What species is Jarvis?

[On_a_dishy]

Hello! I've just realised from this thread that there are different types of betta out there...
Could someone tell me what type my beautiful Jarvis is?
Thank you!

 

[Wills]

He is a Betta Spendens which is the common fancy ones you see in most stores. Other species are things like Betta Pugnax or Betta Coccina which are a bit rarer and dont have the long flowing fins as the fins have been line bred by humans, but some of the rarer wild ones are properly beautiful fish

Wills

 

[On_a_dishy]

Thank you, Wills!
How does one find one of the rarer ones when one has practised on Jarvis?

 

[Wills]

It would be a case of researching which ones you liked and making sure you can match their needs. A lot of them need very soft water - which unless you are blessed with soft tap water would mean RO water.

Once you've decided which species you are interested in you could try something like Tropical Fish Finder.com or Aquarist Clasiffieds which are sometimes good sources. Which area of the UK are you from? North South etc? Dont need to be too specific I'll probably be able to point you in the right direction if you are willing (or rather alowed) to travel a little?

Wills

 

[On_a_dishy]

I don't have soft tap water at all I'm going to take a sample to my LFS today to get an accurate reading as my API test kit doesn't go beyond 140. Jarvis has a huge almond leaf in with him and I'm going to get a small (smooth!) piece of mopani wood to hope the tannins do their bit, but your RO water sounds the way forward. I've looked it up - a 3:1 (RO:tap water) ratio is recommended, which is nice and easy as Jarvis is in a 34l tank.
I've just bought a 145l tank which will eventually free up the contents of another 34l tank I have, so I'm very interested in getting a Jarvis 2.0! If you could point me in a direction, that would be great. My LFS just seems to stock Jarvises. I'm in Central Bedfordshire - tier 4, but my large tank won't be cycled for a while yet so I have time. Thank you again!

 

[ClownLurch]

Put your postcode into your water providers website and your water hardness should show as a guideline. IE my provider says 18dg 322ppm but ours tests at 19dg 340ppm.