[ZombieLuv]

Hi everyone

It's been awhile since I've kept any fish or had tanks running. I lost my last beautiful healthy male over a year ago from unknown causes and I was quite upset about it. Broke that last running tank down and gave all my Pink Ramhorns to my sisterinlaw for her tanks. I've started cycling a brackish tank for a Opae Ula colony and it just popped into my head, why don't I set up my smaller 2.5g for a betta again. Got it going, waited a bit as I was unsure to go to my local petco whom always has an awesome selection or have one shipped from a breeder in the states. I decided to try Petco first and was very happy to find a young Koi female, the only Koi they had left in stock. I have always been a fan of the girls, so I grabbed her container as soon as I saw her before even finishing looking through the rest of them. She is pretty young, but since I have never bred bettas before, I honestly have no idea on how many months. I would think she has to be younger then 5 months though as her coloring is barely there.

Does anyone want to take a gander at how old she may be? I know ballpark only guesses as it may not be something that is 100%.

Thanks in advance

 

[Rana]

She's lovely, I can see why you grabbed her!

If she was sold as an adult, then she's most likely around five to six months old. That's when bettas tend to be at their prime in terms of looks- old enough to be colored up, young enough that their fins haven't started dragging them down- and old enough that the breeder has decided which ones they'll keep for the next generation. Most stores do tend to sell females younger than males, I have noticed, because you don't have to wait for long fins to grow out. So she may grow a bit larger more now that she's home with you, but I wouldn't expect her to double in size or anything drastic like that.

Her colors may be pale from stress, or she may just have a "faded" look to her pattern. Let her settle in for a couple of days and she'll most likely be showing her full colors, whatever they turn out to be.

 

[pnwbetta]

After way too many trips into Petco & Petsmart (petco is the only one I've seen that has true 'baby' bettas) and a recent young addition or two, I'd guess around 2 months tops. She looks like she will get a lot of color (and personality) in the next few months!

But I don't breed Bettas so I can't say for sure... just all the fish I've looked at recently.

 

[ZombieLuv]

She's lovely, I can see why you grabbed her!

If she was sold as an adult, then she's most likely around five to six months old. That's when bettas tend to be at their prime in terms of looks- old enough to be colored up, young enough that their fins haven't started dragging them down- and old enough that the breeder has decided which ones they'll keep for the next generation. Most stores do tend to sell females younger than males, I have noticed, because you don't have to wait for long fins to grow out. So she may grow a bit larger more now that she's home with you, but I wouldn't expect her to double in size or anything drastic like that.

Her colors may be pale from stress, or she may just have a "faded" look to her pattern. Let her settle in for a couple of days and she'll most likely be showing her full colors, whatever they turn out to be.

Yes, I think she's gonna be a small girl too. I really don't mind as it gives her a bit more room in her tank then. She was stressed and has just gotten a bit more color/blush to her and is not as clamped down. The pictures I took were as soon as I got home from the store before I floated her cup in the tank. I have been floating her for a few days now and flushing the cup water with tank water and will be releasing her tonight. Can't wait:smile2:

 

[ZombieLuv]

After way too many trips into Petco & Petsmart (petco is the only one I've seen that has true 'baby' bettas) and a recent young addition or two, I'd guess around 2 months tops. She looks like she will get a lot of color (and personality) in the next few months!

But I don't breed Bettas so I can't say for sure... just all the fish I've looked at recently.

I'm releasing her into the tank tonight and can't wait to see her progress. She seems to have relaxed a bit floating in the cup in the tank and being very good by eating what I've been feeding her.

I love keeping females over males as I think they have a bit more spunk and was really glad I got her.