Bettarazzi Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Hi all, My name is Michael. I've just returned to fishkeeping and breeding bettas after an absence of about 9 or 10 years. My most active period of breeding bettas was for a couple of years in 1994-95 when I lived on my own in a flat in Sydney. No partner/housemates complaining about the mess. The kitchen had a door and during the cooler months I would stick a column heater in there and shut the door to keep my bettas warm. They were housed in 2 litre drink bottles on a bookshelf. I remember in the beginning I hadn't collected quite enough bottles and my juveniles needed to be separated. In desperation I bought the largest plastic cups I could find and that's what they had to live in for about a week. It was a nightmare! I had to do 100% water changes twice a day. And that weekend wandered around the neighbourhood looking though recycling bins to collect enough bottles. It was really hard to find good bettas in Australian fish shops in those days. You had to do your best with whatever you could find. After the water changing chores were done I would spend most of the weekend driving around Sydney's aquarium shops checking out what bettas were available. If you spotted a double tail in your spawn that fry would get extra special treatment because they were absolute gold in terms of trying to get better finnage. If you were lucky you might through careful selection produce delta tails in F2. And you had to be content with just looking at pictures of half moons. I did manage to get a bit of a break when I met a betta breeder who had lived in Japan and brought back some of his fish when he returned to Sydney. He had stopped breeding them and was looking for someone to carry on his lines. His fish were blue cambodians and marbles. And there was one tiny runt of a double tail female. Eventually I had to move out of that flat and the next one wasn't quite as well laid out for keeping bettas warm. I was also getting more involved with killies and in fact started the National Australian Killifish Association along with some friends. But I've lost touch with NAKA. Don't know if those guys are still going. I live in Melbourne now. Recently I finally plucked up the courage to leave a highly stressful, underpaid job. Suddenly I found that I had time and energy to think about hobbies. First I resurrected the old fish tank that had been sitting empty in a back room. I was only intending to set up a community tank with some plants. But one thing led to another at the aquarium shop and before you know it I'm breeding bettas again. I've had two disastrous spawning attempts. The first spawn was completely wiped out after the first week or so. And the male went into a morose state from which he never recovered. The female survived though and I went out and got another male to have another go. He absolutely ripped her to shreds. She was dropping eggs all over the breeding tank and I finally had to remove her in an attempt to keep her alive. But this time they both became morose and eventually died. So searching for other Australian betta breeders is my attempt to cure the post-spawning depression that I find myself falling into. Unlike the bettas though I don't go off my food when I'm depressed. If any of you have stock available. I'm interested in talking with you. Cheers, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 WELCOME! I haven't had any luck with spawning lately... I'm just starting. I've had 3 spawns so far, 1st lot died within days, 2nd lot a week, 3rd lot majority died and i had ONE lonely fry that made it to one month before it also died. I've had a girl kill one of my boys, i've lost a great daddy from depression and i've just had no luck getting anything to spawn ever since! so i wish you luck! I'm sure there are plenty of melbournites who can help get you started again ~Stacey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightingfishfancier Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 What a great introduction Michael and welcome aboard If you let people know what type and maybe colour you are after someone maybe able to help you out, it's a friendly bunch here. Cheers, Heidi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beano Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 That story sounds a lot like what I'm doing right now... at home, no housemates, lots of betta accumulation, juvies growing up, lack of 2L containers thus far to put them in, and spending my days off work looking in fish stores! Welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 I second that Heidi! Welcome Michael Good on you for getting back into hobbies. We all need some 'us time'. I am sure you will find some bettas you are looking for through some members here. Najrick have some great bettas up for sale now. http://ausaqua.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=3880&hl= Jess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted May 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Wow! Thanks for the quick replies. The hobby seems to have advanced quite a bit in the intervening years. I think somewhere in the still unpacked boxes I brought back to Melbourne when I left Sydney (only 9 years ago) is the issue of FAMA magazine with the picture of the green half moon on the cover. I feel kinda old for remembering that. But at least I'm not so old that I can no longer remember things like that. There was no hope of getting half moons back then but now you can sometimes find them in aquarium shops. And there's also crown tails and coppers and golds. So I'm having some trouble making up my mind. I'm attracted to blues and greens. I also like the blacks and I'm intrigued by the metallics. A metallic opaque might be interesting to work on. In terms of finnage I'm not sure about the crown tails. They look kinda untidy. But half moons, double tails and short fins will all be interesting to work with I think. Cheers, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beano Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 You may have only seen pet store crowntails. Hop on aquabid, there's plenty of show quality ones, they don't look messy. I love CT's. If only mine would actually spawn now. I only got 15 fry out of my nice show black copper CT pair and now they hate each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Hi Michael, I second that it's a great introduction. I think it was about 02 when we started seeing HMs etc here in Australia, in pet stores at least. I used to try and spawn VTs and PKs before that, but getting females was nigh on impossible. I had one successful VT spawn, then got myself some HMs and took it from there. Thank you to Jodi-Lea (Fishchick) for getting us access to better stock via aquabid. I look forward to hearing more of your adventures. Lately a few of us have experimented with leaving father with fry, in fact that is all I do now, and the moroseness isn't an issue in those circumstances. Of course, if the fry don't survive that's not of a lot of help to him (unfortunately one of my orange males is acting miserable after a stupid water change by me killed his 100-odd 3 week old fry.). Good luck getting the stock you're after! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooshoo Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 greetings! and welcome :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 you could always post a "wanted to buy" in the classifieds and specify what you're looking for, I'm sure everyone will reply if they can help you out :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callatya Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Welcome Michael! There are a few killi guys on here too, if that takes your fancy. I am hopeless with the little things, not quite sure what I did wrong. The 'leftover' girl loved living the community fish life though, it's kinda sad that they aren't more valued for that purpose. Don't worry about the first two spawns, we'll get you going again :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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