melbournebetta

Oh that's CRAP!

Were you going to Amazing Amazon?

I didnt know they did HM's - that's good to know!

....my last extravaganza out to Subscape was a killer - I parked at 4:05 in a clearway (from 4:30-6:30) and went in to chat to the kids about filtration and ended up convincing them (not myself) that I needed an Eheim filter in my barracks, stretching the budget I took the plunge and invested in a new eheim, along with some cycle, some plants and more junk I didn't really need.

Went outside with a big bag of goodies - infact two, very, awkward bags and looked for my car.

It's a new car so it wasn't unusual that I didn't really recognize it... being towed away.... on a truck.

so I furrowed my brow, and got in a cab... driving toward the impound yard I asked the dude in the cab how much it would cost

I was pale by the time I arrived at the yard

$150 on filter and goodies

$450 to get the car out of the pound, only to find a parking fine on the windscreen that I still had to pay

$150 fine

angry Ness.

*sigh*

HAPPENS!

MT like I said today - i think i might try and find him a RT or DT female (non red) and see what happens - agreed that the topline and ...dammit... the anal and dorsal need more work (volume) but if I find an outstanding female - everything's a maybe.

Happy with my little noodle

For the record - this is my show pony from the Metallic blue x Super blue spawn: Copper (F3) x Super Blue HM...

Normally I wouldn't just buy a fish for the sake of it, but I was walking through petstock to see their display systems, I'm toying with getting an A1 Barracks, but all the retailers seem to have 20 bay systems which I quite like the look of.

Anyway, I saw some half decent crowntails and my interest was piqued, and then I saw this dude, originally lying on his side gasping.

I know I know... usually I would say walk away, but I had a moment of weakness and just thought - meh, I like colour. and it's the GFC, he's $9... and sort of delta tail.

I shuffled him around and he gave a half hearted flare, with his lumpy topline and 8 ray division (albiet on a delta spread) I just wanted something in my tanks that isn't shredded.

Quite like Jarrod's 'rescue' I gave him some IAL, a big feed, and today was rewarded with a huge bubble nest and flaring!

He's no beauty pageant winner, but he's REALLY CUTE. (ugh) What have I become?

His name is Bruce.

Glamor shot

You can't see his colour, but he's that really lovely crisp white (dragon or metallic??) over very very yellow (transparent) but no other reds or colour through his finnage... except some darker yella bands in the tail (very inneresting) Maybe I need a Non Red DT girl...? hmmmmmzzz

Is he super delta? Maaaaaaybe

Stained water etc... but when he's out of quarantine I'll do a little photo shoot with him - he loves the camera, and is so ACTIVE now.... I spoke to the girl in the shop and asked if she could check the heater (cold barracks) and she said there wasn't one.

*twitch*

I asked her to talk to the manager about popping one of their big heaters in the sump and heating the whole system...

They're tropical you know?

Are they?

Yep... you'll sell them when they're warm, active and energetic... and if you tell people to heat them - they'll stay alive heaps longer!

Oh cool, yeah she'll be fine with that, in fact I'll put one in now... cheers, we didn't know.

WIN!

There will be moar pics soon as the original pair have just had their second set of fry... in the hatchery now with food stuck in their faces... I tried to capture the mums giving birth.... need to review all the footage first.

In the meantime, here are my 2 standout males from the original batch

I posted this in the wrong thread before - sorry.

Still looking for advice on which of the two males would be useful in a breeding program (and why?) ...for now all the girls are in with their dad, but until they're a little bit bigger and I can choose which of the girls I like best, I won't be keeping anything they drop (they're probably prego with their brother's babies too... there were some pretty lousy boys, I re-homed about 6 average boys)

Feed back encouraged! I'm flying blind with these fishus.

My two stand out guppy males - the rest were really damagedby some early velvet so have gone to nice pet homes.

Do they has the A.D.D?

Press mute if you dont want your ears to bleed.... wonderingif either of these are half as good as dad, if I should be looking forparticular markings / body types / tail types - branching shape etc.

x

.

Shadoh - I wish, my giants are looking amazing, but they're 1cm long.... my super blue (singluar) is more round tail than D shaped, and everything else has been turned into PK or "crown tail" after spawn efforts... *sigh* no pretty display fush.

I am toying with buying one of someone's and just sending it over to the show!!! CHEATER PUMPKIN EATER!

If something worthwhile comes up I'll totally enter!

Looks good!

AH SO FUN NAY

Paul didnt you have one do something nuts like this one time?

It's incredible what they can do - I know they're athletic, but this is ridiculous!

I had a little female in with one of my very sulky dragon males- primarily so he could build up his confidence because his sibling partner is a ...piece of work.

Anyway, I had them on the top shelf, she in a tupperware container chimney and he in the 8 lt segment of the barracks... doing a bit of meet n greet, she had jumped out of the tupperware a few times into his tank, but it was all pretty docile.

I would scoop her back in so she and he could rest and return to building confidence.

I was feeding one morning, and noticed she'd gotten out of the tupperware, thinking nothing of it, I figured she was in with him and had wriggled out of the chimney in with her beau.

Fed the top shelf, down to the second, the witches, errrr... i mean the sorority ...yep... done...

Now down to the third shelf, some guppies and a vintage spawn tank that I never got around to cleaning... wait... what...

WHY IS SHE IN THE THIRD SHELF DOWN, IN THE EMPTY SPAWN TANK??? The water is pretty stained, and I had thought Id get around to cleaning it when I needed it... at the moment it's full of infursoria and having a lovely time with the Java fern.

This is what I have deduced:

I've let the little curtain that I have on the side of the tank so that my poor housemates aren't looking into unsightly tanks when they look down the hallway into my room.... but the peg keeps flicking off and I can't be fudged putting it back up with something like a bulldog clip. (LAZY) and madam lucky has used it as a dry water slide into her new digs....

Nuts.

Its Nuts.

That's annoying - here's some good links if you need them in the meantime

http://bettysplendens.com/articles/catview.imp?catid=854

http://www.victoriabetta.com/care-sheet.html

Hey Kitz,

Some plants need roots to be planted in aquarium soil or anchored in gravel - personally I don't bother, I can't keep up with water changes and gravel, any plants I have that want potting have their own little bowl with gravel and appropriate soils that I can work around but I'm a bare bottom tank fan.

Bubbles

They way you're describing the tree, sounds like there's netting for the java to sit underneath, it really just wants an anchor or something to hold it down, it won't need anything to cling to to survite - just nutrients from the water and suitable lighting to promote growth.

Just make sure the netting isn't too loose as betta are crafty little buggers and love getting caught in things - if they can't get to the surface cos they're stuck, they drown.

(:

Oh... SYDNEY MEET (why am I flashing back to my teenage internet meet days?) hmmm could be funny.

I'll keep you'se posted.

Steph:The restaurant one will be boring

This one was fun!

WOAH! Go team!

Some great suggestions and kind offers there peeps.

Apparently I'm getting flown out to do a mural at an izakaya resturant, proof's in the plane ticket - but sussing out before I go... so sorry Sarah, not sure it'll be a performance piece like the stripeT one.

thanks for all the offers and suggestions, I'll do some research and check out prices on car rentals et al.

How good would it be to arrive at Auburn and be a pain in the A$$ customer for madam Yan.... or best. customer. ever.

MY FAVORITE.

oh.

my god... i'm totally going to have to do this.

fingers crossed the architects have good taste eh?

Hy.

I'm going to Sydney for a few days (could be 3, could be 5 not sure yet) to work on a commissioned mural... however I'm hoping I might have a day or two either side to "prepare" the wall and basically wait for paint to dry.

If you know me, you'll have half a clue that I use any opportunité in a new environment to locate and destroy all good LFS stores.

Basically I'm keen to find out if y'all have any suggestions for LFS in central Sydney... or kinda close, that I might get public transport to?

There's also a chance I might have a vintage Jag at my disposal (don't ask) so if I can jump start the mongrel I might be able to get out a bit further.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Things worth saying about fish that are about fish that I should search and destroy?

The end

x

They have pretty strong pumps in, there's an adjustable lever on the side to reduce the flow - look for that first.

Otherwise do as I have in the past and get some filter wool (very loose and allows water to flow through, but disperses the force) I place it over the spray holes and very loosely wrap it with cotton, loose you hear me!

Tight and it won't allow any flow through.

We all need flow

I'd agree.

There are a handful of halfmoon blue metallic males at Subscape (Vic Street Abbotsford) and maybe the odd HM at the LFS, but entirely unlikely - all crowntails and veiltails usually.

You could talk to Jeoffery at "New Life Aquarium" who have moved to a new warehouse in Richmond (off Vic St)

Otherwise it's imports from interstate I'm afraid.

Till the rest of our fish pull their fingers out.

-Ness

dt?

I've got my people 'on the ground' keeping me up to date with new Betta that come into stock at Subscape Aquarium (.com) I know they have some blue halfmoons, but I was waiting for some colourful crowntails to tell you about.

They aren't in as yet - will let you know.

JHA is a user on this forum with some great fish too - particularly if you'f like a female sorority - but I would suggest starting with 1 or 2 males, there's something majestic about two boys flaring!

Goodluck!

x

shiny

cant

get

them

to

sit

still

so heres a vide-yo

happened to me yesterday.

i got annoyed and left the forum.

annoyed.

then went home and made me some special coffee (on the rocks thx)

works again today.

oh well.

Emma, You made it to the forum - Welcome!

I responded to your questions on the Vic Betta Facebook page, but it's probably best we look at your journey via this forum, you'll get so much more out of the whole community of betta keepers.

Where abouts in Victoria are you? There's a great fish shop in Richmond that I'd recommend visiting (infact there's two)

I'm just waiting to hear back form them about when the new shipment of Crowntails are coming in (they get the most amazing colours!) And I know they have some Blue halfmoon males in at the moment too.

There's a few people setting up tanks at the moment, so have a peek at the other introduction threads, there might be something helpful there too.

(: Welcome!

xNess

Hey Kindu,

Lots of helpful advice on here - I've gone the other way around and started breeding guppies after Betta! (you're right - SO MUCH FUN!)

Betta are a totally different ballgame, and if you enjoy watching fishy behaviour for hours, you're going to love these guys - grab a photobucket account and share the photos, we're gluts for pics.

Cheers

-Ness

Hey Muss,

Welcome to the forum, I would suggest the two mighty beasts that you have are:

Sushi: Metallic Cambodian-based multicolour (i.e. pale body, metallic white opal coverage, over red and blue fins with some white)

Godzilla: Spread iridesence blue (Steel / Teal / Royal / Metallic ?) with red wash (i.e. black body, black face, blueish body and blue fins with a touch of red in the anal fin, gills and ventrals - visible if you shine a light behind him)

They're both Veiltail varieties.

I'd be keeping an eye on the shape of Godzilla's tail - he's either bitten or suffered from fin rot at some point in his life... if the shape changes, or the edges get ratty - you might need to investigate medication - otherwise he's just got a stumpy.

Setting up a tank and doing the research is great fun, there are some things you really want to get right, and firstly (I'm a stickler for it) is water chemistry.

Just about all betta issues will be borne of water quality - and the thing is, it's not just fresh from the tap, that's just not good enough.

As a first time fish keeper I would suggest a few test kits would be your best friend - they're an investment, but if you plan on keeping fish, you'll be grateful for them every time!

I have a PH, Carbonate Hardness, Ammonina, Nitrite / Nitrate kit - these water parameters are everything when it comes to diagnosing issues... well.. no, that's not true - but it helps.

There's a few other things you can add to the water such as aquarium salt, indian almond leaf (highly recommended) and shell grit (for calcium and minerals)

You also want the super basics like Dechlorinator, Prime, and if you like - Cycle (which is like a kick-start so you don't have to "cycle" your tank)

I never leave home without a powder called Carbonate hardness powder - it locks my PH and carbonate hardness so my fish never experience huge swings of these parameters and I rarely have sick fish. (had my share, it's heartbreaking)

The other big deal is temperature.... it needs to be stable, somewhere between 25-28 degrees... stable is key.

Sounds like I'm telling you to go and spend a bucket of cash, but really these things last for ages, and the investment means you'll secure the health of your fish as best you can!

I often point people in this direction for a general care sheet: http://www.victoriabetta.com/care-sheet.html

Another great site is betty splendens: http://bettysplendens.com

Best of luck with the pair and the new setup.

-Ness