Aqua Posted February 17, 2003 Report Share Posted February 17, 2003 YAY I just bought one! How pretty!! He's pretty much all blue, with just a hint of red. What's best for these guys? The neons thought he was fascinating for a couple of minutes, and now they pretty much ignore him. Catfish doesn't seem too impressed with him though!! I've bought some Nova tabs for them as well, but the fighting fish doesn't seem to want to eat at that depth, so I'm feeding him flakes?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 17, 2003 Report Share Posted February 17, 2003 These fish stay at the surface and just hang. Pretty to look at but boring to watch :lol: Hope you haven't any faster fish in there with him, like barbs and tetras, as they will find his flowing fins irresistible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted February 18, 2003 Report Share Posted February 18, 2003 I had one when I started my first tank. He loved the frozen (thawed out) bloodworms. I even sliced a sliver (very, very small) piece of raw chicken occassionally. Also tropical fish flakes. He ate from my fingers. Sounds about the same colours as yours. So pretty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted February 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2003 Caryl - he's in with 12 neons & a peppered cat. They all pretty much ignore him And yeah, he seems VERY tame, came up to have a look when I brought some food to the tank, the other fish scarper as soon as I enter the room!! The lady @ Hollywood fish farm warned me against getting some bumblebee thingees, I've forgotten what they were :oops: But yes, he seems very content, even though he *is* boring to watch lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumotel Posted February 18, 2003 Report Share Posted February 18, 2003 Lol, what are they? I have a Betta too, I think he totally rocks. I thought they don't like surface disturbance, but this guy seems to like messing around the bubbles his filter gives out. Alpha is in a 3.3G cycled tank all on his own. I put a ramshorn in there with him for a bit. He commenced playing soccer with it for a few mins then left it alone. I ended up taking the little snail out though. Popular view to keep Bettas on their own, since their fins are tempting targets for many, or the Betta in turn might be the aggressor given the particular tank-mate. I'm not sure what to do here. I want to give him company, but with such a small tank, not sure it would be so good. That, plus I'm not really sure what to put there with him. White clouds are peaceful enough, but they are pretty much a schooling fish from what I've read... so that limits how many can go in there. Also, they are so little that they might just become live food for Alpha. I also don't want to put anything in there that will race around the tank too much and drive him nuts. I don't know you guys, ppl reckon they are just fine on their own, but I can't see what's so great about being in a completely closed environment, albeit small, with nothing to do other than wait to be fed and swim around in circles.... It has to be boring for them. I have this (completely snag proof) old plastic shoe ornament in there which he swims in and out of, as well as a silk plant he can mess around in, but I think livening things up a tad wouldn't be bad. I just don't want to liven them up too much and kill him from stress. Sure they live in horrible pitiful amounts of water in the wild, is this by choice though? What do you guys reckon? Thankies, DuMotel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 18, 2003 Report Share Posted February 18, 2003 Aqua I think the other fish would have been a bumblebee gobie. Definitely a no-no mate for a betta. They also prefer brackish water. Dumotel I don't think the betta will mind being on his own. I am surprised yours does as much as actually swim - especially in and out of an ornament! :lol: I am sure they are perfectly happy with their own company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumotel Posted February 18, 2003 Report Share Posted February 18, 2003 Hiya Caryl Yeps, he swims in and out of it. He took a liking to it from the first day. He does laze around just floating around sometimes, but for the most part, I guess I ended up with an active betta compared to most I just hope that's cuz he's happy and such. DuMotel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Posted February 18, 2003 Report Share Posted February 18, 2003 Congratulations on your Betta, I mainly only keep Bettas, one has a tank to himself with 6 neons and a bristle nose. This fish has been free swimming since birth/ never jarred and is very active. They are wonderful to see like this. I am convinced that bettas that have been confined do not develop the muscles needed for prolonged swimming. I have pet shop bettas that never do much and I suspect are too old to change (fat and lazy ), but I have seen younger pet shop bettas gradually get fitter with a month or so of live food (this encourages them to move/chase to eat) and go on to be relatively active fish. I put some of the fish I bred into an outdoor kiddy pool and for the first few weeks they hardly moved (I think they were in shock) but now they swim all over the place. I don't keep my jarred bettas in anything less than 4litres, but that had more to do with finding a good supply of 4L containers in the early days than wanting to give them a lot of room, but I now see they do appreciate the extra room and are fitter for it. Bettas are territorial and will claim a spot, so if they feel their territory is threatened by other fish in a community tank they will not move far from their spot. But if they consider the whole tank as theirs they will move around patrolling it in a way. Depends on who came first I guess. I did read somewhere that a Bettas territory was about 30sq cms, but from what I've noticed with the kiddy pool fish I think It might be a bit bigger than that. Or maybe if they can't see other fish, like in the muddy densely planted rice paddy, their range is 30sqcms. cheers, Dianna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumotel Posted February 19, 2003 Report Share Posted February 19, 2003 Hi again guys, Delta that was a cool post btw! Yesterday I fed him live baby brine shrimp for the first time. He went nuts over it. I tried feeding one at a time to make sure there wouldn't be a gazillion of these little guys swimming around and eventually dying off in there..but in the end I gave up counting... He didn't leave a trace. I kept feeding him for about 2 mins and he gobbled it all. I also feed him betta micro pellets from Wardley as well as frozen blood worms. Speaking of brine shrimp though, may I enquire as to how you guys feed them to your fishies? For example, how many would *you* give to one betta? The only thing Im not really keen on about the shrimps, (aside from feeling sorry for the poor buggers but also worried they might be disease carriers) is that it is a wasteful menu if you're only feeding very few fish. By this I mean that at least wherever I've been, they pack the shrimps in bags with way more than can be consumed before they die off in 2-3 days, even 4 days say. I wish they sold like smaller rations. I guess I should ask next time. Soz Im full of queries about this type of food.. Do you guys do anything particular to keep the BBS alive longer? (no, not talking about respirators :pp ) I read that they survive longer in salted water, but again how salty? Finally, how do you actually give the shrimp to your fish? Do you pick out victims ( :\ ) using any special utensil? I strained some into a sieve, rinsed them with tank water to get rid of the bag water they were in and used a syringe to place them in the tank. I'm sure you guys would employ an easier method so do tell Thankies once more, DuMotel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 I hatch my own brine shrimp using a 2 litre milk bottle with a hole drilled in the top. I put an air tube down the hole to the bottom of the bottle. I fill it 3/4 up with water (tap). Then add three teaspoons of sea salt. Shake to mix. Then I add on flat teaspoon of brine shrimp eggs. This is then placed in a small tank (12 inches long by 6 inches wide) of water (which comes half way up the bottle (I have three going at once). I have this tank heated to 32 degrees or there abouts. In 24 hours I can take the air tube out, take the bottle out the tank and leave it sitting for 15 minutes. I sit the bottle on a window ledge above the kitchen sink. I then turn on a torch and put it right next to the base of the bottle. Within 15 minutes all the live shrimp have congregated to that side. I then use an air tube and put it to the bottom where the shirmp are and suck out the water, shrimp and all. I run this through a hankerchief over the top of a jug so I can collect all the water. I only harvest what I need and stop the siphoning. If I need to start a new batch etc then I stop the siphoning about 1/2 inch above the bottom so I dont get too many shells. If I dont have enough babies to feed it to (and need to start an new batch) I just drain the bottle and wait till it has drained through the hanky. Then I just collect the rest left in the hanky and put them into an old blood worm container (like a tiny ice tray) and put it in the freezer for a later date. Then I can rinse out the bottle, tip the water I got out back into the bottle and start again without adding anymore salt. I do this for maybe three times before starting again with fresh water and salt. Maybe you could just freeze the ones you dont feed out and that way you can just get what you need for a feed each time. Alternatively, why not make your own. Then you could just use 1/4 teaspoon of egga and have enough for a feed each time. Though after 24 hours the brine shrimp are tiny they still make a good feed for smaller fish. If you leave then for three days before harvesting they are bigger but still not looking like shrimp to the naked eye. Hope this gives you an idea. I had no idea about doing it and I was buying brine shrimp from the LFS and wasting money and brine shrimp!! It is really easy to do and well worth it in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumotel Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 *THANK YOU* so much Cat!! I don't mean to sound mushy and stuff, but when people sit down and write that much for the benefit of a complete stranger, well I just think it's wonderful. I will try your method! Sounds like you've got it down pat :> Thanx again, and I hope lots of newcomers to the subject (and experienced folk) stumble on your post because it is terrific! Du Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 You are very welcome. Pleased for once I had something to offer someone instead of me being the one draining peoples knowledge. It is really simple and small scale for those of us that dont have huge amounts of babies etc to feed. Mind you another spawning on angels means another couple hundred babies to feed. Maybe I should do another three bottles of brine shrimp!!!! :lol: Best of luck with it and let me know how you get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted February 23, 2003 Report Share Posted February 23, 2003 Nice one cat.... I do pretty much the same but just hang my bottles on the wall (no tank). Takes 2-3 days instead of overnight but no extra tank, thermometer etc. Just as long as the room is warm over winter you should be OK. peety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 23, 2003 Report Share Posted February 23, 2003 I hatch my brine shrimp in one of those plastic 1kg peanut butter containers. It has wire twisted round the neck which allows it to hang over the top of the main tank with the wire hooked over the glass to keep it in place, and in the water, thus keeping it a good temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat Posted February 24, 2003 Report Share Posted February 24, 2003 Good idea Caryl! Problem being it would take me a year to eat 1kg of peanut butter. :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 24, 2003 Report Share Posted February 24, 2003 I am sure you could find someone with spare containers without having to eat it all yourself. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua Posted March 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2003 YAY! Mitsy just took food from my hand... I'm so proud 8) To clarify... Mitsy is my Siamese Fighter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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