# Rainbow Sorority and Baby Journey



## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

When I first joined this site, I didn't post an introduction of myself. I didn't come for the fun and games and joy of betta keeping. I didn't feel like I had any hope to save the baby that I had only just begun to learn to truly care for properly. Rainbow, my very first betta and fish had a short life and a bitter painful end. He was a beautiful Crowntail with a black face, blue and teal body, and his fins had literally every color of the rainbow. He was artistic and adorable and he didn't get the life that he deserved. 

In the middle of November 2011 with my second paycheck ever at my then new walmart job I ventured into the fish section. I had no idea why or what I wanted. I've never really interacted with fish other than admiring them in public aquariums, but I walked the isles anyway. There was a lovely crowntail male who was blue with black and teal. I carried him around as I searched through the rest of them. I had no idea how to care for them truly, but I decided that I wanted one. While I was browsing the supplies I came upon the little man who would be my Rainbow. The moment that I saw him I knew that he was mine and that I had to take him home. I set the other male down in the shelf and snatched the colorful fish up into my arms. I then with the direction of one of my fellow associates gathere a .7 gallon tank with a cute background and under-drawer, some blue and green marbles, a blue net, a bottle of Jungle de-chlor, and a container of betta pellets. I promptly took all of them home and set up the tank with water from the tap, dechlorinated it and set his cup in the water for a while. When I deemed him acclimated (I knew THAT much about fish as far as water temp) I released him into the tank. I immediately discarded said cup. Within a week a coworker suggested I get him a bamboo plant for him to rest on and swim around. I got one and it had a snail on it. The snail's name was Potter, he was the pot of gold at the end of my Rainbow. Until the end of April 2012 he lived in that little tank, no heater, no thermometer, only a couple water changes and when I added water, I added it and then added dechlorinator to it. He was my pride and joy, and he was miserable and I never knew it. I was also afraid of touching the water.... a fear I've only recently gotten over actually... 

Anyway, the same coworker who told me to get him a bamboo plant also told me (with a couple months of pestering) that he needed warm water, a heater, a larger (at least 5 gallon) tank, and a filter. Finally, at the end of April, I listened. I bought the 5 gal starter kit from my work and took it home. I followed the instructions carefully and set up the aquarium (I knew nothing of cycling). After the 24 hours of running the filter I acclimated Rainbow to the water (I had decorated it a lot) plopped him in. He was so active and happy and he showed me his true colors. Within a week I decided that he needed friends. I had always wanted ADFs so I got two, and some ghost shrimp because my friend said that they would help clean the bottom of the tank. They liked each other well enough, although the ADFs weren't faring well. 

I went to work one day, everyone was happy and fine. When I came home, Rainbow was no where to be seen. I didn't think much of it. Then when I didn't see him for a long while I went over to see what was up. That's when he came out for air... He was hiding in his rock cave. His face looked like it was covered in spider silk and his eyes were clouded and over half of his fins were disitegrated off and the rest was graphite grey and rapidly spreading to the rest of him. I was utterly horrified. I had finally started taking better care of him and now he was seriously sick. He quickly became very, very weak and within a couple hours he was being sucked to the filter so I unplugged it. Meanwhile I was in hysterics searching the web for answers. I was blaming my ADFs because there seemed no other explaination at the time. One of them were dead when I got home. I assumed they had gotten into a fight.

After hours of searching I finally posted about my dilemma on yahoo answers. Several people answered with things that made no sense to me, diseases, cycles, acclimation, things I'd never even heard of. Then finally, a blessed soul, and I don't remember who you were/are but you my friend, are the best thing that happened to me as far as fish care is concerned, came and told me about this site and directed me to the evil betta disease thread. The freak columnaris like disease that appeared to be attacking blue/green/teal bettas and eating them alive within 48 hours. I read the thread horrified and realized that there was absolutely nothing I could do for my Rainbow baby. I cried myself to sleep that night and in the morning I found him dead... I had my boyfriend cup him for me. I ended up burying him when no vet clinics in my area would help me preserve his body for study and he was getting gross. All of his fins were gone btw. 

For several months, the ghost shrimp prevailed in the 5 gallon and I didn't respond much to them other than to feed them. (the other ADF died as well). I felt certain that I'd never have another betta again. I returned to this site and began to read. I learned a lot, slowly. By mid summer I was looking around in petsmart, I was just looking around, bringing my courage up to see more bettas. (to this day I have not taken another CT male into my care... I just can't...) There were two on the shelf that I really liked. One was a platinum colored dragonscale and the other, who entranced me the most, was a pinapple delta tail. I was completely lovestruck. I brought him home and placed him in my .7 gal as a quarantine to make sure he was healthy. After a week, and when I was pretty sure my cycle was stable in the 5 gal (still kind of ignorant) I released him into his tank. I had deemed him my "Sunshine, my only Sunshine". I went to work, and came home to what I thought was a dead fish. I, being ignorant of plastic plants and betta fins, hadn't known how delicate they were. He was stuck in amoungst one with bloody torn fins. I was horrified and immedaitely removed him from the tank and into the hosp tank. I learned how to care for his injuries on this site and set about caring for them. After he was healing nicely I tried placing him back into the tank. He went berserk and wouldn't stop simming crazy and doing really scary things (I don't remember everything, but burying himself, slamming into walls, and swimming funny are some things that stick out) so I deemed the tank cursed and permanently removed him. His health would get better and decline on a varying basis. He never was the same. Anyway, within the next month I had brought home my girl Mystique( a CT female who actually has surprisingly comparable colorations to Rainbow...) and a beautiful over half-sun man. He had a white body with red spots and deep blue purple for the first half of the viens on his fins, deep red, and then the very tips were white. Beautiful fish... he was super pale in the store and when I got him home in clean warm water he brightened up so lovely. He fluttered around his tank and I called him Flutterby, but just called him Flutter. 

Just over a month from when I brought Sunshine home I was visiting petsmart again and I saw that same platinum colored dragonscale male on the shelf. He was a skull with fins essentially; entirely emaciated. I was outraged and brought him home. Within a week he was already filling out healthily and within a couple weeks he was a full beautiful little man. I called him Titan, because he was my titanium and my trooper. He was a fighter.

Eventually I separated the 5 gal into 3 sections, the one with the filter reserved for Titan. Flutter turned out to be a tail biter hard core and shredded his beautiful fin. (I also aquired another male, Mayim who I still have, who was blue and green with a black face and white tips at his tail) Mayim and Flutter lived in the 5 gallon together for a long while while i treated Titan for Velvet (which I now believe that he never actually had, it was just hiscoloring... but maybe not). I took much better care of them than I ever had Rainbow, but no where near as well as I have become in the last month or two. In october of 2012 I went away for 4 days and came home and within an hour Flutter was dead. (He had had the tail biting problems and I had also treated him for a swim bladder problem. I thought he was better.) I didn't realize until after I took him out that he had died of Dropsy. I immediately treated Mayim with... Kanamycin I believe, whatever you can use for Dropsy, and changed his water. He then had the 5 gal all to himself. Sunshine also soon passed, he never really did get better. I think he had something wrong with him that I couldn't figure out :/. 

In March I moved in with my parents (40 minute drive away)(ugh) and brought Titan, Mayim, and Mystique with me. They didn't come until almost a week after I moved, staying in the care of my sister in law... I forgot to tell her not to feed them EVERY morning and EVERY night... they were bloated and sick and clamped and their water was filthy with old food when I finally got them to my parents. It was terrible. She felt horrible but I felt at fault for not telling her that. I stayed up until almost 3 in the morning shanging their water and figuring out what med to give them. By morning Mystique was awesome and Titan had less bloat. Mayim took almost a week to get better. They (my folks) were moving within another month or two and my cycle got destroyed so I just emptied the water from the 5 gal and kept the boys in 1 gals and Mystique in her 2.5 gal. Everyone was doing pretty well and then we moved again and Titan declined. Then he got really, really sick. Some members on here tried to help me and I tried to help him get better for almost two weeks he held on and then he finally gave up. So then I had Mayim and Mystique. I became extrememly religious in water changes when Titan got really sick, like extremely, and when he passed I decided I'd just have the two and give Mayim the 5 gal all to himself. 

Well as fate would decree I was in Petco looking for flea medicine and saw the baby bettas. One of them, a larger one appearing female. Would not stop looking at me. Following me around. I was nervous but I decided to jump for it... I think I was sad after Titan and I wanted someone new to work with. Well anyway, I brought "her" home and got her all set up in a 1 gal hosp tank. Within 6 hours, she had a full belly, heated water, and her colors had darkened and begun to show. So encouraging btw, to see that happen when fish first come into your care. 

Anway, I was all set to completely clean out the 5 gal and reset it up to cycle for Mayim when my mother suggested that I put a divider in it and place baby on one side and Mystique on the other until/unless I found out that baby was male. I thought that was genious. But then when I was cleaning out the 5 gal I found out the bottom had been cracked in the move. So I looked online for a replacement and discovered that the 10g setups at walmart were only like $3 more than the 5 gal tanks... See I've been dying to set up a sorority since I got Mystique, but me and my man never got a bigger place so it didn't happen then. And anyway, I feel much better equiped and more disciplined to actually properly care for said sorority. Moving on, my mother and I went to walmart and I bought the 10g setup and gravel and a couple decorations (one rock formation was on sale for $2.50 and I think it's pretty neat) and promptly came home to set it all up.

Baby, has a wonderful and curious personality. I really hope she is actually female because I would love to put her into the tank after it's cycled but she had to get bigger first. I believe that she was between 6 and 7 weeks old based on development and color and size and I've had her for about a week now. Baby bettas are freaking amazing and she had been such a blessing. Whenever I am anywhere near she follows me around. Mystique does it too, but for some reason the baby is so much cuter about it. 

Mystique is currently in the 10 gallon doing a fish in cycle. I had read and learned a lot about cycling and the method I am using and have been indepthly discussing my sorority and the cylce with an experienced member on here (yay Lilnaugrim!) and am testing the water daily and changing it when I need to. I also have aquired two more girls for the sorority. They are floating in the 10 g and keeping clean and warm. One is VT White/iridescent on her body with red splotches on her face and white lips with purple/pink/red/blue pale on her tail. She also had a tear in her dorsal and a literal hole in her tail. I am taking special care to make sure they heal nicely. She's great.

The second female I found is a cambodian CT with bright, bright blue eyes. She also is awesome.

Baby's tank is set up right next to the big one and she follows Mystique around whenever she swims by. The girls appear to be settling in well, as well as they can until it is fully cycled. This time allows me to find at least 2 more girls and plently of plant coverage. The cycle has only just started about 4 days ago. Mystique is such a trooper and so chill with the girls in her tank.... It's kind of crazy how chill she is. The two in the cups flare at her when she comes by (only just got them yesterday afternoon and it has decreased considerably) and she watches them and then turns around and swims away like "B&^$%, please~" I love it!

I also got Omega One betta flakes yesterday, Mystique and Mayim adore them. My mother found my frozen BW, Daphnia, and BS also, which I had assumed she'd thrown out in the move cause she thinks they are disgusting. We agreed that I could keep ONE of them in the apartment freezer but the rest had to stay out in the outside freezer. I chose the BW for now. I can always go outsite and find the others. So, on top of the new flakes and forzen foods I also have two different betta pellet foods. I think I may get rid of one of them when I find another small pellet food. The two pellets I have now are from walmart and cheap gross.... 

I've got all sorts of the good medicines and the only ones I still want/need to get are Maracyn I and II and whatever PP is... 

So there we go everyone. That's my betta adventure. I've come so far since that first day that I carried my precious Rainbow home. I wish I could go back and talk to myself. Tell myself not to by dumb and/or lazy... ever. He might still be here... but I'm naming my sorority tank after him.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

So there's for Rainbow Sorority and it's beginnings. I'm seriously taking my fish as serious business. They are my babies and I will never have to feel alone with them. I can always extra-care for and/or play with them if I feel overly lonely or stressed. I have never seen that part so strongly as I have been since baby came into my life. They were pretty and fun, but now they are playful and more companion-like too. I have learned so much from this site. You guys are amazing btw. I'm so excited for the real adventure to begin  <3

There is my official introduction and fish-care-learning story. This might sound crazy but... I feel alive when I truly care for them. It's very similar to how I feel when I paint or draw or sculpt. yay for our water babies~


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Hello and welcome to the forum. I'm glad you discovered how wonderful bettas are.


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## rubinthebetta (Oct 9, 2012)

Hi! I hope you enjoy the forum, and have many more bettas. :wink: Anywho, your story is great! I think it's nice that you're naming your sorority after him.  Good luck!


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

Thanks.  I've been on here for just over a year but I figured I should probably officially introduce myself seeing as I haven't done it yet. That and I've really truly begun to understand things. I'm going to work on posting up some pictures of my babies~


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## rubinthebetta (Oct 9, 2012)

Cool! When I read your join date, I thought it said 2013, not 2012.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

lol, it's totally fine. I really only came on here to learn about the diseases. But then I read stories and about how others were helping each other and I always asked if something was wrong and I couldn't figure out how to fix it with the posted information. That and with starting this sorority and raising Baby, I figured I could/should start a journal about it.  I actually have all the pics on my photobucket now and I will be posting them after I get out of the shower. I'ma show you guys all my babies (even the ones that are gone) and then intorducing Mystique, Unnamed Vt and CT and making a post about baby's growth in the 10 days since I got her. Maybe get some opinions on gender from members here...


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

*Rainbow and Sunshine*










This is Rainbow. Sadly it is the only picture I have of him. You can't see him very well but he has a black face, blue and teal body, with every color in his fins; his ventrals were red with white tips. He made several bubble nests in his lifetime so I know he wasn't entirely miserable in the small cold tank. You were a great teacher Rainbow, and I am sad that your life had to end the way it did just when it was starting to get really awesome. <3



























This is Sunshine in the first 10 days that I had brought him home.


















This is what the evil plastic plants did to his fins.


























Sunshine being cute while he is healing.










And this is Sunshine after he healed the first time. He really did well but then his health went back and forth until finally he passed :/ He never flared but I did get a bubble nest out of him.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

PP is Potassium Permanganate for your reference ^_^

Beautiful written I must say and yes I did read all of it  and for the official record:

Welcome to the forum!

Haha, and yes, we all have our stories of ignorance and the trial/error days of our Betta's but we come here to learn and better ourselves and our fish. So while the past is gone, we can still learn from it ;-)

Also! Some "basic" medications that you should have on hand always should be Aquarium Salt and Epsom salt. They are always my go to meds for the first response, they are much less stressful than regular medications and so therefore it's easier for your fish to heal. Aquarium salt treats external things like Ich, Velvet, Body Slime infections and Fin rot while Epsom Salt treats internal things like swelling, bloat, constipation and swim bladder issues. Not to be used together though, just one at a time and to be used a max of 14 days no more unless you give about 4-5 days of rest from the salts and then you can do another regimen of 14 days.

Sorry if you already knew the above information, I just figured it would be a good thing to know ^_^ :-D


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

*Titan and Mayim*










Titan a couple days after I got him. He is still really skinny.


























And here is Titan a little while after I got him. He made me a bubble nest  So he was a super pig and he always danced for me. Whenever I played any kind of music he would swim around and back and forth in his own little pattern. He was SUPER cute and had the most personality I've seen in any of my males. He was a Dragonscale.











This is my "little" guy Mayim when I first brought him home. Yes, it is a tiny, tiny tank but I had to have somewhere other than his cup to keep him in for a couple days until I got the 5g all cleaned out and ready and such. Now, looking at the old pics of him here's something I've noticed. I think he was still kinda young (but large!) when I brought him home. His fins now only have a fringe of white and are mostly bright blue and his face and chin are all black. Now the sad part is he has tail biting tendencies and so that pretty green and white on his tail is currently missing. He had some really nice reagrowth but then a few days ago he decided he was too bored again and he ripped it off :/ Darn them tail biters! He's really awesome though. He's my only little man currently and probably will be until the sorority is well under way and I move out on my own again. He is currently being transfered to a 2.5 gallon since the 5g I had cracked during the move. He also is quite the pig and when he was in the 5 gallon he made my bubble nests ALL the time, like one every week or so. Really cool fish. He was the only one that I've ever been able to watch make the bubble nest. Everyone else did it in secret. XD

Flutter is the other male that I've had but I still have to upload all his pictures. I have some really pretty ones of him flaring and his tail and everything. I'll get around to posting about him but I'm impatient to show you baby's progress!


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

It's totally cool! I do always confuse which salt does what >.>;;

Here is a list of my current first aid kit:

I have two 1 gallon hosp/quarantine tanks which currently house baby and soon to be not Mayim(still working on moving him into the 2.5 gallon)
3 Nets currently. I use one for Mystique and Mayim(until the sorority is set up, I've had them both for almost a year and they are healthy even if I know it's not ideal) One I am using for baby and the other I use for the two quarantine girls.
API General Cure
Aquarium Salt
Epsom Salt (pure)
KanaPlex (what I called Kanamycin earlier)
Jungle Fungus Clear
Jungle Ammonia Clear (only for emergencies and when I know I won't be able to do that water change soon enough but I've yet to use it)
Mardel Coppersafe
Jungle Ick Guard
Jungle 5 in 1 test strip
Jungle Ammonia test strip
Flashlight

Water clarifiers currently owned:
Tetra Easy Balance
Jungle Start Right(usually this is my main dechlor)
API Tap Water Conditioner
Jungle Start Zyme (I know it doesn't dechlor and I actually recently read that it doesn't even really benefit the bacteria growth so I'm thinking of throwing it out.

Foods on hand:
Omega One betta buffet flakes
Hikari Tropical Micro Pellets (for baby)
TetraBetta Floating Mini Pellets (used to be my staple pellet)
Aqua Culture Betta Pellets (smallest I had and all Mystique could mouth unless I cut the other pellets, but I want to get rid of these and haven't been feeding her them since I got the OOBB flakes)
Frozen Blood Worm, Daphnia, and Brine Shrimp
I also have Tetra BabyShrimp Sun Dried Gammarus... I think they are huge and am not sure if I should feed my bettas with them. I got them a while ago and never used them since they are so big.

So other than the heaters, thermometers and deco in every tank that's what I've got. Is there anything that could be suggested I get? And where do you find PP? Also have gravel vaccuum and extra filter cartridges. Anything that I probably shouldn't use anymore and what would be better? Also I intend to get those New Life Spectrum pellets as well for more variety. I figure them sorority girls are gonna eat a lot >.<;;


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Okay!

Okay so I highly suggest you don't use any Tetra foods or Aqueon or Top Fin foods, all are bad. So if you can use NLS for main staple or Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets if you can get them.

As far as other things, well I usually like API and Seachem stuff so I'm a bit bias lol but Jungle products are fine for water conditioners but when you run out you should just use the API Tap water Conditioner and upgrade to Prime ;-) haha And yes Start Zyme is basically null and void usually so you can just throw that out ^_^

Oh and by the way you really don't need PP, salts will do most of what you need and you have plenty of other meds that will also do everything you'll ever need.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

So do I need Maracyn I & II? And I will totally do that with my conditioner when I use all the Jungle start right. I will also be getting NLS pellets around thursday and/or Omega One Betta Pellets. Yeah I totally don't like the pellets I have now. I feel so good about finding out more about the foods 

Oh! Something exciting~ The pearly VT has been eating, she's still super, super slim, but maybe she's just young. Anyway, she tries to eat everything I put in there, although she takes her time. The Cambodian CT finally ate for the first time tonight! I tried everything but the frozen foods last time and I tried BW tonight and she gobbled them up. Either she really loves them or she just got hungry and comfy enough with me . Baby is growing so well~~


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Congrats on your fish eating!! :-D

As for Maracyn I&II, that's up to you. I mean in reality you can really get anything that you want to to stock up on supplies if you think you'll need it down the road.

Ohhh and test strips, I would chuck those out and either just get the API Master Testing Kit or at least get pH, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates for the liquid testing. It's much more accurate, pretty user friendly and stores well where the strips don't and can easily get tainted just for storing.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

Do you have any idea how much it costs? I'll look into it on Thursday when I get paid. Also can you get them from a normal petstore?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

The master kit? In the store it's about 30 dollars but you can find it on Ebay for much less and sometimes even free shipping! Also drsfosterandsmith.com has it for 16 I think sometimes 

You should be able to find the Maracyn I & II in the store as well, usually 10-20 each but I can't remember exactly. Again, you can find it online much cheaper.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

Alright cool. Thank you 

I'm actually out of town until tomorrow night but when I get home I will totally be posting up all of baby's progress and pics of the new girls.  My little bro and his fish-knowing gf are babysitting baby and the girls and Mayim. I miss them so much like, I guess I didn't realize how much time I have been spending on/with them over the last couple weeks because just a couple days feels like forever and I keep wanting to look up from my comp to watch them swim. >.<


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

OMG! Baby is so female~ I could see her ovaries clearly about two hours ago when I got home. Yes please! And she has grown so much in the last couple days... I came home and she's all fat bellied "Look at me! I'm growing lots!"

Oh man when I get home from work tomorrow... the photoshoot will commence!

Also have my first offer of plant trimmings from someone near me. That's really awesome~ They have water sprite and sylvinia or water lettuce.. whatever it's called. Anyway, I'm going out tomorrow to look for a couple more girls if I can find them and a couple other plants. This is getting so exciting.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

*Baby Betta (Alexa)*

On June 20th I brought home an approximately 6-7 week old baby betta. I assumed she was female based off of shape, white egg spot, and fins. I now know for certain (I finally saw her ovaries last night) that Alexa is a female. Here are pictures of her starting from the first day on to today.


























Within 6 hours of bringing her home, with a water change, food, and a heater this is the difference I saw:


















Isn't the color change glorious?

Here is the next day:


























On the 25th of June:











Here is the color change by the 29th of June:


















And this is her progress as of today (although I did a water change about 30 minutes before this so she is still a tiny bit pale):


















The first one is of the flashlight directly on her and the second is just me using the light to show her colors. She has been one of the greatest blessings and inspirations I've had in a long while. Alexa is definitely going into my sorority when she is 3 months old. She just keeps growing and growing! I love this little fish. She is so full of life and eager to see everything. I think she is rounding out quite nicely. Today marks two whole weeks of having her in my life. <3


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

*Introducing~~~ Rainbow Sorority Ladies! (In quarantine)*

I'll do a whole post on Mytique later, but here are some pics of the girls I've found:










From left to right (sorry for the blur) Salacia the black CT, Icelia the lavender/periwinkle CT, Mystique... well Mystique-colors CT, Layla the pearlie VT, and Bastet the cambodian CT.

Originally I only had Mystique. I've had her for about a year now. Then two weeks ago I got the baby Alexa and last week I got Bastet and Layla. The two of them (Bastet and Layla) faced off with flaring and flashing through their cups. When Mystique would swim by their battle would end and Mystique would be the new target. Mystique was interested and curious but she would just swim away without a care and not flare back. 

Today I got Icelia and Salacia. Icelia flares at anyone who is nearby and flashes herself. Salacia hasn't really flared yet but she'll get flashy. I'm pretty sure that her right fin is bugging her because she's been holding it to her body almost always and she's been more clamped than any of the others. Her water was filthy when I brought her home. I'm pretty sure she'll be okay with a little TLC. Bastet and Icelia seem to like to face off to one another hardcore. So that's interesting. Layla just looks like she wants out to explore and just as before Mystique is curious but doesn't seem to care about the others truly. Only when there is food in their cups.

All the girls (minus Mystique) are floating in their cups and to keep quarantined but also warm. They get tank water changes daily or every other day. Layla (who still has a hole in her fin and a tear in her dorsal although it looks like it might be healing) and Salacia for certain are receiving daily water changes. I also have 3 live plants I am adding. Slowly getting more and more cover for their world.

Here are some crappy pics of each(minus Mystique who will be featured later):

Bastet after I brought her home:










Cambodian coloration crowntail with bright, bright blue eyes. She only recently decided to eat and then only blood worms. Although she sucked on a pellet today so there's progress!










Bastet frontal view with Layla in the background.

Layla:










Iridescently colored with offwhite(pinkish) body with red on her face and white lips, blue, teal, red, purple, and pink on her fins; veiltail. Her fins seem to be healing. She is very, very slender (trying to fatten her up) but she loves to eat... although she does take her time with it.










Layla and Mystique.

Icelia:










Periwinkle/lavender colored crowntail. She has attitude and spirit. When she stripes, she reminds me of one of the purple and white tigers from WoW(world of warcraft) ... yeah I'm a nerd, so sure me XD. Anyway, instead of horizontal stripes she stripes verticle like a tiger! Super awesome. Just got her today. She is absolutely gorgeous and I will totally be finding my real camera and showing you guys real pics of her for sure. Everyone will get a turn, but probably her first XD.











Salacia and Icelia.

Salacia:











Salacia appears to be black and dark grey with a few scales very, very, dark blue. She almost seems to have some grey cheeks under her eyes I think. She is flashing around but I think she's having a difficult adjustment period. Her right fin is bothering her and she is relatively clamped. Although since I changed her water from the nasty she had from the store I think she's starting to feel better. I can see spirit underneath the clamping. She just needs some TLC. Just got her today as well.

Each of my new girls are from a different one of the 4 pet stores I have nearby. Tomorrow most are getting fresh shipments so I am gonna go check them out and potentiall get one more girl... It has to be super special though. 

So that's my sorority so far! I love watching them interact and I'm sure it's going to be an awesome adventure when they get to be free in their home. I don't really know who the top dog will be, but I'm thinking possibly Bastet or Icelia. But we'll see  Mystique might just jump up there! <3


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Hey! i'm right there with you on WoW ;-) I usually play quite often but now my Betta addiction needs more money in it's fund so I had to stop lol I'm usually a druid which get the cat forms ;-)

Your girls look lovely!!


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

Thanks! I just went around to my 4 petstores again on the way home because 3 of them got new shipments today. I now have an orange VT... She's like twice as big as all my girls and she was only .99 cents. There was a really pretty all teal one at one store, and a white one with orange fins and a white one with gold/yellow fins at another. The last store had my newest and last lady. Now for the fun! (I hope that Salacia the black one starts getting unclamped soon... she's making me sad to see her that way  I just bought stress coat though so we're gonna do that today. yay! I'll take a pic of the whole thing after the plants are in.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

*Salacia's condition, some advice would be great?*

So when I brought the black one home she was in filthy water full of slmiy stuff. I changed it out for fresh tank water. She was clamped and didn't want to use her right fin. She refused food. She liked ot just float at the top. When she saw the other girls she would get excited but that was about it. I was told to treat her with some general cure and I did for two days.

Yesterday before I went to work it looked like she might have a tiny bit of the slime stuff on her so I changed her water and went to work. When I came home last night her right side was mostly covered in patches of the thick slime stuff and she had some on her fins and her other side. I stopped the gereral cure and put her in a 1 gallon with 1 tsp of AQ salt because I figure slime infection. This morning I was told in my disease question thread that she needed an antifungal and that the AQ salt was a very harsh thing and that it should pretty much never be used. I switched out the AQ salt water and put some of my anti fungus tabs (I 5th of half of one) and released her into it.

I think I finally know why she was favoring her right fin so much. When I was transfering her from her cup into the 1 gallon tank after refilling it the right fin just fell off. Like, just let go of her body and fell to the bottom. Kind of horrifying but I guess I've seen worse things happen to a fish. Anyway, she's in the tank with the fungus clear stuff and I'm going to work. When I come home I'm gonna look her over and I will let you guys know if she has improved or worsened in state. I'm really concerned and I want to do the right thing by her. I know I can fix her, I just don't know if I'm making the right decisions. Her fin will regrow right?

Thanks!

Tonight when I get home I'll post my videos... or figure out how.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

I'm still a little leary about the whole not using salt thing. Here's a good article about salt, however it's still the internet and things can be thrown around on a daily basis but it seems well put together: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=2850

Anyway, wow, her fin just fell off? Well, that's unfortunate :-( I think it depends on how severely it fell off if it will grow back. I know ripped, torn and bitten off pec fins will grow back but if also the muscle that controls the fin (much like our shoulder joint) also fell off with it then I'm not certain it will actually grow back. Of course I'm no expert on that, it's just my observation with fins.

And as for the slime patches, I really don't see how a fungal medication would work for it as it is an infection where antibiotics should be used unless the fungus meds have that certain medication that you need in it. Either way, I figure you should follow Nick's advice as he seems confident and knowledgeable in diseases and their cures.

Oh and to post video's you should upload them to a host first like youtube and then you can post the link there


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

I posted some videos of her in that thread. And I have some good news as far as the fin is concerned. There is still a nub of fin attached to the muscle so I think she should be able to grow it back.

Now that I've figured out how to post videos I am going to upload some on here I did today.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

*Videos of almost everyone~*

On a much lighter note than my poor sick little girl... movies time! I'll get steadier as time goes on...


This here be my little man Mayim~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P69n8egBFA&feature=youtu.be

This is the sorority tank and most of the ladies~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4EbPzxQRoQ&feature=youtu.be

And these are two different of baby Alexa earlier today~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq5Dl1x6BZg&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpHSxT-ZyuY&feature=youtu.be


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

So I'm updating today. No pictures atm but I have what feels like a lot of news. Good and bad.

So the black CT Salacia was seriously ill. It turns out that she most likely had columnaris. Very, very sad :/ I only had her for about a week. But the good news in that is that she passed within 14 days and so I was able to get a new girl. On the day that I found the giant orange VT, who I have since deemed Tangi, I saw several ladies at Salacia's store that had white/clearish bodies and orange/gold fins. I passed them up in favor of Tangi. Well the exact one I wanted that day was still there and looked great so I brought her home. It turns out that odds are Tangi and the new VT (who has golden orange fins and a clearish body) who I have dubbed Goldeen are most likely sisters for real. Both of the stores I got them from get their fish from the same breeder/place. There were quite a few like them delivered on the same day too so that's kinda cool. Anyway onward~ (squeels over the orange girls) Never knew that I would like them so well lol~ I don't actually like orange, but I love them.

Alexa my baby betta has been in my care for just over 3 weeks now! She has grown so much and she is such a good little sport. She gazes over at the girls and follows Mystique around. I know she wants in there but I feel that she needs to grow a bit more... Tangi could probably eat her in almost two bites... or at least seriously damage her... But yeah, she seems to for almost sure be a VT, she does have a blue body and chin with a brown/black head. Her fins are red mostly with blue on the outside, spots, and a tean sheen over the whole of her tail. I seriously love her to pieces.

Icelia, the what I assumed was a periwinkle/lavender CT lady, has deeped immensely in color. She is now a deep royal purple with dark periwinkle fins. Her head has a nice teal sheen. She still stripes like a tiger when she sees the other girls, but I think that is actually her showing off cause when I do water changes he stripes horizontal like normal. She's spiffy with serious attitude~

I have officially deemed Bastet the cambodian CT and Layla the tricolor VT healthy and settled. I would release them if I didn't want to have to rearrange everything about 4 times total and deal with only those two and Mystique duking it out for a couple weeks. Layla keeps swimming at the bottom trying to get out, poor girl~ Also, she is so not pastel. At first I was very disappointed, but as she has been in my care her colors have changed a bit and she has a wonderful personality so I don't care. She is quite lovely in her own way. Although for some reason the hole in her tail still hasn't closed up and her torn dorsal doesn't appear to be mending... if it is it is not happening noticably. :/ I don't understand. But all I can do is continue to change her water and keep her in the warm tank.

Mystique has been doing a beautiful job living in the 10 gallon while it's cycling. The only problem I am having right now is not knowing how close it is to completely finishing because I have some live plants in there now. But less that a week and it will have been cycling for a whole month. But the girls still have to stay cupped until Goldeen can go out of quarantine so that will be another 1 to 2 weeks after that. So I'm sure it will balance out just fine. She used to have a really hard time with being bloated/eggy when she lived in the 2.5... Since moving to the 10 gallon I've had to feed her every single day because she works it off within a couple hours swimming!

All of the new ladies are pooping without issue and/or pests so that's cool too. And I thought something was wrong with Tangi's gills but it's fine.

Also! Mayim is having regrowth! yay~ He is doing so great in there~ I am currently scowering my area for an affordable 5 gallon tank to replace his old cracked one. If anyone has any pointers that would be cool. I can currently get one for about $17 when I get the money but...

Anyway, that's all my excitement. Changing water every/every other day has been crazy but I actually really enjoy the time with them.  <3


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm so sorry about Salacia but I'm glad the new ones are doing sell.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

Yeah... I'm just glad she's not suffering anymore. Thanks 

New update!

So the day that Salacia passed I got some Prime. I have since been adding a drop to each of the girls cups (but not that main tank) every day that I don't do a water change. Since then I have noticed that Layla's dorsal has been mending! The hole in her fin is still there, if a little bigger, but she is getting better! It appears that the hole is working it's way to the end of her fin and healing after it moves... Maybe its the way it's growing back? Not really sure... She's such a little pig... Also bought me some NLS betta pellets. I now have all of the foods I want for my babies. 

Goldeen is a fiesty little bugger. I think she and Icelia will probably beat everyone else and then duke it out together... With Bastet or Mystique being the last one knocked out of line before them. But we will see!

Mayim's fins are doing so well~ There is so much regrowth! It gets bigger everyday!  He is so happy, I can totally feel it coming off of him. -flutter here, flutter there, OH IT'S ME FLARE, flutter here, flutter through my temple cave, brush along the bottom looking for food... Sees me come over OMG FOOD!- Yup, that's daily for him. Super cute.

Baby Alexa is filling out really well. She's about as long a Mystique but not nearly as large... yet. She's starting to keep her color all the time with minimal striping! Super awesome~ I'm such a proud betta mommy~ <3


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

*My friend's baby betta~*

So today I got called for a baby betta rescue mission from my friend who recently found out of my betta knowledge. Her poor little man has been not doing so well. Not eating, hiding, clamped. I'm really irritated that pet stores have no idea how to properly care for baby bettas and don't give their customers proper advice and instruction! Grrr petco.... grr..

Anyway! So today before even seeing him I took her out and we get him so new food, cause what they gave her was too big (Omega One Betta Buffet Flakes; which is a GREAT food... but not for babies unless you know to crush it into fine peices... which I forgot to tell her but hopefully she'll read this or I will tell her on Wed when I check in!) we got a thermometer, and some stress coat.

So I get over there tonight and apparently the petstore also told her that they only needed a once a week water change in a 1 gallon... For a baby? She's had the little guy for almost 3 months and he's about doubled in size, but he's just about the same size Alexa was when I brought her home over 3 weeks ago... Totally don't blame her or her man, but I blame the petstore for misinformation! -growls- Anyway~

I changed the baby's water, we are going shopping next tuesday to get more supplies (including a heater and within a month a new little home with a filter hopefully) cause that's when we can. Baby, Eleven is his name, and as far as I could tell he was DEFINITELY male... Longer ventrals even for being so small, no ovaries or ovipositor, wrong shape... Yeah little man. So when I got there he was clamped and hiding, I actually didn't even find him until I took the plant out. I caught him in a cup and cleaned out his home and his plant. Tried to feed him, he refused. I looked him over and the only issues I really saw were that he was really skinny ((he's been refusing food), his tail fin looked like it had a little fin melt, once his body got to just before the tail his spine was bent, but he swam just fine, and he was so little.

I filled his 1 gallon tank up with fresh, clean water of like temp to the water he was in (which just so happened to be 80 without a heater) and after letting him float for a bit then released him into his new home with as little of the old water as possible. Within about 1 minute quite literally, he was swimming around, exploring, doing more that he has apparently done in 3 weeks! He still refused food, but tomorrow morning when he's all settled he should be just fine.

Oh! While he was in the cup, I got him to flare. It was amazing and he was so cute. He has some fire in him so he should be fine!

Also, he appears to be a nice teal and blue hiding under baby colors and stripes. His fin colors without a flashlight are gorgeous. Props to my friend and her man! He's gonna be a beauty once his fins get healed and start growing again! We discussed water changes and we have made a schedule of mon-wed-fri for her to change his water. (They also apparently didn't tell them about the growth stunting hormone that they release... :/) A much better improvement from the at most once a week that the store said. Also discussed feeding schedule as well. All in all, the baby is doing way better already and I am so excited that I have been able ot used everything I've learned on here and from my own baby betta to help someone else! Yay! <3

You go girl! We will make your little man amazing~~

Also! The second baby betta I know of to be OBSESSED with its thermometer. He wouldn't leave the thing alone! XD


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

*~Update~*

My friend's baby betta Eleven has improved so much in the last week I am so proud! He finally started to eat when I visited him again the other day, I tried crushed Omega One Betta pellets and flakes and frozen blood worms. It was great. He should start to heal more quickly now. They told me he has been swimming around all the time since the first water changes. Awesome!

I've set my sorority release date for the 28th after I get off work. I don't work that next day so I should be able to supervise them and I work later the day after that. Anyway, Lulah's (previously Layla... I decided to change it.) dorsal fin is so well healed you can't tell it was ever even torn and her tail hole is almost to the very edge. As of this upcoming thrusday, all the sorority girls will be proclaimed healthy. yay!

Although my plants in my sorority tank are curling at the ends of their leaves (the anubias) anyone know why that could be? I got seachems flourish thursday. Also have an adjustable heater, don't remember if I already stated that. A photoshoot shall commence sometime very soon!

Mayim, my little tail biter, has almost a quarter of an inch of regrowth on his fins already! I am SO excited!  My little man is doing so great~~

Alexa, my baby betta, just keep growing and growing. I've had her for a month today! Yay~~ I tried feeding her a whole Omega One Betta pellet today but she couldn't quite get it so she still has a bit more growing left to do before she is ready for sorority life.

Also... I have some new news...

So I was at Petco to check out the prices for heaters right? Well... the last couple times I've been in there has been this 3/4 inch white baby who wouldn't stop looking at me. I've ignored it for the most part because I feel like I've got too many fish in too many different places for the time being. Well there were two very wonderful adult halfmoon males who were begging me to bring them home. One would not stop flaring at me, responding and just interacting with me to an extent I've never seen in a betta. Well... I couldn't allow myself to get either him or the gorgeous white halfmoon because they were $14 and I didn't have that... As much as I wanted to bring that flaring man home... I hate that I had to leave him, it breaks my heart and I only spent like 10 minutes with him!

Anyway, I was just barely stopping myself from bringing him home despite his cost, like I had him in my hand and argued whether to take him up to the counter... I looked back at all the other sad bettas. That white baby would not leave me alone. HE was only $1.99... I could take care of HIM and help HIM grow and have a good life... Mr. I won't stop flaring BRING ME HOME but I'm $14 couldn't beat that. No matter his personality. So I brought the baby home. I think its a boy but I have no idea and I don't care, the other man WILL find a home. Baby nopw has the chance at a good life and the ability to grow as big at it can. I'm really hoping for a boy but I don't really care either way. When I shined a flashlight over him his entire body and fins shined with teal coloring, his ventrals are bright red though. I will be so thrilled if it is teal like the sheen. In any case, it is much happier, fuller, and warmer. 

But I won't forget you Mr. Flare. You are amazing. If I didn't live with my mother who would actually notice another full grown gorgeous male and his tank and I had the extra $14... I would bring you home. Please impress someone who knows how to care for you!

I am super satisfied with baby though... I'm smitten.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

I'm glad to hear about Eleven!!

Good luck with the sorority release! I'm sure it will be just fine! :-D

Oooh, can't wait to see the new baby!!! :-D!!


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

Omg~ You have no idea! My brother's girlfriend who likes fish but got tired of how often I talked about my bettas took one look and girlie-squeel-freak-out. It was hilarious and very satisfactory! I am guestimating approximately 5+ weeks for this little guy! Can you see their ovaries at any age if they are female if you look hard enough? Or is there an age that you can really start to see them around? I see absolutely nothing behind his full tummy. Alexa is getting jealous! She hears me say baby~ the same way I say/said it to her for weeks and she starts flipping out. It's kinda adorable, I have their tanks right next to each other and they have spent time checking each other out. Also, baby is starting to understand exactly where the food drops from so he knows to head over there after I come around. He even goes when I'm not giving food! Poor dear, lol. Both of them are such beggars! You'd think I starve them if you couldn't see their full bellies XD The baby doesn't appear to care about the bushy silk plants that are in his little home, he just kinda goes everywhere and never really stops. But maybe he only sleeps when the lights are out? Hmm...

Oh and I am super relieved about Eleven too.. I was concerned about him maybe going into shock or something... but no, he's good now.


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

Also, his back is arched oddly/extremely. Maybe that is why he was culled if that is truly how we get them babies? I'll get pics up within the next few days!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yeah most likely why he was culled, bent spine. My boy Steve has the same arched back but my other baby is fine so not sure why he was culled


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

Yeah, I have no idea why my first one was culled... she's gorgeous! I also and not entirely sure but... her fins appear to be forming crowntail appearance. Maybe she's one! XD


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Awesome! I had thought my boy Tony was going to be a CT when he was a baby and now I have no idea what he'll be lol, he's still got lots of growing to do though


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

So I've heard mention of a certain number of rays in a bettas fin that are in specific tail types. What constitutes as a ray? I hope that's not a stupid question >.>;;


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Nope, that's fine! Did you see my post in the Official PetCo baby Betta thread? I explained it there but give me a few moment's and I'll find the post for you ^_^


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Here it is: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=87438&page=139 go to comment #1390


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## AltheaGlyndwr (May 12, 2012)

*~Super update and follow-up after release~*

So sorry I have't posted in like 3 weeks! I let the girls out on the 27th and they were fine and dandy with no fighting or anything for about a week. Then I came home from work one day and Bastet (my red and white cambodian CT) looked like she'd been in one crazy fight. Half of her bottom fin with torn clean off in two spots. She had re-growth the very next day but it was still freaky. Ever since I've come home to someone missing some little peice or tear in a fin. It's gotten a little better over the third week though. I've been adding at least one new live plant eery two weeks and they seem to be loving it. I'm just gonna make a small paragraph about each of the girls so that I stop jumping around >.<;;

Mystique: From the moment that I let everyone out she was really chill like she really couldn't care less. But for a couple days Icelia (my purple CT) chased her and nipped at her fins. Tangi, Goldeen, and Bastet (the two orange ones and the red cam.) All ganged up on Icelia and kept "guarding" Mystique from her though so that was kinda cool. Mystique is probably the most often torn out of everyone but she's a trooper and nothing's ever been serious. She also has shown absolutely no aggression whatsoever... And she's the girl I've had for over a year! She just minds her own business and dances with the thermometer.

Bastet: At first she and Tangi and Goldeen (the two orange VTs) were a group of three that kind of kept everyone (Icelia -coughcough-) in line. Then a week into it I mentioned above what happened to her. I believe she got into an arguement with someone and she has since been serene and kept to herself and not challenged any of the others. Her fin is almost entirely regrown and half of it is the red coloring again. Yay!

Lulah: Is so not pastel whatsoever. She is really patchy and tricolored and her colors dont make a lot of sense but she's awesome. Her fins are perfect and she of anyone has had the least fin damage the entire time. She is the skinniest female in the tank but she's strong. For the first couple weeks she just kept to herself and kind of hid away but ever since I put the wisteria to float in the tank she has become fiercely defendant of it. I believe that she has claimed the larger mass of wisteria for her own. If anyone comes near it she flares then away. Hardcore and chases them. I had no idea she had this much fight in her. But no one appears to be challenging her for the territory so I think she's good.

Icelia: She was a bully to Mystique for the first couple days until she was put in line. After that she was kind of the "outcast" is seemed. But then a week ago I released Alexa (my first baby who's mostly grown now!) and they were cool for a could days but about 3 days ago I witnessed a flare/slap/circle down between the two of them. Alexa apparently doesn't like Icelia and Icelia now won't go near her. Sometimes I feel sorry for Icelia but she doesn't really seem to care. Although she does pale/stripe more often than any of the other girls so I think she is probably the most stressed out.

Tangi: My giant bright orange VT... Oh the stories to tell! So I though she's be a beast but she's turned out to be really mellow. She and Goldeen are most of the time pals although if Goldeen gets tired of her she'll chase her away... just to have Tangi chase her a few minutes later. I think for the two of them it's a game. About a week ago... actually the day I added Alexa to the tank... I had just finished feeding the girls and I had the lid off so I could let Alexa float in her cup in the water once I caught her right? Well Tangi decided that it was the perfect time (mid catching Alexa) to jump out of the tank and land in amoungst my things next to the tank on the floor. All I was was a bright orange flash and heard a little splash and I immediately knew what had happened. I searched frantically and with utmost care for her all the while yelling, "OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!!!: over and over again... It was super intense, adrenaline and fear and anxiety attack... yeah... It was bad. I ended up finding her inside of the cardboard container for my hard cider. Porr girl was terrified. It took a few moments to get her off of the cardboard and into a cup filled with water but she finally got flopped in. She was covered in bubbled and at first I though she lost both of her "arms"... but by the time I left for work she was using them and for the next two days that I kept her floating in the cup to watch her and clean her off she was pissed at me. Ever since then if I feed her more than 2 to 3 pebbles of food she has swim bladder issues. Can a fall like that cause SBD? She used to eat at least 6 pebbles a day because of her sheer size. I hope that poor thing will be alright. She seems fine but she keeps getting her fins ripped. SIlly girl... She hasn't jumped since and I hope she keeps it that way.

Goldeen: My orange combodian coloration VT. She and Tangi must truly be sisters I think. She has since the fighting started apparently asserted herself as head dog and she just looks at someone next to her and the swim away. She is yest unchallenged by any of the other girls although Lulah is putting up a show whenever she comes by the wisteria... I also have to separate her for feeding time (as well as Tangi) to make sure that (they) don't get too much food. If she has more that 1-2 pebbles she has swim bladder issues. I don't quite understand why this is for both of them but maybe it is genetic in their spawn or something... Both of them appear to be calming down when I have to cup them because they are beginning to associate the cups with food. So that's good. But man...

Alexa (baby): How much she has grown since I got her June 20th.... Just wow... She is a beautiful "little" girl and she is such a sport. I was going to wait until she could completely immediately gobble down the adult sized pebbles to let her free but I didn't want to have to worry so much about territories when I went to let her go in there so when she could eat the OOBB pellets but not quite the NLS pellets I let her float. (she was the same size body wize as most of the others) She only floated for like 3 days before I let her go because everyone looked at her and them completely ignored that she was there. She was able to slip into their world seemingly unnoticed. She has since become a little terror. She's only been torn once in the week she's been free in there but she doesn't take anything from anyone. If someone comes near her she flares/pushes them away. If someone tries to get up in her space or the plant she's in she gets in their face. She is just a right little terror and I'm glad that she can stand up for herself. She doesn't go out of her way but she will chase the girls off. No one messes with baby Alexa... no one.

So yeah, that's my sorority update. It's been great, the Seachem flourish has been great on the plants. I have lots of wisteria in there floating and planted, like 4 anubias and 3 crested java fern as well as some needle leaf rotala I just got yesterday (found out that is super sensitive but I might as well try)

The white baby I got didn't make it. It stopped eating after a week and then just wasted away. I tried everything food related. I never did have live bbs though... I bet that's what it wanted... poor dear. I didn't even have time to find/get any either. I looked it over constantly and it never had anytihng on it or visibly wrong with it. It just... wasted away and looked at the food i offered but refused to eat. Anyway after that sad episode I took him back and they let me get a new baby. This one has more spark and vitality that even Alexa did and I have fairly positive it is a boy as well if nothing else based off of the length of it's ventrils. Like beast long. It hasn't stopped moving and eating since I brough it home 3 days ago. Love it~ Also Mayim occasionly nips a bit of his tail of but it is mostly grown back now. He is so happy~ I can't wait until I can get hima 5 gal 

Anyway, thanks for reading and I'm sorry I fell off the face of the earth. I'll get pics up here soon. I'll even post the couple I have from the second baby that didn't make it. It was cute...


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I love your update on your girls. Yes, I believe a fall can cause SBD. It happened to one that I rescued several years back. He belonged to my cousin and their cat knocked his vase over and he ended up on the floor. It's a wonder the cat didn't eat him. I nursed him back to health, poor little guy.


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