Debate

[starrynightxxi]

how very roman of them. pass me the grapes

 

[Wisperian]

Theres a difference between being opinionated and just plain rude and or obnoxious.

Telling us to do more research is just unnesescary('scuse my spelling. Doing my english project, don't wanna think any harder). When many sites full of breeders and experienced keepers tell us the same tank requirements over and over and having you telling us exactly what to do, is just not needed. I've tried keeping my bettas in with other fish, if my betta didnt get torn from the plants, ornaments or such, my other fish would get hurt by the betta. My new 25g I got a while back had nothing in it but 5 corys and 1 betta. The betta wuold flare from under the driftwood and like bite the corys so I took him out. You're telling us that bettas should have tankmakes. You tell us that they'll be happier. But what about the tankmates in there? Do they -enjoy- having someone be the dominant fish in the tank and have their swimming space limited? Bettas sit there for relaxation and such. As many people have posted, do you seriously think they would enjoy swimming around everywhere patrolling their huge tank to make sure he's the "king"? I'm sure you wouldnt want to carry 20 bowling balls in your backpack and skip up and down the stairs of your house.

 

[jollysue]

Roman grapes

Catsmakemebark, how about posting some pictures of your fish and tanks? Just about everyone here loves to look at Betta pics. "The best of AquqBid" thread is certainly proof of that!

I am watching my Lips with curiousty. He was in a 3 usg spit filtered tank with a sibling brother. He somehow jumped the divider and damaged his brother's fins. Just when I thought the finrot had run it's course, the brother went down like a rock.

So I put Lips in a three usg critterkeeper. All my Betta tanks are stacked, empty and waiting for me to take time to disinfect them. He has more room, no current to fight. And he is most unhappy. He is right next to Ms. Kinky and ignores her. He has stopped making bubble nests, which he did in spite of the current before. He has more room, more decore and is next to a female, but he is not at all happy with the change.

Indeed reading Betta minds is a talent.

 

[wuvmybetta]

They're fickle creatures! Good luck with the betta psychology, Sue

 

[jollysue]

Hi wuv!

Actually I sincerely would like to see the pictures. Someday soon I will post some of Lips, Ms. Kinky and Fynn of Distinction.

By the way, nice thread on growing and feeding daphnia and microwworms

 

[jollysue]

Thanks for not saying "fishy" psychology, wuv.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

And the fighters in the .5 usgs?

yes that's correct

 

[jollysue]

How often do you have to change them?

 

[wuvmybetta]

Sue, I am glad to see you back in action

I keep mine in those .5 gallon jars we use for shows. The club owns like 500 of them so I've wound up with a few over the years. I also use 1 gallon kk's, and 2.5's. With my .5 gallons I change the water every three to four days or so. I know you were talking to cracker but I want to talk about my water changes toooooo

 

[jollysue]

Hurry up, Synirr

I had a terrible time after moving keeping caught up with all the fishy work. I was maxed and embarrassed about losing so many of Synirr's babies.

I got a dozen of those show boxes. They are acrylic w/lids, about a foot tall by 3" or 4" square. I have used them to quickly home new Betta or sick Betta.

Who do you keep in the .5s?

(I can't wait for Synirr to finish.)

Thanks, I'm glad to be back.

 

[Synirr]

I've had many betta's that love to patrol and they all enjoyed having more territory. They had no trouble what so ever with patroling. I have put some in smaller tanks for quarentine and they hated it. All they did was sit at the bottom. Betta's are fish, they can swim, if they get tired of swimming they can rest.

If you cant afford that many big tanks then maybe you should stop breeding. Tell me this. What do you acheive in betta breeding that the species can benifit from. I dont care about pretty colors and fancy fines. Personal I love natural unaltered animals. I love how they were made and didnt try to change them because I want to make them pretty. They are all beautiful. I can understand breeding when it is to help the species, like to keep it going, or strengthing it, but breeding for color, looks, or fighting, is a selfish hobbie.

Erm, yeah, that's the problem... like I said, bettas were selectively bred in the beginning for aggression that is linked to territorial behaviour, which makes them hyper-territorial. As such, some are driven to patrol, like Wuv said, to the point of exhaustion. Some don't simply stop when they get tired, they only stop when they can swim no more. For this reason it is generally safer for your fish to keep them in a tank where they can see their entire domain with relative ease, so they don't have to constantly swim to make sure it is free of intruders, if that is their inclination. Obsessive-compulsive people are sometimes driven to wash their hands until they bleed, but that doesn't mean they want to, just that they are compelled to do so and cannot control their own self-destructive behaviour.

Of course it's a selfish hobby, taking any animal from its natural habitat to be housed as a pet for our own amusement is selfish, don't kid yourself. Personally, I breed a few species of wild bettas as well, which is helpful in that it supplies tank raised fish within the hobby and helps eliminate the demand for wild-caught fish. I can afford big tanks, and in my new apartment, I also have room for them. It's not a question of the means, it's a question of what is right for the fish, and it doesn't seem to me that you have enough experience with any betta species to be qualified to speak to that effect. Do you even know what their behaviour is like in their natural habitat?

 

[wuvmybetta]

Who do you keep in the .5s?

kids I want to keep, breeders that I've accumulated...
new parents all go to 2.5's after spawning. Call it incentive, if you will. The wilds all get 10's and 20's, although my albi fry are in 5's and 2.5's right now. I need more tens..

 

[jollysue]

How many "keepers" do you have now? I think my show boxes must be about quart or more. Would you use those for more than brief spans? When I did have some in them, the fish seemed comfortable and they were certainly easier to clean than most.

I've been looking forward to Synirr's posts on this thread. Very reasoned.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

How often do you have to change them?

Depends on my mood ... I'm too lazy

 

[wuvmybetta]

How many "keepers" do you have now?

I couldn't even tell ya, girl. I've gathered up a couple dozen over the past couple of months, and I kept about 15 to 20 of my own. These are the jars I use..

I went and took pics of my fishroom but the lights were off and they came out all orby. I don't think the fish appreciated the flashes either

I'd be cautious of the beanie boxes, if that's what they are. Don't go too long without water changes or they might leach some chemicals into the water. I've had trouble with some plastics, but I'm pretty sure beanie boxes are okay. A lot of people use them!