ALL of my Betta Fish (and the fish room)

[logisticsguy]

Originally Posted by Sena Hansler

So, when I have enough heaters (and make sure to have enough time too) I would like to breed:

Phantom Menace and his huge mustard gas lady - who I assume came from a dragonscale line?
El and probably the red halfmoon gal, and see what comes from an EE and her xD
Cirocco may or may not be bred... But if he is I'll breed to Lilith, the Peaches lookalike :)

Interesting about the big MG girl. Spoke to the breeder and she looked at her log. She and the other big girl have same father who was a giant but different Moms. Told me the face (grumpy old man) is common trait of some giants. Hope the Phantom likes her I really do! I tried breeding Finnigan to Big Mary but for various reasons mostly size imo lil fella just couldnt wrap it up. Not so bad because Im super time challenged and not ready to tackle another spawn just yet cuz as you know its labour and $$ intensive thing.

[Sena Hansler]

Haha Emma (the red one?) has a much softer face. Every time I see the MG gal I can't help but laugh xD it's such a funny face hahaha.

The doubletail spawn I have noticed a HUGE size difference between them and the CTs at that age. I may even do 2 large water changes a day (75%) with smaller ones inbetween (25% or so) each day. Though one has red fins! And some are super pale.

[Syriiven]

Okay, so I've been wondering this for awhile - how does frequent water changes help them grow? I understand not wanting ammonia to build up , but is that all?

[Skyewillow]

it keeps their growth-inhibiting hormone from accumulating.
(if I remember correctly)

[Sena Hansler]

That's right. Fish naturally have this hormone, that stunts each other. The bigger the fish, the more hormone there is. Hence why a goldfish in a bowl will become severely stunted, in order for it to. "Fit the environment" (though we know their organs keep growing as it is unnatural to remain super small).

Same thing with Bettas. A growth stunting hormone makes it "survival of the fittest". So to allow them to grow, more water changes is essential.

[Syriiven]

Hrm....should I be worrying about more frequent water changes for my youngins then?

[Sena Hansler]

Depends on the spawn, really. I have 17 in the 10, and probably 200 or so in the other 10. The 17 I can get away with 75% a day, but the other spawn I need to do at least 2. And clean after every feeding :p

Notice how LG's fish came to you really big compared to mine? He power fed and power cleaned xD whereas I didn't power clean lol. And it was hard to keep up with feedings anyways xD

[Sena Hansler]

They won't do it when they know I am watching... But Peaches and Lilith showed me how flaring is communicative and not a threatening stand. Side by side, puffed out, still as they could be, but no biting tail slapping or harm if any way.

[Syriiven]

I've thought about that while watching them all. But not just flaring, but I think there's a form of communication beyond us going on. When I had the two boys in the split 10g, Kalec would be on the farside, faced away from the divider with plants in the way - but EVRY time Seiya got close to the divider, Kalec would zoomie over and immediately stsrt flaring out. A threat, but the way he knew without seeing makes me wonder about their hearing. Lateral lines sensing vibration is my first theory.

But it opened up the idea to me of how they cpmmunicate beyond threat displays or when mating.

So i find it very interesting how your girls did that and what it might mean.

Any ideas?

[Sena Hansler]

Lol I wonder too. Seeing fry communicate is also interesting. I've seen two join together to bully another, I've seen some look eye to eye with each other... Some play the role of the annoying sister ("I'm not touching you I'm not touching you"), while others even defend each other.