LauraFrog
Fish Gatherer
Finally got my first bettas... they are each in 2 gal filtered cycled tanks. (Yes, I know I said three gals... converted wrong! 
oops)
They are both crowntails, males of course. I will try to get pics of them tonight, but it's dusk in Australia. The tank lights aren't very powerful and they're next to a south-facing window, so dusk is a BAD time for taking photos. Besides, today's buy still has stress lines and is hiding. Poor baby...
The first one came from my favourite LFS. They had a really good run of bettas, there were a couple that set me drooling. I got in there less than three hours after the shipment arrived but I missed the best ones, they sell REALLY fast. I was tossing up between a purple and blue VT and a blue, red and black CT. In the end I bought the crowntail because the veiltail looked less active and not as healthy.
He's got a LOT of character. This is why I love bettas, lol. Every time I walk in the room, he swims under the feeding flap.
He's dark bodied with blue iridescent scales on the lower half. Ventral fins are bright red, anal fin and caudal fin are red with some blue rays. He has slight double ray, but the split is only a few mm from the end of the ray. His dorsal fin is blue with peacock markings. Peacock crowntail!!!
The second one I picked up today. I was in the city with friends and we ended up in this MASSIVE pet shop. I think he officially qualifies as a rescue:
ME: walks into shop and starts poking around. Notices bettas. Starts looking. Most are veiltails, standard colours, very unhealthy. Four have finrot and one has columnaris. Most of the remaining ones are thin and lethargic. Spots one of the few healthy bettas - silver and red crowntail. Starts drooling. Picks up container (tiny) and holds it up to the light for a look.
SALESPERSON: glares disapprovingly at me for touching the betta
ME: ignores salesperson, keeps looking at betta
SALESPERSON: drinks coffee while sending text messages
ME: takes betta over to counter
SALESPERSON: gets the hint, walks back to betta wall to get bag
ME: "I got lucky, the prettiest one is also the healthiest!"
SALESPERSON: "They're all healthy".
ME: "Look at him though, he's lying on his side, and so is that one. Most of them have their fins clamped." (I mean pectorals clamped against sides, not just not flaring.)
SALESPERSON: "There's nothing wrong with them. I've been in the industry six years."
ME: Disbelieving look.
SALESPERSON: "See?" Puts hand in betta jar, swishes water around.
BETTA: (not the one I bought!) Lies on his side on bottom of jar and doesn't move.
SALESPERSON: glares at betta
ME: stares at male plakat being sold as female betta. Says nothing (has no proof)
SALESPERSON: "I've been in the industry six years and all of these fish are fine. They're supposed to look like that."
ME: manages not to laugh
SALESPERSON: "They put them all through quarantine and make sure they're healthy."
ME: bites back lecture. "Isn't that what kills half of them? The chemicals?"
SALESPERSON: Gives me filthy look
ME: Gives up, hands over money, takes betta and bolts
The poor thing got dragged through shopping centres all day (couldn't leave him in the car, it's too hot) and is finally home and settling into his tank. He's REALLY annoyed with me. His bubblenest got destroyed when he got bagged. He is a stunner, steel/silver with red ventrals, some of the longest rays I've ever seen on a crowntail, red highlights in the tail, double ray. He must be about six months old, he's a lot bigger than the ones in the LFS that are four months old. Typical that we went shopping on a Sunday because the fish shop that has all the halfmoons is closed - but I'll get in there one day...
PICS COMING. I <3 my bettas...
oops)They are both crowntails, males of course. I will try to get pics of them tonight, but it's dusk in Australia. The tank lights aren't very powerful and they're next to a south-facing window, so dusk is a BAD time for taking photos. Besides, today's buy still has stress lines and is hiding. Poor baby...
The first one came from my favourite LFS. They had a really good run of bettas, there were a couple that set me drooling. I got in there less than three hours after the shipment arrived but I missed the best ones, they sell REALLY fast. I was tossing up between a purple and blue VT and a blue, red and black CT. In the end I bought the crowntail because the veiltail looked less active and not as healthy.
He's got a LOT of character. This is why I love bettas, lol. Every time I walk in the room, he swims under the feeding flap.
He's dark bodied with blue iridescent scales on the lower half. Ventral fins are bright red, anal fin and caudal fin are red with some blue rays. He has slight double ray, but the split is only a few mm from the end of the ray. His dorsal fin is blue with peacock markings. Peacock crowntail!!!
The second one I picked up today. I was in the city with friends and we ended up in this MASSIVE pet shop. I think he officially qualifies as a rescue:
ME: walks into shop and starts poking around. Notices bettas. Starts looking. Most are veiltails, standard colours, very unhealthy. Four have finrot and one has columnaris. Most of the remaining ones are thin and lethargic. Spots one of the few healthy bettas - silver and red crowntail. Starts drooling. Picks up container (tiny) and holds it up to the light for a look.
SALESPERSON: glares disapprovingly at me for touching the betta
ME: ignores salesperson, keeps looking at betta
SALESPERSON: drinks coffee while sending text messages
ME: takes betta over to counter
SALESPERSON: gets the hint, walks back to betta wall to get bag
ME: "I got lucky, the prettiest one is also the healthiest!"
SALESPERSON: "They're all healthy".
ME: "Look at him though, he's lying on his side, and so is that one. Most of them have their fins clamped." (I mean pectorals clamped against sides, not just not flaring.)
SALESPERSON: "There's nothing wrong with them. I've been in the industry six years."
ME: Disbelieving look.
SALESPERSON: "See?" Puts hand in betta jar, swishes water around.
BETTA: (not the one I bought!) Lies on his side on bottom of jar and doesn't move.
SALESPERSON: glares at betta
ME: stares at male plakat being sold as female betta. Says nothing (has no proof)
SALESPERSON: "I've been in the industry six years and all of these fish are fine. They're supposed to look like that."
ME: manages not to laugh
SALESPERSON: "They put them all through quarantine and make sure they're healthy."
ME: bites back lecture. "Isn't that what kills half of them? The chemicals?"
SALESPERSON: Gives me filthy look
ME: Gives up, hands over money, takes betta and bolts
The poor thing got dragged through shopping centres all day (couldn't leave him in the car, it's too hot) and is finally home and settling into his tank. He's REALLY annoyed with me. His bubblenest got destroyed when he got bagged. He is a stunner, steel/silver with red ventrals, some of the longest rays I've ever seen on a crowntail, red highlights in the tail, double ray. He must be about six months old, he's a lot bigger than the ones in the LFS that are four months old. Typical that we went shopping on a Sunday because the fish shop that has all the halfmoons is closed - but I'll get in there one day...
PICS COMING. I <3 my bettas...
I haven't even tried to feed him because he's hiding all the time and won't see the food. I know that he's not really sick because he's building a bubble nest. I unplugged the filter because it was annoying him.
