Sarah

Brenton, here: http://bubblesandbettas.blogspot.com

Thanks.. I got him with pinhole rot and treated it quickly, he was fine. I put this photo on the blog and it seems wherever I turn it pops up!

So...if any of these pictures or fish are yours, feel free to let me know so I can give due credit.

This is a double ray:

But this is a double ray as well, but I thought the webbing pattern had some flash name to differenciate it from the first example of a DR:

Off topic side note... this was my crowntail I got from someone lea. :)

I have a large storage container I use for aging water. I have a heater in it, and treat the water with water conditioner, salt and IAL within. Only need to refill it weekly.

Gorgeous! Definitely would love some fry.

Good luck with them.

Thanks guys.

Thanks Les, is a huge readjustment and the fact I've lost every single piece of work I've done this entire year when my computer lost it all doesn't help. Redoing work as well as current work isn't fun!

MT, trust me - it's a huge downsize. I used to have TONS. The inverts are great though because they need hardly any maintenance. Thanks!

Thanks Kazza, glad I've helped. I'm lucky to have such a handy dad - he built my fishroom as well as most of my shelving!

Adam! I did reply to this... guess the forum ate my reply. Thanks. Probably not getting a snake for a while - have heard that NSW may be changing its laws so you don't need a reptile license anymore - going to wait until that's the go before I buy one. Will make things SO much easier.

Here's a couple updated photos of the part of the fishroom. The marine tank is still getting set up, 2x three foot tanks are behind me empty waiting to be filled with something (no time + lack of ideas..)... have that empty 400L in my room waiting for that snake, and a planted 4ft in the lounge room that is just a joy to own).

Looking a bit sad having my barracks empty, but going to keep it because I'd like to get back into breeding. Female sorority is the 2ft you see... really can't see it in the photo and it looks terrible - honestly isn't! Love the female tank, have lots of girls living in harmony of various colouring. Nice to have the majority of them homebred as well!

Where's the fishtanks? Whoops.

3ft has a tad of an algae problem and is need of some new plants around the right/middle.

Few more inverts.

It's a little depressing to have lots of my tanks lacking bettas. I currently have four males and the female tank... but the males have lovely display tanks so that's nice. Little bit saddening to see a lot of my tanks empty, but I've had a pretty tough week so hid in the fishroom and was quite productive, so that's good.

Not that I know of... but it would be great to make one.

Maybe we could get people from the forum to send in a short review on a LFS with their address, what they specialise in, pros and cons about it, etc.

Thanks guys.

Have had a productive weekend in the fish room, plus got a lot of homework done (finished maths, ancient history, advanced english homework along with 6 assignments... yeah!) - with two sleep ins (has nothing to do with the internet being down most of Saturday)!

Will try and come on here as much as possible. Forum is constantly growing, every time I come here there are more members!

Didn't think I'd have to say that for a while.

As some of you may know, I've been homeschooled and that's a major reason why I've kept so many animals and have the time to breed Bettas. Due to reasons at home, I've now been sent to school.

Schoolwork isn't that bad, I've studied most of it three or so years ago (I'm in year 11 now), it's just time consuming. I do put a lot of effort into my work, and was told that I'm top of the grade.

While homeschooled, I got the SAME amount of work done in an hour or two, where as now I'm at school for 6 hours, with homework to do when I get home. Don't really want to complain because I've been lucky enough to homeschool when I could, plus I'm sure a lot of you guys have similar troubles with work etc.

Outside of education, I have a few priories which are pretty important. I'm a probationary second degree black belt, and I'm currently training to get my full second dan sometime this year. I also have the rank of Dai Sempai, so teach kids karate classes twice a week. Also train in Kali Escrima (Filipino stick & knife fighting), and I'm training for a grading in that too. Oh, have a piano exam coming up too (been playing 10 years). Need to practice at least 2hrs a day.

I'm also a children's ministry leader, and lead at sunday kids church as well as the after school kids club (also involves baking food, prepping games, actives and lessons when rostered). Absolutely love it, and is one of the highlights of my week. Plus a few other things, but that's enough of a ramble.

Long story short - I don't have a lot of time for my animals. Love them to bits, and have already accepted I can't breed them anymore. Just don't have the time to be there for them as I used to. Used to give my fry 6 feedings a day, and although a good 2-3 feedings would be fine as well, I feel as if I bred them now, it would become a chore.

For me, this is a hobby to enjoy, not a job. This was my initial thoughts before starting school, but I've since discovered even keeping up on my waterchanges and feedings takes a lot more time than I thought it did. By the time I'm finished it all, I'm exhausted and don't have the energy just to watch and enjoy them.

So for the moment, I truly think it is time to downsize. I'll be keeping my female sorority, fish in barracks, and have a nice planted display tank with a yellow HM I bred. Along with other fish, I'm mostly thinking of only keeping my 3ft and 4ft planted tank, as well as another 3 ft tank and a 300L tank I'm setting up as marine. Trust me, this is a pretty big downsize.

However, I've found inverts to be a lot easier to care for than fish.. and that side of my hobby has been growing unexpectedly. Somehow, a lot of my once aquariums have found themselves to be converted to house scorpions.

For the moment, I'm going to focusing on my inverts - phasmids, scorpions, tarantulas, centipedes and am hoping to get some trapdoor spiders too. Oh, and I'm getting a SNAKE. Pretty excited about the snake, wanted one for ages, but mum never let me. Now she's leaving though I can get one.. sounds like I'm taking advantage of stuff, really, I'm not. Promise.

As stated above, most of my tanks have now been converted, and I'll keep most of my equipment as I'd love to get back into betta breeding after I've had a bit of a break. I will however be moving on some equipment shortly (and even when I was breeding I had a bit of a horde of equipment not even being used... oops).

So yeah, thought I'd let you guys know what's happening rather than to just fade out into the background. You've probably noticed I've been lurking a bit these days. My apologies.

Although it's not nice to cull, sometimes it's necessary.

As Chi said, Bettas can have spawns up to 300 fry. Most breeders I know don't have enough room or resources to cater to each fry needs.

I like to think of it this way: Would you rather cull, and have 30 odd Bettas that you care for well, and have them grow to their full potential, or not cull, but have 300 stunted fish?

As for ways to do it, I hit them with a brick. Sounds harsh, but it's the quickest and cleanest method I've tried. Not fond of freezing them. Clove oil is another popular choice, but I've found giving them a big hit does the trick. They're only out of the water for a few seconds, and are dead straight away.

Hope this helps. You could also do a search in the forum, there are lots of threads on this subject.

Sounds like a great plan. :)

Hrm, looks like it may be divided down the middle.

Regardless, I personally wouldn't keep that as a permeant home for adult bettas, and would move them to something a bit larger if possible.

Until then, I would recommend carding them. Being in full sight of other bettas all the time is stressful, and they also get bored, eventually will not flare anymore. I use the covers of plastic display folders cut up to size, and slot them in.

Ah will do. I can imagine how stressful this must be - thanks for all you do 'Raz!

Well, the possibility is there, so you can't outrule it. I had a LFS who bred bettas, and kept the male in with two females until one of the girls spawned.

Have you read the article on Betty Splendens about father with fry? From memory, the dad bred with the most dominant female from the spawn at one point.

So it does happen, but I would find it highly unlikely. I personally would separate him. Even if that means sticking him in one of those breeder net things until a better option is available.

Go for the clearer photo if you like (you're "bad" photos are actually pretty good Mr. Photographer but your good ones are amazing!)

He could just be a late sprouter. Also sometimes, rarely, these tanks work, you may have gotten lucky with the personality of the fish.

That said, in the first week of September, I got my friend a male CT for her tank. She then added 2 females only days later, and eventually had 4 females and a male in there, living in apparent harmony. This Friday, the females beat him to death. Pretty sad - sorry for the horror story.

Definite male.

Can tell from body shape & finnage length.

He's a lovely albino! Definitely a male.

I always look at these guys and think they could not make up thier minds on wether to become a lizard or a fish! I have no idea what sex it is either.

Axolotls are neotenic salamanders, which are amphibians (same class as frogs and toads). Neither a fish or a lizard.

Looks fantastic Les! Had no idea you had so many tanks!

Not sure if anything will fit, maybe you'll need to extend it a tad.

Oh sorry I answered this via PM! I'm sure I've told it before, one of those stories I don't let go haha.

I've since deleted the PM, along with its lovely detailed story... if you still have it 6ft, feel free to do the good (not so) old copy & paste. Till then, I'm off to bed..

Nice to see the photos! Any chance of a full tank shot?

Woah, not the greatest run there.

Not a lot I can add to what has been said. I have, in the past, called up a LFS upset and pretty much in tears, even though I was polite - no help (although I never liked that store anyway, actually I was "banned for life" from it at the age of five... they forgot, but I avoid it like the plague anyway). Learnt from then to be extremely calm when it comes to approaching any LFS staff, whether it be by a suggestion, or in examples like this.

If you don't mind me asking, where about are you local to (not asking the actual LFS name, by the way).

It looks fantastic! Can't wait to see it finished.

Congrats Jarrod.

Know what you mean about size difference... when my endlers had fry the first time I was a little surprised, and then when my bettas decided to finally spawn, again I had forgotten how small Bettas are..

Exciting! They're looking good, Paul.

Quite like the setup... bit of a fan of rocks... must get onto setting up my cichlid tank.