Re: Heating for smaller tanks etc

by **mickelmass** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 5:58 am

Oh my goodness! Where did those two gorgeous creatures come from (and I don't mean Van and Netty) LOL! Those pictures of the two Betta! Forget my pix, they don't even exist after seeing those two beauties! And you can actually breed and/or buy gorgeous Betta like those? I am totally speechless now! I don't know much about Beeta as I am still reading, asking questions and learning but I think the smaller one is a chrome/red Plakat isn't it, or something metallic anyway? But the other one is out of this world! What is it and who owns them? Did you breed them or what. I am totally gobsmacked because as I said before, until I joined this site, I didn't even know Betta like these existed. I though they were all the BSB like the one I have? Can't wait for my tanks/filters to cycle (God I hate that word), such a waste of time but good for the fish, so has to be done. I might put my pix up another time now as the tanks are still filtering so when they are clearer, I shall take more pix and post them then. God! Those Betta are big time eye candy! I WANT - NOW! LOL!

by **mickelmass** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:04 am

Dried Ganja leaves arrived safely in one piece just now. The postie dropped them off at my door as he knew I was bunking off from dialysis today. Now, I have the 17L Nano set up all ready for a male Betta so what do I now do with these leaves? I have to boil them or something don't I? And I believe that they make the water go brown if I remember correctly? Also, can I put a bit in my community tank or with all the fish get randy and start dropping sprogs all over the place? LOL!

I also just had loads of frozen and live food delivered as well. Three frozen bloodworm, one frozen Daphnia, one frozen Brineshrimp and one frozen Tropical Quintet (a mix of 5 of my chosing and none that I ordered already) and I also got two each of live tubifex, bloodworm and daphnia as well, just so they can have a treat. They are all bred in sterile conditions so none of the forzen or fresh stuff has any bugs or nasties in them. God! These fish of mine and the cat eat a damned site better than what I do!

by **Vandraco aka Bronzecat** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:22 am

Hi
Glad they arrived safely [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] You dont need to boil them or anything. In a 17L I would just use half of one. Just pop it in the tank [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] It will float for maybe a couple of days and then sink to the bottom.

Reference your community tank, one leaf shouldn't do any harm. Wont make then randy [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] It may slightly taint the water, similar to what bogwood does, but not so much. Just a slight hint. One leaf in a bigger community wont alter the softness too much either.

Sounds like it was your birthday today with all those deliveries [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

by **Netty** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:50 pm

Glad you got them ok [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

The fish I posted is Taro (unfortunately not with us anymore). He is the great grandad to the line we'll be spawning this year.

by **mickelmass** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:20 pm

Spawning and selling by any chance Netty? He was a beauty. I don't know what I would have done if I had bred something as beautiful as that, just for him to pass on to that giant paddy field in the sky? Even with having others from the spawn, with one as good as that, he would be irreplaceable (and I can't spell either)!

As for all the parcels this morning (and more tomoz as well -I am determined to give this Betta breeding a professional start), it was OK but the things I really wanted to have more than anything in some of the parcels, were not there. A real, pedigree Plakat Betta! I would have gladly given all the other stuff away for a couple of those but that would be defeating the object really as the Betta need all that stuff that was delivered? Will I ever get my own real Betta I wonder? Instead of my big old blue Veiltail BSB? Everything is just about ready now, so next payday...they will all be sold out! Just my luck! LOL!

BTW, thanks for the info on the Cattapa leaves. See, somebody else told me completely the wrong way of doing it, so I am glad I asked the pro's first. Will get onto doing that now! Thank you both again, much appreciated!

by **mickelmass** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 pm

I forgot to ask you just then but can you recommend the best sponge filter for the spawning tank please. I know it's early days yet but I want to buy everything and have it all ready for when it all starts to happen.

I only ask as I believe that the spawning tank has to be shallow (about 6" to 8"), yet some of the sponge filters I have seen look to be so huge in the pictures of them on eBay and online shops etc. I can't really judge how big or small they are as I have never seen one before? I have at least three air pumps already, so I don't think I shall be needing anymore of them - will I?

Do Betta know what a Cattapa leaf is as soon as you put it in their tank? Because my BSB has started hiding behind it and going really mental! Up and down the side of the tank where the leaf is floating. Does it give off some sort of pheremone (I still can't spell) or something? Maybe it was the fresh bloodworm and tubifex he just had that did it?

by **Netty** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:53 pm

We will be selling if we have a successful spawn. This is the male (imported) He has spawned twice last year but keeps eating the eggs. We've rested him over the winter and will hopefully be trying him again soon.

Ripple
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Latika the female was bred by us and is the grandaughter to Taro. Her Dad is Thumbelina who can be seen on our website gallery. She is Salamander colouring and also has the butterfly patterning in her caudal fin.

by **Netty** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 5:06 pm

A filter like this would probably be fine for a small tank.

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by **mickelmass** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 6:01 pm

He is absolutely gorgeous! Such a beautiful pastel colouring. A shame that he eats the eggs. Does that happen a lot with male Betta as in, is it an hereditary trait or that's just what they feel they have to do, or he thinks he is not conditioned enough. Oh, I don't know but he is a beauty! When you say he is imported, did you import him yourself or did you buy from a company that imports with the correct licences etc? As in DF Fishways for example? And are imports a lot more expensive than non imports, which I presume would be home bred ones?

I am so sorry for asking so many (probably stupid) questions but I just have to learn things, especially new things that I am very interested in. If I do manage to breed Betta or not, it's just so very interesting when you think of exactly where the roots to all of these beautifully bred fish originated and just how plain the original Betta actually were, or shouldn't I say that on this particular site? It's only because of people like all of you, that people like me can learn and be guided. Still can't wait to get my first pedigree Betta though! LOL! Thank you for that link for the sponge filter as well. Much appreciated.

by **Netty** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 6:18 pm

He came from a different importer through a friend of mine. Very good price too at £15. The prices very much depend on what the importer pays initially and what mark up they decide to put on each fish. Taro also cost me only £15.

Egg eating is quite common especially with inexperienced males. They do generally stop after a while. Thumbelina was the same until his 3rd go at spawning, so it's just a case of keep trying until they get it right.

The original bettas were very plain and it's taken many years by very big breeders in Thailand etc to produce the colours and finnage that we see today.

by **mickelmass** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 6:35 pm

That's what I meant when I said about their origins. From dowdy, humble fish in rice paddy fields we get the most beautiful fish ever to grace a topical freshwater aquarium. Or not as the case may be as they are loners and shouldn't be in community aquariums! Which is why my BSB is moving to his new home tomorrow, all on his own! Well, except for a very small female Bristlenose Plecostomus. That should be OK shouldn't it as I believe they have BN is spawning tanks as well sometimes don't they? Cheers!

by **Netty** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 6:44 pm

He should be fine with the BN. Just keep an eye on them cos some males won't tolerate anything in with them and some are just fine.

by **Baffy** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:21 pm

Hey
Thought id day this is a good thread. i hav learnt loads from this one so thanks:)

by **Vandraco aka Bronzecat** on Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:25 pm

Good to hear Very Happy

by **mickelmass** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:56 am

See, you are helping other people as well and all in one hit! My friend just sent me some pix of some of the Dragon Plakats I am buying from him next week. They are really cute, all females, some gold and some iridescent blue/green. He has sold most of the Dragon males but has kept a few back for future spawnings. Just ordered four of those little black sponge filters for future use. I could open a shop with all the stuff I have put aside for when it all starts?

by **mickelmass** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:41 am

I know there have always been a few arguments flying around, regarding the temperature and means of gaugung the temperature but what would be the ideal temperature for just keeping Betta (not breeding) and also, glass sucker internal or plastic stick-on digital external thermometers please?

I have heard that the external digital ones don't give a correct tank water reading as it measures the ambiant room temperature and that the glass sucker ones are best as they are actually in the water. So which one do I use please as I have an internal sucker one in the empty (soon to be inhabited) single Betta tank at the moment but a stick on, external digital one on the community tank at the moment? Thank you.

by **aly_starh** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:04 am

Hi

Bettas like a temperature of 25-27C, if the temp is any lower there metabolism will slow down, and they will most likely be ill.
For breeding they like 29-30C.

Thermometers-internal stick on ones. The external thermometers just measure the heat of the glass, not the water. The gauges on the heater are highly inaccurate. So its best to measure the water with a thermometer.
You could also buy a digital one if you wanted. Its a probe that you put in the water, and it has a little screen which displays the temperature outside the tank. I have not heard of any bad reviews of these.

I personally use internal stick on thermometers for all my tanks. They are cheap and work well!

by **mickelmass** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:22 am

Thanks for that! I seem to have the temperatures correct then. It's at about 27-28 so should be fine for when the male goes in this afternoon.

by **aly_starh** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:23 am

Yep! oh piccys please! Smile

thanks for the nice comments about my website too! Smile

by **mickelmass** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:38 am

I will put some pix on here soon but I only have the camera on my cell, which doesn't take very goood pix and I don't fancy digging all my camcorders out just to take stills with as they are all packed away ready to be sold but might put some pix up later today?

As I said on here before, I only have one BSB (Bog Standard Betta) at the moment and he is going into his own tank today. Anyways, I would be to embarressed to put a picture of a BSB on here, especially with all the pix of these gorgeous pedigreess flying around here!
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