melbournebetta

I'm working with 80x40 cms here - that is the total floor space that I have for an entire breeding setup. it's my allowance so i don't turn into a mad fish woman. this is why i go to subscape and fluff over their fish for 4 hours every fortnight..... because i'm NOT a mad fish woman (uh huh) my makeup has no animal testing - cant "guinea pig" VT either (anyway - they're TOUGHER than my flouncy HM looser fish) but I can safeguard - might try that first x

Oh my god don't tell me that... I'll throw those little branches in quicker than you can say... branches in. Obviously the boiling is an acceleration of the process, I think I want to encourage as much tannin OUT as possible before I throw it into my 3 footer... fortunately this is the tank with the Eheim filter on it - so I imagine the tannins won't look as strong as they otherwise would. I think it's a spot of boiling water over it all tonight in the bath, then into the 44 tomorrow (it's 33 degrees and the thing is in full sun all day) that sould encourage the woody pores to open and leach. Maybe I do a little ph test of the 44? It'll get rain water and will change up - but might be interesting. I like doing ph tests because I feel like a scientist. I am not a scientist.

Am I insane? Have I seen a spawn log for these? How many you got? Whats the male/female ratio? got pics of the parents?

Well I must say - this has been an interesting little experiment. On the boil for just under 2 hours - and we have tea tree tea - the wood is quite brown and the water is quite stained. Note: Housemate didn't mind - my pots... So armed with this tannin stained water - which I don't mind - but what Joan mentioned about it affecting Ph concerned me - so the scientist in me decided to do a PH TEST KIT EXPERIMENT I can't be bothered photographing.... however Tap water measures quite blue/geen at 7.4 The tap water I filled up the pot with and boiled the wood in now measures 6.2 - and is yellow as my test kit allows - so could be much less. Obviously this is bad.... and I'm glad I'm doing this slowly, while a pretty tank is nice, I need fish that are ALIVE to swim in it. The pieces aren't big enough to boil, so what do y'all think of me soaking it in a bath in VERY HOT WATER over night - then popping into my 44 gallon drum in the backyard (rainwater) to soak for eternity Will this leach the tannins? Once the tannins are leached, will the ph stop being affected? If I use Carbonate hardness powder (7) will this stop the tannins affecting the ph? Over to you brains trust....

(you asked for it) Here's the twig in question: Bit of grot, bit of dirt, can't see bugs or nothin' ....but very brittle and easy to snap Cross-section: After a scrubbin' I have to say I'm suprised at the colour! THIS IS GOIN TO LOOK SO NOIIIIICE IN ME TANK. Remember those colgate ads when they snapped the chalk in half with the blue ink? Could this possibly be the best photographed, most boring thread in the universe? This is the pot. This is the twig - it was naughty and was too big so i snapped it in half with my BEAR (GRYLLS) HANDS! God I'm tuff. It boils. I will wait to see if a.) housemates crack the poo's b.) tannins emerge c.) test ph once water cools to see if there's any effect (probably need to test original tap water to see what the change was aye?) OH MY GOD SO INTERESTING!!

Looking good Denning, How big are they approx from nose to the end of the tail - and how old? x

WOW - love that second last shot!

Oh matt! dont Sexplain it to me.. just spell it out. I've not yet got an ID from my landscape architect housemate (she has a cold and hasn't left her room in days - should probably get in there and check for a pulse) I think I'm going to proceed without the one with creepy crawlies - DAMMIT - the best chunky bit. eh The wood has been dead for 5+ years and hasn't been in water - just on a hill - dead - in the rain (sounds like a the perfect way to end it all) Tannins should be interesting - i'm thinking of chopping a bit off and boiling up to see if it colours at all but it's GREY like - No brown - grey dead. I might even do a little soaker bucket somewhere in the backyard and test the ph every few days - oh yes. I feel a photo essay upcoming!

Seconding Bussy! I can't wait to learn more about these frilly killy fishes.... they so preddy

pho tos!

Aiight - I'm a bit slow off the mark, but here are the shots of said driftwood twiggiNess: twiggy bits - VERY brittle and dry - quite hollow... no bark twigs n bits detail - sand and dirt on them - will need washing - thinking of taking it to the carwash and high pressyre water hosing?? This is the afore mentioned piece that probably has bora - if I boil it, and they die, and get trapped - they'll rot in the tank and that will be bad... right? So firstly - is this Tea Tree? This was all taken from a paddock that was around 200 meters from the dunes, and obviously has been out in the weather and dried out the wha-zoo so it's pretty crispy. There is Lichen growing on some parts that I can remove - very little or no bark. VERY light - I think if this was actually water logged it'd still float.... but I'm thinking of working out an arrangement and weighting it down after I've treated. So... if it's ok wood.... and the largest piece is 2foot.... boiling is out of the question - can I soak it in boiling water in my bath and then weigh it all down and plop it in my 44 gallon drum in the backyard (rainwater) for a few days and then poke it in the tank? eh eh ?

I'm loving the perspective Masq, Darling has a pretty distinct voice... and I'm sure as you get to know him/her, we'll hear more of it! You've done a great job with the photography too - you've probably worked out by now that we all LOVE photos, & the colour is amazing. I'm right behind the idea of animals and your responsibilities helping with your condition, you'll find lots of kind people here willing to not only help with your yabbie keeping but with an encouraging word as well. I can say I've used the discipline of caring for fry / feeding / water changes etc to keep my spirits up through tough times... sometimes it's nice to watch something thrive and grow even if you feel crap! Make sure you treat this thread like a record of your feeding and whatever else you need - I use my spawn logs to keep an eye on how I'm feeding and progressing too. (so I don't forget!) Can't wait to hear the next diary entry! -Ness

Oh - That's not my photo - My sticks are still in the car *ugh* so tired from monster-week-holiday...and came home to some pretty sad looking fish so elected to do a monster 180lt water change in my 2 big barracks, instead of driftwood playtime. Back hurts. Eyes burn. BUT! Tomorrow morning will shoot sticks with iPhone camera and post for verification of species/type and if they're a good idea to proceed with. promise x

Just thought I'd revive this thread and maybe even contribute a bit of a DIY / Photo essay / collection of accumulation of anecdotal knowledge-base-knowledge... (thingy) I was down at the Mornington peninsula for the last week and have been quietly slipping away from social activities to trawl the sides of roads, paddocks and beaches for driftwood as there's SO much dead Tea Tree around the area... I figured it was in surplus anywayz. There was a large burn pile in a paddock and I spoke to a property owner about coming back and pinching it before he set it alight (i was on a horse at this stage) and while he couldn't give a stuff what i wanted to do with it (verbatim) I returned to fill the boot of my tiny car with branches & very dead twigs thinking "what the hell am I doing?" There wasn't much big stuff that I could fir (WHY i don't have a hand-saw in my car i DONT know) I got a pile of interesting branches, and I've been toying with a scape sort of like this: (somewhat concerned about a male betta in a tank like this - so perhaps for the angels, or my sorority+angel tank) well, branchy anyway - so yes. I have a bag full. When I get home and do five billion water changes for my poor neglected fish & fry - I'll photograph the driftwood for your comments, and help! it's very dry and quite dead - the bigger parts might have had bora (it's very light and swiss-cheezy) so i'm interested in hearing if this will create big problems down the track. Lots of research on how to prepare the wood - boiling, soaking, bleaching, bla bla One step at a time, I'll shoot it, and see if any of you can positively identify it as tea-tree (nuff nuff corner here, I'm flying blind!!) Matt95 I'm looking to you for help my dear horticulturalist! Updates later tonight when my fingers are wrinkled and my eyes probably popping out of my skull from tiredNess. I'm in no hurry to get it in me tank (forgive 100% full bogan mode since this bogan aussie holiday) just want to get it right mate She'll be right aye? God.. is it 5pm yet? i need to sleep.

Hi Hazell, Welcome to the forum, we do love a photo shoot, so would love to see your boys. They sound throughly spoilt and quite happy about their homes, nice work! -Ness

Exciting, I'm toying with the idea of killies - looking forward to seeing your progress (note SEEING.... pik-chas!)

Betta Are Better! (biased, totally) but they're a great way to get into fish keeping and are generally speaking, pretty low maintenance. There's no shortage of how to set up a betta tank, and the things you need to consider. I'd just say a few things: -Tank around 5-10lt per male -Heater -Filter (sponge or bio filtration) -Water quality (stable Ph, I use Carbonate Hardness powder / Dechlorinate & conditioner / Aquarium Salt & shell grit for nutrients) -Food (pellets or frozen or live - all good) Be prepared to do weekly ish water changes & be prepared to get sucked right into fishkeeping! Let me know if and when you're looking for fish, sometimes there's a few spare males bumping around free to good home, or for sale in any one of the Victoria breeder's barracks. x

Hey Ophelia, Welcome to the forum.... There's a few basics about fish keeping that are fleshed out with "Setting up tanks" you could use the search function to find out more. Got an idea of what fish you might like to start with? -Ness

Ash! She's a spunk, Hopefully I'll have some females to contribute to that collection - I'm still planning to spawn the Koikoikoi HMPK pair - I'd love to give you a handful if they decide to wrap again! (without noms this time pls) xx

Hi Megz, Welcome to the party - I mean, forum. (:

I've a more explicit version of that quote james - similar sentiment. Applicable to all situations and Clients!

Cheers Unky Bill

Same bag, except we don't got no fancy modern art gallery <3 MONA

Ha Ha Bill, Or should I say uncle? I'm dating a Richard from Aaraat, close enough? We were hobbyist wannabe fake farmers.... no relations... no blood relatives, no real connection... just a daggy address for the first half of my life. Beautiful area tho, Love the Korumburra pub! x