melbournebetta

I have a really retro system, it's called a calender - there's a scantly clad girl sitting on a motorbike eating a CHIKO roll.... and I note down when I did my last water change and in what tank. They have codes It's very technical.

Hey Joker, Welcome to the forum, we're a pretty laid back bunch of coconuts, so I do hope you'll enjoy - personal favourite is going through people's spawn logs and watching fry grow - it happens waaaay to slowly in reality, but spawn logs are like the fast forward version. My hot tip would be to do a bit of research, look into what kinds of Betta you like - tail types etc, get some breeding goals (colour/etc) and then start with some nice fish! Obviously it's a bit of a learning curve with their water parameters and keeping them happy - but it sounds like you have a bit of experience keeping fish happy! Feel free to ask questions, and have a go at the search function on the forum too - most things you want to know have already been asked... -Ness

As long as you don't expect any real money for the veiltail varieties, most LFS can get them for less than a dollar per head. Personally I'd be looking at extending the ray distribution and creating a really lovely veiltail with a bit "more" in the tail.... there are some really lovely veiltails out there, in my opinion I'd be trying to improve your man's form It's really no mystery with what you'll get in terms of colour results, I guess the only surprises come when a fish looks solid colour but actually has marble genes hiding in there somewhere. So he's essentially red, I see a really light layer of iridesence over the top through the scales and over fins, he also has marble, giving him the butterfly effect with cellophane and white, but odd-on he'll change colour, the butterfly pattern isn't very clear on him. He's also got a very pale body, so cambodian or blond gene in there. Plus black - well you'll probably get multicolours, blue might pop out somehwere, but I'd say this sort of thing: Personally I'd find him a good extended red female: or look for a solid coloured salamander female (maybe butterfly) and then you'll get semi-predictable colouring, a really popular colour too I might add... and improve his form so the fish are desirable. (: Just some thoughts on outcomes!

Best of luck to you and your little dude, be as descriptive as possible and we'll see if we can't help you out. Welcome to the forum

They're lovely Les,

The gift that keeps on giving - I got a new camera for my birthday - yipee, Ausaqua wins!

WOW you really have expanded - my god, they're addictive aren't they??? That gas dragon has the biggest ventrals I've ever seen! I've always wanted to do a line of thicker fuller ventrals, the pastel on the lighter dragon is really intriguing, I dont usually like litre bodied betta, but he's amazing (nice dorsal on him, he might have double tail in his genetics) If these are all from Adrian, he's really getting in some quality stock, very impressed! xx

There's a reason I don't have my birthday on here, but thanks for the non fish related un-educational lovely birthday thread but secretly i love, the love. My grandpa wrote on a birthday card, Happy birthday Ness, wishing you all the best.... "you made it" what the?

Kirty: Go to subscape (http://www.subscape.com.au/) I know I spruke them all the time, but they taught me so much over the last 10 years.... and they do free tests of water chem and will explain the cycles and work out what filtration you have/need/etc And they're got purdy fush. x

They'll be lucky to have you Steph, and I'll be READY when you have a spawn tank full of babies to get rid of (mwahaha) I've never had any bad luck with shipping fish O/S and Preecha dus such a wonderful job wrangling the sellers, and someone - well, we all know someone is tops. Chopsticks and fingers crossed (:

What's the bets I get roped into making the banner graphic for the winner too? So, I do all these designs and get a minor percentage of a prize that I make myself? THAT SOUNDS LIKE A DEAL TOO GOOD TO BE TRU..... ...Tru? Screw you guys, I'm eating whatever he's eating.

Steph, he's beautiful! I'd suggest he's a cello base dragon, with red marble genetics (or just red wash) it's in his ventrals and anal fin and actually a little bit through the caudal, and could be a really interesting fish in person, I can't wait to see more photos of him. Personally I really like the red under that dusky dragon coverage on the fins, I think it's real PURDY - but this is just my arty self talking, not my pretend staunch librarian-style-IBC-handbook-waving-self. Design-wise I can see why this boy took your fancy, those ventrals thrown back and his overall geometry are really lovely. GOOD SELECTION! The little yella fella + missus I sent the link to from someone can be the bannana-boat fun ones... but while this is a red man, I very much loves him. You've got a good eye! there's a lot of junk on AB

well chosen, now choose lots of spawn tanks (;

Hey Selka, Welcome to the forum, I know RiffRaff is looking to part with a Dumbo (is it a pair?) my brain is mush. Anyway - lovely to meetcha, we love photos *hint* -Ness

uh huh

it's weird, you can buy nice betta crowntails for example - from the LFS, maybe you get into them, do some research, and find someone's channel, and then buy some nice stock. Dosen't mean you breed them by any means, and I do imagine that after one spawn you realize how much bloody work it is and stop. But why bother buying a high end fish if you aren't going to breed? ...no, I can answer that... to have a beautiful animal. Who knows? Perhaps people buy them without knowing how to keep them, loose a hundred dollar fish and get so peeved you buy a dog? Dunnoh.

I got all excited that there were new fish for me! (No nessy, new fish IN Melbourne) ....damn my egocentric breedername. Riff, this is a great way for Adrian to promote the fish he's got, tell him he needs you in the shop to spread the word of what's out there - there are few places to buy this kind of quality fish! PS the hot tip with posting photos is you can post up to 5 shots, then everything else turns into links - if you wait 10 mins, or someone says something in the meantime, then you can post again (its a spam measure) Jarrod, I assume you realize these ones come through someone? Great to see some really unusual colours coming to melbourne, I am excited - hopefully Adrian tells people about this forum so we can all watch them grow (and BREED) I think i'm a bit razzed cos it means that there's enough people buying quality fish out there, I wonder what they're doing with them? Anyway - I should mention to Steph and Lilly that there are some interesting colours here for those girls - it seems the yellows are back in popularity which is great to see. That orange boy is pretty special - I wonder with those black flecks, if he's got marble, or if it's just that effect people talk about with Reds and Non Reds, the black outlining to some scales? Great post!

Clara and Magenta have a bit of fin tear, but nothing I would worry about, if the water is in good condition and they're getting fed well (as I'm sure they are, you'll be fine) Daphne, is both mustard gas (yellow with black edges) and dragon scaled, it's always a bit hard to tell if a female is "halfmoon" or not, as there is an argument that they don't "flare" regularly like the males - unless they are carded and are displaying regularly, I believe most females are super delta anyway, they are rarely true halfmoon.... as with the males. Daphne is displaying well here however - her ventrals are straight, her anal fin is stretched (and a great shape) but she seems to branch out with her rays to only split to 4. From what I understand, the Delta tail is up to 130 degrees, the Super delta is up to 170 and the Halfmoon is 180 degees spread (Over halfmoon is 180+) If you were going to breed with her, I'd look at putting her to a double tail to improve that dorsal, and the spread in her tail. Form-wise she's nice, but I would be looking at using any one of the other 3 females first in a breeding program. x

Don't you touch those white babies!!!! If you're sick of them and tempted to cull - sell a batch of juvis to nessy! EASY! Glad to see the fat red lady is singing once again. x

Everyone have a crack, it's easy - and have a poke around for creative-commons or copyright free wallpapers with fishy business, remember water/plants/driftwoods/textures/fishy stuff are all relevant. I did a font search and seem to have ID'd he AA font as Didot - with some spacial tweaking - here is the link to the template if you want to work with it... feel free to illustrate the text (Resembling the font/words) yourself. Here's a boring example: Hint - if you can, keep the background transparent so the green header shines through in all it's glory.

Bus - I'm with you (Actually after seeing your black boy in with the kids I was inspired) but I like dads in if possible.... So that he can differentiate food from kids I tend to feed stationary food when the babies are free swimming, so he's not tempted by little wriggly children. Something that's worked in the past is a really gentle double tap on the corner of the tank that's furthest from where the nest was (or wherever suits you) and then feeding only in that spot. This way he works out quickly where the "Canteen" is, and that sound is associated with dinner, it might be a deterrent to eating babies (I have no idea, just guessing) but I've never had a dad eater whilst feeding like this VERY excited for you - grow them out fast (like you need instructing) so I can 'ave some pls. x

There's demand, I'd snap up some quality CT orchids by the dozen

Chi - watch and learn. x

Can I just admit that this is the very post I have been waiting for from you Busspants? This is fantastic! I've had a wrapping drought too, it's frustrating fo' sho' really excited to see your updates - GOD I love a good spawn log. I really like the colour on these two also, it's great we have someone spending some time on real cadillac crowntails. -Ness

nevermind