Guest delerious Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 I haven't gotten any further than gazing at fish in pet stores and looking at photos on thai websites yet. I have a couple of questions... during my in pet store gazing I was wondering how one judges the quality of the male fish in absence of flaring? They seem to just float there mostly motionless in their tiny jars so you can't really get a good look at them. Other question i have is that I've heard its best to buy from Thailand, I find the idea rather daunting! Is it necessary? Can you get decent fish within Australia, or better within Melbourne? It seems plenty of people on this forum buy them here so I suppose thats a yes.... what would the pros and cons of Thai fish vs Aussie fish be? questions questions... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 Howdies, Check out someone on youtube. Has stunning fish, is in Brissy but ships all over Oz. someone is also the transhipper who quarantines all Bettas coming in from Thailand. I'm picking up my 3 new boys from her tomorrow (1st time importer) and I'm not at all excited - liar, liar, pants on fire! Nothing could've been easier - the guys in Thailand are brilliant (see aquabid.com but be sure your seller has excellent f/back & mentions someone as the transhipper). Then leading up to their arrival & when they're here, someone's totally on the ball with keeping buyers updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 Take a compact mirror with you, to encourage males to flare. If it won't flare, it may as well be a tissue. Of course you can get decent fish in Australia! Have a look at the Gene Pool forum and see people's spawn logs and what we are breeding right here. You don't need to go to the trouble and cost of importing fish to get a nice betta - many of us have already done that and have lines we're working on with the offspring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest delerious Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 Thanks for the info looked up fish chick, some very stunning fish! You'd have to get in fast though! Lilli re good fish in Melbourne, perhaps 'decent' wasn't the best word to use 'just as good' maybe better... so this brings me back to wondering what the advantage in buying fish from Thailand is? It seems many breeders still do it and I was told its best to buy from there. I suppose to bring in and maintain genetic diversity here in OZ? Or? Compact mirror, good idea :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 Not all varieties are available here. If you want something in particular, and nobody here breeds it, you have to import it. We sadly have a very small pool of hobbyists in this country, and we can't all breed every colour, tail type and species :applaud: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 Well, I picked up my 3 x Thai boys from someone today that I bought on Aquabid. I can honestly say it was a bit of an anti-climax at the end of the day. Two I am very pleased with, but not as ecstatic as I was when I viewed their auction photos. The third, I wouldn't say he's anything at all to write home about - may come into his own once he grows up. I may call him "Duckling" - total cost just for him $67.50!!! I know they go through a lot from Thailand until someone gets them, colours dull etc. but, I have to say, compared to the stunning fish I gaze at in her shop, I'll be buying only those someone or other local breeders have for sale in future. Just my 2 cents worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest delerious Posted May 16, 2010 Report Share Posted May 16, 2010 Take a compact mirror with you, to encourage males to flare. If it won't flare, it may as well be a tissue. Tried this today, he didn't flare is this unusual though because there were a few of them all lined up in jars side by side looking at each other 24/7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted May 16, 2010 Report Share Posted May 16, 2010 It can be hard to get fish in a LFS to flare because of several reasons. They aren't in the best of conditions (little jar, colder temps, disease... the list goes on), and they tend to become accustomed to being next to the same fish all the time. I sometimes try shuffle the jars around to give them new neighbours, this sometimes encourages them to flare, but obviously with so little space, they don't usually give a full display. You might want to look for other features that aren't displayed when flaring, eg, ray count, fin length and overall form, symmetry and straight rays (web reduction % when a CT). Of course these are best seen when flaring, but you can still get a good idea by just looking at the fish. If you like what you see then chances are that he'll look even better when you give him a proper home. Just be aware that some betta just wont flare (uncommon in a healthy male, but, can and does happen - considered a major fault in show bettas). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninoid12 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Definitely check the classifieds section on here. Some ppl have young stock that are for sale in Melbourne, as well as around Australia that can post (buyers expense of course) Have a daydream at fighters on websites, see what colours/patterns/tail types you like the most. Might help prevent the fighter-hysteria that most of us get, where we own about 20-50+ fighters of all shapes and colours lol *grin* Good luck *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest delerious Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Oh I'm well known for my pickyness, everything must be particular and perfect! So my fish would likely belong to the elite supermodel betta crowd lol Thats interesting Paul, I didn't realise they would distinguish between one betta and another so well. I'd think its only colour they respond to mostly? So the new neighbour would need to be of different colour than old neighbour? Or will I be surprised and they are even more shrewd? Well anyway there goes my theory that a look at himself was probably much the same as a look at his neighbour all day long and therefore of little effect :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neffy Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 your unlikely to find a supermodel betta in a petstore it does happen tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Fed Posted May 18, 2010 Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 +1 for someone, I have bought 3 fish off her so far and all have been awesome quality. Not the cheapest but I'm not complaining! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristaml24 Posted May 18, 2010 Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 They are out there.......... just finding them is the trick lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettasbest Posted May 18, 2010 Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 Hi delerious, I purchased my VT male from a lps and he was just kinda sitting there like you describe kinda just floating but as soon as i got him home and put him in a new bigger bowl he was swimming around and is much more active he also flares magnificently when he is able to see my female VT which i hope to spawn him with. I've never tried the compact mirror trick but in the small jars they are in i dont think they could even fully spread their finage with that minimal space. If you want to see the fish flare before you purchase it i would say try and get one from a local breeder or aquabid is an option. My male has only gotten more beautiful as he has grown - his longer fins showing off the bright turqoise irridescent he has. Just keep looking around im sure you will find the right onw for you Julie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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