I Finally Got My Betta!

[rebrn]

Thanks. I think you are right. I looked up pictures of veiltails and that definately looks like him. I was almost positive he was not a crown tail when I saw him at the store, because he didn't look spikey enough. Also, they had the crowntails clearly marked.

On a side note, is it normal for them to be this shy so early on. He really hasn't come out of his cave much, and when he does he goes right back in if you just walk by the tank, not even stopping to look at him. It is like he sees you coming and runs and hides. I am assuming he his eating what I am putting in because the food is gone, but I haven't actually seen him eat. It has not even been 24 hours yet, so I am assuming his shyness is normal.

 

[Lacuna]

Yeah, and in my experience crowntails cost more as well, but the veiltails are just as nice.

 

[rebrn]

That's ok...I don't care what type he is I like him

 

[Haych]

he will more than likely sulk for a couple of weeks.

he looks like a cap head? spot head? lol dunno!

 

[Amberleaf]

Ooh, he is gorgeous!

Yeah, Bettas always tend to sulk when you take them home -- Mr. Wimpy Fish actually tried to commit suicide on the first day I got him by burying his head in the rocks!

Luckily, though, he knows me now; so, I can move him wherever I want to and he doesn't care. He's been in.... Hmm.... His first home was 2.5-gal.... Next, a 5-gal, I believe.... Then a divided portion of 2.5-gal in the 5-gal.... Then in a 10-gal w/ lots of other fish.... And, now, he's in a 6-gal with 4 platies.

LOLS, if he's a nice fishie, you could probably add 2 or 3 platies to his tank!

 

[rebrn]

Thanks, but I don't know about adding other fish with him, he seems pretty grumpy. Even at the store he was on a shelf all by him self, I wondered why until I set him on a different shelf with other bettas while I looked at some of the others, he instantly started flaring at the other bettas in their containers. Even this morning he flared at me twice when I got too close to the tank, and he flares every time the camera comes out (then swims into his cave before I can snap the photo). I was wanting to add a snail in there with him, but with his behaviour so far I would fear for the life of the snail . I definitely know he is a fighting fish.

 

[hihi100202]

looks great! but, still, 101 days? thats a LONG time

He should be fine with snails. he probably is flaring because hes not used to other fish, ect. as you said he was all alone. could also add corys too.

 

[rebrn]

Tell me about it, my patience was tested to the limit with that tank, my other one took 69 days and the big one took 40, but it was a used filter that really didn't need to cycle but I took media from it to speed up the other two. That was part of my problem, I didn't really know anyone with tanks near by so I basically did it with no mature media untill about 1 month before it finished. Also about 2 weeks into it, the filter that came with the 5 gallon kit died, no big deal it was a cruddy filter anyway, but still had to start over with a new filter.

I thought about corys, but in a 5 gallon tank, might be a little tight.

 

[loraxchick]

if you want to add tankmates now is the time to do it. before he gets comfortable being the only one in the tank.
it is a sulking behavior you are seeing. it takes a while for some bettas to truly be comfortable with their surroundings (which is why you should add others now-he will see them as part of the "decor" (also, as you fishless cycled your filter, one betta isnt as much waste as a fully stocked tank, so you will inevitable lose bacteria, and if you add fish in the future you run into potential ammonia issues for a while).
he is certainly a VT. he is not one straight color type (like dalmation, butterfly, etc.).
he seems to have lots of color variation. i see slight butterfly gene, slight dalmation gene on his anal (bottom) fin and is a mask (dark head)...so hes a blue and red black masked, dalmation,butterfly VT ot whatever combination of those you want to put them in. a lovely guy (VTs are my fav).
keep the updates coming
cheers

 

[rebrn]

Yeah I kinda figured that with the bacteria. I am looking for some Nerite snails but none of the LFS around have them so I am going to have to order them. But as I will also be ordering some fish on-line for my big tank, I just figured I would wait and do it all at once. One of the LFS here will order special fish in for you (well ones that they don't stock regularily) but there is a $10 flat special order fee (per order), so oder 1 or 20 fish same fee as long as I order them all at the time. So I figured I don't want to spend an extra $10 just to order snails So I will be going Monday to order the fish so will order the snails at the same time.