# Dark Jewels



## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

These are the jewels of my wild betta collection. My Betta persephone juveniles/adults. They are truly beautiful fish, as the photos show. 




























I unfortunately lost both parents, but I am hopeful that I have at least one pair in here to carry on the line.



























I think this is the mature unrelated female I have in there. She lost her partner due to jumping and has been living with them for ages.


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## waterdog (Dec 31, 2012)

I have been wanting to try wild bettas but can't afford the shipping to order them yet. Yours are awesome!


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Wild bettas are great. Once you get wilds you'll never want to go back to splendens. There are just so many species to choose from that there is one to suit every taste.

Got a couple more shots. The red fish is my Betta tussyae adult who lost all his spawn siblings early on and is now living with the persephone to keep it company. 





































Even if there isn't a lot of interest on this board for wilds, I like to get as many nice pictures of my fish out there as wild bettas often do not present well in stores or under bright lights and I want people to see how beautiful these fish truly are.


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## waterdog (Dec 31, 2012)

How many do you keep in the same tank?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

In that tank there are I believe 25. It is the Mr Aqua 12 gallon long and they get large water changes every couple of days to keep the water quality good. 

There are a few minor squabbles but since they are siblings and not especially aggressive, nothing major.


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## waterdog (Dec 31, 2012)

I have got to get some. I have a 20 gallon doing nothing. Where did you get your first ones?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

If you are after persephone, your water *has* to be really soft. As in pH around 5-6 (as low as possible is better) with practically no carbonate hardness. 

Where they come from in the wild, the pH can be as low as 3-4 and unlike some of the hardier species of wilds they will not tolerate higher pH or hard water. They also do best in heavily tannin stained water. I have found it makes their colours really pop. 

Persephone aren't too common in the hobby here. I got mine from a lady who imports bettas in from overseas. Not sure how to find them in America. One of the only people I know who actually breeds them, is Hermanus from Indonesia. Not sure if he sells to individuals though.


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## paris38 (Oct 12, 2012)

Oh they're pretty!I'd like to learn about/keep wild bettas someday.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Got some updated pictures of my persephone. Their colours are amazing now that the water has darkened up considerably, I added some film canisters for possible nest sites and a bunch of hydrilla to provide some top cover.

Just need to fine a nice piece of wood to put in there and that will be it. 


















































































This is my rack as it currently stands. I also have three more tanks downstairs. It is quite messy, and will be coming down in the next month or so because of renovations. Going to have a purpose built area for my fish finally.


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## Fishy Mom (Feb 11, 2013)

I absolutely love their long, sleek bodies. You're killing me here because I promised myself I would see if I could get some, but not until I move in a couple of years. I'm moving to an area where all the houses have well water with water softener added. Would they do ok in that kind of water? The water I have in my current house wouldn't work at all.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I don't know. They do best in a pH that is at least 6 (ideally less) and in water that has none to very little carbonate hardness. They are pretty sensitive compared to some of the other wild betta species, which is why I don't think as many people keep them. 

I have no problems here because our tap water is extremely soft and of excellent quality.


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## Fishy Mom (Feb 11, 2013)

Thanks for the info. I hope you're still around when I'm able to get into keeping these beauties.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Well since I have no intention of getting out of wild bettas barring some unforeseen disaster, I probably will be. 

There's still a couple of species left from this complex (coccina, livida and I need a tussyae pair) that I want to source before my 'collection' is complete.


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## Fishy Mom (Feb 11, 2013)

Oh you have to post pics of them if you get them. If I end up with a new beta addiction I'm going to blame you, lol.


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

Ah, I want some wild bettas so bad. Someday, but my ph is 7, so it won't happen for now. Your killing me, their natural beauty is just jaw-dropping.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

You could do something like Betta unimaculata, patoti, ocellata. They are bigger mouthbrooding species and don't mind a slightly higher pH. Albimarginata and channoides are two smaller mouthbrooding options that I find to be less fussy. You could probably also do captive bred splendens complex stock (imbellis and smaragdina) as well depending on your personal preferences. 

The coccina complex is probably the most sensitive out of all the wild bettas species. Only because they really need the soft water to thrive. 

But a lot of the other species (particularly captive bred stock) tend to be able to adjust fairly well to slightly less than ideal parameters (a neutral pH is really not that bad as long as your water isn't extremely hard).


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Love wilds! I've never kept any though I've always wanted to! I would do just about any think for a trio of Betta Macrostomas, but they are pricey and endangered!


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Yeah my mum bought a pair (she likes the big wilds) that I was looking after, and my heater malfunctioned and cooked them both. Fortunately, they are not as rare as they used to be and you can order them in from time to time from the wholesaler here in Australia. 

I think persephone are nearly extinct in the wild, or at least restricted to only one or two localities now. 

It's very sad that the cost of progress in a lot of these countries, is the loss of some of their most beautiful native fauna.


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## free2battle1 (Feb 9, 2013)

wait so they don't attack each other?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

They do fight and sometimes tear each other up, but most wild bettas can live in breeding pairs or groups without inflicting serious damage like splendens would. 

These are also all siblings who have lived together now for 8-9 months so most of their fights are more display than anything.


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