The Sire is metallic steel blue melano HMPK with a good 180 degree spread, volumnous dorsal and nice shaped anal fin. In general, the finnage has a good potential but ideally could be a bit smoother. The Dame is a royal blue with an nice long body and smooth topline. She has an amazingly shaped caudal fin with nicely long outer rays and sharp corners. Her dorsal has a good shape, the anal fin is nicely parallel and the ventrals are of good length and volume. She was awarded Best of Show female at the Holland Betta Show 2014.
With this cross I hope to infuse the melano black trait in my line and further fix the strong bodies, smooth topline and balanced finnage. The offspring (F1) will likely be darkbody (metallic) steel blue and royal blue based HMPKs. All fish will be carrier of melano black.

08/09/14: The pair spawned. Eggs in the nest.
09/09/14: The fry hatched. Seems to be a decent sized spawn.
11/09/14: The fry entered the free-swimming stage. Removed the male.
26/11/14: 12 weeks old. There are both metallic royal and steel blues. Several fish are marbling and some became cellophane.

16/12/14: 14 weeks old. Most fish are marbling in the spawn. Form seems very promising!

12/01/14: 18 weeks old. Two promising young males.

19/01/15: Two solid colored males of this spawn, now 19 weeks old.

22/01/15: Some shots from the females in the grow-out.

28/02/15: Update on some males now 25 weeks old.

02/05/15: 38 weeks old.