# baby betta is turning into a boy



## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

My baby betta is growing up! For a while now I've been thinking he was looking more and more like a little boy. 

A few minutes ago I held up a compact mirror and the tiny little guy got all puffed up and flared for the first time!!!!!!!! I am about to die from how cute it was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will have to get some more pictures of how he is turning out. He is getting his colors now too. I will post some pictures here tomorrow. 

I am going to try to get the little guy to flare again for me when i've got the camera but I am not sure I will be able to get any good pictures of that.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

yay! my female flares too though  but they are really cute. when my boy flared for the first time he could barely gets his gills open. Now he flares like a boss


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## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

I got all teary eyed when Romeo flared


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

I put the mirror up to the side of the glass and he looked at it then turned sideways in the "I'm so impressive! Fear me!" wiggle dance. Then charged the mirror and flared.  He got so worked up his gill cover turned pink. 

I had to go hug my dog after I wrote the first post LOL!!! (my dog loved the attention although she was wondering why I woke her up to be all obnoxious to her LOL!)

Thanks for bearing with me btw, my family and friends don't quite get my attachment to my fish. They have a: "They're just fish." attitude.

I really wish I could afford a good camera, then I wouldn't be dependent on borrowing one every time I want to snap pictures of my animals. 

If i'm this wound up over my baby betta I am scared to wonder what I am going to be like raising fry I breed... LOL!

aokashi- 

My female penny flares a little bit but it seems she only does when she REALLY wants to. The rest of the time she just kind of watches things. I think i've only gotten her to flare twice during the entire time i've owned her. 

xShainax-

I know what you mean I was close to tearing up! I turned to a big pile of smiling jelly!!!


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I use my iphone camera for everything, and just the snap seed app for photo editing 
I do want to see a good photo of your boy. I've been obsessssssed with taking photos of mine ever since he began showing off to my female


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## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

I use a DSi


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

I don't have a smart phone. Well, I don't even have a regular cell phone anymore... I had to look up a DSi... I didn't know they made cameras in those things now!  Sadly I don't have one of those either.

Sorry I was not able to get the camera until tonight. 

My little boy blew his first bubblenest today! I am so proud! I took pictures but the camera is having problems uploading the pictures to my computer. It keeps saying it is unable to download a random picture and cancels everything...... 

I am going to be moving the little guy to a bigger tank later in the week because he's grown so quickly. He can eat regular sized New Life Spectrum Betta formula pellets with no problems now as long as I don't drop in any of the super big ones.

I don't know why the camera doing this but I decided to put the battery on the charger and try again in the morning. The baby is probably my most photogenic fish too he posed for quite a few cute pictures. I hope it's just issues with the battery being low.

I wasn't able to get a picture of him flaring because it's hard to hold a compact and a camera at the same time. I am going to try to get him to flare one last time for the camera tomorrow morning though. HOPEFULLY after this set of pictures comes off the camera.


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## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

Twilight Storm said:


> I don't have a smart phone. Well, I don't even have a regular cell phone anymore... I had to look up a DSi... I didn't know they made cameras in those things now!  Sadly I don't have one of those either.
> 
> Sorry I was not able to get the camera until tonight.
> 
> ...


You have any cd's or dvd's? That's how I get my babies to flare. Well, ok, I have to get Romeo and Taz to flare by letting them see each other


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

*Pictures finally!*

I tried a cd and he looked at it and was interested but no flare. It took me forever to get the stupid pictures off the camera too... But FINALLY! here they are 










Baby's first bubblenest










Him lookin for more food even though he's full enough to pop










Getting freaked out a little by the flash










The only pic that showed his colors.... I don't play with the settings on the camera and friend changed them so all pics came out super dark










My ultimate favorite pic I managed to get of him during the photo shoot. (That I was able to get off the camera)










A shot of what he looked like when I got him on May 19th, 2012. 

The other pictures were taken June 13th 2012. It's been so fun to watch him growing up.


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## Ramble (Mar 13, 2012)

hm...I'm not seeing any pics in your post, Twilight...maybe there's a hiccup in the system.


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

hmm.. I can see them? After what it took to get the stupid pictures off the camera they better be there LOL

I had to take 47 pictures and download them from the camera 1 by 1 and after each one I had to reboot my stupid computer it took forever... Guy I borrowed the camera from had 300+ pictures on there already he keeps forgetting to take off so it was giving me fits this time.

Can anyone else see them?


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

double post


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## xjenuhfur (Jan 30, 2012)

Omg he is so adorrrrable! If I wasn't so afraid of killing a baby betta I'd get one. The first time Goblin flared at me I laughed at him! Now whenever you walk by him he flares and struts his stuff around the tank.

Edit: this post made me a senior member! ;P


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

Grats on senior member, and 1k posts!!!  And thanks on the comments he's a cutie. I kinda wish he wasn't another veiltail, OR a male.. but I knew what I was taking the chance with when I got him lol. *Really wished he was a little girl.* 

If you read up on the breeding forum on caring for fry during their different stages you should do pretty well with the babies I would guess? They ARE fun to grow, especially if you take pictures when you get one, then take more every week or two. The change is so drastic between the pictures.

I had a bug problem on that java fern I put in his bowl, but he cleaned that right up for me. I figured he would go after tiny live food. I think he would have been perfectly fine without the bugs though. 

I was just feeding him crushed New Life Spectrum Betta Formula pellets. He was getting fed 3x a day, one crushed pellet each time. I started trying to crush the pellet into pieces small enough for his mouth, but bigger then powder because he looked at me like "Really??! You expect me to eat that garbage??!" when I powdered a few accidentally.

I probably would suggest getting a baby that looked really healthy to begin with, then just keep up on water changes daily, or at the very least every other day. I don't have a heater in his bowl, but of coarse keep them warm. (the room stays HOT. The thermometer for fish right next to his bowl says 82. I never see the tank water get below 78) 

That bowl he is in is a half gallon. When I got him it looked like an adult betta would in a 5 gallon tank... Cleaning a new home for him right now. He hasn't quite grown out of what he's in, but I wanted to get it ready.

Glad you saw the pictures in that post though. So far 1 can 1 can't... maybe it was just a hiccup and it's fixed now?


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## xjenuhfur (Jan 30, 2012)

I dunno. I think it's mainly because the last time I saw a fish I fell in love with he died the same day I got him. T.T that's why I don't have more fish. I have a 2.5 tank, empty, waiting for a fish, I just can't find a baby to fall in love with.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

It's so fun watching them grow up  I'm taking my girl to be looke after while I'm going to be gone for a month T_T lot's of worries. but my friend is very delicate with these things, so I don't think I have to worry about overfeeding. Actually she's refusing pellets right now because she had a planaria buffet yesterday *rolls eyes*.

I'm excited to see what tail typr you willbe getting


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## Junglist (Feb 23, 2012)

Nice fish!, I notice on the last pic I saw horizontal stripes which I know females have, since it grew to a solid color it's hard to tell unless it has a ovipositor (white egg spot)


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

The stripes and the shape of the little babies face made me think he was a female when I got him. He's definitely a male, and i'm 90% sure he's a veiltail. 

The shape of the anal fin and the dorsal fin point to veiltail. I'm not good with the rays on the tail (caudal fin) yet, but I think they might also point to him becoming a veil. 

No egg spot, he's just really full in those pictures. When he flares he's got a nice full beard. The bubblenest, I know, isn't a really good indicator since both females and males can build them. He has pretty long ventral fins too where my only female has shorter ventrals in comparison.

That last picture I posted was what he looked like when I got him a little over a month ago so they must have been just juvie stripes. I posted it with the other pictures to show just how much they change in a short time. I would have never guessed that the stripped little brown thing in the last picture would turn into the fish in the first pictures.  

I'm not sure how old he is either. Does anyone know what age he might be in the first picture, knowing he looks like he does now at the second month of me having him?


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

Aww jen 

With your move coming up soon-ish I guess that's for the best you haven't found a bunch of bettas. Every time I got to a store that sells them at least one fish there BEGS me to take him home..... It's hard for me to walk away. Sometimes I give in, which is why I have 8 of these guys as pets atm.. LOL.

*Plays the Eight Is Enough theme song.*

Sorry you lost a fish you loved so quickly though..  When you go and look into their eyes and something clicks right off the bat it's really hard  The babies i've seen don't have the personalities the adults do... BUT I fall apart when they go and look at things up close. Those are the pictures I melt over in spawn logs when someone catches a baby checking out a piece of food, or their heater. (When they have their eyes focused in front of them and they are really close to something examining it.)

aokashi- make sure you take some pictures before you drop your fish off, he/she will change a LOT in the month


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## xjenuhfur (Jan 30, 2012)

I'm looking at HMPK on aquabid hoping maybe to get one from the USA because I dont wanna deal with a transhipper for the new 10gal. But its practically impossible. T.T


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

I'm having that same problem.... although a couple breeders here do have some fish I am interested in, in the works. I am looking for a pair or two to start breeding so it's been doubly difficult since I am being picky. I know how you feel though. I need fish I will be happy with. 

Check with the breeders here too, a bunch of people have fish almost ready to go if I'm not mistaken. Mr. V, and I think Jeffegg2 have hm plakat spawns "ripening" lol. There might be more with spawns going right now but I am unaware of them.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I wish I could  I got obssessed with taking a photo of him everyday. Too bad i'm far far away from my fishie right now D: So I guess I'll be in for a surprise when I get back. Speaking of which, I wan't to see more of your photos!


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

aokashi said:


> I wish I could  I got obssessed with taking a photo of him everyday. Too bad i'm far far away from my fishie right now D: So I guess I'll be in for a surprise when I get back. Speaking of which, I wan't to see more of your photos!


I have a few additional new ones in my babies album. You really do want me to go crazy trying to upload these cursed photos to the internet don't you aokashi? LOL!!!!

Maybe you can get your friend to snap a photo here and there of your fish if they are into taking pictures, or if they have one of those smart phones with a camera/video camera. Being surprised is always fun though 

I hope you are having a nice time on your trip btw!


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I just did! his tail is soooo lonnngggg now  I mis watching him grow up D:


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Aww! He's so cute!

My parents have the "just fish" attitude too. They think I'm totally nuts. xD my mom is a little more understanding but my dad.. Oh jeez don't even start with my dad.


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

Wow! Aokashi! My little guys tail keeps getting more and more round I'm waiting for the drop to start like your little guy has.  If I didn't read about the VTs being round tails for a while.... I am kind of unsure now if my guy is a VT..........He's getting branching that my other VT's don't seem to have. I'm starting to train him, if he is a little delta or HM it might make a difference. I am not sure how much of a difference it would make with a VT? I am not sure if it would influence the end result of how he would hold his caudal as an adult? 

Do you have any idea how old your baby might be? 

Your Java fern in that little tank has massive roots! What on earth are you doing to those plants to make them so happy?? Are you moving him into your newly aqua scaped tank?

Teeny- We *are* nuts,  but we are nuts in a good way! If your dad has a hobby he is very passionate about it's the same thing. (maybe you could tease him nicely about it to prove a point )


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Baby bettas are so cute! I saw one that was so small it was just unbelievable that they were selling it.

I volunteer at an animal shelter. We always have people coming in wanting puppies/kittens and although we appreciate ANY adoptions, it's sad that the older dogs/cats are left behind. So idk why but I kinda thought processed it that way with the bettas... If that makes any sense. I don't wanna leave the adults behind coz everyone wants a cute baby one Dx


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Twilight storm- lol I wish but my dad can be a jerk sometimes so it's not safe to joke with him Dx


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## bettapop8 (Jun 23, 2012)

Twilight Storm- Your Betta is so cute! It must be fun to watch him grow every day! My first ever Betta fish, Taco, died yesterday because he had Ick(Ich) and I couldn't get out to the store to get some medication.  Anyway, I'm getting a new Betta tonight and I can't wait! Keep us updated! I want to hear more about your Betta!


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

So pretty and cute your baby is...do you know how many inches or about he is not counting his tail ? I am trying to figure out how old Perseus might be cause he seems so little to me and his body is about 1 and and almost a half and inch long.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Twilight Storm said:


> Wow! Aokashi! My little guys tail keeps getting more and more round I'm waiting for the drop to start like your little guy has.  If I didn't read about the VTs being round tails for a while.... I am kind of unsure now if my guy is a VT..........He's getting branching that my other VT's don't seem to have. I'm starting to train him, if he is a little delta or HM it might make a difference. I am not sure how much of a difference it would make with a VT? I am not sure if it would influence the end result of how he would hold his caudal as an adult?
> 
> Do you have any idea how old your baby might be?
> 
> Your Java fern in that little tank has massive roots! What on earth are you doing to those plants to make them so happy?? Are you moving him into your newly aqua scaped tank?



Heehee everything looks huge in that tank because the fish is so tiny. There two Java ferm plantlets growing from about a 1/2 in piece of leaf  I got the stray leaf with my shrimps. The roots grew at the same time as the leaves. 

I think Kuro was about 2 months when I bought him, so this makes him close tp 3 months? His drop began pretty soon, maybe yours isn't a veiltail  With plants, I try to not change all the water too often and only do a gravel vaccum about once a month. (use your test kits to figure thise one out, There usually isn't any levels though when I test) I find that complete water changes annoy the plants a bit. 

In the 2.5, I hope the snails are thriving with the plants. and that my timer or lightbulb doesnt suddent give out before I return  I hope not everything in th window side tank has died or something, since it has been super hot weather in NYc recently  no direct sun though....*crosses fingers*


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

bettapop8 said:


> Twilight Storm- Your Betta is so cute! It must be fun to watch him grow every day! My first ever Betta fish, Taco, died yesterday because he had Ick(Ich) and I couldn't get out to the store to get some medication.  Anyway, I'm getting a new Betta tonight and I can't wait! Keep us updated! I want to hear more about your Betta!



I'm so sorry to hear that  I have never had a problem with Ich yet *knock on wood* It can be nasty when combined with other problems. Grats on your new fish! Hope you disinfected everything really well if you are re-using some of your old stuff. Ich can be tough!

Teeny- I'm also sorry your dad is hard to joke with.  Maybe you can give him a bit of a ribbing when he's in a good mood?


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

Perseusmom said:


> So pretty and cute your baby is...do you know how many inches or about he is not counting his tail ? I am trying to figure out how old Perseus might be cause he seems so little to me and his body is about 1 and and almost a half and inch long.



I found this chart on BettaChat I don't know how entirely accurate it is but it answers both our questions about age  (kinda-sorta)

http://www.bettatalk.com/fry_growth.htm

It has a pretty good picture chart there too to help ID age. 

I'm guessing my baby is about 8 weeks now by the pictures on the site? If I don't include his tail I think he's a little under an inch though. It's kind of hard to tell for me.

Aokashi- It's been hot everywhere. Do you have anyone looking in on your house? I doubt the plants would die, but I've had evaporation issues in all my tanks. You may need to have someone toss in water. We have had the air conditioning on making my computer/fish room a pleasant 85 degrees, and i've had to add water every day to my tanks. If you aren't going to be in Australia much longer it shouldn't be a problem. This week the entire US looks like it will be around 100 degrees though.

As far as general plant care goes, maybe I am over cleaning. That, and I have high phosphorous (or however you spell it) levels in my water... and bad lights... sigh.... During the winter I didn't have this problem. I think ferts are getting into the water supply because of the area I live in?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

D: Phosphates? doesnt that cause like algae blooms? my plants are in a giant 3 gallon sealed bottle. ( with space for air, so 2g water?) Thats why I'm worried =( Most of my MTS and ramshorns are on there too.


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