I succumbed

[MaloK]

I told myself "Just one tank this time"... But.

I bought a Fluval Betta Premium Kit, A huge Java fern, And a very small Red and Blue CrownTail.

He's looking like a Lazy couch potato already, sitting in the fern. He's super shy at the moment.

I already had, Gravel, and rocks, and a lots of water tempered and ready to be used.

It's the first time I try such a kit, and must say, It has a very large Filter media compartment, I Replaced the activated carbon and the ceramic bio-media for 3 pot scrubbers instead. I settled the pump to maximum an still the water movement is nearly imperceptible. The baffle at the outflow is really well done.

Except the base of the tank that is made with ridiculously cheap plastic, overall at first glance it surely "mechanically" seems to meet all requirement a betta has.

The kit comes nearly "All dressed" With: Tank, Hood, Led Light, Filter enclosure, Pump, Sponge, Ceramic media, Activated carbon, Preset heater. If they would've trowed a thermometer in there... I would have called it "All dressed". Also got a 20W heater in case the one provided is not adequate.

I will test and install a timer for the light later today after Dusk. I'm going to wait a couple days before seeding the filter. And ready for water changes. I have some betta pellets Frozen BS and BW... He has some little scarfs in his fins but nothing to worry about.

He's already acting like at home...

I'm going to try to add more plants to the bottom it looks empty... See that little blue spot Up-left... It's my new sushi !!!

On this one, the blue is not showing much. But it's like a neon.

 

[Kimie]

it looks really nice and I just love that fish, it's us one I'll have in the future. how many liters is yours on? I have a 10 liter one, is it too small? but really nice fish and you set top

 

[MaloK]

It's 10 litres like yours, and is more than enough for a single splendens.

The most important is lots of hiding places, soft water and good stable temperature.

With a good diet. You can keep them a lot longer then advertised.

 

[gilltyascharged]

I had a crowntail that lived with me for several years, and know someone else who has one (bought a few months after my crowntail) that is still kicking, nearly three years since he was purchased as a class pet. As long as they have suitable water requirements, a good diet and feeding schedule (the more variation, the better, although always in small portions), and the proper space and decor (tall, thick-leaved plants to lay on, a couple of caves, and 128 sq inches or more of footprint), they should provide plenty of beauty and entertainment for a good couple years.

 

[MaloK]

Yeah I have some coconut shells, But they are not very much inclined to use caves, so I didn't put one in, I went for what they like the most, lots of leaves that reaches the surface...

But I'm not sure if I'm going to like it... I cant see him in there... But he already has a couple of spots he like to hang around...

This is certainly the quickest expedited setup I've ever made... And the lack of stress the fish is showing off. Is disturbingly odd.

He was at least a week in his cup before I bought him, I know this guy is changing the water in every single cups once a day, And he also use a blend of herbs that reduces their stress level... and makes them really relax.

It helps with the introduction but makes them a little dumb, We'll see how it looks like at meal time tomorrow...

 

[GaryE]

A consideration often overlooked is before he was in a cup, he was in a jar. When you buy a long finned splendens male, you can count on him being badly out of shape. With the big fins, he has a lot of drag to deal with, but since he has never swum freely (it could damage those saleable fins we love), they often find the first weeks of being in a proper tank kind of difficult.
It takes a little time for him to get his muscle tone to where it should be, and you'll see a lot of tired behaviour from a new arrival because of that.

 

[MaloK]

He seems like a very gentle specimen, he did not even flare at his own reflection (mirror aggression test).

But I agree with you, he is tired and wants to rest, no matter what. He's parked on top leaves right under the surface and pops a bubble from time to time, no cramped fins, no sign of distress. Finger crossed.

 

[MaloK]

This morning the little guy was swimming around the tank and had a good lunch.

All seems to be good !

 

[MaloK]

Later in the day, I noticed an increased gills movement. And He would time to time dart to the surface to get air. I kept an eye on it, and his movement was slowly increasing.

I think that in a small and slow water moving environment like that. The huge Java Fern must have drastically lowered the tank from oxygen during the night...

Looking for a quick way to increase surface movement without breaking anything or adding an air pump + stone.

I removed the output baffle sponge and lowered the water level a little, until I could hear the water trickle in the output. Since the water flow is vertical in the baffle it creates a lot of movement at the surface in the baffle, but not that much more in the tank. But it's like a washing machine in there and it trows just enough bubbles in the water layer.

It's been 4 hours now and the heavier breathing seems to be recessing.

I hope the gases exchange is sufficient now, because the lights are going out in 2 hours.

If his Breathing settles by tomorrow afternoon: It will be a big -1 for Fluval. Amateur Aquarist would have never known. Maybe it's good with Plastic plants, But I doubt it..

You really have to check everything these days.

 

[Back in the fold]

A consideration often overlooked is before he was in a cup, he was in a jar. When you buy a long finned splendens male, you can count on him being badly out of shape. With the big fins, he has a lot of drag to deal with, but since he has never swum freely (it could damage those saleable fins we love), they often find the first weeks of being in a proper tank kind of difficult.
It takes a little time for him to get his muscle tone to where it should be, and you'll see a lot of tired behaviour from a new arrival because of that.

Very interesting . That has never occurred to me before but it has the ring of truth .

 

[Nells250]

That's quite a plant! I wasn't aware large plants could effect water oxygen that much. He looks like a pretty fish... we need to see him in a flash-photo so we can see his true colors!

 

[MaloK]

Yes this Java Fern cost half the price of the tank and is pretty tremendous.

I tried to flash him today with the light on, but the phone makes a double flash to take the pic and he always moves a little in between...

But he is a lazy guy, always he finds his way to park without effort. He was hanging purposely stuck in the water output head down like a dead fish today. just to be able to rest without moving. He sticks himself under the root of the fern to stay put. and goes wandering around, to come back to his point

He's strange but, never stays where he is very long.

By following him around, I found a couple of "Critical Rubbing Areas" with decor, That will be addressed tomorrow.

 

[GaryE]

Remember, his species evolved in swamps, and oxygen levels aren't an issue. He is an obligatory air breather, using his inner ear/labyrinth organ that works like a lung. He can drown. Surface agitation is very unswamplike, and will just annoy him. When I had wild caught splendens, they liked to hang in plants a few cm under the surface, with an open area where they intended to kill and eat any bugs that landed, and where they darted up to breathe. A captive bred for hundreds of years fancy splendens has no obvious fear of birds, so it should hang under the surface, relatively inactive, and take in its air.

They are kept differently from other fish, because they are very different.

 

[MaloK]

Yes I understand... Correct me If I'm wrong, I've been told that the less they are forced to use their labyrinth the better.

When I got him he wasn't using his gills at all and was taking air every minute or so, resting close to the surface. Now he is using his gills and go to the surface in around ten minutes. and he likes to rest closer to the bottom. he slept all night without taking air. Yesterday I could hear his regular popping at the surface during the nigh time.

Light is coming on in a moment, he looks hungry this morning.

Edit: The lights just turned on, and. Big surprise, his gills have a nice relax movement. He's eating at the moment.

 

[Nells250]

Yeah, phones just can't replace real cameras in my opinion but I am becoming the minority... Maybe shut the flash off and use extra lighting from outside the tank so the phone can take pics quicker.