melbournebetta

Keep him covered, I've found jumpers to be repeat offenders.

This is going to sound so entirely boring that it makes your pants fall off.

But I want one that looks like Betta4all's 3d models, something without a crooked ray, some seriously perfect form and a thick extended red mask over everything.... and FEISTY AS HELL

a) Traditional Plakat b.) Asymmetrical Plakat c.) symmetrical Plakat

There aren't many symmetrical plakat in Victoria, I know I haven't seen one in person.

It's great that you're doing a bit of research into what you should be looking for - you might as well get a good one if you're buying a new fish, particularly if you're going to try your hand at breeding.

How is a great time to be looking for the right stock as it's "quiet" on the breeding front (for most of us) as winter is often down-time for the breeding activity.

Best of luck with the search, let us know how you go!

-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

So its not water proof?

Well that solves the carding and heating problem.

Firstly, I'd go and buy some aquarium safe silicones, do a search for these (on the forum) I did a dodgy DIY thread with HILARIOUS photos and demo on how to re-seal (find it yaself I can't be bothered - helpful aren't I?)

So you can re-seal the thing without taking it apart, that's fixable.

Secondly carding, buy some firm plastic sheets - or the covers from art/sketch books or something you'll find at art supplies that is rigid, clip it on with a peg or something and bob's your uncle - make sure the fish can't get behind it.

This is actually best as you can remove it once a day (up to 30 mins etc) and let them flare/exercise and then card them again to relax.

Hyper fish (young fish) usually flare constantly until they get bored, and waste a lot of energy on this passtime... carding is best.

Old fish flare and get stressed and often tear fins and get worn out quickly.

Thirdly size, These barracks arent large, and you've decided to keep betta in what looks like 1-2 litres, this is a maintenance decision as much as an "ease" decision (personally my fish are in 5lt minimum each for breeders and 1 lt jars for juvis)

The issue with the size is mostly going to be maintaining it, you'll need to do at least 50% water changes twice a week. (IMO)

Fourthly (so many) ....Heat.

I've seen these barracks heated with mini pad heaters (Joan might be able to help you out) make sure the temperature is stable between 26-28 please - then you'll not have to worry about asking us about fin rot and velvet down the track.

Another way you might achieve heat is with a terrarium pad, (sits underneath the whole tank) I haven't seen them with heat dials, but do some research, they might be useful for you.

These barracks can be really handy, but in my opinion a bit hard work.

Let us know how you go.

-Ness

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!

How exciting to have another member with such a good relationship with his camera!

Brad is my favorite flavor, that dorsal is outrageous... and that blue over yellow is always so striking, there's a good reason I have two of those trying to make more.

How aptly named is Pierre? He looks French.

What a handsome mob, you've certainly chosen well.

x Ness

I got some of these TWIGS they weren't cheap, and now I don't know what the hell to do with them... this is a great ideaz

I've always liked the way you put your fish together Ash, I'll be keen to see your new fish setup downstairs.

Looking good!

Got some shots or video of your fish room?

Do they look anything like this???

11 great fishrooms

Mine dosen't...

Shadoh has shown us some great walk-throughs of his fish room, what's your set up look like?

(i'm nosy)

It's probably a good opportunity to remind people about the comp and get nominashioning

srsly?

i vote for all photos with me in them.

The video is a link to my channel with the females in the sorority........ guppies included....

?

Hey Fungchay,

Welcome to the forum, there's a few plakat people around, however I'm not sure what people have in their tanks.

I only have Halfmoons, and they're all pretty little at the moment.

Subscape Aquarium has halfmoons, plakat, giants and standard VT / Crowntails

Are you anywhere near Richmond?

Just fed them so they're all a bit agitated - but, the guppies have been in there for about 5 day now and seem quite happy......

I was advised against this, but, if it aint broke?

or is this a disaster waiting to dis-ast?

(man ain't nothin' but a fool soundtrack, felt appropriate for a beyonce single ladiez tank)

This is my barracks, filtration happens through an Eheim external cannister.... and some irrigation supplies

what were you thinking of for filtration?

(I've tried lots!)

Welcome to the phorum

That's weird, I was just working on this image of my current setup, every few months it changes (depending on what's spawning/growing out/etc)

But I try to contain my project on a 800mm wide set of industrial shelves (much like yours but mine are only 400mm deep)

Here's how I roll:

This is the smaller scale of the program, I have 18 grow out jars in that bottom shelf, and often if I'm growing out 2 spawns at different stages I might have another one of these set up elsewhere.

And when the project is completely out of control I have the 4 foot sorority set up in a back room and use that tank on the second shelf down as a grow out (water changes 90% every 3 days)

but I find they don't sprout until they have their own space.

That help?

Marble and Butterfly are the same thing, it's the marble gene that makes the butterfly appear, some of them only have the trimming, some of them have that perfect 50/50 colour division, and the rest and everything in between is marble marble marble.

It's a blessing and a curse - depends what you're into.

All the girls I've posted are just to show ray splitting... go for something that looks tidy without too much excess tail (which we don't often see in females) but sharp square edges on the tail are the biggest thing missing in breeder females.

Also his anal fin is too long - go for something that is very neat, and matches up with the oval.....

I'd be tempted to put him to another dragon - if you cross a dragon with a standard coloured fish (as far as I understand) you get copper.... or copper marble in this case.

Lucky thing is you're starting with a nice fish - so you've got lots of options.

We've all been through the barracks ideas - have a quick search for other's trials tribulations and jubilations - I've just had some success with my subscape barracks (Custom made)

Have a look around, there are many considerations.

x

That black is very handsome, but I don't like the idea of how it would behave when you refilled those tanks either!

Personally I subscribe to the

Bear bottom approach.

Plenty you can do with a Japanese garden inspired pile of river rocks and some plants (;

And much easier to vacuum around

x

Look, he's really lovely - let's start with this - and I find ray distribution FASCINATING so, there's my admission of being a total loozer.

The colour will be interesting, and it's totally possible that he's that colour - you know what's weird - I totally misunderstood the patternation / butterfly for just shimmery pants. Defo marble. Defo.

I don't quite have my head around colour/metallic/dragon/opaques as yet - so I wont comment on his colour, just that he has a red layer covered by the blue that makes him appear warm blueish

The brother has straight ray distribution - so it's interesting to see how this feathered effect might work - those green lines might just be wrinkles in the webbing - either way, he's a full finned boy!

In a female I would suggest looking for a complimentary colour (do some research, maybe start at betty splendens?) there are predictable outcomes for just about any mix of colour... so do some enquiry, you'll soon learn that raising a spawn "just to see" is bloody hard work! You might as well get something out of it that you want!

I'd go for a female with good square edges on her D shaped caudal, straight rays, and a good quantity of them.

Female A has 2 ray splits, B has 4

botom female - she got 8

I'd suggest 4 or 8 is good - 8 in the female and you might achieve rose tail, or invite the feathering to occur more.

go for good anal fin on lady friend like dis wun

I'd agree with the colour suggestion Jarrod, but he's got black in the face, which might just be that dull grey 'default' betta colour that VT females at the LFS often are (you know the colour I mean?) is that a version of black?

... part of me thinks theres some white scales on the face too that might be reflection, might actually be dragon scale?

Either way there's red wash (ventrals) so that's a consideration too, you'll get multicolours.

The colour is a bit off - I'd suggest it's been affected in post production to show the colour as a lavender blue - this isn't a bad thing, just that you should consider looking at him in person as suggested.

ITS NOT A CRIT so everything;s okay! YEAY!

Question about a theoretical and very general non specific style of ray distribution.....

My friend has this copper fish (?) and I noticed he has interesting ray disribution - looks like the beginings of feather tail, and would mean definate 180+ spread, but also rose tail.

That's interesting to know, you'd just want to be clever if you had this copper fish, as to the distribution of the female

Unless you wanted feather?

Just an observaaaashun

@ razzi