a copper marble spawn. The girl I got has solid colouring, but her sisters were marbling. I had a close look at the branching in her caudal and she has 4 ray branching, and as the hasn't finished growing, could get more She definitely isn't the usual VT mutt they have in there (though was the same price - $5.95) I am thinking she might be from a HM or HMPK spawn. She still has a lot of growing to do, but she has made a valuable addition to my plans...
I am thinking of pairing her with this guy:
It will be interesting to see if I get any long finned versions of him Any spawn attempts won't be made for a month or two while I get some more growth on her. ATM, she is almost half the boys size. Just noticed that she has a 12+ ray dorsal, so she is carrying DT! Now if only my fish would get their mojo back and spawn!