fishish Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 (edited) This is the set up. You can see a big jar in there. I didn't want to move Bitsy for conditioning as figured she wouldn't like it much, also wanted her to be in something nice and roomy so I put her in that jar which I covered in aquarium backing that could be easily lifted up once per day. It worked well except for the fact that the jar is still in there! Too disturbing to take it out post spawning so I'll leave it until the fry are big. Had a thermometer in the jar as wasn't sure how well glass would conduct heat. It worked just fine, same temp in and out. Tank has java moss, 3x java fern on a rock, 2x anubias on driftwood (fry like hiding in cavities of the wood as well as in the java moss), 2x IAL, terrecota pot, sponge filter, heater and I put bubble wrap, a plastic lid and a bit of polystyrine. The later was chosen for nest construction. Oh yeah and duck weed grrr lol For anyone who hasn't read my other posts it made it really hard to see the tails as they were identical. Fry love it though! conditioning And.... we have action! wrapping This pic would be really good if my finger hadn't reflected in the glass anyone skilled at photoshopping? I'm stone age lol Someone please comment, plenty more! :dance: Edited December 29, 2010 by fishish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 Wow congratulations. More pics please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 Great pics! and congrats on the spawn!! now post more pics!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishish Posted December 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 (edited) Yes sir! One more wrapping... just love the wrapping The happy couple! Not the best pic, you can see some eggs though I think... Bitsy paralyzed Fabian admiring his handiwork He seemed to prod her after a while and she'd 'come back to life'? Taking a break from egg eating! Looks pretty exhausted... I've still got more! Edited December 29, 2010 by fishish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 Congrats! You know next time no duckweed.. I was going to try some out, but I think I'll pass now. Pair are so pretty, great pictures Fishish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishish Posted December 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 (edited) Thanks Sarah I've set up Goliath and Nariyani (guns n roses) for conditioning in a small tank. Maybe too small but growing impatient with fry growth rate in the spawn tank Anyway, I believe that try as i might duckweed hitched a ride on java moss lol Looking at me! She turned her head to see what I was up to, flaming paparratzi! Two days since free swimming. Unfortunately I couldn't get very good pics. Large tank (2.5ft), brown water, not many fry and waaayyy too many hiding spots! Here you go anyway, just to complete this little story in pictures and now three weeks old and contemplating grindles Not sure if they're too small for grindles, seem to eat them though. I'm still giving BBS for the two runts that are one week old size wise! HUGE size differences in fry! Got just a few more pics... lol too many? :P Edited December 29, 2010 by fishish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kermadum Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 No such thing as too many!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishish Posted December 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 (edited) Oh good Well its certainly great to have people around who's eyes don't glaze over every time I try to show them/tell them about my fish lol Ok last few for now Hello Edited December 29, 2010 by fishish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 awww.. we want more pics :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishish Posted December 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 (edited) lol you'll have to join the 'being patient' party and wait for the little buggers to grow a bit so I have something more to take pics of OMG I think there are 9! I thought only 7. Three are TINY, one of those 3 particularly, its hiding in the dirft wood so I put some BBS there for it especially because I think its scared I don't blame it with the size of the others! just a little speck like some of them were when they were first free swimming, though a more physically developed speck The big ones are big enough for grindles, just! What causes such huge differences in size? I'm thinking genetics but also I've observed the big ones chasing the little ones away from the food so I suppose thats there too. I wonder if some could be late hatchers? Fabian wouldn't have been there to clean them though. Edited December 29, 2010 by fishish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 Great pictures Fishish. There is no such thing as too many photos! I'm pretty sure the larger fry release a hormone that stops the smaller ones growing. Makes sense if they are in the wild, but just a pain in the tank. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishish Posted December 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 Really? wow! Where did you read/hear that? I'd be interested in knowing more! I'd thought maybe smaller fry could be female? I really don't know what I'm talking about though :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 Mine still have that variation. Most are in jars now but small ones still small??? Have heard somewhere that these grow into the best fish but waiting to see that for myself. I only got 14 out of my first attempt but over 70 easily this time. Good luck with the babies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 Can't remember where I read it, a few places, I think it will be here somewhere too.. I'll see if I can hunt something up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 Betty Splendens - The explanations for this are far from simple. Scientific studies have proven that most fish, including bettas, excrete a hormone that acts as an inhibitor to growth. In the betta community it has widely been said that this growth hormone stifles the potential of smaller fish in the spawn, giving the advantage to the larger, healthier fry. While this goes a long way to explaining the sometimes dramatic size differences between fry from the same spawn, it is my personal belief based on what I have read that this hormone actually works to limit the growth of the fish so that it does not outgrow its environment. In nature this would be a handy tool, ensuring that there is enough space and resources for all. In the spawn tank, it's just inconvenient. A couple of hundred young fish in a ten gallon tank will soon produce enough hormone to severely limit growth unless the water is changed, and changed often. I change the water in my growout tanks at least 50% every single day. Other successful breeders have reported changing as much as 80-100% per day, with excellent results. Maybe Stefan will see this and post a really informative link (that was a compliment, you are smart, I'm not flaming you, promise. ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnylass Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 I loved looking at all your photos. Now I'm impatient so see more as well LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delyall Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 Oh damn theyre gorgeous! My babies are a lil younger than yours, cant wait til they grow more Also cant wait for the guns n roses pair I hope that one goes well so I can snag a few fish from you Teheheee Good luck with these guys though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishish Posted January 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 (edited) Thanks for linking that Sarah. Sounds a little bit speculative. Have to say though, it's proving difficult to make sense of extreme size differences otherwise! @ delyall, if I can get them to spawn!!! Been conditioning over a week now and Goliath has not built a nest! He never has, in his old tank either. I was thinking they may be difficult, Goliath is a wimpy fish lol (oh but i secretly love wimpy males in general ehehe ) he flares at a mirror for a few secs then hides However it was looking hopeful, they initially appeared to respond well to each other and Goliath immediately began blowing bubbles at first glance at Nariyani. Alas, he blew a few that one time and that was it! What to do?? Sunnylass I'm glad you enjoyed the pics I have a few more now Four weeks old. Red has begun appearing on caudal and anal of larger fry. They also have ventrals You can see some white on the anal, also on the pectorals of some. It looks more 'ruffly'/'combed' than my camera will capture so i guess its the cambodian coming through? Two medium sized fry snacking on a shower of BBS. And yes, that is a chase coming on! They're doing the slow approach then charge thing with rapidly increasing zest! Sometimes, if well matched they look like they both charge, bang heads, then calmly swim off in opposite directions. Its quite funny! lol This is Tiny, the smallest fry (I think! thought there was one runt but there may be 3!) My so far best attempt to capture Tiny and one of the biggest fry side by side They were pretty close to each other so not a bad shot for a reasonable idea of size difference Edited January 4, 2011 by fishish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 Congatulations on color. Red does seem to show very early. Looking good v Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 They are looking great Fishish! Great photos too. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Hey Fishish, how are they now? Just curious, when the time comes, would you be willing to ship to Sydney? My parents got me the first Pink Carnation pair, but the female died before spawning. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishish Posted March 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 (edited) Oops! lol hey Sarah... bit of a belated reply here well I don't have many, only eight and only three of those are big. So not many to choose from and I may end up keeping most... perhaps if I spawn Bitsy and Fabian again? That leads me to a question I have for you all, now that they are jarred will the runts grow? They don't seem to be growing and are still the size of.... aprox seven week old fry I'm not sure what to do? I need some help with sexing if anyone feel so inclined? Have read some info about it including the Ausaqua article and felt confident but then I tried to actually sex them and well... lol The gang: Yeah I know they're too big to be loose in the tank together. Not sure if anyone remembers, I had an operation in december. Had some post surgery complications so back to hospital and this is what I came home to! lol but they were ALIVE Except for the one second from the right Female??? I've tried to shine a torch at them to 'spot the ovary' but can't see anything... possible hazard of the untrained eye? short ventrals, a bit of a belly and very timid.... nice colour but I think the body shape is not great?? has a bit of a dip in the head- mild spinal defect? That seems to be inherited from Fabian (dad) but is even more evident in this fry. She/he is a bit 'bottom heavy' when she/he swims ie swim,stop,bottom/caudal drops Male? long ventrals as relative to the others, can't see any ovipositor as I can on the other two photographed here. Female? bit of a belly. Perhaps a bit late now but I'm also wondering about fin length. I believe the length of fins and fin form can depend on how they're raised? What does such raising involve? I have my assumptions but yeah assumptions :P Edited March 20, 2011 by fishish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishish Posted March 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 Too hard? I want to put all females in my girls' tank but need to determine gender first and feel rather clueless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 I'd have to guess that these look like girls. They are from a long fin spawn - correct? Having had an all female spawn and being so confused for so long, I tend now to assume that they are all girls unless sprouting into a boy occurs lol. Unless it's a PK spawn... Then I'm clueless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 I would just jar what I think is male and see what happens. That seemed to encourage mine to declare sex. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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