Try for the "blackwater" look

[Demeter32]

I received a much better ipod to take pictures of fish, so now you can appreciate Grey's true beauty He hasn't made a bubble nest in a while, but he seems quite content. I think the ends of his fins are starting to curl a little bit, I think that's from having hard water but can't say for certain. Some sites say it is genetic but Idk about that either. He's healthy and doesn't seem to care about it so neither will I

I think the female crowntail is getting pretty plump and is about ready to breed...unfortunately that will have to wait a while yet. My sister and niece are coming back from Alaska to visit for one month and the tank is in the spare bedroom, where they will be staying. Lord help me, if they so much as mess with my babies I might blow up. When she came to visit last year she kept turning off the filter at night because it was "too loud". So of course she would forget to turn it back on in the morning and that just bothered the hell out of me. You all may very well hear me venting my frustration about this in the coming month

 

[NickAu]

Her a nice looking boy.

 

[NickAu]

Maybe you could put a timer on the filter?

 

[Demeter32]

I don't want it turned off at all though It honestly is really quiet, it's just when the water level starts getting a little low from evaporation it can get a little noisy.

 

[NickAu]

Heres my version of black water

 

[thrujenseyes]

I received a much better ipod to take pictures of fish, so now you can appreciate Grey's true beauty He hasn't made a bubble nest in a while, but he seems quite content. I think the ends of his fins are starting to curl a little bit, I think that's from having hard water but can't say for certain. Some sites say it is genetic but Idk about that either. He's healthy and doesn't seem to care about it so neither will I

I think the female crowntail is getting pretty plump and is about ready to breed...unfortunately that will have to wait a while yet. My sister and niece are coming back from Alaska to visit for one month and the tank is in the spare bedroom, where they will be staying. Lord help me, if they so much as mess with my babies I might blow up. When she came to visit last year she kept turning off the filter at night because it was "too loud". So of course she would forget to turn it back on in the morning and that just bothered the hell out of me. You all may very well hear me venting my frustration about this in the coming month

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Oh wow!!! He's stunning!!!

 

[Demeter32]

Like I said, I'm going to vent a little. For reasons that make zero sense to me, my sister wanted to move the queen sized bed in the little room to face it a different way. Then she wanted to move the betta tank and she and my mom tried pushing the little book shelf (which was full of huge medical books) all while I stood there saying DO NOT MESS WITH THE TANK. Then mom suggested that she pick up the tank, full of water and my precious babies, and try sliding the book shelf over. No, just no. What would happen if the glass cracked or the seams came apart? I don't have a spare ten gallon laying around anymore. Do you want to make me cry, do you want to be murdered in your sleep? Just leave it alone, don't touch it. N.O.

Also, mom insisted in covering the tank, but no you can't, because I have the pothos vines growing out of it. So she tried to partially cover it by duct taping a board directly over the anubias, java moss and jungle val so the light could hardly reach the plants at all. Not to mention that I was stupid and used duct tape on glass before, so I know how hard it comes off.

They obviously don't understand the work, time, and money I put into all my tanks. I care about all my fish and will go to seemingly outrageous lengths to provide a healthy environment for them.

 

[NickAu]

do you want to be murdered in your sleep?

I can understand that.

 

[Demeter32]

New pictures of new fish and temporary set up. I took out the driftwood and have it in a different tank for the moment so I could put a divider in for my new plakat. The boys have been together for the past few days with no problems. They flare at each other but not constantly as there are fake plants in the way. I recently noticed that the plakat has a clear beard while the crown tail's is black. Kinda curious to see if the plakat's beard changes color seeing as how he's got marbling.

 

[Demeter32]

Looks like a color change is beginning in the plakat His tail has more of the black color and it looks like it's traveling up his body. It would be so neat if his entire body became black or blue, still not too sure what his color is other than white. I love how long his pelvic fins are in comparison to the rest of his short fins.

 

[Demeter32]

The color change is progressing pretty quickly now. His tail in nearly all black and it has started in his anal and pelvic fins. The CT has stopped bothering to flare back at him, he just doesn't seem to care any more.

 

[Demeter32]

My sister and niece finally went back to Alaska so now I can start trying to spawn my bettas. The tank is all set up and the are together now. I'm a little iffy on whether the female is completely ready or not because she has never gotten very plump, even when I spawned her the first time. There's faint vertical baring so I'm hoping for the best.

The spawn tank is a 20 long with several oak leaves, a heater, an air stone on one end. I have a divider in so the male has a smaller section to chase the female around=faster spawning process. The bubble nest looks great and I have 3 microworm cultures going and a jar of instant baby brine shrimp at the ready.

As a side note, I impulsively bought another pleco and put it with the male crowntail until it grows larger. The pet store said they are crosses of commons and super red bristle noses, how could I resist? I'm hoping the little guy stays closer to the size of a bristle nose. He's marbled with orange and black colors, about and inch long. Grey flared at him a bit but he's stopped bothering him. I added a few more leaves just in case though.

 

[Demeter32]

I was starting to loose hope that the female would give in to the male, I even separated them but soon after she was all spunky again and begging for food. I floated her in a cup on his side of the divider and she was showing new signs, flaring and trying to get to him, so I put her back in. He's been working hard on his nest and it's just a pile of foam about 3/4 of an inch tall.
I really want this to work out, but if they don't make some fry then I have no problem giving the crowntails a try, they are both healthy and the girl is nice and fat.

 

[Demeter32]

I gave up with the first pair and went with the crown tails instead. The male was just being too aggressive and the female wasn't cooperating. Now Grey has taken over the bubble nest and the CT female is chilling on the other side of the divider. She isn't showing breeding stripes so I'm going to wait a few days and/or weeks(?) I suppose this can't be rushed...

 

[NickAu]

If all else fails, Try some candles a nice bottle of wine and some Bary White.