# Sam's Life and Betta Buddy Journal



## Tourmaline

After some debating with myself, I think it's time for my own journal with life updates and updates on all of my Bettas, not just Sebastian. Honestly, the only reason I didn't make one sooner is because I'm horrible with titles for things, so excuse me lame title. x.x I give up on trying to be creative, it's not my strong point. 

I have a lot to think about lately. I keep getting myself in trouble for typing my mind for everyone to read, so I'm going to use this as more of a.. preventive measure, I guess would be the best term. It's better to talk about little things when they happen rather than letting them build up until they're a problem, fish related or not. I'll probably be talking to myself for the most part, but that's fine with me. Maybe someone will actually read this and take something good from my inner ramblings. 

So, there's my boring intro to my most likely going to be boring journal, enjoy? Or don't, I wouldn't blame you. 

Oh! Side note, I'll probably be posting about Sebastian here rather than in his own journal, for anybody still interested in him.


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## Tourmaline

Let's see. A bit on my Bettas now that I already typed out the intro about me and my ramblings. I have issues focusing while typing.. I go off track a lot. This is going to take forever.. Help me. x.x

No pictures yet, phone data is too slow.

I'll go in order of acquisition. 

Merlin, my first boy. He's a EEDeT. I thought he was a HM for the longest time until I finally realized his caudal doesn't hit 180, I felt pretty dumb. He's a ragged curly finned mess, but he's my ragged curly finned mess. He's always mellow, always friendly, and as far as I've seen floating new additions in his tank, not even aggressive towards other Bettas, just curious. He's a multicolor, I guess. He's sort of a steel blue color with mostly white fins with some gray and red. 

Topaz, boy number two. Also an EE, but he's actually a HM. Or, he was.. Before he decided to turn himself into a PK. Woo, fin biting. -.- Lazy, lazy, lazy. He was so flare happy and fiesty when I got him. Being in a community tank with Rasboras and Shrimp turned him into this mellow, care free fish. Well, he's not completely care free. All he cares about is food. He has a grumpy face and a gimpy fin, it adds to the little bit of character he has. He's a pastel salamander. His body is pink toned, his head is yellow, and his fins are white and yellow. Also a victim of fin curling before he chewed his fins off. 

Azure, secretly my second favorite. Or not so secretly, I've said it on the forums before. They don't know. He's in my current profile picture. Another EEHM, the only one so far to not chew off every bit of his fins and leave himself as a PK. He's also the only one whose fins haven't curled over horribly. This guy is something else. He's flare happy, observant, lady hungry, interactive, curious, aggressive towards everything that moves. He flares at food, he flares at me, he flares at dogs, he flares at his plants, he flares at his filter, everything. Oh, and he has the habit of trying to 'do the business' with people's fingers if they put them in his tank. He was also ID'd as a pastel salamander. He has a weird color to him. His body is almost copper colored with a pineapple look, is the best way I can explain it. But his body is blue in some lights. His fins are white, with some red in them. Although, he can't seem to decide whether he wants his fins to have red in them or not, it keeps changing.

Rajah, my only actual PK, and he's a King. All my HMs aspire to be like him, apparently. Apparently his name is Martin now, by the way. My mother keeps calling him that. I'd say he's one of the more engaging Bettas I have. He's the only one who will actually follow your finger. He's another flare happy one too. He'll hide, and then when you can't find him and you go up to his tank to look for him, he'll slowly creep out, his big ol' beard out, and charge at you. I imagine the Jaws theme playing every time he does that. That should be his theme song. He's a multicolor, wild type coloration. His body is black, and his fins are blue and red. 

Apollo, the fish that has no interest in me and apparently never will. He's a DTHM, but he also aspires to be a PK, but he's not quite there yet. He's kind of a weird one. I thought he was sick for a while after getting him, because he just had no interest in anything. Apparently, that's just his personality. He completely ignored me going up to his tank. If he doesn't, then he just stares. He stops what he's doing, and he stares until I leave. Weird fish. It's oddly cute, I'm not sure why. Maybe because he's so different? He's mostly blue, with some red spots in his fins and red ventrals. Not sure what he'd classify as. 

Sebastian, my rescue and my favorite. I believe he's a HM, not sure. I am not ashamed to admit that he's my absolute favorite and always will be. I went through hell and back to get him here, and I'm still going through hell to try to fix what PetSmart's neglect did to him over a month later. He has fin rot so bad he doesn't have even half an inch of caudal, and it won't go away! >_< I've tried almost everything I can think of at this point. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with him. He's the sweetest fish, though. It's sad that no one gave him a chance. I always catch him doing these weird cute things. He's always wiggling into places he's not supposed to be and developing some new habit that confuses me. I love watching him, his grumpy face makes me happy. He has almost a cream colored body, and golden fins. 

Meeko, or as someone called him, 'Mr. Amazing'. He's another HM, or was. Oh Meeko.. Why must you bite your fins? Your tank is the most heavily planted out of all of them. This one fish made me go against my word that I wouldn't ever divide my 10g. He's another one that's not too interested in interacting with me. He's more of a 'FEED ME' type. With my other fish, me coming near their tank doesn't immediately mean food. To him, that's all I'm there for. His 'Feed me, woman' face is cute, though. He's a.. I don't know. 'Fancy Marble'? His body is blue, and has orange and white splotches on it. His fins are orange and green, with a black band followed by a clear band around them. 

I do have one last boy, but he's not here yet. His name is Roman, and he'll probably be here next Monday. I'll post about him then.


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## Tourmaline

Night (morning?) 1 of talking to myself on a forum. 

I'm not sure what's causing my sleeping problems, but it's getting to be a bit much. I have no energy lately. I wake up in the morning, I'm up for about 3 hours, and then I suddenly feel so tired I have to sleep. And then instead of taking a nap and waking up in an hour or two, I wake up and look at the time and it's midnight. 

Despite the amount that I sleep, people keep commenting on my dark circles and how tired I look. I'm starting to think a doctor's visit is in order, but.. No health insurance. 

I think one reason I can never sleep is I'm a light sleeper. Any sound will wake me up. My father snores like a tractor, my mother snores like a dying moose, and one of my dogs snores. I can't sleep through snoring, I have to sleep with headphones on with music playing loud enough to drown them out. I often wake up in the middle of the night because a song is a little louder than the others, or because at the end of the song when nothing is playing, I can hear the snoring. 

Then on top of that, every morning whenever my father feels bored with his life, he makes his stupid fat mutt bark for 40 minutes and doesn't stop if I tell him I'm trying to sleep. He keeps doing it until I have a meltdown and I go out there. I don't get it. He's like a child. He needs attention, even if it's negative attention. 

Yesterday I asked him to stop nicely. I said I had a headache, which I did, and I really needed to sleep it off. He ignored me, and the second I went back to my room and closed the door, he was making his dog bark again. I went back out and I asked him why he feels the need to do that EVERY MORNING when people are just waking up and there's no need for him to bother his dog and play bird sounds on his phone to make him bark. He said 'Because I feel like it'. Yeah? You feel like it? I'll see if I feel like doing anything for you anymore. You want me to get you water? Nah. Don't feel like it. You want me to annoy my friends to give you a ride to buy cigarettes? Nah. They don't feel like it. You want me to let your stupid dog out? Nah. Do it yourself. Make you food? Nope. This is why he has no friends, and no one wants to do anything for him. Then he has the nerve to whine about not having a job or food when that's his own fault. 

Oh, then the cigarette issues I'm caught in the middle of with my parents. I'm too old for this crap. Both of my parents are smokers. My mother manages her habit and doesn't buy them often, one pack lasts her a while. My father smokes an entire pack in half a day. My father has no money, no job, no income. You'd think he'd do the smart thing and invest a little bit of money in that gum that helps get rid of the craving, or he'd call and get free patches from the state, but he doesn't. What he does is he bothers me every day, 4 times a day, to ask my mother for one of her cigarettes. She yells at me like it's my fault, and I'm getting sick of it. Then, another thing he does is he asks my retarded uncle for cigarettes because 'he's having a bad day' when all he does is sleep and eat everything there possibly is all day, and my uncle runs and buys him a pack. Another smart thing he could do is manage his cigarettes my uncle buys him. Smoke a few a day, so the pack lasts at least a week, right? No. He smokes the entire thing in less than half a day and then goes back to bothering my mother for hers. And again, I'm caught in the middle of this, and I get yelled at by both of them for what the other says or does.

Its like I'm the parent, and they're the children. I'm sick of being the middle woman between two adults that are fully capable of handling these things themselves instead of being whiny children about it.

I just want my space back. Dealing with any of this wouldn't be a problem if I had a way to get away from it, and be in my own world. I can't do that, because my mother is in my room 24/7. I can't go for walks because there's no sidewalks here and cars take blind turns going 50mph. I can go outside but that stopped helping after a while. I used to go outside and play fetch with my dogs to get away from these people, but now it's too cold for that and they don't even want to be outside for more than 5 minutes, I've never seen dogs use the bathroom so quickly. 

My problems are tiny, but they're still irritating. These little things make the huge dwelling problems that I don't really like to talk about so much bigger. It's like the straw that breaks the camel's back. A bunch of little things piled on top of a few big things that make the big things nearly impossible to cope with, and making me a mental basket case that wants everyone in this house to disappear. 

I need therapy.. I miss having friends and people to have a simple conversation with..


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## ThatFishThough

Aww. Life's tough for all of us. We've all been there, done that. Sympathies!

Loving your journal! So glad Roman found a home!


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## BettaLover1313

Hang in there! Things get rough for awhile, but then they seem to pick up. 

Glad Roman found a home with you .


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## LittleStar

I love that you started this journal. I love reading the journals on here! I am LA-ZY when it comes to responding and wayyy too lazy to start a journal of my own. I did do my tank log because I have a lot of local friends that I have infected with the fish hobby and now they look to me for advice on caring for fish they would not have if I didn't get them interested. Actually I unloaded some accidental fry on a few as well lol wups. 

You have lovely Betta stories started here and I really look forward to reading more, learning more, and pictures! 

Thank you for taking the time to share your journey with us!

Edit: Someone had posted about low energy in the Rant Thread can't remember who but one thing to consider is how much electricity is flowing through your house especially your bedroom. Pull the plug on as many things as you can including the cable box and turn your cell off and don't have a PC in your bedroom. Wireless waves, electromagnetic frequencies coming from the poles outside, these things cause sleep problems and anxiety. Google body volt meter and check your bodies frequencies when near electronics. They also sell 50 percent argon mesh silver fabric at Amazon for like 25 bucks, get a strip of it and make a bandana for around your head when you are indoors. Put your electric plugs into a plastic bin and cover it with the fabric, will keep the electric current from those plug ins from circulating in your room. Blocks EMF, works, try wrapping your cell in the fabric no one can call you. They also sell air ionizers called air purifiers but they have no motors or moving parts it just reduces the electronic charge in the air in your room, gets static down and increases oxygen. Costs about 35.00 each room. Folks smoking especially need these:
http://amzn.com/B00PVVNSMK
Also get the plastic electrical outlet plugs you use for child proofing and plug them in wherever the outlet isn't in use. Electricity flows right out of those sockets and through your house believe it or not. Check your pillow cases for zippers, get rid of those, they amp up the static to your head while you are sleeping.

New Hobby To Consider (Google) Earthing, Grounding The Home


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## Tealight03

I hope you're able to find your own place soon. It sounds like your parents are taking advantage of you.


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## Tourmaline

Thank you for your responses, everyone! 

Oh, and LittleStar, I was that person with sleeping problems you told about grounding. I did some research on it. Still having sleeping problems. 

I'm still really bummed, guys. The other day, one of my friends came down here to pick up some pet supplies. My PetSmart is the only store he's been to that stocks fish he likes, so he comes here and I usually hitch a ride with him to PetSmart. 

Well, since he killed both of his Bettas, he decided he wanted another one. He killed one by sticking him in an overstocked 20g and exposing him to Ich he recklessly introduced, and then letting him die rather than treat him with the medications I recommended. The other he had for over a year in a less than half gallon container doing water changes every 6 months, and it lived until he stuck it in a 5 gallon with 7 Neon Tetras and it died from presumably stress and the ammonia spike. 

So. I was against it. I can't do anything about the fish in his 20g, I've tried telling him and explaining it in 50 different ways and he always says 'They're fine so far', so I gave up. He still keeps adding fish to it despite his stocking levels being around 230% according to AqAdvisor, so I'm done. It doesn't even have proper filtration. He has a 10g filter on a 20g long.. Ugh. 

I tried convincing him he doesn't need any more fish to take care of, and his last two Bettas died so he shouldn't get anymore. It was working, until he and I saw the most gorgeous marble HM Betta I've ever seen. Gorgeous huge fins, black and blue marbling, the cutest blue eyes, I was in love. He picks up his cup, and goes to the register, completely ignoring my protests. I tried everything, guys.. I really did. I knew he would die quickly in his care, and I wanted him to have a chance to find a good owner. But, he went home with the fish killer. 

Today, he tells me he put him in the 20g and 'He's fine', again, despite my protests.. Maybe 3 hours later, he sends me a picture of him with torn up fins, missing scales, and an eye torn out asking me what to do. An hour later, he died. I'm baffled as to how he could let the fish do that much damage to him without even noticing there was an issue.. How does a Betta lose an eye? I'm so angry.. 

These things upset me so much.. Why buy something beautiful just to ruin it? Why be so irresponsible with a life? It's not like he doesn't know any better. I try so hard to push him in the right direction with fish, but he swears what he does is fine. I feel so horrible too because I'm the one who got him into Bettas when he saw how many I had. I just don't understand these kind of people.. They're just 3 Bettas among the hundreds of thousands, but these 3 were preventable, and they were closer to me than the rest. I just hate people like this..


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## LittleStar

O.M.G. how awful. I would tell him to never ever EVER talk to you about fish ever again and I would not respond to anything he has to say about his fish. Good or bad. Ever. He is not only uncaring with his pet but uncaring with his friend. Don't stand for it.


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## Tourmaline

I think he's done with Bettas, at least. He got an earful of wrath from me, so he's probably done talking to me in general.

I did my routine water changes, and my planted tank was on today's list. I was clipping off a dead leaf from my Narrow Leaf Java Fern and.. SO MANY BABIES. I started picking off the ones that came off easily, and there's maybe 20.. There's more on the plant still, I left them until they get bigger. 

More plants to add to Roman's tank. I'm leaving them floating for however long it'll take for them to get bigger. I think he'll appreciate the floating cover, there wasn't much in terms of floating plants. I hadn't gotten to ordering any Water Wisteria like I wanted to.


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## LittleStar

I'm curious Tourmaline, what is your favorite tank plant and why?


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## Tourmaline

I don't really have a vast knowledge of plants, but so far I really like Crypts. They're low light so I can stick them in pretty much any of my tanks without having to worry about fancy lighting. 

I got some craft mesh! > I'm going to make those little floating hideaways for my tanks. I hope they like them, I think I'll enjoy this little project. And I hope I got enough for 8 of them.. 

I'll attach pictures when I'm done, my 4G is finally working after two months, so uploading pictures doesn't take forever.

Does anyone want to see pictures of my Bettas? I can actually upload them now.


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## LittleStar

yes pics please!
Thanks for crypts info!


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## Tourmaline

Okay, here they are. Some are older pictures before fin biting. 

Merlin 
View attachment 734594


Topaz
View attachment 734602


Azure
View attachment 734610


Rajah
View attachment 734618


Apollo
View attachment 734626


Sebastian 
View attachment 734634


Meeko
View attachment 734642


Roman (I hope lilnaugrim isn't going to get mad that I posted the photo she took of him) 
View attachment 734650


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## LittleStar

wow I am in love with Azure! <3


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## Tourmaline

I'm in love with him too. He's the best pet store find I have, his fins grew like crazy after I got him. His personality is amazing too.


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## olgamc

Wow, beautiful gang!!! I've been quietly following your Sebastian journal, just touched my heart.


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## Tourmaline

I really love Sebastian. Still no progress on the fin rot, unfortunately. I'm all out of medications to try. I'm not sure what to do at this point.. 

I just got home so I'm going to start with the craft mesh hideaway in a few hours. I did some measurements and I got too much, actually. x.x I'm going to have a whole sheet left over. I may make some moss covered ground hideaways to put on the gravel at a later date. 

I got another snail, a Zebra Nerite this time. This was a test.. I put him in Azure's tank. Azure is known for being a crazy, murderous, evil, fish. I distracted him with food while I dropped the snail in the back of his tank behind a plant, and he didn't notice it for a few hours. I left, and I come back, and the snail is racing across the front of his tank eating all the algae, and Azure has no care in the world, not even acknowledging those tasty feelers all my other Bettas love biting off. 

I just sat there in stunned silence thinking, "WHERE IS MY AZURE AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HIM?"


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## olgamc

Tourmaline I was wondering, have you tried melafix? I know there are people that say to stay away from "fix" products, and then there are others that say they are fine. What do you think?


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## Tealight03

They are all gorgeous. 

Have you compared bacterial to fungal fin rot? I think bacterial is the fin actually disintegrating, which is what you're describing. Hmm.


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## Tourmaline

I don't like fix medications. They're mostly just money grabbers for people who don't know any betta. I bought Bettafix a long time ago, and I still have it. I've never used it because there are better and stronger medications that are more specific out there. 

What I have used as medication for fin rot is plain old water changes, Methylene Blue and AQ Salt mixed in a bath, Kanaplex, and now Furan-2 mixed with Kanaplex. Nothing has worked with him.


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## twohuskies

Hi Tourmaline! Just catching up to the new journal thread. Thanks for sharing the pics of your lovely bettas! Someday, I need to get around to posting pics of all of mine.

I wish I had some advice about Sebastian's continuing issues with fin rot. The only other medication that I can think of that you haven't tried is a triple sulfa. Other than that, I'm all out of ideas.

Bless you for saving him. Even with his short fins, he's so grumpy-faced adorable!


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## Tourmaline

I'll order some Triple Sulfa. Can it be mixed with anything? I just really want to kill this fin rot off once and for all. 

Only one more day until Roman is shipped. I'm so excited and so scared at the same time. I mean, he doesn't have to travel far, he's only two small states away, but I've seen so much go wrong with shipping Bettas. I'm just dreading opening the box and finding him lifeless, with my luck. 

I didn't make the hideaways yesterday. I was exhausted from running around all day with a car rental. I think I went to maybe 20 different stores, and I only got maybe 4 hours of sleep. My mother asked to help me with them because she loves little arts and crafts. I also got some black mesh for black hideaways. I didn't see anyone doing that on the DIY Thread, I should have grabbed one of every color. 

Update on the Zebra Nerite I'm considering naming Marty.. He's still alive, he still has both of his feelers, and he's eaten almost all the algae in Azure's tank already. I'm very, very surprised Azure has left him alone. It's not like he blends in or anything, he sticks out like a sore thumb. Azure is very curious of new things in his tank, I thought he'd have picked him to death by now, or I'd have to move the snail. But, nope. He's happily eating while the most aggressive fish I have completely ignores something small and killable.

I remember Olivia posted a thread asking whether Betta fish recognized people or not.. They do. I realized today that the only time Sebastian flares and acts like a crazy fish is when my mother is in front of his tank. I let her feed him today and he wouldn't eat it either. Interesting stuff.


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## LittleStar

Oh yeah fish recognize us they react differently to me than others in the house, yesterday they were all lined up in a row at the front of the glass just watching me make faces at them, so cute!

Congrats on Roman!


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## Tealight03

One thing I tried when Liam battled fin rot was using a peroxide solution to wash everything in his tank. Plants, filter, the walls, everything. Then rinse really well. I was worried bacteria was still in the tank even with the meds. Also, I started soaking pellets in vitachem every morning and twice a week putting probiotics on the pellets to help strengthen his immune system.


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## twohuskies

I wouldn't mix anything with triple sulfa. It's already a mixture of several medications.

Lord, I hope _something_ gets rid of his fin rot!!!!!


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## olgamc

I found this, I thought it was really informative with a bunch of medicine options. http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2011/06/betta-fin-rot.html


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## Tourmaline

It seems that Triple Sulfa is my last hope. It's really bad.. He's worse now than when I got him. Is it possible that I made the bacteria resistant to medication by treating him with MB for so long? 

I made two floating tubes. One for Sebastian, and one I had to keep moving between tanks to see who would actually use it. The only one who showed any interest in it was Meeko, so it's his now. I'm making two more tomorrow, I'll try it with Merlin and Rajah, since I didn't try it in their tanks. Oh and I'm making a black one for Roman's tank too.


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## Olivia27

MB is - technically - not even a med. So I doubt that. I do hope the next treatment plan works x


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## Tourmaline

I'll try to get a picture of him but he has tears in his anal fin, splits in the middle of it that don't go down to the ends. His caudal is almost gone completely. All of the regrowth he had is gone. 

I'm so desperate at this point.


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## olgamc

As a last resort, but I don't think you are at that point yet, but just saying as a completely last resort, you could try taking him out of the tank and dabbing hydrogen peroxide to affected areas. I read that it works wonders BUT you absolutely can't get any on his gills or he'll die.


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## Tourmaline

I managed to get a picture, but you can't see the tears unless he's moving. I tried getting a shot of them with sports mode on with no luck. 
View attachment 736026


You can kinda see one of them in this one but my fat finger blocked half of the shot
View attachment 736034



Trying to distract him with my finger to keep him from hiding from me
View attachment 736042


He keeps hiding from me in his floating tube.. He's having none of my photo shoot
View attachment 736058

View attachment 736066


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## Tourmaline

Decided to have a little photoshoot with Rajah since I can never get a good picture of him. Got three. I also discovered he's very close to being a HMPK. The very base of his caudal reaches 180 degrees flared but it's rounded. Not sure if that qualifies. Got a picture of it but it came out horribly blurry. 

View attachment 736074

View attachment 736090


Always so angry.. 
View attachment 736082


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## Tourmaline

Roman is officially on his way here as of yesterday. He should be here tomorrow. Hopefully my data lasts until then so I can spam this thread with pictures. x.x


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## Olivia27

Eeep! Safe travels, Roman!


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## Tourmaline

I keep forgetting this is a 'Life' journal too, so I don't have to refrain from posting cute dog pictures. 

Dog time!

Hercules being confused
View attachment 736986


Titan being a lap dog
View attachment 737010


I'm playing Scrabble with my mother.. Help.


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## Tourmaline

Update.. She beat me in Scrabble by 26 points. I got stuck with 5 E's for half the game. -.-


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## Tourmaline

Roman should be here in 2-4 hours. I just finished making his little floating tube. And I've been eyeing his temperature. It seems his heater isn't working like it's supposed to despite being fine for a week. The most it'll go up to is 76 degrees, on the highest setting. I think the light is just turning on but it's not heating anything. It was just at a stable 80 degrees two days ago. 

Something always seems to go wrong when I try getting another Betta.. Maybe that's a sign. First Sebastian with the cracked tank the day before I was going to bring him home, then Meeko with the missing divider piece, now the broken heater. Aghhh.


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## BettaStarter24

What kind of heater is it? I know one kind I've used after a while wouldn't heat past 72.


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## Tourmaline

I'm not sure. It came with the TopFin 10g kit. I switched it out from another tank when I upgraded his to a Hydor Theo. It's adjustable though.


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## Tourmaline

I never talk about Merlin much.. But it's thanks to him that I got into this hobby. 

So, here he is. Curly fins and all, in his little floating tube I just made for him. Excuse the algae.

View attachment 737754


5 out of 7 are actually using their tubes. Merlin likes his, Azure is a little skeptical of it but he's using it, Rajah keeps going in it and swimming out like a mad fish, and Apollo has been sitting in it since I put it in there. Sebastian doesn't really use it often.


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## Tourmaline

ROMAN MADE IT. I'm acclimating him.


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## SilviaAndScales

Yayyyy! Can't wait for pictures!


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## Tourmaline

I let him out, and maybe 30 seconds later he starts trying to eat plant stems, roots, and nibbling the duckweed lol. I like this guy already. He settled himself in a bundle of plants. 

Light was on for photo purposes. I'm keeping it off all day today and tomorrow to help him relax.


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## Tourmaline

Another picture from when I first let him out. He was so pale, but he's already getting some color back.


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## Tourmaline

So.. Apparently Roman's tank has something called Copepods. They're little bugs crawling on the glass. I immediately freaked out and thought they were parasites, and I took my box of General Cure out faster than you can imagine.. But after some research they look exactly like what a lot of people said were Copepods. I'm tempted to try to crush them.. I don't like the idea of tiny white bugs in my tank with my fish. I haven't seen any in any other tank I've had.. It's weird. But, I'm trusting the Internet's word that they're harmless to fish. 

Well, here's Roman being skeptical of me from his floating tube.
View attachment 738658


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## ThatFishThough

Yay! *confetti cannon* Roman!


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## Tourmaline

His name is Cola now, according to my mother. She said he looks like a can of Cola so she's calling him that now. I'm keeping his name, but now he has two? I guess? Roman/Cola is settling in really well. He won't eat pellets, but he'll get over it and eat them eventually, I hope.

She keeps renaming my fish. Rajah is Rajah/Martin now.


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## Tealight03

I love the picture of Roman in the tunnel.


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## SilviaAndScales

How's Roman's color doing? He's such a cutie!


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## Tourmaline

He's red again. I took this yesterday. 

View attachment 739530


He also kind of ate? I say kind of because he'll eat it, spit it out, and then keep eating it and spitting it out until he finally decides he wants to keep it in. I thought maybe the 1mm NLS pellets were too big but lilnaugrim used to feed him those with no problems before. Soo I guess he's just being a picky fish baby.


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## Tourmaline

Roman ate 2 pellets without the whole spitting out routine. However, he wouldn't even attempt to eat the third one. At least there's some progress.


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## Tourmaline

Hercules cut himself on something in the backyard while I was playing fetch with him. Blood everywhere, and he didn't even care. It doesn't look so bad now, it's scabbing up, but so much blood made me panic.. Oh then him with peroxide.. Acting like it hurts and not letting me grab his leg. Big tough guy dog bleeding like a stuck pig and not noticing turning into a little baby because of some peroxide. He has one on his other leg too but it's not as bad. 
View attachment 739794


In aquatic news.. I caught Marty using Azure's floating tube.. At least _someone_ is using it. Not sure how he's going to get out of there..
View attachment 739802


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## ThatFishThough

Ewwww. *squeals* Blood -.-


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## Tourmaline

Woo! Roman ate like a hungry fish tonight. He didn't even spit one pellet out, and he ate 4. Guess he just needed some time to settle in before eating normally. I'm so glad I don't have another picky flake only Betta to add to the list.


----------



## Tourmaline

The electricity is out! At least it's hot today.. All my tanks are staying at a steady 77 degrees, not far off from their usual 80 degrees. Hopefully everything is solved soon..


----------



## Tourmaline

Really, Roman? >_< What did I do? 
View attachment 740370


----------



## ThatFishThough

hehe! Beard.


----------



## Tourmaline

So, good old Merlin hasn't made a bubble nest since the day I brought him home 6 months ago. 

I caught him making his second bubble nest ever in his floating tube. He was guarding it from me when I was trying to take a picture.. He really likes that thing. 
View attachment 740858


----------



## twohuskies

Tourmaline,

I love all the pics! Thanks for sharing and congrats on adding Roman to your home.

I have some exciting news to share that just _might_ help Sebastian. I have a Midas cichlid that had some mild fin rot. I say mild, because there wasn't a lot of fin missing, but he really started acting unlike himself. He was hiding all the time, didn't want to eat, etc. And that is QUITE strange for a Midas; they are usually "in your face" charging the tank whenever I come near, and want to eat everything that isn't nailed down.

Well, once his behavior started deteriorating, I decided to treat him with meds, thinking the fin rot may have progressed to something that might go into septicemia. It's hard to tell on an orangish/red fish if there are red streaks in his fins. Anyway, I treated him with kanaplex AND doxycycline.

I am VERY happy to report that he is definitely on the road to recovery after about 5 days. He's back to charging the tank and eating.

Just thought that's a combo you haven't tried with Sebastian, and just may work for him as well.


----------



## Tourmaline

In life news.. I finally found the perfect shade of red lip color in my favorite brand. This stuff lasts all day. Favorite. Lip color. Ever. And since the purple finally faded out of my hair, I'm dying it red next. Woo. 
View attachment 741530


Also.. I have caramel apple rooibos tea. It's amazing. And it was only $1 for 30 bags.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'll try the docycycline and Kanaplex in 3 days. I'm treating him with Triple Sulfa right now and as usual it's not helping at all.. And I think he's fin biting his anal fin somehow. 

But he needs a break before switching meds again.


----------



## twohuskies

I agree - definitely give him a break between treatments. I was just amazed at how well it worked for my Midas. Doxy is also a good med to use in hard water.


----------



## Tourmaline

I went back to the Petland I went to in the Bronx where I used to live.. Last time I went, they had a gorgeous silver HM Betta, and a near perfect blue butterfly who also looked like a HM, along with a pretty nice orangeish CT. This time, all they had was half dead blue with red wash VTs. Huge disappointment. They looked so sad.. 

However, they had blue aquarium sand. I might pick that up if I ever plan to do a blue themed tank. I picked up a pack of black for backup. I love the look of black, it makes the Betta's color pop, and the color of the plants look amazing. Blue sand tank coming soon? If I ever get another tank at least. I may switch out Sebastian's black gravel for blue sand at a later date. 

Local PetSmart only had 4 males, and 6 females left. The males were all VTs, not nice ones either. There were some gorgeous females though. 

All in all, I didn't have any fish eye candy today. I am sad.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Aww. 

I'm a bit luckier, i found a Giant.. Platanium White that might possibly marble... At wal-mart. 


Poor VTs, no one seems to like them, but they really are beautiful.


----------



## Tourmaline

When did Walmart start selling giants? All I ever hear of them stocking is poorly bred CTs and VTs. Lucky!

I think nicely bred VTs are gorgeous.. But the droopy ones are just not something I like too much.


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## Olivia27

WalMart sell giants? Are they true Giants at 2" BO? If yes I truly feel for them. At least in Petco they do *some* maintenance  at Walmart the only maintenance they do is throwing out dead bodies.

Edit: Tourmaline, whenever I feel like complaining about the apartment not being big enough to have more tanks, I go to AquaBid  it's both the best and worst kind of torture lol

Edit: and dangerous for your savings account too... *stares at Willow*


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## Tourmaline

I've been looking at Aquabid for a CT in the US.. I found a few on eBay but they want about $78 for them. Now that's dangerous to my savings account. Almost $80 for the fish, another $100 for the tank and plants, another $20 for the heater.. I don't think I want another tank for a while. 

I've still yet to see a Walmart that stocks Bettas. I guess that's a lucky thing more than anything. They had a 1g tank kit with gravel and plants in it. My mother wants to get one and a baby Betta. -_- Trying to convince her against that.

Actually, I'll probably get another tank for my birthday. Last tank. No more space after that. I have a table that can hold a 5g. I desperately want a CT.. Something different, a unique color maybe..


----------



## Olivia27

OMG $78 before shipping?? Yeah I wouldn't. I mean, Willow was around that price too, but she's from Thailand. I can keep an eye out for you at my local Petco. They got some really nice fish lately. Better yet no matter the quality crown tails will always be $4


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## Tourmaline

$78 with shipping. The fish itself is $50 buy it now, the shipping is usually $28 for that seller. The ones they sell are imports that were imported to them, for sale in the US. So I do understand the price, since they would be around that much if I went through the process of importing them myself, but that's kinda why I don't really want an import.. 

The day I got Meeko, there was the perfect CT there. He bit off a single one of his rays, but he was a gorgeous blue butterfly double ray CT. Mildly spoonheaded but even web reduction, he was showing off and he was still healthy. Not bad for a pet store Betta. I haven't found one that lives up to him yet.  

My birthday cannot come any sooner. I have a bunch of extra plants now. I had to move most of the large ones out of Roman's tank because the light was killing them.. Now he has silk plants.


----------



## Olivia27

Ah! I think I know which breeder you're talking about. Try to find the same fish in eBay. Usually cheaper  x


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## Tourmaline

Those are eBay prices for the nicer ones that have already gone through being imported. D'x They're so pretty too.. I just don't want to cough up $80 for one. The eBay seller is 'ilovbettas'. 

They have a nice blue marble male going for $5 with two bids with 30 minutes left. ;___;


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## Olivia27

I know which blue marble you're talking about LOL I stalk ilovbettas like a creep. That said, from a reseller point of view, I won't pay $30 (shipping only!) for that quality of fish. But then again it's more about connection than form, right? <3

edit: I thought you were talking about Prism Bettas XD she's awesome too!


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## Tourmaline

I just search crowntail Betta on eBay and they're always the first seller to pop up. I don't want to be one of those people stalk eBay or AB for fish, I'd wind up with 20 Bettas and no money for myself or food. x_x I just look every now and then, and feel sad because there's so many nice fish that are too expensive. 

Its more of an instant connection kind of thing, usually driven by looks. I've felt that with Apollo, and more recently with Meeko and Roman. The rest I bought for different reasons, usually a rescue of sorts, and started loving them for their personalities rather than buying them because of personal looks preference. Well, Apollo was half a pity buy and half because I liked his coloration, even though it was common. He still has issues with swimming even now.. And he's turned into a fin biter. I think it was the light causing that.. I've dimmed it since.


----------



## Tourmaline

The misinformation is real.. I always try to correct people as subtly as possible, to not seem aggressive or that I'm saying they're wrong, even if it's something really little and meaningless, purely because that person they gave the information to will spread that misinformation too.. But when I correct someone, and they post more incorrect information ignoring and contradicting what I say when it's fact not opinion, screw it. Go ahead, spread your misinformation!

Maybe I shouldn't be part of Facebook groups.. I'll have a lot of people who hate me after today.


----------



## Tourmaline

The creepiest thing happened. A dish towel in the middle of the kitchen caught fire. It wasn't near anything that could have produced a flame. No one noticed it until it disintegrated and the entire house was clouded in smoke. I don't know why they took the batteries out of the smoke detectors.. Not even one of the four dogs in this house noticed it or tried to alert us. 

Even the stove here is flameless. I don't understand how it could have caught fire.. This is so creepy.


----------



## Tourmaline

Oh, and another thing I forgot to mention. 

I don't know what the hell is wrong with Sebastian. For the last 3 days, he's been trying to jump out of his feeding hole. I covered it with some craft mesh and taped it down, the food will still fit through but he obviously doesn't. 

On top of that, he's biting his anal fin to bits. I checked his water parameters, and everything is low. Ammonia is 0.25 (Its that amount for all of my tanks, and they're cycled), 0 nitrites, 5 nitrates. I don't know what's wrong. I haven't added or removed anything from his tank before he started acting up.


----------



## Tealight03

Darn it Sebastian. Biting is so hard to fix.


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## Tourmaline

"Pet me plz" 
View attachment 743714


My dogs are so tolerant of my annoying crap. I like it when dogs are okay with just about anything. Hercules is like that. You can play with his ears all you want, grab his tail, grab his paws, do whatever to his face, hug him, lay on him.. He just sits there and lets you. He likes the hugging and laying on him though, he used to fall asleep like that when he was a puppy. He was stuck to me like velcro back then.. He's still a lap dog, just a very big one that doesn't fit in anyone's lap.

Rambling about dogs.. Haven't done that in a while. Dogs are amazing. Ignore my rambling.


----------



## Olivia27

Lol my Diamond is like that too  I love dogs more than most people lol


----------



## ThatFishThough

Haha, yeah. My Luna is 2" exactly.


.... My petsmart also carries Giants. I'll have to send pics, most are a little over 2".


----------



## Tourmaline

Apollo just jumped out! -_- He landed on the hood of his tank, and I saw it happen. Now I need to jump proof his tank too. 

What's wrong with these fish? Ever since my last water change, Sebastian, Rajah, and now Apollo keep trying to jump out. Maybe something in the water? I used a new larger bucket for their tanks.. I haven't done the others yet. Roman isn't trying to jump either and I just did his tank yesterday. I'm confused.. I'm going to do another water change for them with my old bucket.


----------



## Tourmaline

Sebastian is still trying to be a dolphin even though I changed his water again with my old bucket. Rajah and Apollo haven't attempted to jump again. 

Why are my fish suicidal.. >_< Guys, stop it! There's so much worth living for! Like bloodworm day, bloodworm day is worth living for.


----------



## ThatFishThough

It's like Trahana's avatar; Who MOVED My Decor?!?


----------



## Tourmaline

Rajah and Azure are competing for this house's biggest bubble nest. Azure is the reigning champion, but Rajah has built his biggest nest to date! The battle of the bubble bachelors is heating up! 

Who's winning? 

Rajah's nest
View attachment 744354


Azure's nest
View attachment 744330


I'm very bored tonight, as you can see.. And frustrated, Azure bit a chunk out of his caudal again. It was almost fully healed from last time. :frustrated:


----------



## twohuskies

Olivia27 said:


> Lol my Diamond is like that too  I love dogs more than most people lol


I'm right there with ya, Olivia27!


----------



## twohuskies

That fin biting is sooooooo frustrating. I have (well, HAD) a beautiful HMEE that started biting his beautiful tail fin.:evil: The ONLY thing that had changed was I moved a koi plakat into the tank next to him. Sooooo, I put a book between their tanks so HMEE can't see the koi. He will still occasionally munch his beautiful tail and it's frustrating as all get out. I think part of it is that it's soooooo big, it's heavy and he gets tired of hauling it around! I see him just laying in the gravel or resting on a plant, and I get the feeling that he's just resting that tail.

IDK what's up with Sebastian. Good thing that you did another WC; since you had 3 suddenly trying to jump, I'd guess something strange with that new bucket. Hopefully, Sebastian will calm down!


----------



## Tourmaline

I think if I didn't discover Bettas, I'd be a crazy dog lady if I ever got lonely enough.

I hope Azure doesn't make it a habit. He's my only HM who hasn't completely destroyed his caudal, and he's my prettiest boy right next to Roman (sorry Sebby, I still love you). Meeko would have had that number 2 spot but nooooo. I don't even know why Meeko bit his fins.. His tank is covered in planted and floating plants. Ugh, I hate fin biting.. 

I think it was something with the bucket too. I don't know what, I washed that bucket thoroughly.. I used a brand new sponge and scrubbed it under hot water before using it. Maybe the sponge? It was fresh out the packaging though.. Never had a problem with other sponges from that pack before. And it's in my cabinet so no one could have used it and put it back.


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## Tourmaline

I woke up in the middle of the night to an annoying sound, and what did I see? My dog with Rajah in his mouth pawing my arm angrily and doing his frustrated growl/whine thing. Titan probably saved his life. Not intentionally I don't think.. He does that with things he catches.. Like mice.. Not fun.. But they're usually dead before he brings them to me. I'm not sure if he quite understood what he was doing, but I'm glad he did it. 

Rajah seems uninjured despite being in a dog's mouth. He has a few missing scales but that's about it. Luckily his tank is only a foot from the floor. I added AQ Salt to his tank just in case. Apparently I didn't jump proof his tank well enough... He burst through the tape and craft mesh.

He still seems okay this morning. It's already been about 5 hours since he woke me up. I'm glad he's okay..


----------



## ThatFishThough

Oh my god! I would have flipppeeeeddd! So glad he's okay!


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## twohuskies

WOW! Titan saves the betta! Now that's a great story! What in the world is with your bettas jumping out?!?!?!? Soooooooooo frustrating, but glad Titan saved the day.

Edited to add: IDK whether it's the bucket or the sponge, but I wouldn't use either again. I scrub my buckets with either a piece of that blue "cut to your own size" bonded filter material, or my algae scrubber pad. IOW, I don't use anything from my kitchen for fish. I have rinsed out new sponges and seen some bubbling come out of them, like they had some kind of soap residue in them straight out of the package.


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## Tealight03

That is crazy! Thank goodness Titan came and got you!


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## Tourmaline

I'm thanking his hunting instincts that I cannot get out of him. They get good practice out here. The backyard isn't fenced, it's a few acres of grass, and then at the very end it's untouched forest that spans a few miles. Lots of rabbits and mice for him to chase. He catches the small ones, to my horror. And he feels the need to bring them to me afterwards. Not bad for a city dog, but really gross. Hercules just barks at them, Titan feels the need to tap into his inner Terrier and chase and kill. Small dogs.... -.- I can't leave him on a lead outside anymore or he'll kill something. 

I'm surprised be didn't try to eat Rajah, now that I think about it.. 

Rajah is completely fine. No signs of stress, no issues swimming, no injuries as far as I can see. He was hiding until maybe an hour ago. He's back to his normal self and flaring again. He's a hardy Betta.


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## Tourmaline

I'm getting very, very angry, very, very quickly. My mother moved my gH and kH test kit, and she threw away the sheet that came with my Master Test Kit where I log all the results. I'm here tearing everything apart looking for the damn test kit and she's just sitting there with her ******* bed blocking everywhere I need to look. So I have to trip and almost kill myself over her bed to look. And why am _I_ the one looking for it when _she_ moved it and won't tell me where it is? Someone please explain that to me. I'm so sick of this ****. WHY would she throw away my log? I have that for a reason. It obviously had writing she didn't understand on it and what does she do? Instead of asking me what it is and if it's important, she ******* throws it out.


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## Tourmaline

Azure hasn't bitten his fins anymore than he did the other night. Lucky me. His head is getting some red coloration too, that's the first time that's happened in his monthly color change. 
View attachment 744722


Why is he so pretty... If I could have 10 of him I would. 
View attachment 744714


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## Tourmaline

Lol, my friends just picked this up from the garbage area of a building for me. Looks like a 10 or 5g with gravel and a background. Free tank. Woo! 
View attachment 744866


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## BettaStarter24

I think that's a 10g. but woo free tank!


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## Tourmaline

I can never tell. My mother said it looked like a 10g and I thought it looked small compared to my friend, so I thought it was a 5g. I have perception issues, it seems. xD I was upset that I sold my empty 10g I planned to divide and got space for it less than a week later, this was fate making it up to me. 

Might as well divide it if I set it up.. I have leftover craft mesh, I just need those plastic binder things. And Walmart sells a set of 5 silk plants for $5 here, I could just get 4 of those and fill it up. Not sure if I should get a filter right away, but I'll get two 25w heaters this time instead of one 50w.

WHY AM I SO EXCITED? Two Crowntails maybe? A Crowntail and a Plakat? An adoptee or two? An Aquabid fish!? Or maybe a Giant? So many possibilities!


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## BettaStarter24

*small voice* get a giant they're amazing! lol I love my giant to bits. He's actually gonna be a really spoiled boy in a couple months, he's getting a 20 gallon all to himself.

Best way to tell if it is a 10g is fill it with gallon buckets. Or measure the length. most 10g are 20" long


----------



## Tourmaline

Why aren't there Crowntail Giants? ;__; Or is that a thing I don't know about? I really wanted a Crowntail before I got Roman, but I fell in love with him and said screw it. But giants.. They're so gorgeous..

I was just going to visually compare it to my 10g when he brings it here.


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## BettaStarter24

I'm not sure if there are actual giant crowntails, I've seen some big crowntails but they didn't count as giants. 

It's all up to you which fish you stock it with but my vote is a giant. They're amazing. CT's are too as are all tail types but I do not regret getting my giant whatsoever. That was one of the best things I've done yet.


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## Tourmaline

That's a no to giant CTs.. I want a completely white CT. They have a few on AB but none with a form I like. I'll just have to hope whichever I wind up getting doesn't marble. And then I'll leave the empty side for a nice pet store guy or adoptee.


----------



## BettaNard

Gee, I wish I could find fish tanks lying around that have been thrown out around my area! Fish tanks do a lot of damage to my wallet $$$$ 
How exciting! Now you get to shop for more fishies, one of the best parts of fish keeping! D


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## Tourmaline

I was just doing calculations in my head about how much this is going to cost me still. I'm still looking at about $90ish to make it fish ready. Better than my last 10g I guess, that came out to about $180 not including live plants and driftwood. I'm not doing live plants this time around.. Costs less.


----------



## Tourmaline

The world of forums.. 

Person: *Makes 7 threads about the same topic frantically asking for help, does not research anything*

Me: *Looks at thread, mildly annoyed at the spam*

Person: "Omg halp my fish is dying look at this huge problem he has fin rot and he's not gonna survive the night plz respond" 

Me: *Sees it's fin biting, closes page, sighs*

At least the Mods here remove multiple threads.. Other forums don't.. Thank you TFK mods. ;__;


----------



## ThatFishThough

Tourmaline; Do you want any specific color/tail type? You could start a Sorority of CT girls. Maybe 5 or 7.


----------



## Sadist

I could have sworn I've seen giant CT on aquabid. I could have sworn I'd seen a giant black orchid crowntail on there and almost swooned.

My 10 gallon is 20 inches long, and the 5.5 gallons are 16 inches long. Not all 5 and 10 gallons measure out that way, but it would give you a better idea than eyeballing it! Good luck with whatever you choose to get!


----------



## Tourmaline

No sororities for me. I don't like the idea of a bunch of females in 10g.. It looks so small for any more than 2 Bettas. x.x The minimum I'd do a sorority in is a 20g. 

I'm heavily considering a HM giant. I saw two Emmygolf giants that caught my eye, one male, one female. I have a little self debate going on. CT and any other fish I like, or a giant..

All I saw under giants today and yesterday was HMs and PKs.. When I searched giant CT Betta, no results came up. ._.

I mean, I have my own divided 10g.. They're both the same kind, with the black rim. Should be easy to compare. I also don't have a ruler.. Or a tape measure.. Has been a bit of a problem too.


----------



## BettaStarter24

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashmp&1458136804

This guy looks nice, he's an Emmygolf giant.


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## Tourmaline

It redirected me to the whole list instead of a specific one. ._. What's the name of the auction so I can search it?

I was looking at her platinum gold HM male and female. So pretty..


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## BettaStarter24

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashmp&1458309608

He's under HMPK Young Giant HMPK by EmmyGolf.


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## Tourmaline

Yeah I saw him earlier too when I was looking at the PKs. I love his little freckles. So cute! 

I liked this girl too, she's adorable.
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1458285870


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## BettaStarter24

He's definitely one I'd snatch if I could. 

She's so cute! She almost looks like my Chihiro


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## Tourmaline

So Roman tried to make a really, really tiny bubble nest and gave up. Too much duckweed maybe? Duckweed really likes his tank, along with Topaz's side of the 10g.

Random thought thinking of Roman, why aren't cellophane CTs a thing? Actually, why is it that CTs have the least amount of color types? I've seen solids, blue with red wash, grizzle, black orchid, and butterfly.. But not much else unless I look on AB.


----------



## Tourmaline

Since it took to long to upload and I couldn't edit my last post to include this.. Here's a picture of Roman. I have to get another pack of silk plants.. His tank looks bare after taking the live plants out. If I didn't like this picture of Azure so much, this would be my profile picture. 

View attachment 745498


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## Tourmaline

Azure being.. Well.. Azure. His face kills me, it's so goofy. The bit of 'lipstick' he's developed is not helping me take him seriously. xD
View attachment 745682

View attachment 745690

If you could only imagine how long it takes me to upload pictures.. I started uploading these at 8:30..

8:45: I've decided to log my actions in the time it's taking to upload these pictures.. I can't think of anything for this log entry.

9:04: I've decided to make a cake. Lemon cake with vanilla frosting. Time to mix! 

9:41: Still waiting for them to upload, and while I was waiting, I caught the flying ant and that has been in my room for days. Smacked the damn thing, picked it up while it was stunned, and fed it to Azure. Stay out of my room you flying a-holes! I also caught a pill bug that was crawling across my floor. Titan tried to eat it. I caught it and let it outside. They're not annoying. They're spared from being eaten by my fish, and get to live another day. Cake is almost done cooling off, looks yummy. 

9:44: THEY'RE DONE. Just in time to put the icing my cake. >


----------



## Tourmaline

... That cake was amazing. I only got one piece. x.x Everyone else ate it. I went out there just now to get more and it was all gone.. WHY!


----------



## Tourmaline

Haven't had an inner ramble about life in a week or so... So ramble time.

I have respect for my mother.. I don't necessarily like my mother, she made my life very hard for me with some of the things she did, but she stood up to my father. My father was abusive, he was on drugs and he was a heavy drinker, and she stood up to him. I remember when I was a 7, up until I was 12, I wasn't allowed out of my room.. Things got really bad, and she wouldn't let me go out there because my father took over the whole house and was always belligerent. She would go out and face him to take me to school, and to cook when she wasn't too busy hating me for being his daughter, and to get me things to drink.. Someone with the balls to face a 6'3", 250 pound man when they're 4'10" and 90 pounds, and managed to keep their child sheltered enough to not realize what was going on deserves some respect. I don't need to like her, but I respect her for being strong enough to have gone through what she did and not lose herself completely. I didn't even know about any of that until I was 15.. I saw some of it but never understood. 

She's been telling me more and more about what ended their marriage and what really happened the last week and a half, I guess because I'm old enough to understand at this point, and she knows I've been in serious relationships now. It's all very interesting to me. There was so much I didn't catch or understand back then.. I always thought maybe she was just mean to my father, he always played the victim card and made her out to be evil, but he deserved it.. 

A little insight into my life. I don't mind sharing these things, I'm an open book. I'm mostly just typing out my thoughts, it makes me feel a little better typing them out rather than just thinking about them over and over.


----------



## Sadist

Wow, those pictures took forever to upload!

It's amazing the things we learn as adults about things that happened as children.


----------



## Tourmaline

I've had Sebastian for maybe two months now, right... And I haven't tried pellets with him since the first headache he gave me with them.... Well.. He's eating them. :| Why didn't I try them again sooner!?


----------



## Sadist

Haha! I guess he was just being shy at first. 

I forgot to mention, I love Azure's face, too! He's got a lovely beard. He reminds me of the spitting dinos on Jurassic Park.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Hey! My 'Smart has Giant Females. If your interested, I could go take some pics if they're still there.


----------



## Tourmaline

So many water changes... Dx I had to do them all in one day. My back hurts so badly. Never again. I need to stick to my usual schedule, I reminded myself that I split them up for a reason. 3 on one day, the other 4 on another. No more tanks after this last one. 4 and 4 evens everything out. 

I rearranged Azure's tank a little. And I added a little pot to Romans tank. I'm not sure if he'll use it but it looks nice. It's a small terracotta pot, the hole in the back is smaller than a dime, so I didn't have to worry about sealing it or anything. 

And yes! Could you take some pictures? I mean I won't have the 10g set up until Monday but I like options.


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## Tourmaline

In addition to my back killing me even more after a nap, now my scalp is itching like you couldn't believe. ._. I dyed my hair earlier. It came out pretty nice, but I never used that brand before. The one I used last time wasn't itchy. This one? I'm just glad I don't have long nails because I'd be bleeding by now.

A little side note.. Every time I see Roman in my profile picture when I post, I wanna squeeze him. He's cute even when he's showy. >_<


----------



## Tourmaline

My mother's logic never ceases to amaze me. 

I have an appointment on Saturday for a shot. My ex who I'm on good terms with is taking me, and I asked him to take me to a pet store to pick up something to help with these ticks biting Hercules and he said okay. She is mad at _me_ because _he_ doesn't want to take her anywhere. What? How is that my fault? It's her fault he doesn't like her, she's a spiteful, hateful person and he knows that all too well, which is why he doesn't like her. He used to.. Up until she expected him to do things for me and says it was his job to do those things purely because we were in a relationship, and that she got those same benefits. She's getting mad that it's okay for him to take me to get my **** done, her words, but can't take her where she needs to go. I'm getting a shot so I don't get painful incapacitating menstrual cycles, and getting something for the ticks so my dog she supposedly loves doesn't get Lyme Disease! That's a lot more important than her going shopping! He's doing _me_ a favor, he's not obligated to do her one. Spoiled princess over here doesn't realize that. So, she's choosing to ignore me all day today while using _my_ laptop that I so kindly loaned her, and sitting on her bed in _my_ room I'm so kindly letting her stay in. Now I could be spiteful and tell her to get the **** off it since she wants to be like that, but I'm not her.


----------



## BettaStarter24

I hear you with water changes, I was doing 9-11 each WC day. Now I'm down to 5-8 each WC day


----------



## Olivia27

Here's to the "too many water changes" club. I do 4 every day for the foster tanks lol more if it's wc day for the larger permanent tanks too.

About your mom... Isn't she supposed to be visiting? When will she leave?


----------



## Tourmaline

I'd die. I can't even do 7 in one day without feeling like a train hit me. I was okay up until the 6th one, because I did a 50% change on Roman's tank instead of 25% since his is cycling and I was worried about the .50 ammonia. The bucket was full to the top and very heavy. It doesn't help that the kitchen sink is at the other side of the house either. 

I'm never doing them all in one day again unless I really need to. I just did them all today because I was getting a headache and they usually last a few days, and I didn't want to miss their water change day because I felt like crap. Better earlier than late.

She's staying her until she can find an apartment in the Bronx where we used to live.. Or that was the plan. I was going to move with her, and find a job in the Bronx where there's public transportation everywhere, and then move out on my own or with my boyfriend. Obviously the boyfriend thing is a no go now, but my friend over there wants to move out too and I already talked to her about being roommates. She wouldn't mind the fish either, she loves Bettas, although she never really knew how to care for them properly. She's been helping us look for apartments there too. 

It doesn't look like she's leaving any time soon. She had plans to go back to Louisiana for 2 months to baptise my cousin's daughter, and she changed her mind because of airline ticket prices.. I was looking forward to her being gone. ;___;

My father has been waiting on the disability he filed for to be approved. I think he got some kind of mail saying it'll be ready soon because he's been asking me if I want to go on vacation to a dude ranch I went to as a kid, since my cousin and his family are going. And yesterday he was working on the Mustang and started it, and was doing some work on the engine until his blood sugar got too low (he's a diabetic), and I had to make him some food and tea with tons of sugar. So there's that, there may be some income for him soon, and problems here will be down to a minimum. They might even be able to save the house from foreclosure if my father can drive me to work when he fixes the Mustang and we all chip in.


----------



## Sadist

Man, and I thought my 4 tanks were too much on water change day! Thankfully, my little one gets enough light that I don't have to do more than one a week on it.

Does your mom forget things if she doesn't write them down? Does she get names mixed up and forget who's who? Her bahavior reminds me of my grandma with dementia. If she's having memory problems on top of that behavior, it may be time to see a doctor and see if it's a kind of dementia that can be helped. There are new breakthroughs all the time, though some types still can't be cured. I've been reading a lot about it since I have a family history.


----------



## Tourmaline

She does have some memory issues but nothing really alarming. She's forgetting things as she gets older (she's 56), but not to the point of forgetting people. She still has a clear enough memory to talk about things from her younger days and such. 

She's always been like this.. It's just worse now because she's in my room all day every day and there's no escaping her. Before, if she was being a jerk, I could just go into my room and ignore her. Kinda can't do that now. It's either deal with her, or go out of my room and have my father treat me like his personal slave and then verbally abuse me when I don't want to do something. Or go outside and get bit by bugs and ticks..


----------



## Sadist

Ugg. Some of the new dementia articles are saying that old age doesn't mean you can forget things so much. Some forms of dementia, they can only remember things from childhood. In the end, my grandma had a short term memory of about 2 minutes, but she could still tell stories about when she was 10. She did mellow by then and wasn't mean any more, but she was really mean from her 30's to 70's.


----------



## Tourmaline

She forgets things the same amount I do. She's the type that has to make a list to go shopping or she'll get sidetracked and buy nothing she needed. I'm the same way. Or she'll move something and forget she moved it, but I do that too. She has a clear memory of recent things. That's why I don't really think it's alarming. 

I doubt she'd get checked out anyway. I remember a few years ago they ran some tests and said she may have had a heart attack or stroke at some point and when they were running tests on that, she left because she was tired of waiting. -_-


----------



## Tourmaline

I swear to everything I love, I'll be eating chicken tonight... The rooster across the street has been cockadoodledooing EVERY 10 SECONDS. FOR 2 HOURS STRAIGHT. I AM GOING TO EAT HIM.

I have just been informed that it's called 'crowing'.. I like the sound of cockadoodledooing better.

Edit: I think they heard me yell that I was going to shoot him and eat him because he's in the back of their house now. Still faintly cockadoodledooing.. This area is not zoned for livestock, they're not supposed to have chickens here..


----------



## Tourmaline

Well, my PC magically works again. I swear, this thing has a mind of its own. One minute it works, the next it doesn't. 

I'll have the 10g tomorrow, and I'll get to making a divider for it.. And maybe I'll make a trip to PetSmart to see if they have any CTs I like.. If they don't, it's off to Aquabid. And the other side will remain empty until I find a Betta I want to fill it with. 

No giants for me, unless I can find a CT giant. I had my heart set on a CT, and being able to divide the tank and get another guy that I like is a big bonus.


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

I actually saw a few really nice CTs at my Walmart of all places yesterday. One I especially took notice of was a blue and orange bicolor and there was one that was purple ish. I was talking to Olivia at the time and she mentioned I should tell you about them. I was considering going back to get them to resell regardless. 

Before I started my sorority I had my 10 divided in 3 with two filters on the outside sections with the spray bars pointing toward the middle one. The circulation worked really well.


----------



## ThatFishThough

I'm spawning a pair of CTs, if your interested.


----------



## Tourmaline

It turn out its a 20g tall.. x.x Don't have the space for it. I need to sell it and get a 10g. That's a bummer..

Edit: Apparently my dogs missed me. Someone help me understand why Titan decided to fall asleep on top my hip while I was laying down on my side.. It's so cute I'm trying not to laugh and wake him up.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Eh it would be ok on the floor somewhere


----------



## Tourmaline

Not with two dogs who like to stick their faces in things and no hood. ;__; The fish would be in one of their stomach's in less than a day.


----------



## Tourmaline

Trying to convince my friend to trade my old lightly used hooded 10g for a heavily used 20g without a hood is like pulling teeth.. Wish me luck. -.-


----------



## Tourmaline

I reconnected with a friend I've known for almost 10 years.. We stopped talking maybe 7 months ago because he was interfering with my relationship, and all around being pushy and not taking no for an answer.. There were unreciprocated feelings there. 

It was pretty awkward.. He's still the same person, has not changed at all. Meanwhile, I'm completely different.. There's no common interests there or anything to talk about anymore.. He was my best friend. We used to talk for hours and hours a day.. It really sucks. 

I miss having my little group of friends. We all disbanded and stopped talking because of my relationship.. There was always some conflict that resulted in me not talking to someone. I really wish things turned out differently.


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

I understand that entirely... Been there. Mine decides to try to contact me at the worst times, including but not limited to the day my grandmother died and I was in no mood to talk about him.

When you do get your tank situation figured out I have two CTs for sale! They're in my journal and can hold on to one if you wanted.

Good luck with both!


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm not even going to look. ._. I already had to say no to Olivia holding Red for me.. I don't wanna like another Betta and have to give him up. I feel bad holding fish.. It's not really fair to them, I don't know when I'll have a tank ready for them or if it will even be this month. 

On a life note.. I feel like I'm dying. I got my third shot of depo provera yesterday, and my whole left side was numb. I couldn't walk normally, and I felt sick to my stomach. I was at a party and everyone noticed there was something wrong with me. I had my 'I hate everyone' face on and I was miserable. 

I even got a headache from kids misbehaving.. I wanted to take my belt off and beat them. They were throwing things at people, screaming in their faces, stealing phones from people, hitting people.. I don't even like good kids.. Imagine how me dealing with bad ones was. 

Then mid way through the party I felt even more sick because I hadn't eaten since the day before and no one told me I was going to a party, I thought I was just getting a ride to get my shot.. So I didn't get anything to eat before hand. All I got last night was a piece of cake. 

Now, today, I feel so nauseous I can't stand and I already threw up twice.. I went to the bathroom just now and I almost passed out in the hallway.. I'm about to call Planned Parenthood and ask why I'm getting these side effects.. This can't be normal. I've gotten the shot twice before and I've been on it for 6 months, and I've never gotten this sick.. I gained a massive appetite and 30 pounds, but I was never this sick. I'm dying guys.. Help me..


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

That's terrible... I can only imagine how bad that must be. Good luck. Hopefully they know how to fix it


----------



## Sadist

http://www.rxlist.com/depo-provera-side-effects-drug-center.htm

Here's the online thing about it:



> Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
> 
> *Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:*
> 
> menstrual periods that are heavier or longer than normal;
> *sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body*;
> *sudden severe headache*, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance;
> chest pain, sudden cough, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing up blood;
> pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in one or both legs;
> fever;
> *nausea*, *upper stomach pain*, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
> swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet; or
> symptoms of depression (sleep problems, weakness, mood changes).
> 
> 
> Less serious side effects may include:
> 
> changes in your menstrual periods;
> weight gain;
> mild headache, drowsiness;
> mild stomach pain;
> hot flashes;
> joint pain;
> breast tenderness;
> feeling tired or irritable;
> acne;
> decreased sex drive; or
> skin changes or a hard lump where the injection was given.
> This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.


So I would call right away and see.


----------



## Tealight03

I have had really bad reactions to the bc pill. Even if you were fine before, you might be having one. Hopefully the doctor would have more info. Hope you feel better.


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## Tourmaline

I called and she said it was a common side effect and I probably experienced it because I didn't eat at all the day of getting the shot or when I got home. I've experienced the numbness before, the side I get the shot on always goes numb and very sore, so that's nothing new. It's worse because I got punched in that side by a child with a death wish, I think. Leftover soreness from that I guess. I felt a little better last night after I ate some leftover food. 

I feel a lot better today. I'm considering switching to implanted BC. I'm just worried about the painful periods they have as a common side effect since mine completely stopped on depo, which is a big reason I started getting the shot in the first place.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm trying to figure out a way to be able to keep this 20g.. If I can, maybe I could divide it three times instead of two? That's a little over 6 gallons per fish. I have to look at it really good and see if the sections would be wide enough. 

My mother said there's a wooden dresser in the garage. I want to see if it looks sturdy enough to hold a little over 200 pounds. I may be able to keep the tank if it can. The tank is heavy as balls though, I couldn't even carry it inside, it's under the porch. x.x I have a hard time imagining that a dresser could hold its weight with water in it.


----------



## Tourmaline

Azure absolutely destroyed his caudal... I give up on Halfmoons.. No more.. I want to cry. Dx


----------



## ThatFishThough

*chants* Dress-er! Dress-er! Dress-er!


Yea!


----------



## Tourmaline

I looked at it. It won't hold a 20g, but it will hold Merlin's 5g. And the stand Merlin's tank is on could easily hold a 20g. I could move Merlin's tank to the new dresser and put the 20g where his tank was. Now to figure out where I could put the dresser in here.. 

Azure is still biting.. No stopping in sight.. Most of his caudal is gone now. He was my only halfmoon who hadn't bitten his caudal off..


----------



## Nova betta

Tourmaline said:


> I looked at it. It won't hold a 20g, but it will hold Merlin's 5g. And the stand Merlin's tank is on could easily hold a 20g. I could move Merlin's tank to the new dresser and put the 20g where his tank was. Now to figure out where I could put the dresser in here..
> 
> Azure is still biting.. No stopping in sight.. Most of his caudal is gone now. He was my only halfmoon who hadn't bitten his caudal off..


I feel your pain with the fin biting!


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## Tourmaline

I'm really iffy about dividing this 20g three times. Any input, anyone? I mean technically it would be 6.6 gallons each section, but it's not as wide as I'd like.. I'm unsure. 

I'm really giving up on owning HMs.. I have 4 and every single one has bitten their caudal off. I understand why people like PKs so much now. Azure has disappointed me.. I've had him for almost 5 months now and he just now decides to join the HM to PK club after being my only non biter..


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## Olivia27

Tourmaline said:


> I'm really iffy about dividing this 20g three times. Any input, anyone? I mean technically it would be 6.6 gallons each section, but it's not as wide as I'd like.. I'm unsure.
> 
> I'm really giving up on owning HMs.. I have 4 and every single one has bitten their caudal off. I understand why people like PKs so much now. Azure has disappointed me.. I've had him for almost 5 months now and he just now decides to join the HM to PK club after being my only non biter..


Hmm.. Maybe you can divide it into two, with an empty compartment in the middle where you hang he heater and the filter? Idk, in my head that gives more width to both sides.


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## Tourmaline

I was planning to get a hood with LEDs.. I'm not sure if I'd be able to fit a filter in the middle. I'm still trying to figure out how to filter it and heat it. :/ I was more curious if it would be inhumane to divide a 20g three times instead of just two.

Edit.. I keep saying divide it three times but I mean into three sections.


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## Olivia27

Welp as we all know, no research shows that there's an exact minimum tank size for Bettas. I honestly think that's the last thing you should worry about.


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## Tourmaline

I'm one of those people who thinks it's inhumane permanently keeping Bettas in anything less than 2.5 gallons.. Sue me. x.x Its just there's no swimming space.. Even how small a 2.5 gallon is kinda bothers me.. 

And I feel like there's not enough swimming space in three sections but I have to go back outside and divide it into those sections to really see what I'm working with.


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## OUOhYeah2016

I had my 10 gallon divided in 3 for a while because I had three girls prior to my sorority set up. I could imagine the widths of the sections wouldnt be much different from that. I never felt like any of them didnt have enough space or breathing area. The way I did it in the 10 was to have two 10 gal internal filters you may want to do two 20 gal filters. I was recommended this brand by RussleTheShihtzu and I use the 10 gal version:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rue&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER 

Anyway I had one in each side of compartment with their spray bars pointed at the dividers for better circulation. 

If you try it and feel comfortable with it then I think it's worth a shot.


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## Tourmaline

But for that to be their permanent homes, I don't know if it would work. Especially for 3 males. 

Did you have it lighted or hooded? I'm not sure how to hood or light mine, especially if I have to have the heaters and filters in 'odd' places.. And how did you heat yours? A heater in the middle section?


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## BettaStarter24

Now that I've had bigger tanks, my 2.5 gallons and even my 3 gallons bother me. Although I'm ok with having a betta in 2.5-3 gallons, I'm working towards only having my 5 gallons, 10 gallons and 20 gallon up. 

I'm sure you could do a 3 way divide in the 20g, each space will be kind of tall vs long but I'm sure it will work fine. 

Petco sells a stand for the 20g high for $59 plus tax. It's called the Newport 20g stand and it works fine, just be sure that the adjustable legs are all level or that the stand is level on the ground. (works better on hard floor than carpet). It supports the weight just fine. According to our math, a full 20g high, including gravel is around 240 pounds.


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## OUOhYeah2016

I did have my heater in the middle section yeah. I dont think having males in those sections would make much of a difference. Only the middle section had any real surface disturbance from the filters, but maybe if you're tired of HMs then it probably wouldn't be a problem for anyone else. I think it's plenty of space regardless of height versus length. 

I do have a hood on mine. I popped out all of the available cut-outs from the back in order to have everything be able to reach with the chords, then I put pieces of craft mesh over them just in case anyone got any ideas about jumping. I like hoods on divided tanks in general because I make my own dividers so I make sure they have exact dimensions to fit securely under the lip of the tank but I leave the excess above it and cut until it basically meets the hood so, again, in case anyone decided to try jumping they wouldn't get anywhere.


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## Tourmaline

Azure's tank is a 3g, and it looks so small to me.. Apollo's is a 3.5 gallon but it looks so much bigger. The rest of my tanks are 5g and one divided 10g.. 5g tanks seem to be the perfect size in terms of swimming space and how much space they take up. Eventually I plan to upgrade Azure and Apollo, but it's not really necessary so I'm going to do it whenever I'm done adding new tanks. 

I tested the stand I plan to use for the 20g whenever I get everything set up. It held me and I'm 153 pounds as of Saturday, plus Merlin's 5g tank which I'm assuming is a little over 50, maybe 60 pounds with all the sand. I'm sure it could hold more than that, it's solid wood.

@OUOhyeah, which hood did you use? I was looking for one with lights built in so I didn't have to buy a glass top, but I can't find any that would fit any filters anywhere besides the right side.


----------



## Tourmaline

... All of this planning may have just gone out the window. A cellophane giant at a member's LFS I almost got months ago is still there.. I have some thinking to do.


----------



## Olivia27

OMG if that cello giant really is still there you MUST get him!!! Dat form. Gee gosh.


----------



## Tourmaline

I wanted a CT. ;__; And Red is a big reason I'm trying to get this tank set up ASAP. On the other hand, that cello giant was my choice months ago.. I'm torn.. I'd need to see an updated picture of the giant.


----------



## BettaStarter24

You could divide the 20g in two parts instead of 3, get the giant and Red. Or, find a way to divide it so the giant gets roughly 10g, and the other half is divided in two, making room for Red and a CT, but the two 5g portions wouldn't be very wide at all.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'd also need to know the size of the giant.. He may not be a giant at all. He's labeled as a King, but he's larger than most Kings which doesn't really mean much since most Kings I've seen are around 1.5 inches fully grown, they're just dense.

If he's small, I could give him slightly more space since it would still be coming out to about 7 gallons just moving it a little, and keep the other two sections at a decent width at the very least. Or just get him and Big Red and say screw the CT for the second time. ._.

If it doesn't look like enough space I'll stick to my original plan. Or I could just give him the whole 20g if he's big, maybe.. Depends on if I fall for him again. There's gotta be that spark there. A recent picture is a must.


----------



## Sadist

I've always liked the idea of a tiny middle area for the filter/heater and two big areas for bettas. With the precise measurements of your home-made dividers, it might not be needed to have that little area in between. It could help with the tail biters if they can't see any other males. Some floating plants could help, too. My Mr. Fish was a tail biter, and I never could figure out exactly what caused it besides stress. I never figured out what was stressing him so much!


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

I ordered my hood from Petco online, I don't remember exactly which one it was. I'll try to find it later though. It has the part that opens on the front and then the glass part in front of the openings on the back and the light comes off the top separately. 

Depending on where you're putting the tank, what if you divided in a "T" shape? The biggest portion would be above the top of the "T" and then the two sides of the "T" stem could be for two regular Bettas. That way two sections don't look so much like slivers from the front. If the tank was somewhere you could see both sides then you'd be able to see them all.


----------



## Olivia27

Do wonder if the cello has marbled the way most cellos do. Daaarn where's chocolateturtle? XD


----------



## BettaStarter24

The guy my roommate got from her is big, he's the size of my full giant from the Betta Shop. They're bigger than regular kings at Petco. I'm not sure if the same holds true for the cello guy but the one my roomie got is big anyway.


----------



## Tourmaline

Imagine he stayed a cellophane! I'd die. He didn't seem big compared to the others that were there, he seemed smaller. 

I do hope I can see a recent picture. x.x The suspense is killing me. There was also another cellophane there that I didn't like so I'm curious if it's the one I wanted or the other one.


----------



## Olivia27

Eeep I sure wish it's the one with awesome form! And gee, a stable Cello. Imagine that. Where are the update pics! >< 


Why am I the one who's excited lol


----------



## Tourmaline

I just can't believe he'd still be there after 2 months. What's wrong with people? No taste.. I need to bother chocolateturtle for pictures whenever she gets on.. 

... I think I have a duckweed problem. 
View attachment 750058


----------



## Olivia27

Sell em. Goldfish owners would love some.

Edit: and IKR! Have you seen Malachite? That poor thing's been on the shelves for almost a month!


----------



## Tourmaline

If I had a way to get to the post office to ship things, I would. The duckweed in Topaz's side of the 10g needs to be thinned out once a week. I haven't done it this week and that's how it got. 

It's weird though because the roots on them never get long in that tank.. But in Roman's tank, they have nice long roots for him to hide in, but they don't reproduce like crazy and it hasn't taken over the surface even once. I don't understand duckweed. 

Chocolateturtle confirmed it's the same cello I wanted.. I'll make my decision whenever she can get a picture of him. If I like him, I've decided I'm going to divide it in half and get Big Red and him, if no one buys Red by the time I can get this tank set up and heated. I've still yet to move the dresser in here because it's too heavy to move myself and no one wants to help me..


----------



## Tourmaline

Just sitting here watching everyone.. Rajah is making a bubble nest inside of his floating tube. Arthur, Merlin's Mystery Snail, keeps climbing on things and falling off while Merlin is going nuts swimming around his tube and trying to fit into places he can't fit into. Topaz is being.. Well.. Topaz. He's hanging around his feeding area eyeballing me, and he just took a break to go into his floating tube he was terrified of for a while. Meeko is just swimming around being Meeko. Roman has been chilling in his tube, taking breaks to try to eat poop that I need to vacuum off of the sand. Sebastian is swimming around flaring every so often. Apollo is just swimming through his plants over and over. Azure is building a bubble nest in the corner of his tank behind the plants. 

I'm just waiting patiently to be given a ride to the library.. Losing my patience. The Bettas are helping me keep my sanity.


----------



## Sadist

Haha, they're all so different!


----------



## Tourmaline

All this fin biting is making me depressed.. Why did Azure have to start? Why does Meeko feel the need to trim his fins perfectly along the banding on his fins? Why does Apollo want to be a discount DTCT? Topaz hasn't bitten again and his caudal is growing back at least.. He didn't bite too much off to begin with. He's too fat to bite off much. 

Neither of the DeTs haven't bitten. Merlin never has despite all the beginner's mistakes I made with him, and Roman hasn't yet, thank **** (knock on wood). But all the HMs? Even my DTHM? Fin biters. Even Sebastian. How even? YOU HAVE NO FINS SEBASTIAN. WHY BITE THE LITTLE BIT YOU HAVE LEFT. 

So. Done. With HMs. Azure was holding my faith in them. Every day he has less and less of a caudal, and now it's a habit. I think they all do it habitually at this point. With Topaz, he bit because I took out his favorite plant. When I put it back, he stopped. Everyone else just keeps going after I fix what seems to be the problem. Maybe I don't feed them enough? I SAW Azure bite his caudal. Chewing a piece he bit off like it was a pellet. I cried. I want to cry again. Why Azure.. Why..


----------



## BettaNard

This makes me sad, I feel for you! Because there's no single cause, and it's hard to fix! Gee if only bettas could talk :'(

When Callisto started biting, I got sadder and sadder everyday because his caudal was getting shorter!!! Ever since I moved him to a smaller tank, he's stopped and now it's growing back. Sigh, figures.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Sadist

It's so hard. I went through 9 months of that with Mr. Fish, and in the end I figured out it was stress. But, what caused the stress? I never did figure out.

When I did a tank change on him, he got so stressed out that he bit even his ventrals off. And I mean off. One was just the muscle nub!

It started during his marble color change. I also started getting live plants, so I moved the room lamp closer to his tank. I can only think that maybe the light bothered him. His new tank is now a perfect jungle of plants, and I think he would have loved it if he had survived long enough to see it. 

There was also a theory about dissolved organic compounds from not vacuuming enough. I had trouble getting in between the plants without upsetting the roots, so I wasn't vacuuming out all the poop. I thought the plants were eating it, but there's a chance that it was messing with his behavior, too.


----------



## Tealight03

It took me a long time to figure out that Phil, my chronic biter, was doing it because of his reflection. He was such a mess.


----------



## Tourmaline

Meeko is by far the worst out of all of them. I would take a picture of him but he just looks so bad.. I wish I knew what's causing it. He doesn't seem stressed, he's always calm. The rest didn't completely destroy their fins. Meeko.. Well, he doesn't even look like a HM anymore.. Just a very ugly PK with uneven fins. 

Another thing.. Holy crap Topaz is fat. I took a picture of him and I looked at an older picture and wow.. I'm sure it's because he's on flakes. Sebastian started getting kinda fat on flakes too. I really need to get him back to eating pellets.. That cannot be healthy. I really didn't notice it because he's next to Meeko who has a short fat body. Put it this way, his body is bigger than his fins and he's a HM.


----------



## SilviaAndScales

I'm so sorry about your biters. My Lafayette is a biter too and has caused me so many tears. Right now he's stopped. The only thing I've done that's actually made a difference was putting him in a breeder box at night. Idk why a smaller area at night is better for Lafayette... maybe easier to rest his VT fins? His biting always occurred at night, so I doubt this would work for everyone. Could be worth a try if you think they bite themselves at night. All biters are different, though. Sigh, I hate biting so much. Before I started meds for my anxiety, his chomped tail gave me burning headaches. Just remember that it's not your fault and that as long as you keep their water clean they'll be ok.


----------



## SilviaAndScales

Here's a link to my biter's story if it helps. Even just looking at old pictures of his spidery tail makes me sad. Biting is the worst. http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=652882


----------



## SilviaAndScales




----------



## twohuskies

Sam, if you decide to divide that 20 and want a lid with built-in light, you can always just put an HOB on the side with the cut-out, and a sponge on the other side. That's what I did with my divided 10 and it's working great!

I hope the pic of the cello giant makes that connection for you! The bigger bettas can be so much fun. I like my king, but I like all of my bettas anyway. :lol:

I had a HMEE tail biter too. :evil: I wound up adding LOTS more plants to his tank, and putting a book between his tank and the other betta next to him, and that pretty much stopped his biting. His fin hasn't completely recovered, but I was also heartbroken when I saw the big CHUNKS he bit out of it overnight. I think the HM's just don't like having to drag that big tail around. I find mine resting on the bottom sometimes, or he will park his big tail on a plant to rest it. It is SOOOOOO frustrating.

Let us know what you decide about the 20 and that cello giant!;-)


----------



## Tourmaline

Today in fish fat camp! I'm cutting down his food to 3 pellets (if he'll eat them) once every other day. He's healthy, so it won't kill him, but him being fat will. Good news is he ate a pellet. Bad news is apparently he forgot how to eat pellets and just makes a mad dive with his head out of the water towards the first one he sees and ignores any after that.. This is why I think he's a bit dim.. At least compared to everyone else. Progress, at least? I found that if I feed Meeko first, Topaz will be more aggressive with his food. So next time I feed him I'll feed him first instead of Meeko like I usually do. I'm also going to flare his lazy behind for 10 minutes twice a day. He's never flared at Meeko but will still flare at his reflection.. Fish logic. 

They all bite for different reasons.. The first time Meeko bit his fins, I was 6 hours late feeding him. He didn't bite off much that time, but soon after that my mother started that whole fiasco with leaving their tank light on for almost 20 hours a day. That's when Meeko really destroyed his fins. Topaz had stopped at that point, I'm surprised he wasn't stressed by the light issue but he was stressed by me removing a plant. The light issue has since been solved and Meeko still hasn't stopped so I don't know. Apollo, I think it was because his old tank light was really freaking bright. I've since changed it back to stock but he hasn't stopped. Sebastian.. I don't know. I don't understand him. He's weird. I don't know why he's biting but he's biting. It's not like he has much to bite off anyway. Azure, I don't even freaking know. I moved some stuff around in his tank a few days before he destroyed his fins.. Maybe that's it. That's why I think it's habitual at this point. Every time I change what I changed back to the way it was, they keep doing it. 

I was thinking about running sponge filters on both sides but I wasn't too sure. I have a spare 20g filter, but it's pretty big.. And I remember it being annoying to baffle. I'll see how it works out. Walmart has a 20g hood with LEDs for pretty cheap, I wish I could see how bright they are first.. The tank kits from Walmart that come with I assume the same kind of hood have the weakest LEDs I've ever seen so it's probably the same..


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

I had a similar problem with Fawkes. I switched what side of his divided tank he was on and he bit a little bit, so I put him back, only I changed one plant and he bit so much worse after that! Once everything was back the way he likes it he hasn't bitten since and it's all growing back.

Prism on the other hand is a HM (Fawkes is VT) and I bought him knowing he was a biter and I can't figure out any reason beyond the fact that his tail is heavy.


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## Tourmaline

I'm at the library, or 'lieberry' as my father calls it. I took pictures of all my fin biters yesterday.. I have WiFi and nothing to upload but that so say hello to ragged bitten fins! Not even going to bother including Sebastian or Azure, you already have an idea of how they look. 

Meeko is really the worst.. 
View attachment 752058


Topaz is really fat.. 
View attachment 752090


Apollo is now a DTCT.. 
View attachment 752082


----------



## olgamc

Don't kill yourself about Sebastian. He might as well be biting the damaged tissue of. Maybe he knows something we don't.  How is he doing by the way? Is he on any meds currently?


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## OUOhYeah2016

Apollo's tail looks like my Prism's... he doesn't lose much length but he trims the ends all the time


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## Olivia27

Sometimes fish bite just because. There's little reason to worry over it when you know you're keeping up with maintenance. It's just aesthetics really ^_^


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## Tourmaline

Life ramble at 2:30am.. #3?

Today reminded me why I try to stay away from certain kinds of religious people.. Soon as they find out I'm not religious, they either try to push their beliefs on me or just criticize me. Usually they treat me differently afterwards too, sometimes they stop talking to me completely. My crazy aunt is one of those people. She threw holy water on me and made me read a piece of the Bible (which I have already read in its entirety) with her when my mother decided to open her fat mouth and say I don't have faith. She started treating me differently after that. She wouldn't speak to me directly and wanted to get rid of me. I specifically avoided that topic with her for a reason.. I just feel that if I don't criticize your faith, don't criticize my lack of one. I respect everyone's beliefs.. Everyone has their own ideas about God or Gods, and there are so many different religions. Who is anyone to judge anyone else's belief or lack of belief? Why should that be a topic of conflict between people? Why should any of that create a divide between people who would normally be friends? Peace and love, people. Preach that.


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## LittleStar

AMEN SISTER!

Well we are Spiritual Universalists, meaning that we believe in the right to access all religious material to grow spiritually, and we do not believe in judging ourselves or others in the process of spiritual growth. This is not the same as "The Unitarian Church" - a place that tends to take in wayward people who haven't found themselves. We have no church base and we do what we want, when we want. 

From Christianity we believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the son of God, born of a Virgin Mary. We do not believe however that he died on the cross for our sins, but that he lived a long life and died in India after having a family of his own and practicing Buddhist beliefs there. Many years of his life are missing from the Christian Bible and other religious accounts fill in the blanks there, if you research this in depth.

The Bible: "Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing." 

Jesus was alive. He survived the Crucifiction. 

When I talk about Buddhism, this is different from 'Tibetan Buddhism" - we do not practice that belief system. I'm talking about the practice of the original Buddha - the four noble truths, the eightfold path to enlightenment - practicing right thought, right speech, right action. Observing yourself without judgement. We do not believe that God hates, or takes revenge. God is pure Love, which lives in all of us. Every time you find Love, every time you access the sensation of Love, you find God. We do believe however that people can cause evil when they will it to be so. We need to be responsible in how we treat ourselves and others.

Spirituality is as personal as it is something to share. No one has the right to tell you how you should feel or what you should believe in. Those that make it their mission to intervene in your space that way, have interpersonal issues they have not worked out within themselves. 

On our wall in our house we have a decree of what we stand for and how we practice. You can do that for yourself, and change it as you grow. Growth is the essence of spirituality, and no one has the right to hinder that life journey.

Keep YOUR faith! Drop toxic relationships.

And Happy Easter! Which is the beginning of a new life for Jesus, and for all of us.
Resurrection or not.


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## Tourmaline

Hercules's superman pose. He lays like this all the time. This coupled with his helicopter tail makes me think he could take off if he wags hard enough.
View attachment 754169


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## olgamc

Mahatma Gandhi:


> I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.


Jesus (Matthew 11:29):


> Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.


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## Tourmaline

So, my situation has gotten really bad here.. I have to find a place to move to as soon as possible.. And right after I got a job here and started settling.


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## Olivia27

Oh no  best of luck with everything x


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## Tourmaline

I am so sick of this family it's not even funny.. I did not choose to be born into this. I do not want this last name. As soon as I am out of this house, everyone on this side of the family is dead to me. I'm changing my last name to my mother's maiden name, something I have been wanting to do since I was 11, and I'm done with it. I do not want to be associated with these people any longer.


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## Tourmaline

I taught Hercules how to use the treadmill. Highlight of my month. I've been wanting to teach him for so long and I was finally able to. It takes him a week of training to learn how to sit, but 10 minutes to learn to run on a scary machine making tons of noise.. Dog logic.


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## Tourmaline

I'm having a filter induced meltdown. The noise is making me crazy. I'm about to say **** it and go filterless. 

I have never hated a filter more than I hate the Tetra Whisper 10i. It is the most loud, irritating, hateable thing I have ever had the displeasure of having in my room, and I'm stuck with 3 of the damn things. Azure's is quiet, it's never given me any noise issues. Sebastian's and Rajah's? Oh my god I hate them. I have to move them around so they stop making noise 10 times a day. I had a 4th one that was Merlin's but I forgot to turn it off during a water change and it never worked again. It got replaced by a Marineland Penguin, which I almost equally hate. Stupid annoying constant trickling water sound and buzzing.


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## Tourmaline

Wanna know what sucks? When you type a huge long life rant with a lot of emotion and meaning, and when you post it, you get a Database Error and it's gone.. All gone.. Guess that's the site's way of telling me to shut up and stop spamming my journal. x_x


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## RussellTheShihTzu

I write an email to myself or a Word Document and then copy and paste into the thread. That way if I get a database error I can keep posting until it goes through. 

BTW, if I forgot: Hercules is just gorgeous!!!


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## Tourmaline

I should start copying it into a memo whenever I'm done typing something long. Database errors are so rare it never crosses my mind to copy what I typed before pressing post.

And thank you! I'll relay the message to him whenever he wakes up from chasing a squirrel, or whatever dogs dream about.


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## Tourmaline

I keep forgetting to post this picture of Titan on here. This is the best picture he has let me get of him in a long time. I posted this in another thread but never in my journal. 
View attachment 755801


I wish I had puppy pictures on this phone. Titan was so cute.. Titan was 2 1/2 months old when I got him, born on 12/20/2011. I still remember the day they contacted us saying his mother gave birth. Most of the puppies had typical Yorkshire Terrier coloration, Titan and one of his very small sisters looked like little black and silver mixes. I fell for his little fluffy face immediately. My mother wanted a purebred.. Nope. My puppy, my choice. 

Hercules was already about 5 or 6 months old when I got him, so no cute puppy pictures, besides one on a Craigslist ad. He was a different story. No happy instant falling in love for him.. A BYB down the block had him and a sister left from a small litter, and she was starving them since they wouldn't sell, according to her. We reported them for 3 months and nothing was done about it. I even called the cops directly and they didn't do anything. I did manage to get their Craigslist ad removed, at least. They were in the back of their house, and I couldn't even get to them to feed them. Eventually it got to the point where I finally asked if I could give her $50 for him and his sister, and she agreed. They were very skinny at that point, you could see all of their ribs and their hip bones. The weirdest thing is she treated both dogs with so much love, just to starve them for almost a week at a time, I'll never understand that. They were very well socialized with people, and were complete lap dogs, I don't understand the neglect.. I gave his sister to a friend who offered to take her in, and decided to keep Hercules despite how difficult he made my life at first. His sister the happiest dog I've ever met next to Hercules. I may have done a 'bad' though.. The people had their also very skinny mother tied outside in their front yard, and I blabbed about it to multiple friends, and she 'disappeared' the next day. I heard from a little birdy that she's safe and sound in a good home, and she'll never be made to pop out babies again. ;-)

Unintended dog ramble, don't even know how I got into all this. I needed a ramble tonight anyway to make up for the Database Error.


TL;DR I have puppy pictures of Titan, and none of Hercules because of evil people who don't deserve pets.


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## LittleStar

*Quiet Filter*

Re:

"I have never hated a filter more than I hate the Tetra Whisper 10i. It is the most loud, irritating, hateable thing I have ever had the displeasure of having in my room".

I just wanted to toss this out there - I use sponge filters but in my 10G Tall I have a Marineland Penguin this model: http://amzn.com/B00OYHF7RQ

I took the biowheel piece out (silly thing anyway) and put my own sponge filter media in there, and it is extremely quiet, I can't hear anything except a little rush of the water when the water gets low enough in the aquarium. I adjusted the flow of the current by bracing the intake tube underneath where it sits in the housing unit so it can't sit all the way down = less intake and thus less outflow and I've always used hang on the back filters like that. 

Just wanted to share a quiet model that can also be adjusted easily. 

Titan is adorable!


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## Tealight03

Both of your dogs are adorable! Love Titan's little face! 

I had neighbors who were starving a litter of puppies. They were roaming though and two came over looking for food. We kept one and took the other to a no kill shelter. He got adopted quickly. I can't remember what happened to the other dogs. I feel like the other neighbor took them all to a shelter. It was kinda funny a few years later when the neighbor made a comment about us having one of the puppies from that litter. What did you think was going to happen when you starved them and let them roam? I don't understand people at all.


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## Tourmaline

I have a Penguin 100b, the 20g version, running in my divided 10g. Even without the biowheel making the tricking sound, it buzzes just as loud as the 10i. I opted to keep the wheel in because the buzzing drives me crazy without the trickling water sound drowning it out. 

I wanted to switch to sponge filters, but all the tanks I got were kits that came with filters. And all of my tanks are far apart from each other, so buying 7 air pumps would be a bit of a waste. I do have one air pump that I decommissioned months ago, and whenever I can set this 20g up, I'll be using sponge filters on it. 

I don't understand people who breed dogs just to neglect their puppies.. There are so many places that spay and neuter for next to nothing or free, there's really no excuse, they can't say it was an accident. I hope all those puppies found good homes, and are living the good life.


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## Tourmaline

Guys, I found puppy pictures.. This thread is going to the dogs.

Titan's breeder photo. So fluffy!
View attachment 756233


Titan's first day home. I'm glad these have timestamps, he was so depressed the first few days. See the silver growing in? He wasn't black for long. 
View attachment 756273


Titan with his favorite cat toy. He had so many dog toys but kept stealing my cat's toys. 
View attachment 756353


The picture that was on Hercules's Craigslist ad. Look where this poor dog lived. 
View attachment 756241


Hercules's first day home. Instant attachment to me, he would not leave me alone, unlike Titan when he first came home. 
View attachment 756313


He _used_ to fit in my lap.. Barely. 
View attachment 756337


The first time Hercules decided he didn't want to kill Titan. He was very aggressive towards him at first, and by the time we found another home for Hercules, they were best friends. We didn't want to bring him to a shelter because being a Pit Bull in a shelter is an 80% chance of a death sentence. 
View attachment 756345


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## OUOhYeah2016

Aw! I love your pups! My two shepherds are almost 6 and 8 now but we got Chase (the older one) from a rescue at about 10-12 months and he was already full sized. Cooper on the other hand we got from a breeder, which isnt something we normally do, but this breeder didnt believe in giving their dogs water. Yepp. You read that right. No water. They soaked their food and then they werent given anything else. My mom saw that and bought him immediately. It took a while to get him used to having water around and our vet was worried he'd develop kidney problems but he turned out entirely okay. We got him when he was still little though. Little being a relative term since he was only a few months old and weighed 25 pounds and didnt stay that size very long!


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## Tourmaline

I rehomed both of my Nerites to Roman's tank for now. I cannot keep up with the amount of algae that tank gets. Lucky for them, because the tanks they were in weren't growing algae fast enough. And their rocks aren't growing algae either.. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong with that. 

But they're going to town! There's little squiggly lines all over the algae where they ate. Sloppy cleaning job lol.

.... Can Black Racer and Zebra Nerites breed? If Marty turns out to be a Martha we may have some problems.


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## Tourmaline

*Important announcement, sort of​*​
I'll be doing journal exclusive signature Bettas! Like the ones in my signature. I'm opting to make it journal exclusive since I have a feeling I'd get completely bombarded if it was it's own thread.. They take a while to make. 

Limit is 3 per person, and there are 3 slots. Most likely I'll only do the 3 slots per day. I did three in a few hours yesterday and was a bit burned out. Please post clear, well lighted pictures so I can detail properly. 

Anything besides HM, VT, PK, and females will take a bit longer and may not look as good.


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## Olivia27

Can you do Silhouette? <3 she's a black copper CT. So... Welp, she's a she *and* a CT. Please don't hate me <3 <3 

To make up for it though, her colors are mega easy O just black all over with a sprinkle of gray


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## Tourmaline

I had a female CT template from one I did for Swimmyfins already, you lucked out lol.

I resized it once but it looked a little big to me so I resized it again, but here's the slightly bigger version. 
View attachment 757313​
And the smaller one. 
View attachment 757321​
Aaaand as I'm looking at it in the preview screen, it still looks big, so size option number 3 it is. 
View attachment 757337​


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## Olivia27

EEEEP it's an itty bitty Siloo!! Yaaaaay! Thanks a bunch :3


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## Tourmaline

I'm glad you like it, she's a beautiful girl. I admired her when I first saw Lil's pictures of her, I'm glad you got her. 

I'm surprised no one but you has asked for a sig Betta. I guess no one reads my journal regularly. Or maybe I scared them off with all the dog talk. xD


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## Olivia27

Heh, wait until the weekend rolls around  I notice that people here are mostly either a student or a very busy working parent. Suppose that plays a role.

If you're bored though I have six Bettas - and you only had one down ;P LOL


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## Tourmaline

I could do them over the next few days if no one else asks, and it's looking like no one else will. 

I'd be starting with Willow and Merah since they're my favorites. >.> I'd also need a picture of Cypris with his fins spread out so I can get the color right. Nichi's color confuses me too.. x.x I'm not going be able to get her right to save my life.


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## Olivia27

Lol I wouldn't worry about Nichi at all. She's a marble, so whatever color you put down right now probably won't be accurate next month lol suppose if I bribe her with some brine shrimps she won't mind not having a sig pic as accurate as the rest. But just as a summary she's mostly cream (not the correct term but whatever) with cello fins. There are small patches of green on her anal and dorsal. There's also this cluster of colors along her spine which you can't see from side view anyway, and a bunch of white scales that really tempted me to call her a dragon. Oh and she has no vents lol

Cypris - thanks to his algae-ridden tank - is very difficult to take photos of. But he's just royal blue with a faint blue BF band and black fins (which used to be cello...). I t-h-i-n-k he has his fins all spread out in his breeder pic. But I gotta find that pic first lol


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## Tourmaline

I'll get started on Willow and Merah whenever my mother gives me my laptop back. Oh and for Merah, his actual sized fins, or imaginary fully healed fins?


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## Olivia27

I would actually keep his battered, tattered fins if that's okay with you. That's his trademark, kinda


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## BettaNard

I read your journal from time to time! Did you want to try and do Callisto & Castor?


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## Tourmaline

I can do Callisto and Castor tomorrow, along with Sapho. Still haven't gotten started on Willow or Merah yet because my laptop is being held hostage by a mad woman.


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## Tourmaline

The issue now with the signature picture is it's too tall since Merah's fins are bigger.. You might get scolded by the mods if you have the text with it. Size options included, again. I'll add more to the signature as I do your bettas. ._.
View attachment 757681

View attachment 757689

View attachment 757697​I was also unsure of Merah's color. I saw one picture where he was almost all blue and I've been questioning myself.. I made another version of him that's blue like the picture that I can switch out to if it's wrong.


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## Olivia27

I'll play around with the text a bit  thanks again! Merah isn't exactly all blue. He just has a spread irid (the Si factor) which - by the way - you captured perfectly in the little pic <3 

And now you have the template for a female DT and a ragged HM male lol


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## BettaNard

Tourmaline said:


> I can do Callisto and Castor tomorrow


That's okay, whenever you have the time, no rush 
I guess you can find plenty of reference material from my journal:


http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=667834


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## Tourmaline

I keep having the same reoccurring dream where I go to a PetSmart inside of a mall, the same one in every dream, and right before I get to the Betta section, someone distracts me with puppies. I have really weird dreams..


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## Tourmaline

I have 4G again until it runs out. It's so beautiful. ;___; I'm going to abuse Pandora until I run out of data. I miss my Chillstep station so much.


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## ThatFishThough

I has to. I'll get pics up in a couple of days. <3


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## Tourmaline

I finished working on Callisto and Castor signature art. Here's the finished product, plus size options because that's a thing now since I did it for Olivia. (Almost forgot to add them) 
View attachment 758153

View attachment 758177

View attachment 758185​
Castor was a bit of a challenge.. I couldn't get his pineapple looking scales right. Hope that's good enough. 

Also, your photography is amazing! It was a treat working on these guys, they're gorgeous.

Oh to Sapho, then off to bed.


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## Tourmaline

And done with Sapho. Just went ahead and added him to the whole sig, in the smallest size.. Too much work to do the rest of the sizes tonight. 
View attachment 758193​


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## BettaNard

You are awesome! These look so cool and real!!! Thank you very much  you've got Calisto's scales perfectly!

Glad you had fun making these! Callisto and Castor are always fun to photograph


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## Olivia27

Eeep it's a Sapho! XD yaay <3 and don't worry about the size lol seems like the only one I can fit is the smallest one anyway


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## Tourmaline

I've switched Roman and Meeko.. I'm hoping Meeko will stop fin biting, and that it was just caused by him being in a divided tank.

lilnaugrim has said Roman has done well in a divided tank and was relatively unbothered by it, so I opted to switch him since he's had experience in a divided tank. He's uninterested in his neighbor and is super interested in the cholla in his side. Topaz is a good boy and never flares or challenges, they should be fine. 

Meeko, however, seems very stressed by the move. I had him netted for a bit while I looking for a cup, and he went deathly pale. Completely freaked me out. Meeko is so fragile.. I hope being in a tank by himself fixes some of his issues. He's hiding under some of the plants at the bottom.. I hope I made the right decision. 

Worst case scenario, if Roman has issues, I'll put him back in his tank and I'll get Meeko a small 2.5 gallon for my desk. I'll just let Topaz have the whole 10g. 

I spoke to soon with the no interest in his neighbor thing. Roman is flaring, and as usual Topaz shows no interest. But unlike Meeko, Roman isn't actually attacking the divider.. Now would be the time to get some good flaring pics.


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## Tourmaline

"Y u do dis?"
View attachment 758729


I guess he feels a little better now? He's being interactive again. Comes up to the glass when I come over to check on him. 
View attachment 758737

He colored back up again. He was so pale his face was white instead of black. I've never seen a Betta pale so quickly, I thought that was a thing that happened over a while not within 30 seconds.

Also, Roman has calmed down. No more chasing the divider. He's just chilling in the floating tube and laying on a plant.


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## Tourmaline

Finished Nichi and Cypris. I have no idea if I got Cypris right. You said the cello turned black right? I went by his breeder pic. I think I did _okay_ with Nichi.. Although it's too tiny to really tell. 
View attachment 758777​


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## Olivia27

Glad you found Cy's breeder pic! I forgot to put it here so you can find it more easily >< Nichi looked very Nichi, don't worry  you did a great job! Thank you!


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## Tourmaline

Your welcome. 

A bit of dog advice needed, people. Hercules has a huge cut on his shoulder. I've been cleaning it, but obviously I can't bandage it because he's a dog and he's going to take it off. He keeps scratching the scab off and making it bleed every day. He's losing a big patch of hair on his shoulder from the scratching and not letting it heal. I don't know what to do, it's never going to heal. -_- It's been there for a week already with no improvement because he opens the wound after it heals a little. I thought about getting dog boots and putting it on his paw to stop him from scratching it off but he's just going to take it off and eat it soon as I stop looking at him. Help?


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## Olivia27

Do you have access to Thundershirt or a medical shirt? Bandage it and then put the shirt over the bandage?


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## olgamc

The wound is on his shoulder? Make him a cone collar.

Oh, sorry, never mind. I thought he was biting at it.


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## Tourmaline

... I didn't think about that. I have a dog shirt for him that fits comfortably. Gonna try it, hopefully he doesn't eat his way out of it while I'm asleep. 

This dog eats everything that's on his body. I can't even leave collars on him, he finds a way. Oh and dog tags? Don't even get me started on how many he's chewed to bits. 

Btw, did you want me to add Seren to the signature pic? I wanted to do her too but I wasn't sure if you'd be okay with that..


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## Olivia27

You can put on two shirts if that's more security. And Olga, I was about to also suggest the cone of shame LOL but then I realized Tourmaline said "scratching" XD

I don't know, maybe not  still on the "I don't want to see anything that even resembles her" phase. Which is why I have Cypris ( a male ) in her old tank. Thanks for the offer though I know you're busy. Buuuut: I'm on the waiting list for a giant spawn  zero idea what kind of color or gender I'd get but I'd come back for another sig pic nearing the end of the year


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## Tourmaline

Turns out he ate the dog shirt I was thinking about. I have an oversized shirt of my father's on him. He looks so ridiculous. xD I need to find something smaller. Everything I have is too small for him. 

Yeah, that's why I asked.. I was going to just do it and let it be sort of a surprise but I decided against it, obviously that was the right choice. Now I'm kinda bummed because I have no more to do. x.x


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## Tourmaline

The finished product. Found an old tee that fit him.
View attachment 758833


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## Tourmaline

Power outage.. Again. All these power outages are making me miss the city. It should be restored by 12, they said. I wasn't prepared for this, nor was I awake.. Every tank is at a low temp, 70 degrees the lowest.


----------



## Sadist

:-( Those power outages are horrible!


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## Tourmaline

Power is back on! That wave of relief seeing all the heater lights flick on.. Exactly at 11:58 too.


----------



## olgamc

Ahhh, poor guy looks adorable in that shirt.  I am sure he wouldn't want to hear me say that. LOL


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## BettaStarter24

Tourmaline said:


> "Y u do dis?"
> View attachment 758729
> 
> 
> I guess he feels a little better now? He's being interactive again. Comes up to the glass when I come over to check on him.
> View attachment 758737
> 
> He colored back up again. He was so pale his face was white instead of black. I've never seen a Betta pale so quickly, I thought that was a thing that happened over a while not within 30 seconds.
> 
> Also, Roman has calmed down. No more chasing the divider. He's just chilling in the floating tube and laying on a plant.


I can hardly recognize Meeko! Wow he really did a number on his tail. Hopefully he decides to let his tail grow out again.


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## Tourmaline

I know.. I regret waiting so long to move him to his own tank. He's a lot calmer and less shy now, it's like he's a new fish. He was never really the interactive type but it turns out he'll follow your finger. Why didn't I notice the problem sooner? I always thought it was just how he was. I feel horrible.. I'm a bad owner. 

Roman is doing well with the divided tank. He'll flare a bit but he's not overly aggressive or trying to kill Topaz through the divider. He goes about his business for the most part. He's taken to Meeko's favorite plant rather quickly. I don't get what the obsession with that plant is.


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## Tourmaline

Is aquarium salt is bad for snails? I want to dose Meeko with some AQ Salt since he's by himself now, but both my Nerites are cleaning up that tank. I could just move them but I'd rather keep them in there until it's algae free.


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## Tealight03

I don't think snails have a problem with salt. I have salt in my tanks and the snail is fine.


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## Tourmaline

>=| I need to rant. I need fish friends. I'm trying not to get in trouble with any mods, don't want a ban. I hate this so much.

Alright, thanks. I wasn't too sure. I didn't want to screw up and wind up killing them both for nothing.


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## Tourmaline

I see a very small amount of regrowth on Meeko. Looks promising. Roman is still fine, no fin biting from him luckily, knock on wood.. Please don't bite your fins off, Roman. x.x


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## Tourmaline

I'm just going to keep updating on Meeko and Roman since I have no other news to report. Meeko is being showy and spreading out his half of a caudal, he seems to be enjoying the lone life. It's like he's not even the same fish. He flared at me earlier while I was feeding him. He used to hide if I went too close to the tank before. Roman hasn't shown any issues, so far. Not skittish like Meeko was, not overly aggressive. 

Although I screwed up horribly with Meeko and divided tanks, at least I learned from it, and what signs to look for.

I also got back into console gaming. My PS4 has not gotten a break in the last few days. I've been playing every PS Plus game I have and never touched. Meanwhile, my PC is collecting dust.


----------



## SilviaAndScales

Nice! I recently went back and played my old PS1 Spyro games. They're my childhood and my fave.
My PC probably misses me too lol. No Steam in a long time. Last game on my PC was replaying Walking Dead I think.


----------



## Tourmaline

Me too! I replayed all of them on an emulator not too long ago. I still have all the discs, but I believe Ripto's Rage was too damaged and wouldn't play. I have such good childhood memories with the series. 

I also went back and replayed the PS2 series. I regret nothing. Someone find me a purple Betta to name Spyro! >.<


----------



## SilviaAndScales

Lol I almost named Lafayette Spyro but he was just too feminine for the role. Have you played the newer ones? They're not made by the same company or team so they're not nearly as good. Lol Enter the Dragonfly is so glitchy I clipped through the ground at the beginning and did the final boss fight... broke the game though.


----------



## Sadist

We have purple ee geno (but not proper ee) guys at our store all the time! I'm not sure how they'd color up, though.

I recall reading that nerite snails are okay with salt water and need brackish water to hatch their eggs.


----------



## Tourmaline

The last one I played was Dawn of the Dragon. That whole The Legend of Spyro series was pretty good, when I was a kid at least. When I replayed it, the corny puns were horrible. Dawn of the Dragon was still good though, plus, flying anywhere! 

I remember I had Enter The Dragonfly on the GameCube and I lost the game for a good 4 years after I got it. Never got past the first hour or so of it. Sounds like a good thing.

I already dosed a small amount of salt in that tank. Nerites are still chomping away at algae. They seem to be sticking awfully close to each other.. I don't want babies!


----------



## Alyssalovesbettas

Subbing lovely journal!

I was also curious about if you were still doing signature art? They look so good


----------



## Tourmaline

I saw a purple grizzle VT at my PetSmart a few months back. Big gorgeous fins too. They just wanted so much for him and had him labeled as a premium. Wasn't worth $30 to me. I say that, then I bought Sebastian later on who was also $30 and had no fins...

I'm still doing signature art. No one has asked so I haven't done any. I was contemplating making it it's own thread again, but another pixel Betta thread is still getting bombarded. x.x I'd suffer the same fate. 

Also, I have a pet Deathclaw. 
View attachment 761753

And I ran out of quests to do in Fallout 4. Lovely.


----------



## Alyssalovesbettas

I feel you on that. There's this Betta at my petsmart closest to me, and it looks like he was a little malnutritioned as a fry. So his body is really tiny, it's weird. But he's been there for a solid 4 months. But he's $30 bucks. I feel really bad but I don't have the room or money right now to get him D:

Haha I saw that board, poor OP.
Nice Deathclaw by the way.

Any chance you'd at least do one of my boys for me?


----------



## Tourmaline

Done. Size options too. What's his name? 
View attachment 762033

View attachment 762041

View attachment 762049


----------



## Alyssalovesbettas

Oooh thank you! They look great! 

His name is Ace ^^ 
He's the calmest Betta I have ever owned, not feisty at all XD


----------



## BettaStarter24

Those are turning out really cool! Can I get one done of my boy Calcifer? He's a koi HMPK and very very angry. I'd like to get one of all of mine done but I'm not going to ask for all of them. Let me know if you need better pictures.


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## Tourmaline

I'll do Calcifer tonight. Do you have any bright pictures of him that show his color more? Its going to be hard to match the darker colors since it's a little dark.


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## SplashyBetta

I love your art! If you get a chance can you do my new boy? 








He doesn't have a name yet  
Thank you!


----------



## BettaStarter24

Here, these are the best I could get, he doesn't like his picture taken so it's a pain to get a good one.


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## Tourmaline

I'll get on them tonight. The princess of the house is still in control of my laptop. 

Apollo made his first bubble nest, it's so tiny. It was in his floating tube. It seems most or them use it for that. Rajah stopped building nests anywhere but the tube, Merlin built his first bubble nest in 6 months in his, and even Azure likes nesting in it. The only Bettas left yet to build a bubble nest ever are Topaz and Meeko. Hopefully Meeko will feel more 'in the mood' since he's by himself now, but there's tons of duckweed and salvinia minima on the surface so he might not want to.


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## Tourmaline

Done with them both! I hope they came out okay and you both like them.. 

Calcifer
View attachment 762793
View attachment 762801
View attachment 762809


SplashyBetta's new (and very pretty) boy
View attachment 762817
View attachment 762825
View attachment 762833


Edit: Realized they're a lot smaller than any others
View attachment 762865
View attachment 762889

View attachment 762873
View attachment 762881


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## BettaStarter24

Is so cute!!! I'm tempted to ask if you could do the rest by I don't want to overload you


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## Tourmaline

I already offered to do all of OUOhYeah2016's over the next few days depending on how many single requests I get from other members. You can be next in line for a whole signature after her. I'll send you a message once I'm done with all of hers.


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## BettaStarter24

Ok


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## BettaStarter24

BettaStarter24 said:


> Ok


Thank you so much btw!


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## Tourmaline

No problem! 

I really feel like an idiot right now.. I ordered an off brand heater to replace one that died on me. I'm kinda broke after buying all the stuff for the 20g. I have one in Apollo's tank with no issues, so I said screw it and got another one since they're cheap. 

Well, it came today. I set it up, set it to the same temp Apollo's is at, and the light went on, so I walked away. I checked on it an hour later to see what temperature it was heating to, and it stopped at 76 degrees. I like my tanks at 80, so I turned it up, and nothing. It didn't switch on. 

So I left it for a bit, turned it up again, still nothing. I contacted the eBay seller and told her what happened, and she issued me a refund and apologized to me. I ordered my other off brand heater from the same seller before so I was surprised this one was faulty. 

Well, about 10 minutes ago I went up to it to take it out and put a crappy unadjustable heater to replace it, and I realized that I was turning the dial down instead of up.... I was turning it lower, not higher. You know how most heaters are right for higher, left for lower? This one is the opposite. 

I feel like a crook. A very dumb crook. But uh.. Free heater, I guess? Damn I feel so bad..


----------



## Olivia27

if it makes you feel better, I got a $40 dog puzzle for free once. I was doing this international secret Santa game with my friends in the dog forum, and so when a big package arrived I just set it aside until Christmas. I was also waiting for the dog puzzle at the same time and never received it so I emailed the company. They apologized and refunded me without me asking for it. Christmas Day rolled around and guess what - my "secret Santa" was late, and the package I have been hiding under my desk for almost two weeks is the very dog puzzle I got refunded on. 

I'm a bigger dumb crook lol


----------



## Tourmaline

That's actually hilarious. xD I don't feel so bad now, at least there's one other person who has made a similar mistake. 

I'm contemplating just buying another heater from them because I feel bad. It doesn't hurt to have a spare, right? But that won't change the fact that I have one for free. x.x


----------



## SplashyBetta

Don't feel too bad! I once accidentally stole a $60 pair of boots. I was sooo tired that I forgot to take the boots out of the cart at the register. I payed for my other items and put the bags in the cart and left. Didn't realize what I had done until I was looking at the receipt later LOL. I would have gone back to the store to pay but I was on vacation and was leaving the very next day! I still feel a bit bad whoops 

and thank you so much for the art!


----------



## Tourmaline

So very sleepy.. My sleeping schedule is destroyed. I'm running on empty today. Going to sleep at 6am? Horrible idea. I'm just tired of going to bed and struggling to fall asleep for hours. 

Meeko's tank is at a comfortable 80 degrees thanks to my free heater which I still feel horrible about. I ordered another one to try to make up for it.. I'll probably just use it for Azure's tank. He has an unadjustable heater, but it does a good job of keeping his tank at 78-80 degrees all the time so I never saw a reason to switch it. However, now that it's getting warmer, it's overheating his tank to 83 degrees, which I'm not comfortable with. So I guess this would be a good time to switch it out for an adjustable one since it's going to warm up again this week after 30 degree temps.


----------



## Tealight03

I've done the same thing on accident too. Felt bad but oh well. I guess you could email them, explain what happened and paypal the amount back. I would probably let it go though.


----------



## Tourmaline

OUOhYeah's finished sig, said screw it and did it all today. 
View attachment 763953


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

OMG they're awesome! Thanks so much! I think Queenie is my favorite lol. I can't wait to use them when I get on my computer!


----------



## Olivia27

Eeep! Queenie looks so Queenie! XD you should start a DA page, Tourmaline. Ask for commissions!


----------



## Tourmaline

Glad you like it! I kinda want to go back and make Rea's blue stand out more though. I just realized you can't see it small.. 

Phone data is too slow for all that. xD Plus, I don't make these with any special software or anything. I use a pretty basic paint program, believe it or not. It's a little hard to work with.

Edit: Yup, that's really bugging me now that I'm wide awake and not sleepy. I need to fix her and Helga's blue. I'll fix it when I get home, don't set it yet! >.< Is there anything else I should fix besides Helga and Rea?


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

Hmm.... Idk I think they're all great. If you're getting nit picky maybe Saphira's blue body and more greenish tail could be brighter coloring? I think they're awesome :]


----------



## Tourmaline

A little better 
View attachment 764041


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

They're all Perfect!!!


----------



## Tourmaline

And Merlin's filter died. It made a loud grinding noise and buzzed its last buzz. Already tried taking it apart and seeing if it was fixable and nothing. RIP crappy TopFin Power 10. He's going to have to go filterless for a while. Yay, constant water changes. -.-


----------



## Tourmaline

I really want to learn PK critiquing. I want to critique Rajah. I know he's nothing special, he's most likely just a cull from a fighter spawn. He has the typical fighter body color, shape, and head shape. He looks decent enough, to me at least. But I don't look into PK standards. He's impossible to get pictures of, he just flares and dashes around the front of the tank soon as you go near him. 
View attachment 764185

I'm just looking at him admiring his unbitten fins and wishing I had more PKs. I want a CT and an EEPK for this 20g whenever I stop feeling sorry for myself that I have to spend $60+ on a stand that's not in my budget when I can buy a ton of silk plants for that price. -.-


----------



## Olivia27

Nice topline 
Slight spoonhead 
Vents not split but could be more knife shaped 
Anal nice and pointy
Bent ray on dorsal
Rounded caudal (this is bad)
Strong peduncle
Clean fin edges
Color is a mess
Caudal is, in my eyes anyway, too small for that body size

All in all he's not that bad! Though if I were a breeder he would be disqualified immediately from my potential pair list due to the bent ray

Edit: the thing with PK is that there are three "different" standards. First you need to learn to classify fish into traditional, symmetrical or asymmetrical. And then just match them to the form diagram you see in the critique thread lol


----------



## Tourmaline

What confuses me is that there's two types of PKs. I know one is traditional, but I forgot the other type. 

I always thought his fins were too small for his body. xD He's really long compared to any other Bettas I've seen. 

What I thought:

I thought his topline was a little too flat. If he didn't have a spoonhead he'd look like a log

I noticed his peduncle wasn't upturned like most of my long finned Bettas, thought that was a good thing. Good to know I at least got that right. 

I honestly didn't even notice the bent rays. I should start looking at that for critiquing. Azure has a ton of bent rays, in that case. 

I thought his fins weren't messy compared to most PKs I've seen, especially his anal fin. I didn't know it being pointed like that was a good thing, you learn something new every day on Bettafish.com 

The knife shaped ventral thing is something I've read on the critique thread and I have not a single idea what the ideal knife shape should be. His ventrals always looked a little weird to me because he has a long thin bit. 

And questions:

There's no kind of PK that rounded caudals are acceptable?

How thick should a PK dorsal be, excluding DTPKs? 

What is the ideal topline?

Edit: Posted this after your edit about the types. xD Ignore that part.

Double edit: Also did not know there was three types. Thought there was two.


----------



## DangerousAngel

~Silently watching your journal~ LOL
Your boys are so beautiful! I wish I could help you with critiquing though. Is he a King?

Also, I was wondering what your Betta limit for a full signature would be?


----------



## Tourmaline

He's a King, but not quite a giant like most kings are lately. He's definitely bigger than my other males by a bit, but he's below 2' body only. He's about 1.7' last time I checked. 

I don't have a limit now since someone *coughbettastartercough* got another Betta. As long as it's not like 15 Bettas, we're good. Keep it reasonable, these aren't easy to make. Although I do have a template for pretty much everything but a CTPK now so my life is a little easier.


----------



## DangerousAngel

Very nice! Yea, I've been noticing how big the Kings have been here lately, Loki is definitely the largest I've owned (I'm guessing he's about 2 inches), and ironically loves smaller tanks..:/

LOL That's understandable, Maybe I could have you do one of 7 or 8 of my favorites? Unless that's too many? You could PM me if you want, and sort that out.


----------



## Tourmaline

After I finish BettaStarter's.. I'm not starting on that until Monday, so it might be a few days before I even get to yours. And it depends on how burned out I am after finishing hers. 

Email is easier for sending pictures, I can PM you my email if you want.


----------



## Olivia27

Is there a standard that considers rounded caudal desirable? Nope. At least not that I know of. Trad PKs are excused from the caudal point requirement but the whole deal is that between the base of the caudal and the peduncle, there must be a 180-degree line or it won't qualify as a HM (regular HM or HMPK) *even if* the tail spread itself hits one-eighty. I do believe that feature would either get Rajah a major fault or even a disqualification in a show. 

Not-messy fin edges is honestly not something most people would highlight tbh but it IS a good thing. So... *shrug*

Knife-shaped ventrals. I am on my phone and can't attach two pics at once, but if you check out old pics of Malachite in my journal, THAT is some killer ventrals. If you want a living example @SydneyA's Liberty also has really nice ones


----------



## Tourmaline

I kinda get the knife shape thing now. And thanks for the guideline pics, couldn't find them when I looked. 

This divided tank is like a miracle cure for Roman. Even up until I moved him, he never had much of an appetite. I'd have to leave food in there for about 2 hours before he'd even touch it. Now? The second it hits the water, he's after it. No drama spitting it out anymore either. Maybe it's a competition type of thing since he's with another male? He's also gaining more black on his anal fin, which is a little surprising since he should be about a year old by now. Or maybe it's just the lighting? He looks more red to me now too.

And Meeko follows my finger along the top of the water. He'll swim up to it really fast, stop, stare, nip, and swim away over and over again. It's cute. Mr. Personalityless number 2 has a personality after all. Apollo doesn't have an excuse, at least Meeko did.


----------



## BettaStarter24

*sheepishly smiles* whoops...didn't mean to come home with another. I only have 9...

Thanks again so much for even being willing to do them! And feel free to take your time with them, don't feel rushed


----------



## Olivia27

Now that it's properly morning and my body has been fueled with chicken caesar wrap, I take back what I said about Rajah's topline. You're right, it's a little too flat. And bumpy, too. Not sure what you meant by thick dorsal, but the whole deal about dorsal is that the first ray cannot be stubby, and it must overlap with the caudal. The only ideal topline is a smooth one. That's when the fish has a nice ellips shape to the body, with just a slight arch.


----------



## Tourmaline

In Halfmoons, people say their dorsals aren't wide enough in critiques. I assumed PKs had the same standard. Every time I saw someone say a PK had a lovely dorsal, it was a nice wide one rather than one like Rajah's. I asked because I thought his was a fault too. 

I don't think I've really seen a perfect male topline. I always thought Azure's was nicely shaped, though. But his body is really thin and tiny. He's a bit weird. His fins _were_ bigger than his tiny little body. I kinda want to measure him BO now.


----------



## Olivia27

I like Meeko's. I would say he has a nice topline albeit the rather-short body. I think trad PKs are excused from the typical "wide dorsal" standard. Theirs is supposed to be round and short-ish like that so they never will have a typical wide one. As a side note, this is why I don't like it when people say "beautiful" or "bad" while critique-ing. Like what I did last night when I said "nice topline" lol you should've called me out on that. It's not helpful.


----------



## Tourmaline

I thought Meeko was a little hunchback. At least he's not one of the spoonheads lol. 

The best example of Azure's topline I could find was from when I first got him. After his fins got bigger, he couldn't hold his body like this as easily and it's hard to get good pictures of his shape. 
View attachment 764593


I actually really like asymmetrical and symmetrical PKs rather than Traditional. Their dorsals are gorgeous, if it's only them that have the wide ones.


----------



## Olivia27

Both Meeko and Azure have smooth toplines. It just appeared to be hunched on Meeko because he has a more compact body. It's a hump back if the head actually looked like it drooped down. Go to AquaBid and you'll actually find a truck ton of examples =\ what I did at first was drawing an imaginary line from the lips, over the topline, to the peduncle, over the belly and back to the lips. If I end up with some sort of a lemon shape, they're good to go. Otherwise, not so much.


----------



## Tourmaline

Ah, so a shape like Roman's is hunchback. 
View attachment 764609

He has a dip right before his head, while the rest of his body is smooth. I don't see that too often, or maybe his is just really bad and I don't notice it unless it's drastic, like most form issues I have problems seeing. x.x


----------



## SilviaAndScales

Speaking of spoon heads, when u get the chance, could u make my friend and I's fish that we sorta share, Finnick? Our favorite thing about him is his pink cheeks, they're adorable.


----------



## SilviaAndScales

He's so cute with his little pink cheeks, I can't


----------



## SilviaAndScales

Oh and his adorable blue pectorals. I love this fish lol. I think he's a heart tail? Slightly anyway


----------



## Tourmaline

Annnd some pictures, of the now very friendly Meeko. 
View attachment 764657

View attachment 764665

View attachment 764673



And one of my father's very miserable dog, Dexter. Just because he posed as I was sitting here. Also, incoming rant. You have been warned.
View attachment 764689


This dog has a crappy life. Sleeps all day, gets let out to use the bathroom once a day whenever my father feels like it, never gets played with unless you consider slapping a dog around hard until it bites you and snarls playing, and gets fed the worst dog food I've ever seen. 

I mean I play fight with Hercules sometimes too but I don't hit him like he hits Dexter, I make my hands into a claw shape and touch him making weird sounds until he gets excited, and he doesn't bite down he just keeps his mouth open over your hand and slaps your hand with his paws while play bowing. My father slaps him around like a ragdoll until he gets visibly pissed and starts biting hard and barking and he calls that playing with him. Take him outside, there's a huuuge backyard out there. Play fetch with him! That's why he's so fat and unhealthy.

He was sitting there because he wanted me to let him out.. I've learned to stop caring. If you do anything for that dog, his dumb owner takes full advantage and makes it so you're caring for him. Every day "Samantha can you let Dexter out. Can you bring Dexter in. Can you feed Dexter. Can you refill his water. Can you clean the piss puddle he left there". I refuse to be responsible for three dogs, I didn't sign up for that. So, sorry if he has to suffer. If you can't care for a dog, don't have one. Give him to someone who can, don't expect people to care for it for you. Dogs aren't something you have around when it's convenient for you and want something to mess with and slap around, they're a lifelong commitment until their death. If you can't be responsible, someone else can be. But it sure as hell won't be me, I have two of my own to worry about.

Does anyone care about my dogs when I'm out for the day? No. What do I have to do soon as I come home? Let them outside, feed them, refill their water, spend time with them, exercise them. Him? He sits on his fat behind all day saying "I'm disabled" and expects other people to do it for him. Meanwhile, he's not too disabled to get up 50 times a day to eat everything in sight, bother people to take him to get a pack of cigarettes, and he's not too disabled to guard the kitchen from me and my mother. He's not too to threaten me constantly when I don't cater to his needs. But he's too disabled to do things he's supposed to be responsible for, like cleaning after himself when he does basic things and letting his damn dog out.

Unintended dog ramble, again. I hate people. I hate my father's type of people, not all people. I'm so angry.. I have so much pent up hatred towards everything and everyone in this house. I can't even have a simple conversation without trialing off into some bull people here do to upset me. I have problems. I need to get far away from this side of the family, and change my last name like I said I wanted to do.

I'm done now, ignore my rant. There's just so much I can't say to people, it adds up, and then certain things explode. 

Also made that smaller because holy wow that was an unavoidable wall of text.


----------



## DangerousAngel

Tourmaline said:


> After I finish BettaStarter's.. I'm not starting on that until Monday, so it might be a few days before I even get to yours. And it depends on how burned out I am after finishing hers.
> 
> Email is easier for sending pictures, I can PM you my email if you want.


That's fine by me!

Sure, that might be easier for me too.


----------



## Tourmaline

*After these last few signatures, I'm not doing anymore for a while. No more requests until further notice. There are a few exceptions where I'll make one, but generally, I'm done for a while.*


----------



## ThatFishThough

Darn, haha. They look real good.


----------



## Tourmaline

It just wasn't my plan to do full signatures. If it wasn't for that I'd keep doing them. 

So, my crazy aunt stole the package with the heater in it. What is the purpose of that? It's a frickin fish tank heater! Everything I have shipped here is for fish! Why does she keep taking my packages!? I'm so close to getting the police involved.

And the rooster that always used to crow constantly stopped.. And it turns out they have TWO roosters, and the younger one just learned how to crow. So now, the older one that was crowing before constantly crows in response to the younger one constantly crowing, and it's literally non. Stop. Constant. Every second. Of every minute.. This has to be illegal.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm going to PetSmart tomorrow. If they have any handsome boys or pretty girls, I'll show them off. I wonder if that brother of that marble my ex friend killed is still there.. I noticed that anything that's not colorful doesn't get purchased and usually dies there.. I might come home with him and a tank stand despite how much I don't want to if he is lol.


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

Tank stand? Does that mean you're setting up the 20???


----------



## Tourmaline

If there's someone I like enough to pay $60 for.. I have the sponge filters, the dividers, a 75w heater, tons of silk plants, and three 5 pound bags of sand already. So all that was really left for me to get was the stand or somewhere to put it. I just really don't want to spend $60 just to have somewhere to put it when I spent less than that getting everything I could need for the tank... I've sort of just been waiting for something that could support its weight to pop up on Craigslist's free section, tons of dressers pop up on there for free, buuut none lately. The only thing I still need to get to have a really complete setup is the hood.


----------



## Olivia27

You can use a cling wrap with punctured holes if you don't mind the poor aesthetics aspect. I feel like tank hood is one of the hugest rip off in tank supplies history. Some hoods cost the same as the tank kit itself =\ 

Anyway. On to real hoods. Do you have Petco near you? They have reptile tank hoods which fit the standard Aqueon glass tanks. Not sure how much is the 20 one, but the 5.5 was $8. Only $4 less than the tank (grumble grumble) but still a lot less than most fancy hoods out there.


----------



## Tourmaline

I have a Petco _kinda_ near me, it's the one I got Apollo and Azure from. It's about 34 minutes away. PetSmart is only 12 minutes away and right next to Walmart and Michael's, so I always go there instead. I could get to Petco, but it would probably be a while from now since no one in their right mind would drive me to the one closest to me anymore.. There's one 5 minutes from my ex's house that I used to go to a lot, that's the one that I got Rajah from. They always had gorgeous stock. I might be able to get there next time he decides to come around. He still owes me dinner from Valentine's Day. -_-

But, I'll check online and see if they have anything cheap. I was going to go for the Walmart one with the LEDs built in, it costs I think $42 it said? But I wasn't going to get it until I had the residents in there. I was planning to use cling wrap temporarily, I used to use that on my lidless 2.5 gallon.


----------



## Tourmaline

Double post but first post seemed too long to include this.. 

I'm having some issues right now. I really want to rehome Apollo. I have zero attachment to him. It's gotten to the point where I just feed him, clean his water, and I have no interest in even attempting to interact with him anymore.. I've given up. Maybe someone else will love him, but I can't seem to. It's my fault for impulse buying him trying to replace Sebastian.. I was wrong.. But to be fair, he probably would have died in that cup if I didn't buy him.. I just feel horrible. I don't know what to do. He deserves an owner who will care about him and love him for his personality (or lack thereof), not just clean his water and feed him to keep him alive. Maybe he'll bond with someone else..


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

Which one is Apollo again?? Don't feel bad, sometimes they just don't click with us. Of my fish I think I probably have the least bond with Prism. However I've realized a lot has to do with how close they are to me and how much time I spend watching them. I havent paid as close attention to my boys since getting my rescues and my bought-to-sells and also having to watch my sorority more often than not. My boys are the only ones not on my desk, they're several feet away and so I dont watch them as much as I used to when that tank was nearer to me. Then again I think part of my love hate relationship with Prism has more to do with his persistent biting issues and my annoyance with him.

As for hoods, I ordered mine for my 10 on petco.com for a decent price if I remember correctly. You could try drs foster and smith's website too for hoods. They had one I was considering before deciding on the petco one. The hood on my dads 20 (which will be mine hopefully in the near future) has a hood thats a wood grain look which I hate lol. The tank is covered in wood-looking contact paper too... It's gunna need some TLC and probably a new hood too.


----------



## Olivia27

I don't see why you need to feel bad. You have a legitimate reason to give him up and you have taken a great care of him. Whatever you decide, don't beat yourself up. Have a good night x


----------



## Tourmaline

I talk about him so little, no one knows about him. Okay, now I feel worse lol. xD I don't think I've mentioned him at all in my journal since I introduced all of my Bettas.. 

He's a turquoise (?) with red wash DTHM. (This was before he trimmed his fins, but you can see he had just started here) 
View attachment 765697


He's right next to my bed. He sees me and I see him all day. Still has no interest in me, despite how much I've tried. I think it also has to do with the fact that I hold this permanent, and unfair grudge against him because I had to buy Sebastian another tank after I put him in what was supposed to be his tank, thinking he was gone.. It's stupid because it's my fault, and I know it is. And him being completely unresponsive to me is another strike against him. Annnd then the fin trimming he does, also another strike. I just can't like him. I've tried, I really have. He's a pretty boy, I just can't get past the issues I have with him. At least he didn't die in Petco, and he got a chance at life because I bought him. Or that's what I tell myself, anyway..

I feel bad because I feel that I bought him, I wanted him, so it's my responsibility to take care of him. I'm one of those people who thinks pets should be with you until they die, not until you get sick of them.. And I'm going against that belief wanting to rehome him to someone who will *want* to take care of him.


----------



## Olivia27

Let me just say this: if we all stick to our beliefs from start to finish the world will explode. It is called real life because nothing is clear cut. I would so wish I can just make a list of life rules and stick to them. But nope, flexibility is adaptability. Adaptability is a survival skill. I will never give away a pet just to make room for another one. Or so I thought. The truth is, say I met Cobalt two weeks ago instead of two nights ago Cypris would probably be up on the marketplace by now. But by the time I met Cobalt, Cy has made himself part of the family. Especially now that he's turning MG  

Point is: things change. We change. Don't be afraid of making a decision you thought you would never make. As long as you know you're doing what's best for you, and for him. Good luck.


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## Tourmaline

BettaStarter24's finished signature. Unless I'm missing two, there were only 7..
View attachment 765753


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## Tourmaline

Update, since I can't sleep. I've been thinking about it most of the night and I'm going to see if my friend/more of an acquaintance still wants Apollo. He expressed interest in him when I first bought him, but I told him no. He's actually good with his Bettas. They're all in 5g tanks or more, filtered, heated, and with weekly water changes, so I'd trust him with Apollo. But, if he's not interested, I'll just keep him. I don't want to ship him, and I haven't seen any members within 50 miles of me, so I have no one who would adopt him unless I ship. Hopefully if he still likes him, he'll have a good home.


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## Tourmaline

Having a bit of a meltdown. Typed out a super long rant, felt a little better even though I didn't post it. I hate the direction my life went in, I really do. If only I could go back..


----------



## Sadist

I felt the same way about my Mr. Fish. He was actually really nice and playful when I first got him, then he marbled. I didn't mind the color change, but it came with fin biting and aggression and acting scared of me. I had just gotten the old him back (well, personality wise) with better shade for him when he got a tumor by his mouth and had to be put down.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Thanks so much! my computer is letting me see it now! I love it! Yeah, Tadashi and Vincent were missed but oh well that was my fault I forgot to send their picture along.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Tourmaline, no fish can replace Sebby, and that's okay. He was a special fish.

Apollo won't mind if he finds a different forever home. :3


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## Tourmaline

Well, Sebastian is still alive and here. No was there. He is special  Although I am struggling massively with him, and I may lose him to body rot very soon. Nothing, even last ditch efforts that have worked for others have worked. 

Friend said no, and that he just filled his last tank two days ago with a DTPK.. What luck, eh? Oh well, looks like he's staying here.

BettaStarter, just email me their pictures and I'll add them. I knew two were missing.


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## BettaStarter24

Alright, done. Thank you so much yet again I can't thank you enough. Totally didn't have to do this


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## Tourmaline

Done. 
View attachment 766177


Okay, does anyone else see that they made it so you have to click pictures to see them full size? I hate it. I can't see pictures full sized on the site anymore because my data is too slow. Why fix what isn't broken?


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## BettaStarter24

Thank you a million bajillion kazillion times!


----------



## Tourmaline

I also wanted to share something I did that I felt would get some backlash on here.. Because I haven't mentioned Sebastian's condition in a long time, because honestly, I don't want to talk about it. It sucks, and I hate it 

His caudal is gone, or was mostly gone. I've tried every medication I can think of. He's been on Kanaplex, Furan-2 with Kanaplex, Kanaplex with Docycycline, Triple Sulfa, and in the beginning Methylene Blue baths.. Nothing has worked. Nothing has improved his condition. I have tried every medication sites have recommended, and I can't find anything else that might help. 

A bit ago, after debating heavily with myself and hearing a few opinions, as a last ditch effort, I cut as much of the rotting fins off as possible without hurting him with a sterile blade (I made sure to sterilize it properly). I put him in a previously unused 1 gallon hospital tank with preventative AQ Salt and Methylene Blue to keep the fin edges healthy, since I felt I couldn't get rid of the bacteria in his tank without sterilizing everything which would take a few days.. Time is of the essence. 

Despite that last ditch effort, his fins are still deteriorating. I suppose maybe I didn't cut all of the rot off, and it spread again. It is very close to nearing his body now because of that, despite me trying to cut off as little as possible. When it does, I'm going to euthanize him. 

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong with trying to get rid of his fin rot. I moved his water changes up to daily in the last two weeks with no improvement, I tried another round of Triple Sulfa just to see if it would work it's magic this time, and nothing. I'll try until the very end, but I feel nothing will change. 

As stated, he will be euthanized via clove oil when I see it turning into body rot. I do not want him to be in pain. At least I tried.. You can't save them all. When that does happen, I'll be decommissioning his tank and most likely selling it after sterilizing everything.


----------



## Tealight03

I'm sorry to hear about Sebastian. I hope it doesn't progress, but you did your best to help him.


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## OUOhYeah2016

Im sorry Sam... You did everything you could and tried everything. Sometimes it just doesn't work.


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## Tourmaline

Welp, Apollo is on the marketplace. I'd really prefer local but if it comes down to it, I'll ship if someone I really like wants him. :/


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## Tourmaline

I just came back from the doctor. It was just a checkup, nothing serious. I really hate doctors, not for the reason most people don't like them, but because they always dismiss my concerns rather than listen and help. 

I have severe asthma. It's so bad it effects me doing basic tasks that require a bit of energy. For example, I was walking my dog a little fast one day about a year ago because I thought someone was following me (I used to live in a bad neighborhood), and when I stopped, I was having trouble breathing. I used my pump, and it didn't help, so I panicked. Me panicking made it even harder to breathe, and I almost passed out from lack of oxygen. I sat on the sidewalk with my very confused and concerned dog for about 20 minutes in the snow until I stopped feeling dizzy for long enough to walk home. THAT IS NOT NORMAL. I went to my doctor, explained what happened and that I think pumps aren't working for me and I want to try something else, and he says, "Aww, that sounds horrible. That's too bad." ... Excuse me? He did that a lot too. 

Another time I told him about my severe menstrual pain, and how it was negatively impacting my performance in school.. And how on the first few days, I couldn't go to school because of how bad it was. Teachers would just send me home because I'd be crying in class and not even paying attention. Midol never helped, extra strength painkillers didn't help, nothing did. That was another time he gave me the, "Aww that's too bad" routine instead of at least recommending something. So I stopped going. I also got held back for missing too many days of school for two years in a row, and I ended up dropping out. Depression plus missing 3 sometimes 4 days of school a month was not a good thing. 

I went today, hoping things would be different, and when I expressed concern about my asthma once again, I was dismissed by her saying I should exercise. If I could exercise without nearly dying, I would. My pump doesn't help, I already know that. I nearly faint just walking fast. If it gets to the point where I can't breathe, what am I supposed to do? Why be a doctor if you obviously don't care about your patients?


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## Tourmaline

Just some pictures of old Merlin. I can't really call him old anymore, he's not the oldest, Roman is now. I think his head is marbling? Over the last month it's been getting some grey. It's not fungus, he's still active, he's still friendly, he doesn't have any bloating or any signs of illness, and he's not stressed, so I'm attributing it to marbling. He's the prettiest 'ugly' Betta you'll ever see.  Is he steel blue? I always call him steel blue but I'm not so sure.
View attachment 766537
View attachment 766545
View attachment 766561

And my mystery snail, Arthur. I prefer Mystery Snails to Nerites, if only he'd eat the algae in the tank.. I thought diatoms go away after a few months? It's been 6 months.. Arthur has the habit of throwing himself off things and floating down all spread out. It's quite fun to watch.
View attachment 766569


Also, the same person who I wanted to rehome Apollo to told me he's getting a tank next week, and he might want him. So, pending adopter? Honestly.. I'm not in any rush to adopt him out. I'm going to be really picky with who I adopt him out to, and there's a huge chance he'll just wind up staying here. Maybe if I can teach him some tricks?.. I doubt he'll have any interest but I can try. I really want to like him.. ._. Why can't he at least greet me? Or beg for food..? I know he's not sick.. 

Bettafish, why you do dis? Why you make thumbnails instead of full sized pictures? I _do not_ like this change. I can't even view my own pictures anymore. It seems I'm not the only one bothered by it either. I wish I had WiFi instead of horrible phone data..


----------



## Olivia27

He's not a steel blue  TBH steel is pretty rare, so you probably won't come across one in chain stores. My knowledge in color genetics is lacking, but he has what I call "the typical Salamander blue" - which is kind of a turq with a twist. And yes, I do realize he doesn't look turq one bit. But I figure it's what happens if you have the blonde/light factor with turq? I don't know, I wish we know more about the genetic makeup behind MGs and Sallies. 

And yes, I haateee the new thumbnail update as well @[email protected] this means I either go Photobucket or nothing!


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## Tourmaline

Aw, steel blue just sounds so cool.. I remember I asked on Betta Photos back in October with my first account what his color is considered, and Lil referred to him as a 'bad butterfly', and said I could probably just call him a multicolor since he has some red in him. So he's a salamander?

I wish I could upload to my Photobucket.. It just gives me an error every time I try uploading something because it's too slow. -.-


----------



## Olivia27

Well every salamander is a butterfly. But not every butterfly is a salamander. You don't have to have a red to be a multi. It's kind of the "others" box that you check when filling out a form. If nowhere else fits, "multi" it is. Like Seren, she's a multi. But I prefer to call her "oddball" LOL a very good amount of EEs are Salamanders. I forgot why, but Lil told me once. So you can probably ask her if you're curious. Sally is just a solid-bodied fish with butterfly fins. I mean, the technical definition says so, but what I found among Sallies is that their kind of butterfly is unique. Like, the color and the white part is blending together like watercolor paint. If you see Cobalt, his blue and white have a clear separation. If you compare that to Merlin you'll see what I mean. 

Now lemme tinker with the brand new attachment feature to show ya some photos of what a steel blue look like

EDIT: I take it back, Merlin IS a "multi" or "a bad butterfly". Reason being: his fins do not have an actual butterfly pattern which disqualifies him from being a Salamander. I will blame that on the forum's new thumbnail feature. _If I see those photos full-size... _LOL awesome "get out of jail free" card

EDIT 2: oh hey, I never said Merlin is a Sally apparently. Welp, face saved LOL but yea that cute baby blue is still what I call "the typical Salamander blue". My experience is limited, but I seem to only find that very shade of blue on Salamanders for one reason or another


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## Tourmaline

I know they don't have to have red to be a multi, he just had a lot less red back then. He only had a tiny red streak in his ventrals and a tiny bit in his caudal that she pointed out, and said I could call him a multi since he had a _bit_ of red. And she explained it'll probably spread in the future, which it did, or the blue might take over the white. His body and other fins were all blue and white, hardly a multi. 

I remember I asked what qualifies a salamander as a salamander and the explanation Lil gave kind of confused me, and I only partially got it. ._. I noticed whenever something was called a salamander it had 'blended' white edging but I didn't know that makes it a salamander. 

I think I remember saying at one point that every Betta I have is a bad version of something. xD Meeko is a bad tri band or bad MG, Merlin is a bad butterfly, Azure is a bad salamander, Roman is a bad bicolor.. And everyone else is probably a bad something too.

An old pic of him, I think this was in early November. 
View attachment 766689


Edit: You can see them full sized if you press them.. It just never loads them for me. x.x I have to actually open it by pressing the little black box it starts loading in so it loads it in a separate page. It's a bit of a hassle that wasn't necessary before.


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## Olivia27

I learned the definition of Salamander from Lil too ._. Oh no what's happening >< I should text her and make sure I got it right LOL I'm nervous now. Okay, okay, nobody trust what I say! I'll go get it confirmed first

EDIT: well Sebastian is a full-on yellow (if memory serves right) so there's that ^_^


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## Tourmaline

And I don't think Topaz is a bad anything, he's just a pastel salamander. He's just super fat, and has weird disproportionate fins now. He could pass as a female xD He's lost some weight now that I _finally_ got him to eat pellets again though. No more flake eaters! 

I like how this thread always goes super informative whenever we talk about coloration lol. Or form, last time it was form.


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## Tourmaline

I went to the same Petland I criticized not too long ago again today. They had a copper devil DeT and a pretty nice red butterfly HM. I regret not taking pictures at least with my mother's phone, mine wouldn't start the camera because the battery was low. -.-

Copper devil is one of my favorite color combinations. I wanted him soooo badly. He was so pretty.. Form was a bit off but his color. <3


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## Tourmaline

Is that regrowth I see? Please be regrowth. Top pic was when I first moved him, bottom pic is today. 
View attachment 767121

His fins aren't going to grow back anywhere near what they were before, but it would be amazing to have him whole again. There's a long road ahead of us in terms of regrowth.

I also taught Apollo to eat from my finger. He wasn't scared at all. Then again, he's scared of nothing, and has no interest in anything besides food.. Soo I shouldn't be surprised. But, progress? Maybe this will be a good way to get him to be more interactive.. Although, I never had to do that with any others. 

Next step, following my finger. I've tried teaching him to do that before and he was having none of it. Actually, most of my Bettas refused to do that. Merlin and Azure are the only ones who had interest in trick learning. I taught Azure to flare on command, swim through hoops, and follow my finger. Meeko did the following my finger routine without any training, surprisingly.

Edit: Yup, Meeko 100% has regrowth!


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## Tourmaline

... I'm not crazy, right? Someone else sees it? He's just never had any noticeable regrowth before. 
View attachment 767145

The only reason I will ever kinda like the thumbnail thing is because me spamming pictures isn't as annoying. xD


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## OUOhYeah2016

I'd agree there's something there! You're the best judge since you see them every day.


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## DangerousAngel

Akkk Yes! I don't like the new thumbnail thing, URGH I thought my computer got all messed up :/

I'm so sorry to hear that Sebastian isn't any better, that is just so frustrating.

I know exactly how you feel about having to rehome because you haven't connected. That's exactly how I felt about Angel, I wanted so badly to bond with him, but it just didn't happen, and I knew he deserved to go to someone that he would have that connection with, every fish deserves that, and what do you know, he's SO happy where he is now, and he LOVES his new owner (Dragon) and she LOVES him, that's all I wanted.


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## Tourmaline

DangerousAngel's finished signature
View attachment 767409


Swimmyfins's finished signature, added the boy you share
View attachment 767433


Unfortunately, now since they added the damn thumbnail thing, I can't tell how big or small the signature is to resize it properly. Sorry.


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## SilviaAndScales

Thank you thank you thank you!


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## Tourmaline

I've a newfound love for feeding with tongs. I fed them bloodworms for the first time since Sebastian got sick. I skipped him, he got the usual pellets. But the reaction everyone had to the tongs was really interesting, and kinda funny in some cases, since I've never used them with anyone but Merlin and Azure before. 

Meeko kept staring at it, then he'd move the side of his body into it slowly, kinda doing a flare dance with no flaring, and when it didn't attack him, he decided to attack it for a good minute. Then I wiggled it a little so he'd see the worm and he was like, "Ooh, food!" and finally grabbed it, then attacked them some more. 

I was actually a little surprised at Apollo. He was _scared_ of them. Apollo fears something, it's a miracle. He saw something in the water, darted over to it, and when he tried to eat the worm and missed, he freaked himself out and refused to go near it again despite how many times I tried. Fed him them the normal way instead. 

Rajah, he was so gentle taking the worms from the tongs. Everyone else ripped them from it, he just gently nipped at them and ate quietly and patiently. Mouth didn't even touch it. He's always been the most gentle with food, perhaps because I feed him a little more than the others. 

Topaz flared at the worm instead of eating it. He refused to take it from the tongs, just stayed there flaring for a good 30 seconds doing that little flare dance they do. He was probably saying, "What is this crap holding my food? Gimme it!" He's not one to flare either, I think he's flared _once_ the entire time he's been in a divided tank, and that was when I first switched Meeko out with Roman. Sizing up his new neighbor, I guess. After I fed Roman his, I tried again, and he decided to take the worm.. And then flared again. 

Roman got it immediately, maybe he's been fed with tongs before? Soon as he saw them he took the worm with no drama, and he's usually a pain to feed normally. 

Merlin got it immediately too, even though I haven't used them in a good 3 or 4 months with him. I mostly used them for trick training, and since I can't really get to his tank easily I had to stop doing that. 

Azure was too busy challenging the vicious floating object in his tank to notice it had a big tasty worm in its grip. Wouldn't even try to take it. In the past I had the same issue when I used them for tricks, I couldn't get him to eat from them this time around. Had to feed him them normally too because my back was hurting from bending down for so long.


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## OUOhYeah2016

Gotta love when our fish have distinct personalities like that!


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## Tourmaline

Just something I've been thinking about.. Why do people immediately want to place an eggy female with a male when they have no experience in breeding soon as people tell them they're eggy? They assume they want to breed and they need to help them. Would you breed a female dog in heat just because she's in heat with no preparation or breeding qualities? Most people wouldn't. Why do people think fish are any different? Do research dammit! They have tons of fry, take tons of time to care for, require tons of money to set up, and not to mention you need to find homes for those tons of fry. And not only that, but breeding can kill one or both parents. But they think just because their female is eggy, they should breed her.. 

Mini rant over.. I just see that way more than I'm comfortable with. 

Another thing, I'm not sure if this is me fooling myself, but I don't think I want to rehome Apollo.. I mean, he's not all too bad. Or maybe I'm just trying to give myself a reason to keep him instead of shipping him off somewhere and never seeing him again. 

Meh, I don't think I'll find an adopter I like either, unless it's a regular member I know about. But most don't really adopt too often, I've noticed. I just don't want him to be killed in shipping or by someone after finally solving his SBD, and getting him to do _something_ with me these last two days.


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## DangerousAngel

Ohh the signature is perfect! I love it!!

Gotta love tweezer feedings! ;-)


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## Tourmaline

The little bit of regrowth Meeko has makes me happy. He's never had one bit before, but you can see the little spikey rays of his caudal growing back. Kinda looks like a CTPK now lol. He let me get a good look at him because he was too busy trying to fight the tweezers. If only Sebastian's fin rot would go away.. He'd be following close behind Meeko in terms of regrowth.


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## Tourmaline

Some pictures. 

The still kinda fat Topaz. Is that abnormal or do you think that could just be his body type? He was the only one on flakes for about 5 months. 
View attachment 768521
View attachment 768529

And Roman since he's easy to get pictures of. He poses for the camera a lot. 
View attachment 768537

I attempted to get some of Rajah but he insisted on flaring and darting around like a mad fish, this picture came out crappy. 
View attachment 768545

I think people have seen enough of Meeko lately so I didn't even bother with him. I even attempted Apollo but his tank light is way too dim to get pictures of him, he just looks like a fuzzy mess.


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## Tourmaline

I have had the worst headache ever for the last 4 days. To make matters worse, someone decided to clean the floor in front of my door with bleach, and the smell is making me violently ill. And I was supposed to go out today, so I woke up early and only got 2 hours of sleep.. Don't you just love headaches?


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## OUOhYeah2016

I think Topaz probably won't go back to "normal" if he was young enough when the excessive flake feeding occurred. He may become a bit skinnier? but I don't think his shape will change. 

Good luck with the regrowth on your boys! Also I love Rajah! His fins have some beautiful clean edges and angles


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## Tourmaline

Oh my god guys.. I went to a Petco near my ex's house.. SO MANY FISH I WANTED. I'll post pics. They even had a nice little butterfly Olivia might like.  And a copper Bf. And a boy that looked JUST like Liberty, Olivia's old foster.


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## Olivia27

Aww butterflies <3 I don't know if Sydney might want to see the Liberty look-a-like. Little guy jumped out not too long ago


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## Tourmaline

Well, the site refuses to let me upload anything. It keeps giving me a connection error. I'll upload them one by one if it let's me do that.. I really want to show these pretties though.


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## Tourmaline

FINALLY. 

Such a pretty metallic.. I love this color combination 
View attachment 769369


The Liberty look alike, maybe that orange will turn red like his. If I remember correctly he was orange instead of red at first. 
View attachment 769377


Copper BF? Cute regardless. Another color combination I love. 
View attachment 769401


This King! I loved the little guy. He was very clamped and unhappy, but he refused to turn his side to me. He kept looking at my phone and following my finger around.. Little cutie. I would have taken him home in a heartbeat if I could. 
View attachment 769441


Just a cute pastel. Very active, showing off for me. Watching me intently. 
View attachment 769465


Blue BF, his dorsal was a little messed up and curled but I loved how even the separation on his anal and caudal fins were. Lovely boy. 
View attachment 769473


Another less nice BF, brother of the first one? This little guy was flaring at me. Wouldn't give me his side either, full focus on me. Fiesty fiesty! 
View attachment 769481


And another metallic. Loved this little guy, the color combination on a long fin is lovely.
View attachment 769489


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## Olivia27

*is glad that Cobalt is still nicer than the blue BF pictured or else impulse will start screaming "WANT!"*

Edit: oohh I keep forgetting to add Cobalt to my signature. ... Mind doing one last sig pic? O it's okay if you don't want to O O


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## Tealight03

They are all lovely! Especially love the copper and the giant. Sigh.


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## Tourmaline

There were some nice red DTHMs too with excellent finnage, but since people were looking at me weird I only snapped quick pics of the ones I found particularly nice.

Funny story.. The other day I had a weird dream where I found this store with every color I loved. I went there today, and every color that was in my dream was in that Petco. I just realized that. MY DREAM WAS REAL!

Oh and I'll make one for Cobalt, either tonight or tomorrow.


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## OUOhYeah2016

I Love the white Liberty look alike!


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## DangerousAngel

That King though!!!! OMG and the Liberty look-a-like! OMG!


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## Tourmaline

The Liberty look alike was calling me, but the King would have come home with me if I had a tank for him. I've never had a fish watch me like that, they usually ignore me, or flare. He seemed genuinely curious despite how unhappy he was. Also, I completely forgot about making Cobalt's signature pic. Oops.. 

You can actually see noticeable regrowth on Meeko, not just a tiny bit only I can see! I'm proud of him, he's letting his fins grow back, finally. If only Azure would follow suit, I'd be thrilled. I wish there was a little more progress on that missing chunk in his anal fin though. He has a good amount on his dorsal, and I don't think he has any on his anal fin. I wonder if he'll grow his banding back.. 
View attachment 770441
View attachment 770449


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## OUOhYeah2016

He looks so much better! I hope he lets it grow. My theory is that maybe it itches them. I mean, we pick at scabs and bug bites so maybe regrowth is just uncomfortable and some fish handle that better than others.


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## Tourmaline

Can they feel their fins? I wonder now.. I'd think if they could, it would hurt too much to bite all their fins off, and there would be a lot less fin biting Bettas making their owners upset. 

Having your face buried in a book when you should be sleeping? Not a good idea. I finished a 753 page book in a few hours, and now I'm not going to have anything to do. Ugh, curse my inability to stop reading and save them for another day. And not to mention my sleeping schedule is ruined, it's 7:08am.. Greeaaaat.


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## OUOhYeah2016

I mean, this may be an extreme example, but some people self harm for various reasons. You never know. It could just be a different sensation? 

And lol I do that sometimes. Unfortunately I should be writing papers that are all due in a week and can't let myself read for fun.


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## Tourmaline

Apollo has been adopted, by an acquaintance I know in person. He's picking him up on Sunday. 

I feel like a bad person, but I'm really thinking about getting that very unhappy king from that Petco I went to and 'rehabilitating' him. He had something wrong with him, I'm not sure what. I'm not sure I'd want to keep another large Betta, though, so I'd probably rehome him. He definitely wouldn't fit in a 3.5 gallon permanently. 

I may just make Apollo's tank a rescue tank. That may be an issue for me because I'd want to keep every rescue lol. I don't want his tank for another permanent boy, I'd feel like I'm replacing him. But at the same time it's a fully set up tank just sitting there, that I really don't want to sell. But if I can help and rehome a Betta without any chance of me wanting to keep it, I may.


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## Olivia27

Awh good luck in your new home Apollo! And good luck with that Petco King as well. Quick note though: do you still prefer local pick up? Because you might end up having your intakes for a long, long time if so.


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## Tourmaline

I wouldn't prefer local pickup for a Betta I'm planning to rehome. The only reason I didn't want to ship Apollo is because he's a personal Betta, and the main reason I'm so willing to rehome him to this aquantence of mine is because I'd be able to see him sometimes and know how he's doing.


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## OUOhYeah2016

I understand that entirely. I was really happy my last rescue went to my mom because I'd gotten rather attached to him.


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## Tourmaline

Finally got around to finishing Cobalt.
View attachment 772145


Also, does anyone know how much Petco charges for HMPKs? I can't remember to save my life. And Kings.. I know Kings are $16, but how much are HM Kings?


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## Olivia27

Yay Cobalt! <3

It depends. Some Petcos recently jacked up their prices. Previously HMPKs are $13 in mine, but now they're $16. I honestly don't know Kings are $16. That's insane. I swear they would be $10-$13 since they don't sell very well


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## Tourmaline

Rajah was $14.99, but with tax he was a little over $16. NY taxes are ridiculous. I'm just going to safely assume that King is going to cost me about $25 if he's still there since he was labeled as a Halfmoon King. I was curious how much HMPKs are because if that Liberty look alike is still there and the King isn't, I may just pick him up and sell him. Or keep him.. Depends on how fast my willpower goes out the window lol.

So far at my Petco, RTs are $20, EEHMs are $16, DTHMs are $16, HMs are $13, Kings are $15. Oh, and add about $3 to every one of those because tax. I didn't know how much HMPKs or HM Kings were because my regular Petco doesn't stock those so they're not listed on the little price sheet.


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## Olivia27

I think HM Kings should be $20. That's the most they'd ever ask for a Betta so far. Crazy with the taxes =\ wonder if it means more tax returns.

And thanks for fixing Cypris LOL I just noticed that he's a proper MG now xD


----------



## Tourmaline

So about $23. That's kinda steep.. Hopefully they'll discount him, I've never bought from that Petco before but the one nearest to me is willing to discount them if they don't look healthy. 

I had to make him a MG, hopefully he doesn't change again. xD 

Also, life on a forum. I go to answer a question, the person wants to hear what they want to hear and nothing else, so I back off. Someone else answers, the person swears they're right.. I sense incoming argument/infractions. Happens way too often. *Grabs popcorn*


----------



## Tourmaline

This was the most stressful two hours in history. Basically, a bunch of the duckweed in Meeko's tank has been dying off. I've been doing really tiny water changes to vacuum all the dead pieces out, but it was getting hard to keep up with since there was so many places I couldn't get to. It wasn't water change day yet so I was waiting on that. 

I decided to just do a full water change. It was getting out of hand and there was dead duckweed everywhere. I had to take EVERYTHING out. All the plants, the live plants, the snails, and Meeko. Meeko wouldn't let me catch him, I couldn't find the damn snails until I realized one of them got into a cup without water and I thought he was dead.. 

It was chaos. In the end, the snails made it despite being out of water, Meeko was very stressed but handled it fairly well. No fin biting, thank ****. I got moooost of the dead plant matter out, I did the best I could. It was hell, I tell you. Also added a bit of new decor so hopefully Meeko doesn't hate me too much lol.


----------



## Tourmaline

Also picked up another pack of plants for Meeko's tank. I kinda wish I could give every tank this color pallette. Probably my favorite looking out of all of them despite not having as many floating plants. The rocks are new too. I wanted to switch out the terra cotta pot out for a little cave I got with some openings but Meeko is infamous for getting stuck in things, and the snails really love that pot for some reason, Marty (my zebra nerite who almost dried out in that dead duckweed cleanup) is in it as I type. 
View attachment 773089

I'm glad I got another pack. His tank looked bare compared to the others. I've been saying I needed to buy another pack for a while now but they never had these in stock.


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## SplashyBetta

Nerites can survive outside of water for a while! They're intertidal snails which means their natural habitat has frequent dry spells so they're adapted to it. I'm not sure exactly how long but I've read of people reviving nerites that had been out of water for up to a month. 

I love, love, LOVE Meeko's set up! Where did you get the silk plants with the flowers?


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## Olivia27

Aaawww those silk plants are the cutest!


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## Tourmaline

I got them from Walmart. They're Tetra brand, I like them because they come with 4 in a pack and the flower part of them is silk, and the plant part of it is a very soft rubber like plastic so it's long fin safe. Walmart is the only place I've seen them sold so far, and apparently the Walmart near me is the only one that has them because I can't find them anywhere else. They're always selling out too.

I didn't know Nerites could live out of water.. I remember reading about snails escaping and drying out so I was so scared he was going to die on me. :s


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## Tealight03

My nerite climbes out of the water sometimes. It freaked me out the first time. Glad everyone is ok though! 

Meeko's tank is lovely. I'm sure my Walmart never carries those. They just have the icky plastic ones.


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## Tourmaline

Apollo was picked up a day early soo.. The King wasn't there, but the Liberty look alike was. His name is now Maru! (Excuse the ex) 
View attachment 773393
View attachment 773401

A little more clamped than last time I saw him but I love him already.. Totally a permanent, not selling him. He was dancing for me in his cup and watching me from the rack, I'm lovestuck. So friendly..

Totally sitting down to eat with a fish next to me at IHOP, by the way. Went to get him first since it was on the way and he was complaining about having to drive back. Not weird at all, just the daily life of a Betta keeper. 
View attachment 773417


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## Tourmaline

Maru has some kind of tiny growth on his head. Looks like a tumor or something. Kinda glad I got him when I didn't and didn't pick someone else now.


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## Olivia27

Aw poor guy. Do you have a pic?


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## Tealight03

He is really gorgeous!


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## DangerousAngel

Aww Yay, I'm so glad you got him!! And yes, it's totally normal to go to IHOP with your fish ;-)


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## Tourmaline

I'll try to get a clear picture of it tomorrow. His tank light is too dim and nothing is coming out clear. Gonna have to cup him but I need good lighting. I think it may be a worm. In the pictures I took of him earlier in good lighting it looks like there's a worm coming out of the bump, but I can't see it at all when I look at him, even while shining a light and watching him. It just looks like a white bump. Weird. I don't want to dose General Cure unless it's actually a parasite.. 
View attachment 773473


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## Tourmaline

I've been doing some research. I can't find any kind of parasite that looks like that. My first thought was anchor worms, but it's body is clear (if it's a worm at all). I really want to dose General Cure but I'm unsure. 

A bit of a side note, the Petco had a *gorgeous* purple/pink BF HM. Would have been my Spyro I joked about wanting, but I'm done with longfins.


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## Tourmaline

I woke up and Maru is in pretty bad shape. Worse than he was when I first put him in. What I did was I put him in, and covered his tank. I usually do that if the Betta seems stressed or in not so great shape. I just don't bother them so they can calm down without me in their face. I took of the towel last night to try to get a picture of his bump but that was it. 

I woke up early just to check on him, and he's kind of just floating around and very obviously struggling. He lies on his side on the gravel and then tries swimming and it seems like he can't. He's using plants to hold himself up when he falls. He lies there for a few seconds, like this

Then he rights himself with some careful arching movements

Then he tries swimming to the surface and winds up turning upside down constantly and winding up on the gravel. I'm lowering the water level as I type. 

I don't think he's going to make it. I didn't realize he was this bad in the store, he seemed clamped an unhappy like every other Betta, not this bad. He found the floating tube. He's in it now. 

I'm pretty sure no one that looks at this journal is up now, so I'm making an emergency thread. I'm not sure how to handle this. I don't think it's his swim bladder but I could be wrong. He didn't eat yesterday and he wasn't having any visible trouble swimming when I first let him out of his cup. 

Okay ignore all the "Like this". Not waiting 30 minutes to upload pictures. **** it, emergency. People might get what I'm saying without pictures.


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## Olivia27

Ever heard of hole in the head disease? It's in the D&E sticky if you wanna take a quick peek. I say General Cure. Now.


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## Tourmaline

I looked up pictures of that yesterday too. Its a protruding bump. It looks a LOT like a cyst, if it weren't for that little clear thing that I still cannot see even now. No idea how much I should dose now, he only has 2 1/2 inches of water so he can get to the surface easily. His tank is taller rather than wide.


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## Olivia27

I don't know if I want to suggest you to step down to ParaGuard due to unclear diagnosis... The guy is obviously struggling atm so I don't want to dose "baby" meds =\ should be OK with Gen Cure, as long as you stick to the instructions and doesn't stop dosing midway. Half a 3.5 is like 1.75 gal? 

If it's a cyst, it won't hurt him like this. Fish with cysts can live happily until the cyst grew too large.


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## Tourmaline

I don't have Paraguard, unfortunately. I do have a whole box of General Cure from that parasite scare Sebastian gave me. I think he has about a gallon or a little less in there since it's less than half. I'm going to dose by that. I'm not sure if it'll do more harm than good if I overdose slightly.. 

My phone is taking 20 minutes to upload one picture to his emergency thread... Why is it when I need something to work, it doesn't?


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## Olivia27

I linked your journal to the thread and asked people to throw in more suggestions. I hope at least that one photo gives an idea of what's going on. 

Welp so it looks like General Cure or nothing then. Fingers crossed xx


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## Tourmaline

I'm so sleepy.. I got 3 hours of sleep yesterday, and I got 2 hours today. No way I'm sleeping now. Dammit.. 

I'm eating my words about wanting to turn Apollo's tank into a rescue tank.. I meant a mild rescue, not this kind of rescue. I wouldn't really consider Maru a rescue though, I didn't even try to negotiate his price, he seemed healthy enough when I got him, and I want to keep him.. But wow, this sucks. 

I'm kinda worried about the rest of those fish at Petco now.. A few of the ones I liked were still there and a lot less active now. The pastel is still there, the second BF that was flaring at me, another _absolutely massive_ King that I didn't take a picture of, the red DTHM with gorgeous finnage I also didn't take a picture of, and the metallic PK.. They're probably sick too. 

Hopefully he makes it until Monday or Wednesday when Raphyel comes back up here and I can get to PetSmart. It's funny, he loved Maru. He's the first fish of mine he really liked since he was so friendly. Poor little guy..

Here's his emergency thread, in case anyone has any ideas. There's more pictures here:
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=685497


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## Olivia27

Da BF. Must pick da blue BF >

Or Techno :lol: in case you need a copy of Apollo with a dose of zest ;-) you won't need to fix your signature then


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## Tealight03

Poor guy. Hope the general cure helps.


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## Tourmaline

He looks a little better. He can keep himself up now instead of just sinking helplessly. I'm unsure if that's the General Cure helping or what. 

I've been napping and waking up every hour to check on him.. My brain is automatically waking me up.. I can't sleep more than an hour. Help me.


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## Tourmaline

Just some good news in light of everything that's happening with Maru. Meeko's regrowth looks really nice. Even his anal fin has some noticeable regrowth now, I spoke too soon before.
View attachment 774033
View attachment 774057
View attachment 774113

Pics are a bit blurry, he won't stay still for more than half a second, but you get the idea.

Fun fact, Meeko the flare happy is now Meeko the passive. He won't even flare at his reflection anymore.


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## Tourmaline

I think Maru has fin melt to top everything off, or maybe I'm paranoid. Posting pics in his emergency thread.


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## Tourmaline

So I raised the water level in Maru's tank since he's feeling better. I figured more water in the tank means ammonia won't build up as quickly and I won't have to stress him out with water changes.. I also lowered his filter enough to be able to run it. Hopefully I didn't ruin my cycle having it off for an entire day but I'll test his water in the morning. 

Well, he's playing in the filter. I love PKs lol. He'll go up to the sides of the baffle, swim into it, and into plastic, let it push him out, and do it again. Then when he gets bored he goes into his floating tube and rests. Rajah does the same thing. Is this a PK thing? It's adorable. I'm glad he's feeling better.


----------



## Tourmaline

Oh and another thing. Maru is TINY. Sebastian is a good bit bigger than him and he's one of my smaller males. I wonder how young this boy is. Didn't really notice it until I looked at Sebastian and then him.


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## Tourmaline

Does anyone know what color he's considered? Or is he just a marble?
View attachment 775105

Paging color experts *cougholiviacough*


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## Olivia27

I'm so glad he's doing better! Yay Maru! 

As for color, I know I advertised Liberty as a fancy. Not because he's expensive but because his marble coloring have clear separations. I think it's Indjo that once said there's gotta be other genes in play behind fancies because marbles are typically just all over the place. Buuut, since I don't believe "fancy" is an actual recognized term, I would play safe and just say "marble". When in doubt, say marble


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## Tourmaline

I wish he was easier to get pictures of. They all come out blurry because he's either swimming around out his butt is rising. xD We need to work on that. I'm starting ES after his GC treatment is up. 

Maru the marble PK. After Meeko, Azure, and now Maru, I have a love for marbles. He is marbling pretty quickly. Last week he had a little less turquoise.


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## Tourmaline

I didn't even need a mirror this time, he's just flare happy now. Ladies and gentlemen, we have another Rajah. I like him already, the fiesty ones are the best.  Unfortunately, like Rajah, he won't stay still while flaring for pictures. This one came out okay enough, I think. 
View attachment 775209

I really wish pictures were full sized without having to click them again.

I do still think he has _some_ fin problem. Judging by the shape of his anal fin, the tip should be reaching his caudal. And his dorsal wasn't pointed like that last week.


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## Tourmaline

Just a few more pictures because I think he's cute. He has a wonky ventral, one is shorter than the other. So cute. >.<
View attachment 775217
View attachment 775249
View attachment 775257
View attachment 775265

I need a better light for his tank. My phone's camera _does not_ like that lighting. Never did, getting in focus pictures of Apollo was nearly impossible after the other lights died, I guess since he's darker.


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## OUOhYeah2016

I agree that theres something goin on with those fins... it looks better than it did though! I'm glad he's improving


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## Tourmaline

Could it be plain ol' fin rot? The only reason I thought it was fin melt was because of his dorsal being stuck like that. But the bit on his anal fin looks a little like fin rot. That wouldn't explain the stuck dorsal though.


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## Tourmaline

Maru isn't floating nearly as much now. He can _mostly_ keep himself straight. He still has moments where he floats but when he tries, he can stay straight. The second tear in his caudal has improved slightly, first tear still looks clumped. His dorsal still has a point to it, anal fin still looks shriveled. 
View attachment 775641

And is it just me or are his fins more blue now? I love his coloration. He's really showy.. Juuust impossible to get clear pictures of. Bad lighting + fast PK = Blurry mess


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## Olivia27

I don't want to sound dismissive but I do think it's just curling due to either hard water or genetics ^^" Not that you're incorrect in noticing the crumpled fins, but based on the overall data including illness timeline, symptoms, plus photos from when he's still in the store, it's almost impossible to be fin melt. This is why we ask people to fill out the form in the D&E even if they already have their own diagnosis in the original post or title (e.g. My Fish Has Velvet Help). I think you also know that sometimes these fish turn out to be completely fine. Inaccuracy occurs when people drop diagnosis based on only one evidence - e.g. white spots = ich or gold shimmer = velvet. What do you know, the white "spots" might be fungal infection or even columnaris. And sometimes "velvet" is just a metallic fish. At a glance, Maru DOES have rolled up fins. But the rest of the info doesn't match the illness profile. 

Whoa rambling >< I know I said that multiple times already. Sorry. Anyway, do you still have your Rooibos tea? Melt or no melt, that should help xx


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## Tourmaline

I've kinda dismissed the fin melt thing at this point. Although after looking at his anal fin, it looks a _little_ like fin rot. Sebastian's progressed pretty quickly in a week so I think it's at least plausible. The tears in his caudal look like biting, and that could have brought on fin rot. 

I guess I'm just looking for a curable explanation on how he went from not even a single bent ray or curl to curled fin tips in 6 days. Would fins really curl that quickly from genetics? It took Merlin's fins about 3 months to curl, and Topaz's took 2 months. No one else really has curled fins. 

All I have is flavored Rooibos tea. There's three IALs in there but they're not doing much in terms of tannins. What brand of Rooibos do you use?

I was just looking at old pictures of Rajah and his anal fin was curled like Maru's when I got him, just not as noticeable. Not sure when that even changed. >_>
View attachment 775649


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## Olivia27

Ehh I either use Numi or Private Selection - which is a brand owned by Kroger. Not sure if Kroger exists outside the Midwest.


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## Tourmaline

Never heard of Kroger, so I don't think so. I've just never seen anything labeled as Rooibos tea in my local supermarket. I got my tea in a different part of NY, and a different supermarket. Then again, I didn't really need it when I looked so maybe I wasn't looking well enough.


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## Tourmaline

Life rant at 2am, haven't had one of these for a bit. 

I don't know what's going on in this house. Everything is a mess. I had a job, I lost my job because I keep getting kicked out by my psychopath father. I found another job, I can guarantee the same thing will happen again. This place was supposed to be somewhere I could get back on my feet, not somewhere to trip me up soon as I'm getting there. I'm very frustrated with everything. My father's issues have been driving me up the wall. We get into a huge fight once a week. He's not someone you can live with and not want to punch in the face every day. My temper and his temper do not make for happy times. 

Another thing. He worked on Saturday for the first time in 3 months. What's the first thing he does? He buys a huge bottle of liquor. Instead of saving that money so he doesn't have to bum off of me and my mother, he goes and spends it on alcohol. He sure has his priorities in order. That is the kind of crap I cannot and will not tolerate. He's not getting any help from me. My mother can do as she wishes. I do not feel sympathy for him or his situation at this point, because every problem he has is his own fault. I am not his slave, I have no obligation to care for him. He hasn't provided for me since I was 8 years old, even now he isn't providing for me, my grandmother is providing a roof over my head. He's not getting jack from me, and I'm tired of him thinking I owe him anything.


----------



## Tourmaline

I think, Arthur, my Mystery Snail, crossed the rainbow bridge. I'm not sure.. I went to check him since his trap was partially closed/partially open since last night, and when I touched him with the net it _looked_ like he closed his trap more, but I'm not sure. I don't want to smell him. x.x Any other ways to tell? I put some lettuce in there to see if that would entice him, that's his favorite.

Well he's not dead but something is wrong.


----------



## Tourmaline

I have an idea of what happened... Yesterday I heard a loud sound from the filter.. And then I saw Arthur in his shell next to the intake. I thought the noise just scared him. It seems like he's half ripped from his shell.. He has no control over half his body, and his trap isn't where it's supposed to be either. It's hanging off the side of his body that he can't control. 

I'm worried about him.. He's a pet, not just a snail. I'll give him a bit of time to see if he can manage to move at all. I placed him on the lettuce so he can at least try to eat. I don't know what to do about the filter intake. I'm just going to put pantyhose over it.


----------



## Tourmaline

And I'm really journal spamming but I keep remembering things after the edit period is up. 

Maru's fins are uncurling on their own. His caudal isn't as clumped together and the tears seem to be healing now. His anal fin is unrolling a little bit every day. I noticed that unrolling yesterday, but it looks a lot better today. If I can get a _clear_ picture of it, I'll post it. So far all I have is about 20 blurry ones. PKs are hard to photograph... All it takes is one tail swish and they're gone in a split second.

Another thing I just realized concerning Arthur.. 

How the hell is he going to get to the surface to breathe? He's not going to let me help him with that..


----------



## Tourmaline

I wish his fins were 100% so I could attempt to critique him and improve my PK critiquing skills. I already see a few pros and cons. 

I guess I can do him anyway. I'm going by multiple pictures not just this one, but you can _kinda_ see his good ventral in this one. 
View attachment 776321


Pros:
-Lovely topline, nice and curved, no humpback (Makes a nice lemon shape xD)
-No spoonhead
-Decent peduncle, very slightly upturned in some positions but not too bad
-Caudal fin reaches 180 degrees
-Not technically a plus but he doesn't have super long weird ventrals

Cons:
-Ventrals not a good knife shape, one is misshapen. The other looks decent enough (I think it's cute but it's a con) 
-Caudal is rounded
-Bent rays everywhere (may be from the curling which is improving, we'll see) 
-Obviously curled fins are a con but improving so it may not be a problem in the future, purposely avoiding critiquing the specific curled fins

Correct or add on?


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## Olivia27

Caudal *not* rounded  and I'm looking at your avatar. That's a clear enough photo. See, if you take a pencil and outline the tail, just the tail, you get a capital D. That's not rounded. If you can find Seren's picture somewhere, you would get a perfect oval shape when outlining her tail. That's VERY rounded ^_^

Extra pro: pointed anal. 
Extra con: stair stepped, narrow dorsal

And yes, he's lemon shaped lol. Now I want lemon tea ><

Sorry to hear about the mystery snail  in a scale of 1-10 my snail knowledge is, like, -1. Poke NickAu and see what he says. But then again he's a meanie and told me bladder snails bite yesterday ><


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## Tourmaline

His caudal is a little confusing. The top has a I guess you can call it crisp edge, the bottom is a little more curved. 

I didn't point out his anal fin because I'm not sure if it's because of the curling that it's pointed. Same thing with the dorsal, it actually looked nice when he was in the store last week. Now.. Narrow and pointy. Still had stair stepping but not as narrow. Maybe it'll go back to normal eventually. :s I kinda wish I could get a clear picture of his ventrals.. 

I was giving Arthur a bit of time, then I was going to make a thread about it. I'm not sure how many members have decent knowledge about injured Mystery Snails but it may be worth a shot. 

Also.. Bladder snails have teeth? >_> Remind me to dose my tank with copper if I ever have any.


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## Tourmaline

Well, after some research, I found out that Arthur has an injury called a mantle collapse. It's almost always fatal to aquatic snails, but there are a few cases of them recovering. Basically, the muscle that holds them to the inside of their shell rips from the shell, and they can't move or function properly in severe cases. The sites I went to stated that it's unclear why it's fatal to aquatic snails and not land snails. 

I've moved him to a little 1g hospital tank with no substrate so he can move around without flapping around helplessly.. Good news is he's still his active self. Bad news is he's probably not going to stay that way. 

Poor thing.. This is all my fault. I should have put something over that intake forever ago. It's just I've had ghost shrimp in there with that filter with no problems, I figured the snail was the last thing that would be hurt by it.


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## Tourmaline

I lost Arthur.. He was hanging out of his shell this morning. RIP little guy. Not sure what to do with the body. I've always said I'd bury any of my aquatic pets but he smells so bad.. I think he'd be dug up by a racoon rather quickly. I guess I could bury him deep in the indoor garden. 

Lesson learned. Snag proof every filter you own. I've done so as of yesterday. Every single one has pantyhose over the intake. I've also seen Maru try to jump.. I've jump proofed his tank. Tripled taped the mesh down too. No jumpers!

Also.. Am I the only one on this site that doesn't like Koi Bettas? :s They're meh.. Show me a MG or copper devil then we'll talk.


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## Olivia27

I don't like kois either. But then again I have had actual kois for a while now so that might play a role. MG is... #5 in my top 5 favorites. Sorry Cy. Copper's awesome though. Exactly why I'm so captivated by Silhouette <3

Sorry about Arthur


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## BettaStarter24

I love my Koi but I like when there are more red or black spots rather than white spots on kois


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## Tourmaline

Olivia, can I "borrow" Cypris now that he's a MG? xD I haven't been able to find any in any pet stores. If I did, I think I'd be running to get a temporary KK for him.

Copper is one of my absolute favorite colors. And red is my favorite color, so that body color paired with red fins is a match made for me. It's a shame I haven't found one recently

And something like Maru is another color combination I can love. White with any marble color is handsome, although the white will probably be taken over by his teal color. Plus, his fins are still orange. I don't think they'll be turning red. I'm very surprised. I thought he'd wind up like Liberty after a few days. 

His face looks like a duck. Is there any technical term for their lips being colorless like that? I like it. I've seen it more often on dragonscales.


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## Olivia27

Orange should not turn into red. Quite the contrary the presence of yellow or orange indicates a Non Red geno. Liberty did took a while to lose his white tho. I'd place my bets on Maru becoming more and more blue as time goes by. 

Why didn't you tell me you were on the lookout for an MG. There's a HMDT one in my Petco that's been sitting there a good while. He's a copper MG too so there you go lol. Horrible form tho .-.


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## Tourmaline

Usually, in my experience, an orange color in the store usually turns to red once they color up. And colors like teal usually turn into a darker blue. I was expecting him to have just been pale. I was prepared to wake up to him being a different color, like I did with Apollo. He was the same teal color, and his red was orangey, although not as light as Maru's. Next day, he was a gorgeous blue with bright red in his fins. 

I wanted a HM MG. But then I decided against it after Azure started tin biting and destroyed every hope I had for longfins. I think if I did find a really nice one, I'd give longfins another shot. But he'd have to be Azure before biting kind of nice. xD Are PK MG a thing? I don't think I've ever seen one. 

Another thing I've been on the lookout for is a dragonscale PK. Might have to go to Aquabid for that.


----------



## Olivia27

Sometimes light red (there's a term for it... Reduced red?) can appear orange in stressed fish. I almost bought what I thought was an orange CT boy at Meijer. But under closer inspection he turns out to be a pale red =\ orange and yellow are uncommon you see. Chances of finding one in a pet store is rather slim. True orange and true yellows will not turn red. This is also why "tiger kois" are more stable than the regular red kois which often become predominantly red later on.

Of course MG PK is a thing  my first ever foster was one! There are two more in my Petco as we speak. One is royal blue-orange and the other turq-orange. But they're weak, miserable and teeeeeny tiny =\ If I have time to nurse them back to health I'd bring them home to adopt out or resell.


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## Tourmaline

I remember reading somewhere that yellow kois are more stable than red kois for that reason. Lilnaugrim was explaining it all. I personally like yellow kois, it's just the red ones that I don't like the look of too much. 

I don't remember a MG foster. Where was I? x.x I do remember seeing those two PKs. I've seen darker ones before with orange fins. But I don't think I've really ever seen one that was a PK with a royal blue and yellow sort of combination, I consider that more MG. The Petco I got Maru from had a turquoise/orange MG with horrible form. He looked bloated and miserable. 

I need to pick up another 1g KK anyway so I think next time I go there I'll take pictures of the sad ones.. Maybe someone will want one? I have a spare heater here, and medication for a few illnesses.


----------



## Tourmaline

Maru had his first _real_ water change just now. Real water change as in thorough vacuum which takes a bit. His first reaction to the tube? Swim straight into it. -.- Then bite it because he got stuck to it. Then bite me because I'm holding it. Then he tried swimming in between my fingers and was generally being too curious for his own good and making things hard for me. I finally poked his side and he swam away and watched from his cave with his head poking out of one of the holes.

I found something I haven't tried for Sebastian yet. Think Maracyn 1 and 2 would put a dent in his fin rot?


----------



## Tourmaline

And another thing.. I just realized the term for Azure's "pineapple looking scales" is BSE. Someone could have told me. x.x For months I've been struggling to describe his scaling. I mean I've seen BSE used before but I never knew it stood for black scale edging.

Now I'm even more confused about his coloration..


----------



## Tealight03

Sorry to hear about Arthur. Never would have thought a filter could hurt a snail. 

I love MGs too. My Petsmart had had some in the past.


----------



## olgamc

http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2011/06/betta-fin-rot.html:


> Maracyn Plus combines a synergistic blend of Sulfamethazine and Trimethoprim that can be effective when Triple Sulfa or Nitrofurazon/Kanamycin treatments are not effective. However, do not use this product if fish have large wounds or are suffering from septicemia, since Trimethoprim can lower blood platelets.


Here is the bottle: http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/maracynplus.jpg

And this is about trimethoprim, which is one of the ingredients: http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumMedication2.html#trimethoprim

Hope this helps.


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## Tourmaline

I'm going to give Maracyn a try. I hope this works. It seems like a last ditch effort kind of medication. I've tried literally every other medication besides this one.. I've already ordered it. It should be here next Friday or Saturday.

I'm heading to the usual PetSmart tomorrow (today, but I haven't slept yet so it's tomorrow to me). I think I'm going to pick up another golden mystery snail for Merlin's tank. And maybe a black or blue mystery snail for Meeko's tank. The Nerites did their thing, and Meeko is snail safe. I just like having a pet snail as a tankmate if the tank is big enough. I don't really consider Nerites pet snails.. They seem more like an algae cleanup crew. Having to vacuum more because of a poop monster Mystery Snail doesn't really bother me. 

Maybe they'll have a copper devil, or a blue/yellow MG PK. Imagine! I think it would be coming home with a 1g bowl (I wish they sold KKs) to keep him in until I can get him a proper setup next week if they did. I mean I wanted the 20g but at this point I could probably sell it and everything I have for it for about $80 and just get one or two 3g tanks that I can setup whenever I please, instead of having to buy a stand.


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## Tourmaline

Mini life rant at 12:42pm

I *hate* relying on people. No one I know is reliable. No one I know keeps their word. No one I know understands the concept of time. If you say we're leaving in an hour, get the **** off your lazy ass and let's go in an hour! Don't start fixing your piece of garbage car, don't start cooking, don't play with your dog, don't go to the bathroom and spend an hour in there. You have reserved yourself at that time. I HATE WAITING FOR PEOPLE. I get it. You're doing me a favor, I shouldn't complain. But BE A RELIABLE PERSON. You shouldn't be an unreliable sack of garbage just because you're doing someone a favor! If you didn't want to do it, then don't do it! Simple ******* concept. Don't make me wake up when I got 2 hours of sleep, tell me to get dressed, say we're leaving in an hour, and leave me sitting in my damn room for 3 hours after that staring at the ******* wall and not even tell me what's going on.


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## Tourmaline

I picked up a cute little ivory mystery snail. I didn't even know they sold them in white. So cute. I think I'm going to name him (her?) Pearl. Also got a tiger nerite, not sure what to name him or her. So many tanks need cleaning and Onyx and Marty can't keep up. 

PetSmart got a new shipment of Bettas. Lots of turquoise CTs, all from the same spawn I assume. One red DTHM with really nice finnage. A metallic with red fins with a massive dorsal, looked like a DTHM without the split. Nothing really interesting, not like that Petco.


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## Tourmaline

Photogenic snail.. She's pretty. Who would have thought. Arthur was impossible to get good pictures of. Always zipping around. Pearl is so tiny compared to him.. He was the same size as her when I got him. Pearl will be a she until I manage to sex her, although I'm not very good at it unless they're large like Arthur was.. I miss him. He was the size of my thumb, she's the size of the tip of my thumb. 
View attachment 777729
View attachment 777761


And this is the unnamed Nerite who is actually a Zebra Nerite with messed up lines now that I got a good look at him. Boy, he's big. He's a little larger than Pearl, and even bigger than Onyx, the Black Racer who I already thought was big for a Nerite.
View attachment 777769


I'm getting a Golden Mystery for Merlin tomorrow, they didn't have any but they said they were supposed to get a snail and shrimp shipment in tomorrow. The original plan was to get a Blue or Black Mystery Snail for Meeko but they didn't have any lively ones, and I've never seen a _living_ Ivory Mystery Snail before, just their empty shells. I had to bring one home.


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## Tourmaline

Totally journal spamming for the 50th time this week.. But Maru finally ate! He got three pellets since he has no floating issues anymore, he gobbled them all up. I didn't treat him with ES since it was improving on its own. He also ate a few ants that fell into his tank after that. They love his tank for some reason, I have no idea how to get rid of them. Oh well, I guess he'll be having ants for a snack this summer. I'll have to feed him a little less than the others. 

Also, the new Nerite is a Tiger Nerite. Just a bad one.. He doesn't have any lines straight across, I was mistaken, but his black spots aren't even like a good Tiger Nerite.

I think I'm going to reopen my journal to signature art requests.


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## Tourmaline

My mother woke me up at 2am because I forgot to turn the tank lights off before I passed out. I can't go back to sleep.. My life in a nutshell. 
View attachment 778129


I made a stupid mistake with Merlin's tank.. I never check his tank temp because it's been at a stable 80 for so many months. I just don't think to check the thermometer anymore. Well, when I went to do a water change, his water felt icy. His tank temp was 69 degrees. I was immediately pissed that a brand new heater stopped working and I was ready to go to PetSmart and complain, then I realized I forgot to plug it back in last time I did a water change.. Poor Merlin has been in 70 degree water for an entire week.. I keep making these stupid mistakes. I don't know if it's from how little sleep I've been getting lately or stress, but this is not okay..


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## Tealight03

I've done that a couple times. It sucks. But mistakes happen. Hopefully Merlin will be ok.


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## Tourmaline

He seems no worse for wear. He was a little less active before I plugged it in but I didn't think anything of it. At least it was Merlin and not one of my more sensitive Bettas.

I even forgot to plug Maru's filter back in when I fed him last night. I remembered a few hours later. Remind me to just not touch any tank plugs.. 

I managed to sex Pearl, she was fairly easy to do, surprisingly. She is a she. Also, I think I incorrectly sexed Arthur.. I think he was actually a she the entire time. I didn't see his uh, parts, when I was looking at old pictures of him. I'm not sure what I thought I saw back then. Oh well, he'll still be a he to me.


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## SplashyBetta

Maybe putting up a colourful sign next to the tanks would help? Like "Remember to plug in heaters/filters!"


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## Tourmaline

I'm the type that would probably forget the colorful sign is something I should read. It would have to take up half of my wall. xD I think the reason I forget Maru and Merlin's plugs is because they're on the floor rather than higher up like the others. At least I don't have to unplug Maru's filter for him to eat now.


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## Tourmaline

I'm opening my journal to signature requests again. 

When I was remaking mine I was actually enjoying it again. I guess all I needed was a break.


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## SplashyBetta

Are you doing whole lines of bettas or just single? Either way I would love one. I'll have to go round up some clear photos.


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## Tourmaline

I can do whole lines of them but my limit is 8. Anymore just gets hard to do.


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## Tourmaline

Now that Maru's health issues are solved, I'd like to at least try to figure out what the bump on his head is. I mean, it looks like a small cyst. It hasn't gotten any worse or any better. I can't get a clear picture of it either, he keeps flaring and then hiding. 

His hiding spot of choice, this plant. You can _kind of_ see the bump on the right side of his head. It's white and he's white so it's hard to get pictures of. 
View attachment 778361


He's also not as active as I'd like him to be. I don't know if I should be concerned. He flares if I go near his tank, and he'll swim around and be reactive and dance. But, without that kind of encouragement, he doesn't move around or explore much at all. Compared to all of my other Bettas who are constantly on the move, he barely moves. He doesn't explore at all really, except for right after I go to his tank.


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## SplashyBetta

Awesome! 

If you could do a line of these ones that would be lovely: 

http://i.imgur.com/8bYy1hj.jpg Emerald 

http://i.imgur.com/JsjlZ4H.jpg Romeo 

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7613/16201410554_1bde46f136_n.jpg Isabel (excuse the tear in her anal fin) 

http://i.imgur.com/Jl7JWvL.jpg Lola 

http://i.imgur.com/Y1zgjXW.jpg Shimmer 

Thank you so much!


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## Tourmaline

Does anyone else's Betta swim around with a pellet in their mouth? He does this every time I feed him. xD He carries it around for a good 30 seconds before eating it. 
View attachment 778689


This rooster across the street will not shut the **** up. It has been crowing *non stop* since 3:03. When I say non stop, I mean every 5-15 seconds. No breaks. I really don't know what to do about this. I've been so frustrated with this god damn rooster that I've been plotting how to kill it, and I'm actually considering it. The neighbors don't care how much their stupid chickens annoy everyone. They go into the road, cause traffic, annoy everyone around them. Maybe once I have a car to drive, I'll "accidentally" run over the little a-hole.


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## Tealight03

Depending on the city/county there may be ordinances against live stock. Plus it's causing a disturbance.


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## Tourmaline

I originally thought this area wasn't zoned for livestock, but there's a farm 2 miles up the road at a gas station. I couldn't find any information about this area's livestock laws. Not sure who to ask either. 

This is an upper class area. You'd think they'd take noise complaints seriously, but they haven't done anything despite my numerous complaints. Maybe because we're poor and don't belong here. x.x He's still going too, he stopped for maybe 5 minutes and he went back to doing it non stop.

In more fish news.. Pearl keeps eating my duckweed! >.< She keeps dragging down little clumps of it, then I have to fix it so it doesn't die. I gave her lettuce and cucumber, I'd think she'd prefer that to duckweed. I had to take it out because she was too interested in the duckweed.


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## SplashyBetta

Some areas are only zoned for certain properties (i.e. farms) to have livestock and regular houses (residential lots) aren't allowed to. That's how it was in my old neighbourhood. But I think birds like chickens may fall under different laws than mammalian livestock? Not sure on that though. Maybe ask at the city/town hall?


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## OUOhYeah2016

Chickens are definitely under different laws. I have friends who keep chickens in their yards not 10 minutes outside the city of Chicago in nice suburbs. 

Also, I'm glad Maru is doing well! I think he's probably just still recovering from whatever went wrong before, I wouldn't worry about his activity levels yet. 

Yay for enjoying the signatures again! I thought about having you do my baby betta, but I'm not sure if its a he or a she yet let alone what he'll look like or if I'm keeping him when he grows up...


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## Tourmaline

Hopefully they're illegal. If not, they should be. This is a very active road, and the speed limit on this road is 45mph. On the days that they're not home, they leave the gate open and the chickens go into the road and cause traffic. There have almost been accidents from drivers trying to avoid the chickens and someone hit our garbage can in the driveway trying to avoid one. I have filed a complaint about that too, and it went unresolved. 

It's not really the _chickens_ I have a problem with, it's the roosters. I can understand the need for one, but it's not fair to your neighbors. Some people work nights and sleep during the day, like I used to, and hearing an extremely loud rooster non stop from 8 in the morning until 6 less than 100ft away from their bedroom window is not something people want to deal with, especially if they get no benefit from it. It's just inconsiderate.

I said that just yesterday, and today he's a little more active. Sluggish, but active. I noticed not too long after I woke him up that he was swimming around instead of hanging out in his floating tube.


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## SplashyBetta

At the very least leaving the gate open should be illegal since it causes traffic and potentially a car wreck. That's not safe. Could you get neighbours to complain about that? Maybe they'd listen if more people said things.


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## Tealight03

I would try city hall, if nothing else. I can't imagine a rooster being permitted in a residential area but could be wrong I suppose.


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## Tourmaline

Unfortunately, my grandfather made sure all of our neighbors hated our family before he died. Soon as I say what house I'm from I'd get a door slammed in my face. 

Now if only I knew where Town/City Hall was.. Or how to get there without a car. I miss sidewalks.

I decided to take a nap, which is what I've been doing to try to get some of my sanity back. I wake up, glance at Maru, he sees me, and starts going nuts doing the food dance.. That was fast. And when I was doing a water change earlier, he thought I was feeding him and started swimming laps around the top of the tank looking for where I put his food. Smart fish. The first time he was fed was just 2 days ago, and he's already trying to manipulate me into feeding him. He's like this little, weird fish-puppy. Oh, there's someone cleaning my tank? Let me go get stuck to the siphon on purpose and bite my owner's fingers, then swim in between them just to make her life difficult.

I'm glad I didn't buy him with the intention to sell him, I'd have a hard time giving him up. His personality rivals Sebastian's. _Almost_. Not quite, at least not yet. He's getting weirder and more interactive every day.


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## Tourmaline

Had a photoshoot with Maru since he insisted on flaring at me. He still did the 'hiding' part of this routine, but he was acting more like a shark about to ambush me than a shy Betta this time around. Kinda like Rajah, his theme song is the Jaws theme. xD He's getting better all around, I'd say he's getting more comfortable. Perhaps now because he's gotten some good food in his system. Soon as he started eating, it was like a switch went off and his behavior started improving.

And his dorsal is separating! YES! His anal fin doesn't look nearly as bad as it was, it still has a little unfolding to do. The tears in his caudal fin are uncurling too. The bites are healing, rather slowly. I think his fins will be back to normal in another week or two. I'm not sure what caused them to curl in the first place, but at least I'll get to see him in all his uncurled, stairstepped dorsal glory.

Look at his dorsal! I can actually see that little split he originally had in his cup the first time I saw him! 
View attachment 778953

View attachment 778961


And his anal fin. It looks a lot better. 
View attachment 778993


Maru.. That's not hiding.. I can still see you. 
View attachment 778977


You are not a shark! Silly fish. 
View attachment 778985


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## Tourmaline

Annnd signature done. I hope I got Lola right, I couldn't really see her colors from that angle. And if you want it bigger or smaller, let me know. I cannot tell what size it really is unless I set it as my own signature since they made uploads thumbnails. 
View attachment 779033


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## SplashyBetta

Tourmaline said:


> Annnd signature done. I hope I got Lola right, I couldn't really see her colors from that angle. And if you want it bigger or smaller, let me know. I cannot tell what size it really is unless I set it as my own signature since they made uploads thumbnails.


Thank you so much! It turned out great. The size is perfect. Sorry about the angle of the Lola photo, I should have picked a better one.


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## Tourmaline

I made a little thread with his fin progress in the Pictures section, I already posted this there.. But _look at his dorsal today! _Look at it! The pointy bit is still clumped but woo! And his ventrals too!
View attachment 779505
View attachment 779529


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## Tourmaline

... The rooster started again. Someone, please shoot me. I cannot take his crowing every 5 seconds. It sounds like he's in our driveway. If he is, I can legally kill him, right? I'd have no regrets.


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## Tourmaline

And an update on Meeko's regrowth since he posed so nicely for me, for once. It didn't even take 5 seconds to get a good picture. I've been updating weekly so I'm sticking with it. 
View attachment 779777


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## OUOhYeah2016

Oh wow! He's looking so good!


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## Tourmaline

Remind me to just not post outside of the Journals section. -.- Too many problems for me.


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## Tourmaline

Ever just have a photogenic fish? I have three, four if you count Roman but he's not showy photogenic. 

Meeko is good with pictures, even though he won't flare for them. He'll hold a good pose long enough for me to snap a picture juuust before he moves. Azure was good with pictures, you know, when he had fins and I wasn't mildly ashamed of him. He'd always flare at _just_ the right moment and show off for me. Maru.. Now Maru is photogenic. He's probably thinking, "Oh hey let me flare and turn at the _perfect_ angle, just slow enough for you to get a clear picture of me" ever time he sees my phone out. I have so many turning flare pictures of him. Give me 10 of his photo loving types, please. Merlin is pretty good with pictures too, but he's the type that won't come to the front of the tank if he sees my phone out. He'll just flare and do his thing at the back where he's impossible to get good pictures of. -.- 

I wonder if it would be a bad idea to make a photogenic fish thread. A place to just show off your fish that actually pose for you. The Betta photo of the month contest isn't my cup of tea.. The only people who win those have professional cameras, and it always seems unfair to those who don't have that equipment and are stuck with a crappy phone camera. There isn't really a particular thread for photogenic fish other than the "Betta Photos" thread, which doesn't get much action lately. People usually just make their own threads, but maybe a thread where everyone could share their best Betta and fish photos would be a good thing. I might give it a shot.


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## Tourmaline

I've sort of been thinking about breeding. I wouldn't breed, but I've been thinking more of genetics. I have two _decent_ males, both from Petco. Males with flaws that could be fixed into a good line fairly easily. I've been making up imaginary pairings in my head, for the fun of it. I'm pretty opinionated. I do like sharing my opinions, just because maybe _someone_ has been thinking the same thing and just never said it out loud. 

My thoughts on breeding.. Breeding two Bettas with flaws is _irresponsible._ If you are not picking a complimenting pair, a pair that can breed towards a goal, or a pair that compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses, you are being irresponsible. There are more than enough flawed, deformed, sad Bettas in stores. If you're not going to cull almost your entire spawn and you're going to send them off to a pet store instead, shame on you. I'm tired of seeing entire spawns of ugly crowntails with almost no even web reduction, horrible spoonheads, and ugly toplines half dead at Petco and PetSmart. Why breed them so they can die in a pet store? I understand some people do it for experience, and buying an expensive fish of good quality to potentially die in breeding isn't a good idea.. But you _can_ find good quality fish in pet stores! Some fish are meant to be pets, some are okay for breeding. Don't confuse the two. I've seen people trying to breed a droopy VT with an ugly female way too many times. It's getting old.. You don't think there are enough droopy VTs freezing to death in a cup? Breed for at least some kind of quality or don't breed at all.


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## Sadist

Those are good breeding points. And good points on the picture thread. I don't post in photo of the month very often because I can never get the lighting right for a good shot. If I do, then I find the spot on my tank that I missed when wiping it down for the past month. Or the shot has a dying leaf in it or a poop that I missed.


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## OUOhYeah2016

Tourmaline said:


> Remind me to just not post outside of the Journals section. -.- Too many problems for me.


= Life


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## Tourmaline

HMPK confirmed? At least the got the labeling right. 
View attachment 780497

Give me 10 of him, pls. I am in love with everything about this fish, his fins, his personality, his color, everything. Him and Azure are the only males I have that I consider anything close to breeding material. 

I'm going PK only from now on, with the exception of maybe a CT. While long fins look sort of regal and pretty, short fins look cool and sleek. Plus, there's less of a chance of fin biting. The fin biting is the main reason, actually.. Even though Maru bit his fins in his cup.. Hope that isn't a habit in the future. 

Sadist, the same thing happens with my pictures. There's always some bit of poop I missed, something in the background that I don't like, a scratch on the tank (only three of my tanks are acrylic luckily), a dead piece of duckweed on the sand.. Or the fish just moved soon as I pressed the button. Or a case like the above photo where it came out clear, the fish was in the perfect flare, annnd they were facing somewhere you couldn't see them from the side.


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## Tourmaline

I tested Maru's water before changing it, he's on an every other day water change schedule.. The ammonia in his tank was a solid .50, and his nitrates were 5. How even? No nitrites at all before any water changes so his tank is still cycled, I think. Soooo why the ammonia? My ammonia is always .25 for cycled tanks, I assume that's just ammonium, the harmless kind, since the test measures both, but never .50! 

And Meeko's tank refuses to cycle. I test his water every day, and it's always .25 ammonia with no nitrates or nitrites. Now that, I don't understand. I've had that tank set up for a good while now and I'd expect it to have a somewhat stable cycle by now. I change his water weekly despite no increase. 

Ah, venting about parameters.. I haven't done that since I started.

Edit: Okay, crazy idea.. Meeko's tank has a few live plants. He has maybe 20 baby narrow leaf java ferns that I picked off an adult plant from my 10g. They're growing pretty nicely floating, they're almost big enough to plant. He also has tons of duckweed and some salvinia minima. Is it possible that his tank is cycled, and the growing plants get rid of the nitrates so they don't show on a test?


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## DangerousAngel

I completely agree about the Fish Of The Week contest, I've even stopped entering banner contests in FB groups. -.-

I have to saw I've been pretty blessed when it comes to photogenic fish, Oliver for example is ALWAYS doing something cute long enough to tank pictures of! I think sometimes they just have their moods lol!


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## Tourmaline

I need a new mirror.. I've been flaring Maru for a few minutes every day so his fins will separate more, and it seems to be working, but I scratched his tank up. >.< I didn't realize one of the edges was sharp until after the fact. I really need to replace his tank now, it's going to drive me mad. 

I suppose I could upgrade him to a 5g, give him more swimming room. The stand his tank is on can fit a slightly bigger tank. Oooorrr Petco had a 6g long that I liked the look of, but I'm not sure if the stand is long enough. Decisions, decisions. I already have a heater and filter good for up to 10g so it's only a matter of getting a tank with a hood. I think he'd appreciate a longer tank.


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## Tourmaline

His dorsal is 100%, his caudal is 100% if you don't count the bites, and his anal fin is almost 100%, just the very tip needs to uncurl, and at this rate it'll uncurl either tomorrow or the day after. His ventrals are uncurling a little slower than everything else though, I guess because they were twisted into tiny sticks before. 
View attachment 781497
View attachment 781521

Yup, PK only for me. I love their shape. Rajah didn't fully convince me because his caudal is rounded and his fins are rather short. I've never seen an actual PK in person until now, just the ones whose fins are so short, they look like females. Maybe I'll get a DTPK, or a CTPK, or another HMPK, but I love them. CTPK would be the best of both worlds, I wanted a CT and now I want PKs lol.

Barely anyone replies to my journal anymore. I think I scared everyone off with all the fawning over Maru's uncurling and Meeko's regrowth. xD Oh, and the snails. The snails probably scared them off too.


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## DangerousAngel

I'm still reading!
I think that 6 gal at PetCo would be cool to get, I've wanted it, but didn't have space for it. If you get it, definitely review it here!

I'm glad there's more uncurling, I didn't know that flaring could reverse that, Zanzibar has some curling on his anal fin that I'd like to get rid of, but I think moving Buttons beside him might do the trick, sometimes I worry that his beard will fly off, he flares so hard! :lol:

But Plakats are my thing, I love them, although I have to say, I love other tail typer too, but Plakats/Kings are my favorite, with VTs, and CTs coming in a close second!


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## Tourmaline

The only thing I didn't like about the 6g long is the fact that it uses incandescent lights.. I like LEDs, they use less electricity. I wish I could see it out of the box first. 

I'm not actually sure if flaring reverses it. It _seems_ like it does. Ever since he ate and got his fiesty personality back, he's been flaring. And ever since then, his fins have been uncurling. I suppose maybe it could just be a coincidence and maybe the clean water is doing the trick. Who knows? 

I love those wide finned VTs so much.. I'm just so tired of fin biting. PKs don't have such a bad reputation for fin biting, but it seems every other type besides CTs do. Maybe I'd give an actual CT a chance, I just haven't found any in a store that caught my eye in so long.

And I know what you mean about the beard flying off thing. xD Maru was so angry yesterday, I have no idea why. He would swim by the front of the tank, flare _so hard_ I thought he'd rip his fins in half, do the little really angry flare wiggle they do, and zoom away. Then repeat over and over again until I left. Crazy fish. This was his super hard flare, he was really trying lol
View attachment 782001


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## SplashyBetta

I have the Petco 6g long and I love it. The only aspect I'm not too fond of is the light. Besides being incandescent it also gives the tank a purple-y glow. I prefer clear lighting.


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## Tourmaline

Would you mind posting a picture of it set up? I haven't seen it out of the box with the lights on and everything. That could convince me to get it or not get it.

Real small edit: Is it just me or does everyone have a Koi Betta now? The reason why people loved them was because they weren't easy to get.. I see their popularity dwindling fairly quickly in the future.


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## Tealight03

I want a pk, although I will always be partial to vts. Glad Maru is doing better.


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## ThatFishThough

Petco now carries Koi, and since they were so rare, everyone jumped at the change to get one. There was an orange/yellow PK Koi at my petco the other day.


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## Tourmaline

I haven't been to Petco since I got Maru. I also heard they stock bad MGs called Paradise? Now that, I would be interested in. Chances are they're not all bad, and I've been looking for a MG. I didn't see either two weeks ago, though. I might have to look in the larger Petco near my doctor, they always have about 100 Bettas, I kid you not. Last time I went there it was like I was a kid in a candy shop, and I walked out with a half dead King aka Rajah.

I see this being bad for Koi Betta breeders.. I haven't seen any from Petco with good form, though. So there's that. I suppose people will pay more for a good Koi with nice finnage rather than a cull from Petco, not all hope is lost for them.


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## OUOhYeah2016

I'd love to see people with the 6 gallon long too! I've seen them
and I'm curious. 

So glad Maru is doing better and that your biter is letting his find grow back. Also I dont remember who asked, but flaring is good for improving fins that have bent rays or curling. People also flare young bettas that are delta or super delta in an attempt to train them to carry their fins as HM.


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## Tourmaline

For people who can't have a 10g, a 6g long would probably be okay to divide, too. Thats another reason I've been interested in it. I really want to see one set up.

I've read about the flare training young Bettas thing. I didn't know it could fix bent rays, that's news. It never helped Azure's messy bent fins or Rajah's messy dorsal. x.x I wonder if it works on older Bettas too. At first, Maru could hold his caudal at _just_ 180 degrees, barely, and rarely would it spread that far. Now, he can hold it over 180 degrees very easily. Or maybe he's just getting stronger so he can spread his fins more.


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## OUOhYeah2016

It's not a guarantee that flaring will fix anything and it's definitely harder with older fish. It is worth trying though. I've got 3 of Olivia's boys for the summer and I've been flaring one because of bent rays. They don't really have much control over the ends of their fins though so I'm not sure how much it'll help since his bent rays are basically at the bottom of his anal fin... He's a blast though, lol he goes into full attack mode when I put my finger in his tank, so flaring him is easy.


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## Olivia27

I do think flaring only helps rays that are bent due to environmental reasons. Genetics is a whole new ball game. How do we know whether or not it's genetic though? By flaring them daily anyway. I mean, it won't hurt.


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## Tourmaline

Maru's bent rays are environmental, and I _think_ Rajah's were too. After looking back at old pictures, his fins were curled just like his when I got him. I guess I didn't know as much as I do now so I wasn't as paranoid about it and didn't see it as a problem. There's no shortage of flaring for either, I don't even need to do anything but watch them. xD Why are PKs so crazy? 

I suppose it doesn't hurt. I do need to fix Maru's tank, he's been flaring at the back of it pretty often. I'm concerned he's stressed by it. I'm just going to look for a background plant at Petco or PetSmart and layer it across the back. I had done that for a while when Rajah was in that tank way back when, but I moved the plant to another tank since Apollo had no interest in flaring. 

I learned so much about form yesterday. The IBC standards have been made public, I gave the entire thing a good read. It's in the Show Bettas section if anyone reading this is interested. I suggest reading it, it won't hurt.


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## Tourmaline

And a before and after for the hell of it. I looked back again for the first time since he's almost fully healed, and wow. I'm surprised he doesn't more bent rays than he already does with how curled his fins were. The tip of his anal fin looks like a zig zag with how bent they are.
View attachment 782377

I need to make one of Meeko too once he's fully healed.


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## Tourmaline

I have some bad news, I've been told Apollo has come down with dropsy. He's unsure why, he's been active with no signs of lethargy, but with very slight bloating. He caught it early, so he may recover. He's in my thoughts.


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

oh no! I hope he recovers! My girl Saphira had dropsy when Olivia first picked her up and caught it early, now she's no worse for the wear. I hope he responds well to treatment.


----------



## Tourmaline

He said he's not looking any better or any worse.. I, however, have had one of the worst days I've had in months. I've been asleep all day trying to avoid thinking about it. Screw people, seriously. 

And people on forums.. They ask how to treat something, I recommended products that will work, they go out and buy a gimmick medication and nothing I recommended.. Why ask for help then?


----------



## ThatFishThough

I saw that, Tourmaline.. Did you see the post that said "removed?" That was me being exceptionally rude to that specific person >.>


----------



## Tourmaline

I was referring to a different thread, actually. He or she seemed willing to learn, I personally love when people come to this forum with bad information and leave with better information than they had. 

-Long life rant incoming-

Life rant.. Not life rant, just done. This has a lot to do with my relationship, or lack of one. It's very personal but I need to talk about it. 

My boyfriend and I separated for a few reasons. Things were not going well. For the last month or so, we've been fixing things. He's been trying to fix his problems this time around. It was improving until this morning at around 5:30am. I get a picture sent from his phone of his friend named Leslie, who I do not like and does not like me, kissing him (on the cheek, but it still pissed me off). Then, two minutes later, I get a call from a number I didn't recognize. I didn't answer it. I got a lovely voicemail of suggestive things involving him in progress. I gave it a few minutes. I sat and thought about it. He values his life, and he knows I'm crazy enough to knock him on his ass, he wouldn't do that, and I know how he is, how he thinks, and how he does things. I messaged him, then called him, and he answered and explained that she was drunk and she took his phone and she didn't know what she was doing. I was still pissed, mostly at the fact that she would even try to mess anything up, and I did not care if she had two heads, that's not acceptable. Nothing about that is okay, and he defended her actions, which bothered me even more. 

I went back to sleep, and I woke up later and called him. He tried explaining things again since I was still noticeably pissed, and he let's it slip that he joined the Marines and signed his life away, and that's why she was so upset. Months ago he told me he wanted to, and I told him I was against it. I explained to him why I was against it, I explained the risks, I explained everything. He told me he changed his mind and I won't have to worry about it. Apparently, he decided to do it anyway without telling me. Not even a warning until he had already done it. He did it that way so I wouldn't try to convince him not to, and he wasn't planning to tell me until next week. Now he says he feels that if I don't support him in this, I don't love him or care about him. It's not that I don't, it's that he ignored my concerns, lied to me telling me he wouldn't sign up, and then did it anyway behind my back and tries to sweet talk it into seeming like he did it for me and our future. 

I am very upset. I have a lot to think about, things are not going well for me. This entire week has been nothing but more crap after more crap. I need a break, and some wine.. I really do.


----------



## OUOhYeah2016

If we lived closer I'd say come over, there's plenty of wine! Boys really can suck, but whenever people say that to me I always come back with the same response: we can suck sometimes too. The thing is to find someone who sucks less and who you can have mutual love and respect with even when they suck and even when things get complicated. People are always going to do whatever the f*** they want regardless of what anyone else says, but it's never too much to ask for consideration in the process. You can't make some decisions together or be part of that process, but you can be listened to and considered. Granted that may not change the outcome, it's all you can ask for. 

From what you say about this guy, he hasn't lived up to any of those things. He doesn't deserve you or deserve your love and support.


----------



## Tourmaline

Like, I get it, he doesn't think his life is going anywhere, he has nothing going for him, and he wants to accomplish something.. But that wasn't the way to do it. He still wants my support, but he's accepted that he's not getting it and he's done irreparable damage to our relationship. And he's disappointed in me, but not as much as I'm disappointed in him. 

No one is supporting him on this. No one besides his friend who is a Marine who convinced him to do it in the first place, who is also getting a hard kick to the groin next time I see him. I told him to stop pushing him to do this and let him decide for himself, and he pushed him to do it at the last minute. 

He keeps saying it's his life, but the thing about being in a relationship or taking someone seriously is that every decision you make effects them in some way. Yes, it's your life, but you're sharing it with someone and you should take them into consideration when making choices. Not just do it, and then tell them after you've already made it final.

Then he has the audacity to say he expects me to never support him and doesn't know why he asked for my support..


----------



## Tourmaline

Well, Nerites can't survive out of water, it seems. Marty, my Zebra Nerite, climbed out the other day. He out of the water for maybe half a day. He dried out, and he died.


----------



## ThatFishThough

o.o I've had Netrites out of the water for days.... They might've been going back under at night, but....


SIP Marty


----------



## LittleStar

I totally understand how you are feeling as one of my sisters went through something very similar. I'm sure you voiced your concerns about military illness rates, bone disease, joint disease, spine disease, respitory and neurological problems, cancers. 
Here is a documentary on the depleted uranium etc:
https://youtu.be/3iGsSYEB0bA?list=PLUQx3yJLaOihS06zyvaKXaoB1LmgdQWs1

There are a number of support groups for young vets with mystery illnesses on FB and other sites, you can get more info and he can find support there if needed. There is a great need for vet advocates.


Keep your chin up! You need to think about your future and take care of YOU.







Tourmaline said:


> I was referring to a different thread, actually. He or she seemed willing to learn, I personally love when people come to this forum with bad information and leave with better information than they had.
> 
> -Long life rant incoming-
> 
> Life rant.. Not life rant, just done. This has a lot to do with my relationship, or lack of one. It's very personal but I need to talk about it.
> 
> My boyfriend and I separated for a few reasons. Things were not going well. For the last month or so, we've been fixing things. He's been trying to fix his problems this time around. It was improving until this morning at around 5:30am. I get a picture sent from his phone of his friend named Leslie, who I do not like and does not like me, kissing him (on the cheek, but it still pissed me off). Then, two minutes later, I get a call from a number I didn't recognize. I didn't answer it. I got a lovely voicemail of suggestive things involving him in progress. I gave it a few minutes. I sat and thought about it. He values his life, and he knows I'm crazy enough to knock him on his ass, he wouldn't do that, and I know how he is, how he thinks, and how he does things. I messaged him, then called him, and he answered and explained that she was drunk and she took his phone and she didn't know what she was doing. I was still pissed, mostly at the fact that she would even try to mess anything up, and I did not care if she had two heads, that's not acceptable. Nothing about that is okay, and he defended her actions, which bothered me even more.
> 
> I went back to sleep, and I woke up later and called him. He tried explaining things again since I was still noticeably pissed, and he let's it slip that he joined the Marines and signed his life away, and that's why she was so upset. Months ago he told me he wanted to, and I told him I was against it. I explained to him why I was against it, I explained the risks, I explained everything. He told me he changed his mind and I won't have to worry about it. Apparently, he decided to do it anyway without telling me. Not even a warning until he had already done it. He did it that way so I wouldn't try to convince him not to, and he wasn't planning to tell me until next week. Now he says he feels that if I don't support him in this, I don't love him or care about him. It's not that I don't, it's that he ignored my concerns, lied to me telling me he wouldn't sign up, and then did it anyway behind my back and tries to sweet talk it into seeming like he did it for me and our future.
> 
> I am very upset. I have a lot to think about, things are not going well for me. This entire week has been nothing but more crap after more crap. I need a break, and some wine.. I really do.


----------



## Tourmaline

I've been really off these last few days. I haven't been paying attention to my fish like I should. I missed two water change days and two of my tanks managed to get up to 20 nitrates.. I feel really bad. 

In fish news, to distract myself from the depression.. 

Does anyone know much about Mystery Snails? I've done some research, but their care is pretty basic for me since I already have extremely hard water. I don't need to add anything to my tank for them, all my snails have healthy shells. But diet wise.. Pearl is so picky! She'd rather eat duckweed and algae wafers all day than eat cucumber, spinach, lettuce, or zucchini. She touched the lettuce once and ate a huge piece of it, but ever since then she ignores any food I put in there for her. I always put it in the same place, at the same time, like I used to do with Arthur. No interest since that one day. 

She does this weird but cool thing.. She'll scoop the duckweed with her body, drag it to the glass, then move her mouth down to eat it from under her body. It's super interesting to watch her habits but I wish she'd eat more varied foods. I've taught her to come up for some pellets too, so hopefully that's enough. She gets four pre soaked pellets every day, along with whatever else she eats from a vegetable in the tank, an algae wafer, and duckweed. Picky snail...
View attachment 785073


Also, it seems like Apollo is improving slightly. The pineconing has gone down completely, but he's lethargic. He can't figure out what's wrong with him. He's been checked for IP and he doesn't have any, he's not constipated, and there's nothing wrong with his parameters. I made him send me a picture of the results. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5 nitrates. I'm stumped too..


----------



## Tourmaline

Also, Maru _has_ to have something bacterial going on with his fins. He was improving rapidly with the dosing of Kanaplex, and a week after being off it, his fins are curling again and all progress has stopped. He didn't heal completely before the dosing was over, his ventrals still had whatever issue his fins have. I'm starting another round since he's been off it for a week. If the Kanaplex worked and water changes didn't stop it or keep it at bay, it has to be bacterial, and it's very aggressive. Luckily, I have medications up the ass for bacterial infections thanks to Sebastian.


----------



## DangerousAngel

Akk, that sounds awful, I'm so sorry you're having to deal with that. 

I hope another round of Kanaplex will help Maru, I'm dealing with a bacterial infection too (no thanks to the flightless fruitflies from Pet Smart) :/


----------



## LittleStar

Your Pearl is awesome. I think she views the Duckweed as a premium source of fresh vegetables so why bother with anything she can't harvest herself. She may need a little more protein. I've read Duckweed is high in protein so that could be another reason Pearl prefers it. You can add a freeze dried shrimp (floats) and see if she likes that on her plate with her Duckweed lol. They are so cute. Mine like shrimp and also gets organic peas (skinned well). I wish I had Duckweed, too chicken to try plants. Anyway Pearl seems very happy to me. Sometimes less is more.


----------



## Sadist

Oh, no, Dangerous! I didn't know they carried tainted flies.

I think it's nice your snail eats duckweed. It grows so fast, and she keeps it in check. As long as none of the rooted stuff gets eaten, then it's game over!


----------



## Tourmaline

She started eating some of my baby Narrow Leaf Java Fern.. Don't know how she got a hold of it, they're all floating in the middle of the tank. I took it from her, and she went back to the duckweed. As long as she doesn't keep trying to eat my java fern, we're good. Everything else is silk.


----------



## Sadist

Wow, well I've seen my pond snails swimming around and in the middle of the surface before. Aquatic snails have some sort of swim bladder that lets them go up and down in the water column. I've never seen a big snail do it.


----------



## Tourmaline

You know.. I've learned to hate something good happening to me. Every time something good happens in my life, for example me getting a job, making some progress towards my goal of getting out of this house and finding a roommate, something happens that sets me ten steps back.. Whether it be emotionally, or something else that stops me in my tracks. 

I've sat here wondering what I did to deserve to not be happy. I've done a lot wrong in my life, I'll admit. I've made stupid mistakes, I've done messed up things, but I don't feel that I deserve to be miserable. Am I just not allowed any happiness? Everything good in my life comes with a price.. Everything. For once, can't I just have something that doesn't cost me my happiness or my sanity? 

I guess I shouldn't complain too much. My pets are fed, I get to eat, and I have a roof over my head. But I don't think I've ever been so depressed. I'm alone, the only person I care about is a selfish a-hole, he doesn't even care how what he's doing is effecting me, and basically tells me if I don't like it, there's the door.. And I don't want to walk out of that door. I care too much to walk out, but is me being miserable really worth staying? 

Something needs to give. The little joys in my life aren't enough to keep me going anymore. My dogs help.. It seems like they know something is wrong because they're being extra clingy lately. The Bettas, they're calming, to an extent. My family? Useless. They don't know what's going on, nor do they care. Music just makes me more upset. Games offer a temporary escape, but soon as it's time to put everything down for the night, I'm back to square one. I can't focus on reading for long enough anymore. Nothing that used to help is working anymore. 

I've struggled with depression and anxiety for a long time. I've gone through a lot of bull, and I always felt good that I got through them in one piece. Yet, it's so easy for simple things to mess everything up for me..


----------



## Tourmaline

Look what was at PetSmart.. 
View attachment 786241
View attachment 786249

I also got into a spat with the woman bagging my snail. I asked if they sold the MTS in their tanks, and she called them pests. I explained how they're useful and many fishkeepers use them in their sand based tanks, and she just said they're pests and if I want them, fine, but don't say anything when I can't get rid of them... Okay..? I've done my research on them...


----------



## ThatFishThough

Did ya get him??


----------



## Tourmaline

Unfortunately not.. He was so gorgeous though. Trust me, his finnage was a lot prettier than it looks there. Almost complete black edging too, but his anal fin was missing a bit of it. Still gorgeous. And he was dancing in his cup. I think they had just gotten that shipment in, there were still some on a cart that hadn't been placed yet.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm going to try something different with Azure. Every time he's bitten, it's right after I add more coverage to his tank.. I'm taking all of his plants out. He bites when I fill his tank with plants, so let's see if he stops without having to maneuver around anything. I know that would be counter productive for most fish, but it's worth a shot...


----------



## Tourmaline

Fun fact, Sebastian will not flare at his reflection whatsoever. But what he will flare at without fail is a can of Coke.. Maru won't flare at his reflection either, but what he will flare at is my face and finger. Meeko won't flare at anything anymore. He used to be so flare happy. Might need to float another male in there to get him to, but that's more work than it's worth. 

It only took Roman a few hours to manage to kill an MTS. Damnit, Roman! I mean they were free, but don't kill them! The new Mystery Snail is in Meeko's tank temporarily. I need to wait for my 10g to grow enough duckweed to put in Merlin's tank for the new one. For now, it gets to eat all the duckweed in the world with Pearl. I haven't officially sexed it yet, but I can't see any male parts so it's most likely female. It's another Ivory, but a little more yellowish than Pearl, and a bit smaller. Might name it Puff, as in cream puff.


----------



## Tourmaline

Journal spamming again, but I've been tank watching since I can't sleep. 

I got Pearl, what, two weeks ago? She was tiny. The same size as all the smaller Mystery Snails at PetSmart. The new guy or gal is the same size as Pearl was just two weeks ago! She's massive compared to the new one! I looked back at the picture of her on the rock when I introduced her, and she can barely fit on that same rock now. Her body drapes over both sides. Even Arthur never grew that fast and I had him (her) for 6 months! She's the same size as he (she) was! Whaaaaat?

I have come to the conclusion that Duckweed is Mystery Snail steroids. There wasn't any Duckweed in Arthur's tank. Let's see if the new snail grows fast.. He or she will have to be in there for maybe a week and a half or two anyway, same amount of time Pearl has been in there. I'm going to get a picture of its size compared to something once it's time for lights on. I have to vacuum every two days anyway because of the damn dying Duckweed so it'll be fine in there for a bit.


----------



## LittleStar

I think you should embrace your existential suffering and use it to make good. It is better to care and suffer than not care and be happy all the time in selfishness. I know someone close to me that I do not like as much now as I did before - they used to complain all the time and were emotional but to me also so passionate about things that really mattered. Then this person got on Prozak, and ever since then they don't cry, they say nothing passionate at all, and don't seem to care about anything or any one. They admit taking the medication is like having a total emotional lobotomy and they are glad. I don't get even half the communication or emails any more from this person. It makes me sad and I'd rather people just be themselves unless that becomes so problematic they truly cannot function without a medication. I'm not saying there isn't a place for meds, it just seems to be the easy way out these days. It's a problem from what I can tell. Sometimes people need a med like Prozak just for a time, so they can regain a sense of themselves, calm down, and in that case I support it, but its not always so easy to quit once you get started. The drug companies make it that way.

In a world where more and more people are shutting down, I say Kudos to you.


----------



## Tourmaline

I've never been diagnosed with depression, or spoken to anyone in the medical field about it. I don't want to be put on meds or sent to a therapist again, so I've just been coping in my own way for about 7 or 8 years now. My pets do help a lot, without my dogs, I don't know what would have happened to me by now.. Things were a lot worse before I got Titan almost 5 years ago. 

In fish news.. 
View attachment 786873
View attachment 786897

You know, that's cute and all, but uh.. No mating please. I've looked and looked and I don't see a sheath on the new snail, nor on Pearl. I'm 90% sure the new snail is a female, but that 10% of doubt is making me want to keep it in my divided 10g instead of this tank. But both of those males are known for eating Mystery Snail feelers.. I just want to keep them somewhere with duckweed since they seem to like it so much. 

The new girl picked up the same habits as Pearl really quickly. Her temporary name is Puff, until I can decide on that or something else. They're sticking together, every time I've looked since adding her, they were within a few inches of each other. It's kinda cute but it's making me worry one of them is actually male. Please don't be a male, Puff.. 

Worst case scenario, if they make it hard for me to separate them, can just get them a bare 5.5g of their own, get some sand substrate, a few plants, and stick some duckweed in there. No hood, sponge filter, and an unadjustable heater. Seeing them interact like that is really cute. I had another Mystery Snail with Arthur at one point, but they showed no interest in each other, not like these two. 

Also, Maru's anal fin uncurled again. I've been doing daily MB/AQ Salt baths, just at half dose. Bacterial infection confirmed? I need to do an 100% water change to get rid of anything in there. I'll do that later today while he's in his bath. Hopefully it doesn't completely ruin my cycle if I don't wash anything.


----------



## Tourmaline

I love these snails, they learn really quickly. Every time I feed Meeko, Pearl comes to the spot I usually give her pellets at, with Puff taking about 30 seconds more to notice, but she'll come too. They zoom over, one minute they're at the back of the tank, and the next they're at the top of the front waiting for food. 

Meeko takes forever to eat, and I feed him first, so they usually try to eat his instead. Then Meeko looks at them like, "Really...?" and tries to carefully squeeze past Pearl and Puff to get his pellets, trying not to touch their feelers. He usually winds up getting one, then chickening out and looking sad and dejected, and I have to call him over to another spot to get his. Pearl isn't bothered by him trying to eat the food from her, but Puff hides in her shell when he takes one. It's kinda funny but I feel bad for Meeko. He's so passive with these snails, he could easily injure one and get them away from his food, but he tries not to disturb them, even when they're messing with his food.


----------



## Sadist

I'm glad he gets along well with them. I had an assassin snail, and every tank I have someone picked his feelers off, they'd start to regrow and poof, gone. I imagine a mystery snail would have even more attention!


----------



## Tourmaline

He hasn't bitten any feelers off yet. Didn't even nip the very first snail I had in there. I think he'd be community tank safe if I ever have another tank big enough for some other fish that I don't want to divide. I've been lucky so far, out of the 9 males I've had, only two are murderous scum. Roman killed an MTS, and Topaz killed my second Mystery Snail. But Topaz was good in a community tank, so I can't get too mad at him. 

In other news, I got Maru a new tank light. He was freaking the **** out. He's calmed down again, guess he got used to it already or tired himself out. I can finally add floating plants! Woo! Gonna pick some up either tomorrow or the day after. In the meantime, I'll keep using the dim light so he doesn't kill himself.


----------



## Tourmaline

This update... I don't like it. :s I wish they'd add a way to choose between the two layouts.


----------



## SplashyBetta

I agree. I liked the simplicity of the old layout.


----------



## Tourmaline

It feels too.. Busy. I think that would be the right word. Everything feels too big and bulky to me. And mobile view is an absolute mess, I refuse to use it. Maybe the issues I'm having are because I'm using desktop view on mobile.


----------



## DangerousAngel

About depression, I don't blame you not wanting to go to a dr about it, I've been down that route, doctors, meds, therapists, the works. UGH, stick to what works, it's hard, I know <3

LOL poor Maru, I'm sure having a bright tank is a little freaky!

I agree about missing the simplicity of the old layout, I miss how much easier that was to navigate. Good to know about the mobile version, I may try it on my phone just to see for myself. I like the idea of getting to choose between the 2.


----------



## Tourmaline

Maru's new tank light is awesome. But, they sent it to me with an EU plug, which I can't use for obvious reasons. Luckily, the adapter to the old light fit it, so I can still use it.

I messaged the eBay seller telling them they sent someone in the US an EU plug, and they want to refund me $2. The light cost me $10. Another adapter will cost me $12. Where does that make any sense? They sent me the wrong item and don't want to refund the full amount, when this was in no way shape or form my fault. Avoid the seller kunkunh2009 for any fish supplies.


----------



## Sadist

Thanks for the warning on that seller! Some people are too busy selling to have good customer service.

About the depression -- medicine does wonders if you get the right kind. That said, if you can manage it without meds, it's probably better. I was on meds for post partum depression, and even the mild dose I was on gave me horrible withdrawal symptoms when I finished it. Even with my constant depression, I think I'll never start on medicine again unless I absolutely have to. I only did it the one time because I was afraid I'd hurt the baby like those horror stories on the news.


----------



## Tourmaline

Maru made a tiny little bubble nest, first time he's made one since being here. Got a picture of it, and him in flare mode as a bonus. Still struggling with this fin melt.. 
View attachment 789242


And an update picture of Meeko. His rays are growing faster than the webs now, I have a feeling he's not going to get his full caudal back.. Such a shame. He also has a weird split that I have no idea how he got. I'm not sure if he bit again or what. Maybe he's just a DT now, who knows. 
View attachment 789250


----------



## Tourmaline

My handsome boy.. Maru's new tank light makes for easy pictures. He doesn't come out blurry nearly as often, it feels good to be able to get clear pictures. Drop those vents, Maru! I can actually catch him with his pretty little vents down fairly easily. His colors look so different under this light too. The blue irids in his fins show less, and his dorsal is marbling and it's coloring up, he's losing that bit of cello in it. I wonder if he's a dragonscale marble. His white scaling looks dragonscale-like, and he has the typical dragonscale mouth, with that coloration.
View attachment 789450
View attachment 789466
View attachment 789458


Now that it's been confirmed he had fin melt, I don't feel as bad that I got him so soon after rehoming Apollo. He probably would have died in Petco without any treatment. My unintentional little rescue turned out to be my favorite Betta. 

I can't wait to get him a bigger tank. He's too active for a 3.5 gallon, he needs at least a 5g. Once they put a nice 5g on sale, I'll get him one. Maybe another Top Fin 5 gallon, or another Marineland Nook 5 to match Rajah's. I think I'd go with the Top Fin 5 because it's glass rather than acrylic. Plus, that stock lighting though. Medium light plants are good in it. I seriously love that tank. 

As I'm uploading this, he's very carefully building his nest. He's an upwards builder rather than an area builder like my other boys. He's purposely placing them right along the tank wall and not letting a single bubble stray from the wall. I think he needs lots of practice, and some lessons from Rajah. I guess I can't judge him too much because this may be his very first nest, who knows? I wonder if he'll rival Rajah and Azure in terms of bubble nesting, he hasn't quit building since yesterday. 

Then the other good thing about me upgrading Maru is I'll have a spare tank! > I'm not sure if I'd like to put another PK in there since they seem to do better in bigger tanks, but my CT or MG dream may come true. 

Also, I can't paste anything. I'm so annoyed with this update. -.- I can't even paste the form for diseases and emergencies, or paste a link to the form. Maybe it's because I'm on mobile, but that seems like a major oversight, especially if this update was tested on mobile.


----------



## Tourmaline

Maru's bubble nest. I think he's finished, he's finally stopped after building for two days straight. Poor thing, he'll never impress any ladies with those nest making skills. I'm going to wind up destroying it tomorrow with a water change. Maybe he'll try again.
View attachment 789490


And here's Hercules as a bonus. He had just come in from playing fetch. He went to go lay down and rest, and when I called him to get a treat, I got this. We call him ET, he does this all the time when he's too lazy to move the blanket.
View attachment 789498


----------



## Sadist

Tourmaline said:


> Maru's bubble nest. I think he's finished, he's finally stopped after building for two days straight. Poor thing, he'll never impress any ladies with those nest making skills. I'm going to wind up destroying it tomorrow with a water change. Maybe he'll try again.
> View attachment 789490


I see him flaring at you under it, too! HAha, silly boy!


----------



## Tourmaline

He's a goof. He won't fully flare at me anymore, he usually just gives me a gill or two, no beard. When I'm trying to get flare pictures, he looks at me like, "You want me to flare? Okay, I give you a gill" and puffs out a gill cover, won't spread his fins fully, and only drops his vents for me while swimming by slowly. 

He won't even fully flare for pictures anymore, not even at a mirror, but he'll flare at the back of his tank. I need to fix that.. I haven't found any plants tall enough yet, one I found had really sharp leaves, and another silk one was $16, which I found ridiculous. It's becoming a bit of an issue. I'm not sure how to hide his reflection. I'm just going to have to take the tall one from Rajah's tank, but I need to get him another pack of plants first. And I was just at Walmart.. Damnit. Can't go back until Monday.


----------



## Tourmaline

Man, yesterday was horrible. I went to a party in New Jersey, with family I hadn't seen since I was maybe 3 years old. We went there in my father's newly fixed fully manual car. So you know, clutch, shifting gears, etc. We had to pick up the cake 50 miles away, the jumping of the car almost ruined the cake. 

We get to the party, and all the family there immediately starts criticizing me because I can't speak Spanish. All day, all I was told to learn Spanish over and over again, or hounded about not going to college. Fun times, that. Oh or I was being compared to my cousin and her cop boyfriend. How he spoils her and how the whole family loves him, meanwhile mine is an ass who wouldn't drive 30 miles to see me today and joined the Marines without telling me. Not to mention her boyfriend is like.. Model material, holy hell. Also fun.. 

Then, you know we do the whole party thing, we leave, and his car battery died while it was parked. So someone boosted it, we drove to my grandmother's house since the party was for her birthday and we wanted to give her gifts personally, he uses an oversized battery from my aunt to get us home, the hood wouldn't close properly so he had to tape it down. 

On the way back on the highway, the clutch goes. In the middle of heavy traffic, he can't change gears. The car was stuck in neutral. He wouldn't explain what happened but from what I gathered a line broke because it wasn't properly secured. He managed to drive it with no clutch to the gas station, raised it up on a jack, had me and my mother running around in heels trying to fix it for two hours with no where to sit, and still couldn't fix it, and ruined the expensive shirt I bought him in the process. He had to drive it home like that. 

When we finally got home, first thing I did was kick the rust bucket, go inside, and go to sleep. I woke up 2 hours later, puked everywhere, couldn't clean it, had a meltdown and sat on the floor crying for 30 minutes, I was completely out of it. The food at the party made me so sick.. I think I got food poisoning. 

All in all, screw yesterday. Screw today too because I'm still sick.


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## Tourmaline

I'm not sure what's wrong with these Nerites but my Tiger Nerite climbed out. I checked the tank parameters, 0, 0, 10. Water change day is tomorrow, and the tank parameters were safe by my standards. I don't consider nitrates high until they're 15-20. I'm not sure if he's alive or how long he's been out, but I guess we'll see. I lost Marty to him climbing out, when he rehydrated he was basically deteriorating every time I moved him.. It was gross. Dead as a door nail. Hopefully this one made it. 

Azure isn't looking too good either.. I'm not sure what's wrong with him. He's lethargic, clamped, and he won't eat. No other signs of illness besides that. He can't be old either, he was very young when I got him, under 4 or 5 months. He had a massive growth spurt two months after getting him, so I'm going by that aging him. I already did two 30% water changes today just in case it's something in the water. I checked his decor, I checked his heater, I checked his filter, and nothing. I'm at a loss here..

Edit: The unnamed Tiger Nerite is alive, I think. He's moved, unless Rajah moved him somehow. I think one of my dogs tried eating him while he was out too, he was by Titan's food dish, and both of them were in my room. There's no way he could have made it from the tank to where I found him by himself. Well, at least he's alive. Whew..


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## Tourmaline

Ever just taken your dog outside and decided to snap pictures while playing fetch? It makes for good entertainment, they always come out gloriously derpy. I cannot stop laughing. His faces are priceless. Since I can't upload all of the retarded looking pictures, because slow phone data, I guess I'll upload the decent derpy ones. Excuse the yard, it's not my house, all four of the lawnmowers are broken and no one wants to fix them or get a cheap one. I'm about to just go at the grass with scissors. 

A good picture to precede all the derp. 
View attachment 790762


'I believe I can fly'
View attachment 790786


'Look ma, I'm a deer'
View attachment 790794


Dat face tho
View attachment 790802


This face too 
View attachment 790858


'Throw it again, pls'
View attachment 790874


If only Titan would be so interested in fetch.. I need to get a picture of him hopping like a rabbit through the grass. He refuses to run normally on grass, no matter how short or long it is. It's hilarious.

I see so many people with fat, lazy dogs that can't even jump. Then when I ask how old they are, they tell me a low age like 4 or 5, and I cannot believe their dog is so unhealthy at that age. Just 10 minutes of fetch a day can do wonders.. Hercules is athletic at 3, and Titan is 5 and right behind him. I wanted to train them both in agility, but I don't know anywhere we could practice without a bunch of dogs around. Titan would be amazing at it if I shaved him down, but Hercules lacks the attention span, I think.. He'd be too interested in running around like a derp to learn. Then again, maybe he'd find the work rewarding, terrier breeds are like that.


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## Sadist

I'm sorry you had such a sucky Saturday. 

Those pictures are awesome! I love getting pictures like that of children. They learn to pose too early for the camera, and I want to get shots of them being happy and energetic so people see what they're really like.


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## Tourmaline

I have my first illness to deal with, the first time something has developed in my care rather than the store.. Topaz has a cyst above his eye, and his other eye is developing a white film over it. I thought cataracts was caused by poor water conditions? I'm not sure what to do with him.. 

Azure is back to normal. But Roman is slowing down, big time. He's pretty uninterested. He still has bright color, still eats, no signs of illness otherwise, but he's not as active as he used to be. He won't challenge Topaz through the divider anymore, he used to do it at feeding time, now he has no interest. I suppose he is on the older side, I should expect that.


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## Tourmaline

These snails... Isn't that something mated pairs do? I haven't seen any eggs.
View attachment 791746


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## Tourmaline

Is it just me, or has this forum died down since the update? Only a few regulars stuck around, disease and emergencies threads barely get answered, and everything seems like it's gotten a little more quiet. Not quiet in a good way, either.. The only section that still gets constant attention is Journals. I can name the active members off the top of my head now, and that's really sad. 

I wish they'd never updated the site. It runs slower, it looks horrible, the sections aren't easy to navigate, everything is out of place, old features that I've come to love are gone, and everything just feels so generic. It's a shame.


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## Sadist

:-( I hardly ever look at the disease sections any more. I can only answer really generic questions like "upgrade your food, or you'll have to fast him once a week," and "here's a link to the common disease thread, it looks like xx disease to me and follow instructions for that disease." Most days, I do only look at the journals I'm following, though there are a few pages of threads of breeding pairs I used to also watch.

Poor Topaz. I'm not sure what to do about that, either. Maybe genetics has something to do with cataracts, or he somehow caught something living on a snail or plant or something.

My pond snails were doing that, too! Silly things.


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## ThatFishThough

I'm trying to get used to this, though it's hard. There are still people out there that need help with their bettas, and I'm not going to let a little bit of new technology slow me down. The site is slowing down, in general. I do admit that.


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## Sadist

I looked at your help thread, and I can't tell if his eyes are a fungus or bacteria. On fishnet.org, there's a list of the exact bacteria with symptoms and treatments. Cloudy eyes and white film on eyes show as a fungus (with over the counter fungus meds) and bacteria (with tetracycline). I think it even shows up on one of the parasite ones, too. Without the right experience, I can't really help with diagnosis or treatment. You could start with the conservative treatments on his site of salt for a week in a hospital tank, but I'm not sure that would even do anything if it's a fungus!

I'm not sure what to do about a cyst on the eye either -- the only betta with a cyst had one by his mouth that interfered with eating and had to be put down.


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## Tourmaline

Its been diagnosed as cloudy eye, and the bump is probably genetic, and I can't do much about it.. He's on Kanaplex/Furan-2 to knock it out. 

Quick thing.. Does anyone else feel very uncomfortable when someone on the forums keeps getting Bettas, and keeps them all in 1 gallon tanks, and has 15 or so? It makes me sad, more than anything. There's no swimming space in a gallon of water. There's no swimming space in 2.5 gallons, even. My 3 and 3.5 gallon tanks just make me feel bad. I don't feel comfortable putting Bettas in anything less than 5 gallons, and I wish more people would feel the same. If you don't have space for more than a 1 gallon tank, or you mother won't let you get anything bigger, then don't get a fish, simple.


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## BettaStarter24

I agree about the update Tourmaline. I find it hard to navigate occasionally and I miss when I could come to the main page and see all the posts recently updated right there (granted its on the right side now but still). It's ok I guess but at the same time I miss the old look. 

Also with the 15 fish in 1 gallon tanks. I totally hear ya there. I have 14 currently but each is in 2.5 or up, I have 2 divided tanks, one is 5.5g divided in half, and the other is a 10g divided into thirds. Each fish gets plenty of heat and food and for the most part the dividers hold up well. Had an incident tonight where a fish slipped the divider and got into a fight but fixed it right up. 

Hope Topaz and Roman get better for you. Sucks when one of the little guys get sick.


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## Tourmaline

I have some heartbreaking news.. Azure is no longer with us. I was out all day today, and sometime today he jumped out. By the time I found him, he was no more. I'm such an idiot.. I never jump proofed his tank because he wasn't a jumper with those long fins. I'm so sorry buddy.. I failed you. SIP my gorgeous little halfmoon.


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## Tourmaline

I know when he jumped.. It was this morning, before we left. I had just fed everyone, and I had sat down to cool off because it was extremely hot today, and I heard a splash from that table. I didn't think anything of it, because Topaz dashes at food and makes a splashing sound, and their tanks are right next to each other, but thinking back.. That splash was louder than usual. It just didn't occur to me to look over there.. Many times I've looked just to see Topaz angrily darting at food and splashing. I think that louder splash was him jumping out, and I didn't even notice, I didn't even see him. I was too busy getting dressed and doing my makeup to notice my fish drying out.. I feel like ****.

I buried him in my favorite houseplant.. My mother wanted to flush him, but I wanted to give him a burial, especially since there's a nice indoor garden here. I couldn't even look at him. I glanced when she showed me to make sure and I burst into tears. I dug the hole and she had to put him in for me.. She said she'll help me make a little grave marker for him tomorrow, since she's good at making little arts and crafts.


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## Sadist

Aww, it's heartbreaking when something like that happens. I'm glad you have him in the houseplant, now.


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## Tourmaline

It feels weird looking around and seeing Azure's tank light off.. No live plants, so I'm keeping it off. I moved a Nerite in there and put some algae rocks in there for him to keep his cycle going. Maybe I'll find a nice boy or girl to give a home to, and triple jump proof the tank for, but I think I'll keep his tank empty for a while.


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## firewood04

I am so sorry for this! I know he was one of your favorites too! Don't get so upset with yourself. This was an accident that you didn't expect to happen. He knew you loved him and tried your best to give him the care he needed. RIP Azure! You will be truly missed!:BIGweepy:


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## SilviaAndScales

Oh Tourmaline, I'm so sorry about Azure. That's heartbreaking. He was such a beautiful boy with a beautiful little spirit. He will be missed. I'm honored I got to draw him.
S.I.P. Azure


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## OUOhYeah2016

I'm sorry to hear that Sam :/


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## Tourmaline

Thanks everyone.. What sucks is that I'll never find another Betta like Azure. I don't think I'll ever have another marble the way he did, and I haven't had one match his spunk yet, they always calm down after a while or are too aggressive. Rajah is just straight up aggressive and not friendly but crazy like Azure was. _*Sigh*_

I went to PetSmart today, out of curiosity. Last time I went, about two weeks ago, they had about 100 Bettas. Today, they had maybe 10. I wonder what happened to them all.. There were two solid red VT brothers that caught my eye today, cuties. Both were friendly, I liked one of the brothers more than the other, he had less iridescence and a bit more spunk, and when I was done looking around and went back to look at him again, he was gone. I was only looking for 10 minutes or so, how did someone buy him in that time? It was probably those little girls that heard me fawning over him.. Poor guy. ;__; I don't think I'm meant to get another boy yet anyway, I'm not settling for just any Betta. They have to strike me the way Azure did, instant love.


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## Sadist

You'll find one someday. Maybe a snail in that tank to keep the cycle going for that time. Hugs.


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## Tourmaline

I miss Azure. He was letting his fins regrow before he jumped. I figured out what it was.. When I redid his tank, the plants were lined up and he didn't want to swim through them so he only had a few inches of swimming space. Once I replaced the plants with less dense ones, he stopped biting.. I wish I had taken a picture of his regrowth. 

And this is unrelated but finally, all of my tanks have adjustable heaters. Originally only 3 had adjustables, and over time I've been getting adjustables. Rajah's tank was the last to get changed since his heater was like Azure's old one, kept his at 76-78° most of the time even at night. I needed to change it.. His heater was going up to 86° since it's been hot during the day and going back down to 75° at night. It was too big of a change throughout the day for me to not upgrade him to an adjustable. 

I also got Rajah a pack of plants. They're soft plastic, I don't feel too bad putting soft plastic plants in with PKs, he doesn't seem bothered by them nor has he torn his fins yet. He has a mini jungle now, his tank was pretty bare.. I figured it was time to spice it up.


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## Tourmaline

I maaaay have bought another Betta. He maaaay be a young CT, and he maaaay be a fiesty boy that stole my heart the second I picked his cup up. 

Okay, I did. I went to PetSmart because they get shipments on Wednesday. At first I saw this lovely female, nice sized fins, lovely light blue. But she seemed sick.. I'm not sure what was wrong, but I wanted to look around a bit before deciding she was the one. Then, I went to the back, and new shipment galore! The first boy I picked up was a 'dragonscale VT', wasn't a dragonscale but a Cambodian VT with tiny tiny fins. Then, I picked up one of the CTs from the back. Soon as I picked him up, he flared at me and stared me down. I immediately put the female down, and walked to the register with him. All the while he was swimming around his cup with his fins spread and showing off while I was baby talking him lol

He's royal blue with red wash, nothing special. But he is a pretty boy. Also very young, his body is very small. I'll get some pictures of him once he settles in. I have no idea what I'm going to name him.


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## Tourmaline

A few not so good pictures. He's still exploring right now. No name has come to me yet. 
View attachment 794106
View attachment 794114

Can't tell if that's ich or bubbles.. I guess we'll see in a few hours.


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## Tourmaline

Naming thread and more pictures here http://www.bettafish.com/100-betta-pictures/696154-new-boy-help-me-name-him.html#post7449250. 
He's settling in pretty quickly. A bit shy now, he won't fully flare, but he'll spread his fins if I'm watching him. Those spots turned out to be bubbles from the water change before adding him, not ich, luckily.


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## Tourmaline

Haha, we have another Azure! I went to see if he would eat, and soon as he saw the pellet, he pulled an Azure and zoomed over to it and flared at it before snapping it up. First day home and he's eating. Everyone else took a day or two before wanting to eat. Benefits of a shipment day buy, I guess. 

I was thinking of naming him Aspen, Caspian, or Castiel. Still open to name suggestions, just thought I'd update on how his personality is turning out now that he's getting comfortable. Journal spamming again..


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## Tourmaline

Last night, it seemed like he started building a bubble nest. Well, he did.. In Azure's old nest spot. The nest Azure made before he jumped was still in that spot before the water change, although it was a bit destroyed and popped at that point since Azure wasn't around to maintain it. I got rid of it completely before adding the new boy, and he builds another in the same spot, how funny. 
View attachment 794674

Remind me to clean that floating tube.. That algae buildup is ridiculous.

Annnd now that I woke him up to take that, he's back to building. The bubble nest competition may still be a thing.


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## Tourmaline

PKs and CTs are now my favorite fin types. I haven't had a CT before, or seen a half decent one in person, but man they're pretty. Got him to flare side profile and wow, so pretty! 
View attachment 794714
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He's still building that bubble nest. Kinda broke it up a little bit when I took the floating tube out to clean it.. On the bright side, it's a sparkly clear again. I think the name Aspen suits him.. I'm still undecided. I keep knocking that name out of the running and then adding it again. Or what about Cricket? Hmm..


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## Tourmaline

Last post, I promise.

I always do a coming home photoshoot I've noticed.. Well here's Castiel's photoshoot, to add on to those flare pictures from earlier. Yeah, named him Castiel btw, Cas for short. 
View attachment 795146
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Now, a blurry update on Maru's marbling. He's going to turn all blue over time, even his little duck face is getting some blue. He won't flare anymore.. He's too pretty to not flare, he won't even flare at mirrors.  Darn it, Maru.. 
View attachment 795202
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And last but not least, Meeko's regrowth. All rays and no webbing, I'm not sure how that'll grow back, or if it will. He's a discount CT now. 
View attachment 795186
View attachment 795194


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## Tourmaline

I know I said that was my last post, but Sebastian has come down with dropsy. I noticed some bloating yesterday, but I had fed him two pellets more than usual so I attributed it to that. I'm not sure if I caught it early enough, but I dosed his tank with Epsom Salt and Kanaplex. He's not looking good, to be honest with you. I'll get pictures of his condition later. 

They say when one Betta dies, others follow..


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## Sadist

Wow, Cas is amazing! I love crowntails, too. I'm sorry about the sick boy. I hope he recovers quickly since you caught it right away.


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## Tourmaline

I'm about to euthanize Sebastian, actually.. His ice bath is in the freezer.. He looks horrible, he can't swim up for air, and he's laying on the bottom of a cup right now. I was floating him so it would be easier to swim up for air, and he keeps thrashing like he's having seizures or something. He was laying on the gravel pineconed when I turned everything on, maybe I just didn't notice the pineconing yesterday.. I think it's his time. 

His infection is spreading to his body now anyway, it's all raw and horrible, I've been doing daily water changes but it still looks painful.. I don't feel too bad losing him right now, at least he won't be in pain. It's kind of like he decided this was his time to go.. I just wish it wasn't so soon after losing Azure, and I just wish it wasn't from dropsy. All my favorites are dying...

I'm trying to get comfort from the fact that I gave him a warm, clean 5g to live in for 6 months of his life. Hopefully that made up for the months rotting away in a PetSmart cup, and at least someone tried to save him..


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## Tourmaline

He's gone. Buried next to Azure in my plant. SIP Sebastian.. He didn't even fight it. At least he's not hurting.


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## Tourmaline

I went to PetSmart to get some sand to rescape Sebastian's tank for snails since I don't care about maintaining a cycle at this point, I don't even want to look at his tank. The female I put back for Castiel was still there. I had to leave her again, I'm not replacing Sebastian. I'm giving his tank to Puff and Pearl so they can live and poop in peace and leave poor Meeko's food alone. Maybe if she's still there in a few weeks, I'll get her and a 3 gallon for my birthday. 

I miss Azure and Sebastian.. Why is it my favorites had to die? I don't understand. All that's left from my three favorites is Maru.. And maybe Castiel will grow on me once I get more of his personality. It turns out he's a lot like Azure, but I'm not sure if he'll calm down over time. He's a poser for photos, and he'll flare at food like Azure used to, and he's a bubble nester.. I hope he stays that way. It would feel good to have another Betta like Azure.


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## firewood04

I am so sorry! All this loss is so hard! SIP Sebastian! I know this is hard for you. I hope that Castiel will capture your heart and help you to heal with the loss of your favorites.


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## Tourmaline

I feel really bad but I really want to go back and get that female.. I don't know where to put her. She was so gorgeous and she looked so sick and miserable.. 

I might go back and see tomorrow if she's still there.. I can keep her in a temporary KK or I guess I could keep her in Sebastian's tank with the snails until I can get her 3g.. I don't want her to die there. She's become an aquantence.

Sorry Sebastian.. I wanted to keep your tank unoccupied but I don't think it would have bothered you if a pretty little girl was in your tank for a bit. I won't ever replace you.


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## firewood04

I think that Sebastian would understand that you loved him and would keep his tank empty for a while but I also think he would want you to save that lil girl too! After all, that small cup is only going to make her sicker. 

He also knows that no other fish could ever replace him! We love them but they are all so different that none of them ever can take the place of another...


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## SilviaAndScales

I'm so sorry. Sebastian was such a special little guy. He reminded me of Felice in terms of the hell they went through, I can't fathom losing my rescue after so long like that. I'm proud he fought so hard up until the last days, but I'm also glad he's no longer in pain. I'd like to believe he's meeting up with Azure under the rainbow bridge now and playing tag. It would be nice to think that there his fins are completely grown back and beautiful as he swishes away happily.


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## Tourmaline

My phone just loves correcting acquaintance to that.. That typo is annoying the crap out of me, that's the second time it's done that without me noticing. 

If she's there tomorrow, I'll pick her up. She looked a little on the far gone side today, she was clamped with big dark stress lines, laying on her side on the bottom of the cup. It looked like they hadn't done a water change in a bit, her cup was dirty.. She perked up a bit when I picked her up but I hope another half of a day or so doesn't kill her. She'll be my first female if she lives. Let's hope she makes it until the morning. The females there rarely get bought, they just die there. :/

Posted this before I saw your post.. 

I'm just glad I got to give him 6 months of life. My mother was complaining that he was a waste as I was euthanizing him. Said it was the worst $30 she's spent. I told her at least he got 6 months of life in a good place instead of suffering a slow death in a store. I made little grave markers for him and Azure, they came out kinda horrible but my arts and craft skills are next to none, but it's something.


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## SilviaAndScales

If you'd like, I could draw a picture of the two together. But everyone grieves in different ways.


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## Tourmaline

I'd like that, I've had too many deaths lately.. Here's to hoping no one else takes a turn for the worse. Dammit, why did it have to be Sebastian this time? They say Betta deaths come in numbers..


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## SilviaAndScales

Ok, I'll get on that. I can't fathom what you're feeling right now, but I hope that the pain lessens as time goes on. 
On a lighter note regarding what you said about that being your first female betta if it works out, my most recent betta was my first female. I hope that female brings you as much happiness as my female rescue has brought me- again if she's still there. Females are such adorable little beans.


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## Tourmaline

Castiel helped a lot with Azure's death.. I went into PetSmart looking for personality that time, instead of looks like I usually do. And there he was, being a show-off and had the same jerkish show-off attitude Azure had. He fit the bill so well, he made me put the girl back.. 

And boy, was she beautiful. She's not showing it anymore, but she had gorgeous huge fins, and she's completely almost baby blue with no black on her head. Her fins were so big I thought she was a male PK labeled wrong, until I saw the little ventrals and egg spot. I never wanted a female before, until I saw her. 

Let's hope she's there. Something that beautiful shouldn't be lost to a pet store's neglect. Seeing her like that almost made me feel bad putting her back for Castiel.. He was perfectly healthy, and all his siblings were gone today. I can guarantee someone would have snatched him up, and yet she won't get bought, just like almost every other female there. Now she's sick. :/ I'm not sure I'll ever find another Betta like Sebastian, but I hope I can save this girl from the same PetSmart he came from. Let's just hope I don't face his wrath for keeping her in his tank for a week or two, just a day after his death. He wasn't much of a ladies man, with those tiny bubble nests and all. 

I should really stop typing essays..


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## Tourmaline

She was there, and she was still alive. I brought her home. I had to leave because I had things to do today, so I did a quick water change before adding her, vacuumed, acclimated her, added her, then left. 

She's a jumper. I was trying to get her out of her cup, and she jumped out of the cup almost halfway across the room. I usually use my hand to get Bettas out of PetSmart cups since they're too narrow to fit a net in, apparently she didn't like that. She landed on my soft laptop case and not the floor, luckily. I scrambled to get her back in her cup, then tried again over the tank, and she jumped out again and landed in the tank. Luckily, Sebastian's tank was already jump proofed for a while now and doesn't have many gaps anyway. 

I'll get some pictures of her once I get home and start a naming thread. I asked my mother to watch her for me and make sure she adjusts properly. I explained some bad things to look for, so far she said she looks active and she doesn't have those 'big dark stripes' anymore. Hopefully she's okay.


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## Tourmaline

My mother sent me this. She needs to practice her photography skills, but hey, she looks amazing! She made a fool of me, she's not even clamped anymore. Or maybe she was just showing off, we'll see when I'm there. I'm not sure how much female's personalities vary from males.. Can they be flare happy? Or show-offs? I was under the impression that females were more docile in that sense. She looked a little boated, or maybe she's just eggy, I'm new to the whole female business. I'll fast her for a few days, either way. 
View attachment 795922

Oh, and I'm not sure if she's an older female that was used for breeding, but she's a little beat up. She has some chunks taken out of her anal and caudal fins that have regrowth. She got picked on somewhere.. And it was a long enough while ago that she has regrowth that hasn't colored in yet. I'm so curious.. She looked like she didn't fit in there since she's fully grown and the females they get there are tiny, just old enough to see color. Maybe someone asked if they could take her off their hands? A breeder female? Sorority girl? Maybe she got beat up in a tank full of siblings while she was still with her breeder? Hmm..


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## Tealight03

So sorry about Sebastian. At least he had six months with you. 

The new girl is gorgeous! I'm sure Sebastian is happy to share his tank.


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## Tourmaline

She's fiesty, and also completely fine. Maybe she was just stressed in the cup, not sick? She's dropping her vents and everything now. Oh, and she's flaring.. A lot. Apparently the back of the tank is reflective, Sebastian never noticed but she definitely did. At least I'm 100% sure she's female. Egg spot, feminine shape, no long beard, small ventrals. 
View attachment 796090
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I'd like to find out her coloration and fin type. She's different colors in different light, so metallic definitely. Turquoise? Female's fins are hard for me, I never practiced since I never had any, the furthest I went with females was learning the difference between them and males. I think it goes by ray count? By gut and comparison to other females I've seen, I'd say she's a halfmoon.


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## BettaStarter24

Looks to me like a Halfmoon female. She's gorgeous! Reminds me of Merlin my red VT rescue. He was exhibiting symptoms of SBD and they gave him to me free and within 45 minutes of being in the tank he was back to normal


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## Tourmaline

She has 4 rays, it seems like 5 on some but I may be miscounting. I'm pretty sure she is a halfmoon, she looks like many I've seen on here. She looked like she was at death's door in the store, pfft! Oh well, at least she's safe and sound. 

The new girl has calmed down a bit. She doesn't flare anymore. She does seem a bit.. Off, but that may just be from her getting used to everything. I suppose the flaring was just her freaking out, and she's just exploring and taking in everything now that she's not in fight mode. She's very cautious, and curious. She's curious of me, not afraid of me like new fish usually are. When I'm watching her, she'll very slowly creep up to the front of the glass and face me swimming slowly against the glass until I leave. No aggression or anything, she just seems curious. If I make a sudden movement, she'll dart away, but I think as long as I'm still, she'll get used to me fast. I looked at her from above, and she's not bloated. She ate tonight, very slowly while still trying to watch me, but she ate all four pellets. 

Castiel is becoming more and more like favorite material.. His bubble nest is massive, almost as big as Azure's nests were. He poses every time I take out my phone, puffs out his fins, parades around the front of the tank for a bit, then looks at me like 'Did I do good?' He flares at my finger. I tried teaching him to do it on command like I did with Azure during both feeding times today. Every time he flared at my finger, he got a pellet. I think he has it down already, we'll see in the morning. I'm dubbing my 3g the fiesty ladies man tank. Azure started it, and now that it's jump proofed and the same mistake won't happen again, Castiel is continuing it, so far at least.


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## Tourmaline

She circles her food like a shark.. 
View attachment 796546


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## Tourmaline

Some pictures of Namira, because why not, I have WiFi to post things quickly for once. Decided on Namira for a name, it seems to fit her a bit better than I originally thought. 
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## Tourmaline

RIP Journal. It died with the site change, just like most parts of the forum.


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## Sadist

I love the new girl! She looks halfmoon to me, too. Castiel reads dreamy! I trained our first betta to flare on demand, too.

I haven't been on much. Even though I'm home for the summer, so is the kiddo. She's a huge drain on forum time, so I get to look at 1-3 threads a day most of the time.


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## Tourmaline

I'm not sure what's wrong with Namira, she has stress stripes again, she's clamped, and she's been hiding in the corner of the tank since yesterday. Checked parameters, with the filter off all night, they were 0.5 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10 nitrates. It's not as horrible as I expected, but I did a water change to get that ammonia down, vacuumed more thoroughly than I did before adding her, and gave her an ES bath because it seems like she had trouble pooping and she looked bloated since day one. I had to take her out to clean thoroughly anyway so I just put her in the bath while doing it. I think it was unnecessary, she didn't poop in the bath. Maybe I'm just not used to female shape. I mean she still had the strength to almost jump out of the net, so she can't be too sick, I hope.


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## Sadist

Some of them just seem like little prima donnas some times. When I first brought home Mrs. Fish, she stressed if the water dropped below 80F. She stressed with the filter. She stressed seeing another fish in a tank 2 feet away. It took a while to figure out all that and fix it. Now, none of that stuff fazes her in the slightest except trying to murder the fish in another tank through the glass.


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## Tourmaline

I think it may be parasites. She _seems_ bloated, I though she was eggy or that was typical female form to have a rounded belly, I'm unsure. If anyone remembers how Sebastian was with that parasite scare, that's exactly how she's acting. The symptoms are the same, down to the same poop and sudden lethargy. I'm concerned now that it's something in the tank, and Sebastian was just surviving it all that time. 

What sucks is I'm out of General Cure. I have Tetra Parasite Guard, which I bought months ago. I don't really trust Tetra for anything but filters and tanks.. The better brands are usually better in terms of treatments, heaters, food, etc. Does anyone have experience using Tetra Parasite Guard? I've looked online and I haven't found any solid evidence saying it works. I can't get to PetSmart again until this weekend, so either I chance her toughing it out until then or use a med that I saw someone say killed their guppies.. I'm conflicted. Either way, her tank is dosed with ES.


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## Tourmaline

Alright, so my boyfriend just made me lose all hope in teaching him about Bettas. I was explaining to him what's wrong with Namira, so he could take me to PetSmart or Petco this weekend since we'll be in the area, and of course I was referring to her and she, and he asked me why I was calling her she and the rest he.. And he asked if they have genders.. You read that right, _he asked me if they have genders_. Noooo Raphyel, they're asexual. I only call them he and she for my comfort. *_Facepalm_* Even people who know nothing about fish know this. I think I've talked to him enough about Bettas in my last 9 months in this hobby for him to realize there are males and females by now. 

In fish news, Namira shows no improvement. There are tiny worms no thicker than a strand of hair crawling around her tank.. I'm unsure if they're harmless, another member says they look like internal parasites that could have come from her. For future reference, never buy Tetra medications. Hopefully it'll hold her off until this weekend when I can get to Petco or PetSmart to get more General Cure. I still don't even know for certain if she has IP, but I hope she doesn't get any worse without good treatment for a few more days.


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## Sadist

In the meantime, I think you can do daily water changes to suck up those parasites from the water (and don't share the equipment!).

http://www.bettafish.com/99-betta-fish-diseases-emergencies/73332-betta-fish-disease-treatment.html in the disease section says to do the following for parasites:



> Internal Parasites
> •Symptoms: Betta is losing weight but eating normally and acting lethargic.
> He/she might dart or rub against decor.
> •Treatment: These can be hard to fight and can get confused with the fatal disease Tuberculosis. Perform daily 100% water changes (if possible, for larger aquariums change 3/4). Make sure you carefully clean the gravel to remove eggs/larva. Aq.Salt does not seem to be affective against internal parasites. I find combining ES with an anti-parasite med is best. Treat with 1-2tsp/gal Epsom Salt combined with either Jungle’s Anti-Parasite Pellets, Jungle’s Parasite Clear Fizz tabs or API General Cure. PP is also effective against internal parasites.


I recall reading that raising the temperature sped up the parasite lifespan and made external ones fall off quicker. I'd do some research on if it works with internal ones. I've never used Tetra medicines -- I recall the food bloated up my first fish and had to go buy a different brand. Most people seem to agree with you that the brand is only good for tanks and filters.

Do you have any way to get garlic juice? I've heard soaking pellets in garlic juice will help with internal parasites, too. This is just something to do in the meantime while you wait for a chance to get real medicine. From what I've read, internal parasites seem to respond to medicine better when it's something the betta can eat, too, like the jungle pellets.

Good luck! I know I'm not a lot of help, but I hope something I typed up can help keep her alive until the medicine arrives.


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## Tourmaline

I've been doing daily changes in her tank even though she's not in there.. I don't think they're parasitic worms. I thought they died without a host? She hasn't been in the tank for two days, and they're still crawling around. Also, I looked back at pictures from the day I got her and I spotted some on the glass, so they were there before. 

I looked it up and raising temp doesn't do anything for internal parasites, unfortunately. I'm never using Tetra meds again, nor am I buying any. I bought that a long time ago before I knew better. 

I did try feeding her pellets I soaked in garlic juice, but she had no interest at all, she didn't even look at them. I even tried feeding her a new kind of pellet that's smaller, that I ordered just for her.. And nothing. Everyone else liked them a lot, though, so it's not a complete waste. 

I managed to get to PetSmart today, I got another box of General Cure.. But I'm not sure if it's parasites, I'm second guessing it. I did a water change and redosed ES, and added General Cure.. I'm heavily debating adding a dose of Kanaplex, just in case it's bacterial. I don't think it could do much harm at this point, but it might save her if it's not parasites..

I don't think she's going to make it, she looks the way Sebastian did, very unresponsive, very pale, and she's so out of it she's bumping into things and swimming into the sides of the tank.


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## Tourmaline

Rajah has parasites. Definitely parasites, he has a worm hanging out of his butt. With Namira I couldn't really tell, she passed it quickly and I couldn't find it. With Rajah, it's been hanging there for about an hour. I haven't shared equipment between tanks, and I haven't done a water change on Rajah's tank since before I got Namira. The only thing shared between their tanks was two packs of plants I bought, and the food that everyone eats. I put two of those plants in what was Sebastian's tank, and four in Rajah's. They were soft plastic, so I doubt they could have carried anything. 

He's dosed with ES and GC too. He's not as bad as Namira is, he's clamped and not his usual self, but he is still responsive. Namira looks horrible.. She just lays on things, breathing heavily and not even attempting to move or right herself. I don't know what's wrong or if it is internal parasites, but I dosed her tank with everything I can think of that's safe to use with each other.. ES, Kanaplex, and GC. Piling meds on her can't be much worse than her dying without me giving it my best shot and throwing everything I can at her to save her.


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## Tourmaline

I just remembered something.. One of the plants in Namira's tank was in Rajah's for two days. Maybe he's had parasites for a while and never displayed symptoms? I'm so confused.. Where could he gave gotten them from, in that case? I don't feed frozen bloodworms, and the only tankmates that have ever been in either tank are Nerite snails. Maybe parasites killed Sebastian? Maybe that caused his dropsy? He didn't show any signs of parasites though, no bloating, no stringy poop.

I don't think Namira has much time for me to figure out what the hell is wrong with her. I checked on her with a light just now and she's floating on her side. Her gills are still moving, but I'm not sure if she'll make it through the night. I'm staying up just in case. Rajah's condition hasn't changed.


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## Tourmaline

She didn't make it through the night. SIP Namira. I still don't even know what happened..


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## Nova betta

SIP I'm so sorry for your loss.


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## Tourmaline

Thank you. Well, I can't do anything to help her anymore, but I plan to get a refund and give PetSmart a piece of my mind. I had her for 7 days today. I think that's the limit for a refund. 

Rajah is having trouble passing the parasites.. I'm not sure what I can do to help. That long thing has been hanging out of him since yesterday, even with the ES and GC. He will not eat, either. I tried feeding him pellets soaked in GC, and he had no interest. 
View attachment 798826


There is _some kind_ of good news, in light of all of the bad that's been happening. Ocean Nutrition Betta PRO pellets are everyone's new favorite food. Even the picky Roman eats it without spitting it out. He zooms to the feeding hole now. Castiel hasn't given me any problems feeding when I give him those either. Even Maru will eat them without spitting it out. I recommend them.


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## Tourmaline

Some pictures of Castiel. Look at that bubble nest
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## SilviaAndScales

hey, I finally finished the picture and added Namira, sadly. I went for an elemental theme, hope that's ok. It came out a bit more abstract than I expected. Again, I'm so sorry for everything you're going through. The Chinese character is Ai, which means love, as in all the love you've given these little creatures.


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## SilviaAndScales

Also, in regards to Rajah not eating... for one of my rescues who refused to eat while he had a bacterial infection I was able to dose freeze dried bloodworms and he ate those. No nutrition really, but a way to get the meds in him if he'll eat those like mine did. Of course mine was a bacterial infection so I don't really know.


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## Tourmaline

Thank you for drawing them, they came out really incredible. This site has given me so much support in losing them, and I thank everyone who has helped for it. I'm tired of losses.. I was always thankful that I never really had any deathly ill Bettas to deal with, but now everything is going wrong. I've had three deaths in two weeks, after nearly a year of no issues.. I'm really burning out, I don't want to lose any more. I just hope I don't wind up adding Rajah to the losses, I can't take much more of this. I got Namira to help her, and she died in my care.. And I infected Rajah without meaning to, I still don't even know how. I hope he makes it through this, I really do. 

He's a tough guy, he's been through a lot. The next few days will tell if he has anymore fight left in him. I tried freeze dried bloodworms too, but he never liked them much.. It was a last ditch effort. I tried those new pellets again before shutting everything down and he just stared at it. If he would just eat, he has a better chance of surviving this. 

His tank is infested with worms, and Namira's has some too. I had to move him to a 1g storage bin. I redosed ES and GC. I don't know how to kill these things.. Even if I dismantle the tanks, I'm not sure how to sterilize them.. I never want to deal with parasites again, never. I'm hoping my heaters can cook them, they're both set to max, one is at 93° and the other is 96°. I hope they roast, little bastards..

I also have to say.. I'm very disappointed with this site in a few ways.. I came asking for help, advice on how to save Namira, and I didn't get much help. I made two threads, and two people helped, three if you count Sadist, but I'm referring to my disease threads more than here. I remember before the site change, someone would ask for help and get 6 different people chiming in with advice in less than 4 hours. Now, people are on their own, and most don't even get responses unless they spam their own thread. I've seen one person helping the majority of people the last two days.. This site update tore apart this community, I feel.


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## BettaStarter24

So sorry to hear about Namira. 

I agree about the update. Though prior to that I felt like I needed to post like ten posts to get more than one response on any disease thing. Like with Haku I did get some advice but from maybe one or two people.


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## Tourmaline

Rajah died overnight. **** my life man..


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## Sadist

I love love love Castiel's bubble nest!

I'm sorry for all of your losses :-( I've read that some parasites eventually die with no host, so if you leave the tanks empty for long enough (and keep vacuuming them out), they'll stop surviving. I think that means no snails and shrimp, too. The cycle might be lost, too, but disinfecting everything properly will do that, too.


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## SilviaAndScales

What the heck. This all make me so angry. Rajah was low key my favorite. Ugh, nothing compared to what you're going through but ugh this sucks so much.


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## SilviaAndScales

Next betta I get (whenever I'm able to) is gonna be an elephant ear plakat, but I'll name it in his honor. I'm so sorry. S.I.P. little angry Rajah


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## Tourmaline

Remind me to never sympathy buy again.. And never buy a fish that's sick unless I know what's wrong with it. Namira's parasites got into Rajah's tank somehow, I don't remember sharing anything but maybe I didn't wash my hands thoroughly enough between handling tanks. I'm checking everyone to make sure no one else has parasites. I think Maru has bloating, but when I gave him an ES bath his poop was normal.. I think I'm just overfeeding those new pellets since I'm feeding everyone more of them because they're tiny. I need to get the amount right with him. I'm being really paranoid now. 

I'm burned out. I'm not getting anymore until further notice.. I'm going to decommission both of their tanks until they're needed, and I'm never buying Bettas from that PetSmart again. What I'd rather do is separate Roman and Topaz into those two tanks and get them out of a divided tank, but I don't trust them. I need to tear them apart, clean, dry, and repeat until I feel satisfied. Maybe burn the decor and gravel then replace it or something..

He's buried next to Azure and Sebastian. I'm running out of room in that plant. Now that is sad.. My favorite houseplant is turning into a Betta graveyard. I regret not asking for Namira's body back so I can bury her.. Whatever kind of internal parasite that was grew very quickly. See how Rajah's stomach was just a tiny bit white yesterday? He must have just died not long before I woke up because he still had all of his color, but his belly was massive and completely white.. The General Cure didn't do jack ****. He was still moving around before I went to bed, not like Namira. I didn't expect him to die at all..


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## Tourmaline

I'm not even sad anymore, I'm just angry. I suppose this is punishment for putting another Betta in Sebastian's tank a day after his death. Maybe I didn't clean it well enough, I don't know. It's a shame Rajah and Namira had to pay for it. 

Good news is I don't have to dismantle the tanks if I don't want to.. I'm just keeping them both dosed with GC, and doing daily water changes for a week with hot water, hopefully that'll get rid of anything bad in there. Once I feel it's safe, I'll probably separate Roman and Topaz. 

So much for getting another tank and an Aquabid Betta for my birthday.. I don't even want either anymore.


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## Tourmaline

I feel horrible. These empty tanks are making me extremely depressed. This morning, when I was turning everything on and feeding everyone, I turned Rajah's tank light on, carefully counted his pellets like I usually do, put them in there, and waited for him to dart over to eat out of habit.. Then I felt like an idiot, and had to stop myself from crying like a baby again while I picked them back out. I did the same thing with Sebastian's tank two days ago, but I realized before I put the food in.. It hurts. 

I think I had more of a soft spot for Rajah than I realized. His death hurts me even more than Sebastian's, and I'd always considered Sebastian my favorite. Maybe it hurts more because I didn't euthanize him, and I didn't bury a fresh body with color. I didn't let myself get a good look at Azure to be affected that badly by the condition he was in, but I got a good look at Rajah lifeless.. No more deaths, please. Not for a while, I need a break.


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## Sadist

:-( I'm so sorry. It does hit hard. The only advice I can think of is to put a towel over their tanks. The lack of light may help kill off the parasites, too. The cycle may be hurt, but that's better than infecting a new fish when you're ready for one. It may seem like a funeral shroud, not sure how you feel about that.


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## Tourmaline

I keep dosing both tanks with General Cure and doing water changes, so I guess it's just in my head that there's a Betta in there since I'm still doing maintenance.. I did have Sebastian's tank covered since Namira's death, but I keep taking it off to do maintenance and then forgetting to cover it again.. 

I did see a boy I liked when I went back to PetSmart to complain about what happened with Namira and get my money back.. I also saw one of Namira's sisters, but she wasn't as beautiful or interactive as Namira was. But that was before I lost Rajah, now I lost that urge I usually get to go look at Bettas when I have an empty tank. 

Castiel is keeping me slightly sane. He's the only one left with that kind of personality I love. Maru used to be so interactive and a show off but he mellowed out not long after. I finally got a picture of Castiel doing the trademark side profile, fins spread out, middle of tank Azure pose he used to do. I hope he doesn't change like the rest did.


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## Tourmaline

Roman brought a smile to my face. The old guy is making his first bubble nest. Ever since I switched their food to Ocean Nutrition, he's improved a lot from slowing down. I noticed it on the second day. He's actually eager to eat now, and he's a bit more active. Now, bubble nests? I need to buy a few more bottles of that stuff.


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## Tourmaline

My boyfriend is insisting that he gets me a Betta for my birthday this weekend. And that if I don't go with him he's just going to buy one he thinks looks pretty (He has horrible taste in Bettas). *Sigh* Its the thought that counts? When I told him about Rajah he said we need to find another one like him, he's the one who bought him for me, and he was his favorite for obvious reasons.

A picture of Roman's bubble nest, because why not? 
View attachment 800018


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## Sadist

Wow, what a lovely nest! I've never seen one built into the plants quite that way.


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## Tourmaline

I think what happened was the filter pushed some duckweed under his nest. He keeps looking at it with these sad puppy eyes. It ruined his masterpiece xD

I just spend 4 hours of my life changing the substrate in Sebastian's tank.. I wanted to make sure I got rid of anything in there, so I said screw it, I'll just change the substrate. The 20g that I still have has some nice tan colored gravel I wanted to use, but the previous owners decided it was a bright idea to mix green and purple gravel in it, which I hated. I spent about 2 hours picking green and purple out of it until I had enough green and purpleless gravel to fill a 5.5 gallon.. Not fun. And another two hours were spent cleaning the tank spotless, boiling decor, and scrubbing everything. 

Oh, and when I was taking the original substrate out, holy hell.. I need to do a better job cleaning my tanks. So much crap was flying up, and I thought I thoroughly vacuumed weekly. Maybe a stir and vacuum every two weeks would help? That was ridiculously gross. I officially said bye bye to my cycle.. Whenever I get a fish in there, I'm just going to _finally_ use my bottle of Tetra Safe Start. It's about to expire anyway.


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## SilviaAndScales

Ugh, been there done that. When I thought Laf had ich I boiled everything. Hopefully you didn't melt any plants like I did. Now one of my silk plants looks like it really needs viagra. Not my smartest moment lol.


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## Tourmaline

Luckily, no. Most of the plants in there are soft plastic anyway, since Sebastian had no fins, and meds kept killing my Crypts. But I did manage to break one of the hideaways, I dropped it on the floor.. I'll replace it this weekend if they have any left. I'm also picking up a pack of silk plants for the tank. Well, that's if I find a long finned resident. If not, I'm holding out on that. 

I'm hoping there's a friendly King at one of the two Petco's there. Or an angry one, so I can name him Rajah the 2nd  Since he's so insistent on buying me a Betta for my birthday, I'm making him take me to the Petco I got Rajah from (I can only get there once every 3 months), and the Petco I got Maru from. Both had really nice fish last time I went, but I'm looking for personality rather than looks. That turned out well with Cas, he's exactly what I was looking for. 

I'm still not really excited about it like I usually am, but maybe they'll be a spark if I see a Betta I like. I'm enjoying rescaping my tank more than the idea of a Betta being in it.. These deaths ruined me. ;__;


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## Tourmaline

I made a bad... My father bought me a birthday present.. A silver/red butterfly HM, the boy I said I liked when I went to get a refund.


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## Sadist

I hope you bond with him!


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## Tourmaline

He keeps staring at me.. xD He did the same thing when I saw him before. He seems friendly. It was between him, a gorgeous solid red halfmoon with massive fins that was flaring at me, a blue and white halfmoon, and a young cello halfmoon with some fin curling. He seemed the most friendly so I went with him, and he was a clamped while the rest were healthy. I'm pretty sure he's actually a delta, unless he's just _really_ clamped. I kinda like Blitz for a name but I'm open to suggestion.
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Someone please tell me what color he is! His fins aren't great, but his coloration is gorgeous, I won't even mind if he loses his butterfly band, he's already getting some color in it. He's not a dragonscale is he? Just a metallic? I can tell what definitely isn't a dragonscale but I do have issues telling what definitely is one. I wish Olivia was still around.. More pictures once he's settled. He's in Rajah's tank. I've boiled everything, rinsed with bleach, dried, and I half dosed AQ Salt as a preventative.

I'm keeping Sebastian's 5.5 gallon for a King if I find one that calls to me this weekend, I figured it would be a better idea to keep the longer tank for a bigger fish, since Rajah's is tall vs. wide. Walmart didn't have the pack of plants that I wanted, but I did get two small plastic plants from PetSmart for the 5.5 temporarily. They did have the same hideaway I broke, so I picked that up. Maybe they'll stock up again by Saturday.


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## Tourmaline

Well, he unclamped fast. A delta I believe, he flared at a mirror. He's extremely friendly already, he comes to the front of the tank and opens and closes his mouth like he's begging for food when I go up to him. 
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I _think_ he ate. I say think because he was too focused on doing the mouth thing and wiggling when I fed him to see the food, but when I left and came back, the pellets were gone. They might have sunk but I'm going with he ate them. Lol he's cute, not the usual majestic and proud long finned Betta I have, just cute and quirky. The choosing for personality thing seems to be working well, I do really like his coloration though, so that's just a plus.


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## Tourmaline

That awkward moment when you bring home a red finned dragonscale and don't even realize it.. I've wanted one for so long, and I didn't even realize it when one was in my hand at the store and then in my tank.. I feel like an idiot. ;___; It was meant to be, I guess? Oh, his color is 'Red copper dragon butterfly', thankfully ID'd by trilobite. I'd be going nuts trying to figure out what he is. I mean I got the butterfly part, but the colors I was iffy on. 

And wow he is tiny, even smaller than the tiny Cas. Maybe it's just because I'm used to Rajah being in there and he was huge, but he makes the tank look way bigger than it is. Excuse my plastic plants. I have to invest in silk now since he's long finned, I never got silk since Rajah was a PK. I mean, they passed the pantyhose test, but I'd rather play it safe, all of my long fins get silk. The problem is going to be finding ones that are tall enough for the tank.. I had that issue with plastic too, obviously. Only one of those reach the top. 
View attachment 800602

I'm thinking about naming him Blitz or Duke, I'm leaning more towards Duke. I still want suggestions, though. I'm not sure I like those names too much. I'll shut up now and stop babbling.


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## Tourmaline

Guys.. For the first time ever, in the thousands of Betta pictures I've taken, I have caught a Betta yawning. The new guy yawned as soon as I snapped this, I was trying to get a picture of his bubble nest. xD I posted this on his color ID/naming thread, but it needs to be memorialized here. 
View attachment 800666

But yeah, I was going to announce that he pulled a Castiel. He made a bubble nest in less than a day home. I hope that's a sign that he's healthy. I like him, he has a cutesy personality, I haven't had a cutesy Betta before. So far he's kinda like a weird fish-puppy, we'll see if that changes over the next few days. 

Name number three I've thought of is Lancelot. So the name running is Blitz, Duke, and Lancelot. I need name suggestions to add to the list, but barely anyone reads my journal.


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## Autumncrossing

Aww look at his little nest!! So cute . Personally I like the name Duke, it's a dogs name as well and since he has a dog like personality it seems really fitting. Blitz means lightning in German so I don't really think that makes too much sense unless he darts around really fast or something? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Sadist

I like Blitz. He's probably young (size and personality), so maybe he'll grow into a Duke. I love his nest and his pretty coloring!


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## Tourmaline

I like Duke too. That was a name I thought of once I saw how friendly he was. The coloration is what made him feel like a Blitz more than his personality. I think I'll give him a few more days to see if he calms down before giving him a name, he's different from every Betta I've ever bought. He's friendly on the first day, and begging for food already, when every other Betta I've owned takes a week or so to warm up to me. He's not very skittish either, he'll dart away if I move very quickly but otherwise he swims over to me. A little like Namira but more friendly and wiggly than curious like she was. 

I forgot to mention that he ate yesterday, I was right. I gave him two pellets that first time, and four before bed since he ate them with no problems. Everyone seems to like these smaller pellets, with NLS, new guys tend to spit them out until they get used to them. With these, everyone, even picky won't-eat-bloodworms Roman eats them with no fuss. I just checked on him with a light since it's not time for the tank lights yet, and he's swimming around with his fins spread out. I hope he doesn't get sick out of no where like Namira.. I said I wouldn't buy from that PetSmart again but I did anyway. 

I didn't plan to get him. We went into PetSmart to look at the plants for the 5.5 since Walmart didn't have them and PetSmart is in the same shopping center, and I made the mistake of looking at the Bettas to see if he or Namira's sister was still there. He was, but I couldn't find her sister. He was clamped and not looking too great compared to the day I went to get a refund on Namira, I think he had been there for two weeks already. Either that, or one week. Soon as I picked him up, he started the staring and wiggles. Then the other males.. Man, they were pretty. They had just put them out, I hadn't seen them before. The white and blue marble HM and the small cello HM were my favorites, but they weren't very friendly. When I went to put his cup back since I didn't have enough, I only had $8 on me, enough for a plant, my father _literally_ threw a $10 bill at me for him. So, that's how I came home with a Betta, and a red dragon at that, after I said I'd take a break.


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## Tourmaline

Yup, he's a Duke. You know how some dogs stare at your hand if you hold it up, and their heads will move really fast to follow it? He does that. xD I went to say hi since he was swimming in the front of the tank and I was curious how he'd react to my finger.. He just stared at it. I moved it to the right, his head moved to the right. I moved it to the left, his head moved to the left. Then I inched it closer and closer until my finger touched the glass, and he boops it with his nose and goes back to wiggling. So cute! >.<


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## Tourmaline

He poses. Now not only am I going to be spamming with pictures of Castiel, now I'm going to be spamming with pictures of him too. 
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## Tourmaline

... I need some kind of help with my social anxiety. It's so bad. I accidentally invited a person I only talked to once (and ignored afterwards) to Facebook Messenger, and I went into full sweat, panic, rapid heart rate, and was about to deactivate my Facebook because of it. Castiel's swishy fins distracted me and calmed me down before I went that far. I can't live like this..

I also got some flare pictures of Duke, but I've spammed this thread with him enough for one week. Plus, me annoying my boyfriend with those pictures is what made me accidentally invite her anyway. :s


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## Sadist

I don't mind seeing more pictures of Duke!


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## Tourmaline

I woke up a bit paranoid, so I checked on him with a light, and he looks at me like 'Whaaaaaaaat? Must you do this every morning?' I think I woke him up. Whoops.. 
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He definitely has some CT in him, tons of web reduction on his anal and dorsal fins.


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## SilviaAndScales

Aww, what an adorable face! Such a cutie.


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## Tourmaline

I know, his little face kills me. >.< And when he does the mouth thing and wiggling he looks so cute. I even got a picture of him following my finger. 

Oh, he's _almost_ a halfmoon. He's like Azure, where the base of his caudal reaches 180 degrees, but the ends are curved so they don't. He's a super delta. A very handsome super delta with web reduction that doesn't make him any less handsome. Him and Castiel need to have a flaring match photoshoot. I can just imagine all the lovely poses they'd give me, since they're so photogenic. xD I need a photo tank like those breeders have, where they have a fish visible next to it so they flare, and some really nice natural lighting.


----------



## Tourmaline

We went to 3 Petco's, and 1 PetSmart.. No kings or any fish that caught my eye in any of the Petco's, but the PetSmart I went to was incredible. All of their fish looked very healthy, and even when I got there they were actually _siphoning_ poop out of the cups, she said they do that every two days and water changes twice a week when I asked. I fell for a very tiny baby halfmoon girl. The employee asked if she wanted me to change her water before I bought her, since she hadn't gotten to the bottom shelf yet, she was extremely nice. She's the cutest thing I've ever seen. It's unfortunate I didn't find a King I clicked with, but I love this little girl already. She's so tiny! She has a whole 5.5 gallon to herself, she makes it look like a 10 gallon. She's darting around exploring everything, she's so hyper. 

In her cup
View attachment 801466

Spot the baby
View attachment 801458

She's getting some color now that she's a little more comfortable
View attachment 801474


In other fish news, Duke and Castiel are competing for the world's best bubble nest. Cas is winning, by a lot. His bubble nesting skills rival Azure's _and_ Rajah's. His is a good 4 inches wide, Dukes was about an inch until I accidentally destroyed it adding a new plant to his tank. I'll get pictures once they're done.


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## Tealight03

So sorry about your losses but glad you have a couple new ones to keep you company. 

Duke is a handsome guy. Love the new baby too. That's so awesome the store takes such good care of their bettas. Wish more stores were like that. 

Also Happy Birthday!


----------



## Tourmaline

Thank you! My birthday is actually on the 30th, but he's going to be doing stuff with the military that weekend, so.. He said this was an early birthday gift. My father said Duke was an early present but I doubt it, he just wanted me to get him because he was pretty. 

She's fiesty, she flares at fingers  Her coloring is very pretty too, she was pale, almost colorless except for her fins in the store, but she's a lovely blue. Her sisters were all different shades of blue, one a blue/yellow MG, but her spunk stood out to me. I wish that store wasn't super far from me, I'm never going to be able to get there again unless Raphy is having the best day of his life and is feeling generous.
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It seems like she has slight SBD, her butt rises when she stays still, like Maru when I got him, and her belly is a bit big but I assume that's from overfeeding. There was quite a bit of poop in her cup, all normal looking, luckily. I'm not sure how to feed young Bettas at all.. How many pellets? She's a bit bigger than a Petco baby betta, she's about half the size of fully grown Maru, and half the size that Namira was. Should I fast her at all if she's young? I could just feed her normal food and hope the crappy food clears out of her system as she poops.


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## Tourmaline

She _finally_ calmed down and stopped glass surfing. Every Betta I get usually does that for the first day or so.. I wonder why. Cas did it, Namira did it, Duke did it, and now she did for half a day. Oh and she bites.. A lot. She's vicious, tries to bite me through the glass while flaring. xD She actually bit me while I was trying to get her attention to give her a pellet to see if they were small enough for her. Why is it always the tiny ones that aren't scary or intimidating in the slightest...?


----------



## ThatFishThough

Haha, @Sadist's fish Mrs. Fish (And Sky, too!) both bite. 

So do mine, but they all only started after I started giving them bloodworms.

Do you feed your betta's Omega One or NLS? Or something else? I can't recall. I feed the OO Micro Pellets, so the are small enough for babies to eat. If not, just crush the pellets/cut them small enough to eat and feed just like you do your other fish. :3


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## Tourmaline

I used to feed everyone NLS Betta Formula, but I switched them to Ocean Nutrition Betta PRO pellets about a week ago, everyone loves them. They're tiny, she can eat them pretty easily. I gave her 4 this morning since her belly was a lot smaller than it was when I got her, I think it was a bit too much, I'm not sure how rounded her belly should be. I'll feed her 3 tonight and see if that seems like a better amount. She's Rajah in female form lol, so vicious for a tiny little thing.


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## Tourmaline

She's really out to get me.. 
View attachment 801618

Do you think her belly is too big? Should I feed her 3 instead? She had just eaten 4 small pellets, I feed my boys 6 twice a day and their bellies barely get rounded. 
View attachment 801610

I just picked up another pack of plants for her tank in hopes it'll stop her glass surfing. I wish I could afford live plants, but after managing to kill all of my Crypts, I don't think it's worth getting something killable. 
View attachment 801626


Oh, I've been noticing vertical breeding stripes on her. I thought I saw them yesterday but I wasn't sure, they're more visible today. A bit odd, no?


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## Sadist

What a cutie! I think Sky was that size when she grew her ovaries and got breeding stripes. I think they're more accurately dominance/submissive communication devices. If kept all together with her brothers and sisters, they get those to show who's boss and not. Mrs. Fish got them around the time I first brought her home, too.

I have a small container of Omega One betta buffet pellets, but I mostly feed frozen Omega One community formula. It's a bit messy, but instead of wheat filler, it has a gel binder with vitamins and garlic filler. I just feel like it's more healthy for carnivores. I also mix in frozen mysis shrimp and frozen bloodworms.

I think your girl's belly expansion with eating is okay. I stuffed mine bigger than that when they were babies and probably that much as adults. The important thing is if the bulge goes away by the next feeding time -- if her belly goes back to normal, she's used up all the food safely.


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## Tourmaline

So she just thinks she's the boss of her tank now? I didn't know females showed breeding stripes that young, and that they matured at around 3 months. 

I meant to pick up frozen bloodworms today and I completely forgot. I went in there, got a plant for Duke's tank, and completely bypassed the freezer.. Oops. Ocean Nutrition is pretty good quality, it's highly recommended, even over NLS lately. I think Roman's bounce back from slowing down after switching is very reassuring. 

So, more pellets then? She's passed the food already, her belly is normal sized again. Would it help her growth if I fed her more rather than less? I'll need to pick up bloodworms anyway, so I'll try to do that soon and include that in her diet at least weekly.


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## Sadist

As long as she doesn't get constipated or obese, I don't think an extra pellet will hurt her. I was able to feed mine 3 times a day as a baby, though she was so small at first that the feeding might have been 1 mysis shrimp or 1/2 bloodworm.


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## Tourmaline

I forgot to mention, I named her Meridia. Same origin as Namira's name, so I think I'm just going to stick with that theme for her and any future females. 

Also, 6 pellets later, and I have a nicely rounded female. That really makes me think I should be feeding my males more. I'm going to up their food to 7-8 depending on size.
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Some pictures of her pretty little self
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## SilviaAndScales

Aww, Meridia is adorable! Nice form and color too. Of course, purple bettas are my weakness lol


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## Tourmaline

I can't even tell what color she really is, she's so light in most lights. She looks light blue one minute, royal blue another, and almost purple the next. I think maybe she hasn't fully developed her color yet? She mostly just has iridescence, and a faint blue body color. So confusing.. 

Apparently she has a nice dorsal. xD I don't know anything about female form in the slightest. I still think Namira was one of the most beautiful females I've ever seen, though. Meridia is a close second, but she'll probably surpass her once she matures, she still looks like a baby while Namira was the same size as my fully grown males.


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## Tourmaline

Duke doesn't understand the concept of bubble nests too well.. I'm watching him try to make them, he's not carefully placing bubbles like Cas or Azure did, he's just getting a mouthful of air, and spitting it out wherever. He did that maybe 10 times until he had a small cluster that wasn't really too well connected together, and then admired his work. He's too rushed trying to make them, he makes them quickly but sloppily. Cas needs to give him some lessons..
View attachment 801914

See how I was just trying to get a picture of his bubbles and he poses riiight in the middle? He's a ham.


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## Sadist

Hey baby, check out my nest! Hehe, silly boy.


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## Tourmaline

His fins spread keeps getting wider and wider. And I think he heard me criticizing his bubble nests, because he built a proper one not long after 
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## BettaStarter24

He's proud of his nests! Lol


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## Tourmaline

Meridia had her first water change and vacuum today, I wanted to remove some of the dosage of salt I put in there, even though the ammonia had barely gone up. The entire time, she was viciously attacking my fingers and flaring at the siphon. She's the female embodiment of Rajah, just a quarter of the size, it's hilarious. I'm going to stick to a water change every 3 days, since I have to recycle the tank completely from scratch. And I'm hoping a 50% change every 3 days is enough to get rid of that growth stunting hormone, so she grows nice and healthy.


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## Tourmaline

Quick question.. I noticed Meridia had tiny white things, like smaller than a pellet, coming out of her butt. She drops two at a time when she gets excited. Should I be worried?

Okay she just let another one out.. I got a good look at it as it sank. It's round, it looks.. Like an egg? She's eggy? Whaaat? She looks like she just ate so that means she's eggy, right? Should I feed her the same amount? I regret waiting this long to learn about female care x.x


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## Sadist

Usually, females absorb their eggs or drop a bunch and eat them from what I understand. My girls seem to just absorb them. I've never heard of them randomly dropping some out, but maybe she's going through some rough puberty?


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## Tourmaline

She didn't drop anymore after that from what I saw. She dropped a bunch while I was doing the water change, I thought it was just debris coming off of the decor, not out of her. I saw them actually drop out of her later on. I'm going to make a thread just in case someone has experienced this and it turns out to be a bad thing.


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## Tourmaline

Big problem. Meridia is acting the same way Namira did before she died, lethargic, floating near the surface, not moving around much. I sterilized the tank with diluted bleach and boiling water days before getting her, nothing could have been passed on. Her belly is huge, I don't think from food, she's been passing it normally.

Yup, something is wrong. She won't flare for anything. What the **** is wrong with this tank that anything in it gets sick after 2-3 days?


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## ThatFishThough

Noooooooooo! IDK what this is.... Not.... Nooooo!!!!


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## Tourmaline

I want to give her an ES bath but maybe the ES I have isn't good? It's not scented or anything, it's White Mountain brand. Namira and Rajah didn't respond to treatment with it, maybe it's not good for fish? I don't want to make anything worse.

Okay, she is flaring, so she's not completely out of it. She is lethargic, and her SBD is really bad. She can't keep herself down. Maybe that's causing her lethargy? I'm not sure how to treat it, it improved then worsened again. And her constant taking air from the surface is worrying.

Okay now she's just being crazy and flaring at nothing. She swims downward while she flares and hopelessly floats back to the surface butt first.


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## Tourmaline

I may have figured out what went wrong. You know how I dosed the tank with AQ Salt before adding her? Well.. As I forgot, AQ Salt makes SBD worse. I didn't notice her floating problem until after I added her, and it didn't occur to me that I had just put AQ Salt in there and needed to remove it for her to recover. I just did another water change, and I'm going to pick up another brand of ES. 

She has perked up a ton since this morning, she's swimming around a lot more, and she attacked me again while I was doing the water change. She had me freaked out this morning, but I think she was just lethargic because I had woken her up. She does look bloated, but it may be from the eggs. Either way I'll try ES to help with the SBD.


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## Tourmaline

I have solved Meridia's glass surfing problem. The black background was too reflective. Oddly enough, switching it to a light blue background with some blue shaded plants on it stopped her interest in the back of the tank. I was almost certain black was less reflective, but maybe it's just the pattern that's helping. 

She's doing really well, she's not lethargic anymore, and she's still eating. Her belly is getting bigger, more eggy I'm almost certain of, because I only gave her a tiny piece of a crushed pellet. It was more of a test to get an idea of her condition, I'm not sure if I should feed her with her SBD worsening. I was so scared she was bloated. I dosed her with ES, since her SBD was so bad this morning that she couldn't really move. I figured that was better than fasting her for days until it clears. She improved and went back to normal not long after the water change, right after I added the ES, so I can only assume it's helping. She still flares and is being a menace as usual.. I've gotten attached to her so quickly. 

I'm going to attempt to clear my top 3 my favorites. xD So, numbers and why they're that place. This will be fun. Heads up, they're all the new ones. 

*1.* Duke - He's number one because he's Azure, but way more quirky. He's a show off, a ladies man, and he interacts with me without being aggressive. He shows so much interest in me, even now that he's used to me. I love his personality.
*2.* Meridia - Also known as tiny fish demon, I love fiesty! I love fiesty even more when it's paired with something small and cute. She's so angry, it's adorable. Makes me wanna squeeze her little flaring cheeks. She's tiny female Rajah, I like it. 
*3.* Castiel - He's another show off, I love his spunk. His bubble nests are a sight to see when he's really going for it, and I like how he always tries to challenge me. I like fiesty.


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## Tourmaline

I forgot the pictures of Meridia's bloating/possible eggyness. Her breeding stripes are getting more and more visible the bigger she gets, she hasn't lost any color at all, nor have her fins clamped. I can only assume it's eggs. I mean, if she was constipated or bloated from something else, she would be acting sick constantly, the breeding stripes would fade, and she would get stress stripes, right? That's what happened with Namira. Lethargy, stress stripes the same day, lost almost all color by the end of the day. The only sickness I see is her SBD, she's still crazy, murderous, and very blue. I need to stop being so scared.. I'm so worried about her, she's just so tiny, it makes me freak out over everything. 
View attachment 802810
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## ThatFishThough

Can she see other males in the room?


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## Sadist

Meridia looks healthy to me. Meaning, if she's pooping okay, she's probably not bloated. I think the girls go through puberty as they grow their ovaries, get breedy stripes all over. I hope the ES helps!


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## Tourmaline

Nope, she can't see any others. Her tank is on a stand. It's not uncommon for them to get eggy on their own. 

I haven't actually seen her poop, and since there's gravel in that tank I can't really tell. I'd be a little more comfortable if I could tell. She's still getting bigger :s


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## Tourmaline

Progress report, lethargic for about 5 minutes, definitely her waking up. She's still active, has color, buuut her butt is still rising when she tries to swim. No progress on the SBD.

I have found poop! Only one, but at least I know she is passing food. There's probably more I can't see behind everything. 

For some reason she always gets pale when I turn the lights on and freaks me out, then goes back to normal color 2 minutes later. -_-


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## Tourmaline

Her butt floating struggles.. Every time she tries to swim straight and stays still, she winds up like this. 
View attachment 802866

Since I took away her sparring partner at the back of the tank, she keeps looking for herself and getting annoyed when she can't see her reflection.

And since she decided to pose today and let me get some crisp photos.. Photoshoot! I really take too many pictures.. 
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## Tealight03

Glad it's just sbd. She's a cutie!


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## Tourmaline

So tonight's Meridia observation went a little like this..

I looked in her tank, couldn't find her (why is she so dang small!), and I went into full panic mode. The filter I have is below the water level because it's stupidly made, so what I did was put craft mesh over the open part of it so even if she got the bright idea to try to swim into it (like Sebastian did way back when while it was off), she'd just hit the craft mesh. I looked in the filter thinking she'd be dead, she wasn't there, looked in the cave, looked in the plants, looked everywhere.. I started pulling plants out, and out came a very grumpy Meridia from behind the heater, angry that I disturbed her beauty sleep. :| She's so small, her whole body fits behind the width of the heater when she's horizontal, so I couldn't see her at all since the side with the heater is against the wall. Y u do dis Meridia? -.-

Oh, then feeding.. I decided to give her a single pellet. Her SBD is improving, she's passing food (I found two more poops), so I figured it was okay. I drop a pellet in, she angrily eats it (she attacks the damn things, she can't eat them normally, she has to attack and shake it first), then she looks around the surface for more, looks at me, flares, and goes back to looking for food. She bites at bubbles on the surface thinking they're food, then goes to the bottom to look for anything that fell.. Think she's hungry? I'm picking up frozen bloodworms hopefully tomorrow so I'm going to substitute her night pellet feeding with bloodworms. That's if that single pellet I fed her doesn't aggravate her SBD again.

Generally, she's more interactive than she was. She was constantly glass surfing against the back of the tank. Now, she comes to greet me, before flaring and trying to kill me when she realizes I'm not feeding her, instead of ignoring me unless I put my finger to the glass like she used to. It was a pretty quick change in her personality. 

And of course I made the stupid decision of drinking an energy drink with tons of sugar before bed, so now I'm going to be up all night. Let's see how many books I can burn through in one night, most of the ones I downloaded are 450-500 pages long. This will be fun.


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## Tourmaline

Maru bit a chunk out of his caudal fin. -_- Why? You're a PK! I seriously can't even get pictures of him anymore. He won't stay still at all. Before, at least he'd stop moving when he was flaring, now it's impossible to catch him not moving. I managed to get him to flare for one second yesterday, but even then he darted away right after. *Sigh*


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## Tourmaline

I measured Meridia out of curiosity.. 1.25 inches including fins. A tiny bit over an inch BO, phone says 1.05 inches when I tried getting her BO but I'm not sure. Uh, tiny much? 

I got a picture of Maru.. Of course the only time he stayed still was when he was yawning.
View attachment 803370

And I hadn't really noticed but Maru is pretty darn big. He's average King size, I measured him BO just now and it came out to 1.6 inches. I really need to get him a bigger tank.. Since I'm not getting anymore Bettas, I'm going to try to get him a 5.5 kit from Walmart with whatever money I get for my birthday. Get a bag of sand, get another pack of plants, and we're good to go.


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## Sadist

Poor Maru. My Mr. Fish started that same behavior when he was fin biting. Have you changed Maru's lighting at all?


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## Tourmaline

I changed his lighting a while ago before he started acting up, but I haven't changed anything else. He's super active, soon as I go up to his tank he starts swimming along the front of the tank and acting nuts. Now that I think about it, I should have put him in Meridia's 5.5 before I got her. He just needs a bigger tank I think. Buuut if I get a bigger tank I'll have a spare. I need to put it in the garage or something so I won't be tempted.


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## SilviaAndScales

Aww, my Midna is a micro fish too! It's so weird not being able to see them right away in the tanks... Nothing like the giant boys you can't miss.
Also, wow! Maru sure has marbled! Glad he still has his little light mouth though.


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## Tourmaline

The worst part is she's bright blue and red in a green and white tank and I can never find her until she moves. xD How? Ever since I added another pack of plants she hides everywhere. So little.. 

Good news, everyone! Bye bye SBD! She's swimming normally, no butt rising. I did a water change today to remove some of the ES dose, and I fed her 4 pellets both this morning and tonight, neither of those times aggravated her SBD so I think she's past that. I think I'm going to stick to 8 pellets a day. Maybe I can split 10 up into three times a day, so 3 twice, 4 at night? I'd be a little happier with that. I think 5 at once is too much, because after that 6 I fed her is when she had that lethargic episode and her SBD worsened. I'll try that tomorrow. 

Duke was giving me some trouble for two days, he wouldn't eat. I did a water change, he was actually a day overdue for one, but his ammonia was still _almost_ 0.5 but not quite, so I let it go another day. He ate fine tonight when I fed him one at a time and turned the filter off first. Seems like he's a special feeding case, even Meridia will still eat if I drop more than one in and leave the filter on. I only gave him 6 instead of 7 like the other boys get, they eat it with no problem but maybe that's too much for him since he's still young.

Edit: I keep forgetting how crazy I must sound feeding my fish these amounts of pellets to people who don't read my journal often. xD


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## SilviaAndScales

Oh! I just remembered! I just got those same flowers you have in Meeko's tank I think! I'll post more pictures of them tomorrow on my journal since I redecorated Laf's tank. I think they're absolutely adorable.


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## Tourmaline

Yup! Same ones. I have two packs of those in Meeko's tank, and one in Castiel's. When I swapped out the plants that were in there before with those when Azure was still in there, he had stopped fin biting. Shame I didn't get to see him whole again.. My Walmart hasn't stocked up on them in over a month, so it looks like I'm not getting anymore.


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## Tourmaline

Meridia is back to being lethargic, with no improvement after 30 minutes or so this time. She's pale and she's lost her breeding stripes.

I wish I knew what was going on.. No one can tell.


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## Tourmaline

I'm so frustrated.. I can't treat it if I don't know what it is, and no one knew what it was with Namira and no one knows what it is with Meridia either. I feel so helpless.


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## Tourmaline

Still no improvement with Meridia's lethargy. However, I did just see her poop. Completely normal looking, she still has color, and her belly has gone down very slightly. I'm thinking she's constipated and hasn't been passing the food I've been feeding her, so she's backed up. If that's the case, I have no idea how or what to feed her. She keeps getting like this every time I feed her pellets. I can't feed her frozen bloodworms every day, she'll get fat. And I'm not sure how nutritional Mysis Shrimp are and if I can feed her those regularly.. 

Does anyone know if PetSmart stocks frozen Daphnia? I think Petco does, but they're really far and there's no way I'm going to be able to convince my father to drive me there. I was looking online at their frozen foods and Daphnia wasn't there, it wasn't there for Petco either.


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## Tourmaline

Mini rant incoming. 

I am so annoyed with this site it's not even funny. First they change the site, we lose a ton of members, people rarely get help in threads anymore, the site is already a mess. Then they make these ridiculous password requirements for a freaking forum pertaining to fish! Come on guys, are you _trying_ to lose all of your members? That's what it seems like, and that's what it's coming down to. I miss simple bettafish.com, where people could come here and learn a lot, and get tons of help. Now, the site looks bland, participation is decreasing more and more every day, and we're not getting any new regulars. It's a shame..


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## BettaStarter24

I like that they are trying to protect us but the changing the password is kind of nuts with 185 days thing. I can barely remember my passwords as it is!


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## Tourmaline

That's for moderators, regular members only need to change it yearly. I get they want to up security, but is that really necessary for a forum that stores no personal information? What are they going to do, steal my password and log on to learn about betta fish? Read my PMs that are about fish too? It's ridiculous. Let me use my normal passwords, don't force me to have a passwords that has uppercase letters, symbols, numbers, and is 10 characters.


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## BettaStarter24

Ah. yeah I get that. I get frustrated when I forget its time to redo passwords and sites wont let me log on. Like yesterday when I wanted to check in on status of something.


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## Tourmaline

Meridia is pineconing.. :/ I dosed her with Kanaplex but I think it's too late. Same symptoms as Namira, down to bumping into things before she died. The only thing that wasn't the same is Namira didn't pinecone at all or bloat as much, and Meridia still hasn't lost any color except for around her belly and face. I've already prepared myself to wake up to her dead, but let's just hope that I don't. She was completely fine Thursday night..


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## Tourmaline

She made it through the night but she's still just breathing heavily in the corner. Pineconing has gotten worse..


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## Tourmaline

I've given her this kind of heavily medicated cocktail bath. It mixes Methylene Blue, Kanaplex, ES, and AQ Salt in a rather large dose. I figured there isn't anything to lose at this point, and even if I don't try something risky, she'll die anyway. Another member says it helped her boy, so I'm trying to stay positive. I have prepared myself for her not to make it this time, though.


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## Tourmaline

Still pineconing more. Bath number #2 at double dose in an hour. Doing an 100% water change while she's in the bath, and upping the dose of ES in her tank by another half tsp, to 2tsp/gal. Slightly overdosing Kanaplex in the tank too. I'm going to run out of Kanaplex at this rate..


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## Tourmaline

I forgot to update this, but I euthanized Meridia earlier. If I can find someone that will buy a death tank, I'm selling the tank and getting another 5.5g kit. I'm getting another kit for my birthday, but I'm giving that one to Maru. 

I'm sticking with the same decor, just new. Same cave, same plants. The only thing I'm keeping out of everything is the background and heater. I really liked the way Meridia's tank looked when it was done so I'm going for the same look. Maybe different substrate this time, even though there's still a good amount left in the 20g, I could fill another 5.5g with that. We'll see soon enough.


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## BettaStarter24

Did you put the stuff in the 20g in the death tank??? If so where is it from?


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## Tourmaline

I only put the gravel from the 20g in the death tank. I'm not sure where it's from, but it looks just like a type of gravel Petland carries, the off white one with river rocks in it, don't remember the brand. 

I hadn't switched the gravel out until after Sebastian and Namira died, so I don't think it's the cause of all this. The gravel in it had been dry for months, and cleaned with vinegar too.


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## twohuskies

Tourmaline said:


> I only put the gravel from the 20g in the death tank. I'm not sure where it's from, but it looks just like a type of gravel Petland carries, the off white one with river rocks in it, don't remember the brand.
> 
> I hadn't switched the gravel out until after Sebastian and Namira died, so I don't think it's the cause of all this. The gravel in it had been dry for months, and cleaned with vinegar too.



Sorry, I've been waaaaaaaayyy behind on this thread. Sebastian died???:crying::crying:


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## ThatFishThough

Yes. So did Namira & her newest girl.

May they swim together over the rainbow bridge.


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## Tourmaline

twohuskies said:


> Sorry, I've been waaaaaaaayyy behind on this thread. Sebastian died???:crying::crying:


Yeah, he came down with pretty random dropsy. The night before he was a little bloated, but I had accidentally given him two more pellets than usual so I thought it was because of that. Come morning, he was fully pineconed, and he was having trouble swimming. I put him to sleep.. You know how I said I would put him to sleep once his fin rot reaches his body? Well, it had, and I was sort of postponing putting him down until he started slowing down, but then that happened. I figured it was him telling me it was time. He's buried in one of my houseplants next to Rajah and Azure. Meridia is buried in the soil of the indoor garden. 

3 of my original Bettas died from random things. Azure jumped, not long after that Sebastian came down with dropsy, then Rajah died from I assume parasites _and_ a bacterial infection I accidentally infected him with from Sebastian's tank. Namira lasted a exactly a week with me before dying with no symptoms other than lethargy, and Meridia lasted nine days before getting dropsy, both were in Sebastian's tank. Whatever killed him keeps killing any Bettas I put in there.


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## Tourmaline

I've gotten to the point where I'm numb to deaths, and that's something I never thought would happen. Maybe it's because I had accepted that I'd lose Meridia, because even as I was euthanizing her, I wasn't upset, I was calm. Compared to when I was euthanizing Sebastian and I was a runny nosed teary eyed mess. I really liked Meridia too..

Well.. Here's Duke being his usual hammy self and his first real bubble nest! Ladies and gentlemen, I think he's finally got it! Third time's the charm. 
View attachment 804482


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm feeling chatty tonight.. Maybe because I'm a tad depressed and trying to stay optimistic. 

I was thinking back to when I first got Merlin.. I had done research not before I got him, but literally the day I got him. I only knew the very basics before going, I knew they needed a heater, water conditioner, pellets, and 2.5 gallons minimum. The advice PetSmart gave me when I bought him seemed iffy, so I went home with him and found this site. I had a dinky little 2.5 gallon, no substrate, barely any decor, and I didn't get a thermometer. This site kinda hit me with a billion things at once, I was so overwhelmed. Now, I've had to deal with deaths, illnesses, cycling tanks like 15 times already, getting 7 tanks, a death tank, live plants, and the whole 9 yards. And it all started with my cousin sending me a bare little 2.5 gallon...

So here's a few old pictures of baby Merlin, the day I got him, in his horrible little 2.5 gallon. My first Betta.. We all had to start somewhere. I guess it's good that I didn't stick him in a Betta cube, at least. 
View attachment 804506
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----------



## Tourmaline

I got a new 5.5, and I've decommissioned the death tank. I'm getting a 5.5 for Maru the day of my birthday, this was a present from my father and my mother is getting Maru's 5.5. Already got the decor for it and everything, I went with the same theme as Meridia's tank. The only thing I couldn't find the same was the gravel, but the bag I got looks pretty similar. 

My father offered to take me to the Petco I got Azure from way back when.. And I uh.. I also got a Betta for the tank. 
View attachment 804666

Ain't he pretty? Soon as I saw him, I snatched his cup from the rack (two little kids and a mother were looking at him, they had a 0.5g Betta cube in hand) and was walking around looking at the other Bettas. None caught my eye like him, so, he's mine now.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Awwwww *squeal*


----------



## Tourmaline

MARU JUMPED OUT. Straight through the ****ING craft mesh! I don't know if I got to him in time.. He's still alive but he's sinking and breathing heavily.. Doing barrel rolls. Soon as I came home I knew something was off, I noticed almost immediately.


----------



## Tourmaline

He doesn't look too horrible compared to other cases I've seen. His fins aren't completely dried out, they're still flowy. His eyes are a bit cloudy but he didn't dry out completely.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Ah, good.... Would seran wrap work better?


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm not sure.. I think it's too flimsy so I always used craft mesh taped down 20 times. Maybe the tape got wet? I don't know.. 

He's swimming around, like I said he doesn't look too bad. I dosed him salt, and lowered the water level so he can get to the surface more easily. I wish I had that API Stress thing Linda always recommends..


----------



## Tourmaline

I think he's going to make it. He's not really gasping anymore or rolling around, I think he just went into shock from being dropped back in water. He's swimming around pretty normally, he's not having much trouble now. He's clamped but I think he'll be okay. He ate some bloodworms. He does look pretty ragged.. 
View attachment 804714

And that's the hole he jumped out of. It's a big slope from the lid to the tank so I'm not sure how to cover it well enough that he can't just jump through it. :/ 
View attachment 804698


And the new boy. Him and Maru gobbled up more bloodworms more readily than any of the others. I think I gave him 4 and a tiny one, and Maru ate 3 big ones. The rest were being kinda picky today, Him, Meeko, Maru, and Cas were the only ones to actually eat them. 
View attachment 804722
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He measures out around the same size as Maru, 1.6 inches. Pretty friendly too, he's like Duke, doing the mouth thing across the front of the glass every time I go by him. He was following my finger in his cup too. There was another pretty big HMPK there that was gorgeous, turquoise with black fins, but he had diamond eye.. Both eyes were completely covered. Such a shame. I would have gotten him but I don't think I'm in any shape to care for a blind Betta right now. 

Psst.. Color? Or am I going to have to make a color ID thread? Is he a koi of some kind? He kind of looks like one, just not the typical ones I've seen people jumping at in Petco, and he has those different colored scales. And oh god I have to name him.. I'm out of boy's names.. Diego? Diablo? Milo? Miso? Logan? Sushi (a bit too common)? Cesar?

I wish I knew why this site deleted pictures I uploaded when I posted a reply..


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## SilviaAndScales

Hmm not completely sure on body color but he's a black lace as far as his tail color. Maybe dragonscale and marble? Idk. So cute! Milo would be adorable. With that little piebald face it really suits him to have a bit of a cutesy name.


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## Tourmaline

I don't know what he is but he sure is interesting. I'm leaning towards Milo, but I _really_ need to lay off the names starting with an M. I want another name. 

I forgot to mention, my PetSmart had a black orchid CT. He was $20, I _almost_ got him but his fin form was horrible, his dorsal and anal fins looked like normal CT, long rays, about 50% web reduction, and his caudal looked like a combtail. But black orchid... I was so close to bringing him home, since my father said okay to paying $20 for him, but I couldn't get past his form.

They also had two gorgeous VT brothers labeled as dragonscales. I've wanted a VT, but I wanted to see what else another pet store had. If Petco didn't have anything I liked, I was going to go back to PetSmart and get one of those brothers. Alas, I couldn't say no to a HMPK when I saw him. 

My PetSmart has been getting some really nice stock in, and their care has improved a ton. I wonder if they hired a new manager after all those complaints I filed.


----------



## Tourmaline

Maru is fine, he's back to his normal self activity wise for the most part, just a little.. Ragged. His caudal looks like it got chewed on. His eyes aren't cloudy anymore, his dorsal has unstuck from being dried out, he has his normal appetite, he's dropping his vents, he looks good. I need to figure out how to jump proof his tank.. I think what happened was it wasn't properly secured because I had to put the craft mesh on a slant so it covered everything. I cannot replace this horrible tank he's in any sooner. Just two more days.. I'm glad I got to him in time.. And I'm glad my mother didn't want to go to any stores on the way back, that hour and change she would have spent in any store could have been the difference between life and death. 
View attachment 804850
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The new guy is still clamping up every so often, and he's a bit slow. Not lethargic, he moves around a lot, just sluggishly. I'm not sure if that's how he is or if he needs some time to recover from his cup life and get used to everything. I waited a while to see if he would show any signs of SBD, and since he doesn't, I gave him a half dose of AQ Salt. He has a healthy appetite too, I gave him three pellets just now and he ate them all without any issues. That and him gobbling up those bloodworms earlier seems like a good sign.
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Brine shrimp for everyone tomorrow! Hopefully they like that more, and the picky ones from today's bloodworm feeding will eat. I think Topaz did wind up eating the ones that fell, and Roman may have eaten the ones I put in there, but it could have been the MTS that ate them. Merlin and them were having none of those tweezers today. Just Maru, new guy, Meeko, and Duke (who I forgot to mention earlier) would eat from them. Oh, Pearl and Puff got whatever was left after feeding everyone too. Cas ate them readily but I had to drop them in, he kept flaring at the tweezers instead of eating the worms.. Why is he so much like Azure?


----------



## Tourmaline

The new guy refuses to flare.. He sort of just backs up or flares his beard but not his fins. I'm so curious what he looks like flared. He looks less sluggish today, and he's moving around a lot more. 

Maru had dried out a little, apparently. The dried out pieces of his fins fell off overnight. He only has half of a caudal.. Most of his ventrals fell off, the tip of his anal fin fell off, and a bit of his dorsal fell off. Of course he's back to his normal impossible to take pictures of self. I'm raising the water level again later today.

Oh and I've thought of a name that doesn't start with an M for the new guy. What about Akuma?


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## Sadist

Wow, lots of busy things! I love the new boy and Akuma for a name. Bubble nest is great, too. I hope Maru recovers fully from his jumping episode and that the picky eaters will eat.


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## Tourmaline

Damage report on Maru.. Look at his fins  
View attachment 804922

I thought his ventrals fell off but they're there. His caudal and dorsal have most of the damage. Soon as I raised the water level, he was back to 'sparring' with his reflection, I'd say he's completely fine. I put some seran wrap taped down over the hole, hopefully he doesn't try to jump again until I can get him his new tank, the 5.5 kits I always get have easy to jump proof hoods. 

This is the new guy normally, 'resting' 
View attachment 804946

And this is him 'flaring'. He just refuses to spread his fins out for me, so rude lol
View attachment 804930


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## ThatFishThough

Beautiful dorsal on Akuma. <3


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## Tourmaline

Akuma isn't his name yet, I'm still trying to think of something that fits him. Every name I really like for him starts with an M.. I've had so many names starting with an M already, Maru, Meeko, Meridia, Merlin.. No more. :s I'm thinking something Japanese for him, like Maru.

Hmm.. What about Mochi, Mizu, Kokoro, and Sora (again)? And of course two of those start with an M, both ones I like the most for him. -.- Dammit! I really like Mizu.. Same length and first and last letter as Maru, though. If I remember correctly, it means water. And I think Maru means circle. I should really just use Google translate instead of trying to remember.. 

He's a traditional PK, no? The only way I can tell the difference is the dorsals. Maru's is short and wide and his is tall and thinner, like Rajah's. I think he'll make it to HMPK if he'd just flare for me, his caudal looks like it's the same width as Maru's relaxed, just with curved edges, and Maru's spread is over 180°.


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## Tourmaline

Still no fin spread no matter how mad I make him. xD This one's a weird one. Even when he got mad enough to attack the mirror, his fins were still normal sized. I'm going to stop bothering him now, I've been trying to get him to spread his fins for the last 10 minutes. 
View attachment 805138
View attachment 805146

I caved.. His name is yet another name with an M, Mizu (Me-zu). Oh well.. I'm just bad with names.


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## ThatFishThough

Lol I was joking.


Loving the angry/calm thing.


----------



## Sadist

Haha, I guess Mizu doesn't like to spread his fins.


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## Tourmaline

Of course now that Maru lost most of his caudal and dorsal he flares for me. >.< He's still so perfect.. I hope they grow back okay. 

Mizu is odd.. So very odd. He discovered an air pocket in that gray cave that I forgot to fix when I set the tank up.. He's building a bubble nest inside the cave using it, and he's just lounging in there taking air from it at night. He also spread his fins randomly, he's so pretty! Definitely a HMPK, and his dorsal is adorable. He won't flare but he was showing off a bit after I caught him building his bubble nest. He's too quick and doesn't do it often enough to catch it on camera.


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## Tourmaline

You know.. As much as I've always absolutely despised the lighting setup on these Walmart 5.5g kits, it makes for some much nicer pictures compared to my tanks with bright rail lights, and they're not too bright to where you need floating plants to prevent stress. I wonder why? Cameras are weird. His black is getting blacker, in his cup he didn't even have any! Either he's still coloring up, or he's marbling at the speed of light. He's still building that nest in there, he's the first Betta in that tank to even use that cave.. He's going to hate me tomorrow when I take that air pocket out when I'm doing his water change. 
View attachment 805586
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My PetSmart has their 5.5 kits on sale, but I don't know if they're better or worse than the Walmart ones. I think my friend bought one and it came with a TopFin Power 10 filter, while the Walmart ones I get come with adjustable Tetra Whisper 10i's, which I prefer just because I don't have to baffle it. Plus the PetSmart kit is $30 on sale, and the Walmart kit is $25 regular price. I'm tempted to try to PetSmart kit. I might have to pick up Maru's 5.5g today rather than tomorrow. 

Should I redecorate his tank or use the same gravel and decor? Hmm.. I wish they had Petlands here so I could pick up a bag of that blue sand they stock, my father won't drive all the way to the Bronx just to get a bag of sand. Maybe another taller pack of plants for him? Switch to black sand instead of black gravel? I think that's all I need. Maybe another background because the one that's on his tank now won't fit a 5.5. And an extra thermometer because I dropped the one I used for water changes yesterday and it broke. :/ Annnd I want to pick up some frozen Mysis Shrimp, since they seem to love the frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp. I can do three days of frozen a week instead of two that way. I fed them bloodworms again today so the cube wouldn't go bad, and everyone ate them. No picky fish this time around, even Cas stopped flaring long enough to eat from the tweezers. Roman was the only one I had to drop them in for, but he did eat them like a pig. I'm babbling..


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## Sadist

Haha, that boy and his air bubble in the cave!


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## Tourmaline

I got Maru's new tank today since no one is going to be here for my birthday. His 3.5 is officially permanently decommissioned, my father got it instead and made me promise to put the other tank away for good if he got me this one. I got new substrate which I love the look of, I should have tried it sooner instead of sticking to white and black. I got a cheap pack of plastic plants, and a new background that I really like. Of course, as I'm typing this I remember that I forgot the thermometer and Mysis Shrimp.. I always forget something. 

Annd when I took him out to change tanks, I floated him in Mizu's tank instead of Merlin's like I usually do to see if another Betta would get him to flare.. No luck. Maru was doing all the flaring and biting through the cup, Mizu was just looking directly at him without even so much as a spread caudal. Maru is such a vicious little thing, he was really going for him, Mizu would be very, very dead if he wasn't in a cup. He's hopeless, he's a horrible siamese fighting fish. 
View attachment 805626


I like the way Maru's new tank turned out! I can't even find him anymore, I have to look for him. He seems to be enjoying the cover. I seeded the filter so hopefully it doesn't take long to cycle. 
View attachment 805634

Now I have all 5g+ tanks with the exception of Cas's tank. I don't think I'm upgrading him any time soon, I have no reason to. He seems content with the amount of space he has.


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## twohuskies

Tourmaline said:


> Yeah, he came down with pretty random dropsy. The night before he was a little bloated, but I had accidentally given him two more pellets than usual so I thought it was because of that. Come morning, he was fully pineconed, and he was having trouble swimming. I put him to sleep.. You know how I said I would put him to sleep once his fin rot reaches his body? Well, it had, and I was sort of postponing putting him down until he started slowing down, but then that happened. I figured it was him telling me it was time. He's buried in one of my houseplants next to Rajah and Azure. Meridia is buried in the soil of the indoor garden.
> 
> 3 of my original Bettas died from random things. Azure jumped, not long after that Sebastian came down with dropsy, then Rajah died from I assume parasites _and_ a bacterial infection I accidentally infected him with from Sebastian's tank. Namira lasted a exactly a week with me before dying with no symptoms other than lethargy, and Meridia lasted nine days before getting dropsy, both were in Sebastian's tank. Whatever killed him keeps killing any Bettas I put in there.



Oh, soooooooo sorry to hear of all of your losses. You know, Sebastian came from SUCH horrible conditions; I truly believe that if these bettas live in that kind of filth for a long time, it compromises their internal organs. I just had a rescued CT just develop dropsy as well. I think that sometimes, despite our best efforts, we just can't overcome the damage done to them by uncaring hands.


Like you, I put my dropsy CT down as well.:crying:


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## Tourmaline

Okay, Cas, this bubble nest thing is getting ridiculous.. That's the biggest nest I've _ever_ seen. It takes up half of his tank. He has officially won the bubble nest contest. He beat out Azure and Rajah's biggest nest by a landslide, Duke can't even compete with that no matter how hard he tries. The thing that kills me is Cas is _still_ building it. He doesn't think it's big enough yet? Wow. 
View attachment 805746

Since I haven't actually shown any pictures of Cas lately, here he is. He's gotten a lot bigger, and his fins have grown quite a bit too. I like how he'll flare at me with no hesitation, but getting him to flare at a mirror was near impossible because he kept backing up and being a chicken. -.- Like oh, let me flare at the human who feeds me. But another Betta? Oh no, sorry sir, I'll just give you some space. Jerk.. 
View attachment 805810
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## Tourmaline

twohuskies said:


> Oh, soooooooo sorry to hear of all of your losses. You know, Sebastian came from SUCH horrible conditions; I truly believe that if these bettas live in that kind of filth for a long time, it compromises their internal organs. I just had a rescued CT just develop dropsy as well. I think that sometimes, despite our best efforts, we just can't overcome the damage done to them by uncaring hands.
> 
> 
> Like you, I put my dropsy CT down as well.:crying:


I know, I've come to accept that sometimes it can't be helped, and death happens, no matter how hard we try to prevent it. 

I just really, really wish I hadn't lost Meridia.. I had so much love for that little girl so quickly, she reminded me a lot of Rajah. I miss her. Even now with Mizu being where she was, it kinda feels wrong. I like him, don't get me wrong, but he's not her. And I only had her for 9 days, go figure. I get attached too quickly. :/ Or maybe she was just that special. 

I don't know if anyone understands that sheer panic I felt when I thought I lost Maru.. And that wave of relief mixed with fear finding him behind the dresser and seeing him flop around when I moved it to get to him. I was she-hulk for a second, me _and_ my mother couldn't move it to get it in here, it was too heavy, and I managed to move that with an extra 50 pounds or so of tank and water on it to get to him. He's going to get treated like a king, mostly because I messed up and didn't secure his tank properly, and he almost died because of it. It was almost Azure all over again. I sat there crying for over an hour watching him rolling around and floating upside down until he improved and recovered from the shock of what happened.


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## Tourmaline

Finally 21! Also, not excited in the slightest.. I was more excited getting the tank for Maru and getting Mizu. It being my birthday just means I have to go out in public and look presentable while my parents argue at a restaurant or wherever they decide they want to take me. I'd rather go out with Raphyel but they already complained about that. He's invited to come but I see that ending badly, so I don't think he's going to. I won't be able to go anywhere with him until way later tonight. Yaaaaay, fun times.


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## Sadist

Haha, Cas and his bubble nest! Now, he just needs to build it higher and thicker in those spots to make a record.


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## Tourmaline

Mizu has a false egg spot.. He can't be that young, can he? None of the pet store males I've ever bought have had one, and he's the size of a full grown male.

Fed them the last bit of brine shrimp and a few pellets so it wouldn't go bad.. Mizu let a few fall. After I was done feeding him, he ate every one that fell and keeps staring at the gravel and swimming along the bottom to look for more. He ate every single tiny leg and bit. Only one who wouldn't eat them is Meeko. Duke and Cas liked them the most.


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## Sadist

I've read that some males can keep the false egg spot even as adults. It's rare.


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## firewood04

Happy Birthday! I had to catch up on your journal again. I sure hope your new lil ones will be healthy and live long lives. I don't understand that death tank thing either. I have used bleach, salt then rinse. Then Hydrogen peroxide and rinse with boiling water. Bleach doesn't kill everything with fish but the boiling water should have done the trick you would think! 
Anyway, Happy Birthday! I really hope that the new tank and new fish do well, you have had enough troubles so on to a new year!


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## Tourmaline

Thank you! Duke and Mizu seem to be doing fine, no signs of lethargy from Mizu at all (knock on wood). I hope he stays that way. 

I got the Mysis Shrimp for them today! And of course, once again, I forgot the thermometer.. *Sigh* There were some gorgeous females at PetSmart today, a solid royal blue HM girl that I liked, and one that looked like a tiny Namira. I think they get stock from the same breeder and those may be her sisters. Both of the 'dragonscale' VT brothers I liked were still there, so was that black orchid CT with horrible form.


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## Tourmaline

Just some pictures of Mizu that came out half decent. 
View attachment 806306
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And is that.. Is that regrowth already?
View attachment 806362
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It's clear, and it was very clean damage so it's growing back cleanly too, compared to Meeko's regrowth. I need to get a picture of him too.. His webbing has caught up to his rays a lot compared to a few weeks ago.


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## Tourmaline

The Mysis Shrimp were a hit, no picky eaters, everyone ate them from the tweezers. I swear, Maru, Mizu, Cas, and Duke are vicious with tweezer feedings. Duke especially, he tries to jump to get to what they're holding before they even touch the water. Let's hope he doesn't make that a habit.. I really don't want him jumping for food.


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## SilviaAndScales

Geez! Maru has marbled so much! Is he basically blue now?


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## Tourmaline

He's mostly blue, his left side has a little more white in it than his right side. Even his little light mouth turned blue, his upper lip is completely blue and his bottom lip is still light lol. Oh and I can't really get it on camera but his pectoral fins are getting streaks of white, I suspect he carries the EE geno, they are pretty big for a non-EE Betta.. Actually you can kinda see it in those pics but it's his left pectoral fin that has it more noticeably. I'm loving the way he marbled, I just love marbles in general actually. I hope Mizu marbles nicely too. Since he _was_ a koi, I suspect he'll marble like crazy.


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## SilviaAndScales

Same! I especially love when they marble blue or black. Tree's Kelp, I think, is a yellow and black marble and its adorable. He has a little black mask now.  As for EE pectorals, flappies -yes this is the scientific term for pectorals- are absolutely adorable. I can kinda see in the picture but if you have any more pictures of his flappies feel free to share lol.


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## Tourmaline

I think Mizu is going to marble to completely black and red, with those blue scales over it. It'll be interesting, I can't wait.  Now watch, in a month I'll be sad his piebald face is gone. Oh well, at least I have pictures to remember it by. 

Hey, if you like huge flappies I need to get some pictures of Merlin's tomorrow, his are huuuge, they've never stopped growing. He's just so hard to get to pose.. I'll give it a try tomorrow. Topaz has huge flappies too but he has a gimpy fin, only his right side is EE sized, and uh.. He's not exactly the prettiest thing anyone has ever seen. I call him 'unique'. 

I'm not going to be able to stop calling them flappies now, am I...?


----------



## SilviaAndScales

Oh yeah, Merlin. Forgot about him. Topaz is EE too, right? I mean, none can compare to Azure's but still. And yes, now at pet stores you might be like me and look at bettas and be like "yep, those are some nice flappies you've got there". Just don't accidentally say it out loud in front of other customers like I have... whoops.


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## Tourmaline

Topaz is half an EE and Merlin is full on massive finned EE. Azure's were pretty tiny compared to Topaz and Merlin, that was one thing about him. His flappies never really grew while his fins grew like crazy, unlike Merlin's whose fins keep getting more and more massive every month. They keep getting damaged since they're so big, though. Same with Topaz's one big one. I think they bite them. 

I already talk to Bettas in front of people and get weird looks.. Full baby voice and everything. I usually don't realize until my mother pokes me and tells me people are looking at me. xD The staff in PetSmart think I'm nuts already, might as well go full crazy. Maybe then they'll leave me alone and stop trying to 'help' me.


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## SilviaAndScales

Lol same. I think one of my LFS's actually thought I was stealing bettas since I was there so often... they started having an employee constantly by the betta rack while I was there and looking at my purse as I left. I've yet to steal a betta but I can't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind... 
Sometimes I'd also count the number of dead bettas I'd see there loudly so other people around me (empoyees and customers) would hear me. Even after the side eye looks I'd get, I have no regrets. Looked like they never cleaned the water from the day the fish would get there. But they were the only place I knew with silk plants for a while so I, begrudgingly, gave them my business.


----------



## Tourmaline

I went on a verbal rant in PetSmart the other day about Betta cubes and being angry that they put them right under the Betta rack. My mother is the one who brought it up actually.. She asked why they sell those and put them under the Bettas and it's wrong to put them in something that small. If a 56 year old woman who has never owned a Betta in her life and used to stick goldfish in bowls can realize that small of a tank is sad, something is seriously wrong. I've thought of stealing their neglected display fish once, but they took it down most likely because he died. 

Well I started ranting in front of a group of people and staff.. It went a little like, "I'm getting sick of people buying those stupid pieces of garbage cubes with Finding Dory slapped on it and coming back in a week with a formerly gorgeous dead Betta they bought for their kid, and wondering what they're doing wrong. And of course no staff asks questions or give advice, because of course, them killing Bettas means more business because they buy another one every week or two."

Many, many people thought I was crazy that day. Actually, that was the same day that I managed to stop Mizu from being killed by someone that way. I'm ranting again.. Someone find me a pet store in upstate NY that isn't full of idiots and misinformation, please. Or someone come here and open one, I promise I'll give you enough business.


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## SilviaAndScales

you could try pet valu... if you have those. They apparently recently switched vendors for bettas so hopefully they'll be getting a lot less which is good.


----------



## Tourmaline

The nearest one is 27 minutes from me.. Of course, it's in Danbury, CT. Seriously...? Y u do dis, life? 

Basically, every store I can ever think of wanting to go is in Danbury, and my father, mother, and boyfriend refuse to drive up there. And here's another store to add to the list. I've been trying to get there for 10 months now..


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## SilviaAndScales

I somewhat like this from their website...

"Although you can keep a Betta in a small bowl, this is not ideal to keeping it happy and healthy. In the wild, Bettas live in rice fields where the water level is low, but their space is vast. They are most happy when they have room to swim, play, hide and interact with their surroundings."

but not so much this...

"The Tetra Waterfall Globe is a great choice! It is spacious enough, but it easy to maintain and clean. It also has a filter (which means you do not have to clean it as often), LED lights and a waterfall for movement."

I mean at least is 1.8 gal and has a filter but I can't say its a "great choice".

The description of the 0.5 gal cube legit makes me vomit. Notice how it's all about the human and not the fish. Just a decoration, not a living being...

"MARINABetta Kit
Marina Ying/Yang Betta Kit provides a cool and trendy way to showcase your betta. It includes all the basic equipment and is perfect for first-time betta keepers.
The aquarium's chic design blends in nicely in a variety of household or office settings and is a simple way to bring a calming element to your everyday environment. With a cubed dimension of only 6", the aquarium takes up very little space and looks great on counters, desks, podiums or mounted on a wall. Size: 6" x 5.8" D x 6.1" H "

Literally brags that it "takes up very little space". This is why I like animals more than people.


----------



## Tourmaline

At least they didn't advertise the _divided_ 0.5g cube... Those are the ones under the front Betta display in my PetSmart. But ugh, I really wish they'd do some research before posting things like that. Think about it, if people knew how to properly care for them, they'd get them into the hobby. They'd be selling tons of live plants and fake plants too, most likely more tanks to house more Bettas that they'll inevitably get, and they'll have happy customers with no dead Bettas. 

I don't feel so bad buying supplies from my local Walmart because they don't even sell Bettas there. But Petco and PetSmart? I always feel a pang of guilt when I walk out of there with anything. I wish I could get to that amazing PetSmart I got Meridia from every time I needed something. They didn't even have Betta cubes under the Bettas, they had those Marineland 3g curved front ones (the one Cas is in), with heaters on a rack on the side of them.


----------



## Sadist

SilviaAndScales said:


> ...Literally brags that it "takes up very little space". This is why I like animals more than people.


It also brags about mounting the tank on the wall. Who does that?


----------



## Tourmaline

People who think fish are no maintenance decorations, not pets.. 

Merlin is impossible to get pictures of, he really is. 
View attachment 806546
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And I got a pretty good picture of Maru's little white streaks, but he'll still only give me his right side. 
View attachment 806570


I'll never understand the seeing Bettas as decorations thing. Even when I went to get my first Betta, I didn't think 'Oh hey I'm going to have something pretty in my room', I was excited because I was getting another pet. 

Oh and funny thing I found out about Maru.. He hides from other people. My father was looking at the tank and he was asking if there was even a fish in there, and soon as I went over, he darted out, saw my father, and went back to hiding.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Wow Maru has changed a lot! I remember when he had all that white. Good to hear he is doing good after his attempt at living out of water. Mizu is adorable!


----------



## Tourmaline

Hopefully he doesn't try to be a land fish ever again. I've never had a problem jump proofing the kind of tank he's in now so hopefully he can't get out even if he does try.. 

Think it would be a good idea to switch to 6 days of frozen, one day of pellets? I'm thinking about doing that since I have 3 kinds of frozen food. I want to give them brine shrimp, bloodworms, mysis shrimp, in that order for 6 days starting on Mondays, then on Sunday they get pellets instead of the frozen. 

Is two feedings of bloodworms a week too much? Should I substitute that second bloodworm feeding with a different kind of frozen food? What kind? The only other thing I've seen in the freezer at PetSmart that I don't have for carnivores is beef heart, and those carnivore mixes that have brine shrimp, bloodworms, mysis shrimp, and beef heart in them but for all that, I could just get the beef heart.

Edit: Another thing PetSmart says they sell is Krill, but I don't think I remember seeing that in their freezer but I wasn't really looking.


----------



## Tourmaline

Annnd Duke bit his fins. Perfectly in between his rays.. *Sigh* I am reminded why I said I'd only get PKs, CTs, and females now.


----------



## Tourmaline

Loooook. :crying:
View attachment 806602
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## SilviaAndScales

Dammit, Duke! We honestly need little cones of shame for biters. Merlin's flappies are fantastic! Did he somehow manage to bite the one in the last picture? How is that even possible?!?


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm not sure but I have heard of EE Bettas biting them before, so I'm pretty sure he did. He's been fin bitting a bit but it's always just one bit instead of an entire chunk. I can't believe Duke is biting.. I really hope it's a one time thing. I've never seen a Betta bite so perfectly in between every ray before, maybe it's actually just damage from something? Would something else cause that kind of damage? I figure it would be hard for a Betta to miss every single ray of their caudal biting.


----------



## SilviaAndScales

I'm not completely sure... but I know that's what my biter does, too. He only bites the fleshy part of the tail and leaves the rays stick-like and bloody. It's truly disgusting. The exposed rays either gain some regrowth around them or, if he keeps nipping at them, fall off. Duke better not do that! Or its the cone of shame! I know I saw this on this site a while back...


----------



## Tourmaline

Every time I've had a biter they shamelessly bit ray and webbing. Azure for example..
View attachment 806858

I really hope it's just damage. I finally stopped all my constant biters. :/ I said I was done with HMs for this exact reason. New rule, I only buy for personality if they're CT's, PKs, or females. They need to make little fish cones like that! >.<


----------



## SilviaAndScales

Geez, Azure really did a number on his caudal. This is what one of Laf's worst episodes looked like. See the nasty skeletor rays? Errg.


----------



## Tourmaline

Poor Lafayette..Has he let anything grow back yet or is he still giving you trouble? :/

I think Duke's case is something else. I doubt Duke has that kind of precision to bite only the webbing between so many rays and have not a single damaged or bitten one.


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## SilviaAndScales

He's doing a bit better, not pun intended. The episodes are much further apart and not as extreme, maybe one episode a month if that. He's mostly triggered by me leaving, even if it's just two days. He's quite a clingy boy haha.
I have my fingers crossed that Duke isn't biting... maybe its tears?


----------



## Tourmaline

It seems the only time I have biters is when I don't feed them on time. -.- My boys don't care about me, they care about food. That figures. At least he's improving! Just don't leave him for too long is all 

I was thinking maybe there was an incident with the filter, but I'm not sure if that would cause that kind of damage. I really just want it to not be biting, so I'm just looking for another possible reason why.


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## Tourmaline

So, Duke is biting, it's not damage. But he hasn't bitten anymore, knock on wood. 

Mizu is really marbling at the speed of light. He loses more and more of the colorless bit of his face to black every day. He's also getting a ton of blue iridescence, not turquoise like those scales but a darker blue. You can kinda see it in this first picture. 
View attachment 807106
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And he also made his first actual bubble nest! And photobombed me trying to get a picture of it..
View attachment 807130


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## PrincessSeyshells

Wow, he's a beauty! And that little fish face in the second picture~ Priceless. <3


----------



## DangerousAngel

My gosh I'm so behind on your journal, I've been a little 'stand-off-ish' here lately having to deal with my own issues with myco, so I completely understand the 'death tank' thing, now I feel like every single tank I own needs to be bleached. But I am SO sorry to hear of all the losses you've had because of that tank, it's just so devastating. I do sort of understand the 'numb' feeling when euthanizing, I know when I had to do it to Storm, I was a blubbering wreck, now, I can do it and talk to them, and not cry, even if the one you're euthanizing is a favorite. It's crazy.
If the question wasn't answered, yes, Pet Smart does carry frozen foods, that's where all mine has come from.
I'm sorry also, to hear about the jumping incident, I'm SO glad he's OK, thankfully his fins will regrow, maybe just a little funny, like Buttons' did, it was so scary, because half his caudal fell off!!


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## Tourmaline

I really miss Meridia.. :/ I wish I had tossed the tank after Namira's death instead of after hers.. I went a little paranoid after her death and almost took Duke out and bleached his tank again, just because they both carried the same thing. It's weird that Duke's tank turned out fine and the death tank went on to kill two Bettas, when I used bleach on both. Perhaps it has to do with material? Duke's is acrylic and the other is glass.. 

I know they carry frozen food, I got my Mysis Shrimp from there, and I got the Brine shrimp and Bloodworms from Petco. I just wasn't sure if they carry things like Daphnia and Cyclops, since that's not on their site. I don't remember seeing it there either, but then I remember reading about members buying that there so I don't know. 

He's been a lot more aggressive since he jumped. I just took a few pictures of him and the entire time he was flaring at nothing. Seriously, nothing. That tank isn't reflective, he just started flaring randomly when I pointed my phone at him. Hopefully his fins grow back nicely, he was one of the most gorgeous HMPKs I've seen and I went through hell trying to get his fins uncurled and back to normal again. It would be a shame for him to be left with scars, but I know that'll most likely happen.


----------



## Sadist

The freezer at my petsmart has daphnia price on it, but I've never seen any actual daphnia in there. It seems some carry it, and others don't.


----------



## DangerousAngel

That's where I ended up buying mine, maybe sometimes they have it, and sometimes they don't. I've never heard of the cyclops? What is it?

I know how you feel about Maru fins, after Buttons' fins fell off, he had a permanent chunk taken out when it grew out. He really never was the same shy/sweet boy after the jump, he became more stand off-ish, so it is very possible that the same happened to Maru.

I also, forgot to say last night, that I have to agree with you about the site, I need some help with Chili (maybe you could help, pictures are in my journal) but I'm a bit hesitant to post a thread.


----------



## Eduielil

Ugh, you're lucky to have such great shopping in the Bronx. I'm _so _jealous. I would seriously kill for a decent Petco or Petsmart. All I have is one crummy Petland (though I did get frozen bloodworms there) and a lot of small mom and pop joints that only sell cat/dog food with the occasional bird toy. My friend in the Bronx always talks about the great shopping she has around her place (she lives in Co-op City), but in Brooklyn it's a desert.

Also, I am so sorry to hear about the unfortunate jumping incident you had. All of your fish are really beautiful and I can tell that you are an extremely dedicated fish parent.Please keep us updated on how Maru is doing. I'll be hoping for the very best for you and your fish family.


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## Tourmaline

I actually live way update now in Mahopac, about 50ish minutes from the Bronx. I've lived here for about 10 months but I spent my entire life up until then in the same neighborhood in the Bronx. There we had three Petlands in walking distance but not a single PetSmart or Petco nearby. I get to Co-op pretty often because my boyfriend's father lives there, but otherwise I can only get to Yonkers now a days.  

I miss the Bronx, and I miss my old neighborhood. What I don't miss is the loud music every day of the week. xD I live in an upper middle class area now, first time in my life living in a place like this I've always lived in the not so nice areas of the city, and my god it's quiet and peaceful here, nothing like the city. The downside is there's no public transportation and everything is 10-20 miles away. 

I'm not sure how to explain what Cyclops is, I just found out about it myself. I know they're another frozen food you can feed, and I'm planning to just get as many different kinds of frozen foods as possible so I can feed them strictly frozen. The last two things I'm going to get are Daphnia, Krill, and Cyclops, whatever that is. I know Omega One brand sells the Cyclops. 

Maru is sort of back to how he was when I first got him. Maybe it has more to do with the tank change than the jumping incident, and he's just establishing his territory again. Before the tank change I couldn't get him to flare no matter how hard I tried, now he'll flare at me, a mirror, my dog, everything. Basically, how he was after he recovered from the fin melt and all the issues he had when I first got him.


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## DangerousAngel

Ohh ok, I'll have to check it out myself. With Caspian being as big as he is, I'd like to try and feed more frozen foods if he'd eat them. I'd like to see how big he could really get!

I was talking with my family about my fish and answering questions and such, and I mentioned you, and what you've been through with your 'death tank' and my grandma suggested that maybe the disease is sitting in the silicone. Could that be your culprit? If it's feasible, maybe you could scratch out the current silicone and bleach the glass again then re silicone it?


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## Sadist

I'm pretty sure cyclops are some of the weird live foods that sometimes pop up (like pond snails and planeria), or I saw live ones for sale on aquabid. I love the idea of live foods, but I have trouble keeping them alive except hiding out and eating plant roots in my tanks.


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## Tourmaline

Caspian.. One of the names from my reserve, eh? 

I've thought about that but if I did do that, I'd still need some kind of fish in there to see if it'll still cause problems or not. So if it's still infected, the fish will die and I'll be even more upset that I chanced it.. If anything I can just get a bare 5.5 and keep the hood, get another filter, and I'd need another heater. The hoods and lighting for those 5.5's cost about $20 alone.. But I'm not allowed anymore tanks so I can't even do that. :/


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## DangerousAngel

Lol I didn't even know you had a reserve! He was my 'free Betta' when I got Prince Onyx.

That's very true, I would suggest something small like guppies, or something, but it's still a little life. I wouldn't suggest selling the tank at all, I wouldn't want to give someone the same problems and risk someone losing their fish.


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## Tourmaline

The 'name reserve' started when I got Maru. I have a list of names that I don't see any other members with, and I go through that list and add to it whenever I name brainstorm. I see another fish named that, it gets crossed off my list. 

I have it on Craigslist with a really large warning that it's as is and harbors some kind of disease that killed three fish, and that it's up to the buyer if they want to chance it. I don't expect it to sell but it would be nice to have some extra cash for a few things for my tanks.


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## DangerousAngel

Ohh OK! Good idea! Sorry I took that name though XD It just kinda stuck!

Good point, and I guess it could be used as something else, or reworked.


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## Tourmaline

Some pictures, since I haven't updated this in a few days, or been on the site at all. 

Merlin finally ate some frozen foods the other day, and the next morning he had made this. 
View attachment 808641


Maru because why not. He's getting this weird patch of green on both sides of his body. You can kinda see it in that side picture. Oh and his regrowth is turning black, oddly enough. He did have a black band but it had tons of blue iridescence. 
View attachment 808649
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And Mizu because he posed as I was uploading the pictures. He's really getting hit hard with those blue scales, I wonder how that'll wind up looking with a red base color. Still refuses to spread his fins, stopped flaring completely. 
View attachment 808665


Cas finally let me get a decent picture of his color, and some nice beard action lol.
View attachment 808673
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## Sadist

I love the pictures! Merlin and his nest scattered across the tank. Silly boy! I love Cas's coloring.


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## Tourmaline

I finally managed to teach Hercules a new trick. He's a bit on the dim side, teaching him tricks is very difficult. I taught him to give me his paw, he still doesn't 100% get it and he won't do it every time right away, but he sort of gets it. 

I've learned to teach him one trick every few months or else he has no interest and won't even pay attention, but this one was one I tried teaching him when he was about a year old and he really wasn't getting it in the slightest. He doesn't have the attention span for trick learning either, his mind is all over the place, no technique for keeping a dog's attention works on him for more than a minute. 

In other dog training news, Titan learned to jump on command in less than 3 minutes and will do it consistently every time I ask. He's always been quick to learn, I just ran out of ideas for tricks.


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## ThatFishThough

Scootering or Skateboarding. ;3


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## Tourmaline

He's a bit too small for that, he's only 10 pounds. If only.. That might be a challenge even for him, even if he was big enough.

So everyone is losing their minds over Pokémon Go, and I'm just here like:
View attachment 809121

I think it's a stupid concept, I'm not interested in the slightest. Just give me Sun and Moon already.


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## Tourmaline

I think this is the longest I've been off of this site since joining. 

No real news in terms of Bettas. Duke bit a little more of his caudal, that's pretty much it. Maru's regrowth is really black, with no iridescence like it had before.. That's all I have. I might just take a longer break from the site. Maybe it'll be less dead when I do decide to come on daily again.


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## firewood04

It does seem like there are a lot of people missing from the site lately...It leaves us with big holes. Please don't be gone too long.


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## Tourmaline

I've felt so.. _off_, lately. Maybe I'm just stressed, but it's causing a major burnout. Water changed were 2 days late this week, I didn't bother turning their tank lights on for two days because I was so down I didn't even want to get out of bed.. It's not going well. And the fact that the only person I care about in my life is off to go be an idiot at boot camp for the next few months is not helping matters in the slightest. 

I really hate that I have no friends to hang out with here. I always see so many cool people up here I'd love to just talk to, but I'm way too shy and awkward to start a conversation with anyone. There's this girl at Goodwill who always talks to me when she gets off and is waiting for the bus with us, we share a lot of common interests. So does one of her friends that also works there.. Well, awkward me cannot hold a conversation for more than a minute, so that's hopeless. I just freak out about something stupid I say and dwell on it for weeks until it makes me not want to talk to anyone. 

My social anxiety is getting out of control. I do manage to get past it sometimes and start a small conversation, but it always ends quickly because I'm not good with keeping conversation, especially not with people I don't know. I'm hopeless.. I miss being young and stupid, and not caring about what anyone thought about me. I mean, I'm still young and stupid, just not as young as I was back then.


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## Sadist

I'm sorry you're having problems. Sometimes, I live just for the fish and the kiddo. I'm the only one in the family who will take care of them properly.


----------



## firewood04

I understand that feeling of not having any friends and feeling awkward about it. I have lived in Waldport for about a year, I don't work because I have a 5 year old but I am an older person so I don't fit in with other 5 year old mothers. In fact, I get called her grandma all the time.I lost my mother about 2 years ago so I don't even have her to talk to anymore. I haven't made friends here either. I don't even have friends on this forum even though I have been hanging around on here and follow a lot of threads. I do know that it will work out for both of us in time even if it is lonely right now.

My fish keep me happy and are helping me through this hard time in my life. Some days it is hard to get out of bed but I have to because of my fish and my 5 year old, oh and the 2 dogs too! There are moments when life is hard but I do know that it will get better. And I know it will get better for you. I know feeling socially awkward or saying off things makes you feel funny but you are being friendly and that will help you to break through and make friends that will fit your personality just right. You don't always have to be talking and with good friends that is understood.

I hope that you can rest enough to get out of the burn out mode and get to feeling better! Grief takes all kinds of forms and you have had some losses lately. Your beautiful fish are looking at you with those eyes even if they are just saying feed me. But I think that they enjoy our company too.


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## ThatFishThough

Aww, firewood, everyone here is your friend, wether they & you know it or not. It's a friendly community. I know that you (and Tourmaline!) are both super helpful to the fourm and it wouldn't be the same without you!

I can't say anything about social anxiety, I have minor anxiety in general, but can't relate to what your dealing with. The only thing is, don't be afraid to get help! There are lots of people out there willing to help!


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## Tourmaline

Just an update. I'll post pics of everyone whenever I can get this WiFi working, hopefully a tech can figure it out. The appointment is for Monday (Yes, I finally signed up for internet service). 

Maru seems to be developing some kind of tumor or growth on his anal fin, right below his body. I'm planning to make a thread here if it worsens anymore than it is now. He's fine otherwise, active, eating, flaring, being a nutcase. 

Mizu has marbled to hell. He's still got his pale face, but those blue scales have grown over it. His base body color hasn't changed at all, it's just those blue scales are taking over and covering his body completely. I'm hoping he doesn't develop diamond eye like what I assume was his sibling in Petco. His fins are almost all red with a black band around them now. 

Castiel has been giving me problems.. He refuses to eat. I've tried frozen food, his pellets, and my old pellets. He does have an appetite, he'll go for it, but he spits it out every time. I'm not sure what's going on with him.. His behavior otherwise is still normal, he still flares at me like a jerk every time I try to look at him. 

Meeko built his first bubble nest, and he's also started to fin bite. Not as bad as before, but the ends of his fins are a bit tattered, as if they weren't tattered enough already. He's also been flaring at me lately. He still hides from his reflection, but the person who feeds him? Flare material. 

Duke hasn't stopped fin biting. He's not the type to destroy his entire caudal, though. He just bites bits off the very top of it. I'm thinking they're just too heavy for him. I've noticed the filter bothers him too, even on the lowest setting with sponge covering the outflow. I'm thinking about switching him to a sponge filter and seeing if that helps him any.

Topaz still has eye issues. The tumor over his eye seemed to shrink and now it's growing again. I'm not even sure if it's a tumor. It didn't respond to the treatment I gave him to clear his eye infection, but it shrunk on its own over time, and has now gotten bigger again. He's also developing another bump like the one over his eye on his side. He seems unaffected by it, hopefully it stays that way. 

Merlin has been slowing down a lot, I think his age combined with his big pectoral fins and just fins in general is getting to be a bit much for him. I've noticed he rests more in his floating tube and on his little cave a lot more than he used to. He still has a good appetite and will still go nuts if I bring out a mirror, so I'm pretty sure he's fine health wise. 

Roman hasn't changed much. No issues with him. He has been bubble nesting like crazy, though. I've noticed he's still getting more and more black in his anal fin over time. When I got him, all he had was a tiny streak of black. Now, half of his anal fin is like a smoky black. Everything else is still red/cello.


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## Sadist

> Maru seems to be developing some kind of tumor or growth on his anal fin, right below his body. I'm planning to make a thread here if it worsens anymore than it is now. He's fine otherwise, active, eating, flaring, being a nutcase.


There was a thread about some super infection that started as a bump on the anal fin. http://www.bettafish.com/99-betta-fish-diseases-emergencies/701905-open-sore-decline-fast.html Here's the part I participated in. There were some earlier threads that I didn't see, but I hope your boy doesn't have the same thing. If it looks the same, maybe you can treat it early before it goes bad like it did for this person.

I hope the sponge filter helps Duke out. It's so frustrating when they eat their fins off. Good luck with the rest of your gang!


----------



## Tourmaline

I'll be honest, I completely forgot about the pictures. Everyone's still fine, Maru's little growth is still worsening despite treatment with Kanaplex so I'm not sure what it is.. Castiel started eating again, I don't know what was up with his little hunger strike. Topaz has been really slow lately. That's all for fish updates. 

I have a job interview on Friday for my PetSmart.. As much as I hate that location, I've gotten Merlin, Topaz, Meeko, Sebastian, Castiel, Namira, and Duke from there, and I used to go there at least 3 times a week. I figured I should work somewhere where my knowledge of pets can be put to use, and maybe I could even stop someone from sticking a Betta in little cubes. Knowing a few of the staff members by name is a bit of a plus, but I think I've argued with the person who's interviewing me before over Sebastian when he was still there, I recognized her voice. I hope she doesn't remember me.. And I hope I get the job.


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## ThatFishThough

Good luck!


----------



## Sadist

Good luck!


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## firewood04

I hope that you can get the job! Maybe knowing your passion for the fish will help you get the job!


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## Tealight03

Hope you get it!


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## Tourmaline

Incoming picture spam, since I can upload things quickly now. 

Maru is still as handsome as ever, his fins have grown back pretty cleanly, but they're not as long as they used to be, and his anal fin is still a bit ragged. He decided to pose for me. 
View attachment 819129
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And his bump.. He hasn't let me get a picture before but I managed to get decent ones while he was eating his dinner. 
View attachment 819145
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Mizu and his color changes. He's not much of a posing type.. Still won't flare to save his life. 
View attachment 819161
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Castiel and his crazy self. Caught him blowing a bubble, and pulling an Azure flaring at his food. He's so much like Azure.. 
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Little old Roman. He wouldn't really pose either. 
View attachment 819201


Topaz, he wouldn't give me his bad side so I could show you guys the growth he has. 
View attachment 819209


Good old Merlin. He's not much of a show off either, he just wanted his food lol. 
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Duke, man he really has messed up his caudal.. :/ It was so huge. 
View attachment 819233


And Meeko. He started fin biting again, but he hasn't completely shaved it down like before. 
View attachment 819241


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## Tourmaline

I was going to make a thread asking for advice and help with Maru's growth, but I can't make new threads because of a weird issue. I can reply to threads just fine, but I can't start new ones. Whenever I try to, like maybe 300 attachments or more (I can't tell because they never load in) pop up and freeze my browser. I'm not sure what to do now, I really wanted to ask for help with him. I contacted the admin and asked a moderator if it would be okay to create another account temporarily so I can make a thread for him.


----------



## BettaStarter24

So I'm not the only one getting pop ups whenever I use this site

Your boys are all so pretty!


----------



## Tourmaline

Oh I get pop ups and redirects too, but this issue is like it's saying I have 300 (or more) uploaded pictures on every thread I start, even though I haven't uploaded anything.

View attachment 819249


I think it has something to do with the changes to uploading pictures, that spot you can drag and drop to maybe? I haven't really been on since they made that change, and I didn't have any problems before that.


----------



## Tourmaline

Maru has a cyst. :/ Possibly hereditary, possibly triggered by trauma from him jumping out, since it appeared so soon after he jumped. There isn't really much I can do, but it's not in a place with any vital organs so he'll likely live it out until he's old and it's his time, or it might just fall off. It's actually a good thing that it grew on his fins rather than his body. Thanks to lilnaugrim for helping me figure out what it is and informing me.


----------



## Sadist

I had that list pop up after I tried (and failed) to use the "drag a file here to attach" feature, which is new for me. I was able to close the browser and attach my old way. I use a PC for this site if that helps. I'm betting they're trying to tweak new features in and running into bugs. I'm glad Lilnaugrim was able to help diagnose the problem!


----------



## Tourmaline

I _think_ I got the job. I'm not really sure, she didn't say if I did or not. I just have to do the drug test and she said they'll call me after they get the results and set up orientation and then training. I guess that means I got it? 

I mentioned the boys. She said 'Oh you're one of those. It seems like anyone who has Bettas can't have just one'. Yup xD


----------



## Tealight03

Congrats!


----------



## Tourmaline

Thank you! 

Man they had some nice females there too, and an absolutely stunning male that was labeled as a butterfly. He was $23 though.. He was royal blue with white fins, with a blue band through the middle of his fins. They had a copper devil HM female and a bad MG that I was loving. She sort of looked like Maru's coloration but with a darker blue, no white, and a deeper orange. Oh and a cute sort of marble HM/DeT male with cello fins, a white body (looked like a dragonscale), and two black spots on his side.. I'm never going to have money working there. xD


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## ThatFishThough

Pics! Pics!


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## Tourmaline

I didn't take any, I was sort of in a rush leaving so I wouldn't miss the bus since I'd have to wait two hours if I did. If they're still there the day they call me to come in, I'll take pics. The $23 male was expensive, I doubt he'll be bought.


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## Sadist

He'll probably marble his pattern to something new in a new home, too. They read gorgeous!


----------



## Tourmaline

My account is fixed! Woo, I can post threads again! I hope it wasn't too hard to sort out, it was giving me a headache trying to figure it out lol. 

Today was an adventure to take the drug test for this job.. First of all I only got 30 minutes of sleep, I couldn't sleep to save my life. I know I'm going to pass it (I'm proud to never have touched weed or anything in my life), so I'm hoping I'll have to start training soon. They told me I'd have to scoop crickets though. :s Me and bugs don't mix. And apparently that PetSmart is one of the top 10 busiest PetSmart in the north east. That'll be fun. And they've upped their game with Betta stock over the last few months, I'm going to have 50 Bettas working there, my god.. 

But yeah, I got lost today with no buses around. My uncle dropped me off, but I had to walk 3.4 miles to get to the bus stop to get home. I had to wait 1 hour and 20 minutes for the bus in the blazing sun, and then I had to connect to another bus after that one, and I had to wait 2 hours for the next bus.. I said screw it and called a cab. Running on 30 minutes of sleep through that, not fun.


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## Tourmaline

Aw, I just realized fixing my account broke all of my attachments. All of them everywhere are gone.  I guess that's an excuse to take more pictures? Lol


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## Sadist

Yes, that's a nice way to look at the problem! Sorry about the bus schedule. Maybe you can find a better one when you have more sleep.


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## Tourmaline

Well, I may get my first car soon.. It's nothing special really, it's a 98 Pontiac Sunfire Convertible. Not exactly the kind of car I wanted but it's in good condition for the price, he's only asking for $600. We're going to see it tomorrow. 

Here's three of the pics from the ad:




















No problems supposedly, he's giving it a tune up tomorrow before we come. No holes in the top, doesn't need new tires, brakes are new, shocks are good. 123k miles. What do you guys think?


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## Sadist

The mileage is great for the car's age. I'd make sure to test drive it, make sure everything is good, test the blind spots and mirrors and everything (I bought a new car without test driving it, and I hate the mirrors and blind spots, has a huge 10' blind spot, and looking manually through the window is barely enough to see enough of that blind spot to see if there's a car in the way). I hope it's good, and good luck!


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## Tourmaline

A few updates. 

First, I got the joooob! Next week I will officially be a PetSmart employee. I have to go and fill out tax papers on Friday, and I'm guessing Monday they'll start me. 

Second, we didn't get to see the car today. We didn't really arrange a day, I just assumed he'd be done with the last few things he had to do to the car today. I'm hoping he'll call tomorrow to tell us it's ready. If not, I'll just call him and see what's up. 

Third, I finally got a letter from Raphy.. It took three weeks for him to be able to send something. I haven't actually read it yet, it's still at the post office, I have to pick it up tomorrow. The dingus didn't put my name on it, so I'm not sure how I'm going to get them to give it to me. Hopefully, if I explain the situation they'll understand and release it to me.


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## firewood04

Congrats on the new job! Now maybe you will be able to influence the store!


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## Tourmaline

No update, still haven't gone to see the car, he's still working on it (I'm annoyed that he put an ad up before the car was actually ready but what can ya do). Couldn't get a ride to mail my letter to Raphy out yesterday but I'm hoping I can today. He was so brief, a tiny sheet of paper worth to tell. I on the other hand, wrote a 4 page letter.. He's going to have fun trying to decipher my horrible handwriting. xD

What made me post at all was Mizu scaring the crap out of me for the third time. He doesn't like being woken up at odd times... I sometimes turn his tank light on early if I leave it off during the day or night the day before (which is rare), and every time I've turned his tank on at this time, he's extremely pale and hiding in a corner. 

He bumps into things for about 5-10 minutes while looking deathly pale until he colors up and comes to and starts his little dance. He's the only Betta I have who does that, it's so weird.. I've heard of some people's Bettas acting weird, pale, and lethargic when they turn the lights on but I hadn't experienced it myself. It's happened twice before and he's still fine, so I'm 98% sure it's just him waking up at a time he isn't used to. Weird fish. I have to get a picture of how he looks when that happens next time, it really freaks me out.


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## Sadist

I recall reading that lights on at the wrong time can stress fish, but so far I've gotten ones that aren't bothered by what time I turn on the lights. Maybe you can get a timer for his light?


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## Tourmaline

Updates! 

I started working today, it was only from 3-7 since it's training, but I had so much fun! The staff is even nicer behind closed doors than they are on the floor (except for the Pet Care Manager who was in charge of my training and that one girl I argued with Sebastian about is still there). The person who's training me is really nice, but she wasn't in today. She'll be in tomorrow, I like her a lot. The manager working with me today wasn't really much help, I had to figure things out on my own and she wasn't doing any of the exercises that the training said to do with a manager. I like the store manager a lot too, she's not grouchy or anything she seems very laid back with the staff.

One of the girls there named Tweety (that's her actual name) was the girl who handled when I returned Namira the day she died. She recognized me surprisingly, she was in charge of showing me around the Pet Care stuff. I'm not sure if any of the other staff I've talked to there did, if they did, they didn't say anything. She was really nice too, she was telling me how certain managers are and which are the most strict, and which are more laid back. 

I'm almost done with the test, so hopefully I'll actually be able to work on the floor tomorrow. They said they'll have my shirt and name tag tomorrow so it seems likely. 

That's all for PetSmart. You know, it's super weird to be working at a place you've shopped at constantly, but also a good thing since I already know where a lot of stuff is just from shopping there so often. 


Car update! 

We saw the car. The guy managed to position the pictures in such a way NONE of the damage showed. Lots of paint discoloration/chipping on the car, the back window is taped on, lots of scratches (none of which was evident in the pictures), no dents though besides a small ding on the passenger side door. The interior was even worse, it was just falling apart everywhere you looked. Engine wise, my cousin who is a mechanic looked at it and said it didn't need much work for the price and still managed to get the price down to $400. He's going to look at it again tomorrow up on a jack to see under it and give me his honest opinion if I should buy it or not. We'll see. 

My mother is against it, she wants me to spent $1000ish on a better car instead of $400 on a cheap one, just because of the cosmetics, she thinks it looks horrible. I just need a car to get me 10 miles a day, to and from work. I don't need a good car, I just need a car to get me 10 miles a day for about a year without catastrophicly failing on me, it doesn't need to be pretty. If he says get it, I'm getting it, with or without her help.


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## Sadist

If the engine is in good shape, it's worth it. You can always put money on the side for installing the glass correctly or covering up anything pokey on the seats or painting any spot that wants to rust. I think maybe your mom forgets how it is to be younger, when it matters more that the car does the job and less that it looks nice. At mom age, you want the car to appear nice, like wearing nice clothes to an office job. At first car age, it's more important that the breaks don't fail and the transmission doesn't fall out.


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## Tourmaline

I'm not sure what happened with my cousin going to see the car, he never got back to me. Hopefully we can get this done by Friday so I can get it or not get it depending on what he says. My mother needs a car too so if I'm getting it, she has no choice but to suck it up and deal with driving an ugly beat up old Pontiac. 

So I may get another Betta... The female I saw when I went for my interview is STILL there. I say hi to her every time I go in. I'm hoping tomorrow she's still there and I'll just buy her on my break and let her sit on the register and keep me company. 

I still have Maru's old 3.5 gallon in a box in the closet, so I'll just set that up and let her stay in there until my first paycheck where I can buy her a different tank that doesn't suck and set her up with decor and plants. She'll have to go without gravel and decor until then unfortunately.. But I don't feel too bad, at least she'll have 3.5 gallons to herself instead of staying in that cup any longer. I'll just keep the lights off so she doesn't feel too horrible without any cover. If I get her, her name will be Azura (She's blue, bad MG.. Kinda close to Azure but it has the same origins as Namira and Meridia).


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## Tourmaline

I have never seen a male so disinterested in a female floating in his tank before.. Mizu is a weird one. 




















Sneak peek of the new girl, I've decided to name her Mara rather than Azura, just because Azura made me think of Azure too much. 




















I take what I said about him being disinterested back. He's flaring and being a show off. I GOT FLARE SHOTS OF MIZU HOLY HELL.


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## Tourmaline

Oh god.. I left her in there overnight (I can't sneak the tank past my father until he leaves) and what do I wake up to? Mizu furiously building a bubble nest while watching Mara and her with breeding stripes trying to get out of her cup and go towards him. No babies! I'll be separating them and getting her in her tank shortly, sorry Mizu. 

Also, I got somewhat decent pictures of Mizu flaring. He's not too bad looking, if his ventrals weren't weird and his caudal edges weren't rounded, he'd be a stunner.




















And Mara is more of a wild type than a bad MG. She looked way different in the store.


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## Tourmaline

Well here's Mara now that she's exploring her tank. I said she wouldn't have gravel or decor but I completely forgot I left the gravel in the tank in the box, and that I still have those horrible ugly plants from Petco in my fish bin. They'll do for now. I'm still not 100% sure I really want to name her that. It doesn't really suit her. 



















She's a wild type, no? I noticed she'd been fin biting in the store. It looks like she naturally has web reduction too, so hopefully that'll grow back normally.


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## Sadist

It's hard for me to tell if she's wild type or not. There's a chance her fins are infected where she bit them at the store. Hopefully, clean water will clean her up. I'm glad she didn't make it into the tank with Mizu. No babies!


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## BettaStarter24

How to explain that to parents when you suddenly have hundreds of bettas...uh...well...um...


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## Tourmaline

"Um.. It was pretty?" xD

My mother didn't even argue with me when I said I was getting her. She just asked me where I'd put it and said okay. I guess it's because I'm not asking her to buy anything. My father is going to be pissed either way when he sees another tank.

This is going to be a huge downside to working at a PetSmart that gets good Betta stock.


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## BettaStarter24

That's why I could never work at a petstore. lol.


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## Tourmaline

I wanted to work there so badly because of my love for fish, dogs, and sort of cats. I didn't realize that it will hurt my wallet in the near future. xD I already have a whole dog and fish related shopping list. Every time I see a customer come up with something I like, I make a mental note. First thing up is I'm switching my dogs to Blue Buffalo dog food, I'm getting them one of those huge boxes of Milkbones, and I'm getting Chibi (temporary name until I decide for sure) her tank upgrade. I already got her two packs of plants, so hopefully I don't need anymore of that, but I definitely need a tank that I don't absolutely despise, maybe sand since I don't like gravel, and an adjustable heater because this unadjustable one isn't cutting it. Maybe a background too if I find one I like.. Or a hideaway of some kind depending on what size tank I can fit on the stand her tank is on, I have to measure it.


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## Tourmaline

I also forgot to update on Apollo. Last week he jumped out, it was too late when he found him. Only 4 of my original gang are still with us  SIP Apollo. At least he had a home with someone who connected with him, he was his favorite Betta. 

I'm trying to encourage him to get the copper devil girl at PetSmart I saw the day of my interview too, she's still there, and she almost looked worse than Chibi on Thursday.. I had a hard time not saying screw it and taking them both home. He said he'll come get her on Monday if he likes her. Hopefully she'll have a home soon too.


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## Tourmaline

Okay.. So the issue I'm having with deciding on a tank for Chibi (still a temporary name) is that the stand her tank is on doesn't have a lot of space, and I have absolutely no where else to fit a tank, even if I had a metal stand for one. I can fit a Marineland Nook 3 on the stand comfortably, Castiel is in one of those tanks. They're not horrible, but I'd prefer something better. 

Now, PetSmart has the Fluval Chi on sale for $68. I heard not so good things about that tank, but it'll just about fit there, I need to measure it again to be sure, and she'll have 5g of space instead of 3g, but obviously it's double the price of a Nook 3.

I'm a bit iffy on what I should do.. If I spend $68 (It'll actually come out to about $60 with my employee discount) I won't have enough to get her any sand, a _good_ adjustable heater, or more decor. I could order her a cheap off brand adjustable heater off eBay, which most of my tanks have with no problems, but I don't know. I really wanted to get her a nice hideaway, and I'd need more plants to fill a square 5g.. Decisions decisions. Help me.


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## Tourmaline

The copper devil girl has a home! She was clamped and pale, but I didn't get to take a picture of her after they did a water change. She unclamped and was a bit more lively after it. I did take a picture before when she was stressed. 








I wish I could have taken her home with me instead but I'm completely at my space limit now. Her and Chibi were the sole survivors of the female halfmoon shipment.


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## Tourmaline

Her perpetually angry face is just so cute. She just looks so angry in every picture. 

























She's pretty easy to get to flare. Usually a bright object will do. I don't blame her for biting her caudal.. It looks pretty big for a female, especially compared to her other fins. I hope that tear in her dorsal heals soon.


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## Los Angeles

Check out the petco 3.7 gallon tank, it is a little smaller than the Chi, but I have one and my guy loves it. and its only $50


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## Tourmaline

I've decided to get a Marineland Portrait. I didn't want anything below 5g, I just find 5g and up easier to maintain. The Portrait is on sale for $48 on Amazon, it's 5g, it has a separate compartment for the filter that can fit a heater (major plus for me), and rail lights, which I love. 

Thank you for the suggestion though!


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## Tourmaline

Speaking of the Marineland Portrait, I'll be upgrading Cas to one eventually too. His tank is the last 3g I have (after I upgrade Chibi), and I said I would eventually, so I will. Unfortunately because of space limitations I never did.. But now since I realized there's a tank that's not wide that's 5g, I'll upgrade him after her. 

Since I mentioned Cas.. His face is just hilarious.







And Chibi's face as a bonus.


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## Tealight03

I love Chibi's little face!


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## Tourmaline

On my way out from work, someone stopped me to ask for help with Bettas.. Fun ensued, she walked out with two filtered 1g Minibows, one for each Betta (the biggest I could convince her to get, was also on sale), water conditioner, two thermometers, two heaters, Omega One food, silk plants, sand, and a male VT along with a female VT. 

I explained acclimation, water changes, water parameters (she didn't want a test kit despite me encouraging it), feeding schedule, temperature, and what kind of things to look for in a sick Betta. I hope I don't have to return any dead Bettas. Her kids seemed excited. 

That isn't technically my job to explain it (I'm just a cashier, pet care associates deal with pet care) but I actually knew something about what I was asked so I went for it. I hope I don't get yelled at lol


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## Sadist

At least she didn't get the .5 gallon with divider for those two.


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## Tourmaline

Well someone did today, they got that divided .5 gallon for one Betta. She wouldn't even get water conditioner. 

Conversation went a little like this. S is me, C is the customer. 

S: This tank is a bit small for this little girl (Betta was female). Are you going to at least get water conditioner? 
C: What's water conditioner? I think the tank is fine.
S: *Explains how they need it or will be poisoned*
C: Well how much is it? 
S: $7 (Cheapest one, basic) 
C: Wow, no, we'll get that later I guess.
S: *Judgemental look, shrug*
C: Well will she die, like, right away without it? 
S: No, she'll just die a slow and painful death while being poisoned. 

She just paid and left without saying anything else lol. I'm going to get fired.. 

Seriously, you can buy a pretty Betta.. Get the tiniest and cheapest tank we have, spent $24, and not put in $7 more to at least not abuse the damn thing even more than you already are? Moron.


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## Tourmaline

I'm going to ask my manager about how to handle people who knowingly abuse their fish and small animals and try to return them when they die, and if there's anything we can do about it.. If anything the store is losing out massively, there has to be some way to avoid losing our stock to people returning dead animals in less than a week. 

Oh how I'd love to refuse to refund a Betta for someone who sticks them in a .5 gallon 'tank' without water conditioner or even food. One can dream.. I did have a staff member warn an ex friend of mine that she would not refund the Betta he planned to try to breed if she died in the process, after advising him against it and getting no where, so maybe there is a way?


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## Tourmaline

All of the Pet Care Associates at my job are trying to get me to transfer over to Pet Care because of my knowledge of fish.. They come to me for fish questions now. Maybe I should transfer if they keep me after my seasonal time is up?


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## ThatFishThough

Go for it! Welcome questions, offer advise, and petition to stop selling betta cubes! :rofl:


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## Tourmaline

*Sigh* Maru is developing another cyst on his left gill cover.. The one on his anal fin isn't a problem but that one is. They're growing really quickly, the one on his anal fin went from pin sized to pretty huge in a month.. If the one on his gill grows at that rate, I may have to put him down after a month or two once it starts effecting him. He's my favorite Betta.. :/


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## firewood04

Oh I am so sorry about this! You seem to be having all kinds of trouble with your favorites! That is not cool at all! I so not like that!


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## Sadist

Oh man, I guess he has bad genetics to grow so many cysts so close together. I'm so sorry.

And don't worry, your customer will wash out that .5 gallon tank really well with soap 2 times a year and refill it with clean, chlorinated water *eyeroll*

I hope you get into the care department! Those stupid, itty-bitty cube things are more expensive than just buying a tank to me. A bare-bottom 5 gallon tank costs less, and then you have money left over for a heater and some floating plants. A small bottle of prime would last forever in that setting.


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## astrummortis

Tourmaline said:


> Well someone did today, they got that divided .5 gallon for one Betta. She wouldn't even get water conditioner.
> 
> Conversation went a little like this. S is me, C is the customer.
> 
> S: This tank is a bit small for this little girl (Betta was female). Are you going to at least get water conditioner?
> C: What's water conditioner? I think the tank is fine.
> S: *Explains how they need it or will be poisoned*
> C: Well how much is it?
> S: $7 (Cheapest one, basic)
> C: Wow, no, we'll get that later I guess.
> S: *Judgemental look, shrug*
> C: Well will she die, like, right away without it?
> S: No, she'll just die a slow and painful death while being poisoned.
> 
> She just paid and left without saying anything else lol. I'm going to get fired..
> 
> Seriously, you can buy a pretty Betta.. Get the tiniest and cheapest tank we have, spent $24, and not put in $7 more to at least not abuse the damn thing even more than you already are? Moron.


Hey! I wanted to put in a note about this customer service description. I did seven years of specialty retail myself, regularly converting customers who thought they'd only be spending $19.99 into spending $50.00-$79.00, and then later $150.00 kits on the first visit.

The issue here is really just not knowing how to present information in a way that will not only convince them it's necessary and healthy for the fish, but also not put up their defenses. Unfortunately, that's the #1 way to turn them off to what you're telling them. 

The fact is that the client wants the fish to live, but they don't know how. You're going to have to work through their misinformation and be patient explaining why they should or should not do what they think is right. The first thing to do is to capture some sympathy for them. They're ignorant at the best and dumb at the worst. Neither of those mean they want to hurt something. Politely, and with a smile, help them get excited so they can have enthusiasm for what you'll be teaching them. They want a fish! They want a healthy fish! They want that fish to live and to not chronically kill their pets over and over. No one wants to do that when they get a new fish, and it can be very frustrating when you don't know what you could possibly be doing wrong. It's okay, you're here to help them take the right steps to have healthy pets. 

The second thing to look out for is _how_ information gets worded. If a store rep talked to me with sarcasm, shrugged at me, or rolled their eyes, I'd tune them out pretty fast. If I felt like they were judging me at all, that's a big fat red sign as I have emotional problems about being judged, anyway (as most people do, I suspect). At that point, the transition is lost. Use more inclusive language, stay positive. The fish you're representing will love their owner, they'll be excited about food and special care from a single individual, but they can't voice their own enthusiasm, so as their representatives, we should, too. 

I know it's hard because it can feel like you're surrounded by callous jerks who don't care about anything. But really, they do care and they just don't know what they're doing and unfortunately, they'd rather not know they don't know. Make knowing a good experience, and even if they resist at first, have patience. That will help these poor little guys and gals get better homes to go back to. 

Good luck!


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## astrummortis

Tourmaline said:


> *Sigh* Maru is developing another cyst on his left gill cover.. The one on his anal fin isn't a problem but that one is. They're growing really quickly, the one on his anal fin went from pin sized to pretty huge in a month.. If the one on his gill grows at that rate, I may have to put him down after a month or two once it starts effecting him. He's my favorite Betta.. :/


Oh, no! I hadn't heard of betta getting cycsts before. Poor guy, I hope they heal!


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## Tourmaline

In my opinion, if someone can't take a minute out of their day to do _basic_ research about a pet they're going to get, they shouldn't get the pet, nor do they _want_ to know anything about how to care for the pet. If I tell someone they need this item, and they don't get it because $7 is too expensive to them, I have every right to judge them. Would you get a dog if you don't have food for the dog? No. Why should fish be any different? If you don't want to put $7 for a necessity for the fish _don't get it!_

We have 5 Pet Care Associates on the floor at a time who all know how to care for Bettas. We have care guides next to the Bettas. We have a care sheet above the Bettas. If you ignore that, I'm going to be aggressive in pushing it, because it's right there in plain view being ignored by someone that's going to torture the fish. 

Any person who gets the smallest tank we have ignoring our care advice and guides doesn't want to care for them properly, end of story.


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## astrummortis

You're right, they're wrong, absolutely. But in retail and customer service you gotta treat some people like they're regressed kids to get through to them. I don't mean to offend, but I totally understand wanting to flick everyone off when you hit the same wall over and over again. I did when I first started until I realized I could manipulate and change minds in better directions with a different approach.


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## Tourmaline

If people didn't have the mentality that they're just fish, it would be easier. Unfortunately they just don't care. It's a $3 fish and a tiny tank/bowl that costs under $10, it's just a decoration, not a living animal that deserves good treatment and a loving home. I'm done trying to steer people in the right direction. I've been brushed off with 'Oh okay' and a dumb smile too many times already. What can ya do? 

And here's the progress on Maru's cysts.. I have no idea when the one on his gill appeared. He didn't have it two weeks ago, and it's already noticeably big, it's the little white bump on the bottom of his gill, and the area around it is swollen. :/ I hate that you can't do anything about cysts.


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## st0rmyskiez

I'm sorry about the cysts. Hopefully it does not hurt. Do you think seachem stress guard will make a difference? 

On the other Conversation about customers who do not want to buy water conditioner. The fact is the fish will die without it. That is how I would present it to the customer. Honestly, I wish ppl had to sign an agreement to provide what a pet needs to survive before you could actually buy a pet. Especially for fish. 

Heres what can happen at Walmart. I had a Walmart employee sell my ex husband 2 green spotted puffer fish with a 2 gallon tank and flake fish food. He came home with the fish by surprise. This was 10 years ago. Luckily I was computer savvy and looked at the care required for puffer fish and found out that they needed oh approximately 50 gallons of brackish water, a huge tank eventually and they were carnivores. We went shopping again . 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Tourmaline

I don't think Stress Guard will make a difference. :/ There isn't much you can do about them. They'll either grow until they make him sick and unhappy, or with luck they'll fall off. On other fish you can surgically remove them, but Bettas are too small. So the only real option when dealing with cysts is to just see what happens, and euthanize them if it starts effecting their quality of life. I didn't expect him to get a second one at all.. Maybe he's just genetically prone to them. 

The good thing is he's still his usual self, for now. Hopefully I'll be able to tell easily when he's had enough and it's time. I don't think I'll buy anymore pet store Bettas. I think I'll stick to importing and buying from breeders now that I have a job to support the ridiculous shipping prices. I've just had too many bad experiences with pet store Bettas and illnesses..


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## st0rmyskiez

I understand that completely. All my fish are always pampered. I believe in maintaining very good water Quality with regular water changes. I make sure I don't pour the water directly on them. I always have live plants to improve their quality of life. My hardest experience with fish is male bettas. In my opinion they are one of the most gorgeous small fish. however they are so hard on me to keep their fins beautiful. I have had success with one out of three. We will see how long that last. I've had both of these boys about 6 month.







here is my dummy, Bubbles Who was once so gorgeous. I was told he is biting his own fins. Here is Blackie, he is so majestic and beautiful.







I need a better pic of him. I wish you and your boy the best .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Tourmaline

I've learned that things go wrong no matter how much you care for them or how well you maintain their tanks. Sometimes they just die, or get sick, and there isn't anything you can do, and it isn't your fault. Despite me meticulously maintaining my tanks, I've had quite a few deaths a few months ago that really burned me out, no more recently though (knock on wood). My first betta is still with me, through thick and thin, and beginners mistakes, I've had him for 11 months now. The fin biters though.....

I have my fair share of fin biters. I had pictures of how badly they all destroyed their fins, but they disappeared after I had my account fixed. I can name how many of my past and present bettas are fin biters, though. Let's see.. Azure, Topaz, Merlin, Meeko, Maru, Duke, and Sebastian. They all had a taste for fins, to my dismay. Chibi bit her fins in the store and hasn't again since bringing her home, so I'm not really counting her episode. A bit luckily, the only CT I've had hasn't tried biting his fins off yet. I might post pictures I have of the biters again just to show how sad and horrible they made themselves look.

I need to repost the pictures I had put up of everyone, since they got removed. I'll do that in a separate post.


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## Tourmaline

In order of acquisition, well, the ones that are still alive.. (Same pictures as before, too lazy to take new ones) 

Merlin (fin biter):














Topaz (fin biter):








Meeko (fin biter):








Roman:








Maru:














Castiel:




















Duke (fin biter):








Mizu:














Chibi:


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## Sadist

Oh, my Mr. Fish really destroyed his fins. In one bout of nervousness after tank transfer, he bit his caudal down to just 1/4 of a inch long and even bit his ventrals down to almost nothing. One was just a muscle stub that showed regrowth before his tumor started interfering with his life too much.


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## firewood04

My Elijah Blue trimmed his fins down after a water change...his beautiful fins. Sigh!


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## Tourmaline

I got paaaid! Woo. So it turns out the store gives weekly pay rather than bi-weekly, and they lost my first paycheck.. Nice job, PetSmart. I had my second paycheck set for direct deposit so that one didn't get lost, luckily.

Things I've gotten so far: 
-A Marineland Portrait for Chibi (Still on sale! Only cost me $53)
-An adjustable heater for Chibi (50w)
-A battery powered gravel vacuum (Mine broke months ago, water changes have been hell so I'm getting another one, these are the most useful things on the planet)
-A digital thermometer (For quicker water changes, matching temps takes the most time because of slow thermometer adjustment, and it was only $3)
-A magnetic clip on thermometer (I love those things)

Things I need to get (Pending tank delivery): 
-Either tan sand like Maru's tank or black sand, I'm not sure (Tank has a black background, suggestions? Sand only)
-Live plants! (Trying them again once I see how strong the stock light is)
-More silk plants, if not live plants
-A nice, tall centerpiece hideaway, maybe driftwood if I find one I like (Since tank is tall)
-A Mystery Snail (Maybe)
-Stress Guard (I'm hoping it'll help with the fin biters, not a priority)

Anything else I should get? I'm doing something different with this tank. If it works, I'll try fixing my other tanks to my liking eventually. It's not necessary right now, my other tanks are fine for the fish, it's just me being picky, so it can wait.


----------



## Sadist

I like black sand, but I'm not sure if that would be too dark with the dark background, too. Tan might look better with driftwood. I've seen some people mix black and white sand to get a salt and pepper look that I thought was nice, too.

Good luck, and congratulations on the pay check that came in!


----------



## Tourmaline

Oh, and I've decided my next Betta will either be a giant HMPK (apparently they can live in a 5g if you keep up with water changes?), a black or red dragon HMPK, or a Platinum CT or PK. Whichever I like most of all the Bettas on Aquabid or eBay, I'll go with. I really want to try importing and see how it works. I saw a giant that's calling my name.. Unfortunately I don't have a tank for him.


----------



## ThatFishThough

I have a Giant Platanium White HMPK Female. She's 2" including fins (So, more of a "Queen"?) I need to disband my sorority. She does have a deformed upper lip because of Columnaris, but it doesn't hurt her appetite! I would prefer her not to go to a sorority, but she could.

[[She's so hard to get a pic of. I don't have good ones on my computer right now; I will upload them later. These are from when I first got her.]]

(I know, you don't want petstore bettas anymore. I've had her for 8+ months with no problems other than Columnaris, which started with a group of new Cories that I didn't QT long enough.)


----------



## BettaStarter24

DangerousAngel was rehoming a Red Dragon HMPK I believe. Giants are fun. I like mine. Though I would recommend at least 10g for optimal growth and space.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm looking more for a Betta that's 2" BO, and younger (like 2-4 months). That giant I saw on eBay is gorgeous, he's almost 2 1/2 inches BO.. And $41 with shipping, not an import. 

I won't be getting any for a while though. I don't think I'll have another open tank unless something happens, and I'm hoping Maru's cysts don't get bad enough that I have to euthanize him anytime soon. I don't want to lose anymore favorites to stupid things..

I did see her red dragon but I can't commit to adopting a Betta I don't have an open tank for. If only I had space..


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm a bit stressed.. Hercules has an issue with his left ear, I'm thinking an ear infection. He's shaking his head a lot, and when I tried looking in his ear, he started crying. When I tried putting an ear drop in, he started screaming when I tried putting the tip in his ear, so I gave up on that. I called the vet at my job and scheduled an appointment but the earliest they had is for Thursday. They told me to check in on my breaks and see if anyone canceled so they can give him an earlier appointment. I'll have to see if my manager is willing to work with me and schedule my lunch break at the time of his appointment so I can be there with him instead of letting my mother deal with him and everything else.

I honestly don't have the money for an expensive visit right now, they did say I'll get a discount since I work in the store, though. Next paycheck is more than enough because it'll be two in one since they owe me a week already, but right now I don't have enough. Luckily, the examination is free, and I'm hoping the medication is less than $100, or I'll have to see if they'll take some payment now and some next week. 

Right after I spent a ton on gifts for them. I bought them treats, tags since they didn't have any with this address, toys, and new beds.. Who would have thought.


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## Sadist

Poor little guy! I hope things work out with the vet visit.


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## Tourmaline

I managed to get some drops in yesterday and he seems fine today. I'm not sure if I should just keep trying the drops and see if he gets better or just fork out a small fortune to the vet..


----------



## Tourmaline

So I've sort of unofficially adopted DangerousAngel's red dragon PK. x.x I mean I'm adopting him so I guess it's official, but he's not being shipped to me yet and I'm waiting to pay for his shipping and stuff, so that's why I say unofficial.

Remind me to just pretend the marketplace doesn't exist... Now I need to think of another somewhat creative and original name. Time to brainstorm.


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## BettaStarter24

Glad to see he is going to a wonderful home! (not that anyone else through here who might have adopted him wouldn't give him a good home...I just like to see that he's spoken for). When he is shipped to you and you do recieve him I look forward to pictures! 

Hope your puppy feels better!


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## Sadist

Awesome! I'm glad she found a good home for him.


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## Tourmaline

Chibi's new tank came in. It needs taller plants, I was going to buy a pack of 12" plants and a tall dragon decoration but I wanted to measure the exact space I had to work with including the sand and partition for the filter before getting it. I'm picking up the taller plants tomorrow and I'll need to measure that dragon before getting it to make sure it'll fit.









She stress striped to hell when I took her out of her tank, she wasn't even blue anymore. She's back to normal now, I can't tell if she likes the change or not. It's the same width as the 3.5g, it's just about 4 inches taller.


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## Tourmaline

So, the new guy will be on his way to me on Monday (so excited)! I'm thinking about naming him Kasai, but I haven't decided, I kinda want to meet him first. Here's a picture I totally didn't steal from @DangerousAngel  He came out too cute to not post.


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## Tourmaline

So I may have gone overboard....


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## Tourmaline

Oh.. I bought a car today. >_> I love it. Seriously, I love it. I love the model, I know the car inside out already. Thank you racing games lol. 

Its a 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT, great condition. Unfortunately I forgot to snap pictures before it got dark so uh..













I really need to put its wing back on.. The back looks weird without it. The guy took it off. I left a deposit, and we're driving it home after I get home from work.


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## firewood04

Congrats on your new car!


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## Sadist

Congratulations on the new car! I love the tank, too. Can't have too many plants unless they get crowded and kill each other.


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## Tourmaline

I AM SO EXCITED. Work needs to be over already! 

Chibi really likes that dragon. She's calmed down a ton since fixing the tank, before she would glass surf in the 3.5g, and before I put the new stuff in. Now she just calmly swims around. She likes hiding in the dragon's mouth, I need to try to catch a picture of her doing that. Totally worth the amount I spent on it lol. 

I ordered NorthFin Betta Bits. I liked the ingredients, hopefully they'll like it more.


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## Tourmaline

I have my car.. It's in my driveway. I don't think it's quite hit me yet that I own a car, maybe when I wake up and start cleaning it out it'll actually hit me. I'm going to work on the brakes either tomorrow or Sunday, hopefully (they're REALLY bad, we got the price down because of that). After that it's actually driveable, and we can go get it insured and registered. My father said he'd help me put the wing back on on Monday, since he's off. I need to wait until then to take good pictures of it, it's bugging me that it's off of it.


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## Tourmaline

Kasai is on his way to me! He should be here Wednesday. I have his tank prepared for him already. I've had Pearl (Mystery Snail) in there helping me keep it cycled for a week now, the cycle seems stable still. I bought a pack of those red silk flower plants Meeko and Castiel's tanks have, they were on sale for $3 at my job today. Hopefully he likes them. 

I may not keep the name Kasai, I haven't adopted a Betta without a name before, and I usually meet Bettas and then name them after a day or two, so we'll see if that really fits him or I come up with something else once he's here. 

News on the car.. I'm going to be spending a ton getting this thing safe to drive. All of the brakes need replacing. Originally we thought it was just the rear brakes, but nope.. The rotors AND brake pads front and back need to be done. Yippee. -_-


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## Sadist

Lots of work!


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## Tourmaline

My worst fear came true.. Meeko is no longer with us. His heater cracked during a water change somehow, I have no idea how. When I came back with the bucket full of water, I saw him floating. When I stuck my hand in his tank to see what was wrong, it shocked me very badly and I realized what had happened. I thought I heard a pop but I didn't realize what it was. I'm not sure if it would have made a difference if I had noticed right away either way.. I'm so upset.. I was always scared something like this would happen, and it finally did.


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## BettaStarter24

I'm sorry! That sucks...my roomie's crowntail was found today stuck to the filter with all his fins ripped off. It seems like today is a day for accidents...If it makes you feel better he probably passed immediately and didn't suffer much.


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## firewood04

I am so sorry that Meeko swam to beneath the Rainbow Bridge tody. It is so hard when this happens. I hope you weren't shocked too bad. Know that you tried so hard but you can't account for accidents that happen. SIP Meeko!


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## Sadist

:-( I'm sorry.


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## DangerousAngel

NOOO! OMG I'm so sorry!! That's so scary! It must have been a malfunction of some sort :-( 
S.I.P Little Meeko <3


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## Tourmaline

I contacted the supplier and she said it might have been because it was on before I unplugged it, and it didn't cool down enough before I started removing water.. She refunded me the amount I paid for it even though I bought it months ago. I've always unplugged it and started taking water out right away, and it took this long for something to happen. :/ I have to get a replacement heater today before I leave work.


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## DangerousAngel

That's so strange. :/ I don't even unplug mine before my water changes (mostly because the water line stays at a safe level on the heater.)

I'm dying, did Kasai make it OK, has he come in yet? I've been so nervous!


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## Tourmaline

He's out for delivery. I was going to pick him up in the morning but they sent him for out for delivery at 8am before I could even call, and they said they couldn't do anything about it since he's already on the truck. The mail gets here around 2-3pm so he should be here within the next 3 hours. I'm hoping he comes in before I leave for work, or I'll have to instruct my mother on how to acclimate him and look for things wrong. I already briefed her just in case. She was here when I got Roman, so she gets the idea already. 

He's going in Meeko's tank temporarily since it has lots of plants compared to the 3.5g. I just did a large water change in the tank to prepare, dosed it with Stress Guard, and I put the adjustable heater that was in the 3.5g in the tank until I can get a replacement for the killer heater. I'm hoping I'll be here to meet him.


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## DangerousAngel

Sounds good! I'll stalk your journal around that time to make sure I don't miss it LOL!


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## Tourmaline

He made it safe and sound! My mother acclimated him and he ate and trying to eat everything in the tank according to my mother lol. She said he was trying to knock his way out of the bag to explore  I'd say he made it just fine.

I didn't update sooner because it's been busy at work.


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## DangerousAngel

That's great to hear!! I'm so happy he made it OK!!
That sounds like him though, he LOVES eating! XD


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## Tourmaline

Ahhhh he's so handsome _oh my god_! He's flaring up a storm at the back of the tank. A bit shy, he's hiding from me, but he seems very healthy despite his journey. Roman was in much worse shape than him after being shipped. 







I take that back about hiding from me. He came up to me when I wiggled my finger in front of the tank, and promptly flared at me lol.












 @DangerousAngel I _love_ him, he seems like a great catch already. I'm glad I jumped on adopting him when I did. Thank you so much for saving him and giving me the opportunity to call him mine!


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## DangerousAngel

I'm SO happy you love him so much already! I did forget to say that he likes to come up when you put your finger up to the tank XD He looks great! He looks so happy! I'm so glad you got to take him!


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## Sadist

I'm so glad you found a home for him so quickly!


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## st0rmyskiez

Sorry to hear about ur betta. Lesson learned here. I'll never buy a glass or preset heater again! Good luck with everything else. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Tourmaline

More pictures of Kasai, he's a lot more friendly today. He comes straight up to me when he sees me now rather than hiding. Every time he flares, my heart melts a little lol. I get the same little feeling with Cas and Maru.


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## Tourmaline

Why did I look at Petco's website..? The Marineland Portrait is on sale for $48 again. Let's see.. Do I upgrade Cas this paycheck and spend another $100 or so on the tank and taller decor, or finally insure and register my car? Decisions, decisions.. If I upgrade Cas, I don't have to move Kasai to give Cas more space. I think Kasai is already settled in Meeko's tank, I kinda didn't want to move him now anyway. 

And maybe if I upgrade Cas, I can get that black orchid CT that's $20 at my store and keep him in Cas's tank? No? Bad idea? I feel like that's a bad idea. His form is amazing.. I keep waiting for someone to buy him but no one has. I tried to encourage a Betta guy that came in today to get him but he said $20 was too much for a pet store Betta.


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## Tourmaline

Every time one of my Bettas dies, another follows.. I don't understand it. Topaz passed away while I was at work. Roman is fine, so I don't know what caused it. He had been slowing down a lot and just laying on the sand most of the time lately, but I figured he was getting old, not that he was dying. My second ever Betta is no longer with us. :/ I hope this death chain ends here.. Not like last time. I'm already feeling sick to my stomach.


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## ThatFishThough

SIP Topaz. *shhh!* He was always my favorite.


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## Tourmaline

Last time the multiple deaths were caused by something, there was a bacterial outbreak just killing every Betta who I made the mistake of putting in a tank/accidentally exposing to the bacteria. This time it's just like.. "Hey, you lost one Betta to an accident? Well, screw you! One of your oldest Bettas is going to die for no reason at all!"

I'm more angry than upset. Actually, I don't think angry is the right word. I'm extremely frustrated, and I'm sick of adding names to my SIP line in my signature. It's not even one line anymore, it's onto a second line.


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## DangerousAngel

Noo! Not Topaz!!! Awww I'm SO sorry! I hope this rash of losses comes to an end, I understand the frustration all to well. :-( SIP Sweet Topaz.

Kasai looks so good though! Nothing makes me happier!


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## Tourmaline

Oh, and I did buy Kasai a big ridiculous red plant today that he likes a lot. The open space in that particular tank has been bugging me for a while, and my store had this big red silk plant on clearance so it only came out to $3.37. I figured that was a good thing to help add some cover for the price. I also picked up a replacement for the killer heater that was also on clearance, a 50w National Geographic adjustable heater that was $14 after my discount. I think I did good today, every time I'm working the floor I get dangerously tempted to buy stuff lol. Let me stay on the register, dammit! 

His ridiculous new plant. 








I may pick up that black orchid CT if he's still there in the morning. He's been there for two and a half weeks already, no one wants him because of his price. :/ He should only be about $16 after my discount. I switched Duke to Topaz's side of the 10g to see if that helps stop his fin biting any. His 5g is open to a new resident now.. It's a maybe. I'll have to see if he clicks with me, not just looks wise. I wanted my first CT to be a black orchid but it didn't happen thanks to Cas being a show off, I don't really want to jump on him just because he's what I wanted.


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## Tourmaline

He's still here, and he's looking pretty rough. I think pet care skipped out on the water changes yesterday and they're all suffering. I said screw it and put him to the side with my name on it, he's been here for too long already and no one is going to buy him, so I might as well if I have the space. I'll post pictures when I get him home and set up, he is quite handsome, albeit a bit tiny. I think he's stunted from the cup. He's also very underweight so I have to see if he has any real problems, like parasites. I'll see when I get off work. I still have another 6 hours here.


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## Tourmaline

Let's see.. Names? Lucian? Niko? Ninja? Eh, I don't know. He's not particularly friendly or aggressive, we'll see how he turns out once he's comfortable and in better shape.


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## DangerousAngel

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Kasai's tank! It's so darn pretty!! I like the new red plant you put in there with him!

Congrats on your new boy, he's a real cutie! I personally like the name Niko, he looks like a Niko to me, or maybe a Lucian.


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## Tourmaline

I finally got around to getting another pack of frozen bloodworms..

Kasai was 'killing' them before eating them. He'd swim around with them in his mouth, shaking them until he was satisfied enough to eat it. I love it. He's so aggressive with food yet he's sweet with people (minus that flare he gave me the first time he came up to me). He hasn't done that again, he just greets me now. Oh, and he made a bubble nest! I'll have to get a picture of that. 

I'm not sure what's going on with the new guy but he was sort of interested in the bloodworms and sort of not. I had to wiggle them around to get his attention, and he'd bite at it and just let them fall while watching them. He ate two that were cut in half, two whole ones fell, and he ate the ones that fell about 10 minutes later when he found them. He's just not very responsive in general, but at least he's eating. He sort of just mopes around his tank all the time, and it seems like he struggles to take air from the surface, he does it frantically not calmly like everyone else. He sort of darts his mouth up 10 times before finally getting air. I'm concerned..

I'm going to try just doing a water change. I had just done one the day before moving Duke, so it's not due for one yet, but maybe it'll help.


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## Tourmaline

So he finally had a reaction to a mirror. Before he'd just lay there without acknowledging it at all, but he flared at it this time. And then I noticed he either doesn't have a full beard membrane, or can't extend the other side. Despite numerous flares, he only flares out his left side. I tried to get pics but he's a darting flarer. You can kind of see it in the first two pictures. 


























And Kasai's bubble nest I said I'd get a picture of. He won't go any bigger than that, he's just maintaining that size lol. 








And of course after I say he doesn't flare at me anymore.. xD I was trying to get a picture of his face since he was staring at me. Why is he so handsomely grumpy?


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## DangerousAngel

New boy's flare is adorable! It may take some time for him to be able to flip out him whole beard, maybe it's not used to being stretched. I know Zanzibar was like that for a little while after I got him.

Kasai is killing me with his adorableness! The second picture is too cute!


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## Tourmaline

While looking on Amazon for Betta related things, I found this.. https://www.amazon.com/Betta-Splend...TF8&qid=1475518755&sr=8-8&keywords=live+betta

They ship you a completely random Betta for $10. Why do I feel like that's a _terrible_ idea? I will give them credit though, their care description isn't nearly as bad as most of the things I've seen.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Part of me is tempted to try it to see what I get but at the same time I like to see the fish I'm getting before getting the fish.


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## Tourmaline

I'd say there's a 90% chance it'll be either a turquoise or red VT. It doesn't say anything about females, so I'm assuming they only ship males. I'm slightly interested too but I don't want to wind up with a Betta I don't click with. :/ Maybe one day I'll try it.


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## BettaStarter24

That's my fear exactly. That I wouldn't click with the betta.


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## DangerousAngel

What a cool idea, but I'm with both of you, I would hate to drop the money, and get him in, and not have a connection with him.


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## Tourmaline

Maru is starting to slow down a bit, guys.  He doesn't get as excited when he sees me anymore, he's a lot more laid back. That's not him, he's a crazy fish. I think the cyst on his face is starting to bother him, he can't flare out his left side anymore either. I don't know what to do..


----------



## Sadist

:-( Is he still able to eat? I had to euthanize a fish with the same problem when he couldn't manage to eat well. It's up to you to judge his quality of life and go from there.


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## Tourmaline

He still _tries_ to eat. He'll spit it out sometimes, but he'll keep going after it until he gets it. I'm going to see how it goes, and once he can't eat at all I'll make a decision. :/ He's my favorite..


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## Sadist

I'm sorry. It's heartbreaking to lose them.


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## Tourmaline

I wonder if pellets would be easier or harder for him to eat than frozen. I've only fed the new pellets to him twice, and he didn't have any problems eating them. The NorthFin Betta Bits are very tiny, but would Omega One mini pellets be easier? I heard that they're softer. 

I really don't want to have to euthanize him.  I hate cysts.


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## Tourmaline

Maru is still managing to eat. I realized I never did officially say what the black orchid's name was, I named him Lucian. He's still pretty unresponsive, I guess that is just his personality after all. Kasai lost some scales on his head somehow, it's not bad and it's not a wound or anything so I'm hoping they'll just grow back.

No pictures until further notice, phone camera broke.


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## Sadist

Glad everything is chugging along.


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## Tourmaline

I did a bad... Again. I maaaay have brought home a fiesty blue, white, and red Marble HM with red lipstick, along with a temporary 1g mini bow tank for him.. I couldn't say no, I tried resisting him for a week and I lost the self control today when I saw someone almost buy him and put him back. He's fin biting too.  He's too handsome. 

I'm going to try finding my old iPhone to take pictures of him. I need to show some pictures of Kasai and Lucian too so I'll see what I can do.


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## Tourmaline

Can you blame me for losing self control? Look at that bright red lipstick! I can't, it's too cute. 



























I'm going to wait until feeding time for the other pics, I need to get a picture of Kasai in 'kill everything' mode xD


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## Tourmaline

Think I can get away with keeping him in a 1g for a bit if I make it planted? It has a very low flow filter and an okay LED, I kinda wanna get a bunch of java fern and crypts and plant them to help with the water quality between changes. I might just upgrade him to a 2.5g rather than a 5g, he's on my very tiny computer desk that's just sort of a ledge.. But I kinda like having a betta up here keeping me company since I spend my days off here. I think a 2.5 would fit up here too, I'm just not sure about the weight limit. I might just get the 2.5g mini bow tomorrow and see if it fits, and set him up and return this 1g on Wednesday. I kinda didn't plan this out, I bought the tank without any ideas where to put it, so I bought the minimum I'd ever put a betta in, and it just worked out there. I was hoping I'd be able to find somewhere to put another 5g when I got him, but I don't think that'll happen.

I never realized how tiny 1g tanks are until I actually had one out of the box.. I feel pretty bad, but I guess this is better than a cup or being bought to be put in a Betta falls or divided 0.5-0.8g like people wanted to do to him. I still feel pretty bad about a 2.5g, but at least I can have a decent cycle in one, and I don't have to change the water every other day until it cycles like this one.

I stuffed those red flower plants I have in Kasai's tank into his tank for now, since I had a spare pack of them. He calmed down almost immediately, he had been hiding in the back or in the corner since I put him in the tank, he seems okay now. He's actually swimming around and not trying to eat the side of the filter, at least. Man, I really feel bad about this tank size..


----------



## Sadist

Wow, what a cutie! I'm surprised he didn't follow you home when he first came home. You could always adopt him out to someone knowledgeable here!

I now what you mean about the 1 gallon size. They are super tiny, and they're also hard to cycle. It's probably a surface area thing, probably have some tiny 1 inch square for the filter media. I did see a journal here a few months ago where someone did a silent cycle on a 1 gallon. They used dirt and plants (no filter), and by the end of the cycle, there was live food. It can be done, but I'm not sure how much effort it would take in a normal 1 gallon tank with those tiny filters.

I have to say I hated the 2.5 minibow filter. Just the way it was set up is really stupid. After a while, I threw away the filter and moved the tank to a window for lighting. The lighting might work okay for low light plants, but not with the filter in the way. I think you'd be better off with a 2.5 rectangle tank (if it fits) and some sort of adjustable filter and lots of plants. You could probably make shift some cheap lights easily on a tank that small (MammaJ and I both use clip on lights with daylight bulbs with good success).


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## Tourmaline

I actually like him, I'll find some way to make it work. He's friendly, handsome, and cost me $18 lol. I don't think I'll adopt him out. 

The filter on this 1g is actually pretty decent, so is the lighting. It's not an Aqueon Mini Bow, it's a Top Fin Mini Bow. My store doesn't carry the Aqueon ones anymore either. I'm going to get some dirt and a bunch of plants today and stuff it, if the 2.5 is too big. I'm going to ask to just open one up and measure it. 

Oh and I got another Tiger Nerite yesterday too, and I asked my Co worker to throw in a Ramshorn snail that caught my eye, I don't want anymore Mystery Snails, too much waste, so Kasai has a pet Ramshorn now.

An idea of what the filter for this tank is like, honestly it's not a bad tank.. Just small.


----------



## Tourmaline

I bought the new guy the 2.5g version of the tank, white sand substrate, and a few live easy live plants. I'm hoping he'll be okay without a heater for a few days, when I had the unadjustable one in his tank, it was getting way too hot. Without the heater, it was at a steady 84ish degrees, so I'm hoping this 2.5g will be around the same. Worst case scenario, I'll just use the unadjustable one and monitor the temperature until Saturday when the adjustable one is supposed to come in. I'll post some pictures once the tank clears up a bit, and the bubbles go away. So probably tomorrow or later tonight. 

Funny story.. I have multiple managers, and one of them hates me and everyone, the rest are really nice. I'm on her poop list even more now. In casual conversation with a person in Pet Care, I mentioned buying a new Betta after asking about dirt substrate and if we had a smaller bag. Donna (the manager who hates me and everyone) mentioned she was going to buy a gorgeous Betta today to her, but he wasn't there anymore. I asked the Pet Care associate which one Donna wanted, curious if it was the new guy, and she said it was the Premium with the pink lid, the guy I bought. I just kinda shuffled away and the Pet Care lady said, "Oh, you bought him!" loud and laughed, and my manager went from smiley (she was stocking in the aisle I was standing in) to giving me a death glare, and saying something about not being able to filter a 2.5g and then staying completely silent while glaring at me.

So many people at my job wanted him. xD Two people in Pet Care, one was waiting until Friday, the other was waiting until we got a new shipment in, and the manager that happens to hate me. Guess he's popular?


----------



## Tourmaline

His new tank, and a picture of him trying to eat some roots. I don't even know what those red stemmed plants are to be honest. They look like Water Wisteria, but they weren't labeled that on the packaging.


----------



## DangerousAngel

I adore him, and his setup! I know what that plant is, but I can't remember the name of it, I had some a while ago!

Can I ask you if you know why Pet Smart has those 'Premium' Bettas? Are they from a special breeder or something, what sets them apart from the rest besides price? I've seen so many that I've wanted, but the price is a real turn off. :/


----------



## Tourmaline

We don't even know what separates them, honestly. I have asked in the past before I worked there, and they come pre-labeled by the supplier, the store itself doesn't decide what they're labeled as. We can't even change the label if it's incorrect, because it'll mess with our stock and what we need to order. I think they just slap premium on any Betta that's pretty, because they're likely to sell for more. 

Every premium in my store has been a nice color, usually a marble like this new guy. The other premium we had recently was Lucian, and he's a black orchid CT, not too common in stores from what I've seen.


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## Sadist

Well, I'm glad you managed to get him before everyone else did! He's a gorgeous guy.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm going to get another Anubias Nana today to fill in a little spot on the left side of his tank. Maybe two so I can float one, I don't know. I wish they had regular ones instead of the tubed ones, but our store doesn't have a plant tank like other PetSmarts I've been to. Petco does, but I don't think my mother will let me drive 30 minutes to Petco and another 30 back without a fight, and she can't drive up there herself because the roads are pretty curvy. Annnnnd I don't trust her with my car, she has a track record for damaging cars after a week or two of owning them, so no.

That red stemmed plant is labeled as "Temple Compacta" on the packaging, I found the tubing. Anybody know how easy they are to care for? I looked it up and it didn't give me much info, it just said they do well in any lighting conditions but grow bushy in high light. I only really got it because it came with 12 stems for $10. It also said something about root tabs? I don't have 12 for all of them but I have 8 left, I just don't want to waste them since I have two swords now, an Amazon Sword and an Amazon Compacta.

I'm going to make his 2.5g moderately-heavilyish planted to hopefully make up for the small tank size.


----------



## Sadist

You might be able to just do root tabs right next to each plant. Maybe one on each side of the plant, depends on how they're spaced.

One thing I've seen at stores with anubias is tying them to suction cups. Than, you can put them up higher and keep them in place.


----------



## Tourmaline

I just stuck all the root tabs in there between them.. They're not expensive and I want this tank to grow into a jungle. 

They didn't have any decent sized Anubias so I got a small Anubias Congensis, and an Amazon Sword that came with two separate plants, surprisingly. Even though one of them was mostly dead. Does it look any better?








By the way, I highly recommend this tank. I thought I'd hate it but I really like it. They come in a 1g, a 2.5g, and a 3.5g. The 1g and 3.5g tanks are on sale in every PetSmart but the 2.5g is not. The 1g is $17 in my store, and the 3.5g is I think $26.


----------



## Sadist

It does look better! I'd hold off on adding more and see how the current ones handle the light. They could fill that tank up and make trimmings for other tanks if they like the light and root tabs! Usually, I say, "You can never have too many plants!" but we don't want any to die from light starvation


----------



## Tourmaline

Yeah, I'm not buying anymore unless these swords and temple plants survive. I read that Temple Compacta can live in low light, but lilnaugrim says they'll probably die without a correct spectrum light, same with the swords. It's either I find a planted tank light that works with this tank, or I just hope the stock light and overfeeding them root tabs helps them.

The new guy still doesn't have a name, I really can't decide on anything for him. The only names I've liked for him were Wolf, Cyrus, Quincy, and Bandit, but none of those stuck really.


----------



## Tourmaline

Maru wasn't looking too good when I left for work this morning. He was laying in his little cave just being mopey. He didn't eat this morning either, or even acknowledge me. I'm going to consider euthanizing him if he's still bad when I get home, I hate seeing him like that.

There's a good shipment of Bettas out at my job. Two of the new guy's siblings are out. One is a copper butterfly with a white head, the other is like the new guy but with no black scales, and no red, just white and blue. 

Cute female HMs galore too.


----------



## Tourmaline

Maru passed away while I was at work. His decline was really quick, I'm surprised that he went on his own. I was hoping he'd be a little better by the time I got home and willing to eat, he didn't seem to be dying, just lethargic.


----------



## DangerousAngel

OH NO!! I'm so sorry! SIP Maru! :-(


----------



## firewood04

SIP Maru! I am so sorry!


----------



## Sadist

Aww, poor boy. Sometimes, they just go quickly. They're so small, even hardy species can just poof! away.


----------



## Tourmaline

Does anyone want a very small cellophane HM girl with some black specs? She's melting my heart. We also have a red cambodian girl whose fins are so light they're hot pink. They're both "barely past Petco baby Betta" age.


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## Sadist

I wish I could take them, but I don't have room :-(


----------



## firewood04

I don't have a place either


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## Tourmaline

I bought the cello girl. I'm not sure if I'm keeping her, but she wasn't looking good and I made the mistake of bringing my dogs in on my day off for our Halloween event. The pinkish cambodian girl doesn't look great, she's floating around. I don't have room to house them both, unless I divide Maru's tank until I can find someone to take at least one.


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## Tourmaline

Here she is. I may be rehoming her so if anyone is interested let me know. I haven't decided yet, though, so no promises. She is so tiny and oh my god she's so adorable. She's even smaller than Meridia was.


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## Tealight03

Aww she's adorable (closes browser window and runs away...). 

It would be impossible to work there! I would bring them all home.


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## Tourmaline

So I decided to keep the cellophane girl.. I also decided I'd go get the pink cambodian and a 2.5g for her, but she wasn't there anymore. But uh.. I did pick up this guy... Since, you know, I already committed to buying a tank when I walked in the store and.. Yeah, I don't have any excuses. Damnit PetSmart, stop getting premium Bettas!







.... It's happening. I lost all self control. Dx


----------



## Tourmaline

Aaaand cellophane girl has ich. Starting treatment now, cranked the heater up to max, threw a Jungle Parasite Tab in there. 

To top that off, my dog knocked over my bottle of Prime and it spilled everywhere. I don't think I screwed the cap back on last time I used it. Not only does my room smell HORRIBLE, but now I have no water conditioner to set the new guy up. -_- Kill me please. 

I'm going to temporarily divide Mizu's tank, his is the only tank that doesn't have a female in it that's 5g, wide enough, and has enough plants to cover the divider. It's only until tomorrow morning, he'll be fine. I have a sheet of craft mesh and those plastic spine things I can't remember the name of handy for stuff like this, I learned my lesson after what happened with Sebastian way back when.


----------



## Tourmaline

Holy dorsal. Him and Bandit (other new guy) have ridiculous sized dorsals, but Bandit's fins are more evenly sized, and Bandit is a HM and this guy is a RT. I also named the cello girl Meera, I hope her ich clears up quickly.


----------



## Tourmaline

Change of plan, the new guy is going in a 5g tank that I'll somehow find room for. Goodwill has one for $10, and my mother (she's a manager) is putting it to the side in the morning for me. 

And because he's adorable, Mr. Red Lipstick. 







He has the habit of laying on the sand acting like he's dead and scaring me half to death.. Every time I look closer, he bends his body almost completely in half to look at me, then swims up to the front of the tank and looks at me like that. I can't with him..


----------



## Tourmaline

Apparently I have two non aggressive fighting fish.. The new guy managed to slip the divider some time last night, I have NO IDEA how. The water level is a little less than halfway down the tank, the sides were flush with the tank all the way down, and the divider was held under the lid with a clip so it couldn't have moved. How even?! 

Neither are harmed AT ALL. I'm not sure how long he was on Mizu's side but neither have fin or body damage, other than that bit of damage the RT had originally from fin biting. Actually they were both sleeping... I woke them up when I threw the lid off and grabbed the first one I could find in my hand. I think nothing happened because Mizu sleeps in a floating craft mesh tube, and they couldn't see each other. 

I need to find out what the hell happened. I triple checked the divider before going to sleep, and I checked it again now and there's no gaps! He couldn't have jumped that, no way in hell. Not with those fins. If it was Mizu on his side, I'd maybe consider that, but it was the other way around. 

I should name him Houdini. :|


----------



## Tourmaline

And now that I'm not on the verge of having a panic attack anymore, on to the original thing I was going to post on this cold morning... 

Day 1 of treating Meera for ich. Her tank is at 86°, no shrimp fatalities yet due to high temp. I think they introduced it in the first place. I'm going to check the tank they came from today and see if I see any fish in there with ich. She's active and eating, no clamping or anything. I'm going to grab an ich specific medication today to be on the safe side. 














And thanks to his little stunt, he's stuck in a cup until tonight when I get home. 








And Mizu's lack of damage


----------



## Sadist

Houdini indeed! I'm glad no one was hurt. Hopefully, you can pick up some Prime at work. I love the dorsals and the lipstick!


----------



## Tourmaline

I figured Mizu was a little tired of him, considering he escaped and all, so I tried floating him in Kasai's tank... Kasai is a maniac and wouldn't leave him alone so on to the next. Lucian was circling him like a shark, so next tank. Bandit.. The calm one.. He turned into a flaring nutcase. I hadn't gotten him to flare yet, he had no interest in his reflection or anything else I tried, but this new guy got him to. So I snapped some pics before I took him out. 

Seriously, this new guy has a ridiculous dorsal, he looks like a DT without the split. 













And Bandit's caudal is huge flared, I didn't realize how big his fins were, he's always so mellow. He's so pretty, I can't.


----------



## Tourmaline

Is this a red dragon VT? Kinda looks it, just not bright white scaled like Kasai. Only male we have left that caught my eye. 







Tomorrow we get more in. Annnnd tomorrow I also have to pick up sand, plants, and a bulb for the new 5g. I'm going to wind up looking.. :s


----------



## Sadist

I think it could be dragon scale, and it looks like it's not on his head (a plus in my book, no diamond eye!).


----------



## Tourmaline

He's pretty, but I don't want to spend another $90 on a tank setup, I already have to buy stuff for this new 5g. I put Bandit in it rather than Houdini, Bandit is loving the space, he's been exploring non stop. I felt he wasn't active in the 2.5g and didn't like it. He has more energy in the new 5g, so maybe I was right. I'm also making it a dirt planted tank when I can figure out what bulbs are good for live plants. Houdini is in his 2.5g now, he seems to like it at least. I hope he likes it more than Bandit did.

Oh, and for Meera, I bought an API Ich treatment.. I'm not sure how well that works, but I figured it was better than nothing. I've had her tank at 86 degrees for two days now, so I'm hoping by next Monday I'll see some improvement. Not a single other Betta at the store had ich, how did I wind up buying the single Betta out of the 50ish we have with ich? At least she can get treatment in a decent sized tank in a home rather than most likely dying without anyone noticing she had ich, Pet Care doesn't really notice anything with the Bettas, I usually point out problems to them. Annnd then they suggest transferring to Pet Care.. Every. Single. Time.


----------



## Tourmaline

I see a noticeable improvement in Meera's ich, the spots aren't as bright. Day 3 of her tank at 86°, with API Super Ich Cure dosed. Not sure what's doing a better job of killing it off.




















And Houdini now that he's comfortable. He's very handsome, and friendly. I'm glad I impulse bought him.  Apparently he's a Mustard Gas. 














Bandit has been warming up more in his 5g now too. I think he likes it. I'll get a picture of him if he'll let me, he doesn't like pictures much.


----------



## Aqua Aurora

Tourmaline said:


> Change of plan, the new guy is going in a 5g tank that I'll somehow find room for. Goodwill has one for $10, and my mother (she's a manager) is putting it to the side in the morning for me.
> 
> And because he's adorable, Mr. Red Lipstick.
> View attachment 839473
> 
> He has the habit of laying on the sand acting like he's dead and scaring me half to death.. Every time I look closer, he bends his body almost completely in half to look at me, then swims up to the front of the tank and looks at me like that. I can't with him..


love the contrast of colors in the photo



Tourmaline said:


> Apparently I have two non aggressive fighting fish.. The new guy managed to slip the divider some time last night, I have NO IDEA how. The water level is a little less than halfway down the tank, the sides were flush with the tank all the way down, and the divider was held under the lid with a clip so it couldn't have moved. How even?!
> 
> Neither are harmed AT ALL. I'm not sure how long he was on Mizu's side but neither have fin or body damage, other than that bit of damage the RT had originally from fin biting. Actually they were both sleeping... I woke them up when I threw the lid off and grabbed the first one I could find in my hand. I think nothing happened because Mizu sleeps in a floating craft mesh tube, and they couldn't see each other.
> 
> I need to find out what the hell happened. I triple checked the divider before going to sleep, and I checked it again now and there's no gaps! He couldn't have jumped that, no way in hell. Not with those fins. If it was Mizu on his side, I'd maybe consider that, but it was the other way around.
> 
> I should name him Houdini. :|


The same thing happened to me when I got Alastor and Magnus, divided 10g tank qt while i redid the shrimp tanks to be theirs. Magnus manged to jump 2-3" above water level and get through a less than 1/2" wide by 1" long notch in the divider and subsequently beaten up by Alastor. This happened in a less than 20 minute period, i was watching them in their separate section then went to move and fold laundry then noticed a black/black color in the white/red side! aaah!!! netted and move Magnus asap to a spare junker plastic tank I had been given.
Both were long finned delta tail males. Amusingly Alastor never shown any aggression since-never even got a full flare out of him in his life.
I moved Magnus to a separate tank to qt and hale. He pouted for several weeks over his defeat before getting some attitude back.
I won't use divided tanks ever after that incident.
Glad your boys didn't shred eachother.

btw lovely photos of Houdini ^^


----------



## Tourmaline

Thank you! I'm just glad I didn't wake up to any dead fish :/

So we got a new Betta shipment in, I took pictures of the few that caught my eye.

'Rosetail' male, I think he's a dragon? I'm not sure. He's cute, though. Pretty bad fin biting.








Bad MG sisters, look like round tails, not HMs. They're both cute. 














And this girl is huge! She looks very young, I'd say she'll turn out giant sized or near giant at least.








Red dragon (maybe?) VT was flaring up a storm today, he's too cute. I wish I had space.

Oh, and Bandit's tank so far. No more decent plants at my job, I need some decent places to buy plants.








And Bandit, because why not.


----------



## Tourmaline

Meera has no signs of ich anymore, no more specs. However, I'm going to do the full 10 day treatment to make sure, along with a water change every two days to make sure I get rid of any that fell off her. I thought ich was a lot harder to treat than this, I haven't had to deal with it before, and when I saw the specs on her I panicked. Good to know it's not an instant death sentence kinda thing.

Houdini is turning out to be a flare monster, I like it. I haven't been getting fiesty Bettas lately, I only had two, Kasai and Cas. Now we can add Houdini to the list. I actually like his personality too, he's very active. Bandit has perked up a bit in the 5g too, but he's still laid back. At least he shows some signs of liking his new tank. I'm glad I decided to put him in the 5g instead of Houdini.


----------



## Aqua Aurora

Tourmaline said:


> Bad MG sisters, look like round tails, not HMs. They're both cute.
> View attachment 840314
> View attachment 840322
> 
> 
> And this girl is huge! She looks very young, I'd say she'll turn out giant sized or near giant at least.
> View attachment 840330
> 
> 
> Red dragon (maybe?) VT was flaring up a storm today, he's too cute. I wish I had space.


I saw similar girls at my petsmart this weekend, woner if they were siblings


----------



## Tourmaline

Well, I just got into an argument with one of our Pet Care staff. 

A customer came up to the register with a 1g tank, a DT Betta who was gorgeous, Stress Guard, food, sand, lots of silk plants, and 4 bottles of Betta water. She seemed like she wanted to do good by him so I asked why she chose to go with Betta Water rather than just water conditioner, and she said one of our employees told her some crap that she needs to wait to put a Betta in normal water, but can put them in right away in Betta water. What? 

So I said no, that's not true. As long as you temperature acclimate the Betta to water that's not cold, they'll be fine. I also suggested Seachem Prime over Stress Guard because it neutralizes ammonia. She goes to get it, and the Pet Care person who told her wrong information was there and told her no and to get the Stress Guard. I went over to check and she starts saying there's no ammonia in Betta Water, so she doesn't need it. And that it can't cycle with Prime. I said there will be ammonia and I use it faithfully on 10 tanks but okay. I just put my hands up and went back to my register. She told the customer to do whatever she wanted. 

People here are morons, I see why so many people dislike PetSmart. The customer said she'd come back and get the Prime afterwards, and for me not to worry about it. She also put the Betta water back. She thanked me, and apologized for the Pet Care lady being rude. I need to switch to Pet Care, the misinformation here is too real.


----------



## Sadist

I'm so sorry :-( It really sucks to not get along with workmates at least enough to work with them.


----------



## Tourmaline

So I found the red dragon VT today.. Dead.  Just on Friday he was so active and flaring. I'm upset. I didn't see him today so I assumed someone bought him, until I went to the back and he was back there. I should have just bought him and kept him in his cup until I could rehome him. :/ Sorry, little guy.


----------



## Sadist

:-( Don't be too hard on yourself. You do what you can, and sometimes they slip through your fingers.


----------



## Tourmaline

It's a shame, I really liked him. He didn't seem sick or anything, it's weird. Usually they don't deteriorate that quickly here. 

I see another VT I like too.. He's cute, pinkish sort of light grizzle pattern, with a clear butterfly band. He's so fiesty, he flares at everyone who walks past him, and tries to attack your finger through the cup. Everyone should know I love them fiesty by now. He has done some major fin biting, though. Another one I like that'll probably die.. Hopefully someone buys him. Hopefully that someone isn't me, walking out with him and another tank. -.-


----------



## Tourmaline

*Sigh* Say hello to my first VT.. Didn't want a repeat of that.


----------



## Sadist

He's a beauty! Look at him really stretch and show off those fins in the nice water, too. I bet he loves his plants!


----------



## Tourmaline

He's a menace. xD I can't even think of a name for him. He's pink, purple, and angry at everything. I am having a bit of a constant flaring at the back of the tank issue with him. Not sure how to stop it, he's really aggressive. But I like aggressive. I've had to leave the lights off most of the time so he doesn't just flare constantly.


----------



## Tourmaline

More pictures of the unnamed flaring pink nutcase. xD Seriously, it's hard to get _non_-flare pictures of this guy. He's calming down a bit in terms of flaring at the tank walls, but he still flares at my phone and me. Since he was posing pretty much every time I looked at him, lots of pics. 






































Also, Meera. Jeez, she's hard to get pics of. She's the most active little thing, she never stays still! She has that dart swimming level of activity. Dart here, stop for half a second. Dart there, stop for less than half a second. You only have a split second to snap a picture before she's moving faster than you can blink again. She's adorable, such a tiny little thing. I can't wait to see her grown. No marbling yet, surprisingly. She's actually lost that bit of black smoke coloring she had on her fins when I got her. These are the only pictures that came out somewhat clear, out of the 30ish I took..


----------



## Sadist

Hehe, love little Meera! 30 pictures to get two that aren't blurry. I love how aggressive new boy is, too.


----------



## Tourmaline

The two planted tank's progress. I sort of finished the 5g, still need one big plant for the back right for my liking. Everything sort of spread to bask in the light so far. I'm hoping this tank does well since it has a plant specific light. If anything, I'll just get a stingray, since it's a basic 5g, no special shape. 








And the 2.5g now that it's been set up for a bit. The two plants that I bought in bad shape never recovered, but nothing else is dying so far. I need to remove that single leaf sword that I'd hoped would recover and that Amazon Sword that isn't doing well. The Amazon Compacta is doing well, even though the sword isn't. The Temple Compacta is doing well too.


----------



## DangerousAngel

Oh my gosh! That flare face is ADORABLE!! Congrats on your first VT!
Also Meera is adorable as well!
Tanks look great!


----------



## Sadist

Tanks look awesome! Maybe one of those swords not doing well in the 2.5 would work in the empty spot in the other tank? Is that spot too shady?


----------



## Tourmaline

Chibi jumped out while I was out. Her tank has a very tight hood with no gaps, but I left it slightly open after I fed her this morning. :/ She was always a jumper, I bought her that tank for a reason, but I messed up.. Again. Sorry Chibi, SIP. Third time I've been faced with a jumper.


----------



## Sadist

Oh no! Sometimes, no matter what you do, the jumpers find a way out.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm getting frustrated with deaths.. Ever since I've started working more hours, it seems like my fish are suffering and dying more. Maybe I'm not spending enough time with them?


----------



## Tourmaline

These fish enjoy seeing me panic.. 

I was feeding everyone before bed, and when I get to Cas's tank, he's no where to be seen. Usually he darts out for food but I couldn't find him. I moved his hide to see if he was in there, nothing. Checked around his tank to see if he jumped, nothing. I started just pulling everything out of his tank, and out comes a sleepy Cas from under a bushy plant. -_- Really, dude!?


----------



## firewood04

SIP Chibi. SO sorry for your loss. It does seem like you have a lot of losses lately. I'm so sorry! I know that you take excellent care of your fish, it's just been so hard for you.


----------



## DangerousAngel

Oh no! I'm SO sorry about Chibi!! Those darned jumpers always seem to find a way :-( SIP


----------



## Tourmaline

*Sigh* The 'giant' turquoise girl is still here.. I'm not sure if I should pick her up. Last time I waited, he died. She's not looking too good either, and both of the bad MG females died.. Should I? She's not going in Chibi's tank, I moved Bandit to her tank and the planted 5g is empty.


----------



## Tourmaline

She's showing signs of dropsy today.. Her belly is very gray and swollen, and she's clamped. She's still active, though. I'm not sure if I should try to help her and risk infecting a tank or just let her die. :/ I could use a hospital tank, but I'm not sure.


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## DangerousAngel

Poor girl! Could you buy a little 1 gal, or even a plastic tub and use for her, if you really want to help?


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## Tourmaline

I do have a 1g I bought the other day for a hospital tank. I've just never had success with treating dropsy. I'll try, I already bought her right after I posted that and I'm on my way home with her. 

I told Pet Care about her and they asked me what dropsy was so I figured she had a better chance with me.


----------



## Sadist

Good luck with her!


----------



## DangerousAngel

Good luck! If you can't completely save her, then at least you'll have given her clean warm water, and a loving home.


----------



## Tourmaline

Well, she hasn't died yet. Last night she was really lethargic, laying on the bottom of the tank breathing heavily. I wasn't expecting her to make it through the night, but she's more active this morning. She's fighting it.. No pineconing yet.


----------



## Tourmaline

She's sort of flip flopping between looking like she's dying and having massive spurts of energy being friendly and unclamping her fins. I'm not sure if it's even early dropsy anymore, but I'm hoping it's something else. Maybe parasites? Egg bound? I'll try to get some pictures of her belly. Her poop was very light colored when I did see her go, and she was barely able to get anything out. Maybe she's just constipated.


----------



## Tealight03

Swim bladder?


----------



## Tourmaline

Her belly has gone down a lot. It sort of got huge yesterday and now it's gone down. It's not too discolored anymore either. Yesterday she was very stress striped too. She's still extremely clamped though, although she is doing a food dance for me as I type this. 








I don't think it's her swim bladder, she can swim fine. It's just she's clamped and lethargic, and she lays on the sand breathing heavily. I also think she has ich to top everything off.. :/ I can't keep dosing meds like crazy. I'm cranking her heater up and skipping the medicinal treatment for it, just in case it is ich.


----------



## Tealight03

Pretty girl. Do you have her on epsom salt?


----------



## Tourmaline

ES and Kanaplex, I'm treating it as a bacterial infection that leads to dropsy. After Meridia and Namira displaying identical symptoms prior to dropsy, I just assumed it was an early sign of it. It looked like there was a lot of yellow fluid in her belly, a sign of organ failure. Meridia had fluid buildup before she started pineconing.


----------



## Tealight03

Hope it works for her!


----------



## Sadist

I hope it works for her, too! I think bloated with silver belly and lethargy can be early signs of dropsy, too. It looks like this one's trying her hardest to pull through! I hope she survives for you. I'm sure someone here would adopt her when she's strong enough for it if you can't keep her yourself.


----------



## Tourmaline

And I come home from work and she's really bad looking. :/ She's even more clamped, I didn't think that was possible. *Sigh* I want her to get better... Fight it, girl! Please..


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm getting a giant.. Maybe two. He's paid for and being shipped Monday, and I'm looking at another one. I have a 20g stand now thanks to Goodwill, so I can _finally_ set up the 20g that's been sitting in the garage for months. I'm not sure if I'm going to put one giant in the planted 5g or divide the 20g or what, but jesus I want them both. I'm rehoming the turquoise female to a coworker if she makes it, she seems to be improving. HELP!

Here's a blurry picture of the one I'm definitely getting 








And the one I'm also trying to get. They're both from the same seller, a user on here actually (dual700), so I can get combined shipping.








Update: Second guy is mine too. I'll figure it out, I have enough space for both xD I just have to decide how I want to use that space.


----------



## Sadist

Mine seems to enjoy his 10 gallons of space, but he does share it with some (mostly) peaceful community fish. I noticed lots of pretty petco kings at the store, but it looks like you bought both of those boys already! I hope you enjoy them!


----------



## BettaStarter24

I love giants! I have one enjoying his 10g (soon to be 20g) right now.


----------



## Tourmaline

The second guy reminded me of Meeko when I first got him, I had to have him, even though I know he'll marble. The first guy.. Well I've never had an all red Betta, and I thought his dorsal was gorgeous lol. His little video convinced me. They're both over 3" including fins, I'm hoping they're over 2" BO too. 

The seller also has a pineapple male that's a giant that's pretty lovely, if anyone's interested. It was between him and the red guy for the first one, I had a hard time choosing. Then the guy in the red one's background popped up and I was like NEED, I was admiring that pattern when I saw him behind him.

The pineapple guy:
Beautiful Fancy Male Giant Betta HMPK, HUGE!! Halfmoon Plakat Pineapple | eBay
He sort of has an Armageddon coloring thing going on.


----------



## Sadist

He's a gorgeous boy!


----------



## Tourmaline

Update on the turquoise girl, she seems to be doing great. She was still clamping up yesterday, but I decided to try feeding her. She gobbled up some pellets, and today she looks very good. She has not clamped yet. I may keep her for myself if I decide to divide the 20g for the two giants. She's grown on me a lot, I'm glad she got treatment before it was too late.


----------



## Sadist

Wow, she looks good for having come home on death's door! What a fighter.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm keeping her and dividing the 20g for the giants. I like her a lot, and she's a fighter. She fought off a case of what was possibly early organ failure, and made a seemingly full recovery. She isn't the prettiest female I've had, but I like her spirit. I might play musical tanks again to make more room for the big guys.

I imagine she'd make a decent pairing with the MG (?) giant if I ever decided to breed too, just because of her size. I won't, I have no plans on breeding ever, but I like imagining good pairings.


----------



## Tealight03

Glad she's doing better! Oh you have the ammonia alert? I love mine. Need to pick up a few more for the rest of my tanks.


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## Tourmaline

Yeah, it's just on that tank though. It was on sale and we only had one left, so I put it on that tank since it's the only one in early cycling. It came with the pH one too, but I'm not going to use it.


----------



## DangerousAngel

Congrats on your big boys!!! They are so gorgeous!!! They'll love the divided 20!
I'm so glad your new girl is better!
I have been thinking about getting one of those Ammonia Alerts for my tanks, is it a good investment? It would definitely save me some hassle. Is it reliable?


----------



## Tourmaline

It seems reliable, the amount on it is the same amount that shows up with liquid testing. I haven't actually let ammonia build up in that tank to test it, the live plants take care of it before I get to a water change. It can get a bit pricey for multiple tanks, which is why I'm only getting it for my cycling tanks. I need to pick up another one for the 20g since it'll have two big [censor] Bettas in it and I need to watch that ammonia. xD


----------



## Tourmaline

Oh, I also forgot to mention something. The angry pink VT that I still can't think of a name for (I've been calling him Diablo because he's a little devil, but I don't want to name him that), has let his fins regrow. He still has a little bite he made recently, but they're a lot longer now. Here are a few pics. He's also mellowed out a bit, but he's still easy to get to flare.


























I'm also naming the turquoise girl Amara.


----------



## DangerousAngel

Gotcha, I'll check some out online, I really think it would benefit me, especially because I think I'm about to start working (YAY!)

'Diablo' Is looking super gorgeous! Let's hope he'll keep from chewing his fins again.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Diablo is gorgeous!

Amara is pretty too! Carry that name well little one.


----------



## Tourmaline

I don't even know what to say right now.. I'm not sure how to fully explain what happened because I'm so upset, but Mizu, Lucian, Duke, and Roman are no longer with us. 

I did a quick water change on their tanks before I left for work, since they were overdue by two days.. I come home, and every single one of them is gone. I go out to my father crying, and he tells me, "By the way, I used your blue bucket for the floor cleaner yesterday". The blue bucket is my water change bucket.. He killed my fish. I'm so angry. He knows that's my water change bucket, how stupid can he be? I think he did it on purpose to spite me.

I should have smelled it, but I didn't. It smells faintly like bleach. I just didn't smell it because I was in a rush. I'm so upset..


----------



## PuppyMintMocha

How horrifying!! I can't imagine what you must be feeling....


----------



## Tealight03

I'm so sorry.


----------



## DangerousAngel

NO! OMG! I can't even being to express how sorry I am! Ohh that's just awful! :-(


----------



## Sadist

How horrifying!


----------



## Hopefish

Oh no, oh no, oh no!!! I am so sorry to hear about your losses!


You just want to shake him and yell, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!"
Except you know he wasn't thinking, or rather thinking something like, "Here's the blue bucket. I'll just use that. All that stuff about keeping things separate for the fish -- bah, won't make any difference."






Kind of like when my father went nuts with the commercial-grade Round-up and sprayed the perennials, and around the trees, and next to the porch, so there was dead brown grass and plants everywhere, and big yellow patch of dying grass next to my mother's rose garden. SO I got veeery suspicious and said, "Did you rinse out the Round-up bucket here?" And he's like, "Yeah, I didn't think it would hurt anything." And I'm, "WHAT DID YOU THINK WOULD HAPPEN!?!"


But of course yours is much worse. I'm just trying to illustrate the thought (?) process that probably went on in his head. He probably didn't do it on purpose... not that it makes your loss any less painful. Very sorry.


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## Tourmaline

I don't usually leave my water change bucket anywhere, but I left it out by accident last time I used it. :/ Bandit isn't looking too good either. I only topped his tank off a bit using some of the leftover water after the water change, but he obviously felt it too. I've done two 50% changes when I got home yesterday and noticed, and I did another one this morning. I'm hoping he'll recover. 

I had just ordered a new filter for the 10g too that came in today.. Now there's no fish in it to care. 

Losing 3 Bettas in a month? Very hard.. Losing 4 in one day? I just can't believe it.

I've already cleaned the two 5gs with vinegar, bleach, and hot water, I'm not sure if that'll get rid of it.. I'm going to do the same to the 10g once I get home.


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## bugaboolovesu

I'm so sorry Tourmaline. I hope Bandit makes a full recovery. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Tourmaline

Bandit didn't make it either. :/ Almost half of my Bettas gone because of my father. He could have told me he used my bucket while I was doing the water changes, but he didn't. I think he did it on purpose.. I'm so angry, I'm not even sad anymore. All my sadness has turned to just anger.


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## bugaboolovesu

Well if he did do it on purpose then he's just a terrible person but unfortunately we can't do anything about people like that.  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DangerousAngel

I am just completely gutted for you. I'm SO sorry you lost Bandit too. </3


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## Hopefish

I feel so bad for you : (


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## Tourmaline

The only good bit of news that I have is that the giant boys should be here tomorrow. :/ I'm going to QT them separately before moving them into the 20g, one in the planted 5g and one in the 10g now that I hopefully sterilized it. I think the blue and orange male is bigger so he'll go in the 10g.

It feels weird seeing my 10g without a divider.. It makes me depressed. It's held two Bettas for so long now.


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## Sadist

Did he use soap, too? All those tanks may not be able to have fish in them any more if he used more than bleach. Bleach itself dries mostly into salt and water and can be used to wash tank stuff (with lots of rinses and such). I'm not sure soap washes out or not, but it's toxic to fish. I'm only saying this so you don't lose any more pets. I'm sorry this happened at all :-(


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## Tourmaline

Both giants made it! Holy wow they're massive xD The red guy is trying to break out of his bag as I type this, blue guy is just looking around calmly. They're still acclimating.

The box was so damaged, I was terrified I was going to open it to both of them dead. The bags also leaked, I'm not sure if it was from USPS throwing the box around, but I was so certain one of the bags popped opening it..





















I am super happy with this seller, the communication was great, they seemed genuinely interested in seeing their tanks and being updated. They were packed very nicely, and they have a dose of MB and a bit of IAL in their bags which makes me very happy.  

There's also siblings of these boys on the seller's eBay! It would be really cool if I could have a Betta related to another Betta on the forum.


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## Sadist

Wow, they really beat up that box!


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## Tourmaline

Some quick pictures before I head to work. They both ate already. I just dropped like 15 pellets in because I have no idea how much to feed these guys since they're so huge. xD I usually feed 6 pellets since they're so small, but they're like 3 times their size so I figured 15 was an okay number. 


























An idea of how big they are compared to my finger, blue guy is very slightly bigger but not by much.


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## Hopefish

Wow, these guys are awesome!
How big is the tank they're acclimating in?


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## Tourmaline

The red guy was acclimating in a 5g, the blue guy in a 10g. It's only temporary, it's a sort of QT kinda thing. I'm letting them recover from shipping and making sure they're 100% healthy before putting them together in the divided 20g. I'll give them maybe a month since that's the recommended QT time.


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## Tourmaline

Better pictures of the two big guys. I'm thinking about naming the red male Alydar, Idk about the blue guy. I kinda want to name something similar to Meeko, but I'm not sure. Alydar came to me almost immediately though. 



















































They are seriously stunning. I see why @BettaStarter24 likes giants so much xD I was awestruck just watching them swim around, I've never even seen a giant in person before so I was just thinking "Wow" in my head the entire time.

Red male clocks in at 2.5" BO, and around 3" including fins. Blue male is a bit bigger body wise but with smaller fins, I haven't been able to get a good measurement of him because he's kinda crazy lol. 

I also brought home a VT female I've had my eye on for about two weeks now. Every other female was bought except for her, I don't know why. She's lovely, all the rest of the VT females we got in had really short fins and were mostly cambodians which I don't like too much.



















People have weird taste, they'd rather buy our plain short finned girls than a vibrant red long finned female that's the same price. I think she's pretty, at least.


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## CanisInsanine

Aw, that VT gal _is_ really pretty ;v; I don't know why anyone would pass her up, I'm not into females almost at all, but I really like her! And I'm loving those kings, they look so intriguing. I personally always pick names rather quickly for animals, and Meta's came to me before I even got him home, but I feel you with wanting to get just the right names, it can be a struggle sometimes. I'm excited to see more of your bettas  You have really nice tanks and bettas!


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## DangerousAngel

OMG I LOVE the new guys!!! I'm so happy they are OK!!! I think 15 pellets will be just fine, my biggest boys get about 10 soaked NLA pellets, and even then they can keep eating! Sometimes I do let them have extra, especially if I've pinched more than 30 for all 3 of them.
I adore your new girl too! I've been really impressed with Pet Smarts females. Ours has this Orange cambodian CT girl that's been there a while.


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## Tourmaline

The VT girl died very suddenly. I'm a bit confused, she had no signs of illness. :/ Well, that's better than her dying in a cup, I suppose.. I just don't know her cause of death.


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## Hopefish

Oh, sorry about the little girl... we never know what they went through before they come to us.
LOVE your giants, especially the blue! I was thinking he reminds me of a Mako shark, but maybe that's too close to Meeko ?


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## Tealight03

Ohh I like Mako for a name. The new boys are adorable! Sorry about the new girl. Maybe something internal?


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## DangerousAngel

No! I'm so sorry to hear about your girl! :-(

I do like Mako, it would be like a little hat nod to Meeko <3


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## Tourmaline

I like Mako a lot too, and I was looking for a name close to Meeko but I couldn't think of one. Mako and Alydar it is! 

I favor Alydar's form more, but Mako is a lot calmer and more interested in things rather than just crazy like Alydar. I noticed that even when they were in their bags still. Mako was looking around and curious while Alydar was just trying to break out. 

And Mako has this love for splashing which I don't understand. xD He's not jumping, he's just... Splashing. He'll dart down from the surface and splash his tail really loud and scare the crap out of me.


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## Tourmaline

I was browsing eBay and found a Platinum PK, had to get him. I love his spade shape tail, even if his form isn't the best. It looks like he'll marble red looking at the tip of his anal fin. I'm probably going to name him Shiro.













I really like buying imported Bettas, they seem a lot more healthy. Two giants that came from Thailand into the US, then to me from California are in great shape, and a female I bought the same day they came died in 24 hours.


----------



## Tourmaline

Mako refuses to try frozen bloodworms. -.- I gave him some Mysis Shrimp yesterday and he loved them, but he wouldn't even eat a single bloodworm. The MTS in his tank are going to have a field day with those dropped pieces. Alydar was all over them like blue on a veiltail. Amara was a fan of both the Mysis and the bloodworms, but she's a fat fish. She'll eat anything that I give her without question. 

Oh, I also added some more plants to his tank. I figured if I can spend a small fortune on him, Alydar, and platinum PK maybe named Shiro, I can spend another bigger fortune on converting his tank to fully live planted. I removed the crappy plastic ones in there today, Alydar's tank is already heavily planted and showing signs of growing so I don't have to spend anything on his setup.









I may switch his tank over to a glass top and a Finnex Stingray. I had to abandon that idea for the 5g, since I could only find glass tops for a 5.5g, but I can do it with a 10g easily.

Alydar is really a nutcase. I tried adding some root tabs to his tank, and he darts over to my hand and tries to eat the tab out of my fingers and slams into it. Really, fish!? Mako just kinda swims over and watches.


----------



## Tourmaline

The last empty tank has a resident, even if two of them aren't here yet. I'm hoping I'll be able to get over the losses a little easier seeing a Betta in the tanks. Having them empty is taking a toll on me.

I bought this guy in addition to the white PK, he's from the same seller so I took advantage of combined shipping. His form is bad, but dear god that coloration. I think he's incredibly unique.



















The white PK will be going in the planted 2.5g, and the other will be going into what was Mizu's 5.5g. I may switch them if one seems more active than the other, giving the more active one the bigger tank.


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## Sadist

Congratulations on the new boys! I really like the dark one's color, too. Reminds me of halloween!


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## Hopefish

I wonder what the platinum will look like eventually. I like that shape tail too. Do you think that silver hailstorm one will change too?


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## Tourmaline

He'll probably be either red, blue, or both. They're the most common Betta colors, and most marbles will marble to that sort of color. It's rare for a Platinum Betta to stay white, but I've always wanted one. 

The 'starry night' HMPK (that's what he was called in his ad) will probably lose the light flecks and the red and blue will spread more, but there's a chance the black will stay where it is and it won't spread much since it has no other color to take over. I'm not sure about his coloration, I haven't seen it before so I can't judge how he'll marble too well.


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## BettaStarter24

It is possible that the white will stay. Granted I have only had one platinum Betta stay stable. That was Elrond. My first white HMPK marbled to blue and then back to white before he died. 

All the new guys are gorgeous! I'm in love with Mako. 

Sorry to hear about the bucket incident.


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## Tourmaline

I kinda figured he'll marble red because the very tip of his anal fin looks pinkish like it'll turn red. I also found some more Platinum HPMK's with slightly spade shaped tails like his from different sellers, I assume they're siblings. A few of them had flecks of red already. Hopefully I can enjoy him white for a bit at least. 

And some pictures of Alydar who I've branded The Nutcase™. He managed to tear his dorsal, I don't even know on what, everything in his tank is live plants. -.- Crazy fish. 




















Mako since everyone seems to love him xD Alydar is a lot more shark like than him, he's pretty chill.




















Amara because she's cute. My phone does not like the top of that tank, the light messes with it. 




















I tried to get some of Meera but she's way too fast for my camera. All I got in all of them was a pink/whiteish blur.


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## Tourmaline

I ordered a bunch of Anacharis, I hear many members growing it so I ordered some to try it out in Alydar and Mako's tanks. I'm not sure where I'm going to stuff them in Alydar's tank, but I'm hoping there will be enough to actually fill Mako's.

I may be getting a big shelving unit soon, and that means more tanks.  Maybe.. It's only $14, even if it can't hold tanks, it can be used for something else. We'll see. If it can hold tanks, my wallet is definitely going to suffer with my new found love for planted tanks and imported Bettas..


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## Tourmaline

The two new boys are finally here. They were in the mail for 5 days thanks to complications. Some pictures

This guy is really hard to photograph, he's been darting around exploring




















And maybe possibly Shiro. He's a lot calmer, maybe he's just recovering. I see signs of diamond eye in his left eye already, and he has black on his ventrals and a now darker red in him. I have a feeling he'll marble fast. 














I also kiiinda bought a Fluval Spec V from PetSmart on Black Friday. It only came out to $49 with my discount, I had to get one. I'm not sure where I'm going to put it, I have to find a stand tomorrow, but come on, $49!

I also kinda bought a Betta for that Spec V. I had my eye on him, I thought he was gorgeous. But then his listing disappeared so I thought someone bought him. His listing came back up (someone bought him but never paid), and I nabbed him. I have a newfound love for VTs thanks to Diablo.


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## Tourmaline

A few more pics of the white PK, he's a lot calmer so he's easier to get pictures of. 



















You can see how white his eye is in the last picture.. I usually avoid dragons because of how prone they are to it, I'm actually frustrated with the seller for not telling me he was going to go blind in that eye.


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## Sadist

That is frustrating for you and irresponsible of the seller not to mention the diamond eye.


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## Tourmaline

I just bought some Banana Leaves for him off Amazon since the shipping is faster, it only comes with 10 pieces. I also ordered one that comes with a bunch off eBay but it won't be here for a few weeks.

I'm hoping I can help him, I don't want him to lose vision in that eye, and I hear Banana Leaves help. I also ordered IAL since I haven't had any for a while. He is a lot more active today, not just floating and staring but actually swimming around. I think the 5 days in the mail was worse on him.


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## Tourmaline

Lots of pics. I was taking pictures of Kasai and decided to just do everyone who would let me get a picture. Of course, as usual, the only one I couldn't get a clear picture of was Merlin. And Cas was having none of it and kept backing away and hiding, so I just left him alone. 

The original reason I started taking pictures. I'm not sure what's up with Kasai, his fins look tattered. Could he be fin biting? There's nothing in there he could be tearing them like that on. 




















Amara is getting some red in her, she's not all blue anymore. 














I think that's the most full Diablo's caudal is ever going to be, it hasn't grown anymore. He hasn't bitten in the last week either, so I'm hoping he's done with that.














The only two clear pictures I have managed to get of Meera in a long time, her belly is dark from gorging on extra bloodworms meant for the shrimp. -.- Fatty. She has not grown at all, I'm thinking she's just permanently tiny, probably stunted. 














Alydar flaring at a Mystery Snail. He's fine with them, has never bitten them. However, he does flare at them when they move fast. 








The new guy, I managed to get some clearer pictures. He's really difficult to get clear pictures of, he darts everywhere. He flares at nothing too.




















Mr. Mako, his tank has this weird patch of I think algae that he just loves swimming behind when I'm trying to get a picture. I need to clean that after this.. 














And finally, Shiro. Because he posed. And I wanted some clear pictures of his eye so I can see how quickly it gets better or worsens. And I wanted pics to keep track of marbling.


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## Sadist

Kasai could be fin biting. His light looks bright, and sometimes that stresses them (or reflections stress them) and can make biters bite. Does he flare a lot, too? I've read that sometimes they can tear their fins from flaring/overexercise, too. I've never seen it happen to my fish, though.

Others look nice!


----------



## Hopefish

Love the pic of Alydar flaring at the snail. "Snail! Stop moving so fast! I'm warning you!"
And Mr. Mako, because he is just awesome.


----------



## Tourmaline

Shiro is officially on treatment for his diamond eye. I put some banana leaf and some IAL in his tank. He seems fine otherwise, he made a bubble nest and he's extremely active. The unnamed guy is doing well too. 

Oh and the VT is on his way to me. I just ordered a 3 tier stand, I'm hoping it'll be able to hold 3 5gs. It's made to hold up to 40gs, so I don't see why it wouldn't.


----------



## Tourmaline

I finally got that little floating Betta mirror, I've been trying to get a flare pic of Shiro with no success since getting him. He flared fully at this mirror, buuuut he darts around and never fully extends his fins because he's busy being crazy
































And a bonus sort of flare pic of the still unnamed guy who I'm leaning towards naming Mystic.








Is craziness a PK thing? Every PK I've owned had some level of crazy in them. 

Oh, and a picture I took the other day of Alydar's jungle. 







That Anacharis hasn't come in yet, I'm not sure when it'll be delivered. I don't think I'm going to put any in his tank, it's all going in Mako's. There's just no room anymore in Alydar's tank, but that's how I like it.


----------



## Sadist

Welcome to the jungle!


----------



## Tourmaline

The VT got here before I left for work. I didn't realize this when I bought him, but he looks _exactly_ like Duke, just in VT form, and this guy doesn't have a butterfly band. Then again, neither did Duke before he died. I'll post some pictures of him tomorrow.

The Anacharis also came in today, I managed to stuff a bundle into Alydar's tank, but the other two bundles went into Mako's tank. I still need some taller plants for his tank, but it's starting to shape up. Pictures of that tomorrow also.

I'm also looking at getting a black dragon PK. I have my eye on one, but I have to see how much spending money I have left after setting up the Spec V. It's actually not even up right now, the new guy is in a temporary 1g until Monday. I was expecting the stand that his tank was going to go on to get here a lot faster. :/


----------



## Tourmaline

*Sigh* No pictures today, I did have to take a few of Mako earlier for a disease and emergencies post. He most likely has an internal tumor, nothing I can do about it. I'm pretty upset to say the least.

And now Shiro's tank is infested with bladder snails. I have no idea what they hitchhiked on, the only thing I've put in his tank is banana leaf and IAL. I've taken about 10 out already, there's probably still more hiding. And I can't find his little ramshorn now, I don't know what happened to it. And as I'm typing this, I finally see it scooting along the sand. Good, I like that little snail. However, bladder snails are not welcome in my tanks.

I almost bought a Betta Mahachai today. They don't seem to be a hard wild Betta to care for, I'd just need a 5.5g for one, 10g for a pair, and it needs to be heavily planted and be brackish. They need hard water, which I have. They're incredibly gorgeous, I want one.


----------



## Tourmaline

So.. I impulse bought a female.. I was browsing eBay for a female I liked for two weeks now. All I kept finding was males. I couldn't say no to her. She's a 'gold' dragon, although I don't really see the gold, I just see cello and white. 



















They had a red dragon HMPK female, which I've been looking for, but every time I see a coloration I like, I don't like their fin shape. I like both on this girl, so I jumped on her. Females sell like hotcakes on eBay, especially the pretty ones. I look at one that I like, not even 10 minutes later, sold.

I'm also looking into setting up a tank for a wild Mahachai pair, or just one until I can find a female, since I only see males for sale. I'm extremely interested in them now.


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## Tealight03

Tourmaline said:


> *Sigh* No pictures today, I did have to take a few of Mako earlier for a disease and emergencies post. He most likely has an internal tumor, nothing I can do about it. I'm pretty upset to say the least.
> 
> And now Shiro's tank is infested with bladder snails. I have no idea what they hitchhiked on, the only thing I've put in his tank is banana leaf and IAL. I've taken about 10 out already, there's probably still more hiding. And I can't find his little ramshorn now, I don't know what happened to it. And as I'm typing this, I finally see it scooting along the sand. Good, I like that little snail. However, bladder snails are not welcome in my tanks.
> 
> I almost bought a Betta Mahachai today. They don't seem to be a hard wild Betta to care for, I'd just need a 5.5g for one, 10g for a pair, and it needs to be heavily planted and be brackish. They need hard water, which I have. They're incredibly gorgeous, I want one.


Bladder snails are my enemy! I can't get rid of them no matter how many I kill and they have spread between tanks.


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## Sadist

Good luck with your female! She's a cutie!

Every once in a while, I put a lettuce leaf in a tank over night, then throw it away. It gets rid of a bunch of snails each time I do that. Otherwise, they seem to always have 1-2 survivors at least in each tank.


----------



## Tourmaline

A dose of copper works too, but just make sure you take out any pet snails first. I wouldn't dose Shiro's tank with copper because of the Ramshorn, it's pretty hard to find 90% of the time. 

So something funny happened today. It's bloodworm day, I was feeding Meera. And one of the ghost shrimp in her tank snatched a bloodworm out of her mouth and started eating it xD I have never seen a fish look so offended. She kept looking at the shrimp and then at me as if she was saying 'Can you believe this nonsense!?'. I gave her two more as a consolation.








I also forgot to mention I switched Diablo to a 2.5g and put the red dragon VT in his tank. Diablo chewed off his entire caudal again so I'm seeing if he likes a smaller tank. I'm going to try to live plant it like the other 2.5g Shiro is in. 

And here is the new VT. This floating mirror makes flare pictures a lot easier. xD































The Spec V still isn't set up (stand says Wednesday for delivery), but when it is it'll probably house the gold dragon girl. It depends on how this VT takes to the tank. If he starts biting, I'm moving him to the Spec V.


----------



## Sadist

Hehe, those ghost shrimp can get a bit cheeky. I had mine with guppy fry, and they'd actually hang upside down on the floating plants and snatch the fry's food at feeding time!


----------



## BettaStarter24

My roommate is so jealous of your new girl. She's been looking for a gold dragon for forever


----------



## Tourmaline

A male or female? There's a gold dragon HMPK male on eBay, but I wanted a female.
Live Betta Fish Red Dotted Gold Dragon HMPK (Halfmoon Plakat) Male DG027 | eBay
This guy has red spots though, but he's up for bidding. I've purchased from this seller before, he's very nice.

I'm also looking at this black dragon, I'll see how much his bidding goes up to. He's at $4.49 with four and a half days remaining, $15 shipping. I'll be able to get him if he doesn't go for a crazy amount, I get paid the day his bidding is over. So I can get his tank and stuff over the weekend before he's shipped.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Female specifically but that male is gorgeous!

The black dragon is whoa boy!


----------



## Hopefish

I dunno about that dragon. I would be worried that he's going to go blind.


----------



## Hopefish

I mean the black dragon.


----------



## Tourmaline

He has no signs of diamond eye, the seller included some close ups of his eyes. I'm hoping it stays that way. He doesn't have that really thick white scaling like most dragons have, so he has less of a chance of developing diamond eye.

He had another black dragon for buy it now, but that guy already had diamond eye. If I'm going to get dragons, that's just something I'll have to deal with at some point. 

Oh.. Also, I'm getting a Betta Smaragdina. Funny story, it was an impulse thing. His tank is getting set up soon. I'm using Meera's tank because her's is the only one cycled that I can use a Finnex Stingray on besides Merlin's tank, but I'd rather not move the old guy. I'm moving her to a different tank, I'm not sure which yet. I'll probably buy another 5.5g for her since this stand can hold three 5gs plus a 2.5g next to each one.


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## Tourmaline

The Betta Smaragdina is here! He's a different kind of beautiful, it's hard to explain. With domestic Bettas, they're sort of tailored to be bright pretty colors, with perfect finnage shape, just to look pretty. With wild Bettas, I'm admiring them less for their color and shape, and more for their natural beauty that's not been bred into them for hundreds of years. I kind of want another one once I get used to their care.

I only managed to get one good picture of him, he's really hard to see because of the tannins in his tank, even with a Finnex Stingray lighting it.


I'm not sure of names.. Should you even name a wild Betta? I have no idea what to name him.


----------



## Tealight03

I think he's lovely! Looking forward to following him.


----------



## Tourmaline

The gold dragon female came in.. She didn't make it. :/ She was not even packed with a heat pack. Luckily, I should be able to get a full refund, her shipping was free. 

I also have a surprise resident that I'll be introducing later. He made it, but he's not looking great. He'll be going in the Spec V now rather than her. Hopefully he recovers. 

Dwarf Water lettuce made it just fine, so did plants I ordered from Kaxen which are going into the Spec V. I have an empty tank now... I bought tanks in preparation for these two, but the girl didn't make it.

I was keeping the boy as a surprise, since I wasn't expecting to get him so soon anyway.


----------



## Tourmaline

The seller has another gold dragon female of the same quality and is willing to replace her if I pay shipping. I'll decide once I see a picture, this one really caught my eye right away and I loved her look. I want to see if the other one does too before getting her shipped.

And surprise!



















I negotiated with the seller and got him for $30.


----------



## Tourmaline

That's a no to the other gold dragon female, she was more of a HMPK than the girl I bought. 
@BettaStarter24 if your roommate is still interested in a gold dragon female, the seller aquagold_betta will probably have this one up soon


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## Tourmaline

I have broken my Aquabid maiden. For an Emmygolf Koi Giant HMPK female. I have been checking Aquabid weekly for Emmygolf giants. I just paid for her. 








*Sigh* This is going to cost me another fortune xD But she's pretty! I usually don't like kois at all, but I love her!

Can someone tell me a bit about transhipping? I chose Koo Yang, since everyone says excellent things about him. I've contacted him asking what the process is, do I tell him that she's being sent to him? I'm so confused about this process, which is why I never ordered through Aquabid.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Tourmaline said:


> I have broken my Aquabid maiden. For an Emmygolf Koi Giant HMPK female. I have been checking Aquabid weekly for Emmygolf giants. I just paid for her.
> View attachment 851938
> 
> 
> *Sigh* This is going to cost me another fortune xD But she's pretty! I usually don't like kois at all, but I love her!
> 
> Can someone tell me a bit about transhipping? I chose Koo Yang, since everyone says excellent things about him. I've contacted him asking what the process is, do I tell him that she's being sent to him? I'm so confused about this process, which is why I never ordered through Aquabid.


I don't know about the transshipping process but I know Koo Yang. i live 15 min from his shop actually. He's nice and I've seen how the fish he gets shipped in are kept while in his care. Would recommend definitely.


----------



## Tourmaline

I really like him already. He's very informative, and has been replying to my noobish annoying questions very kindly and patiently. I'm glad I went with him as her transhipper. 

Okay, my Jungle Val came in, finally. It doesn't look too great, hopefully it recovers. I haven't really shown the 2.5gs I've set up yet, so here's how that 3 tier stand is going. 

The Spec V housing the black dragon








The Smaragdina's tank








And in order, Diablo, Meera, and the unnamed red dragon VT. 








I have 6 Amazon Swords, 24 bundles of Moneywort, and 12 bundles of Anacharis ordered. Lots of plants, I'm going to set up the empty 5.5g the black dragon was supposed to go in with a Stingray and live plants for the Koi Giant female. Plus, I still need to fill in the Smaragdina's tank and the Spec V.


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## Tourmaline

A name popped up and stuck for the black dragon, completely randomly. His name is Hawke. He's really hard to get a decent picture of.. 














And Yasei just because. 







You can see differences in wild Betta behavior vs pet Betta behavior. It's hard to explain.. He's more like a shark on the prowl all the time, and every other Betta of mine is just hanging out swimming around when they're not being bothered. He notices everything inside and outside of his tank, he doesn't miss pellets, ever, even though the most greedy of Bettas won't notice one or two at feeding time, he gets them all. His reaction time is a bit quicker in general, but he's not really aggressive either, he's pretty calm. He's just very alert. 

I don't think I ever mentioned this, but I did name that steel blue/multi PK Mystic. I haven't really taken any pictures of him, his tank is in a weird place. I'll have to get some tomorrow. 

I still can't think of a name for the red dragon VT.. He's stumping me. :/ And I need a name for the Koi Giant girl.


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## Tourmaline

Fml, the red dragon VT managed to get out of his tank. The hood is a little uneven now because of the heater cord, and he managed to fit through the gap. He's not looking great, he barely has any fins left, but he's trying to swim. I'll try tannins and AQ Salt overnight, that worked with Maru. 

I'll update in the morning.


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## Tourmaline

He didn't even make it through the night.. I feel horrible, I never got to name him. He comes all the way from Thailand then to me, and then dies without a name. :/


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## BettaStarter24

Sorry to hear about the VT, he was stunning. But stuff happens I guess. Don't beat yourself up about it too much.


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## Tourmaline

It just sucks that he didn't even have a name. I only had him for a little over a week.. I couldn't decide on a name for him. Everyone else has a name, but he didn't have one, and he died. It sucks.

And I don't know if I've mentioned this yet, but I have an extremely strong connection to Shiro, more than I have any Betta since Sebastian. He's a goofy little thing, kinda derpy but adorably derpy. He is constantly asking for attention (and food) and I'm glad I paid a small fortune for him. 

His diamond eye is also not getting any worse, or any better. It seems to be going away ever so slightly, but maybe that's just me looking for it to be improving. He can still see just fine, it doesn't seem to effect his vision yet.


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## Tourmaline

I'll be getting a girl from PetSmart today. If anyone remembers that red VT girl I got that died the next day, she came on that shipment. She's been here for over a month now and has somehow managed to survive. Our females never make it that long but she's done it. Her sister died weeks ago, but she's still here. Pale, but alive and honestly doesn't look too bad other than the paleness.

She's sort of copper with smoky black and red fins. I was actually having a hard time choosing between the red VT girl and her that day, I'm amazed she's still alive, so I'll give her a home. My favorite manager said she'll throw a 30% discount on top of my 15% employee discount because she's been there over a month and actually remembers her.


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## Tourmaline

She's home, she's in the 5.5g the giant girl is going into to help keep it cycled. She'll be going in a 2.5g permanently. She's looking a little more like the color she was when I first saw her now. Her sister was lighter in color, and had no red in her fins. 








And a decent flare picture of Hawke, he doesn't like coming to the front of the tank. He also glass surfs.. I have to add more plants. They'll be in this week, hopefully. The swords came in already so I added 3 yesterday. 








And Yasei made a bubble nest. A very tiny one, but it is a bubble nest. Unless there's more and I just can't see it because his tank is so dark with tannins.


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## ThatFishThough

I love, love, love, LOVE Shrio. <3 Glad to see you giving another survivor a home.'

LOL This is why I wouldn't be able to work at PetSmart/Co.


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## Tourmaline

She's a fiery little thing. Flares at pretty much everything. I need a name fitting for her. I got her to focus on the mirror for a bit for some pictures. 














And I did a thing.... I bought an (I think) gold dragon VT from my store. He's been just sitting there on the front rack waiting for someone to pick him up with the cutest little face. I was hoping he'd be bought by now so I wouldn't be tempted, but nope. I'll be buying him a 2.5g tomorrow, he's in the copper girl's now.


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## Tourmaline

I've named the VT (whose color I still don't know) Midas. Not exactly original, but I like it. He's pretty darn friendly, doesn't shy away from me at all. He dances around your finger if you place it against the tank rather than darting away. Zooms to the front of the tank when he realizes you're watching him too. He hasn't eaten yet, though. He's always too distracted staring at me to notice the pellets. I'll try frozen tomorrow. 

The copper girl is still very skittish. I guess a month and a half in a pet store will do that to you. You know, with people poking your cup, and tossing you upside down and letting you flop around out of water to change your water every 3 days will do that to you (pet store water changes are rough).


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## Tourmaline

Mako's tumor is getting bigger by the day.. I don't know what to do with him. He's still so young, it's really sad that he developed something like this so early in his life. I suppose it'll burst eventually at this rate. :/ He has a small bump on his other side too, but I'm thinking that's just the same tumor. 




















And this is the giant girl's tank so far, the copper girl is still in there until she gets here, she's colored up a ton. She's quite the stunner.


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## Tourmaline

I did it again.. To be fair, I was prepared for this. I bought another tank, I bought a Stingray cliplight for it and a heater, and I set it up the other day.. For this guy. Who I am absolutely in love with. 



















I've wanted a decent DTPK without the thick ugly body for so long now, I just never see them in stores and I rarely see ones with two evenly sized lobes online. He's so gorgeous. 

Now, what I was not prepared for, was this guy. He was really cheap with a day left, so I placed a bid on him, thinking there's no way I'd win him for so cheap. I won him..



















I've also wanted a EEPK for a while too, one that didn't have tiny badly formed fins like most I see. He's very young, 2.5 months old. He's sort of a combtail too. He's going to be gorgeous when he gets older. Him, I need to buy a tank for now. xD


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## BettaStarter24

That DTPK is GORGEOUS! I don't blame you for jumping on him. I probably would have a hard time resisting as well.


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## Tourmaline

I didn't even attempt to resist him. xD BettaMafia on eBay (who I highly recommend, Hawke is from them, their Bettas are absolutely stunning) posts new Bettas every Monday. I glanced at the new group while I was at work, saw him, and bought a tank before leaving. xD I had already decided before I even placed a bid on him. 

He went for $16.50, another gorgeous DTPK with cleaner fin shape but plainer color went for $11.05. I almost got him too but I decided to back out, the other person bidding thought they were slick by outbidding me with 10 seconds left, but I was actually panicking because I wanted someone to outbid me. xD


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## Tourmaline

I just thought I'd update on how flippen beautiful this copper girl is. Even when she came in, she wasn't this colored. I'm surprised no one bought her. 



















My camera can't capture her color well but she shines silver on her fins, and purple or grayish green on her body every time she moves. I need to name her something regal, she's gorgeous. 

She's not very shy anymore either, she doesn't dart away if I try to get a picture now. I wish I could let her keep the 5.5g, but I have no room for another 5g setup for the giant girl. :/

And Midas, because he's also gorgeous. He's a flare happy thing, flares at my phone. I should have named him Creampuff, to counter his hostile nature. 



















He has lots of fin curling on his caudal and anal fins, I'm going to try some tannins for him and see if that helps any.


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## Sadist

Gorgeous fish! What a win on the dtpk, too. I only see ones with bodies that look deformed.


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## ShadeSlayer

Japanese names are really cool for fish. Like Namiko means Child of the wave, i think.


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## Tourmaline

They both made it. The EEPK is stunning, he came out very lively and darting around trying to get out of his bag, with almost no color loss. The DTPK doesn't look great, he was floating lifelessly, didn't even respond to me picking him up. I thought he was dead until he flicked his tail. He's swimming around a bit now but he still looks pretty bad. 

I'll see how he recovers, I've dosed both of them with Stress Guard, and I'm going to try to feed them some krill, I'm hoping the EEPK will eat since he looks to be in better shape. I don't really expect the DTPK to eat yet. I'll get some pictures of them while they're eating, hopefully. 

I'm not sure if the giant girl has even been shipped yet. Koo Yang was supposed to get the shipment in on the 19th, and I assume they get shipped to the buyer the next day? I already paid him for shipping a while ago, and have had no further contact with him after emailing him saying that I paid the amount, not even a thank you or anything of that nature. I sort of feel like I've been robbed.


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## Tourmaline

Both of my giants are 'special'.. I don't want to call them dumb, so special will do. 

I was tweezer feeding Mako, he wasn't paying attention to the tweezers, just biting the surface at nothing. So I booped him on the side with the tweezers and he just looks at me for a split second like "DID YOU JUST-" and attacked the tweezers. xD

I've been holding off on feeding him lately because he's been making meals out of my RCS, but it seems he's finally left them alone because he swam right by two of them hanging out on driftwood and didn't try to eat them. He's probably really hungry now. 

Now Alydar... Alydar is very special. His food habits are ridiculous. He's the most dim fish I have. Every single time I open the feeding hood, he jumps. At nothing. He just jumps across the surface like a dolphin trying to get food I haven't even prepared to drop yet. And tweezer feeding... He's impossible. He attacks the tweezers so much and misses the food every single time, that he knocks the food out of the tweezers. Then instead of realizing the food just dropped, he keeps relentlessly biting them. 

I just had to try to grab the food while he was attacking them because he wouldn't leave them alone, and I think I pinched his head. -.- He's big enough to where he bites the tweezers, and can fit the whole end of them into his mouth and hold on. When he manages to do that, he'll shake them and almost knock them out of my hand. I can't with him. I need to get him on video one day, but all you'd be hearing is me saying, "No, Alydar. Dude come on st- Move or I'll pinch you! Let me gra- ALYDAR!" I wish fish could understand people xD


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## Tourmaline

I've already named the EEPK Nebula, I think it fits. He's a spunky little thing, ate like a pig, no fear of me. 




















And the DTPK who I'm not sure of a name for. He's recovered pretty well. He was flaring randomly and I couldn't figure out why.. Until I looked at Yasei's tank and saw black and silver flying around the tank. They could see each other. xD Whoops. I've put a piece of paper between the tanks and they've calmed down. 




















And I bought this girl today. She's not for me, though. My mother got my little cousins a 3.5g tank and asked me to pick a Betta for it. I picked her, she's adorable. But my copper girl is being a bully and not letting me float her in her tank, though. xD I've moved her to Meera's tank, she hasn't got an aggressive bone in her body. I didn't want to float her with a male.


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## Hopefish

haha, your writing is really funny, i enjoy reading your journal.


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## Tourmaline

I'm glad someone enjoys it.  I just type everything Betta related here, for whoever wants to read it. 

I'm also frustrated with BettaMafia now, after I heavily recommended them. I had the two new guy's shipping combined, but I paid full price ($15 for each fish) for shipping, expecting the excess to be refunded. I contacted the seller and was told to email them my PayPal email so they can refund the amount. Since I've sent the email three days ago, I've been ignored and nothing has been refunded. I've sent another message on eBay, and if they do not refund the amount or even contact me back, I'm leaving negative feedback and opening a case through eBay. It's only $12 but I don't care. Last time I asked for combined shipping, the seller refunded the excess the same day with no issue. This is ridiculous.


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## Tourmaline

And I am the unintentional owner of the girl I bought for my cousins now. -_-

They aren't returning my mother's calls now, and she wants me to return the tank and everything. I can't return the fish unless she's dead, and thankfully my mother agreed she won't be killing a fish any time soon. She said she'll let me return the tank and let me use the money for a smaller one I might actually be able to squeeze somewhere. 

I told her she's her responsibility now and she needs to feed her and take care of her. I didn't want another Betta, honestly. I might try to just rehome her. I'm scared to ship her, but I have leftover boxes from all the Bettas I've had shipped with insulation. I'd just need a heatpack. I'd even be willing to go half on shipping for her to just get her a good home.


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## Tourmaline

I don't know what to do with her. :/ Ugh. I can't keep her in a cup for days. Every tank I float her in, she gets bullied. I have to return the tank I bought. I have a 1g I can keep her in until tomorrow, but I don't want to keep her in that. 

I need to find a home for her. I'll make a thread once she's in the tank and I can get good pictures.

I just ordered 72 hour heat packs for her. I have 4 so I may be able to ship Bettas people want from the store, possibly. Or plants. Maybe. I'll see how this goes.


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## Tealight03

When I have had to float someone for a few days I have used a yogurt container. Maybe not the best option but it was bigger than a cup and wasn't clear. Hope you find a good home for her!


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## Tourmaline

I've set up a the tank I got as a hospital tank. This whole time I thought it was a 1g and it's actually 2, not nearly as bad as I thought. However, still has no filter or hood. I've filled it halfway so she doesn't try to jump. It's on the floor, but being in a tank is better than being in a cup, I'd think. 

Nebula is so dang hyper. Maybe because he's young? 2.5 months old isn't very old compared to the ages of the rest I've got off websites, they're all at least 3 months, most often 3.5, an entire month older. I've been flaring him for about a minute a day, it gives him something to do and he doesn't seem the slightest bit stressed. I'm hoping he keeps his confidence as he gets older. Some pictures from his flare session. 


























And the DTPK seems to be recovered, so instead of using a mirror for Yasei, I just lifted the paper dividing the tanks. He didn't seem stressed by it either so I just let them flare until he wasn't interested anymore which took about 30 seconds lol. I let Yasei keep going with a mirror for a bit more.


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## Tourmaline

I got her a 2g tank for now.. I think I may be able to keep her, I managed to find space for the tank. Although I didn't want another Betta, she is our (I'm blaming my mother for this) responsibility now. She is quite cute, and I did like her, so I can't be too upset. If I bond with her, she'll have a home here.


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## Tourmaline

17, including the girl I had to find a spot for. I'm not buying another 3 tier stand any time soon, so I'm pretty sure I've capped out.


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## Tourmaline

I accidentally tore Hawke's caudal.  I was fixing some plants with plant tweezers and he was being nosey, and I clamped them on his caudal by accident. It's a clean tear so I hope it heals quickly. I feel bad, he got so scared.. 

I took a bunch of pictures, prepare your eyes! 

Yasei is a stunning little guy.. I think I want one of these as my profile picture now. He's a camera ham. Sorry Shiro xD




















The little failed Christmas present girl. I feel bad for her, two little girls would have loved her to pieces, but their parents are jerks. She's Meera kinda small, only a tiny bit bigger than her. 




















Nebula during his nightly flare session. He lives for this stuff, you guys should see his flare dance xD Watching his pecs flap furiously while he war wiggles is pretty funny. 




















And lastly, the DTPK who I'm stumped on a name for. He's not much of a poser, so he's hard to get pictures of.


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## Tourmaline

Nebula is developing diamond eye, it went from nothing covering his eye, to both having a metallic sheen over them since getting him. I'll try some banana leaf but I think he'll go blind at this point. :/

Hawke has a very small bit of white on his left eye, but it's been there for a week now with no spread. His other eye is completely clear, luckily. 

Cas hasn't been looking too great lately, he doesn't have any issues, he's just slowing down. No tumors, no bloating, no fin issues, no eye issues. He's just been a lot less active and I catch him clamping up every so often. He's not really around that age either, he's only about 9 or so months old. Merlin has been slowing down too, but he's a year and a half old, I expect that by now.

I also named the DTPK Marvel, his colors kind of remind me of a comic book, so I liked the name. And I named the Christmas present girl Noel, since I'm keeping her now, and it fits lol. 

I forgot to mention there's something wrong with the copper girl. She's really clamped but still very active and eating. I'm not sure if she injured her caudal or something, because it has rips, and even when she fares, she won't spread it out. I'm not sure.. She lost a bit of color too, she's back to how she was when I brought her home.


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## Tourmaline

I um.. I made an Aquabid mistake again. I also bought a lovely 6g long tank from Goodwill today, which is kinda why I made that Aquabid mistake.. Which is this guy. 







He's a wild hybrid. I'm not sure with what, I'm not sure what kind of wild he is either, but my god.. Maybe he's crossed with a domestic splenden? I'm not sure. I forgot to ask Emmygolf, and I'm not sure what makes a hybrid a hybrid. He'll get the same treatment as Yasei, maybe less tannins because I need to order more IAL. He gets shipped to the US on the 7th.


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## Hopefish

Wow, he unbelievably beautiful! How big is he?


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## Tourmaline

No idea. My other wild is about the body length of a regular Betta, but with a slimmer body. I'd assume this guy is around the same. At least I know he's 3.5 months old, I have no idea how old Yasei is.


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## Tourmaline

Okay, 6g long had a leak so I returned it. But this came in today, so the staff put it aside for me. It came out to $4.50. Have I ever mentioned I love Goodwill?








Its a Hawkeye 5g Hex tank, they aren't made anymore. It's a bit roughed up with some scratches but it cost less than a 0.5g bowl so I can't complain. The light works, and it came with an older model 50w Hydor Theo which also works. This is going to be the hybrid boy's home. I have over a week to set it up and get it running. 

It also came with one of those horrible 1g aquascene tanks in it, that also has a light that works but I'm never going to use it for anything but a hospital tank if I ever needed more than one.


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## Scrapper

Tourmaline said:


> Okay, 6g long had a leak so I returned it. But this came in today, so the staff put it aside for me. It came out to $4.50. Have I ever mentioned I love Goodwill?
> View attachment 855618
> 
> 
> Its a Hawkeye 5g Hex tank, they aren't made anymore. It's a bit roughed up with some scratches but it cost less than a 0.5g bowl so I can't complain. The light works, and it came with an older model 50w Hydor Theo which also works. This is going to be the hybrid boy's home. I have over a week to set it up and get it running.
> 
> It also came with one of those horrible 1g aquascene tanks in it, that also has a light that works but I'm never going to use it for anything but a hospital tank if I ever needed more than one.


Ahhh so you're the lucky buyer of him. Congrats ! I just bought one of his siblings yesterday. I was stuck between him and the one I bought. I think yours is much prettier than the one I chose to be honest but there was something about the one I eventually chose I kept coming back to. I'm glad you got him as I was afraid I'd have done a last minute purchase of him too haha and that would mean another tank. 

I actually asked Emmy and she/he said it was a hybrid of "Breed mahachai, Cambodia and guitar". I'm planning to keep mine in a 10 gallon with lots of Indian almond leaves and nice dark water.

Good luck with your new guy, I can't wait to see what he looks like. I'd post a picture of the one I chose but this is my first post and I'm not quite sure how yet


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## Scrapper

By the way I was also tracking that female koi giant you bought. It seems we have similar tastes 😁


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## Tourmaline

I was eyeing him out of all of them as soon as he was put up, but I didn't have a tank. Soon as a I got one, I grabbed him lol. I did say I eventually wanted a second wild after getting my Smaragdina, and I liked this guy immediately. I also had my eye on an all blue Smaragdina sold by Phusit, but I was in the process of setting up too many tanks already.

I'm planning to make it black sand bottom with IAL litter covering it, and lots of Anacharis, Jungle Val, Swords, Moneywort, and Dwarf Water Lettuce. My Smaragdina is in a similar setup, just with no Swords. I have some clippings I can use but I'll see how it turns out. 

To post pictures, you go to Go Advanced under the reply box, and press the paperclip icon on top. You can also drag and drop files to where it says drag files here to attach, and they'll upload that way too.


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## Scrapper

I was also eyeing some of the wilds Phusit had. I really liked that all blue and the copper. I just don't have the tank for another besides this one right now. 

Your tank set up for him sounds nice and similar to what I plan to do. My IALs were just delivered yesterday so thankfully they'll be here when he arrives. 

I'm a little worried about shipping though. I've never had a wild type shipped and my last aquabid expierence ended really badly. I'll feel much better when he's here.

Here's a picture of the one I grabbed. He doesn't have the fins and vibrant blue of yours but for some reason he felt like the one lol


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## Tourmaline

Who did you choose as your transhipper? Some are better than others at repacking Bettas for shipping. I went with Koo Yang for him and the giant girl, but I'm having some issues with him ignoring my emails and messages. 

I remember him! I liked his more greenish blue. The steel blue one he/she has was breaking my heart lol. I don't think anyone has bought him yet. I mostly went with mine because of his fins. I loved the way his dorsal was shaped a lot. I was also offered a female for him but I don't have an open 10g for a pair. 

My Smaragdina is copper, he's not as pretty as the one Phusit had but he's still gorgeous to me.


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## Scrapper

I chose Jesse as my transhipper. I've used him before which no real issues. Although I don't think he repackages the fish. I've heard some transhippers take them out feed them and put them in clean water but mine are always still in the original seller bags. Which I think contributed to my last shipment ending so devastatingly badly. That and the post office making a huge error :frown2:

I've tried Linda too and had a horrible time. Weeks and weeks of calls and emails before I got a response and then still nothing so I had to do it over again. I've been considering trying Koo Yang but I guess I'll wait and see how it works out for you. 

Let's hope you hear from him soon. In my expierence transhippers in general are hard to get ahold of and to make it worse I'll do anything to avoid a phone call haha

I saw the steel one ! I can't look at them too much right now because it's too easy to convince myself that since I've already got one coming what's one more in the box lol 

And I've seen a picture of your copper Smaragdina. He gorgorgeous, if I had a open tank I'd love one like him


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## Tourmaline

I'm the same way, I've been dreading giving him a call. I have sent him two emails and one text message with no response from him. According to people who have used him before, that's very unlike him. I'm a little worried.. The giant girl was supposed to get to him on the 19th, and I didn't even get a confirmation she arrived alive. He's been ignoring all of my messages ever since I paid for her shipping. 

Out of the 9 (I think) Bettas I've had shipped to me from within the US, I've only had one DOA. I think I've been lucky. The only reason she died was because the seller didn't pack her with a heat pack. She was a gold dragon HM. The giant girl was supposed to go in what would have been her tank had she made it. 

Hey, you could get a female for your hybrid. You can house a male and female wild together as long as you have a 10g tank for them. They're not like regular bettas, they won't kill each other. I know Emmygolf has at least one because they offered me one for $30. Totally not being an enabler.


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## Scrapper

Hmm that's strange, from what I've heard about him he's supposed to be fairly reliable. That's why I was looking to maybe try him but now I'm hesitant. Let's hope now that holiday stuff is winding down he gets back to you. That's the only reason I can think of for the delay. 

If you already paid you very well may just get a shipping notification one day. That's what happened with Linda. One day probably two weeks after calling for the second time I got a email from USPS saying they'd shipped. On the phone she'd told me she would email me her payment info and a quote then just sent them without payment. 

It's a shame you lost your gold dragon HM. She sounds really pretty. My only previous DOA from within the US was because of the seller shipping with no heat pack too. It's really unfortunate when that happens. Sadly my whole last shipment arrived DOA when the post office made several mistakes. I'm going to be a wreck waiting for my new guy to get here.

Speaking of the new guy..... I sorta contacted Emmygolf today and got him a female  You should know I'm very susceptible to enabling haha and you're right I did have enough room in that 10 gallon for a pair. I'm pretty excited !


----------



## Tourmaline

HE GOT BACK TO ME! She was shipped today! Now to get ahold of him again to pay for my hybrid's shipping.. Darn it. Oh my god I'm so excited to finally meet her! 

I actually worked up the courage to call him earlier today, and 30 minutes later he sent me the email with her tracking number. He didn't answer my call, though. 

My post office knows me as the fish lady by now. Every time I get a 'Live Fish' box they're amazed, and they usually deliver earlier to my house on those days. There's not a lot of houses in this area, and they recognize my name and address from all the times I've held mail to pick it up. 

Woo! The more the merrier!  I wish I had a spare 10g for a pair, I'd love to breed them (they're very easy to breed compared to regular Bettas). I imagine quite a few people in the US would want wilds that were bred and raised here and not imported. Me being one of them, I'd prefer if my two were bred here and not imported. In bigger tanks you can actually have multiple pairs if it's planted enough. I'm not sure if I would ever do that, though. I'd be terrified.


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## ThatFishThough

Tour, I would LOVE a wild out of him.. In fact, I might just have to steal the beauty himself!


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## Tourmaline

No babies for him unless I can get another 10g, unfortunately. Even when Mako eventually passes from the tumor, I'll be moving Alydar into his tank. However he still has a sibling for sale that looks very similar 

AquaBid.com - Item # fwbettas1483624837 - Hybrid Blue M #835 - Ends: Thu Jan 5 2017 - 08:00:37 AM CDT


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## ThatFishThough

*screech* ;-; Me wants.


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## Tourmaline

Get hiiim! He needs a good home with someone who knows what they're doing! Or that's what I told myself when I impuse bought mine, anyway. xD


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## ThatFishThough

I have no tanks, though, and the parents have put my tank limit at 2, which are already overstocked (being divided in 3) with 3 bettas, 4 guppies, 2 mollies, 6 Danios, and a snail. Oh, and 4 cories. If I'd get another tank, it'd be another 20 long to divide up the biload. ;-;

ETA: @Scrapper... If you ever happen to get any babies... >3


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## BettaStarter24

Well you could always sneak in another...*innocent eyes*


----------



## ThatFishThough

Haha, not so soon. I just snuck Kumo in... My "little" EEHMPK. It didn't take very long before mom noticed, and she was furious. She was going to take him back, but PetSmart has the "only return if its dead" thing.


----------



## Scrapper

Yay :thumbsup: I can't wait for her to show up. I bet she'll be even more beautiful in real life. I was watching her myself so it'll be nice to see her in her new home. Now let's hope setting up shipping for the wild hybrid goes smoother. 

Yeah I'm pretty excited to have gotten the female too ! After you brought it up I just could'nt help myself lol that 10 gallon just suddenly seemed so lonely for him. Plus I'm really looking forward to seeing the two interact together. 

The idea of multiple pairs makes me nervous too as does babies a bit but I totally agree with you that if I had a choice I'd prefer to not have to get wilds from outside the US too. 




ThatFishThough said:


> ETA: @Scrapper... If you ever happen to get any babies... >3


Of course haha in my mind I'm worried I'll be overrun with babies (unlikely) lol but if I do have babies from them I'll for sure be here looking for some homes


----------



## Tourmaline

Copper girl is looking worse by the day. I'm not sure what's going on with her. I started Kanaplex treatment 3 days ago but nothing has improved. It looks like fin rot, but that wouldn't make any sense. :/








I'm going to try making a disease and emergencies thread for her and see if I can get this figured out and fixed.

I did manage to get a hold of Koo Yang again to pay for his shipping, so he's all set. I'm hoping there's no delay in shipping him this time. 

I'm expecting her to be completely red by the time she gets here. Kois marble a lot more quickly in transit, and she's been in transit for a while now. Hopefully she's healthy, at least.


----------



## Tourmaline

You can usually return fish or any live pets bought within 14 days as long as you have your reciept. Things are just a little different for employees, and they gave me a hard time about it because of the amount of tanks I have, and the manager in charge of the fish doesn't like me very much ever since I 'stole' Bandit (SIP) from under her nose. 

But shh, don't tell your mom that.  Just for future reference though, if you're ever in a situation where you _want_ to return one for whatever reason, you totally can. 

Also, pictures! Noel is turning into a cambodian  One of the only colors I don't like on female Bettas. Her fins are getting more pinkish, I assume they'll be solid red. 




















And Nebula because he's a flare happy thing. I still give him 5-10 minute flare sessions daily. He'll lose his eyesight eventually so I figured I'd let him enjoy defending his turf while he can still see to be able to.








Bonus pic, Shiro's "FEED ME" face. 








Lastly, the copper girl... She either has a fungal infection or columnaris. :/ Which is screwing up the giant girl's arrival, because now I have no idea if I can put her in the 5.5g the copper girl was in. Copper girl is in a 2g hospital tank for now, but the idea was to switch her over to the 2.5g when the giant came. I have no other tanks big enough for the giant.


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## Tourmaline

She's here! She really did not handle shipping well. When I took her out the box, she had _no_ color at all. I thought they sent me a cellophane female by mistake. After a few minutes of floating her in a tank, she looks more like a miserable Koi. I've never had a female shipped (at least not one that wasn't DOA), so maybe they all get extremely pale. Females pale more quickly than males, I've noticed. 

























Remind me to clean the front of her tank.. 

I am very worried about releasing her into this tank, but I did sterilize it the best I could. I wasn't sure how to sterilize live plants so I looked it up and tried my best. Hopefully she's fine, I've read fungal infections aren't contagious anyway. Copper girl is still in good shape activity wise, but I need to run and get some fungal specific meds today. 

She's trying to break out of her bag now, so I'd say she's ready to get out. However, I'll let her acclimate for the full 30 minutes to be on the safe side. And now she's jumping against the bag.. Wait, darn it! It's for your own good!


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## Scrapper

Congrats on your new arrival ! I'm glad to hear she arrived safe and sound. It's always such a relief. Looks like she's a big girl, good luck keeping her in the bag haha 

I wouldn't worry too much about her being so pale. It seems to be pretty normal. This past summer I ordered a koi pair from Emmygolf. The female showed up almost colorless and the male showed up looking perfect. They're both doing great now though she's marbled (which I expected) and he hasn't yet. 

I'd be nervous to put her into the tank too. I've read the same things about fungal infections so more than likely it'll be okay. I'll be crossing my fingers for you though. 

Here's a picture of my koi pair in the seller photos vs right after the arrived to me.


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## Tourmaline

I honestly thought they send me the wrong fish by accident. She didn't even have the brown where the red is like yours did, just a few flecks of gray. She's gotten her color back already, she's been exploring. She won't eat, though. I tried giving her some krill and she had no interest. Hopefully she'll eat tomorrow, it's bloodworm day.



















She's not very large either, my giant males are almost double her size. She's about Hawke's size, fins included, and they're the same age. I'm not sure if she'll get any bigger, but there goes the idea I was toying with of breeding her with Alydar. Her form compliments his perfectly, but he's massive, over 3" including fins. He'd probably eat her for breakfast. 

The copper girl pales so quickly she flip flops between gray and dark black stress stripes, and normal color the second she's uncomfortable and then feels slightly better. Females are finicky. On the flip side, Amara (my dropsy survivor), never even stress stripes. And Meera is still cellophane so I wouldn't be able to tell even if she was. 

I'm really surprised she hasn't marbled at all. I was expecting her to be completely red and black at this point, it's been almost a month since those pictures, and she's gone through hell shipping. Watch her marble at the speed of light now xD


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## Tourmaline

Copper girl looks a lot better today, her caudal isn't fused into a stick anymore. It was a fungal infection, not columnaris. 








Now for the Koi girl, the only pictures she let me get of her that looked okay.

























She ate some bloodworms, but she wouldn't eat them from the surface. She only ate them when they sank. So now she keeps staring at the gravel to see if there's more.


----------



## Tourmaline

I think the giant girl is recovered from shipping, she's a nutcase today. Soon as I went up to her tank she was darting around and flaring like a crazy fish. Lid went back, she was looking for food. No learning curve for her  She gobbled up some Brine Shrimp from the tweezers with no problems. 

I'm thinking of a name for her but nothing is clicking. 

I decided on a name for the copper girl finally, I've named her Azura. She's pretty much fungus free, her caudal is back to normal already. I wish I had realized it was fungus sooner so it didn't destroy so much of her fins :/ She had such stunning finnage for a female, not even a FT like most HM girls on eBay and Aquabid with big finnage.


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## Tourmaline

So this time Koo Yang is updating me fairly often. I expect this is how he usually is, and maybe the case with the giant girl was because of the holidays. 

The hybrid boy arrived alive, and he's sending out a tracking number tomorrow. I'm hoping he's not shipping him tomorrow and that he's been shipped already, he'll be in transit over the weekend in that case.. 

I'm also going to euthanize Mako soon, I'm just giving him a chance to see if maybe he improves. He's extremely pale, and he just lays on the top of plants now near the surface. He's still eating but he's lost all energy and doesn't move unless it's for food.

Oh, I had this weird thing happen with the giant girl yesterday. This has happened with a female I had once before, and she died shortly after, so I'm concerned. When I was tweezer feeding her, she got scared of the tweezers and dropped a bunch of eggs. I've been keeping my camera out at feeding time to see if I can catch a picture of, it but it hasn't happened again. The first time that happened with the other female, it was only one occasionally, but this girl dropped a bunch at once. Maybe 30 or so? Incredibly weird. And the more I moved the tweezers, the more she let out. When I asked about it when it happened with the first female, no one had heard of that happening. Now this is the second female I've had that's done it. Her ovipositor was also very extended, it isn't now.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Thailand bettas are almost always contitioned for breeding as soon as they're ready. If they don't sell, they get bred. I had a relative go to Thailand recently, and they chatted with breeders and got pics and stuff. I'll see if I can find them.

^ The above is most likely the reason the giant girl is releasing eggs. If the other girl wasn't from a breeder, I have no clue.


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## Tourmaline

The first girl wasn't from a breeder, she was from a pet store, it was Meridia. She was releasing eggs before she started bloating and pineconing, I thought she was eggy, not bloated. 

The giant girl wasn't full of eggs when she got here either, that's what makes it a bit weird, it sort of happened over a day. Could it be because I've only been feeding her frozen and I'm unintentionally conditioning her? She can't see any males, her tank is on a little table.

Also, the hybrid was shipped today. He's expected to get here Saturday.. Kinda cutting it close there. :s


----------



## Tourmaline

And Kasai has developed what looks like a liquid filled sack on his right side. It wasn't there yesterday, it's really weird. It's like a little bubble filled with water on the outside of his scales, but it's the color of his scales. No idea what it is. I'll get a picture tomorrow and try a disease and emergencies thread and see if anyone can tell me what it is.


----------



## Hopefish

I'm sorry to hear that Mako is doing so poorly.


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## BettaStarter24

Hey Tourmaline, I just saw your post about the Fluval Chi from September. I'm not sure if you were still interested in the tank but just so you know, it comes with something you put over the filter output that renders it silent. I just got the tank today for my platinum female to replace her bowl. So far I love it and so does Sen. The filter output does not need to be baffled (at least mine doesn't) and the light is decent. I'm not sure if it would be ok with live plants or not but it does its job if you just have silk plants in there. 

I know that post was old I just figured I'd jump on and give my two cents in on the tank just in case you were still thinking about it.


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## DangerousAngel

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear about Mako! :-(

The bubble on Kasai sounds pretty strange, could it be like a Betta pimple? I know I've heard of those (or something similar in a type of tumor), I think they end up popping, Clean water and some AQ salt should help it heal, and prevent it from becoming infected if it does pop. I'm definitely interested in seeing a picture of it.


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## Scrapper

I'm sorry to hear about your recent betta issues. I'm at least happy to hear the the copper girls doing better now. 

I hope the giant girl keeps doing okay. I'm not sure about the egg thing. I've only noticed one female drop eggs (an imported girl too). She dropped them sometime during the night Wednesday and when I woke up there were eggs all over the black sand. So a little different then the tweezer situation. 

I'm glad to hear that you're having a better expierence with Koo Yang this time. I can't wait for your hybrid to arrive. Mine arrived yeaterday afternoon. They're gorgeous. I was so nervous with how they'd ship compared to non wild type bettas. 

The female showed up really lively and the male not so much. He was a little clamped last night but looks a bit better today. I'm still a little nervous over him but think he may just need some time to settle in. I'll just keep an eye on him for now. 

It felt so strange to be putting them together. I'm so engrained with the "one Betta per tank rule" lol but besides a little flaring they're just fine with each other. I wish I had the forthought to have a separate tank set up so they could be apart until they recovered from shipping but again they seem fine. 

As soon as they settle down I'll try and get some pictures. So far any camera just causes them to dart away. I'm very pleased though  the male really is the cutest most gorgeous little fellow. 

Best wishes for yours showing up safe and happy too !


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## Tourmaline

If I don't see any improvement in Mako by tomorrow, I've made my decision. He looks miserable, and he looks like he's in a lot of pain at this point. :/ I'm not going to make him suffer to keep me happy. He refused to eat today, and it was Krill, his favorite. I think he's had enough.

I've decided to foster a little DT with bad SBD. My store has been 'treating' him with Bettafix for weeks now, with no improvement. My manager just put him up for adoption today, at a 75% discount, so I snagged him. I already have a home for him, I just have to make him better first. Should be easy enough, I have the right things to fix him up. 

I never got around to getting a picture of Kasai, but it hasn't gotten any bigger or smaller. I'm hoping it's nothing.

Cas is seriously slowing down, I'm not sure if anything's wrong, or he's just showing his age. He's not old though, he's around 9-10 months old.. Merlin is doing better than he is, and he's about a year and a half old. I don't know.. He doesn't want to eat either, but he's done that before in the past.

As for the hybrids, just give the boy a bit of time. My Smaragdina took about 3 days to fully recover, and a lot of the times I've had bettas shipped, it takes around 3 days. As long as he's swimming around, it should be fine. I look forward to seeing them.


----------



## dual700

Maybe this is too late, but could you try this for the Giant?
Put him in a smallish tank (1 gallon is perfect). Two-three pinch of aquarium salt, half IAL, put them in a small jar with a bit of hot water. Stir them until the water turns yellow/brown.
Pour drinking water in that hospital tank, then the salt/IAL in that tank, make sure the temp of his tank and this hospital tank are similar, then put him there.
Monitor him for a few minutes to see if he is ok in that hospital tank.

Pictures will help.

Good luck.


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## Tourmaline

Okay, Kasai's bubble is nothing but a tiny bump now. I did scrape a bunch of his scales off by accident feeding him today.  They'll regrow, he's on AQ Salt to help them regrow and prevent infection. 

Now, the SBD guy is on Epsom Salt.. I can't find Daphnia anywhere, and he won't eat anyway. I read shrimp helps digestion so I tried feeding him some, but he was having none of it. Here's how bad he is. :/ All he can do is float, he'll dart downwards occasionally and get sucked back up to the surface rather violently.







I've been wanting to help him for a while now, but we can't sell sick fish. I had been asking pet care if we can sell him, and I finally saw an "Adopt" sticker on him. He'll get help now.


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## Tourmaline

It's an internal tumor that's making him sick. I tried antibacterial meds with no luck, I've been told to just keep him comfortable until he starts refusing to eat, and that it's genetic since it doesn't respond to antibacterial meds. 













The first picture is from last week, the second is how he is now. Clamped and floating.


----------



## Tourmaline

I've euthanized Mako.. He was floating on his side this morning breathing heavily. I feel I made the right decision, it wasn't curable, and he was suffering.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Sorry about Mako, but you're right, he's not suffering anymore.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm not sure it I want to move Alydar into his tank now.  I think it's risky with the RCS and ADF, he's super aggressive. They'd all be lunch. He's okay in his tank. 

Also.. 
#135 Thai Import Fancy Multicolor Male GIANT Halfmoon Plakat HMPK Betta Fish | eBay
Someone get him! I'm not going for him. But my god, he's stunning. He's 2.5 inches BO at 3.5 months old.. He's going to be huge.

I don't think I want any more giants, as much as I love them. It seems that many of them have issues with tumors. Mako should have lived a long life.


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## Tourmaline

Day 4 of Cas not eating. I'm getting really worried now. He won't even eat bloodworms. 

Day 2 of treating the SBD boy and he hasn't shown any improvement. He doesn't even attempt to swim around, he just floats between the filter and tank wall because it keeps him straight. I need daphnia.. Petco and PetSmart, which don't you carry it? I don't want to order it and pay $20 for shipping for something that costs $3. 

The hybrid boy didn't come yesterday.. Meaning he's stuck in transit until tomorrow. One time I've had packages from USPS come on a Sunday, so I'll check. The tracking number I was given for him doesn't work either, so I have no idea where he is. I have a bad feeling about this.


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## DangerousAngel

I'm so sorry to hear about Mako! But I agree, you did the right thing, and he isn't hurting anymore.

Sorry to hear about Cas too! 

I really hope your Hybrid boy will be OK, it's so scary when they get stuck. Maybe he'll come in tomorrow, and will be just fine.

As for SBD boy, I'm really surprised your Pet Smart and PetCo don't carry it, in the stores down here Daphnia and bloodworms are always the first 2 that are in the case. Strange :/


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## Tourmaline

I even enrolled in USPS details for my address. Meaning all the packages coming to my address will be shown. There's nothing coming, apparently.. I'm going to ask Koo Yang for the tracking number. He didn't send me the numbers, he sent me a picture of the box with the label on it. It did have the right name and address so I'm not sure what's going on. 

I haven't been to any others, but the PetSmart I work at has only carried it once in the last year, and the only Petco here doesn't have it either. I ordered it through drfostersmith.com, I ordered a bunch of other frozen foods too, so the shipping didn't hurt me so much. I got chopped up clams (should be interesting, apparently good for freshwater too), more Mysis Shrimp since the ones I have are getting past their freezer life, of course Daphnia, and some Cyclops. I hope they like the variety they'll be getting. I'll have 7 kinds of food to work with instead of 4.


----------



## BettaStarter24

It's a holiday too so I'm not sure if they'll deliver today. Hope everything goes ok with him.


----------



## DangerousAngel

Oh that sucks! He sent me the same kind of picture I believe, the bar code should have numbers under it, which turns out being the tracking number, so maybe try that?

Good luck with the frozen foods too, I've been wanting to try Beef heart, but I'm afraid my picky boys wouldn't like it, quite a few of them weren't fans of the Krill..:/ I'll be interested in hearing how the clams go down with yours.


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## Tourmaline

I did put in that tracking number, but it doesn't show any info. It says it doesn't exist.  I don't know what to do. I checked the mail and nothing came.


----------



## Tourmaline

Well the frozen food came, but I'm not home right now. I'll see how the clams turn out when I get home. I wouldn't recommend beef heart though, when I asked about it, it's not healthy for Bettas to eat it because they have trouble digesting it. Here's the thread if you're interested. 
http://www.bettafish.com/30-betta-fish-care/701410-feeding-frozen-foods.html

So I go to the mechanic to get my car fixed.. And now I have a dog friend. xD The place always has a little Cocker Spaniel named Lady here. She's been on my lap for the last hour or so just hanging out. 

Hopefully the SBD boy will eat some Daphnia. He hasn't had any interest in food at all. I might have to cup him to see if he'll eat. 

I'm hoping the Hybrid comes today.. If not we have a huge problem. It's been so cold the last few days, I'm hoping he makes it..


----------



## Tourmaline

Updates. SBD boy ate the daphnia with no issues. I mean, he couldn't properly eat, but he tried his hardest. I'm hoping that helps him. 

They seemed indifferent to the clams, no one loved it, but everyone ate it. 

The hybrid made it.. He's not looking great, his heat pack wasn't working anymore, and his water was at 65 degrees. I put him in the 10g. He's gotten color back, but he's still clamped. And jeez he's tiny..


----------



## Tourmaline

He seems okay despite everything.. He's awful tiny for a 10g, I wish I could get him a female. I wonder if Emmygolf has any girls left? He's smaller than my smallest ADF, I'm a little worried they might try to eat him.


----------



## ThatFishThough

I'd be weary of the ADF. I've had a full-grown betta take a ADF for a ride... multiple times.


----------



## Tourmaline

Emmygolf said she'd (I'm pretty sure they're female, their Facebook page says female) check her farm either tomorrow or the day after to see if she has any hybrid females left. I'm hoping she has a nice one, I'll be actively adopting out/selling offspring to anyone whose interested in that case. The male looks better today, hasn't gotten eaten yet 

I may just keep the SBD boy :/ I was hoping he'd be swimming by now, but he's still not improving. I don't think the person is interested anymore. Hopefully he's not stuck like that forever, I don't remember him coming in so I can't say whether he was always like this or not.


----------



## Tourmaline

Okay Emmygolf has one female left, I'm waiting on pictures. Also, because I have no self control and an empty 2g, I bought a solid red I think HM girl from Petland, jesus they had gorgeous fish. I'll get some pictures of her when she's settled in.


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## ThatFishThough

If you get babies, I will snatch a male/female pair in a heartbeat. Maybe a half a heartbeat. Or less? I am now obsessively stalikng this Journal, awaiting pictures of the fem.

(*cough* Even if you don't like her, you might get a F1 female from their spawns (if they do) that looks like dad, then could keep the daughter and sell the mom. *cough*)


----------



## Tourmaline

I could have sworn I posted this already, but it's not showing up. 

I don't like the girl's fin or body form too much, but I won't find another hybrid with that specific mix again, so I got her. Here's a picture of her.







I'm hoping the male will balance it out a bit. I need to breed out the web reduction on her caudal and dorsal, and I need to breed out that bump on her head. The male has the bump too, so that may prove a challenge. It's not as noticeable on him. He has excellent fin and body form otherwise, so I'm hoping for some decent offspring to start.

I keep forgetting to get pictures of the new girl. xD I'll get some tomorrow. She actually looks to not have any iridescence either.. Although I find it very hard to believe I'd find a super red in Petland, of all places. She probably just needs to color up first.


----------



## BettaStarter24

She's pretty! Looking forward to seeing the new girl and the hybrid all settled in!


----------



## Tourmaline

Cas finally passed away from whatever was making him lethargic and not eat. I'm not sure what it was.. He didn't show any other signs besides the lethargy and loss of appetite, no stringy poop, nothing. Maybe he was just older than I thought he was. :/

The new girl who is actually a VT isn't doing well. She won't eat, she doesn't really move around much, and she's very skittish. I may just have to give her some time, she was in a very crowded tank which only looked to be between 5-8 gallons with a bunch of other female Bettas and very large algae eaters, getting knocked around by the filter. She does have a bit of fin damage so I assume she was picked on. 














And here's a few pictures of the hybrid boy, he's the cutest little thing. He seems to be doing well without tons of tannins, he has lots of color and he's very active. The water is only a very light brown, I couldn't get it any darker without tearing up pieces of IAL, which I don't want all over the tank. 


























I think the hybrid girl is being shipped out to Koo Yang today, I'm not sure. I just asked Emmygolf when the shipment she'll be going on is.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm expecting the female hybrid soon, the shipment to Koo Yang was sent out already, and on his Facebook he has a shipment date list which says January 23rd is the arrival date. I'm hoping he doesn't ship her on a Wednesday like he did with the male :/

I also bought another import off eBay, a Prism Bettas boy. I like his look. His listing said green marble, but I'm pretty sure he looks more turquoise in person. He's handsome, none the less.








I'm hoping these two come on the same day, the marble boy is being shipped Monday to be expected Wednesday or Thursday. It's less nerve racking if they come at the same time.


----------



## Tourmaline

The little VT girl I got from Petland passed, she never looked too great from day one, and she was pineconed. Her body had turned so pale, she looked like a cambodian. I have no idea what was making her sick, I tried a MB/AQ Salt/Kanaplex cocktail in her tank to see if it would help, and it didn't.

On the other hand, the Prism Betta HMPK is flipping gorgeous, he looks just like his picture color wise. I was so sure it was edited, but it wasn't. He is a gorgeous little fish, arrived very healthy too.


----------



## firewood04

So sorry to hear about Cas. SIP!


----------



## Tourmaline

Hybrid girl came today! I'm at work, so I asked my mother to monitor them. The male didn't show any real aggression towards her when she was floating, so I told her to let her out of the bag and monitor them for fights. I'm hoping she gets along well with him. 

Also.. Guys.. My store has a black and white samurai HM girl.. She has white dragon patches all over a pineapple black body, and cello fins with a black outline. All willpower is going out the window.


----------



## Tourmaline

Their behavior is incredibly interesting to watch. They haven't attacked each other, they sort of just randomly flare and then the male intimidates the female away once he's tired of her trying to bully him. He has not chased her, and she has not chased him. Just flaring until one swims away. 

They also dance around each other while flaring which is interesting. A few times the female will just hang around him until he scares her off. I don't know if it's just me but he looks so much more colorful now with her in there, his blue is so deep. 

I got some really blurry pictures. She's a lot more beautiful in person, her pictures didn't do her justice.



























And a nosey ADF that got in the way, why not.


----------



## Tourmaline

I take that back, there's a lot of aggression from the male. He chases her whenever he sees her, she has a bit of fin damage and looks very stressed. I'm not sure if I should move her, or if this will stop. When I turn the lights off, they're fine. It's only with the light on, and they were completely fine with each other until I fed them. That triggered the aggression, I think. 

And here is the girl I lost willpower for. 



















I'm not sure if she's actually a samurai, but she's very pretty.


----------



## LittleBettaFish

Even though they are wild hybrids, it may not mean your pair can live together long-term. I would expect some aggression from a newly introduced pair. I have pairs that have been together for two years now and they will still chase each other around and fight, so minor fin or scale damage is very normal. However, just be aware that you may need to separate your two if the aggression doesn't ease off or escalates. I know hobbyists that have had to keep their 'pure' splendens complex pairs separated simply because of aggression. It just depends on the pair. 

However, I will say that they are very beautiful. Personally I prefer the longer, snake-like build of wilds and wild-hybrids over the thicker bodied ornamental strains.


----------



## Tourmaline

I was just about to make a thread on this, thank you for responding. 

I do have an open 5g I can put her in if I see he's not easing up. It's not live planted, but I think she will be okay. I'm going to give more tannins a try. I had managed to get it a lot darker using water I boiled IAL in, but a water change ruined that. I need to boil more, I'll get it started so I can add it in the morning.

They are a mix of "Mahachai, Cambodia, and guitar" according to what Emmygolf told @Scrapper. However, I'm not sure. I just fell in love with the male's form and coloration. The female was an afterthought after seeing how small he was for a 10g after having a giant in it.

Edit: Just went to check on her, they were resting together. Me checking on them made the male flare at her and run her off. He did not chase. I'll leave them alone for the night.


----------



## Tourmaline

This is almost humorous if I wasn't so worried about it. After the male beat the snot out of the female all night and I thought she would die, I wake up and she's the one bullying him now. He's pale and has stress stripes instead of her, and she's a bright green and red now with very obvious breeding stripes. These fish.. I don't think she's giving chase like he was from what I've seen, she just charges at him flaring, and he darts away.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Sounds like they are trying to establish pecking order 

The Samarai girl is stunning I would have snatched her too!


----------



## Tourmaline

Aggressive behavior has died down, female's fin damage is healed already, male has none.

They flare at each other with no attacking. Things she does which would result in a chase before are fine now with some flaring. They ate together without him trying to attack her for taking food, even though I was feeding her at a separate area of the tank to avoid that, and she went over to his little area. 

Lots of pictures, they've been swimming around together for the most part. Any confrontations the male starts lead to her darting away without him giving chase, or ones instigated by her ending the male dancing around her flaring until she swims away. 

Some pictures, it feels a bit odd seeing two Bettas in a tank. Have I ever mentioned how flippen stunning the male is? Every time he flares, I melt.
































This surprisingly didn't lead to a fight, he just danced around her and they both stopped flaring.


----------



## Tourmaline

Marvel died, another case of no idea what went wrong. I noticed he was a bit less green than usual three days ago, but he was still eating, although he was a bit less active than usual. 

I gave his body a once over, and his belly seemed to be squishy, like it had fluid in it. But it was not enlarged, nor his scales raised. Could that be a blockage? Maybe he tried eating some plants in his tank?


----------



## ThatFishThough

He might have been just constipated, if even a little bit.

.. Most bellies are squishy, unless you have abs, LOL. If you have a fish with abs.. Pics, please?!


----------



## Tourmaline

Whenever I've had a death, their bellies were not soft like that. Unless it was a dropsy case and they had fluid buildup. 

Usually its firm but squishy like flesh, not squishy like it's filled with liquid. But usually they won't eat if they're sick, he was still eating, even last night. :/ Eh, I don't know.


----------



## Tourmaline

So I go to make some late night food, and when I come back, my pair is spawning. The male wrapping the female, her dropping eggs, the works. I think I missed the majority of it.. Well, ****.

They had just started. The male is inexperienced, let a lot of eggs drop. It seems like he's getting better at wrapping her successfully, he was struggling at first. They both look exhausted. 

Best I could manage without disturbing them


----------



## Tourmaline

Unfortunately for them, I don't have food for the fry. So they'll likely all become food unless I can manage to pull some fry food out of my behind in the next few days. 

At least they have some experience for next time, when I am actually prepared. I thought they were still in the 'newly introduced pair aggression' stage.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Good luck! I will for sure be keeping a tank open for a pair! 

ETA: Even if it is from a spawn a month from now.


Question: Is it hard to keep this particular fish? What is your substrate? Light? Is the tank mature? What filter? Sorry fr the questions, LOL.


----------



## Tourmaline

They are not difficult to keep at all. These two are in a standard 10g with white sand substrate, heavily planted, with a Finnex Stingray lighting it. The tank doesn't have much in terms of tannins, although they prefer dark water, these two are very active and are doing well without. 

They actually prefer dark substrate, or you could do an IAL litter bottom for dark substrate and tannins too. Bare bottom works fine too. 

They prefer decently planted tanks with dim lighting, so you can do a low light setup and just get floaters to lessen the light. I very heavily recommend Dwarf Water Lettuce as a floater, it is the best I have come across.

A tight fitting lid is a must, they're known to jump through any gaps they can find, so it was recommended to put seran wrap over any holes for the filter or plugs and such. 

A sponge filter is supposed to be better for them, but any filter should do. I have an Azoo Mignon 350 in my tank, and it does just fine baffled and on low. It's been cycled for a while, houses breeding RCS and ADF. 

They are similar to regular Bettas in terms of water quality, they can adapt pretty well to just about anything. 

Also, food. They can eat pellets, but some may not if they haven't been conditioned to eat pellets. Both of mine will eat them without issue. Avoid feeding them foods that are very rich such as blackworms, they are prone to obesity. 

Anything I missed? @ThatFishThough


----------



## ThatFishThough

Well, any future babies from you will be started on dry, right?  

Will leaf litter cause ammonia/nitrates? 

Other than that, you've answered everything. Thanks!


----------



## Tourmaline

Any babies will be on vinegar eels, then microworms, then a mix of various frozen foods and pellets every so often like the rest of my Bettas. 

Leaf litter will not cause ammonia or nitrates. But it will leach a ton off tannins, enough to make the water dark brown.


----------



## ThatFishThough

I showed my mom and she actually didn't immediately say no!


----------



## Tourmaline

I'll give you first pick whenever I get an actual spawn, but I'll have to keep the best female and maybe male if I get any with form comparable to the father. 

I'm thinking I'll need to get them a spawn tank, their tank is a great home, but all the floaters and ADF kind of ruin it as a spawn tank. Maybe the 20g I never set up? I used the stand I bought for it for a bunch of small tanks instead, so I'll need another stand. And some weighted plants, I'll go bare bottom. 

If I'm going to get them their own spawn tank, I might as well just get into breeding in general. Alydar and my Koi girl I never figured out a name for would be an interesting giant pair. Azura and Hawke? The new samurai girl and Shiro? I think that would be interesting. I'd need breeding stock..


----------



## ThatFishThough

Pictures of the fish pairs? 

Thanks for first pick, LOL. 

I would totally have endless amounts of fish if you started breeding. There are too many people on this forum in Australia that breed beauties.

ETA: The food question, I mean "The babies will have had dry, right?" LOL.


----------



## Tourmaline

Oh jeez.. Let's see. 

Azura and Hawke (I wouldn't actually breed Hawke because of his diamond eye, and the HM/HMPK pair has me iffy, but coloration would be interesting) 








Alydar and Koi girl (Alydar has some issues with his split vents and split anal fin, but he is huge, she's gorgeous, and she hasn't marbled yet) 








Samurai and Shiro (Also iffy on breeding Shiro due to his form, however he is a stable Platinum, no marbling yet)








My best bet would be the giant pair, I haven't seen any giant breeders in the US.

And I saw the most stunning male I've seen in a while that Betta_mafia was selling (they're my favorite eBay seller by far), and I messaged him asking if he would be relisted after his listing ends, because it ends today, but I don't get paid until Friday. I said I was planning to buy him Friday. He offered to hold him for me and remove the listing. He's prepping him to ship, added me on Facebook to keep in contact. Favorite. Seller. Ever. 

This is him, I'm in love with those fins! He'd be a good breeder if I could find a good HMPK female for him. 














@Meade We both got our boys! A party is in order.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Nice!

(I may or may not have snagged a rimless 15G...)


----------



## Tourmaline

I had a surprise giant girl planned, but unfortunately, she didn't make it due to an idiot post person. 

She was left outside for 8 hours in the freezing cold, because her delivery status was never updated saying she was in transit, and the post person left the box in the most retarded place possible where no one could see it unless they were searching for it.

It's been too many hours to get a refund, I am very upset.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Oh no! I'm so sorry!


----------



## Tourmaline

I've never had that happen before.. This is how her shipping status updated, it's the same if you look at it on the USPS website. 








It went straight from the shipping label being created to the ones today, but 8 hours after she was actually delivered. :/

This was her, I thought she was pretty.. Not the best form but I liked her.


----------



## Meade

Tourmaline said:


> Oh jeez.. Let's see.
> 
> Azura and Hawke (I wouldn't actually breed Hawke because of his diamond eye, and the HM/HMPK pair has me iffy, but coloration would be interesting)
> View attachment 864938
> 
> 
> Alydar and Koi girl (Alydar has some issues with his split vents and split anal fin, but he is huge, she's gorgeous, and she hasn't marbled yet)
> View attachment 864946
> 
> 
> Samurai and Shiro (Also iffy on breeding Shiro due to his form, however he is a stable Platinum, no marbling yet)
> View attachment 864954
> 
> 
> My best bet would be the giant pair, I haven't seen any giant breeders in the US.
> 
> And I saw the most stunning male I've seen in a while that Betta_mafia was selling (they're my favorite eBay seller by far), and I messaged him asking if he would be relisted after his listing ends, because it ends today, but I don't get paid until Friday. I said I was planning to buy him Friday. He offered to hold him for me and remove the listing. He's prepping him to ship, added me on Facebook to keep in contact. Favorite. Seller. Ever.
> 
> This is him, I'm in love with those fins! He'd be a good breeder if I could find a good HMPK female for him.
> View attachment 864962
> View attachment 864970
> 
> 
> @Meade We both got our boys! A party is in order.


Yay @Tourmaline! Betta_Mafia is so nice! I liked their Facebook page and sent them photos of Jupiter who was reposted to their page!


----------



## Tourmaline

I saw! I followed their Facebook page too. I didn't even know they had one, he said they set it up recently. 

I'm looking for a HMPK female I could potentially breed him with now, since the giant girl didn't make it.. It'll have to wait until next paycheck though, I can't spend it all on Bettas. I'm not sure if I'll actually be able to breed either, but having a good quality pair ready can't hurt. 

I want to think of a name for this guy before he gets here instead of him winding up nameless like my Koi girl. I've been wanting to call her Yuki but I didn't like it much. I may just end up naming her that for lack of a better name.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Yuzuri. All I did was add letters. If you don't like it, try Uzumi, or something that sounds similir to Yuki. Kiou? (Kai-you). For the Koi girl. I'll thin of something for the boy.


----------



## Tourmaline

I decided on a name for the male, Zephyr. I also liked Helix that was suggested me, but Zephyr is perfect. 

I'm still undecided on the Koi girl.. I might as well call her Patches at this point. xD Poor thing.. I am very pleased with how stable her coloration has been, although I'm pretty sure that will change at any point in her life. She still looks the same as the day the pictures on AquaBid were taken.

Betta_mafia is my new best friend I think  I requested that he let me know whenever he gets a giant male or female in that's close to or over 2 inches BO, and he said he'd hand pick one or two for me from Thailand if I'm willing to wait until April. Breeding stock, here I come! Now to get this 20g set up into a spawn tank.. This is exciting. Hopefully I can find a stand that's a good size. I'd also need a grow out tank. And maybe a BBS culture too, so I don't only have to feed the babies Microworms. I got started on the Vinegar Eel culture, I just need the rest of the baby food ready to go for a spawn ahead of time.


----------



## Tourmaline

I have a surprise guy coming in addition to Zephyr, I may not have found a female for Zeph, but I found a perfect male for another one of my larger residents. Hopefully that doesn't spoil it too much.  

I'm naming him Admiral, I think he's deserving of that name. A bit pricey, but I think he may be worth it in the long run in breeding.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Serendipity would be cute for the Koi girl. Samara, Suki (Soo-key), Mikii (Me-key), Michi (Me-Chi)


----------



## Tourmaline

I'd go for Samara, but I have a girl named Amara. xD She's grown to be quite lovely, speaking of her. She looks like a fighter PK, and has the attitude to go with that. She's come far considering she almost died.

I like Michi, more so than Yuki. I think we may have found her a name! Finally..


----------



## Tourmaline

Here are some pictures of Amara now that she's grown. 




















The samurai girl's dragon scale patches are spreading, she may just wind up as a black dragon eventually. 














And because I'm horrible at keeping surprises, this is the guy I picked out for Michi. He's 2.3 inches long body only. I don't like his fins much, but her form may make up for it.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Whhhhhaaattt?!? No updates for two days?!? What's up?


----------



## Tourmaline

Work has me drained. There hasn't been any real fish news either. Admiral is supposed to come tomorrow, but I think he'll get here Thursday instead, and Zephyr is set to come Thursday. I'm also looking at nabbing a HM for the first time in a long time.

Unless people would like to hear me complain about my car and potholes costing me $400+, I don't really have anything to post about. xD


----------



## Tourmaline

Surprisingly, Zephyr is the one that came today, not Admiral. I'm expecting Admiral tomorrow.

Now, for Zeph.. He is so stinkin cute! He's tiny! A hungry little thing too, there were pieces of IAL in the tank and he was going nuts trying to eat them all. I'm holding off on feeding him because I want him to recover a bit before stuffing his face. I put Shiro in the planted 2.5g Marvel was in, and Zeph in his 2.5g. I like that tank a lot more than the one he was in, I think he will too. Those plants are growing like mad because I have a Stingray cliplight on that tank.

I'll get some pictures once his tank clears up, I knocked around some of the sand when I was rearranging the plants, and now it's cloudy.

Edit: I changed my mind, I've fed him. He kept trying to eat everything in the tank, he's got to be hungry.


----------



## Tourmaline

Say hello to Zephyr! Spunky little thing, every Betta that they've shipped to me has come active and with an appetite.


----------



## Tourmaline

Zephyr has a bit of scales right in front of his dorsal that are sticking up like they're pineconing. Injury? It's just a few scales, and it looks like he has a few missing around there too.

Admiral didn't come today, we had a blizzard and we're in a state of emergency today. :s I'm hoping he's okay, his shipping status hasn't updated in 2 days.


----------



## Tourmaline

It doesn't seem to bother him, whatever it is. He's making a bubble nest as I type this, stopping every few minutes to try to eat a baby snail. Him and Enzo (the green PrismBetta boy, I never did say I named him, did I?) built nests on the second day home. It seems like every Betta I put in that 3g is a huge bubble nester, Enzo's nest is covering half the tank. Cas and Azure did the same in that tank. Maybe they just like it?


----------



## Tourmaline

Trying to get pictures of it just ended up with lots of flaring, crazy little thing. He flares at my phone whenever I hold it up, and my trick of distracting them with a finger to get them to stay still doesn't work on him, he just flares at it and flare dances at it. xD

I managed to get one where you can _kinda_ see it, not really. But I circled it so maybe it would be a little more noticeable.








And the rest of the pictures I took that actually came out okay, despite not showing the raised scales at all. 


























He's very underweight. He looks a lot thinner than he was in his seller photos. Might be a cause for concern if I can't get some weight on him. I'm going to feed him bloodworms 3 times a week instead of once like the others.


----------



## BettaStarter24

One or two of mine have the same scale thing. It doesn't seem to bother them at all.


----------



## Tourmaline

I like him a lot so far, I was scared I wouldn't connect with him at all because he was bought on an impulse when I was looking for something worth breeding. He's fiesty, flares a lot. Maybe he'll calm down but I like it so far. It seems like Shiro likes the 2.5g he's in now more too, he's enjoying the dwarf water lettuce roots a bunch, he keeps swimming through them.

Also.. I don't think Admiral is going to arrive alive, unfortunately. :/ His heat pack has stopped working at this point, and his tracking information still hasn't updated at all. The seller contacted me and told me to update them when he arrives, and explained that none of their packages have arrived yet, and they're not sure what happened with USPS. They also explained that he will likely be DOA due to the weather on this side of the country, and his heat pack not working anymore. They offered to let me pick another Betta in the event he is DOA, or get a refund. He may have a chance if he comes tomorrow, by some miracle, but I won't hold my breath. I'm not expecting to open his box and find him living. If he gets stuck in transit on Sunday, I don't think there's much hope.


----------



## Tourmaline

Holding out for some hope that Admiral will make it to the local post office in the next 2 hours.. :/ I don't think it's going to happen. Should I contact USPS? I'm not sure what to do. 

But have I ever mentioned my love for solids? Blue solids specifically, with no red and an even shaded dark blue, not turquoise blue. I found one on Aquabid, finally. After no luck finding one without diamond eye on eBay, he was going unsold with 5 minutes left so I bid on him, got him for extremely cheap since no one else bid. Ain't he a stunner?


----------



## Tourmaline

That's a no for Admiral today.. He's stuck wherever he is for another day. I called USPS but they weren't any help. I'll be surprised if he makes it. 

This solid blue guy has been my cheapest import ever, I think. With the import fee and shipping, he totaled $44, compared to Michi which cost me a little over $60 with the PayPal fees. I got lucky with no one else bidding.


----------



## Tourmaline

Okay.. Uh.. SBD boy disappeared. I'm so damn confused, I looked all around his tank multiple times, I moved all of his decor around to see if maybe he was stuck somewhere, and nothing. I don't know where the hell he went.  I don't think he could have jumped in his condition, but his tank has no gaps in the hood anyway. I've heard of fish disappearing before but I never thought that was actually possible..


----------



## ThatFishThough

Filter? Bring the heater? Is it possible that... Uh, he passed... Then decayed? I had a Cory decay in two days.


----------



## Tourmaline

I looked inside the filter just in case and he wasn't there, I also took the heater out completely and nothing.. I feed him every two days because of his condition, and when I fed him Thursday he was fine. I thought I saw him swimming around on Friday when I fed Meera in the tank next to him. I don't think he'd have decayed in a day, if that's even possible. I'm moving the entire stand those tanks are on to see if maybe he got under it somehow. That still wouldn't explain how he got out, though. 

In other news, Admiral is finally in NY. Unfortunately, I think it's too late. He should be here Monday, I'm calling first thing in the morning to ask them to hold the package there so I can pick him up, just in case he is still alive. If not.. I'll be asking them for a refund. He was quite expensive, and eBay bucks covered his almost all of his shipping, so I'll only be out $2.50ish with a refund.


----------



## Tourmaline

He's alive! Heat pack was still working. Seems to be in good health too.


----------



## Tourmaline

Some pictures of Admiral. He's pretty big, he's about Alydar's size, and he's only 3.5 months old. I assume he'll get bigger, as giants usually reach their full size at 6 months old or so. 
































And Michi because they'd make cute babies. Their tanks are next to each other, they can't see each other though. They have the same eye color thing going on, it's kinda funny.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Awwww! Yes! Was rooting for him & you. Should breed him & Michi! ^w^


----------



## BettaStarter24

WOOHOO!!!! so happy that he made it!


----------



## Tourmaline

Admiral is an odd red, a very deep maroon color rather than bright red like Michi. He's a darker red than Alydar too. He seems pretty mellow so far, compared to Zeph at least, he's a psycho fish. I need to record him flaring, he goes freaking nuts for 10 minutes if you show him a mirror or your finger just once. Him being mellow might just be him recovering, though. I can't imagine being stuck in a bag in a dark box for a week was easy on him.


----------



## Tourmaline

Some okay pictures of him now that he's settled in a bit. He's recovering, he flares at me but he seems sluggish. I think he'll be more active and aggressive about it once he feels better. I've been dosing the tank with Stress Guard hoping that'll help the process a bit.


----------



## Tourmaline

I got Michi a little "boyfriend". After a bit of research and reading people's experiences, it's okay to keep Platys in 5g tanks if they're planted and cycled? (If not I'll just move him to the 10g) 

Luckily they're not hard to sex, I didn't care if it was a male or female but it's cute that it's a male. He's a cute little thing, I'm not sure what variation he is, he didn't fit into any of the varieties we had. He's bright yellow with a black patch with a few blue scales, the only variety he was close to had red in them. 

Here's a picture, he's a bit skittish so I couldn't get a good one.








She's not aggressive towards him. At first she did bite him a few times, though. It sort of seemed like she thought he was food at first because she was biting at him the way she bites at food that falls. After she realized he moved, she chased for a few seconds (no flaring), and then left him alone. She doesn't like when he goes near her too much so she'll sort of push him off by swimming towards him slowly until he goes away.


----------



## ThatFishThough

I've always personally believed that Livebearers are social. It might be why he's skittish; I have a group of 3 male Mollies, and then 2 females on the other side of the divider.


----------



## Tourmaline

I read that if you get two, one will usually bully the other. And if it's two males, they'll fight. One male and one female, and the male will bother the female. So I opted to get one since the sites I looked at (that I'm now starting to doubt) said they're fine alone since they're not schooling/shoaling fish.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm debating trying to return him now. I'm not sure if he'll be okay by himself.  He is following Michi around a lot now, she just lets him. He's probably thinking she's a big beautiful platy he needs to woo. I got him to eat after some struggle earlier today and yesterday (he won't eat pellets or the OO flakes I bought for him), but he will eat frozen foods. 

He _seems_ okay, he's very active. He just doesn't like me moving too quickly very much, and loud noises like me lifting the lid scare him, so I have to be careful feeding them both. If I don't, he'll get scared of me and won't come to the surface until I leave. I don't know.. I'm kind of upset at the misinformation on the forums and sites I went to.

Two better pictures of him, and one with a very fat Michi in the background. She was happy, she got to eat all my failed attempts at feeding him -.-


----------



## Sadist

Tourmaline said:


> Some okay pictures of him now that he's settled in a bit. He's recovering, he flares at me but he seems sluggish. I think he'll be more active and aggressive about it once he feels better. I've been dosing the tank with Stress Guard hoping that'll help the process a bit.
> View attachment 867242
> View attachment 867250
> View attachment 867258
> View attachment 867266


I love his beard!


----------



## ThatFishThough

If you get another male he should do better. My three male Mollies never fight, just follow eachother around.


----------



## Tourmaline

The solid blue HMPK never made it to Koo Yang, I'm not sure if he was even shipped at all. I've contacted the seller but I think I'm going to have to find a way to get my money back.

As for the Platy, I'm probably going to bring him back. Having one in there is pushing it, I can't do two. :/


----------



## ThatFishThough

I meant in the 10, LOL.

Sorry to hear about the HMPK. :/ Is it a seller you've bought from before?


----------



## ThatFishThough

There's two HMPK Full Mask Blue listings by Leebunnbettas on Aquabid. They are "new" postings.... Is this who you bought from?

AquaBid.com - Item # fwbettashmp1488032415 - +++++++++ Blue Full Mask Male - Ends: Sat Feb 25 2017 - 08:20:15 AM CDT


----------



## Tourmaline

No, that's not the seller. I do like that boy, though. I don't see diamond eye on him, but I do see it on his sibling.

It's not a seller I've bought from, they also did not have any feedback.. I really just took a chance because of how much I liked the Betta. :/ I looked at the images in image search first and they weren't anywhere else, and it had a video so I assumed it was legitimate.

The seller is "Anymoreanimal", they have other listings too. At first they only had the solid blue HMPK and a copper HM.


----------



## ThatFishThough

I found that seller a little bit shady, personally. Just scrolling through the listings and seeing the name/price/etc I was like ".... No."


----------



## Tourmaline

It didn't look too bad when I bid on him, his listing just said "Male Super Blue". Was pretty basic. The seller's english was ehh too. I don't know, I'm annoyed. But I'll report him if he doesn't respond, Aquabid will handle it.


----------



## Tourmaline

I bought an orange Koi HMPK boy for the whopping price of $6.99 from Petland. xD I don't think the owner knew what he had.. I should have told him, I feel like I stole him for that price.


----------



## Tourmaline

He is not having any of my picture taking nonsense. I got what I could. His form actually isn't too bad either, from what I can tell. I haven't seen him flare yet, though. 



















I'm hoping he'll marble out and look more Koi-like. He seems young.


----------



## ThatFishThough

What a find.

I think pet shops are possibly getting more colors, because I've come home with 4 new bettas with colors ive never seen before. Dalmatian, Yellow, Orange Marble, and a fairly nice "MG" Blue Bicolor DTPK..... Hopefully the pet stores don't do that, because I will come home with more bettas than I have room for. I saw a Cellophane Marble full giant at PetCo yesterday. :/ might end up grabbing him.


----------



## Tourmaline

I really like that Petland, the first time I went when I got that red VT girl, he had 'green dragon' (metallic) HMPKs with yellow and orange fins. They were beautiful but they had diamond eye. He also had a 'MG' bicolor CT, a black and white spotted HM, and two copper 'MG' bicolor DeTs, one with an almost complete band. 

This time it was this orange Koi and there was a cello and black marble HMPK with good form that was bubble nesting in his glass and trying to fight the Betta next to him. I almost got him instead. There was also a pink CT, and one of the diamond eye metallic was still there. I might go back and grab the marble if I don't see anything I like online, I kinda bought another 2.5g. 

Seriously, an orange Koi for $6.99 though? I was only thinking about getting him until he told me the price, I asked him how much he was and I was expecting $20+, like Petco prices. I think Petland Bettas range from $2-8 in price. Might be worth visiting one if you have one near you.


----------



## ThatFishThough

I wish. Just 'Co and 'Smart. They do get nice fish in, though. My petco has started carrying Ranchu Goldfish. I had a seriously hard time resisting. My next Betta will be a EEHM with the biggest EE possible.


----------



## Tourmaline

So I did a bad.. One more tank (last one, I promise). Petco had a few 5g tanks for very cheap, they said they were discontinued so they threw them on clearance.. Soooooo I got the tank, and a baby betta. I've always wanted to try raising one. I was trying to look for a male among them, but only one looked to be in good shape. I think it may be a female, but it's fine. I actually put him/her in the tank Mystic was in, and moved him to the new one. I figured a tank that's been cycled for a while would be better for it. He/she ate, it's big enough to eat pellets without me crushing it up, since the pellets are small. Any ideas on sexing? I'm going to post this in the baby betta thread too, so I can join the little group there.














Psst, @ThatFishThough I know you've had experience with both male and female babies, opinions?

Actually now that I'm looking at the picture, it doesn't have ovaries, right? Maybe they haven't developed? No egg spot that I can see either, but I thought young males had them anyway, so maybe I'm just not seeing it. It's a lot younger than the bettas I see in the baby betta thread, I can't tell using those pictures for reference.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Sup? What a cutie. It does look to be a male, so until we get more pics, we can safely call him a he.


----------



## Tourmaline

I think I may have to wait a week or two before I can compare it to other babies that turned out to be males, hopefully it'll be old enough by then. Petco had nothing but the smallest babies I've seen sold since I got into betta keeping, it was a little sad. A lot of them had what looked to be fin melt, and two were dead out of the ten or so. This guy (maybe) was the only one that was active and wasn't completely colorless, didn't have stuck fins, and wasn't black stress striped. 

There was a little boy (he had a beard) that was going nuts flaring at the neighboring adult, I almost bought him instead. xD But I think I have enough crazy males, so I went with this one.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Even females can have beards.  Tsuki went nuts when I showed her to Ringo, but when she saw Marmalade, she was like "Meh." Defs had a yellow beard, LOL.


----------



## Tourmaline

I had purchased a giant HMPK from Emmygolf two weeks ago.. He made it all the way to Koo Yang, and then jumped out of his tank the night before he would have been shipped to me and died. 

This was him








Emmy was very nice and let me put the amount I paid to another (a lot more expensive) giant HM that I liked, and took $20 off his price for me on top of that. Now I see why she has such a good reputation on the forums. 

And here's the HM giant.


----------



## Tourmaline

I'm headed up to Petco tomorrow to pick up another baby if I see any I like. I have an open 5g thanks to having to move Amara, she was starting to bite her fins so I moved her to a 2.5g. Smaller tanks seem to make that better in my experience, so her tank is open for a resident. 

I really like the baby Betta experience so far, Bella (my baby) is turning out to be very lovely very quickly. I'm hoping for a male this time.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Was it confirmed that Bella is a girl?

Good luck with the new bab, if you get one.


----------



## Tourmaline

Yes, she has ovaries. You can kinda see them in the picture I posted in her thread.

The boy that was flaring up a storm last time was still there, so I picked him up. This one is definitely male, his ventrals say it all. At least the labeling has been right both times.


----------



## Tourmaline

I decided to name my yellow and black bi color CT, finally. I don't think I ever did introduce him here, I just made a thread for him in Betta pictures. 

Anyway, I've named him Hachi, which is Bee in Japanese. I think it fits, for obvious reasons, he's black and yellow and so are bees. I'm that original. xD

Since I didn't introduce him here, here are the only good pictures I have managed of him. 




















And here's the baby boy (maybe), who I'm heavily leaning towards naming Guppy. I think that name is adorable. 














And Bella for comparison, I posted these on her thread but not here. Siblings? I'm thinking siblings.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Possibly. I got my babies, Harmony & Melody, at the same time. They were from the same spawn.


----------



## Tourmaline

I need to get some updated pictures of Bella tomorrow, she's growing so quickly compared to the boy. I'm not sure if they're from the same spawn, there seems to be a decent age gap between the two. 

Bella is getting an adult body shape and filling out, her ventrals are longer than his now, and she's getting close to the size of Meera already. Meera never grew much, but she is fully grown. I don't think a week more in the store could have stunted his growth that much compared to her. 

They do have the same coloration, only she's a slightly darker blue. Same red ventrals, same fin type (I think, still iffy on females). He's a turquoise with red wash VT, I'm about 90% sure of his fin type. I need to get some clear pictures and get her ID'd. I suppose it's possible they're just from two separate turquoise with red wash VT spawns, they're common.


----------



## Sadist

Hachi is gorgeous! Such a great find.


----------



## Tourmaline

So here's some updated pictures of Bella. She's so food happy, she's hard to get pictures of. I got a few decent ones. 
































And the boy for comparison.


----------



## Tourmaline

My Giant HM (who I think is actually a RT) is here! Handsome boy, very active already. 




















He's in the 5g Alydar was in, and Alydar got a whopping 0.5g upgrade to a 5.5g. He's been fin biting a lot lately, I'm hoping the tank change will snap him out of it.


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## Tourmaline

Here's some bad pictures of the baby boy who I've named Guppy. He's growing really quickly now and catching up to Bella a bit. His fin damage is healed too, I think it healed super quick because of the Stress Guard I've been dosing. In Petco, they were damaged from the first time I saw him, and didn't heal at all in the week it took me to go back and get him. Definitely a turquoise with red wash VT, no questions about that. 




















I've been flaring him for a minute or so a day. He's aggressive so it gives him something to do. He gets so disappointed when I take the mirror away, just swims around the area I put it with his fins spread out like "Hey, where did he go?" 

I'll let him flare for longer as he gets older. I let Nebula flare for 8 minutes, and Yasei for 10 now that they've built up some stamina. I don't flare any others regularly, none of the others are aggressive enough to _want_ something to spar with, they'll just defend their territory if they need to. Zeph is aggressive too, but he just flares all the time at everything so I don't give him a mirror. He gets enough of a work out already.


----------



## Tourmaline

Long post warning 

We had a Betta with septicemia today.. Red outer fins, and pineconing. I showed our pet care manager and she said to put him in a 2g bowl and at least try to treat him until he passes. I would have offered to help but he's not going to make it, and I didn't want to infect any of my tanks with that. 

I did, however, take one of our girls who wasn't looking so hot. Looks to have fluid buildup in her belly, it's bloated and yellow. She would have been getting treatment 3 days ago if my coworker hadn't told me she'd died. -_- 

What happened was my pet care manager put her up for adoption because she wasn't showing any improvement with their treatment, and my coworker who knows I have a bit of experience with sick fish asked if I wanted to help her. I said sure, she put her in the back for me with 'Hold for Sam' written on her cup. 

I came back to get her since I had to get some cash and I planned to bring one of my dogs in for a mini adventure anyway, and when I came back, I asked for a coworker in pet care to get her for me, and he said she died. He was referring to another sick Betta that a customer brought back, she did die.. Mine was fine. 

She's okay now and getting some help. She seems fine, actually. She was flaring at Morgana (my 'samurai' girl who is actually just a black dragon now). I think they're related, the sick girl looks like a cow version of her. Might name her Moo if she recovers completely.

I'm also planting Guppy's tank. I ordered a Finnex Planted+ for it, and it already has a glass top so that should work out. He has two swords, water Wisteria, Anubias Nana, and some water sprite is coming in the mail for it. He's liking the plants so far. The new light should be here Tuesday, hopefully this light is fine until then. 

And Lychee.. Lychee suddenly doesn't look too great. He's clamped, his caudal is torn, he's floating, and his gills look white. He's on MB and AQ Salt until I can figure out exactly what it is.


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## Tourmaline

Lychee passed, looks to have been fungal. I was hoping the MB would knock it out if it was. I'm not sure how that happened so quickly, it took a bit longer to show on Amara and it took a few days before she showed signs of lethargy..


----------



## Tourmaline

I just realized I called Azura Amara.. Too many A's! Too many females with A's in their names.


----------



## Tourmaline

Here's a picture of my sick adopted girl. The blue tint is from the MB in the tank. I went conservative, MB and AQ Salt. 













I'm still not sure what was wrong with her that we were treating her, but she looks fine for the most part. She's not very active, but she's not clamped and she's eating fine. I do remember her from a while back, she's been in the store for about a month. I believe she was on the same shipment as Morgana, or the next one. I know there was a Betta with patchy white scaling, and like stripes of scaling. Morgana was the patchy one, and the other one disappeared. She might have just been moved and this is her. If not, she was definitely on the next week shipment after.

And the giant RT. He's not a good picture poser  He made a tiny nest under a leaf floating on the surface. 































He still needs a name.


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## ThatFishThough

How about Bo or Beau? He has so many colors, my younger cousin said "That's not a fish!" When I asked what it was, she replied "It's a rainbow!"


----------



## Tourmaline

I like Beau a lot. Looks like I found a name easily this time. xD 

I never did mention the little red baby I got. Lilnaugrim says it's a boy, I still have some learning to do because I thought he was a girl.




















Guppy is growing crazy fast now, I have to get some pictures of him. Every day his fins are getting longer. He has a bit of curling in his dorsal already, from the damage. He's also darkened a lot, I have an idea of what he'll what up looking like already. I think Bella is done growing fin wise, she's just getting fatter.


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## Tourmaline

Progress on Guppy's planted tank. The Fugeray I got was kinda too small for the tank.. So it's just sitting on top of the glass instead of being on the sides of the tank. Whatever, it'll do until I can get another. I might just get a Stingray instead. Maybe I can sell this one on the forum for like $10.








Now I kinda got a CT from Petco who wasn't looking too good.. He's pale, clamped, and looks half dead. I'll see how he does. He's in a 1g in some MB and AQ Salt. I'll get some pictures tonight. Not sure where I'm going to put him permanently, I'm all out of tanks and my new stand is full. :s He might have to stay in the 1g. I guess that's better than death, at least. I only got him because he looked like he wouldn't last another day, and I remember him the times I've gone there. He's gorgeous when he's healthy. 

Alydar is bloated too, I think it's from too many bloodworms yesterday. I might give him some daphnia if he's still bloated tomorrow. I'm skipping feeding him tonight.


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## Tourmaline

Wow Guppy has gotten so much color and finnage for just 9 days here. He's growing fast compared to other male babies I've seen.


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## Fishingforcats

Wow, Guppy is a handsome little fish! I have some questions though, I've noticed that you have a betta mirror in some of your pictures. I was wondering if all of your bettas use the mirror? Have they gotten hurt from the mirror? Would you overall recommend the mirror? I'm just asking these questions because I've heard that some people have had problems with the mirror hurting their bettas and your bettas fins are in great condition. I don't want you to think I'm criticizing you, I just want to know your thoughts on the mirror.


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## Tourmaline

I only use a mirror for picture purposes, for the most part. I do flare my aggressive males with the mirror for 2-10 minutes twice a week or so, depending on the fish and how long they've been doing it. It gives them something to do, and it's good stimulation. I don't flare males who flare at it to defend themselves, I flare my males that are extremely aggressive and seem to _want_ a fight. That's only 5 of my boys, Guppy being one of them, and my other much younger male baby being another. However, they only get 1-2 minutes since they're babies. None of my bettas have gotten hurt by a mirror, I haven't heard of that happening either. I have a different one that has a suction cup, I use that in my flat sided tanks rather than the floating one.


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## Fishingforcats

Ok thank you. ^^


----------



## ThatFishThough

Wait... Do you have 3 babies now? o.o What happened to "No More Tanks"?


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## Tourmaline

... Yes. xD I made it work. I got the little red boy a few days ago.


----------



## Tourmaline

CT boy is in the 5g that Bella was in, and she's in the 5g hex. I checked it today and it's cycled, she should be fine in it. I'm never doing a fishless cycle again. The 1g I was using as a hospital tank for him was bleached already. Hopefully he doesn't need it again. 

Alydar is in a 2.5g that I'm using as a hospital tank, he's not looking good. He doesn't have any other symptoms other than bloating and lethargy. The fin biting might have been stress from an illness, I'm thinking now. But what the illness is, I don't know. 

CT boy looks good compared to how he was. He flares at me. He goes back to being lethargic when I walk away from the tank, but at least he has the energy to flare at me and act like a crazy fish when I'm there. I think that's a good sign. He's cute. He has solid colored pecs that are the same color as his body, and a white band around his caudal and dorsal fins, and half of a white band on his anal fin. Maybe he has the EE geno.

























I was admiring him and a copper and orange colored CT when I went for the babies, but I didn't want an adult. When I saw he was sick, I didn't want him to die. :/


----------



## Sadist

He's almost like a piebald butterfly! I'm glad he has the energy to flare and respond to you. I hope he pulls through soon.


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## Tourmaline

I think the red baby boy is going to pass, unfortunately. He's been refusing to eat for 3 days now. He looked fine up until today even though he didn't have an appetite, but now he's clamped up. He's been on MB/AQ Salt since he first started refusing to eat. No bloating, no external injuries or signs of illness. Not sure if I should try something else. 

Alydar still looks like poop, but he's still hanging on. I'm not sure if I should euthanize at this point.. He's still bloated, but when I tried feeding him, he won't eat. It's been a few days already with no appetite. 

CT pity buy is doing great now, no lethargy, he's perfectly healthy. He's kind of psycho.. I guess the flaring at me while he was still sick was a dead giveaway, but he's nuts. Like healthy Alydar level of nuts. 

I don't know if anyone on this forum has ever been to Pet Supplies Plus, but I was so disgusted with their Betta display, that I put back the dog food I had in my hand and left. Their cups are smaller than PetSmart cups.. The fish was the length of the cup, to swim, he had to turn in circles. 

The one that caught my eye was a young platinum VT with what I think is septicemia, his dorsal had a little red clump at the top of it. I might pick him up and use the 1g hospital tank to treat him. I'll see if maybe they're reasonable with adoptions. I don't have experience with the store, but apparently they're decent competition for the PetSmart I work at, according to our customers.


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## Tourmaline

I forgot the thing I actually came here to do, which was post pictures. xD

I got this guy the other day from Petco, copper yellow butterfly HM. Quite handsome, labeled as a "Bumble Bee" Betta. 
































And another Guppy update, still growing nicely. 








As for his tank, I think it's turning out nicely.


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## BettaStarter24

I've been to one pet supplies plus. Their display was pretty awful too. Most of the fish were dying or lethargic. Cloudy water for the lot and some even didn't have lids and had evaporated more than halfway. I walked out without buying anything. (I also didn't need anything but still)


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## Saffy

Your journal is absolutely amazing, I'm actually reading it from the very beginning and the way you write about your bettas is super interesting.

I am so sorry to hear about the terrible conditions in that shop, honestly, I wish that there is something that could be done about it... If only I could, I would have created some sort of a 'betta haven' place. A girl can dream...


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## Tourmaline

The little red boy is still with me. He ate a small amount yesterday. He still very much has an appetite, he just spits out everything I offer him. I'm not sure what's wrong exactly, I'm thinking he just doesn't like the food. On Friday I'll get him some Omega One Mini pellets and see if he'll eat those. 

Alydar passed, unfortunately. I didn't have to euthanize, he suddenly pineconed and passed yesterday. 

I did pick up that Platinum VT from Pet Supplies plus on Friday. I've been keeping him on MB and AQ Salt. The red spot is gone, but he's very skittish. I can't even go near his tank without him freaking out.


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## Tourmaline

Lots of pictures. 

Guppy made his first bubble nest


























And the red boy now that he's feeling better. He won't eat pellets at all but he'll eat flakes.








And the Platinum VT. His fins have gotten a lot worse.. They're stuck together now. I don't know how to treat this without Kanaplex, I need to order more.


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## themamaj

Tourmaline said:


> I forgot the thing I actually came here to do, which was post pictures. xD
> 
> I got this guy the other day from Petco, copper yellow butterfly HM. Quite handsome, labeled as a "Bumble Bee" Betta.
> View attachment 876626
> View attachment 876634
> View attachment 876642
> View attachment 876650
> View attachment 876658
> 
> 
> And another Guppy update, still growing nicely.
> View attachment 876666
> 
> 
> As for his tank, I think it's turning out nicely.
> View attachment 876674



Wow oh wow that copper yellow butterfly is jaw dropping! What a great find!!!

Yes we have a Pet Supply Plus near us. The betta cups are more the size of dixie cups so you can imagine how quick ammonia levels peak in them. If you see fish when first shipped they can be healthy but have seen many in very dire situations. The latest marketing scheme they are doing right now is the betta and vase package. Not good at all but they are at least larger vases and a floating real plant. Granted some of the plants were bog plants not aquatic but maybe seeing the value of a live plants??? Sigh kills me!


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## Tourmaline

So, Dual700 (the seller I got Alydar and Mako from) posted new giants yesterday. There's a boy that looks just like Alydar. You guys know I had to get him. He's going into what was Alydar's first tank, the planted one. I may name him Alydar II. I already miss the crazy nut.. I hope this guy is like him at least a little personality wise. If not, I'll be happy with at least a look alike, he was easy on the eyes.

I still haven't named quite a few of my bettas. My red baby, the copper HM, and the platinum VT. I need to get on that. xD I can't go a month without naming them like I did with Michi.

Luckily it seems like they are going for bigger cups. All of the rest of the cups in Pet Supplies Plus were PetSmart sized, it was just this one boy in a tiny cup. I hope more stores don't follow suit with the vase things.. There's enough ways to make a betta miserable out there.


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## Tourmaline

Here's some pictures of maybe Alydar II if I can't think of something more suiting. One of the pictures is a screenshot from his video. 














And I did the same thing as last time, where I just have to get two. Last time it was saying screw it and getting Mako too after deciding to get Alydar, and now it's this guy. Can you tell I love coppers with yellow fins? He's gorgeous. 














I'm buying on another Spec V on Friday. They're only $43 on sale this week, one is coming home with me. I'm not sure if I'm going to move a regular sized Betta and put them in the Spec or just put him in it, but either way I'll have enough room. I'd rather he go in a planted tank if he's going in a 5g, so I'll most likely move someone.


----------



## themamaj

Great price on spec! Is that a local sale? Love all your new boys! I would have grabbed several myself with the beauties you have seen!


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## Tourmaline

I'm not sure if it's every store, but mine has it on clearance. I'm hoping that doesn't mean we're going to stop carrying them.. It's $52 on clearance but I get a 15% discount on top of that. I took a picture of the price tag, another PetSmart miiiight match it if you show them it the tag. If they don't, sorry, I tried. xD


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## BettaStarter24

Petco has the spec on sale online for $79.99 in white but the store will price match online prices if you ask and mine didn't care about the color. I brought a spec home with gravel and a plant (had some spare cause it was to allow me to toss a tank I didn't like) for $94 total. I'm kicking myself as I just spent $130 of my tax returns on stuff I really didn't need when I'm going back to school and have other bills to make but the fish was gorgeous and I've been dreaming of having a spec V for as long as I've been keeping fish properly. 

The new giants are gorgeous! I especially like the copper yellow bicolor


----------



## Tourmaline

Have you thought about getting another giant? @BettaStarter24 @dual700 still has two giants that catch my eye, I wish I could see them go to a home on the forum. There's a discount for forum members if you ask.

This guy
Fancy GIANT Betta Green Purple Copper Dragon Male HMPK , Beautiful. 3" HUGE!! | eBay

And this guy is handsome. Those lips are too cute. 
Fancy GIANT Betta Red Pink Purple Marble/Dragon/Platinum Male HMPK 3" HUGE!! | eBay

I already have to get a tank to fit one of them, so a third giant isn't an option. xD

Unfortunately the copper guy jumped out of his tank last night, he's alive but he's looking a bit rough. I still want him, so I'm hoping he recovers quickly.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Wish I could. But I don't have a tank for a giant nor do I have the budget after buying the spec and the new HMPK girl.


----------



## Tourmaline

One day I'll get you to get a giant. One day.. xD I went through this when I got Alydar and Mako too.

I decided on the name Ginseng for the copper boy, the red boy is going to be Alydar II. Hopefully him having the same name doesn't confuse anyone, because I am just going to refer to him as Alydar. Apparently Ginseng is the crazy one, I have a feeling he's going to be Alydar levels of crazy. 

Red baby is Tiki, and the Platinum VT is going to stay unnamed until I'm sure he'll recover. I'm going to order some Kanaplex tomorrow too and have that shipped 2 day for him.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Read that you got a new fishy and just had to try to keep up LOL.... Got a new EEHMPK today. Beautiful boys. You have such a great eye!


----------



## BettaStarter24

Lol I'd love to get another giant but alas my 20 is full and so are my other large tanks.


----------



## Tourmaline

Gin and Alydar are on their way to me. I'm hoping for a Wednesday delivery, but Thursday is more likely. 

I'm actually in the process of moving.. Moving from a huge house to a tiny apartment, and having to bring along 22 fish tanks with just my small car. 

I ordered two more 37g three tier stands from Petco, I have it all planned in my head and every tank but the 10g will fit on the stands, and the 10g will fit on my computer desk. The idea is to set the stands up, put them where they're meant to go, and make probably 5-10 trips bringing tanks. 

I'm keeping the tanks a quarter full, and I don't think I'm cupping any of the Bettas unless I encounter problems with the whole quarter full thing. I'm only 2 miles away from the house now, it's about 5 minutes driving, so it's not like I'm moving out of state or anything. I'm hoping it works out. 

This is all supposed to be happening Thursday.. I think it'll take a few days to move all the tanks over, though.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Wait, moving? Is it a good or bad move? Will the giants be shipped to the old or new house?


----------



## Tourmaline

The house I've been living at has been on pending foreclosure for 4 years now. My family doesn't want me and my mother here anymore, so we had been looking for a place that'll take the dogs. We found somewhere, and soon as we did, there's a court date for the status of the house and everyone is expecting to have to leave as soon as possible since it's been on foreclosure for so long. 

Thanks to them being jerks, we're prepared while they're scrambling to find somewhere to live. Karma's a monkey's uncle, eh? So it's a good move, for the most part. At least I have somewhere to live that isn't filled with idiots. It's not far from the house either, so our jobs are still pretty much the same distance, and we're in the same area we're used to. 

Giants are being shipped to the old house. We actually spend most of our time here rather than at the apartment anyway just because there's no Internet there yet, and my computer and fish tanks are still here. Those are the last things that need to be moved. I didn't want anything shipped to the new address until we're officially living there and not here.


----------



## Tourmaline

I think I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that my baby boys are no longer baby boys.. They've both made their first bubble nests within a few days of each other. 

Tiki is growing really quickly now that he's getting constant food in his stomach. I think he's going to be permanently stunted, however.. I don't think he's going to grow like Guppy has. At least he's not sick anymore from not eating. 

And pictures. Guppy is turning into a lovely turquoise VT. Tiki is a red butterfly VT it looks like, he has lots of blue iridescence, but he does have a smoked clearish band around all his fins. It's really not easy to get him on camera, I've always had issues getting pictures in that tank.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Wow. Guppy is such a looker! Tiki is cute, too!


----------



## Sadist

Aww, they grow up so fast! They're both good-looking.


----------



## Tourmaline

You know, I was thinking... Out of all the Bettas I've had pass, the ones I miss the most are Rajah, Sebastian, and Azure. 

I really miss Rajah a lot, surprisingly.. I keep an eye out for a king that looks like him whenever I go into Petco. I haven't seen another EEHM that looks like Azure, he was one of a kind.


----------



## BettaStarter24

I still miss my first girl Chihiro and my first Giant Zuri most out of all of the ones I've lost. I definitely get what you're saying.


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## Tourmaline

Okay, do we like the name Goliath for the red guy or Alydar? I like Goliath because he's huge. But Alydar is because how much he looked like Alydar is the reason I bought him in the first place. :/ I'm torn. 
































Annnnd Ginseng. I made a thread and put pictures there but I'd like them in my journal too.


----------



## Tourmaline

The Platinum VT passed. I sort of wasn't completely surprised, he never did improve much. I'm going to bleach that tank completely, everything is stained by the MB too so I might as well just replace the decor too. 

I also found a 5g tank that I completely forgot I had bought from Goodwill. xD I'm setting that up once I move all the tanks from the house to the new apartment, so I know how much space I have to work with.


----------



## themamaj

Gorgeous giants! Good luck with move.


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## BettaStarter24

If Ginseng disappears...*whistles innocently* He's stunning! Goliath/Alydar II is pretty too. 

Sorry to hear about the VT, at least he had some time in a good home with decent water conditions.


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## Tourmaline

I uh.. Sort of got another baby. This guy is in the freshly sterilized and newly decorated 2.5g that the VT was in. Has anyone seen a yellow BSE baby before? I sure haven't. His name is Tuna, I decided that pretty quickly. xD




















My friend grabbed his brother that looked almost exactly like him. I'm interested to see how they develop. Looks like something other than a VT to me. DeT maybe? I'm not sure.

There was a Betta I've been looking for at Petco.. A yellow Koi female. I haven't found any I liked online, and this girl was beautiful. I may have to set up that 5g from Goodwill early and say screw it.


----------



## ThatFishThough

He has the Anal of a VT. His Cadual is pretty round, though.

My PetCo gets only blue & red VT girls as babies. My Cellophane DeT boy was a lucky find.

Beautiful boy. I can't believe that you can keep track of all your fish! How many is this, now?


----------



## BettaStarter24

Go get that Koi girl! You won't regret it!


----------



## Tourmaline

23 including the Koi girl I bought. Her tank is bare, only has sand. But it's heated so I don't think she'll mind too much for a few days. I do have a filter for it, but there's not an extra outlet for it. I have to buy a power surge. Pictures of her when I get back to the apartment. 

Water change days are hectic.. But I have a battery powered vacuum, so it's not as bad as you think. I do 3 days a week, and I do 7 or 8 tanks on each of those days. 

It's gotten to the point where my frozen food is going so quickly because it's two cubes for each feeding now so I have enough. All the giants are food vacuums. 

I really need to remember to bring my test kit to the apartment next time.. I need to prepare for the pH and hardness difference accordingly. Hopefully it's not too big of a difference.


----------



## Tourmaline

She won't let me get any good pictures.. Oh well.


----------



## Saffy

She is absolutely adorable, my heart literally melted. Also, I know how you feel about a betta not allowing you to take good pictures of it...


----------



## ThatFishThough

Awwww! <3

I may or may not have my eyes on a Koi girl, too.  The BettaBug(TM) strikes again! LOL.

(Not actually coined. Please don't be angry with me! XD)


----------



## Sadist

Aww, she's adorable!


----------



## Tourmaline

Tuna is a flare happy little thing. I've started the whole exercising with a mirror thing with him too. So far all of my babies have been really aggressive. 














And the red giant. I named him Goliath rather than Alydar, it stuck really well. I only took some pictures of him because he was showing off before his flare session. He now thinks flaring equals food since I flare him before feeding. xD


----------



## Sadist

Aww, I love a nice boy who will flare for food. I trained my first betta that way. When his normal begging didn't work, he'd drift for a second, then flare.


----------



## Saffy

Bettas' intelligence never fails to amaze me! They are both super adorable.


----------



## Tourmaline

Okay, lucky find in Petco. Actually a lucky find Petco in general. They had freaking RCS! And Amano Shrimp! I haven't been able to find a single store that carries either, whether it's a Mom and Pop's store or a Petco, PetSmart, Petland, or anything like that. This Petco had them. $3.99 for the RCS, $2.49 for the Amano shrimp. I got three Amanos. 

I also got an I think Platinum HMPK. He doesn't look like Shiro though.. He has a blue tinge to him that Shiro doesn't have, he's a flat white. He was miserable looking. He actually needs to stay in a 1g for now, I may rehome him or sell him. He's good looking, but he does have the start of diamond eye in his left eye. Right eye is clear. 

He's floating in the butterfly CT's tank. The CT is honestly not looking great either, he's not even interested in him despite him usually being super aggressive and flaring at everything. Hopefully it passes.


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## Tourmaline

The yellow koi girl let me get some _okay_ pictures. She's more friendly today than she has been. I'm not sure what to name her.. 














And Ginseng. Goliath has been getting more journal time than he has, I figured I'd get some pictures of him.


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## Tealight03

Wow, all of your fish are gorgeous! You have a great eye!


----------



## Sadist

Love Ginseng and yellow koi girl. I think Buttercup would be a cute name if it suits her and you.


----------



## Tourmaline

So far Admiral was the only Betta I've moved to the new apartment, and he's being prepped for an ice bath. I can't do clove oil because I'd rather him not suffer anymore than he has to, this would be quicker since I have to wait to go back to the house to get it. 

I don't know what the hell happened. The Koi girl is fine and she's at the apartment.. Maybe it has to do with him being used to the old house's water? This may be a huge problem.. I don't want to lose half of my fish to this.

He's pineconed and barely alive. The only signs of life are him thrashing randomly so I'm hoping the bath is ready soon. I'm confused and frustrated. I don't want to bring any more of my fish to their death.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Oh no!


----------



## Tourmaline

I made a quick trip back to the house to grab the clove oil, but I think he was gone already. He sort of started gulping rapidly like he was suffocating and then let out a final bubble just before I said screw waiting and ran home before anyone noticed. 

I still dosed the clove oil like normal, so if he wasn't gone, he's gone now. I brought my test kit this time so it's time to run some tests.. I'll update with the results.


----------



## Tourmaline

No ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite out of the tap. The pH is only 0.1 higher than the house, it's very close to 8, the house is between 7.8 and 8 so I always said 7.9.

I need to test GH and KH now but I forgot that kit. :/ The water doesn't seem too hard, it doesn't leave calcium stains when the water dries like the house's water does.


----------



## BettaStarter24

Oh no! I'm so sorry! I hope you figure it out and don't lose anyone else. There's been too many losses lately.


----------



## Sadist

I hope it was just his time, so you won't lose any more. Is there a way to gradually introduce the new water? Drip back in or something like people do for shrimp water changes?


----------



## Tourmaline

I didn't drip acclimate Admiral, but I did gradually mix the water over the course of 3 hours. It was immediate, he died over 4 days. I kinda noticed him acting lethargic, but I attributed it to the tank he was in being on the bare side, and the heater only heating the tank to 74. I cranked the heater up to 80, and the next day he was gone. 

Maybe he was sick and the stress of the move lowered his immune system enough for it to kill him? 

I'll drip acclimate everyone else when I move them.. Not taking any chances.


----------



## Sadist

It could have just been the move and heater issues compromised his immune system. It's always heartbreaking to lose a pet no matter what does it.


----------



## Aqua Aurora

Tourmaline said:


> I also got an I think Platinum HMPK. He doesn't look like Shiro though.. He has a blue tinge to him that Shiro doesn't have, he's a flat white. He was miserable looking. He actually needs to stay in a 1g for now, I may rehome him or sell him. He's good looking, but he does have the start of diamond eye in his left eye. Right eye is clear.
> View attachment 881906
> View attachment 881914
> View attachment 881922


He'll marble a blue to blue-green hue from the color tint and ventral fin markings. Nice find though.. shame most metallic/platinum/dragon scales have diamond eye issues. I've had 3 bettas made 75-90%+ blind by diamond eye.


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## Tourmaline

I'll enjoy him while he's white, I do like marbles and watching them change anyway. He doesn't have as much blue iridescence as I thought, it may have been the blue/white lighting on that tank. He's actually one of the few white Bettas I've seen with no color on him, not even on his beard. The marks on his ventrals are actually clear patches, not color, after a bit of an investigation. 

Even my Platinum HMPK, Shiro, has a very small patch of pinkish color on his anal fin, the rest of him is white, and the pink patch hasn't spread or darkened at all. They are different kinds of white, though. Shiro has thicker scaling and is a more opaque white, with similarly opaque fins, compared to this guy's slightly translucent fins and body. 

I did manage to get rid of all signs of diamond eye on Shiro.. Several weeks of banana leaves in his tank, and his eyes are completely clear. However, his was minor, so that may have had to do with my success.


----------



## Tourmaline

I haven't updated this in a bit. I haven't really had anything to talk about. However, I did get another fish I've wanted for a while, a gorgeous gold dragon HMPK from dual700.. Who promptly jumped out of his Spec V while I was at work and unfortunately didn't make it. :/ It wasn't mean to be.. Swim in peace little guy. 

I did also get hermit crabs. Random impulse, I was talking about the ones I had in the past with one of my managers, and I noticed we had a few hermit crabs. 2 minutes later I was picking out things for them. However, I didn't do any research before hand and I'm going to need a better setup for them.. I'm buying it next week, I already know what to get. They're really cute. One changed shells already, to a light blue shell. I really wish he/she had picked one of the natural ones though, the light blue ones were just the only smallish ones we had, I prefer natural shells.


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## Tourmaline

I'm actually going to just return the setup they have and get a bare 5.5g tank, some more calcium sand, and a heating mat and just use one of my discarded fish tank hoods with LED lights for a cover to keep in heat and humidity and light it up a little. 

I'm also going to grab some soil for them and some more grapewood for climbing, another wooden hide, and a bigger 'pool' for them. 

I'll post some pictures once they're all set up in something I'm not embarrassed by. xD That'll teach me to trust my old kid knowledge of an animal.


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## Tourmaline

Update on the white HMPK. He's getting some black banding on his fins, and he has black lipstick now. xD I don't think he'll wind up blue, more likely black. There was another HMPK at Petco that was white and black, I assume that was his sibling.




















I covered the Spec V up completely and I'm going to try one last Betta in that tank before I declare it cursed.. Admiral and the gold dragon died in that tank, I'm hoping third fish is the charm. He's an Emmygolf Betta. It's funny that I've purchased from her enough that she knows my address and that I always ship through Koo Yang, I don't even need to specify anymore. xD This is him.


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## Tourmaline

The crabs have their new home, $130 later. -.- Expensive little buggers. I didn't bother with the heating mat, the temperature in the tank was stable. I'll most likely need it for the winter though. 

It's a 10g terrarium with sand and soil substrate that's deep enough for burrowing. They have drinking water and bath water which is saltwater. Lots of grapewood for climbing (I wish they were bigger :/), a climbing background, a little wooden hide, and a few shells. I ordered more shells and they should be coming in the mail. I put my old 10g hood with LED's over the mesh for light and to keep some humidity in. 








And they kinda posed a little for this. I'm still really disappointed in the one with the blue shell for changing out of his natural one to the only colored one I put in there. xD


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## Tealight03

Looking forward to reading more about your crabs. I wanted to get some a couple years ago but decided not to. Hope the one in the blue shell finds a better one in your shipment.


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## Tourmaline

Fortunately they're all different colors body wise so I can actually name them.. I had one named Hermy (so original) a few years ago, he only lived for a year. He was from Atlantic City, I could never get him to change shells or molt. I know why now, he was in a way too small 'habitat' with no humidity and no heat. I did know enough to give him baths every now and then though. The substrate was also no where near deep enough. 

So far the one with the blue shell is the most of a character, very friendly. I was holding them and he/she (still need to sex them) didn't even try to go in its shell, just started crawling. The small one with the tan shell is the most shy and won't move at all unless I'm no where near the tank. The one with the pointed type shiny shell is also okay with being held but not as fearless, it goes in its shell when I approach the tank but comes out slowly. The small one is the least active of the bunch, blue shell is most active. 

Once I figure out genders, I'll name them. Or I could just go with unisex names, just in case? We'll see. I like them, I always did even as a kid. My dog is fine with them too because I had Hermy for a bit and he knew 'no touch, no sniff, no bark'.


----------



## Tourmaline

Okay, Mr. Needs to Change His Shell is a boy. He was the only one that wasn't burrowed today so I got to sex him. I'll leave the others until they're active. 








I'm naming him Charlie. xD First name that came to mind. He also likes turkey and raisins so far. They can be fed pretty much anything without seasoning and isn't citrus. So they can eat fruit, meat, vegetables, nuts, oats, fish food, etc as a treat.


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## Tourmaline

Two males, this one I can't think of a name for. He's skittish but active. Kept trying to run so I had to hold him still for a picture, which he was not very happy about.








I'll try to grab the last tiny one when it's out and about and not burrowed. I don't want to grab it when it's hiding and scare it. It was out for a bit earlier, but when I grabbed it, it hid and then burrowed when I put it back.


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## Tourmaline

Third is male. All boys. This was the very skittish crab, had to catch him while he was climbing and he finally stayed out while I held him. 








His name is Connor, and the second more brown ones name is Max. Charlie is the most red and purple, Connor is brownish red, and Max is brown.


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## Tealight03

They're adorable. Do they make a lot of noise?


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## Tourmaline

I haven't heard anything from them yet. They don't fight or anything like the ones I had years ago did. The most you hear is their shells on the glass every now and then. But I've been reading that they make noises so I'm sure they will at some point, but most of the time they're under the soil or climbing. 

I need to get them a centerpiece of driftwood. I wonder if @RussellTheShihTzu has any cholla? I didn't find anything I liked on Amazon. I want one that's the height of the tank but doesn't take up too much ground space. :/


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## DangerousAngel

They are SO darn cute!!! UGH! I would have liked the posts, but the 'Like' button isn't working for me. :/
Sorry to hear about the Gold HMPK though, I hope your new boy will do well in the tank!


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## Tourmaline

Are we weird for finding crabs cute? Almost everyone I've told about them says ew or looks at me with a judgemental face. xD I like them. Only one person out of everyone said they were cool. I unintentionally convinced him to try them. I'm not sure how that's going to work out.. I'm hoping he does it right. I may have to tag along with him.

I also finally got a very large refund from a samurai breeding pair that was DOA about a month ago.. I'm going to get a heating mat anyway and just keep it for when I need it since I have the extra money now. 

After reading up a bit more, they can also eat live food such as crickets and worms. My job sells crickets for like 14 cents per cricket. I may buy two or three to see if they'll eat it. On Friday I'll buy them some mealworms. I wonder if my giants can eat a mealworm if I cut it up? Hmm..


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## Tourmaline

I got a fourth hermit crab. Not sure on sex, didn't want to disturb it. I only got another because a 10g is good for six small hermies, and four medium sized hermies. Mine are all small so they'll grow into the 10g, and I'll upgrade them to a 20g when they outgrow it when they get large. Should take a few years before they do. They are social so the more, the merrier. If I can fit four, I'd rather have four.


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## Tourmaline

Today everyone but Max was hiding. He was noticeably more comfortable today, didn't try to run away from me or hide when I grabbed him like he did when I was sexing him the first time. He just climbed up my sweater for a few minutes and nibbled on a piece of mango I had in my hand.

The new hermie is by far the most skittish. I may have to give it a few days to de-stress.


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## Katlyn Josephine

Just keep it still until they got better. I guess the covering works too.


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## DangerousAngel

Tourmaline said:


> Are we weird for finding crabs cute? Almost everyone I've told about them says ew or looks at me with a judgemental face. xD I like them. Only one person out of everyone said they were cool. I unintentionally convinced him to try them. I'm not sure how that's going to work out.. I'm hoping he does it right. I may have to tag along with him.
> 
> I also finally got a very large refund from a samurai breeding pair that was DOA about a month ago.. I'm going to get a heating mat anyway and just keep it for when I need it since I have the extra money now.
> 
> After reading up a bit more, they can also eat live food such as crickets and worms. My job sells crickets for like 14 cents per cricket. I may buy two or three to see if they'll eat it. On Friday I'll buy them some mealworms. I wonder if my giants can eat a mealworm if I cut it up? Hmm..


Haha I don't think so, I've always found them really cute! What all does it take to keep them? I'd love to try my hand at keeping them one day.


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## Tourmaline

DangerousAngel said:


> Haha I don't think so, I've always found them really cute! What all does it take to keep them? I'd love to try my hand at keeping them one day.


It seems complicated at first, but it makes sense after getting everything together and is a lot like housing fish in a way. 

A 5.5g is good for two medium sized crabs. They need substrate deep enough to bury themselves, whether that substrate is soil or sand (it's better to mix the two). They can eat pretty much anything as long as it doesn't have seasoning, they're not picky eaters. Apparently they love popcorn, but if you're going to try that make sure it's not buttered popcorn. They like company so three are recommended (which is why a 10g is better for them). They need temperatures between 70-85°, and humidity at 70-85%. Any humidity below 70% will cause them to suffocate slowly. Lots of shells, lots of places to climb, and keep a small isolation tank for emergencies. Their permanent tank needs to be able to hold humidity and heat well but let fresh air in, so anything open isn't recommended. 

This is a pretty good general guide, a lot of it is the same in every other source. 
How to Care for Hermit Crabs (with Pictures) - wikiHow


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## DangerousAngel

Tourmaline said:


> It seems complicated at first, but it makes sense after getting everything together and is a lot like housing fish in a way.
> 
> A 5.5g is good for two medium sized crabs. They need substrate deep enough to bury themselves, whether that substrate is soil or sand (it's better to mix the two). They can eat pretty much anything as long as it doesn't have seasoning, they're not picky eaters. Apparently they love popcorn, but if you're going to try that make sure it's not buttered popcorn. They like company so three are recommended (which is why a 10g is better for them). They need temperatures between 70-85°, and humidity at 70-85%. Any humidity below 70% will cause them to suffocate slowly. Lots of shells, lots of places to climb, and keep a small isolation tank for emergencies. Their permanent tank needs to be able to hold humidity and heat well but let fresh air in, so anything open isn't recommended.
> 
> This is a pretty good general guide, a lot of it is the same in every other source.
> How to Care for Hermit Crabs (with Pictures) - wikiHow


Thanks!! Maybe I can keep some someday. I'm always confused about the humidity though, how do you keep it humid in there? Just by spraying them? Is there a humidity gauge that you can buy? I've seen heat mats at Pet Smart, would those work for keeping them warm, or is room temp OK? Any tank and lid recommendations?


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## Tourmaline

Well the best way is to spray them occasionally. They do sell humidity gauges. The one I have is a thermometer and humidity gauge in one, so I don't have to worry about a separate thermometer. It's by Zoo Med. 








You have to get things that keep humidity in. The soil I have in my tank holds humidity well, and the climbing wall is also designed to hold humidity. Without those things, you just need to spray them more often. 

Those heating mats work fine. If you don't have heated rooms, it's necessary since their temp range is basically the same as Bettas. Mine stays stable in the right range because it's right against the heating vent. 

For lids, mine just has the standard terrarium mesh lid with a basic 10g led aquarium hood over it to keep humidity and heat in. Any good you get needs to be able to keep it hot and humid, but also allow fresh air to get in. 

PetSmart sells a kit that has the 10g and all the basics for $56. The only thing the kit didn't really have was climbing toys, which I has to buy separately. It came with the two water conditioners, food and water bowls, the mesh screen, food, mineral blocks, soil, and sand. The only thing you may need in addition to that is another bowl for the salt water since you need one for fresh and one for salt. This is the kit. 
Zoo Med? Reptihabitat Hermit Crab Habitat | reptile Terrariums | PetSmart

I know it says $61 but at my store it was $56 on the shelf. It may differ by state.


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## Tourmaline

I didn't even realize this Betta had been shipped but.. Dual700 replaced the gold dragon that jumped. It came today. I moved Tiki to a 3g at the new apartment. I drip acclimated him this time, I didn't want to take a chance moving him to the death Spec V so a 3g will have to suffice for now. So I moved the new one to his tank to give it some recovery time before bringing it to the apartment too. 

I can't tell if it's male or female. It looks male but female at the same time. xD


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## DangerousAngel

Thank you so much for all the info!

And congrats on the new boy/girl! He/she is really pretty! The ventrals almost point to female, did you ask Dual700 what he/she is?


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## Tourmaline

No problem, I like to introduce people into new hobbies. 

I very much think it's female, the beard is small for a male in addition to the vents. I don't care either way, I've been looking for a gold dragon, male or female. I'll ask when I get home, for some reason emails never send on 4G on my phone. :/


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## Tourmaline

It's a male, but a feminine male. xD Maybe he'll mature and look more manly. I do like his color, though.


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## DangerousAngel

Do you know how old he is? Maybe he's just a late developer.


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## Tourmaline

He was born around January. I'm going to have to name him something unisex at this point. xD


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## DangerousAngel

Oh wow! LOL That works! XD


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## Tourmaline

A few pictures of Dorado. 




















I had another Betta dissappear.. From the same tank the boy with SBD disappeared from. Hawke is gone. I checked under the tank stand, all over the tank, but he's gone. Maybe there's something in the tank? This time the hood was slightly misaligned and had a gap, though. It's possible he jumped and my dog ate him (he's one for bugs and weird things). He was fine yesterday so that may be it.. 

I'm also having some issues with Gill (the copper yellow butterfly). He never puts on weight.. He's extremely skinny, and not very active. I'm thinking parasites are possible, but his poop is normal. I'm not sure what's wrong. I've been feeding him bloodworms daily to get his weight up but it's not working either.


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## Tourmaline

Update on the crabbies, Gill, the Emmygolf blue guy, and a newcomer. 

The hermit crabs have been hiding for about a week now. They're all buried under the substrate with the exception of Max, who is on top of the climbing wall and has been for a few days. They're not dead, they don't smell, so I can only assume they're molting. 

When I was reading up on molting, molting when you buy them is common, because they're usually not comfortable enough in pet stores to molt. So as soon as they get home, in a hopefully proper setup, they molt. They will be under for about a month. 

I moved Gill to the apartment yesterday. I drip acclimated him, had him floating in the yellow koi's tank. I never did name her because I'm starting to question her gender. Her ventrals are extremely long now and her dorsal looks like a male's when it's flared. Gill looks fine, he's active and eating still. I'm hoping he adjusts well. I tried to get a picture of her as an example but she's too quick, and Gill is in his tank and she won't flare with a mirror. 








The solid blue Emmygolf boy was supposed to be coming today, but his shipping status doesn't even say he's at the post office to be delivered yet. I'm worried he'll be in shipping over the weekend. I did ask Koo Yang to pack him with a heat pack when given the option, I'm glad I did with how cold it's been. 

I had been in the market for another black dragon for a while now, they're my favorite color. Right before Hawke dissappeared, a black dragon with good form and no diamond eye popped up on eBay, from that seller I bought that gold dragon HM girl from that was DOA. I had a PayPal balance from a refund still, so I just decided to get him. I don't think I can go without a black dragon in my life, I love them too much. I might name him Hawke II. 




















I actually did find Hawke, by the way. He did jump, but my dog didn't eat him. He managed to get stuck to a wire from one of the tanks above him, and dried up to it. I didn't notice it when I originally looked for him. It wasn't pretty..


----------



## Sadist

That's a gorgeous black dragon!


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## Tourmaline

The black dragon made it _okay_.. I say okay because the seller didn't pack him with a heat pack, once again, flashback to the gold dragon HM girl that was DOA because she wasn't packed with a heatpack in the dead of winter. His water was extremely cold.

He's warming up pretty well, his fins aren't clear from paleness anymore, they're black again. He flared at me not even 3 minutes after being released in his tank, and he's swimming around like normal now. I think he'll be fine. I'll get some pictures either tonight or tomorrow, when I feel he's recovered enough to be bothered.


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## Tourmaline

Okay I think the pictures do this guy's personality justice, but not his looks. He's nuts and flare happy. xD

Also, for some reason, my camera does not like that tank and keeps putting a blue tint to the pictures. Editing them didn't help much.


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## Tourmaline

Caspian is a looker now that he's recovered from shipping. I pretty much finished his tank, he has seven 6-8" silk plants in there now. I'd like one or two more to stick in the corners, but otherwise it's done. 

Unfortunately the plants haven't calmed him down much, he's really aggressive and glass surfs when he's not too busy attacking nothing. 

And pictures. His black mouth is cute.


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## Tourmaline

I've realized that I keep talking about his tank and not showing what it actually looks like. xD He's in the Spec V.


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## Tourmaline

I haven't posted in a bit, unfortunately, Gill did end up passing. He improved after moving him, but then worsened again. 

I'm picking up a CT boy from my job today. He's not looking too hot. I'm not even sure what color he is, but he doesn't look like he'll make it, so my manager said to just take him. I'll see if I can work some magic on him.. 

Caspian is doing great, I did fill out his tank a lot more since that picture so I think I'm done with it. I do need to upgrade a tank, it's a 1g that I was using temporarily to treat Gill, but if I'm going to help this CT, he needs an actual tank if I keep him, not a hospital tank.


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## Tourmaline

This guy is pulling my heart strings. I don't have another, though. :/ I don't have money for one until Friday, and I already have to get one for the CT who managed to survive the night. 













I have him up on my register for today. Someone almost bought him and changed their mind, so he's keeping me company and flaring at the wall for now, lol.


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## Sadist

Aww, what a cutie!


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## Tealight03

It would be impossible to work in a pet store! He's a handsome guy.


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## Tourmaline

I didn't see him today.  I was hoping he would still be there Friday, but I guess it's better that I'm not tempted.


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## Tourmaline

I found him! One of my coworkers put him to the back because there were too many HMs out after the new shipment. I did buy him, and a tank. It's not ideal, it's a 2g, but it's a start. I also upgraded the CT's tank to the same 2.5g I usually get. He's doing pretty well, he's actually a chocolate DRCT under all that paleness and misery!

I might actually move the blue HMPK to the 2g because I'm using too much medication up dosing an entire 5g every day. I'll see how it works out or if he shows improvement soon first, because so far nothing has been improving.


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## Tourmaline

Here's the CT boy. He was flaring in his new tank a bit. I put a paper up on the side and he stopped. 




















And the HM boy. I decided to remove all the medication from the 5g and move him there and move the blue HMPK to the 2g.


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## Tourmaline

I realized I hadn't posted in about a month.. I'm still a lurker, I've just had a lot going on in the last month. 

My father passed away suddenly on June 3rd, so it was really hectic and since I was his next of kin, everything was put on me. All of the decisions and cost was not something I was ready for.

Bettas.. Michi passed, so did Beau, and the male wild hybrid. I plan to get another male for my female hybrid eventually. 

Hermit crabs are still fine, although I barely see them as they spend all day buried in the substrate, and only one or two will come out at night. 

Just last week my mother ended up in the hospital with a serious infection in her mouth that almost killed her, so it's just been a bunch of things.


----------



## ThatFishThough

Oh no! Hope everything goes smoothly from now on!


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## Tourmaline

I actually did get four new boys.. Two divided tanks, so don't freak out lol. All HMs, I've been loving them again recently. I'll try to get some nice pictures but no promises, my phone camera is really just gone now, completely blurry.


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## Tourmaline

Picture time! 

This guy's name is Smokey.








This is Pongo. 








I haven't named this guy yet, but he has a 'blue dragon' scaling thing going on that I can't quite get on camera. He's gorgeous. 








This is Duke.. For obvious reasons. When Duke's butterfly band got taken over by red, he looked just like this boy. I thought the name was fitting. 








And this guy was a birthday present to myself. Unnamed, gorgeous. Gold dragons make me happy.


----------



## Scrapper

So sorry to hear about the lose of your father. I can't imagine how difficult that must be. I just lost my grandmother at the end of May and know the stress as well as grief losing someone causes. Definely sending positive vibes your way. 

It's a shame about the fish too. Especially the hybrid. I wonder if his death was related to his swim bladder issue in any way ? Mines still doing good but hasn't stopped butt dragging. 

Love the new fish. They're all very lovely. Good luck with them !


----------



## themamaj

I am so deeply sorry to hear of the loss of your father and health issues with you mom as well. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. 

New fish are beautiful. Look forward to hearing more about them.


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## Tourmaline

It has been very stressful for me. We think my father's death may have been from malpractice, so we may have to lawyer up for that, as well as continuing with my father's multiple lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies he had lawyers working on before his death. I don't have the strength or know-how for this kind of stuff.. 

On the bright side, I may be getting a bearded dragon today. There's a guy at my job that has been there for months and is up for adoption.. I was looking at getting a beardie and my manager suggested I get him, so I will if I have enough after getting a 40g tank setup ready.


----------



## Tourmaline

So I did _finally_ end up getting a beardie yesterday. Unfortunately someone adopted the first guy I really liked and was going for the day I was going to buy him, just before my shift was over.. I was very upset because I had bonded with him a lot but just didn't have the money for him at the same time as I bought the tank. The customers also got him for free due to a mistake by one of our new cashiers.. 

However, there was a little 'fancy', meaning overpriced, boy/girl there that I had my eye on. He or she always had its little foot up against the glass, always looking at everyone, or sleeping in its water dish being adorable, so I finally got it yesterday. It has a big 40g to itself. 

The only picture I was able to get was of it sleeping, soon as I brought it home it went right to sleep. Pet stores aren't good for sleeping, I guess. I'm referring to it as an it because it's too young to sex at the moment. I do tend to call it he over she, though. It's name is Apache.


----------



## Tourmaline

Little Apache is a boy. I managed to sex him a few days ago but never updated my journal about it. He's been adjusting well, handling him has gotten a lot easier. He's eating (only live food but we're working on that), pooping, and drinking normally. He is going through a shed right now, but it seems to be going well. His legs and tail have already shed, his body and head are all he has left to go after 2 days. He's a smol bean. 



















I'm picking him up a bunch of new decor on Friday, and some different kinds of fruit and veggies to try. I need to find what he likes. All he'll eat willingly are waxworms and crickets.


----------



## Tourmaline

Apache is doing very well now. I ended up joining a Bearded Dragon forum to ask for advice, and just like my introduction into Bettas, I had a few small errors and was led in the right direction. I actually saw a bettafish.com forum member on there while browsing, it was nice to see. 

Here are a few more pictures of my handsome boy, he's very easy to handle now. He's sleeping on me as I type this.


























Betta fish news.. I had an issue with Smokey. He's fin biting so badly most of his fins are gone. I ended up having to move him to a filterless tank because it's so hard for him to swim now with barely any fins..


----------



## Tourmaline

He's just so cute I can't even


----------



## Tourmaline

*Long post/rant warning*​
I've been having the same issues I had with people I know getting Bearded Dragons that I had with people I know getting Bettas... They don't care for them properly and risk them dying because they want to be stupid. 

A long time friend had wanted a beardie for years. I showed her pics of Apache, and she started looking at tanks for them. For anyone who doesn't know squat about beardies, I'll give you very basic things you need for the sake of the story. 

A baby bearded dragon needs at least a 20g long as a tank, a 40g breeder is preferred. 75g once they're older, and 125g after that. Anything smaller than a 20g long is borderline abusive imo. They need a dome light and basking bulb strong enough to get the basking spot to about 105-110°. 

They _need_ a UVB bulb, stress the need because apparently people think they're okay without them? Without a UVB bulb, they will develop MBD which is a fatal disease in which they can't absorb calcium normally and that makes their bones brittle and body basically shut down.

Many people seem to think bearded dragons like other bearded dragons. News flash, they don't. If you get two, even in a big tank, one will be dominant over the other. The dominant beardie will bully the submissive one out of the basking spot, hog food, and generally stress it out and it may die. Bearded dragons are best kept alone, a lot like Bettas. Sometimes females can be kept together apparently, also like Bettas. However it's still better to keep them alone. Males will fight.

And a simple one, no sand. You might be able to pull it off if you feed in a separate container outside of the tank but generally, no sand. Tile is best for them.

These are basics any new beardie owner should know and understand. 

Now, for what my friend did. She tried to get a 10g reptile kit, I said it was a horrible idea that's not big enough, try to get a 20g long. The kit she was looking at didn't have a UVB bulb hood or even a second dome light for a CFL (those are bad, use a T5 bulb and hood). I point out that they need a UVB bulb, she insists they don't and they're fine without it. Cue long frustration screech. 

Now, she gets a 20g, good thing. However it was a 20g high, not big enough, you need length not height. The basking bulb she has is fine. She actually did get the UVB bulb, however it was a dome light fixture and a CFL bulb which do more harm than good by causing eye problems in addition to not providing nearly enough UVB. Tank was bare, no sand but it was like one of those bird sandpaper liners she used for it. Cue another long frustration screech.

She got the beardie, ignored my advice to fix the setup. She wanted a female, she bought one without checking the gender first, and the beardie is a male. So instead of returning him and getting the female she wanted so badly, she just gets a female and keeps it in the same already way too small tank that the male is in, saying she can't wait until they're old enough to breed. _Screech_

Bearded dragons have special types just like Bettas called morphs. I do not believe in breeding anything other than good quality Bettas unless you're developing lines from scratch, same goes for beardies. I would not breed unless they have desired traits. Neither of them were anything desired. They were very ordinary beardies, not breeding material. There is no reason to breed them. Cue frustration sigh. 

I give her the speech that I gave above about beardies not doing well with other beardies, she says "I got this, I know the extra precautions I have to take". Cue me quitting. I grabbed Apache and just pet him for a while. I thank everything that Apache didn't wind up with someone like that who would wind up killing him with ignorance. He's a good boy, albeit a little bit crazy. 

This same experience has happened with Bettas numerous times. I should be used to this by now, but I'm not. The thing here is someone can't say "it's just a fish" because it's not something you can hold or pet or something that develops attachments, these are reptiles who actually bond with humans and deserve just as much love and care from their owners that a dog or cat would. I'll never get used to this..


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## Tourmaline

Many of my Bettas were wiped out by some mysterious illness. Not sure what it was, no one could figure it out in my disease and emergencies post either. All I have left is Draco, the second gold dragon HMPK who I named Midas, Ginseng, Goliath, and another giant I got recently who I haven't been able to think of a name for. I've gotten two more Bettas, an EEHM I haven't named, and a HM female I named Meridia since she looked just like Meridia did. The new ones are doing fine so I'm not sure what was wrong..


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## DangerousAngel

That's awful! I'm so sorry you lost so many  I was just thinking about you, and wondering how Kasai was doing.


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## Tourmaline

Midas also died since my post.. I have a lot of empty tanks now. I'm selling most of them on Craigslist, I've been wanting to downsize recently anyway, but this isn't the way I wanted to do it.

I did get a black dragon HM from my PetSmart, and a multi CT. I like the HM a lot, he's very active and healthy so I'm hoping whatever this was has passed. I might need help with names. I'll take updated pics when I get home, these are from the first day home.


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## Tourmaline

I'm thinking something got into the food that I was feeding them or maybe the water conditioner, since I have the bad habit of not completely zipping the food bag shut. I dumped all of my supplies after the first 3 deaths, food, equipment, water additives, even got new heaters and filter media for all of the tanks of the survivors just in case it was that. I think it may have been too late for the ones that had already started showing signs of any illness. All of the rest are doing well since the equipment purge. New guys and girl that I got since what happened are very healthy and active, no sign of any clumping or discoloration with their fins, no lethargy, good appetite.


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## Tourmaline

I need to mention the formerly platinum male HMPK I got from Petco a few months ago. He's actually fine. I thought he had died because I couldn't find him and the illness killed them within 2 days usually, but I found him today, alive, in his filter compartment. I have no idea how he got in there but I'm glad I looked before I got rid of the tank, a friend was coming for it on Friday. 

I actually never did name him, I never planned to keep him so I was never very attached to him. I suppose now would be a good time to give him a name. I'll have to get some updated pictures of him, he did marble to be quite gorgeous and seems to have stopped.


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## ThatFishThough

Could name him Ghost (Yurei in Japanese?) or Casper or something? Kemuri means "Smoke" in Japanese... Just trying to thing of whiteish things that can get into small spaces lol.

I've recently had trouble with frozen foods too. I believe it killed 3 of my ADF, and at least 1 betta.  I'll be buying it locally from now on. SIP everyone that has passed recently.


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## Tourmaline

I like just Ghost. Might name him that. I did forget to get _good_ updated pictures, here are some crappy ones. He was very stressed when I found him and still hasn't recovered.














And a small update on Apache and how gorgeous he's gotten. He is the embodiment of sass and attitude, I love him.


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## Tourmaline

Oh and I forgot to post pictures of my EEHM and HM girl. The EE is named Kronos.


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## Tourmaline

Another tank filled.. I still have two more empty ones that I plan to keep. I got this guy from my job yesterday, he went to dinner with me and my coworkers.



















I'm thinking about naming him Riley, what do you guys think?


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## Tourmaline

Last two tanks I'm keeping have been brought over, and I actually decided to pick up the female VT I was trying to decide between yesterday. It was either her or the new white looking EE male. 

What I did not realize is that she is absolutely nuts and extremely aggressive. She was flaring at the sides of the tank, so I gave her a mirror to see how she'd react.. She's nuts. I also did not realize just how large she is, much larger than every other betta I have but the giants. 

I was a little confused if she's male or female, but I see ovaries. She has a large beard and fairly long fins, war dances at her reflection which I haven't seen a female do before.

I've named her Riley, rather than the white EE. I felt it suited her a lot better than it suited him.


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## ThatFishThough

I've been silently following. Loving the new additions and names!


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## Tourmaline

Last tank is filled.. He was sort of a pity buy. I've been traveling to Connecticut to do shopping at stores we don't have close by to me, and every time I go there I stop by Petco next to one of the stores. Well, every time I've gone there, this one PK catches my eye, but something about him made me not get him the first few times. I think it was my preference for HMs that I've had recently. I went there again, and he was still there two months later.. So I bought him. He is gorgeous, I don't know what made me not get him sooner.


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## ThatFishThough

*totally not jealous* Okay, I'm actually super jealous.... He's stunning! Potential breeder cull?!

Have you named all of your new finned friends yet?


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## Tourmaline

So far everyone but the new PK have names. The white EEHM is Croix.

Not sure what to name the new HMPK, he kinda reminds me of a red Maru.

Here's a picture of the sass dragon, because why not?


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## ThatFishThough

Gah he's so cute! I'll have to look at pictures of the PK again.


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## Tourmaline

Updates. Croix suddenly disappeared a few days ago. This is the second time this has happened, I've heard of it happening to other people but it still baffles me. He didn't jump, he's not in the filter compartment, and he's not dead because I tore the tank apart. I don't know..

I also got a second bearded dragon. This guy was sort of a rescue. He's from my job. I noticed he had some issues one day. I walked by their tank, and I always admire the fancy beardies so I looked and saw one trying to climb up a rock and falling backwards off it every time. Then he started twitching and trying to walk. I reported it to my manager and they pulled him from the tank into the sick room. 

Fast forward a few days and he was improving with the proper lighting the sick room has, so they put him back out and he started twitching again. He went back and forth between the sick room and the fancy beardie tank 3 times. Then I finally said screw it and bought him. He's in a 10g for a week or two until we have our 30% off for employees sale and I'll get him a 40g.

His name is Cider. I let my friend who has always wanted a beardie name him.




















Bonus pic of Apache in his bath.


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## Tourmaline

I haven't found a new resident for the 2g Croix was in yet.. I'm not sure if I want to downsize more or not. I have 11 tanks running, two of which are empty, compared to the 26 I used to have. Work has made maintaining them very difficult now that I'm working 40+ hours a week.

At this point this is just my bearded dragon journal. I rarely post pictures of my Bettas.. I should probably take some. 

Well, it's bearded dragon pics for now. 

Cider isn't growing as quickly as Apache is, I'm having issues getting him to eat. So far he'll only eat Phoenix worms. Crickets are a no go, so are Dubia roaches.




















And the handsome Apache. He's in shed again, tail, legs, and neck this time. He's always shedding since he's growing so fast. 




















Annnnd all of the pictures are sideways.. I'm not sure how to fix that.


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## themamaj

Love those dragons! Have you tried super worms or hornworms? I am having the opposite issue with Chomper. He is only wanting bugs and turning his nose up at his salads. I have bought countless varieties of veggies to keep it interesting but he is a real stinker. I think he holds out and doesn't eat so I will feel bad and give him his roaches. Do you have an idea of what the issues were with Cider and the twitching? Has he had any further issues with it?


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## Tourmaline

I've read that superworms were too high in fat content with shells that are hard to digest, and shouldn't be fed to dragons under 16 inches at all, so I haven't bothered with them. Apache started eating more on Phoenix Worms and that's how he gained so much weight so I've stuck to them. Hornworms I can't really find a good source for and my job sells them way too expensive and way too large for him.

I believe Cider's twitching was early signs of MBD, that was the most common cause for twitching that I found. It's gone away with a 10.0 T5 bulb so that's all I can think of. He was still twitching a bit at first but it stopped after the first week. He's been gaining weight, he's up to 22.4 grams from 14.1 when I got him so I think he's going to be fine overall.


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## themamaj

I have seen some small superworms around here locally at one of our lps. Just trying to think of calories but Phoenix worms are best for calcium. Sounds like you're on the right track. Glad he has improved so much with your care.


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## Tourmaline

Some updates on Bettas! I actually got three new guys. I never updated on these two VTs I got a month or two ago, but I've become very attached to one of them. He's a spunky little thing, he tries to fight my beardies when they're out. I named him Sarge. I'll post some pictures in my next post, I'm waiting for my picture taking phone to charge. 

I also got a royal blue/orange bicolor HM, a copper HM, and a red dragon butterfly RT within the last two weeks or so. I did decommission three tanks, so I'm down to eight filled tanks.

The guys/gals I have left are the three new guys, Riley, Sarge, Meridia, Chimera (one of the new VTs I just mentioned), and Senshi (the marble PK).

Ghost finally passed away last week. He went downhill after I moved him to the 2.5g. I moved him to the Spec V before he died, thinking it was the size change, but it didn't help at all.


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## Tourmaline

Lots of pictures, because I haven't posted Betta pics in a long time. 

This is Sarge.














You guys remember Riley? She's been fin biting a bit.














Senshi has marbled a ton.














The copper who refuses to let me get a good picture.














This is the dragon, he built three separate massive nests. He kinda reminds me of both the Duke's I've had.




















Chimera wasn't feeling my picture taking. But you can kinda see why I named him that? He has split colors down his caudal. 








The blue/orange bicolor. He refused to let me get a good picture, and he started biting his fins yesterday.














Meridia wouldn't come out of her hide, the lights are usually off by this time so she wasn't having any of it. I'll try to get one tomorrow.


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## Tourmaline

I kinda got a Leopard Gecko.. I've been eyeing this one Leo at my job for three weeks now. Handling it, the pet care people let me feed it, etc. We had our 50% live pets deal and I said screw it and got her (?). I have no idea how to tell gender or if she's even big enough to tell, but I'll call it a she until I know.




















I also got my first import in a long time, from Prism Bettas on Facebook. I love him already. He's being sent out on Monday.


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## Tourmaline

The leo is a she, I named her Artemis. Import boy was sent out today, I hope he gets here safely. 

Apache is gaining about 30g a week now, it's ridiculous. Cider still hasn't put on much weight, he's very small. Not sure what the deal with him is. He has good fat stores, he's just... _Smol_.


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## themamaj

Love seeing all the fish pictures! Aww so thrilled you got a gecko! She is a cutie! I was going to say if you need to know boy or girl Lil could tell you for sure. Leos are so fun because they look like they are always smiling. I would be a hopeless cause at a pet store job. I would have to add on to the room for sure  Helping a friend of mine right now pick out dragon supplies and dragon for her daughter for xmas. I am going to keep it for her until xmas eve so she can surprise her. Only problem is I about have come home with another dragon myself from looking. Sounds like Apache is doing really well. Have you had Cider tested for parasites? That was one thing that crossed my mind with slow growth but he may just end up being a smaller dragon.


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## Tourmaline

I love her, she's great. I need to work with her a bit. She doesn't bite or hiss when I pick her up, but she doesn't stay still when she's out or relax. Maybe it's because she's young, she's 6 inches, 20 grams even.

What I was thinking is that maybe Cider is a lot younger than Apache was when I got him. Apache was very underfed and I believe he was stunted, he was in the store for over a month after all. Cider wasn't, maybe two weeks at most. So I can't really compare their growth rates like I'm doing.


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## Tourmaline

Okay sooo.. I bought a female crowntail from my job, the guy I got from Prism Bettas was DOA so I picked her up. Cute little girl, I'll post pictures. I bought her home, floated her in Senshi's tank because his tank lid goes completely up and her tank is hard to get to. I had to pick my mother up from work, left her floating so she could warm up completely, I was gone for a few hours. I come back, she jumped out of the cup, and there was a massive bubble nest and a very exhausted little CT girl in Senshi's tank. No fin damage on either of them. I think they spawned while I was gone. I gave her a big bloodworm meal to keep her energy up. 

Now how do I destroy this nest? Any fry won't survive, my fry food cultures are long gone, and I sold my grow out tank and breeding supplies after most of my Bettas I had bought to breed died. Ughhh Senshi you womanizer.


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## ThatFishThough

I think you literally just swirl it around. Even if the bubbles are still there, the eggs should fall to the ground.


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## Tourmaline

These two are on punishment. I've gotten a lot of female bettas and had to float in a male's tank for a bit, not once did I think they would jump out of the little hole on the top to spawn. They just bypassed the introductions and conditioning and went straight to it. I hope any breeding I decide to do in the future is that easy, and I'm glad Senshi didn't rip her to shreds.


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## Tourmaline

I haven't posted in a while, nothing very interesting has happened.

Apache, Cider, and Artemis are well. I did get a second Leo but it didn't work well so I returned him. He's very light sensitive and he needs special care, so we're treating him at the store.

I sort of pity bought a black orchid HMPK boy from Petland yesterday. He's not well, he has sinky butt syndrome and he's very pale. I'll see if I can fix him or if it's genetic. 

I got a EEHMPK from Petco also. Gorgeous guy, huge pecs. He's a Salamander, "pink" and white. 

The female CT that jumped out of her cup and bred with Senshi got very sick shortly after and died. Then Senshi was seeming near death for about a week after that. He had ich and something else going on from her. He's fine now, no ich and active. I went back bought her sister who is a yellow koi CT, she was solid yellow.


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## Tourmaline

We got hit with a huge storm. Power is out, has been since yesterday around 8am. It's very cold.. There were downed trees, many downed power lines. A tree fell and hit a house in the next county. A 2 year old girl was killed by it, and her mother is in critical condition. There aren't any shelters to go to.

All of my Bettas but three died. Cotton-Eye Joe is alive but barely, the sinky butt Petland guy was doing a little better. And a girl I got last week is alive also. Their tanks dropped to 43°.. I'm surprised I have any survivors. I asked my coworker who has power to take them and set up tanks for them.

I don't think Joe is going to make it, I'm a little more optimistic about sinky butt and new girl. They seemed more aware and active. It's a shame because Joe has been my favorite Betta since I adopted him. 

I had to rush Apache and Cider to my job. The store didn't have power until around 10 this morning. Cider and Apache had to go the night without heat. I had Apache under my blanket in my shirt for most of it, but I couldn't convince my mother to keep Cider warm and they can't be anywhere near each other. He's alive and fine now but it was very frustrating. 

I explained the situation and they gladly let me bring them in and set up two 10g tanks in our sick room with heat lights. I didn't have another tank for Artemis but I set her up in a critter keeper in the sick room. It's warm back there so she should be okay even without a light. They're staying at my job until we have power again.

No one thought the storm would be this bad. And we all thought the power loss would be a 20 minute thing, not a possible week long issue. I had heat packs and water bottles with hot water but that only lasted half of the night with how cold it is.. I feel like crap about not being more well prepared.


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## Tealight03

I'm so sorry about your losses. It was out of your control. You were far more prepared than I would be if I lost power. I hope you get power back soon.


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## themamaj

Bless your heart. I can only inagine how concerned you must be for all of the animals. Pray is comes on soon!

What is sinking butt syndrome?


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## Tourmaline

Well they all survived the night. My coworker said they won't eat but they're more active and they're swimming around. He set Joe up in a 5g bucket with a heater and some live plants, the sinky butt boy in a 1g tank with a heater and live plants, he had the girl in a half gallon bowl with some plants but she didn't have a heater so I brought a 1g hospital tank and a heater for her.

Cider and Apache are doing okay, I went this morning to go check on them. Cider wouldn't eat but he's younger than Apache so I expect him to be more stressed. Apache keeps scaring everyone at my job because he wants attention. Artemis isn't eating either but she's probably cold. I have her in the hottest room in the store so I think she'll be okay.

Estimated time for power restoration is tomorrow by midnight. It couldn't come any faster.


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## Tourmaline

Update. Joe is eating, so is Sinky. The girl hasn't eaten. She's been set up in her new temp tank, and my coworker says he'll try again in the morning. 

Sinky butt syndrome is just my joking way of saying swim bladder disorder that causes sinking rather than floating. This guy's isn't treatable, it's genetic or an injury. I haven't been able to help him swim any better, but it doesn't hold him back too much. My wild hybrid male that I lost developed it after a few months too. Another from his spawn also developed it so maybe it was genetic in that case as well.


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## themamaj

Reason I asked was new rescue sure had it to begin with. I still see it when he is tired but it is getting better so hoping it will resolve. 

Hope your girl will eat tomorrow for you. Glad to hear other two have. How are the dragons doing today?


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## Tourmaline

I finally got power back yesterday night. I lost 8 bettas. Luckily Joe, Sinky (I never officially named him), and the cellophane girl are fine, I'm bringing them home today. 

Artemis is already home. I'm bringing Cider and Apache home in a bit, I'll drive over there before my shift. 

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all of these empty tanks. I'm thinking about just keeping the three 5g tanks for the survivors and two of the 2.5g tanks for an import or two and just putting the rest in a closet. It's a shame.


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## Tourmaline

Joe, Sinky, and Napkin (I didn't name her, the coworker who was taking care of her did) are set up again. Sinky and Napkin went back into their original tanks. I've decided to actually downsize, so I took plants out of all of the tanks I'm not planning to keep set up, and made all the tanks I'm keeping running look really nice. I gave Joe an upgrade from his original 2.5g to a 5g with lots of plants that he's loving. I'm keeping his original 2.5g up and running for any bettas I like on our next shipment tomorrow, and I have a 2.3g I'm keeping set up. I'm hoping to find another betta like Sarge, I miss him. I really miss Riley too.

Apache and Cider are back to normal. Cider hadn't been eating much since I had to set him up at my job, but he just devoured about 30 large crickets. Artemis just ate about 15 large crickets. Apache never lost his appetite so I just dumped like 40 in there, there's none left. That's normal for him.


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## Tourmaline

I picked out two boys for the tanks I plan to keep. One is a platinum HM, the other is an EEHM or EEDeT. Both are from my job. I'm just going to share a bunch of the pictures I took today of my little group.

This is Napkin, she's a little cellophane HM girl. 














This is unnamed boy #1, the platinum.














Unnamed boy #2 with horrible tank lighting. 








My handsome boy Joe, who has been biting his tail a bit since the power outage.








And Sinky. Sinky was a joke nickname until I could officially name him, but honestly I might as well keep the name at this point. He is very sinky..


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## themamaj

Napkin 🤗 so cute!!! Oh taunting me with gorgeous white fish. The platinum is beautiful and love yellow too. Such rich color. Hehe Sinky. I love fish with funny names that just fit their personality.

Glad everyone back to normal. I am so sorry for the losses.


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## Tourmaline

I adopted bearded dragon number 3 from work two days ago. He's the tiniest little thing I've ever seen. He was in the tank with another bearded dragon who was a good 2 inches bigger than him, and he kept getting dominated by him. He'd lay completely over this little thing and only his head would poke out from under him.

I asked my coworker to let me take him out and handle him for a bit, and I noticed one of his legs was badly bruised and he didn't want to move it or let me touch it. I assume it's from the other beardie, or him being crazy because he's extremely active, even when he was at work.

Anyway, I took him home and I think it's a boy but I'm not 100% sure yet. He's a lot small than Apache and Cider were when I got them, so I get nervous handling him but he seems okay with it despite how small he is. I'll upload some pictures once my camera taking phone charges.

Oh, I also decided to keep an even 6 tanks after seeing a CT girl I really liked at my job. I have three 2.3-2.5g tanks running and three 5g tanks, I think that's a good number. I'll try to get a picture of the CT girl too but she's really active so no promises.


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## Tourmaline

Alright, I'm back up to 8 Bettas. I can't help myself. 

Betta number 7 is a multicolor HMPK my boyfriend bought me as a gift. We named him Patriot. 








Betta number 8 is a HMPK giant I got from Petco that was labeled as a halfmoon king. This is him compared to Napkin.


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## Adnamac

Just read through this and the previous page of your journal...sorry to hear about the snowstorm and the losses it caused for you. I know exactly the one you're talking about. I can't remember what that monster snow-mess was named officially, but where I am in NJ we ended up with a good 14 inches of snow. We were lucky and never lost power, but my hometown in PA (I'm only recently a NJ resident) was without for nearly 2 weeks with MASSIVE damage. 

ANYWAY, on other notes...love your reptiles, they are just really so cute - just want to squeeze them (gently of course!) right through the screen. 

And your bettas....oh, the bettas! Especially your boy, Joe....so pretty! <3


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## Tourmaline

Some updates. 

The third bearded dragon is indeed a boy, I named him Zephyr. He's getting along rather well. I'm having a lot more issues getting him used to me than I had with Apache and Cider. Zephyr is rather aggressive and doesn't like me.

Patriot, the HMPK my boyfriend bought me is in his planted Spec V, I decided to leave him there. He really seems to enjoy the plants, and I don't keep planted tanks anymore. I thought it would be mean to take him home and stick him in a tank with a bunch of fake plants after he got used to a heavily planted tank.

I lost Sinky two days ago. He started deteriorating rather quickly and came down with ich. He passed away right as it started clearing up, I assume it weakened him further.

I also lost the white EEHM, about 3 days after I brought him home. I never even got to name him. I'm not sure what happened with him, when he passed his belly was black. I've never seen that before.

I still have Joe, Napkin, Atlas (the giant from Petco), the "platinum" who is just gray and white now, and the CT girl who I named Heather. Now that I think about it, I never did get around to posting a picture of Heather.

I've been struggling with depression lately, so my boyfriend got me this guy from Loc. He knew I had been looking for a solid light blue HM for a long time, and this guy is a giant as well. He was shipped today, I'm super excited.


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## Tourmaline

Here's the "giant" guy from Loc. He's the size of a normal Betta, I'm a little disappointed. He's still beautiful though. I need a name for him.


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## themamaj

Oh my goodness he is gorgeous!!!! Sapphire? 

Anxious to see new dragon. Funny I have 3 right now too but one is a foster for just another week. I love being a foster mom but always get attached. The babies are more flighty at first and take a little bit to build trust. I would certainly expect that with your new boy. Love his heart, it sounds like he has been through a lot. The one I am fostering was a bit bigger than the crop of hatchings the store had in but still was getting picked on. He had a good tail nip that caused the loss of tail tip and was also bumped from lighting from more dominant dragons. He is doing really well now and gaining weight. So glad you got your boy. He is a lucky one and I know he will thrive under your care.


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## Tourmaline

Lots of pictures in this update, and also some sad news. I'll do the dragon news first just to get that out of the way.

Zephyr passed away last month. It was due to complications with his foot I believe. The vet wasn't sure what happened because he was improving a week before when we visited last. I didn't want to do a necropsy on him, I decided to just let him rest and bury him. He never liked me much but I loved his stubborn butt.

I sort of gave up on the idea of a third dragon after that. At least until we got a shipment of tiny babies in. My boyfriend wasn't sure what to get me for my birthday until he saw me staring at this little hypo citrus baby and saying how cute it was and how it looked just like Apache as a baby. He asked me if I wanted him to get me it for my birthday, and I said yes. It turned out to be a little girl, I named her Nexus. I love her so much. She's eating like a champ, pooping normally, and she's very friendly.




















Apache is doing amazing as always. He's the calmest dragon ever. Last month my job had a reptile event called "reptile roundup". I knew we were having it and I was off, so I decided to come in with Apache and see how it was going. We didn't have any reptiles for people to hold or interact with really, so I volunteered me and Apache for the event. They ended up paying me for the three hours. I got to educate people on bearded dragons, a ton of people pet Apache and a few got to hold him, and he was really good throughout the whole thing, minus a pooping incident. I was very proud of him. My co-worker took a few pictures of him for me.




















Cider is growing really well too. He's not as big as Apache yet, but my god he's crazy. Apache went through this phase of craziness, but his was manageable. Cider thinks he can fly, he likes to run away from me in parking lots when I take him outside (he doesn't go outside without a harness for this reason), and he's constantly looking for random objects to taste and or eat. He's very good with people though. He never gets upset with me and he never minds being handled, even Apache has his days where he doesn't want to deal with me. Cider is always happy to be getting attention. He's never bitten me, not even by accident. With the way he eats, I'm surprised. Even Apache gets my finger sometimes when I hand feed him. I don't take pictures of him too often because he's absolutely mental, but I took these to show you guys. He's a pain in the butt, but he's a gorgeous pain in the butt and I love him.




















On to the bettas!

I lost Joe last month, not sure what happened to him at all. He was never really 'sick'. He was a little less active than usual, and the morning after spending the night out, he was gone. I miss him dearly, I hadn't been that attached to a betta in a long time, I don't think I'll ever have another one like him. I also lost the 'platinum' boy. I had a lot of issues with him, I could never figure out what was wrong. I tried conservative treatments with no luck. He was very lethargic for almost a month before he died. I haven't had any other deaths besides them, fortunately. 

I ended up getting another tank recently for a rescue betta. Someone at my job returned an orange and blue VT male saying they had him for a month and he was looking sick. My manager returned him as not sellable, meaning that even if he recovered we could not sell him, he would have to be adopted out. Now, mind you, this VT is _huge_. He is not only a few months old, it looks like he's been around for a few years. He was in pretty decent shape, he just seemed a little shocky. I asked if I could take him home, and she said yes. So I left work with another 2.5g to add to the collection, all the essentials for it, and this old VT boy. I named him Goliath, he's doing really well still. No issues. I don't have any pictures of him unfortunately. I'll get one next time I remember that I need to take one when the lights are on.

I got two other boys as well. One is from a store called Pet Kraze, he's a yellow dragon. A yellow dragon that cost me $9, would you believe it? He's very spunky and healthy, here's some pictures. No name yet, I was leaning towards Ace.




















This guy is from Petco, he's in Joe's tank. I had been looking at him for a few months, and I finally decided to just get him. I'm surprised he lasted there that long. Also has not been named yet. I'm thinking about Mako, he looks a lot like him pattern wise, and it would be a nice gesture to one of my favorite ever bettas to have one named after him.




















I don't have much else to mention, there's a lot of personal stuff going on as well, but everything is okay for the most part. Sorry for the picture bombardment, I had a lot to show today.


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## Tourmaline

Hello everyone! It's been a long time since I've updated my journal, but I'm still around. I still keep Bettas, and I still have my reptiles. I've been slowly getting back into getting some interesting Bettas from breeders, but I won't attempt to keep breeding stock like I used to.

Apache and Cider are still doing amazing! I ended up losing Nexus not long after getting her. She stopped eating one morning and by the night she was gone. A few months later I got Zenith, another little girl. She's doing amazing and she's a big girl now.

As far as Bettas, I still have Napkin and Ace. They're both doing amazing, Napkin did marble to be red with some blue iridescence. Ace didn't change much except for some red on his ventrals that popped up out of no where.

I downsized a lot. Right now I only have 7 Bettas. 3 males, 4 females.

Here's some pictures of my gang.

This is Cooper, I actually just got him today. He won't come out so I can get a good picture but he's a copper boy with some white on his head. He's big, he was labeled as a king. 














This is Bahamut! He's from Prism Bettas. He's a "candy koi" VT. I love him and his coloration. He's very personable. Very curious and he loves attention. His favorite thing is trying to intimidate me and giving me the stink eye while I'm at my desk. He bubble nests all the time. 








This is Tiamat, also from Prism Bettas. She's a royal blue HM female. She's nuts, I love her. She's 120% all the time. Her favorite thing is hunting flightless fruit flies and flirting with Bahamut (their tanks are next to each other, I didn't put a cover between them because they keep each other entertained). 








This is what Napkin looks like now! I figured she deserved two pictures, being my oldest Betta and all. She's still recovering a bit from her being a dummy and jumping out of her tank two weeks ago. She's now a year and a half old about. She's officially the oldest Betta I've ever had. 














This girl I never named. She's a rescue from my job, she's your standard red VT female. A customer returned her as a male HM, I'm assuming just to get the money back for a fish that was having issues after he replaced her. She can't swim very well, she has severe SBD. She does okay, she eats, she just isn't very active. I've tried everything to cure it with no success. She's doing okay so I decided to just leave her and let her live out her life rather than keep treating something that won't get any better. 








This is Chibi. Affectionately named after a Betta I had years ago, their colors are similar. Some people on here may remember her. It's been such a long time now.. She's still relatively new, we haven't quite gotten used to each other. She's very active and healthy, she eats like a savage. 








And last but not least, my favorite boy, Ace. He's another one who has been with me for a long time now. I love this boy to bits, he will always be my favorite Betta. He's right next to my computer. He comes to greet me every time he sees me. His favorite thing is hiding in the mouth of his dragon and flaring at me if I look at him for too long.


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## Tourmaline

That rescue female VT passed away two days ago. I mean I kind of expected that, so I'm not upset. She was still eating, even the morning of the day she passed. She was never active because of the SBD so it was hard to tell if something was actually wrong or not. I had her for about 3 months, who knows how old she was when that guy returned her.

I'm sure some of you saw my post, I bought a handsome man from Petco. I went there looking for a baby Betta and something orange caught my eye. That was the end of that. No idea what to name him, I'm stumped. Mr. Grumpy Gills here keeps flaring at me whenever I go up to his tank so he's very hard to photograph. His tank lighting doesn't help either. I may still get a baby Betta, I still have an open 2.5g tank that's just sitting on my desk. It hasn't had a resident in a while.. 

Anyway, here's sassy fins, he's a galaxy candy koi PK




















Cooper has come out of his shell a lot too. He went from hiding constantly to greeting me on day two. He's pretty sassy as well, popping a gill cover out at me when I watch him. 




















Also my idiot hurt himself. He's too fat to fit in his dragon mouth and he got his head stuck in it. He pulled some scales on top and under his head off when he pulled himself out of it. He's fine, I'm not going to treat it with anything, it's not red or bloody I don't feel it's necessary. I'm going to have to seal the inside of the mouth with aquarium sealant or something. He's developing a tumor on his left side as well..


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## Tourmaline

Can we just appreciate how beautiful Tiamat is? You could almost mistake her for a male.


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## Lunatic

Hi Tourmaline! I have been watching your journal for a little while, it's a pleasure to see all your gorgeous bettas and reptiles, what a fun experience they must be! Sorry to hear that you've lost some, unfortunately, that is the downside of anything in life, you just have to continue jumping over the hurdles.

I have to say I absolutely adore the super blue male you have there, and even though he's not a giant like you had hoped, he's still amazing! Sorry if I had missed it, but did you ever come up with a name for that one? I recently got a very interesting DTHM myself actually, he's a cobalt multicolor with transparent edges on all of his fins, named him Hirao. 

You have such interesting names for all of yours bettas, Tiamat is especially beautiful, definitely would think *she* was a he if I didn't have any clarification!

I look forward to seeing more!


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## blubird101

Beautiful bettas and dragons!

I have a bearded dragon myself, love him to death! Reptiles are a lot of fun, I've got 2 crested geckos, 1 ball python, 1 corn snake as well!


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## Tourmaline

I ended up naming that blue HM Indigo. My now ex boyfriend took him when we broke up, he was very expensive so I don't really blame him. He kept a lot of fish and Bettas too. He's still doing fine, in a heavily planted Spec V with some ramshorn snails at his house. Him and Tiamat would be a perfect pair lol. 

I've named the new candy koi PK Castiel, and I picked up a Betta from my job to fill the 2G. The filter on the 2.5g died and unfortunately it's an integrated one, I've been having that issue for a long time with those all glass Top Fin tanks. He's in the smaller tank until I can track one down. This is him, I've actually been looking at this guy since he came in. He wasn't looking too hot lately so I brought him home. He looks great now! I'm thinking of naming him Uno.


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## Tourmaline

I just put Bahamut to sleep. I'm really not sure what happened. My coworker suggested he might have just been sick even when I got him. I only had him for about 3 months, usually imports, especially VTs, live a lot longer than that.

Not really sure what to do now.. It feels very empty at my desk without him in there. I didn't have him for super long but I loved watching him.


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## Tourmaline

I brought home a standard red VT boy. I haven't had a plain Betta in a while. He's very small, I moved him to the 2g and I moved Uno to the bigger 2.5g. Here he is, he's named Chili.


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## Tourmaline

I've added a new resident to Bahamut's tank. He's a captive bred Betta Smaragdina. Don't worry, I have some IAL coming soon and I'll darken his tank up with some tannins. I'm still undecided on a name, naming wilds is hard. 


























He almost didn't make it. The seller didn't offer overnight shipping, so he got shipped through priority 3 day, and he was in the mail for 4 days. He was delayed, and when I went to the post office to get him he wasn't ready for pickup yet. They told me he'd have to wait until tomorrow. I was really upset because one more day could be the difference between a living and dead fish, especially being in the mail for 5 days, but I left and hoped for the best. I went to work, and when I came home, his box was sitting on my chair, and my mom was floating him in his tank. Someone from the post office personally delivered him to my house. I'm glad they did because he looked terrible.


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## Tourmaline

Chili passed away from a bad fungal infection. I couldn't get it under control. I've decided to not buy Bettas from my job anymore. A lot of them end up with fungal infections and ick, not because they don't do water changes often (my job does them every other day) it's because they use the feeder tanks for the water.

The feeders always come in sick, and they run on their own separate filter system from the rest of the tanks. The not so bright people in that department change the Betta cups with water from a tank with a bunch of sick fish in it. The feeders get bought and eaten before the sickness is apparent, and the Bettas get more and more sick as time goes on in their cups from being exposed to it. I've brought it up with management since his death but the department hasn't done anything differently. 

I'm strictly going to the Petco near me and Pet Kraze from now on for my Bettas. They have very nice stock anyway, much nicer than any PetSmart. 

Ace has been slowing down a bit recently. Two days ago he was very lethargic and not eating. His parameters were fine but I did a 50% water change and he perked up and started eating again. It might be the tumor on his side, it looks like it's not very big but it might be bigger internally. He's also starting to get some minor diamond eye on his left side. He can still see fine as of right now. 

I don't think he likes his little Nerite friend.. 








I did get a baby from Petco for the first time in forever. His name is Anchovy.








And some bonus pics of my beautiful fat girl, Napkin.



















It's crazy to think she used to look like this


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## Tourmaline

I didn't post this in my journal, but I ordered a Samurai boy off eBay last week and ran into some issues with eBay. The seller was very nice and relisted him for me. He came in a few days ago with a surprise in his box, a Samurai female to go with him. 

I set her up in Ace's 2.5g, moved Ace to a planted one (I've been wanting to give him a better setup for a while), and put the male who I named Osiris in a 5g Marineland Contour. My last Contour broke but I got this one really cheap off Amazon.

Anyway, here's my boy and girl. She's named Isis, he's named Osiris. They're both lovely.


























And this is Osiris's tank. I'm debating whether or not to trim those silk plants.


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## Tourmaline

Wow, it's been 3 years already? I genuinely hope all of you are doing well. We made it through Covid... I think? 

Life update, PetSmart really messed up when Covid got bad, I ended up quitting and becoming a manager at an auto parts store. I've always loved cars and working on them, but over the last few years it's really come to fruition. I'm in the process of restoring 2 cars, one of which is a 1980 Chevrolet El Camino, that I am very excited about. 








I still have Apache and Cider! I ended up rehoming Zenith to a friend of mine but she's still doing great. They're both fat middle aged men now, Apache is as grouchy as ever and Cider has calmed down over the years.














My dog Titan is an old man now, he's almost 12. He's starting to develop some knee issues, he's 75% Yorkie and knee problems are common as they age. He's also developing some weakening of the cartilage in his trachea, it's not too severe yet but I can't leave a collar on him anymore. I've been trying to give him hip and joint supplements since he was 6 with no luck, even now he still won't touch anything. I've never met a more picky dog in my life. 








For bettas.. I still have about 20 tanks sitting in storage, but I only have one resident and I actually only just got him last week from Petco after a very long break from fish. I've been contemplating what to do with all of the tanks, I don't even know. There's thousands of dollars sitting in my closet.

The boy I got is really making me remember why I ended up with 30 bettas at one point. He's so interactive and inquisitive, as I'm typing this he's going between staring at me and very intently trying to figure out how the clear base to one of the plants works.














I've also added a Northern Blue Tongue Skink to the family! His name is Nova, he's a little stinker and I love him to bits. I've never had such a personality and attitude filled reptile before. They're not super easy to care for like a Bearded Dragon is, but it's very rewarding. The Northern varieties of Blue Tongues are easier than the Indonesian varieties by a very large amount.








If any of you are still around, hello! If not, and there's some new people to scroll through my little journal, hello to you to! I hope your day is going well.


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## RussellTheShihTzu

Hello and a big WELCOME BACK!

Missed you and your advice. Hope you stay for a while.


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