melbournebetta

Thanks guys - that's great, I've got 2 or 3 of these little noodles. I moved the black male into my sorority (holding tank/breeder net) and have noticed what looks like velvet. The temp is slightly higher, but the water is pretty soft... now I feel like a dufus, he went bank into the cooler guppy tank with some multicure (floating) but is apparently a jumper... *asdfjaoi2ej* so I think perhaps the moscows have it too? guh. Multicure for everyone, I find the colour scheme boring. Would soft water and slightly higher temp be enough to set off velvet in these otherwise healthy fish? And is it right that they don't mind a bit more salt than the average tropicana? I've put a pinch of salt in with the multicure metal lace kids, and the black male is isolated with a freaking lid, salt and mc Should I have a pinch or two more salt in the fry tank? I don't want my new favorite babies getting unwell.

Welcome to the party - there's some great threads on here with insane links to all sorts of scaping gory. You might be the new winnur winnur chicken dinnur of the next Aquascaping competition! Nice to have you. -Ness

Hey LemonK, Welcome to the party, Lovely to see another melbournite onboard... Let me cordially invite you to our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/victoriabetta and or any of our Vic Betta meets, more details found here: www.victoriabetta.com OKAY spam a-side what kinds of betta do you like? There's a few spawns growing out in various jars around the state, and lots of great events coming up with betta that have recently evolved with the hobby, so you've chosen your timing well! We do love a photo, so while you might have some shots of shrimp (we all have our downfalls... ha!) We'd love to see what you're keeping at the moment because we're sticky beaks. Anyhoo, enjoy - have a poke around, most of the questions you'll come up with have been asked before - so have a good search through the forum, it's a great resource. Cheers, Ness

Les tell me about the blond gene - I did a brief search for this lastnight and there seems to be plenty of people asking about it and a whole lot of idiots answering differently. Is there a blond gene that just produces paler fry, do they colour up the same, and what do they look like when they're older (tell me all you know master) I have a beautiful black girl that accidentally got in with the red metal lace, so she can be my side project... trying to keep the 2 original metal lace strains as pure as possible so I have strong lines.

Sounds fun... TC - the auctions/meets/sub club meets not enough for ya? :P

Great colour - I wish he'd bloody hold still so I could get a good look at him. (oh, wait.... pause) He's got really interesting colouring, it's like orchid - then red, then metallic band, then black edges. It'd be great if you could get fry with matching colour on all paired fins - the female looks to have a bit of a U shape in her long dorsal so that could be something good to work with too. Put in spawn tank, don't wait for the next VB Show - too far awayyyyyyy get me babiesssssss pls

Thanks les, here, have a grindal.... omnom nom

So today funnily enough I was watching a youtube video about girls squaring off, before they're about to drop... So anyone who knows anything about this guff, which of the two ladies would you suggest has dropped this lot of fry? (I have NFI, they both look the same to me still) Also - can they have fertilized fry in their bellies at different stages of development? thank god humans aren't this fertile!

Well I waited patiently my 28 days, and on the dot (from their arrival) they've dropped fry! I feel like such a n00b all over again, I freaked out, stripped a failing spawn tank, made compartments for the different batches incase the second girl drops hers (no idea why I'd want to do this) and just got ALL EXCITE. Then I got all nervous that i hadn't hatched BBS - and got the betta fry-guilt that really I'm a bad parent and why was I doing this anyway..... and then realized I can offer these dudes FLAKES (what the?) talk about low maintenance. So they've had an offering of grindals, microworms, goldfish flakes and daphnia. My god, not a bad meal to enter the world with, but their first meal needs to last a few hours cos it's nearly midnight and I've had so much pumpkin soup I might turn into one. Needless to say photos and video are uploading as we speak, moar soon. Guppy shelf: 60 lt grow out on the left, the kids are floating at the moment so they're easier to feed for the first few days - red lace male, black male in the small tank on the right - females all in the sorority, red lace girls floating in hatchery in sorority.... phew.

In an attempt to help flesh out the Guppy section - and bloody well help myself, I'm going to let you know what I've gleamed from the interwebs. I've also just had a batch dropped (MY FIRST I AM VERY EXCITE) shh... okay... now what Food: New-born fry have tiny mouths and huge appetites! They empty their stomachs every 20 minutes! Of course, it is not wise or feasible to feed them this often. Feed your guppy fry 4 to 8 times daily When feeding fry it is important to offer a variety of food. A couple of quality, high-protein flake foods should be given, crushed up finely. Flakes are an excellent food just before lights out. Also, some breeders like to feed a small amount of flakes before each feeding of BBS. They believe that it helps the fish reap the benefits of BBS by keeping it in their systems longer with the staple mixed in. Unfortunately, BBS does have a laxative effect. * Baby Brine Shrimp (BBS) * Egg Yolk * Microworms Nb (Fry will grow more quickly initially with microworms andget about a 2 week head-start over fry fed BBS, although they will eventuallycatch up. However this growth spurt is important and helps in fighting offdiseases.) * Daphnia * Vinegar Eels My dudes have just been offered grindals and mw.. I have no idea what they want. So when would you'se suggest moving them on to frozen daphnia/brineshrimp/BW?

personally I'd get busy with preventative measures, drop some salt and ial in there.. keep eagle eyes out for rot and/or velvet

I imagine that they're from similar suppliers to Chatuchuck market, often not show quality, but nice enough fish. I'd buy colorful females if they looked like halfmoonz. Anyway, you're a lucky sod seeing all those lovely fish!

if they're selling at that price (if I were you) I'd be buying them, doubling the price and putting them on the classifieds here, I'd happily pay $20-$30 for a good HM. ...PARTICULARLY if there are females.....

i would make you vegan chocolate cake... like this here, have a DIY video do to it yourself diy.

never just another n00b you're all special each and every wun. L#'s photos please! They're very handsome fush

Well HELLoooooOOooo Fellow southerner, how are all your tropicana fish enjoying this weather? A low of 4 on wednesday. BUT this is not the place to discuss the weather! Welcome.. etc etc.. hope you enjoy having a presence you little lurker you. -Ness

Jarrod I'm loving this insight- keep the video rollin' there are some seriously shmancy fish in those beanies! How are they heated? x

Best of luck Ash - we needs some good PK in the south!

Who are buying the Vic HM's - still not seeing many in the LFS near me.... (is that like saying ATM machine = automatic teller machine machine / local fish stores nearby.....) hmm

Welcome to the forum, sounds like you've made it to the right joint, have a poke around and use the search function, this place has been a great resource. -Ness

Welcome to ze dungeon... oh wait... ....the forum. I noticed there's no betta in amongst the delightful collection - we'll soon change all that. Sounds like you've got tanks full of success, we'd love to see some photos. x

Rev head - if you're jarring and want to heat - try the bae-maree style heating - you get a long low container (like an under the bed storage system from K mart) and put 800ml tupperware (or bigger) containers in the storage unit - fill the water up around the jars, and then fill the jars up a little taller than the storage unit. Oh, and you put one heater in the storage unit. heats everyone! Works a treat, except you need to WC every 2-3 days. x

Feel free to step straight into the high end of the hobby! While I still want to bring a spare bag for Brad next time I'm over, I think I'm quite partial to Eddie too (but I don't want to turn him into a dress ) They look really happy - nice collection!