shadoh

I have decided to sell this pair. I will put a more up to date video up tonight. They are $30 for the pair. Shipping is available...

Like all my wilds, they tend to take their time. Maybe I pamper them too much. Perhaps a bit of mean treatment will prompt them into breeding mode. As for what im cooking up, it is currently on a simmer... :P

Nice setups :)

Thanks guys Ash, the blue girls are small - they were turfed out of the growout tank today into their big girl digs. I figured there are plenty of spots for them to hide and hopefully I'll need the growout soonish...

After discovering the cause of my dying plants (faulty heater cooking everything), my sorority has grown back into the jungle I intended it to be. Here is a video I took today after a bit of a tidy up... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPfy1Fj1Evg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Thanks guys. Turns out the orchid HMPK pair have velvet. I'll try and get them well and up to breeding condition. In the meantime, I have plenty of pairs waiting for a chance in the spawn tank ;)

Congrats! Whatever you're doing, you're doing it right. You must have some happy fish :)

I plan on putting mine on a timer. I am always forgetting to switch lights on and off at their designated times We are getting these at an amazing price. If bought directly from eBay, we would have had to do the assembly ourselves. Davo is putting a lot of time and effort in making sure this experiment runs as smoothly as possible by making sure those (such as myself) who are DIY challenged don't have a thing to worry about. I'm more than happy to take them as they come :D

Temp was pretty spot on with waterchanges. it wasnt until I stopped the constant 24/48 hr waterchanges that the problem started...

Depending how long the dead fish were floating in the barracks, surely that also would have had an impact...

Neither barracks was totally empty (probably half full) and the deaths/sicknesses occurred evenly between the 2. I'm with you Ash. Such a stupid mistake to make, but glad I caught it before I lost the lot...

In the leadup to the recent betta show, to try and help get some extra growth out of my young HMs in order to make minimum size requirements I was feeding 3 times a day and giving all my fish in my 2 Aqua One Barracks a 100% waterchange either every day or every second day for just over 4 weeks. In the 5 day period of getting everything ready for the show, then having the show, I didn't touch any of the fish or water except to give daily feeds - I figured that I could slip back into weekly waterchanges and they'd be fine. On day 3 (Friday) I removed the bettas I was entering, gave them a waterchange put them into their beanies. After that, the rest didn't get a look in. They were fed Friday night, then I spent the weekend up at the show and didn't come home until Sunday afternoon. When I got home and looked into the barracks, I was devestated to find 2 fish dead in the barracks, 1 crispy female who had jumped out and several not looking so good - my steel boy who previously had problems with rot had holes in all his fins and my new black orchid HMPK pair were looking half dead laying on the floor of the barracks. I instantly gave all fish a waterchange and most slowly picked up over the next 24 hours. My new HMPK pair have not improved and I keep expecting the worst every time I look up at them. I should have tested the water, but a combination of lack of sleep and sheer panic had me forget that basic step - I had to get those fish into clean water STAT. What I am thinking (and this is only a theory) is that the constant water changes over the previous month upset the balance or even killed off the good bacteria in the sump filter material and that when I left the barracks to it's own devices for 5 days, it went into a cycle and the fish died from an ammonia spike. I am so annoyed with myself. I guess it could have been worse - at least I have my show stock. What are your thoughts? Could I be right about the barracks cycling?

Official Show results can be viewed HERE

The HM sibling to the pair that I bred came 3rd in his class : A3. Dark Iridescent Single Tail HM, So more than happy to get a class place in a highly contested HM category. His sibling brother and sister that were in E3. Pairs - (Match spawn siblings) would have done worse if 4 weeks older as further growth to my males already rosetail caudal would have been more pronounced. I was just happy to have that pair in and out of the judges shortlist for a class placing several times before being knocked out. Goes to show that most of the fish I bred did just as well or, in some cases better than the imports I entered. Thanks to all who participated and put in the long hours to make the show the success it was! As for me, my fish have had waterchanges, I look forward to seeing plenty of more photos when I eventually re-surface. 4 hours sleep in 3 days is not recommended for the lighthearted ;)

Awards presentation:

Judging has started... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzQYmTTqbNo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Still a lot more to bench in today Peter - expect to see a lot more HMs this morning...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPCVe_pf67M&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Just waiting on fish.....

Thanks Ness, that's my boy, Harvey. He's a Jack Russel x Mini Foxie. Busman, Bristoon and I are on our way now with our fishes. Good times!

Thanks to all who helped out today! Here is the space as it was when we arrived. Once stands and beanies were in... More setups... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJL75kt0Kec&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Working now? I switched audio... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPdLPv7ZYUE

Finally finished printing and cutting out certificates... Now to think about starting on the winners ribbons...

Hey RiffRaff, It's a guppy, not a betta. But always good to make sure the fish is in condition to breed. Glad she's OK!