My boys

[xshadowx]

Thought I'd share some pics of my boys

My first ever betta, and the boy that started my addiction. His name is Casper... he had some very long term fin issues, and they've grown back rather messily. Having said that I do kinda like his 'rough, ragged' look I bought him last Aprilish, so he's over a year old now. I have no idea how old he was when I got him. I've travelled 2800km with this guy (driving from uni in townsville to home in bris, then back up) and he always seems really content when travelling- always blows a nest whilst on the move, and then a massive one when we stop

Ok I'd like to post pics of my other two boys but won't let me yet..

[Queenserpentine]

aww.....He is a lovely little cutie Good, to see another person willing to travel with their pets Makes me very happy :)

[xshadowx]

Thanks Yeah, these guys are part of my family too, so if I go home I'll take them with me. should be fun this christmas, I'll be going home and taking 2 cats, 4 bettas and a turtle

Here's Prince... He's gone 1400km with me (brisbane to townsville). I just couldn't resist his colour in the petstore, though these photos don't come close to doing him justice. in real life he's a genuine purple with white tipped fins.

Eb; he's the most stressy of my bettas; the other boys don't seem to mind at all during water changes, though this boy stresses a lot. He was initially in a 10L tank, though because he stressed so much during the changes, I swapped him and Casper, so now Eb is in the 40L shared with prince, and casper is in the 10L. He also recently split his tail which is still healing up.

[ninoid12]

casper has stunning colour!!!!!!! his ragged looks are quite attractive i think. If he was a good size when you bought him, he was probably at least 6-9mths old. but keep looking after him the same as you are doing and he should last quite some time yet :woohoo:

[xshadowx]

Thanks I do quite like his ragged look. He's still spoilt and always will be, as with my other boys

two more of eb

The newest boy, I brought him home a few days ago. He doesn't seem to stress much, if at all, he's active and very inquisitive. EDIT: This new boy is now called Kahn, suggested by Queenserpentine I think it suits him perfectly!

[Fergus]

They are some very lovely boys you have there!! I have a Prince too, he's a red/purple VT though LOL. My son named him after Scott Prince from the Titans LOL

[Queenserpentine]

I'm also loving Eb He is just plain gorgeous *drool*

The last new boy, having a looksie at his pictures only, not knowing his personality, maybe his name could be Kahn?

He looks cute and mean at the same time. Hope you like my suggestion :)

[xshadowx]

Hehe Eb is my lil boy, he's really quite shy:) Also, you nailed the new boy perfectly; he looks little and cute, but he's very fierce. I did a very quick experiment about 6 hours after I brought him home and moved his temporary container next to prince's tank... immediately started flaring. He flares at anything, he's quite fearless And I love the name Kahn, so Kahn it is, thankye very much for that suggestion!

I find it quite amusing... today while I was at uni all four boys, including the newly named Kahn, blew bubble nests! princes won in sheer size and thickness, followed by Ebs, caspers and finally kahns (which was a row of bubbles).

I have a query... I'd love to try breeding, and would probably use prince to try and get more purple bettas (he really does look like a genuine purple in real life, with red ventrals) because I've never seen another fish like him before... but what do you guys do with your fry? No way would I want to take them to a petstore, I've seen what happens to their bettas and the majority of owners that buy them...

[fighter boy]

majority of us would sell them id say... i havnt had many fry of my own that i have sold. most of them were handed out to family members or freinds or even used to better my own line.... some swap with local fish stores for credit. others with mroe valuable and "fancier" betta sell interstate or over seas.

i hope thats what you meant by your question and not the whole jaring proccess.///

hope ive helped...

[xshadowx]

yeah thats what I meant... I just don't know what to do with the fry once they're old enough and big enough to be rehomed... I certainly can't keep that many bettas!

[fighter boy]

sure yeah can... no one can resist the temptation... lol..

[xshadowx]

Well.. I'd probably keep one or two... but... shouldn't... lol I'd just want to make sure I had good homes lined up before I bred them.. I'm a responsible parent? lol

[Chuckie]

Keep an eye for a while on what people are selling on the forum, and the sort of prices they ask for the quality of fish they are selling, and work out from that data if there is a market for your fish. There are a few CT fans but unless you're willing to invest in courier labels for shipping, you'll only be able to sell locally (as to which, please put your location in your profile).

Meanwhile I'd also suggest that if your aim is to produce a purple betta, you do some research on genetics. The production of a true purple betta continues to elude even very experienced breeders, who can mass produce them seeking a purple outcome. There is no actual gene for "purple" in bettas (unlike the genes for red, non-red, spread iridescence, black, metallic and marble, for instance). You don't know your betta's genotype as he is from a LFS but I'd say you'd get a 'mixed bag of lollies' from him whatever colour female you cross him with as he appears to genotypically be a fish with red wash and an opaque layer over the top.

Just some food for thought and further enquiry! ;)

[xshadowx]

Thanks for your help lilli I have done a bit of research and read a few things about 'purple' genetics (i.e. no actual gene for the colour). I'd still like to try though

I'm also located in Townsville, QLD :)

[Chuckie]

I'm also located in Townsville, QLD

please put your location in your profile

:)

[xshadowx]

Sorry... It has actually been updated. I intended to do it before but forgot.

I promise I'm not as idiotic as I may seem at the moment, its amazing what lack of sleep with uni do to you.

[Chuckie]

If THAT justifies a ruling of "idiotic", then there is no hope for me!!!! :)