Hi all, I am Scott

[snimmo]

Hi All,
I am Scott,
I have been a hobbyist for the past 40 years on and off (work permitting), been out of the hobby for the past five years and finding myself getting back in and involving my two kids (12f,9m) into it.  They have their own 2ft tanks that I help them maintain. 

I have found myself interested in bettas and killis at times, but never found a way in.  
The shops have no killis, and bettas never seem to be in a good environment and have not seen any good quality females.

Started in the hobby as a kid with a community tank, found cichlids, loved my shell dwellers and mouth brooders.  Discovered ANGFA, and love natives though work killed my ability to go to meetings (ex-telco often with 24/7 committments).  Only have a few tanks now (3), but used to have a lot more before kids.

 

[Bettarazzi]

Hi Scott. I’m Michael. Welcome to the forum. And welcome back to the hobby. I think it’s great that you’re involving your kids. I was introduced to the hobby when I was 12 but didn’t have a mentor with any knowledge at all. It was basically, here’s a tank and a box of old equipment, do what you like. There was a shop only a 20 minute walk away from my home. My best friend (who lived a couple of doors away) and I spent so much time and most of our pocket money there. I think we stripped that tank and redecorated it nearly every week. I doubt the filter ever made it through a cycle. It was the best time of my life. But I do laugh now when I think about how clueless I was. 

Shops should be able to order killies from the wholesaler but the quality might be hit and miss. The varieties will also be limited. You should join the Killifish Australia group on Facebook. Serkan Alasya is in that group. He’s been the most consistent breeder of killies in Australia for at least 30 years if not longer. He’s the absolutely best person in the country to get you going with killies. Based in Canberra. 

I’m not a fan of importing specifically selected bettas. But this is the way people get exactly what they want. It’s expensive and there’s no guarantee those fish will breed. The fish looking a lot different from the photos is also a common complaint. I’ve spent thousands of dollars on imported fish and have nothing to show for it except regret. It’s far better I feel to keep trying with local breeders and shops. Brisbane Betta Breeders are the most active club at the moment and most likely able to get a decent pair in your hands. I’m also looking at getting back into breeding bettas and I’ll be starting with the Brisbane folk and scouring local shops. The shops order fish from the wholesaler sight unseen which is why the quality is so variable. It’s not that the wholesaler doesn’t have good bettas. Females are still an issue though. 

Nano Tanks Australia in Sydney is worth having a chat with for both killies and bettas. They’re used to dealing with customers from around the country and have a particular interest in niche species. But they are a shop and there are limitations. 

Good luck with the search and please let us know how you get on. This forum is so quiet these days it would be nice to get it going again.