# Confessions of a Betta Addict



## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I decided to start a journal thread so I could spam gratuitious quantities of fish photos without annoying the forum at large. You're welcome.

Since this is my inaugural journal post I think some introductions are in order.

For the sake of this forum you guys can call my 'J'. I hail from Orem, Utah. I have 5 betta's presently and have owned 6 in total. I love art,music, and animals and recently have enjoyed making DIY projects for my tanks. I'm somewhat of a jack of all trades and have worked jobs in everything to IT to professional horseback riding instructor.

My first betta ever was purchased to be my dorm buddy. He was a multicolored crowntail named Larry. Larry was a Wal-Mart purchase and died after I had had him just over 5 years.

I wish I had taken more pictures, sadly all I have left of him is this blurry video. http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/v99/Reiko_Kamiya/PICT0261.mp4

I went fishless for a couple years but once my land lady gave me the go ahead to get a fish I purchased Leviathan aka Levi. Levi is a Traditional Plakat and a Petco "King" Betta. His body is about 2.5 in long and he is 3 in. nose to tail. I have had him since July. I originally had him in Larry's old one gallon with an under gravel filter. Unlike Larry, Levi didn't really thrive in his new home so after about a week I bought a 5.5 gal starter kit from Petsmart and a heater and life has been much better since. However while Levi is one of my most active fish he seems more sensitive to fluctuations in water quality than any of my others. He was pretty clamped and colorless when I got him but he has colored up beautifully. He is also my trick fish, jumping to my finger, targeting, flare on command, and swimming though a hoop.

This is the most current picture I have of him.









He started the madness.

The next addition came because I made the mistake of not dismantling the one gallon and one day I was in Wal-Mart looking at the bettas and trying to flag down an associate to clean up this disaster. The shelf spot for the male bettas where completely empty and there where about 15 cups of females sitting on the shelf in putrid yellow-brown water with epic amounts of uneaten food and waste at the bottom. There was a young child, sticking a very dirty finger in the cups trying to "pet" the fish then putting his finger in his mouth between cups. No parents in sight. I asked him politely not to do that as he can hurt them and he quickly skittered away. I looked at some of the girls he'd been tormenting and one on the smaller ones turned and flared at me. I couldn't leave her and took her home straight away. I named her Sassy.

She is a spastic, finger biting little menace. She attacks the gravel vacuum with gusto and anything new, plants, decor, and so on, have to be thoroughly menaced at first. I eventually upgraded her to a filtered 2 gallon tank and got her a heater. She's my little fighter, who occasionally builds small bubble nests.









She is also a lunatic when the camera comes out and it makes her difficult to photograph.

River came next, I had waited weeks for my local Petco to get Crowntail females. I went late on the day they got their shipment in and there was one itsy tiny baby betta sized CT female. Along with her I grabbed a 2.5 gallon tank and a heater, we skipped the old one gal. We had some difficulty at first because she wouldn't eat until I discovered that the pellets were just too large. I crushed pellets for about a week and then bought micro pellets. While I suspect that she will remain small she is growing.









A couple weeks later the curse of the old one gallon struck again. I had gone to petco for water conditioner and saw this red cambodian CT male with 4 rays! I had never seen a double double ray before, and snatched him up. So he got to live in the old one gallon. His name is Typhon or Ty. After about 2 weeks in the tiny, cold exile tank I divided Levi's 5 gallon and moved Ty in. Ty loved it, but big boy Levi was less impressed and I really wanted Levi to have his big tank back. I got another heater and a 2 gallon tank and moved Ty out. Ty is mister skittish. His aquarium is next to my computer desk and he loves to show off for me while I'm working, but he can be real skittery about fingers and tank cleanings. He loves his craft mesh hammock and sleeps there every night.









The most recent addition is Starbuck. Starbuck is the petco baby I never intended to buy. But it seemed so feisty in that cup despite the conditions so I took it home. I had a tiny DIY filter that I'd bucket cycled and an extra heater. For budgetary concerns I went the critter keeper route for the tank. Unsure of the gender I picked the name Starbuck in reference to Battlestar Galatica. In the original the Starbuck character is male and in the reboot female.  So far the guess is female Veiltail.










Starbuck in her cup just after getting home from Petco.









Starbuck after a one day at home.









Starbuck discovered her hammock and is a fan.

She had her first water change today, I'm gonna keep her on the every other day scheduled to cut down on the growth stunting hormone. She nearly gave me a heart attack because she was completely fascinated with the siphon tube and kept trying to attack the rising debris.

She is a voracious eater and took to the crushed pellets like a champ. So happy with the little critter.

So here I am with 5 bettas. Oops.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Hey, impulse buys happen. I'm trying my hardest to stay at 2 but that's only cuz I refuse to have another betta like ryuuji/Mesmer (both sickly tailbiters) but still. Honestly your post is really well written. I'm impressed (with everything: language, content, and fish.)


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

2 out of the 5 where impulse buys, so more than half of my fish. My roommates think I'm a little off my nut for keeping them in in "larger" tanks with filters and heaters. Their opinion on betta keeping is that of the layman, bettas only need tiny vases, infrequent cleaning and maybe some lucky bamboo. Their next breath is to complain about how quickly they die. :/

I'm glad you enjoyed the writing. While I don't fancy myself a great literary proficient, writing is one of those hobbies that I do enjoy.

On the fish news front Sassy river and Ty are getting water changes today.

Last night I decided to include Starbuck in "Flare time". I do this most evenings and I'll turn on the tank lights and turn off the room lights. I only do this for about 5 min. I enjoy watching the fish display. 

I turned Starbuck's light off for the first couple nights while she was getting settled. Last night I kept her light on. She is fierce! She didn't do a little gill plates only half flare, she gave be a full on bearded flare. Oh how I wish I had my camera out!


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Aww<3


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Sunday we had a freak power outage. I was sure my adult bettas would be okay but was more worried about Starbuck. I wrapped her tank in towels to try to avoid too much heatloss, even so her tank temp dropped to around 77 F before power was restored. She seemed unperturbed.

One of my roomates, in an attempt to be nice, gave me one of those jellyfish tank ornaments. I don't really care for it was a permanent fixture in the tank but I decided to use it as an enrichment toy for Starbuck. She loved it! At first she gave it a sound beating and once settled she loved swimming though the tentacles, hiding under the head and eventually chilling on it's top. It was fun to watch. 









Obligatory Starbuck picture. Day 4.

In the last couple weeks I've been allowing Levi to flare at my females and have added frozen foods to their diets. I would like, if the fish will cooperate, to do a test spawn. My ultimate goal would be to establish a line of Crowntail Plakats. Before I invested in a nice breeding pair in the colors I desire to breed(Mustered Gas) I was going to practice with the current fish. 

Because CTPK is the goal I originally thought that I'd try Levi with River or Sassy with Ty. However floating Sassy in Ty's tank resulted in Ty hiding behind his heater. Levi was more enthusiastic about River but I worried about the difference in size. 

On a whim I decided to let Levi flare at Sassy. There was much flaring.










This pair shows more interest in each other than any of my other attempted pairings, but it's a pretty aggressive, fight-y interest.

This pair would result in Wild-type PKs. There are 3 LFS that are willing to buy fish from me. But my major concern is that Wild-types are not very pretty on the shelf, appearing like brown stripey fish. I worry about them selling if I where to be successful.

Makes me wonder if I'd have an easier time selling VTs. Show people don't care for then but pet stores can still sell them.

Oh well. More pictures.









Levi









Sassy


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I typed up today's post then the computer promptly ate it. >:[

Anyway....

The polyfiber entangling Typhon's ventral fin seems to have worked it's self loose and he how has full mobility in the affected fin. It is so nice to see it not bent up and carried close to his body always.

I flared Levi and Sassy at each other again and the results were more promising. I used a larger container to float the female and there was a lot less aggressive ramming and striking, more wiggling and some very nice v-stripes on the female. I think Levi is trying to claim the surface bubbles from his air stone as his own because he would display for her and then swim under the bubbles and dance for a moment then come back to the container. Fish are weird.

Starbuck is growing like a weed and eating everything I give her. It's been 6 days but she is already longer than River! She is also getting a what looks to be a purple wash to her! I'm so excited to see how she colors up.

River is going to be put on the baby grow out program for the next couple of weeks to see if she is still capable of growth. I'm prepared to accept that she may be permanently stunted but I'm at least going to try.

Extra water change tomorrow for everyone!

We are moving to an upstairs room so the tanks will need to be partially drained for this purpose. I'll probably do another partial water change on Saturday just to keep on my usual water change schedule.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Everyone got moved upstairs okay, but they where pretty stripey and angry by the time I moved all the tanks up to the kitchen table, moved all their furniture up, put all the tanks in their new places, filled them back up and then plugged every one in. They all settled in pretty quick though and all seem no worse for wear.

Starbuck is a little weed! I'v had her for just over a week now and I'm loving watching her develop.

I went to petco the other day for some omega one and I naturally had to look at the fish. I silently cursed my utter broke-ness because they are having their dollar per gallon sale. They had a 20 gallon long that I would have loved to have. There was also 2 really sad looking king bettas that have been there for a while that I keep wanting to bring home. These wild-type colored kings are dramatic color changers and I wish I could tell people that these brown short-finned bettas will turn in the beautiful black, red, and irid blue bettas once you get them in clean warm water. It's sad that these boys are being overlooked because they are brown in the cup. There was also a double tail baby that came close to living in the cursed one gallon. I managed to pass because I was not in the position to buy another heater. BUT IT WAS SO HARD! I told myself that I wouldn't buy babies, I don't want to support the practice, but raising Starbuck has been completely enjoyable and I would have loved to give the little guy a fighting chance.

Next up on my list of planned purchases in another gang valve. I have a 2-way one currently hooked up to a whisper pump rated for 10 gallons. Right now it's running the airstone in Levi's tank(I know he doesn't need it but he likes playing in the bubbles), and one running the undergravel+ that is is Ty's set up. Formerly Ty's stuff was hooked up to the cheapo hawkeye pump that came with the kit, but when I shuffled things around that pump ended up running the DIY mini-filter in Starbuck's tank. Truth be told I'd like to throw the hawkeye out a window. It it ridiculously noisy.

I wrapped it in 2 dish towels, 2 winter socks, wrapped a pot holder around and put all of that into a sock hat and then stuffed the whole mess into a drawer, and it still rattles. I need another gang valve, so I can run the all three off the whisper. The cheapo is making me nutty. Maybe I'll go to my LFS instead of petco. I know they won't have babies, and for bettas they pretty much have red VTs and multi CTs. I could probably resist and come out with just the valve.

I'll post pictures of the new fish set up tomorrow once I've finished organizing.

I'll at least leave you with a couple of Starbuck photos. Day 8.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

My mission to go to a petstore and buy only a gang valve was successful. Yay for restraint! I got a 4 way valve but I'm pretty sure that this particular pump could not service another device. The cheapo hawkeye pump was gleefully put in storage. Good riddance. 

As promised here is a photo of my fishy set up.








River is in the Mini bow, Levi is in the 5.5, Sassy is in the 2 gallon hex tank, Ty is in the 2 gallon round, and Starbuck is in the critter keeper. Underneath is my unsightly cord spaghetti. I'll have to work on that and redo my drip loops I did label all the cords so I can easily see what goes where to make maintenance easier.

Starbuck's ghetto light is an extra under cabinet light that I had floating around. I created a plastic shield to keep moisture out of it. It is a very temporary solution. Formerly it was mounted on the wall in our old residence to give the Pothos and Dracaena more light than what was available in the dungeon. This room gets a more natural daylight so I'm hoping it will be less necessary.


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## BlueLacee (Dec 8, 2013)

You got the impulsive betta bug. Haha, beautiful fishes btw


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

I know the feeling of the betta bug....14 and counting ^^;
Such cute fish, Starbuck is freaking adorable.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I got the sickness bad. I'm gonna turn into the crazy fish lady if I'm not careful.

14 is a goodly number...I'll probably get there someday.

I know I post tons of Starbuck pictures but baby did some flaring tonight and I got pictures. Yay!









So fierce.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

How cute!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm a terrible journal keeper...

So things have been pretty quiet on the fish front. Starbuck is still growing, and putting River on the baby grow out program just resulted in a fat fish, so she is back to adult rations.

Since moving upstairs my room receives more sun and as a result I've got algae growing in my planted 5.5 gallon. It's not out of control yet but I thought it the opportune moment to add a new friend to the tank.









Meet Creepy! The olive nerite. Yup I got a snail. He is currently in a betta cup which will be home for the next week or so. Partly for quarantine, and partly to let Levi get a good look at him and decide that he is too boring to pester. I'll be changing the cup water daily. 

Also a Starbuck update!

























29 days into our adventure together.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Creepy escaped his quarantine, I didn't securely fasten the cup lid. :\

I just have to hope it'll turn out ok and Levi doesn't get sick.

So far I've not seen him pick on Creepy, but Creepy has proven to be a good hider. I panicked when I couldn't find him this morning. Turned out he was half buried in the gravel under Levi's rock stack. 

I have also created "Snail Jail". It's a craft mesh cover that covers the hob filter and and gaps in the lid in order to prevent snail escapes.


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## MissBetta1 (Oct 26, 2014)

All your bettas are gorgeous, but I admit to a soft spot for Starbuck. Funnily enough, I've recently started watching battlestar so I know straight away where your name came from!

Looking forward to reading more!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Well for the most part things are quiet on the fish front.

Yesterday I got some more plants for Levi's tank, Wisteria and Java Fern. The wisteria was in rough shape I removed the dead portions and it's floating until I start seeing roots again. The java ferns are tiny and their rhizomes where not really large enough to tie down to anything so I just threw them in the tank. I'll arrange them where I like once they are doing better. I also got more anubias to put in my other thanks so the small tanks have at least one plant each. I'll add the other plant types once the ones in Levi's tank get big enough to propagate. 

Also got some frozen Spirulina Brine shrimp. Levi, Sassy and Starbuck love it, consume with gusto, and patrol every inch of their tanks for leftovers. River spits it out and Typhon spits it out then hides from it. Chicken fish....

Starbuck photos!










I also suspect that Starbuck might be tail biting.









His tail has always been kinda uneven but I don't know quite what to think of this.

Thoughts?


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Thing seem to be going good for the finned kids, and I'm happy with the results of their new diet regimen. I've been feeding the Spiralina brine shrimp for their evening meal and omega one pellets in the morning. Colors seem brighter, BMs are looking great, and it seems like when I feed frozen the fish spend more time patrolling the tank rather than glass surf, and beg like they do at pellet feedings.

Typhon seems to have overcome his utter dread of the frozen food, and happily eats it, River too has moved past her initial hesitations. It also seems like Creepy likes it. There is defiantly more Creepy cruising...and snail poo. Always lots of snail poo.

I've also started stalking aquabid with more regularity. I think the time has come to consider acquiring breeding stock for my CTPK project. We'll see.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

All is well on around here. Today was a water change day and I also took advantage of the rare Saturday off work and did some additional cleaning. I removed the tank scuzz off of my heaters, thermometers and various decor items.

About mid-week I moved Creepy to River's tanks to help with an algae bloom that occurred there. I have to say that that critter is a very efficient little cleaner. He's kept Levi's tank so completely spotless that I worried about him getting enough to eat. When I moved him I thought River would leave him alone, especially since she seems to be the most docile of my fish and Creepy was previously housed with crazy King PK, and he ignored the snail from the start. At first she was quite fixated and I had to tap the glass every time she went for the Creep to deter her. She seems to have gotten over it though. I also probably helps that Creepy is in hiding during the day. That snail can hide. It's probably gonna be a traveling snail unless I decide to get other nerites. I'd like to put snails in the other tanks but I don't know if I can grow algae fast enough.

I also removed the under gravel filter in Typon's tank. I hated the look of it, it was right under the light so it grew algae like mad, and obscured the view in the tank. I replaced it with one of my DIY travel sized shower gel bottle ones. The media I used in it was cycled but I'll be watching the perimeters carefully for the next few days just to be on the safe side.

I wish I could say that my plants where doing as well as the fish. The anubias is doing great and it is probably time to take trimmings off of some of Levi's plants and move them around. I worry about my Java fern, their roots and rhizomes are still too delicate to tie down and even though I might place them around the tank before too long they are all stuck to the filter intake sponge. My wisteria is all but gone. The stems went all brown and gooey and the leaves shortly followed. I only have 2 little sprigs left that that have roots. 

I have this large bucket of a thing in the shape of a pumpkin(it used to have holiday pretzels in it) that I'm considering turning into a plant grow out and quarantine. I think if I want wisteria I'm going to need to by healthier, more established plants than what you can get in the tube. Unfortunately that means that I might have to buy plants that have been in tanks with other fish and might carry snails. Plant quarantine may become necessary. Something to think about.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Correction on the wisteria...I'm down to one tiny sprig. Y U Die wisteria!?


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Fish photo Thursday!









So menacing!


















Ms. Sassy pants - aka impossible to photograph









Typhon









Fat River is fat.

And....

NEW BABY!

















I'm fairly certain it's male. Calling him Proteus.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Also new residents. Zippy(with the thin stripes) and Slider(with the wider stripes). 










These guys are from petco so I'm defiantly securing the lid on their quarantine container.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm slightly worried about Proteus. He doesn't seem as robust as Starbuck did when I brought him home. He spends more time laying motionless on his plant. He is also quite thin. I'm hoping he'll make. I fed him some spilurina brine shrimp which he did eat. He was quite curious and active when first released into the tank. Maybe it's stress. I'll see what the morning brings.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Proteus survived the night. He seems more active this morning and readily ate his crushed pellet breakfast.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Day 2 picture of the little squirt. Happy little full baby belly.


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## Nimble (Aug 31, 2014)

Keep an eye out for baby nerites. If I'm not mistaken, the way to differentiate male and female striped nerites is by the thickness of their stripes. Unless I'm wrong, I think the males have fewer, thicker stripes, and the females have more, thinner stripes.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm not too worried. They might lay eggs but they aren't viable in fresh water. They are also a-sexual.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

Dem wittle tails on Proteus. <3


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

*Heater Down!*

Heater down! Heater down!

Proteus' heater kicked the bucket. I checked on the little guy tonight to find that the temperature in his tank had dropped to 70 F. 

I've had it less than 30 days so it will be returned as soon as petco opens tomorrow.

Since Proteus is skinny and small I'm unwilling to make him go overnight without heat. I ninja'd the heater from Typhon's tank. Typhon is healthy and far more robust he'll survive the night. I'm also going to wrap Ty's tank in towels to insulate it so it holds as much heat has possible.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Good quick thinking with the heater borrowing and tank wrap to keep warmth in. If that wasn't a option you could also cup the little one (add prime to bind ammonia) and float him in another's tank, and wrap the tank to keep it dark so they don't see eachother (no tank light either) till you could replace the heater.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Ty is trucking right along, his heater was replaced, and baby is doing great! For the first time since I brought him home, Proteus is actively swimming and not just hanging to the surface tension. He's exploring and interacting with his decor. I'm so relived.

I also suspect that he has some swim bladder disorder going on. Not terrible, he swims upright and doesn't have trouble diving or rising most of the time, but gets a little sideways after a big meal. Switching to smaller more frequent meals has helped. I'm hoping it's mild enough that he'll largely grow out of it. Defiantly gonna be more cautious with him though.

This is the little smidge's current fish house.










Until he gets a little bigger he's in the cursed 1 gallon corner aquarium. I'll upgrade him later on. I figure this set up works for now since he needs frequent water changes anyway. I really should move this thing along but it was my first tank and I just can't make myself do it.









He has his heater, thermometer, over sized silk plant, betta hammock and mini terracotta pot. The tank uses an under gravel filter, which while not my first choice for filtration, does actually work. I have successfully cycled this tank before. I also put some filter sponge under the plastic bit of the gravel filter from one of my cycled tanks to give it a boost. The Styrofoam cup ring is there to baffle the out flow and allow a still surface for the little guy. I have a valve that I can use to reduce the bubbles, but this air stone is being run off the cheap-o hawkeye and the use of the valve makes it unbearably noisy.

The snails are eating algae wafers and making a mess of the quarantine bucket. Can't wait until I actually put them in a tank.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Aqua Aurora said:


> Good quick thinking with the heater borrowing and tank wrap to keep warmth in. If that wasn't a option you could also cup the little one (add prime to bind ammonia) and float him in another's tank, and wrap the tank to keep it dark so they don't see eachother (no tank light either) till you could replace the heater.


I had considered putting him in a cup and putting it in another tank. But I didn't have one with opaque sides that had not been through the wash. I rinsed the stuffing out of one with the intent to use it but chickened out.

It all turned out okay though.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

6th day home. His fins are unclamped. Showing more red on the body I can definitely tell he is growing. He swims straight more often than not now(even after feedings!) and is moving in and out of his current easily.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

*Sick Fish*

There is something up with Ty. I can't identify what is wrong but he is not himself. He's been lethargic for the past 2 days. He spends most of the time hiding under is arch. Normally he is super active, fins out and flares when you put your face to the tank.

I'm honestly mystified. He is pooping, doesn't appear to be bloated, outwardly other than fin clamping he shows no signs of distress. When he does swim he is swimming straight.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

Temperature: 79F

I changed his water and did a deep gravel vac just to be on the safe side, but I'm stumped.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Ty is still clamped but more active this evening and even begging for food. I've started an anti-parasitic treatment and have added garlic to his food. I hope this helps.

My roomates also decided to do Christmas early and we went ahead and exchanged gifts. They gave me all fish stuff! One gave me one of those moon caves and the other gave me the yellow submarine decor I've been gazing at for months! So happy! One also gave me $20 gift card to petco so I can buy my new 20 gallon tank once they come on sale! 

My plan is to take down the small 2 gallon tanks and move those fish into divided partitions in the 20 so I can reduce the number of tanks and the sheer quantity of equipment without re-homing my babies. <3


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Ty is becoming more like himself a little every day. He has more periods of activity. He is eating and I'm seeing fewer clingers. Today his water change day and I'm going to do a 100% water change, and scrub down his decor.

The snails are out of quarantine and I have to say that Zippy and Slider are far more interesting snails than Creepy. Creepy only comes out at night, but Zippy and Slider started cruising the second I put them in that tank after acclimating. I placed them both in Levi's tank. Initially that plan was for one to go in Levi's and the other to go in Ty's. Ty's tank is being medicated right now and the bottle said to remove snails, plus I'm going to be scrubbing off all the algae in that tank that I worked so hard to cultivate. Fortunately Levi is leaving the snails alone.

I'll post pictures of the critters and the new decor after WCs.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm confident in saying that Ty is on the upswing. On Friday I'll be doing another 100% WC to remove the rest of the medication in the tank.

Proteus is in the weedy growth stage. He has gotten longer in body and I haven't seen seen and swim bladder symptoms in over a week. I think as long as I don't overfeed it'll be a non-issue.

I put in my new decor pieces, River loves swimming through the submarine and Creepy has taken to it and loves all the potential hiding spots. Starbuck got the moon cave, but I did use craft mesh to block the smaller holes. I also made Starbuck and Ty floating craft mesh tubes. They like them.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

*Dropsy*

My first real betta tragedy I suppose.

Sassy has dropsy and I'm kinda in shock. 

Yesterday I noticed that she seemed a little pudgy, but she is a female housed next to a male so she is frequently round. But this was more so than the norm. I fasted her yesterday just in case. This morning she was still bloated but was up, active, flaring and begging for food. I got home from work after and 8 hr shift to discover that she had pine coned.

I did a water change and added Epsom salt to the tank. 

Her water perimeters where before the change:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

Temp: 78F

I know this likely spells the end for her, but I take some hope in that behaviorally she hasn't changed. She flares, she chases fingers, she is eating like a pig. When I cupped her to try to get a picture I set her next to her male and she got vertical bars and wiggled for him.

I'm gonna try doing what I can. She has always been such a spunky thing.


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## MichelleyBetta (Aug 26, 2014)

Very intresting journals, can't wait to read more! And I hope Sassy gets better .


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## BettaLover1313 (Apr 15, 2013)

I hope Sassy recovers. Dropsy is very scary. It always seems to strike my fish when they're at their weakest :/.

Very interesting journal so far.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

*The Sad and the Glad*

The good news is that Petco's dollar per gallon sale is on and I was able to get my 20 gallon long and my roomies found me the perfect stand in the for of an old solid wood TV stand. I still have gift card money enough for a filter, so it's just dividers, lid, and lights(I'm going in the clam lamp direction) and I'll have the bare essentials. I probably have enough gravel even though it all may not be in the color I like. I'm closer than expected which thrills me.

The sadder news: I can't tell that the mayacin 2 treatment and the epsom salt baths are doing Sassy any good. She has finally lost her fire and I've come to the conclusion that it is time to euthanize. I have clove oil so I'm going to make this as painless for her as possible.

It makes me really sad. I feel like I've done everything right. Filters, heaters, quality foods, frequent water changes...her water perimeters were pristine. It frustrates me to lose her after only 6 months.

The pothos start in her tank will be planted in a pot. Her tank will be sterilized along with any bleach safe decor, filter media will be thrown out, and the anubias will be bleach dipped and quarantined. I can't positively say what killed her but I want to reduce the risk to any other fish that might inhabit her old tank.


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## BettaLover1313 (Apr 15, 2013)

JHatchett said:


> The good news is that Petco's dollar per gallon sale is on and I was able to get my 20 gallon long and my roomies found me the perfect stand in the for of an old solid wood TV stand. I still have gift card money enough for a filter, so it's just dividers, lid, and lights(I'm going in the clam lamp direction) and I'll have the bare essentials. I probably have enough gravel even though it all may not be in the color I like. I'm closer than expected which thrills me.
> 
> The sadder news: I can't tell that the mayacin 2 treatment and the epsom salt baths are doing Sassy any good. She has finally lost her fire and I've come to the conclusion that it is time to euthanize. I have clove oil so I'm going to make this as painless for her as possible.
> 
> ...


I'm very sorry about your loss. It's always hard to have to euthanize a fish. Sadly, I had to euthanize my last two, both due to them having failing health.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Thanks bettalover. Saying goodbye is rarely pleasant.

In other news I think I'm seeing some irid coming in on Proteus...it appears to be copper.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Progress shot of the 20 Long.










Those aren't the actual dividers, just place holders so I could get a sense of space

I have the lid, filters, I'm working out gravel. Dividers and lights are next on my list.

Each section is going to have a different theme. River will be in the first spot and have a yellow submarine/beetles styling. 2nd compartment will be Proteus' once I feel he's big enough to move, his theme will be Spartan. Starbuck will be in the middle with a Battlestar/space vibe, next will be the new girl I'm planning to get from hrutan, I'm planning on the name Xena and going all warrior princess in that segment. Typhon will be on the end, he'll have a monster/dragon thing going on. 

Also, Proteus update.








I chose this photo because you can kinda see those copper irids coming in.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Progress still continues on the 20 Long.

I've decided to do a back ground and that each sections background will be different and match the theme I have in mind.

Here is a preview.










I have also just finished sorting my rainbow gravel from my black(they were previously mixed) The styling for River's compartment called for rainbow gravel where Starbuck's called for black...and I'm too cheap just to buy new rocks...it was an effort that took 4 evenings.


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## DaytonBetta (Feb 4, 2014)

That looks cool! How will you print it?


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

Neat idea, JHatchett! I think it'll look really awesome once it's all done. :3


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

DaytonBetta said:


> That looks cool! How will you print it?


I'm going to print the sections individually using a standard inkjet printer, I'll then take the pieces to the copy shop for lamination.

And Thanks Schmoo!

I also ended up with a new fish today...

I was at wal-mart today and naturally I had to walk by the bettas. I was chattering to my roomie about Sassy who was a wal-mart girl and that wal-mart tends to get just the brownish wild colored girls. I picked up a cup to show her only to discover a pretty blue Cambodian girl with a seriously beautiful opaque body. She was the only brightly colored lady out of the females that where stocked. I mused about taking her home then and there but resisted because the land lady had told me I was at the limit with Proteus. I put her back on the shelf.

I get home and proceed to tell my land lady/other roomie about the fish I almost bought. I meant it in jest because they love to tease me about my betta addiction. She knew I had a spare tank after Sassy's loss, and insisted that I go back and get her. So I did.

I've named her Gabrielle. 

Pictures tomorrow after she has settled a bit more.


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## iSheree (Oct 23, 2014)

I can just see you becoming me. Be warned, the more you have, the more you are going to experience multiple deaths.... Especially in divided tanks. I currently have 16 bettas and have had about 26 in total since I started my addiction. 6 of my losses were my dad's fault (he over-fed them and all the ones that were in the un-cycled tank died from an ammonia spike while I was away), and I have lost a few that died within the first few days/weeks of owning them due to the situation they were in before hand. You are better off quarantining your fish before adding to the divided tanks. I am guilty of not doing so, but I have learnt my lesson now after having so many losses and internal parasite cases (all now treated and cured, but could have lost them too). I love every single one of them and cry after each one I lose. I spoil them heaps, the only thing I cannot really provide them is more space, they only get 5 litres/1.32 gal each (divided sections in large tanks, so adequately filtered and heated and cycled) but they seem happy and able to actively swim around.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

The fish going into the divided tanks are healthy and have been in single tanks for months. New additions like Gabrielle and the girl I'm getting from hrutan will undergo quarantine fore sure. Typhon will likely stay in his tank for a couple weeks to make sure his internal parasite has cleared.

I'm seeding the new tank with media from my established set ups to jump start the cycle.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Worked on the tank a little and glued in the holders of the deviders.









And this is Gabrielle








She is still pretty clampy and while she is active and has a great appetite her rear end tends to sink when she's idling. I'm hoping that time and clean warm water will take care of that.

Also Starbuck encourages you all to admire him.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

Gabrielle is so cute! And your tank is coming along nicely! :3


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

She is a pretty girly, and so feisty!

She is much less clamped today and didn't seem quite as butt sinky. I'm hoping she'll pull through this.

Since I could actually see unfurled fins today, I'm fairly certain she is a PK girl with possibly some CT in there. She has a tiny bit of a comb tail. Her dorsal and anal fins scream PK.

In other news the 20 gallon has water in it!

It had been 24 hours since I siliconed in the report cover binders, I could no longer smell the acetic acid so I went for it!

I put media in the filters from my 5 gallon and snitched all the plants from the small tanks and half the plants from the 5. Tomorrow I will be playing musical tanks with the fish. So excited. I did go ahead and put Creepy in the 20 and gave it a quarter of an algae wafer.


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## iSheree (Oct 23, 2014)

I thought that you have to wait 72 hours for it to be safe for in water? You should check the instructions properly and make sure it is aquarium safe to be sure... And your tank is starting to look awesome. Good luck!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

The tube said 24. :S So that is what I went with.


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## iSheree (Oct 23, 2014)

Should be fine then. The one I have says 24 hours with an asterisk and then on the back it says 72 hours for it to be aquarium safe. Each brand is different I think. As long as you read and follow the instructions on the tube, it should be fine.  How is your new tank going now?


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

The Tank









Creepy, creeping on the glass









Starbuck in the shade of his tube and floating wisteria.









Starbuck diving into his plants









River stare down! I didn't realize until I got her under better light that she has a little red wash.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Tonight I fed some spirulina brine shrimp which everyone seemed enthusiastic about except Gabrielle, it took her a moment to decided that it was actually food.

I moved Proteus into River's 2.5 mini bow. Even after only a couple days it seems like he is growing better than in the 1 gallon.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Just caught up with your journal! I know how you feel, I had 6 but lost my big beautiful VT boy I had planned to breed on the first day of this year... I had been planning to not get anymore and save up for some fish to add to my community tank, but lets just say that it's going on the back burner for a while.. and I'll be rescuing a DT boy instead.

Your 20g looks better than mine, I can't seem to find those report cover thingys or anything like them here so I just have suction cups holding mine in place. Also it's usually best to give silicone a week to be cured, even if its only a 24h cure time. Just keep a close eye on your babies :3


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## iSheree (Oct 23, 2014)

WOW you have done a great job with the dividers! I was unable to get craft mesh here in Melbourne, Australia and it just didn't work out for me, so I ended up having to buy tanks already divided (aqua one betta duos & trios). And Tress is right, to be absolutely sure it is safe it is always best to give the sealant a week to cure. It's too late for you, but other people might read this.  Your tank looks great by the way!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm defiantly watching them and their water chemistry. And I'm obsessively checking for any odd odors. So far so food. The snail is active as are River and Starbuck, who are eating like little pigs.

Today I picked up some gravel for the last section that needs it, along with some Java Fern Windelov, and some plant ferts. I also made some more betta tubes, because every one who has one loves them.

I have some anubias in the 5 gallon that I think I'm going to split and move over tomorrow. Also on tomorrow's agenda is to finish making baffles for the 20's filters.

It also looks like I need to go round two with Ty's parasites, I'm trying API General cure this time. I have spent more money on meds for this fish than he actually cost. :< But I like him. It'll mean another couple weeks before I move him into the big tank, but he isn't going until I'm fairly sure he is clean.

I've had Gabrielle a week and she is doing much better if all goes well it is one more week of quarantine for her and then into the 20.

My new girl from hrutan also shipped today and I'm ecstatic! I've got a cycled quarantine all set up for her in Starbuck's former residence. Unless she shows any health issues she'll probably only stay a week in solitary.

Anyway.....Picture time! I thought I'd throw up a couple shots of Gabrielle now that she is not looking quite so distressed.


















"I may have access to a hammock, floating tube, and a large plant but this thermometer is still the best perch."


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

>3< I love Gabrielle, she's so pretty!

Can't wait to see your girlie from Hrutan <333


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## LadyNightraven (Jun 30, 2013)

Aw, Gabrielle is so cute!!

I've been following Hrutan's spawn logs, and the babies are just gorgeous. I'm sure your girl will be beautiful!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm literally pacing. New girl made it to my local post office this morning which is just barely up the street!


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

Hooray!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

The anticipation is killing me. She is less than a mile away, but my mail doesn't get delivered for another 2-3 hours. :< I'm dying. I wonder if they would let me pick her up...


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

JHatchett said:


> The anticipation is killing me. She is less than a mile away, but my mail doesn't get delivered for another 2-3 hours. :< I'm dying. I wonder if they would let me pick her up...


Maybe? My grandpa's a postal worker, and while it's not protocol, if you have a nice carrier they may give you your package. :3


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Urg, postlady came and didn't bring any fish and according to the traking it's still at the post office. Ugg.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

I'm staring at that same tracking information. So anxious. Shipping fish out is terrifying, by the way.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

What the heck? :/ Why wasn't she delivered?


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

No one would say. But if she is not on a truck in the morning I'm storming the post office. It's killing me knowing she is only about a mile away.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

So do to a series of interesting circumstances Gabrielle got moved up to the big tank and OMG she is even prettier under those bright CFLs. I did end up putting a fake plant in her compartment. It'll only be there until her plants grow out some more. Her section has 2 wisteria starts and a couple small Java Fern windelov. I really felt like she needed more cover. She has neighbors on either side. On the one is a little CT girl who tries to intimidate her and on the other side is Starbuck who is doing his best to woo her.









I just think she is a darling little fish.
























And Starbuck has turned out to be such a charming VT boy.

It -almost- makes me want to set them up on a hot date...pastel/grizzle/cambodian VTs? Any takers?


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

That would be an interesting and fun match up. Haha.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Tempting, very tempting I have an extra heater, sponge filter...the dollar per gallon sale is on...I can buy cultures and brine shrimp eggs locally...I have an abundance shelf space in the basement...space heater...at least 3 local pet stores willing to buy fish from me...it gets really temping some days.


It's gonna be a really fidgety day today.

Fortunately I have water changes to occupy me. I'll probably post a variety of photos today.

Like the one attached. Xena's(hrutan baby) quarantine set up which has been made ready for her arrival. 2 gallon critter keeper, heated, cycled, fake plants, terra cotta pot, hammock, betta tube, Pothos growing out of the top.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

She's here! She's here! She's here!


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Yay


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Argh. LOL, I have to assume that she's made it alive and well, or we'd have heard by now. But the poor fish momma over here's waiting on pins for an answer...


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

*Xena*

She gave me a little bit of a start when I first pulled her from the box by looking completely cellophane! However once I got her floating she colored right back up.









In the bag.

Then I transferred her to a deli cup so I could drip the tank water in with greater ease.









After about an hour with more water added at intervals I put her in the tank.









Which she explored thoroughly.









While looking rather lovely. Xena, warrior princess. 


Also Starbuck peeking out of the mooncave because it was just too cute.

















This is a blurry photo but his grizzle turns almost black when he displays for the girl next door.









Bonus shot of River.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Xena seems to be settling in well.








Lovely purple lady. <3

Today Slider managed to get into the floating betta tube and sink it.









Leviathan was not impressed.









Also Starbuck, because why not?


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## LadyNightraven (Jun 30, 2013)

Gabrielle and Xena are both so gorgeous! You're making me want to get a female betta, which is bad because I don't have room for more tanks, haha.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I like my girls a lot. My 20 gallon is fast on it's way to becoming a pseudo sorority. :B Starbuck is probably going to end up being the only rooster is the hen house.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

*Why won't you eat?*

I am perplexed by Proteus right now. 

I adore the little squish, but for the last three or so days he just...won't...eat.

Normally he would down his crushed pellets with enthusiasm, now he approaches, will occasionally nibble and spit it right out. He does the same when I feed spirulina brine shrimp, he does it with the food soaked in garlic. I think I'll try blood worms, but I just don't know what to do at this point other than to keep doing water changes and wait until he gets hungry enough. :\

The other mystery is now the gender. When I got Proteus he was pretty transparent and tiny, but there were no ovaries in sight. Now that he's bigger I'm not as certain, and have been going back and forth on if I'm seeing ovaries on this fish, or not.

At the moment I still going with my initial guess, until I'm certain. But if Proteus does turn out to be a lady I'm changing the name to Artemis.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

I had that same issue with Revan! For like a week she wasn't interested in eating. I still kept up with her normal feeding schedule, removing any uneaten food, and as long as I saw her eat a little bit I was satisfied. 

Post a new picture to the Petco Baby thread, and see what Lil says? :3 About the gender, that is.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Whatever mystery ailment that caused Proteus to go off his feed has claimed his life. When I left this morning I had a live baby, by the time I got off work he had passed.

I am sad.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Oh no. That is awful. I am so sorry to hear of your loss.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Aww D: SIP Proteus.

You never know how badly his health was impacted by his time in the pet store.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Yes I have heard many of those babies fail to thrive. :-(


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I know they can be delicate, and potentially short lived. Perhaps I had a little too much misplaced confidence since I managed to raise Starbuck to adulthood. I don't know. It's still sad. He would have been pretty. Red Devil Copper DTPK.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

In all the excitement over Xena's arrival and the recent loss of Proteus I failed to mention another little betta project that I had a hand in.

My little brother has been expressing interest in getting a fish since Christmas when I started talking about taking down my small tanks in favor of a big one. He called "dibs" on my little 2 gallon hex tank and had been waiting for it to become vacant.

Once I had that tank open I took him to petco to pick out a fish.

He settled on this handsome black/yellow bicolor VT boy.









He named him Vash the Stampede.

If my brother hadn't picked him I would have grabbed him myself. Cutie.

I also acquired a new fish today. I intend for him to be in the end compartment of the 20. Another CT boy. Photos to come.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

Vash is a very pretty boy! :3


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

That's a handsome fish. Love the color!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

This is my less handsome new boy.









Yellow bi-color CT. He is kinda rough looking. Didn't look good in the cup, and had a brother that was already a goner. I had to give the guy a chance. I have a weakness for CTs, and yellow bi-colors. :\

He spent most of yesterday and today on the bottom of the tank looking like an unhappy betta, with clampy fins, and some really rapid gill movements. I put an air stone in his tank and he perked up considerably. For the moment, treatment for this dude is clean, warm water, and a little AQ salt for some fin rot. I want to give that a chance to work before I throw more severe medications at him.

I also constructed a frame to hold my clamp lights for the 20 gallon.









It's coming along I think. I can't wait for the plants to grow in some more. I'm also trying to get my hands on some floaters, but it is a struggle.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Fishy Photo Friday!

Lets start with the 20 gallon occupants. Starbuck and his ladies, River, Gabrielle, and Xena(Just moved up this morning).

































Also Leviathan/Mr. Grumpy Gills/King of the Penthouse.








Not the best photo, but dat FACE!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I did a water change tonight for the new guy. He is still kinda the same. Rests frequently, exaggerated gill movements, clamped fins, not eating. I'm considering a round of anti-bacterial medication. Furan-2 is what I have. 

I'll likely post a help thread soon, see what the general consensus is.

Until he shows signs of improvement he isn't getting a name.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Furan-2 is a good, all purpose antibiotic. I'd go for it, as long as you're going to finish the whole course.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Help came too late for new guy. Postmortem revealed blackened gills.

 I need to stop falling for petco babies and hard luck cases.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I set out today to find a fish to fill the last spot in the 20 gallon. I specifically wanted a male PK, and something that seemed healthy. No babies, no rehab cases.

This is the new guy.










My roomies insisted I call him Hercules, because he has large pecs. :B 

I picked him out because he was a PK, he was active in his cup and had a big ol' bubble nest blown across the top of it. The elephant ears were an added bonus. Herc is doing quarantine right now and seems to be settling well. Active, eating.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Fantastic name...and reason. Haha.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I thought so too. So I went with it.

Hercules was spastic for the his photo shoot this morning. 


















Difficult to get a clear side shot as he mostly wanted to menace the camera.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Wow, what a lovely boy he is! His flare face is hilarious (]e-e[)


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I know! Those big ears kinda crack me up. Herc is magnificent. :B


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

*Fishy Photo Friday....on a SUNDAY!*

I meant to do a fishy photo friday but ended up preocupied with what has been going on with my job. So..............FISHY PHOTO FRIDAY but on a SUNDAY!

Alrighty time for ginormous pile 3rd rate photography.

First off, the big guy, Leviathan

























Starbuck!








Chilling on the floating wisteria.
















Those tail nips are finally evening out. No new occurrences since moving to the 20.

Typhon!








I think we've finally nicked the internal parasite, and he actually gaining weight back. Currently treating for finrot, but the boy seems on the mend.

River!









Gabrielle!









Xena!









And then there is Hercules who was too hyper tonight for photos. So I took a video instead.


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## MichelleyBetta (Aug 26, 2014)

Leviathan, I luvs him <3


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## LadyNightraven (Jun 30, 2013)

Your fish are all so beautiful! I love Fishy Photo Fridays, even on Sundays.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

MichelleyBetta said:


> Leviathan, I luvs him <3


I like him too. He was my first betta after several years without. I had never seen a plakat before, and I bought him as a king so he is a good sized boy. I kinda really like the wild type color.



LadyNightraven said:


> Your fish are all so beautiful! I love Fishy Photo Fridays, even on Sundays.


I probably take gratuitous photos of what are pretty ordinary fish. I'd do fishy photos every day if it wouldn't bore everyone to death.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

It's Tank Tinkering Tuesday!

The 5 and the 20 gallon got water changes today. I moved the 3 new olive nerites from quarintine and got them into their new compartments in the 20. Their names are Hemi, Turbo, and Charger. Herc is also moving into the 20 today. He is still floating, but it appears that Xena is fairly impressed with him. I was a little sad about pulling him from the critter keeper, he had a beautiful nest going.

Xena got new decor today which I rounded up a bunch of baby java ferns and tied to it.

I tore down the round tank that Ty was in and moved him to the minibow 2.5, which I installed a new DIY filter which I made today, because I hate that the filter that comes with the kit takes up so much of the surface space. I also added more LEDs.

I'll have photos later, at the moment my camera is mysteriously MIA.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Found the camera!!

Hercy in the 20









Still full of himself. This fish is a proverbial blond. Most of my fish associate me with the noms pretty quick and know to swim up to the front. I open the lid to feed and all the fish come up, except Herc who is doing the frantic food dance to the back wall of the tank. And even after a week in the critter keeper he never really connected me with the food. All looks, no brains.

Here is the fish complex.








Levi is in 5.5
Ty in the 2.5
River, Gabrielle, Starbuck, Xena, Hercules in the 20, in that order.

Also this face happened today.
















My initial guess is that it is a boy. No name yet.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

You take the best pictures, hehe. I love that first photo of the new guy. And agreed, guessing male.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I try to take semi-decent photos, sometimes I get lucky, most of the good shots are luck. Although, I do think that the quality of the photos have slightly improved since the beginning of the thread.

It was a pretty easy day in fish land, and Levi delighted me with this today!








I know this is not the most impressive nest but for this fish it is colossal! He has never been a master builder and rarely blows bubblenests. Also, snail photo bomb.

And on to the little one. I have picked the name Cetus, my roomies call him Lou. We will see which sticks.









Hanging in the tube.









Cute little squishy!









Picking around the gravel + a rather magnificent poo! At least he is regular!









After supper tonight. Browsing for leftovers.

This little dude is more active than Proteus ever was and I'm hoping that that is a good sign.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

*Fishy Photo Friday...actually on a Friday!*

It is FISHY PHOTO FRIDAY!!! Yay!

Today's photo shoot also features the reflection of my Vader shirt in the glass.

Starting off this FPF with a little Cetus.
I've had him 4 days now.









Stopping to smell the artificial flowers.








Moment is gone.









And moving aloang to the 20g residents.

River
















"No photographs please"

Gabrielle
















I'm a torpedo!








Perma-scowl

Starbuck

















Xena








"ROAR!"

















Hercules








This guy still cracks me up with his fluttery machismo.









And then in the 5g is the big man, Leviathan.
























He also rescaped his nest.

And Ty in mini bow exile all by himself.








He is flaring again and I'm noticing regrowth on his damaged rays.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

beautiful fish! Im especially in love with Gabrielle <3...soo what was you're address again...I might be stopping by to abduct her lol!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

She is certainly a pretty girl. It's why I broke my "never buy fish at wal-mart" rule. I just love how white her body is. Although she has perplexed me concerning her tail type. When I got her he seemed to only be a two ray with a tiny bit of web reduction. Her tail has since grown out of the combtail look and she actually has 4 rays.


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## kjg1029 (Jun 14, 2014)

wow WalMart!? Good thing you saved her! Lol


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

JHatchett said:


> She is certainly a pretty girl. It's why I broke my "never buy fish at wal-mart" rule. I just love how white her body is. Although she has perplexed me concerning her tail type. When I got her he seemed to only be a two ray with a tiny bit of web reduction. Her tail has since grown out of the combtail look and she actually has 4 rays.


She's from an HM spawn, looks like. You got her while she was young - the branching doesn't show up all at once, it increases as the caudal grows.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Yeah Wal-Mart. And the crazy thing is that my wal-mart only stocks. Veiltails, crowntails and females, and the girls they get are usually the wildtype/fighter girls. My first female Sassy was one of these, she was super feisty.

I was at wal-mart, not even fish shopping and I picked up a cup to demonstrate the only type of girls my wal-mart ever got to my roommate. Gabrielle stared back with that perma-scowl, I was smitten. I looked at the other girls and they were the standard fair. It was odd.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

hrutan, My guess is that she'll settle into a DeT. I could be mistaken, but I don't imagine she'll develop the 180 degree spread. Her other fins still look pretty plakat-y to me, but I don't have a lot of experience with HM females.


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## SiameseFightingArt (Jun 17, 2014)

She is still young though right? Maybe if you exercise her a lot before she matures then her fins can spread close 180 degrees. Just a thought.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I decided to do a little video tour of my tanks.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

No, she won't develop the 180 spread, but she sure is pretty.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Tank tinkering Tuesday got pushed back this week and became water change Wednesday. But because I got off work late, and had a mini melt down over my mother being in the hospital, I did not finish fish maintenance until now...early Thursday morning. Fortunately all tanks are cycled and planted, so no one was worse off for the delay.

All tanks got a water change. I had purchased some alternanthera reineckii yesterday which I put in today with some root tabs. We will see if I can pull this one off. I think next payday I'm gonna grabs some crypts and Anacharis. I'm considering getting some java moss and tying it to my craft mesh betta hammocks to make for fluffy green betta beds.









The new plants.

I also traded up the critter keeper for a 2.5 gallon tank, since this is likely to be the baby's(now called Lola, cause I'm 80% sure it has ovaries) permanent home. I added a sponge filter and some anubias. This will be a low light tank, I'll be adding a marimo moss ball later on.










And baby update photos.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

No fishy photo Friday this week due to a brand new full time job, and house guests.

My DT petco baby, Lola, definitely has ovaries at the present moment.

Also something it going on with Xena I think. She is an active, purple, vertical barred, piggy, dolphin jumping, attack fish. But it appears that the red on her fins is receding. Color change maybe?


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Whups. Looks like she's going through red loss. I thought they were all done with that by now! She'll end up blue, blue/black, or piebald, probably.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm keeping an eye on it. If she is changing it is subtle. maybe she's trolling me. I tried to get a photo but she was not cooperative.










What I'm seeing, or at least think I'm seeing is band next to her body on her anal fin where he red seems to be washing out a little. I could be imagining things. We'll see.

Also, Garbrielle has gone marble.









And River likes to blow bubbles.









Starbuck does too, but his are slightly more organized.









Also baby fish


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Lola/Baby fish decided to show a little color.

























Stripes!


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Such a pretty little lady. Haha, what is she looking at...or who?


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Her reflection. I had a mirror up.

Also... 

"La la la, who needs red!"









2 days later....

"Hello boyfriends!"


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## Nimble (Aug 31, 2014)

Can't make up her mind, can she?


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Haha, that's awesome. I didn't know it could reverse itself...


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## Nimble (Aug 31, 2014)

She is very obviously a DT-geno fish. She wasn't one of your 'special' fish that you gave away for free, was she?


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

I don't remember, haha.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Nimble said:


> She is very obviously a DT-geno fish. She wasn't one of your 'special' fish that you gave away for free, was she?


No, I bought her. I was holding out for a DT geno girl specifically.



hrutan said:


> Haha, that's awesome. I didn't know it could reverse itself...


As for her red loss reversing, I believe it is actually misdiagnosis on my part. I recently started a new job that has me working really long hours. My timer kicks the lights on after I leave and off before I get back. Most of my interactions with my fish have occurred in the wee hours of the morning or late at night. Upon reflection, I suspect that I was most likely seeing her sleepy time colors.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Also before I nod off...weekly photo dump.









Starbuck









Herc









Levi









Ty. He doesn't get as much press as the others. It is partly due to him being my problem child for so long. He had velvet when I got him and had eaten a piece of lint that took him about 6 months to completely pass. Also due to the foreign object in his bowels he was frequently bloated, then we went rounds with an internal parasite that took 2 different rounds of meds to finally clear. While we where battling the parasite he got some gnarly fin rot that despite clean water would not heal and required anti-biotics. This fish is a pain. But he is finally mending. Look at all that new growth. He is flaring again, good poos, no longer bloats if you look at him wrong. After he came off the medication he was scary thin, his rays where thinning, his tail was a complete disaster. He looks so much better. Switching to NLS food also helped him immensely. His ray branching is sturdy again. He is regular and no more bugs! I'm a believer in that stuff. I fed Omega One before, but I can tell a difference between the two in terms of how my fish are.

















River

















Gabrielle is more blue. I'm both intrigued and sad. The color change is interesting but I loved her coloration before...


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I hadn't planned on another fish purchase for while, but I after I was unable save my yellow bi-color CT I've been keeping half an eye out for another mustard/chocolate fish.

I found one.









I'm trying to decide between Sparta, and Apollo for the name.

Also while doing some cleaning, Gabrielle was floated in Starbuck's section for a bit. I took photos.

































I still wonder what kind of babies they'd make. Logically, they'd probably be multi-grizzle-marble color barfs...but it could be fun. Pied heads possibly?


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

FINALLY!










I've been trying to get my hands on this stuff for months! I went to my LFS today and they had water lettuce, I've never seen it there before. I grabbed some. I did get a little to enthusiastic and just threw then in the tank...oops.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Water change for the 20 gallon. Did a little rescaping. Hercules lost his stem plant privileges because he kept uprooting the rotala and the wisteria. He is back to just anubias and java ferns which are tied to rocks, he can move those around if he wants. I moved some of the Rotala to the 5 gallon I want to see how it does there with a slightly different lighting configuration. 

I when I added the water lettuce Starbuck almost immediately started blowing bubbles around it. He almost always has a nest going. I feel like a jerk on water change days, breaking up his hard work :B.

Now on to the fishy photo Friday!









Xena









Not a great photo but the Hercy photobomb was too cute.









Hercules.









Lola

Now with pictures of Apollo!
















He is a fan of the extreme close up.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I am sad about the passing of Leonard Nimoy today. However, a funny thing occurred when I announced his passing to my roommates. They got all somber and serious and started trying to console me and tell me I was a good fish keeper and that sometimes things just happen. Yes, my roomies thought that the late Leonard Nimoy was the name of one of my fish.

PS, all the fish are fine.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

LOLS that is hilarious! Good to know they are willing to be comforting during the passing of a fish though xD


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

My roommates are strangely understanding about how I get about fish loss. I love them for it.

Alrighty, I know tomorrow is gonna be stupid busy so...FISHY PHOTO FRIDAY, BUT ON A THURSDAY!









Lola is a cutie. I relize that there doesn't seem like there is much change in her between photos but she is steadily growing larger.









Herc has one pose.









Xena, she is loving the water lettuce.









Starbuck decided that he wanted to be a double tail. Jerk.









Gabrielle, the blue is creeping onto her face. 









River used to be pretty docile but she's turned into a feisty little monster.









Levi...mister grump face.

















Apollo, lookin' good buddy.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

In other news.

I bought an aquabid fish.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Ahhhhh  So glad you got him, he's gorgeous! His form is better than most DTs I've seen for sale on AB. *flails around excitedly*


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## Axeria (Feb 6, 2015)

Wow you have gorgeous fish! I absolutely adore Hercules  
Subbing


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Apollo is getting more and more blue with each photo (or you're just catching him in the right light to get more blue to shine). I personalty would have named him Sparta simply for the fun stupidity of introducing people to each of my fish calmly then getting to his tank and screaming that line "THIS.IS.SPARTA!" *que dramatic betta flare* ^^''
And not to be mean but what's up with Hercules' pectorals? The last few photos they seem a bit... shredded, is he nipping or finding a rough object in his tank to get damaged, or did a female get him?
AB boy looks cool, when is he due to get to the US? End of the month?


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Perhaps I'll name the new guy Sparta. 

The seller says he'll ship tomorrow if I go with Julie, or on the 15th if I choose Linda as my trans shipper. I know it would be a wait, but I'm leaning more towards Linda. She is geographically closer.

I'm okay with the blue irid, I like the yellow/blue look. If I ever bred him I'd be pushing the blue irids in my line anyway.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Herc, is okay.


















His pecs look ratty in the last photo due to how they are positioned. Photos taken in the last 5 min.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Ah ok, glad he's not actually damaged ^^


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## LarixLyallii (Jan 19, 2015)

Gorgeous fish! It looks like they're all very happy, and that they're in great care.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Thanks Larix!

I heard back from Linda and got all my transhipping fees taken care of. Now for the annoying waiting part. :|

I want my fish...

I purchased a 10 gallon tank today, for 5 bucks. I've cleaned and sanitized it and glued in dividers. In about 48 hours it'll get water and be the new residence for my mini coalition of double tails and the new boy's fish house after quarantine. I won't have lights for it right away so it is just going to be an anubias tank for a little bit. Maybe some Marimos.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I did a 50% water change on the 20 gallon. I usually only do a 20% every week on that tank but I've started noticing some kind of green algae and wanted to take care of it before it got out of control. It has been better since I started dosing excel but I felt that manual removal and more aggressive water changes will probably do the most good in that regard.

For the remainder of the day I need to do a WC on Lola's tank, set up the 10 gallon, and tanks measurements of the space my land lady allotted for my breeding project. I'm so glad I would have to set all that up in my room. Crowded in here as is with all my existing tanks.

I'm also going to be building a drip acclimation device, as it will be necessary to drip my import because my water is liquid rock.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

It's fishy photo Friday!


















Gabrielle










Starbuck










River










Typhon


















Apollo










Xena was too cool for photos today. B\











Herc decided to hide in the water lettuce roots until the camera went away. "Ha! Try to focus on me now!"










"I just don't like you."









Betta Town, with the new 10 gallon. I had one 50 watt heater in there, which was rated for up to 10 gallons, but it wasn't cutting the mustard. I put in a 2nd until I can upgrade to a 100 Watt. Which means I'll have to figure something else out for new fish's quarantine. He might have to float in Tupperware for a couple weeks. I still need to get an actual glass top lid for it and an actual light. Right now it's sporting the ye ol' under the cabinet light, which is really only good enough for display and is barely adequate at that. It currently has a couple real plants but mostly silk. The boys needed more cover. I'm going to turn this tank into and anubias jungle. Big ones, little ones, middle sized ones, all the anubias...and perhaps a couple marimos because they are cool. It'll get water lettuce too once I get a better light.


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## Axeria (Feb 6, 2015)

Lol @kermit being hyper  

Love your pics, you have so many adorable fish!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Thanks! I think they are pretty cute...

Also my aquabid boy should be heading towards the states now! -wheeze- Let the impatient waiting begin!

Name selections for the new guy are currently between Sparta, Scorpius, and Armus.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Ah, I love your setup so much!!


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

I like the name Scorpius! I'm envious of your set up as well! I really wanna redo my 20 long like yours.


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## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

I love your fish!  Good luck waiting on your import, I know how frustrating it can be to wait for days, lol. When my boy Arausio came, I had him shipped to my parents cause someone is home all the time there, and I wasn't sure if I'd be working when he came out not. Turned out I wasn't working, so I went over early and had to wait like 6 hours before he finally got there. It was so frustrating. XD Hope your new guy arrives in good condition and that all goes smoothly.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

hrutan said:


> Ah, I love your setup so much!!


Thanks!



Tress said:


> I like the name Scorpius! I'm envious of your set up as well! I really wanna redo my 20 long like yours.


Scorpius is currently the top pick, but I'm withholding judgment until he gets here. I'm pretty happy with my 20 long. The fish are doing well in it too.



Elleth said:


> I love your fish!  Good luck waiting on your import, I know how frustrating it can be to wait for days, lol. When my boy Arausio came, I had him shipped to my parents cause someone is home all the time there, and I wasn't sure if I'd be working when he came out not. Turned out I wasn't working, so I went over early and had to wait like 6 hours before he finally got there. It was so frustrating. XD Hope your new guy arrives in good condition and that all goes smoothly.


I'm impatient to begin with so this is maddening. 

Provided Linda gets him shipped in a timely fashion he should be here Thursday or Friday. I'm off work Thursday, if he comes Friday I have roommates and at least one person in home typically.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I've been fidgety today, checking email obsessively, hopeing beyond hope for a shippping notice.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Still waiting....waiting...no notice yet....


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## SiameseFightingArt (Jun 17, 2014)

try to distract yourself. I know I almost went crazy from waiting!


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Linda had to process 1100ish fish this shipment, so it might take a bit. Be strong!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I know she is busy so I'm not going to bug but I'm definitely gonna be fidgety.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Still no word or sight of the new guy. 

I know Linda is busy but at what point would it be appropriate to give up and call?


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Alright, no more complaining about waiting for the import. I went to my LFS yesterday. I bought a glass top lid for the ten gallon and I was looking at lights. My LFS owner is a planted tank geek and carries the Finnex brand lights. We started up a conversation about my planted tanks and my fish (he definitely wants to buy my potential baby fish) because this tank is going to be a low tech anubias tank we ultimately decided on the stingray. I like it. It is a beautiful thing. Slim. The light looks really good in the tank and I quite like how it brightens up the boys' color. Very pleased.

Fishy photos later.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Hooray! I received a shipping notice this morning! Well it was more of an intent to ship notice...but it's progress. I just hope they guy got a water change since he has supposedly been in the states for a week now. :S 

I'm all set for text updates. 

Soon! 

Soon! It's gonna be soon!


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Hooray


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## Axeria (Feb 6, 2015)

Yaay! I hope you get your fish home soon, safe and sound ^_^


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

-screeches- Tracking says that my package it out for delivery! Technically ahead of scheduled. I might just die!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

He is here!


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## Axeria (Feb 6, 2015)

Yaay!  Hope he is doing well ^_^


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Scorpius made it alive!

Still pretty pale but he looks like he is still a butterfly. I was afraid he's marble out by the time he got here.  

I floated the bag for about 20 min then transferred to a deli cup for drip acclimation.

He is quite active in the cup seems pretty eager to check out his new arrangement. 

As for my quarantine conundrum I ultimately decided to have him do quarantine in Lola's 2.5 gallon and let Lola hang with Ty and Apollo in the 10 gallon for at least a week. I have plenty of extra tanks, what I lack at the moment is extra appropriately sized heaters.

My roomies want me to call him Elvis, I'm pretty fond of Scorpius. We'll see which name sticks.









He is already blacker than when I first snapped that photo.


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## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

He's adorable, congratulations!


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Yay! He reminds me so much of my boy Xander


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## copperfish (Jan 21, 2014)

Congrats on the new arrival. Looks like a Scorpius to me! Blach on the elvis name imo


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Thanks all!

Scorpi hasn't even been home a day and he's already giving me a heartattack. Just a couple moments ago I went to check on him and the tank was empty! lid undistributed, no sign of him on the floor. I was all a;lsfjlkdhaglhka!

Turned out he'd wedged himself nose down between the sponge filter and the glass. Not cool man! Not cool!


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## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

Lol! Sounds like my Arausio. I had multiple similar heart attacks over similar incidents with him.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Scorp still has more coloring up to do. He ate his breakfast eagerly. I tried to get an update photo for all y'all, but the instant he saw the camera he zoomed to the hammock and played dead.


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## Axeria (Feb 6, 2015)

Scorpius is adorable! Congrats


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## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

Lol, what a character! He sounds like he's got a great personality.


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## Julie7778 (Mar 20, 2015)

Hello, I have a halfmoon betta in a 5 gallon tank. I was wondering if you knew what was wrong with his fins? I see small rips in the ends and I don't know if it's him biting it, plants or what! I have a few plants (some live and some are fake.. But they don't feel sharp.) I also have some wood for aquariums in it. He has a filter, heater etc. and I don't know what could be causing this... Any ideas? I would attach a picture but I'm pretty noobie Lol!

I love your bettas btw  you take great care of them and make me want to get little babies or females and see how they grow!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Oh wow. I'm sorry I missed your question Julie. For fin issues a picture is always best for identification. Fins can be damaged from biting, sharp decore, or even torn if the current from the filter is to strong. Without seeing the damage I'm not going to be able to give a positive ID, but for treatment best thing is clean clean water, quality food, and a little AQ salt.

I also just realized it has been a while since my last photo update.

My finny friends are doing well and they all are happy little porkers from being on conditioning rations.

In preparation for my upcoming spawn I moved Xena over to the conditioning annex. Which is pretty much two 2.5 gallon tanks back to back, carded.










She is going to be paired with Scorpius, who is well over the shipping trauma. The black is bleeding into the butterfly band, which is not entirely unexpected. I'll work on that in the next generations.








I really need to scrape at my hard water spots.


Herc is still fabulous.

















Gabrielle...so blue.










River










Typhon










Starbuck










Little Lola










Apollo










Levi










This is a photo from when I had Levi cupped to deep clean his tank. I floated him in Gabrielle's section. She is my largest female.









I just thought that this picture of her giving Grumpface the stare down was funny.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

What a GORGEOUS fish. He'll go well with Xena...Gosh, do you think you'll get black babies right off? I mean, her dad is a black butterfly.

Can. Not. Wait. to hear how this comes out.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm hoping for a few blacks and some DTs. Scorpi has decent form for a DT. I'm still trying to decide if I want to pursue a black DTVT line or if I want to breed the line back to HM. Maybe both. Idunno.


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## artemis35 (Jul 11, 2014)

I _love_ the grumpface staredown!

Is Levi a Petco king? 

He looks so much like my two wild-type Petco kings. They both also have the ultimate "grumpface" personalities :lol: 

They _always_ flare at the camera, and often at just little ol' me, the holy food provider ;-)


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Levi is a Petco king! But he has gotten quite a bit bigger than when I first brought him home. He flares at litteraly everything. So much so that I've contemplated a youtube series "Will he flare?" Nutter of a fish. Jumps against the lid. Bites hands and anything else that goes into his tank. 

My LFS has a green giant female PK that I've been tempted to bring home to pair him with.


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## ThisDragonisNerdy (Mar 28, 2015)

I have to say, I LOVE all of your setups. And all of your fishies are gorgeous! I'm also jealous of Hercules- THOSE BIG OL' EARS! ( I want an ee SO bad  ) Also grumpface=adorable! He sounds a lot like my old man fish, Prince Lucus.


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## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

Ohhhh. Xena and Scorpius are going to make such pretty babies. Good luck!


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## artemis35 (Jul 11, 2014)

> My LFS has a green giant female PK that I've been tempted to bring home to pair him with.


You're lucky I'm not in Utah, because I would grab her first 

Kings and females are my favorite bettas (and the only types I currently own), so a giant female is a dream fish for me!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Thus far Xena doesn't seem too interested in Scorpi. I uncard then and she goes horizontal stripes and hides. I'm going to give her a couple days without flaring them to see if I can reawaken her interest. Xena was housed in my 20 gallon between 2 boys. It could be that she is too accustom to the presence of males to give any craps, or the is still adjusting the the new tank.

Scorpius is very interested.

I've been feeding NLS pellets in the morning and alternating, frozen bloodworms, mysis shrimp, beef heart and spirulina brine shrimp for the evening and mid-day meals(when I'm home mid-day to feed). I've fed like this for about a week now and the plan was to continue through the rest of the week and hopefully have the pair in the tub this weekend. I'm okay if I have to wait though. I'd rather they both be ready.


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

I went through this whole thread! Subbing for sure! Your fish are AMAZING! Congrats on the new ones and good luck with the spawning! I'm sure the babies will be gorgeous!


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## EvaJupiterSkies (Oct 25, 2013)

I also just went through the whole thread! Gorgeous fish, definitely subbing! I will say, I'm madly in love with Starbuck! It was a fun progression watching him grow up through the photos. Also, Gabrielle... yep, I'm mildly besotted there too.


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

^IA! I'm so in love with Gabrielle (and not just because she shares my name  ) and Starbuck! I loved that tank tour video as well!!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Oh wow! Thanks all y'all for reading. O-O

There is no real news to report on the spawn front. Xena still ignoring or hiding from Scorpi despite a big ol' bubblenest and the sweet moves he is showing her. :/ Her ovaries are becoming more prominent which is some progress I suppose. 

I might need to look through my itunes for a little mood music at this point.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

You can try doing a small, gentle water change, and replace the water with water that is a few degrees cooler than the tank water.


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

Haha Aww poor Scorpi, hopefully something will happen soon!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Storm blew in, every one is wigglin' and bubble blowin'. Frozen bloodworms for dinner tonight, round bellies for all.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

So I decided to enlist Gabrielle's help with Xena's conditioning. Xena has been largely non-responsive to Scorpi, until I put Gabby(cupped) into the tank. Xena flares at both her and Scorpi now and went from horizontal to vertical stripes..

Scorpi is still showing off and the exercise has done him some good. Gabrielle is wagging, bowing and barred. Seems like she is ready to rock and roll. I am going to put Scorpi in the tub this weekend. Both girls chimney-ed, which ever girly seems ready will be the one I let loose.

Gabrielle was plan B to start with. I should get deltas and halfmoon from her and Scorpius. While not my favorite tail type, more marketable than veiltails in my area, Colors will be anyone's guess.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Bwahaha, never underestimate the power of jealousy!


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

Hahaha! I think the set up of Gabrielle and Scorpi will be a great match! Maybe you'll have better luck!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I'm still happy with the results I'm seeing from adding Gabrielle to Xena and Scorpius' flare sessions. The heaters I've been waiting on have arrived and I will be setting up the tub tonight. The sponge filter is seasoned. I'm going to let it run Saturday and I'll be putting Scorpi in Sunday night. I have Monday and Tuesday off work so that will make keeping and eye out for spawning activity easy enough. 

Tomorrow I'll be assembling my brine shrimp hatcheries. I'll also be making a stop at my LFS for some IAL and methblue.

My spawning tub is a big 17 gallon bucket, I have 2 in case I need to split the spawn. For eventual jarring I'll be using a couple long shallow "under-the-bed" style totes to float the cups in. Deli cups are plentiful seeing as I work in a deli. :B

Pictures once I'm set up.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

So for tonight's fishy photo Friday, photos from the flare session.









Fatty McFatterson









Xena vs Gabrielle "Girls you're both pretty!"









Scorpius









Scorpi's nest. Was bigger, I trashed it yesterday with a water change.


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## Nimble (Aug 31, 2014)

I use the 'jealously' method to get a quick spawn. It might not work for everyone, but it's worked for me. Glad to see it worked for you, too.


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## Axeria (Feb 6, 2015)

LOL! so funny the girls bickering (through plastic luckily!!) about who is the most gorgeous and deserving to spawn with Scorpi xD 

Hope you get some equally gorgeous fry


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Tonight was the last flare session for Xena and Scorpi in the annex. Next time Xena sees Scorpi it will be in the tub. I did not flare with Gabrielle tonight and I'm encouraged that Xena engaged with him without the jealousy factor. Both ladies will still be chimney'd Gabrielle will have a lid. Xena won't, she'll be allowed to jump from her confinement. 

I hope all goes well. Wish me luck.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Good luck! Fins crossed it goes well


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Good luck!!


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

Good luck!!


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## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

That sounds so exciting. Good luck, JHatchett!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Behold! A bucket!









This is what it looks like on the inside(before I put in the fish).


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Not too much to report on the spawning front. I can hear Gabrielle pinging against the lid of her cup occasionally. Xena was really cranky and horizontal stripey when I put her cup in the tank. Any time I move her she gets sulky, fortunately she has colored back up and is barred like a little barracuda. Not super wiggly though, and still in her cup.

Scorpi is working at his bubble nest, It doesn't look huge but it is quite thick. Unfortunately he is building around his ladies' confines instead of the styrofoam cup. >___>


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

I've had that happen twice, haha. And I've had the male build his nest around the spot intended as the female's hiding place, too.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

No news from the spawn tank, but Typhon passed this afternoon. He was his usual self this morning and by this afternoon he was gone. He was chronically sickly, but he's been the healthiest he's been since I brought him home. I don't know what happened.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

I'm sorry for your loss!


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

I'm sitting here with my mouth open! I'm so sorry to hear Typhoon passed away! :-( ;-;


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## ThisDragonisNerdy (Mar 28, 2015)

Ohh, I'm sorry about Typhon!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I am pretty bummed about it, I hate loosing them. 

On the up side of things I got a new girly coming.

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_closed_item&fwbettashmp1429711751


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

So I ultimately decided to terminate with spawn attempt. Xena just seemed stressed, so I pulled her last night to give her a break. I left Gabrielle's cup in sans lid and she proceeded to bounce into the tub and give Scorpi a solid beating. I found him playing dead under the java moss. She is back in the 20 and Scorpius in in the hospital tank with some AQ salt and meth blue. I'm gonna heal up Scorpius and try him with Xena again. If I can't get her receptive to Scorpi then I'll see if she likes Apollo better. I'll keep up conditioning rations and water change scheduled all around.

It probably works out in the the end. My land lady just told me she wants to move me back downstairs. I wouldn't want to move 2 week old fry like that.


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## ThisDragonisNerdy (Mar 28, 2015)

Oo, that girl on aquabid is so pretty!


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

She's so pretty! Sorry to hear poor Scorpi got a good beating, hopefully he'll heal up quickly.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I also got this lovely boy. >___>


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## SiameseFightingArt (Jun 17, 2014)

I will steal him from you!!! I will break into your home ninja style!


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## ThisDragonisNerdy (Mar 28, 2015)

SiameseFightingArt said:


> I will steal him from you!!! I will break into your home ninja style!


Not if I do it first... or PERHAPS I already did...
XD


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

JHatchett said:


> I also got this lovely boy. >___>


Very lovely mustard plakat!! Aquabid boy? When will he arrive?


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Hey hey hey. No stealing the fish!

He, and the yellow girl should ship on the 25th from Thailand, and get here middle of next week as long as Linda doesn't get delayed.

In other fish news I took the fish out of the 10 gallon(Ty was in this tank) after I noticed Lola being all lethargic, clampy with a fair amount of gill movment. I put her in the hospital tank with Scorpi(in their own large deli cups) with AQ Salt and Meth blue. She seems to have perked up and Scorpi blew a bubble nest across the top of his cup. Apollo wasn't showing any symptoms so I stuck in him the annex. I have time off for tomorrow and I'm going to go a total water change on that tank, remove all the artificial plants and let the tank run fallow for a couple weeks. I'm also going to look into getting more anubias, as I plan for it to be an aubias only tank, plus a couple marimos.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

JHatchett said:


> Hey hey hey. No stealing the fish!
> 
> He, and the yellow girl should ship on the 25th from Thailand, and get here middle of next week as long as Linda doesn't get delayed.
> 
> In other fish news I took the fish out of the 10 gallon(Ty was in this tank) after I noticed Lola being all lethargic, clampy with a fair amount of gill movment. I put her in the hospital tank with Scorpi(in their own large deli cups) with AQ Salt and Meth blue. She seems to have perked up and Scorpi blew a bubble nest across the top of his cup. Apollo wasn't showing any symptoms so I stuck in him the annex. I have time off for tomorrow and I'm going to go a total water change on that tank, remove all the artificial plants and let the tank run fallow for a couple weeks. I'm also going to look into getting more anubias, as I plan for it to be an aubias only tank, plus a couple marimos.


I love anubias collections ^^ be careful who you buy from and strongly consider quarantining all new anubias (if from different sellers qt separately) for at least a month. Rhizome rot is a nasty contagious disease that can spread in the water column but spreads quicker through contact and will destroy the plats if not caught and cut off. No point in loosing $300-500 in anubias like I did to lack of caution.... -sigh- and my collection was almost complete too..


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

I already had something like that annihilate my java fern jungle I had going I was very sad. All my poor windelovs...

One of my fish has been shipped. Linda forgot the other, but she was quick to tell me and will not be charging me to ship the second.

Big maintenance day today, and a little game of musical fishes as I prepare to receive the newbies. Starbuck nom'd his tail again and the edges are red and bleedy looking so he got put in the hospital tank. Scorpius is showing regrowth on all his battle damage from the ass kicking Gabrielle laid on him. He'll being hanging out in the 20 in Buck's former spot. Xena was moved back to the 20 and went from being all stress line and cranky to tiger striped and boy crazy in about 2 seconds flat. She also dumped and ate her eggs. :\ Jerk.

Once I'm through quarantining the 10 gallon. Starbuck, River, and Lola will be calling that one home. It may sound callous but I don't want to risk putting my breeding stock, especially my more expensive imports, in that tank.

The new arrivals are tentatively named Sunny and Tiberius. They will go into the annex for quarantine.

Also, Leviathan has reached his one year "Gotcha!" day.

All breeding activities are on hold until the move.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Tiberius arrived today. Lovely boy, good sized, fiesty. Photos to come!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Obligatory intake photo. This fish is a nutter and will not hold still.









"Let me out of this cup you ornery woman!"


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

Glad to hear the boys and girls are doing so well! 
Oooh is your new boy a King?? He is so cute!!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

He is a Halfmoon Plakat. He is probably around the size my king(Leviathan) was when I brought him home. He is defiantly my second biggest boy. Levi being first, and Tiberius followed by Hercules, then Apollo.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

There will be a proper fishy photo Friday but for this morning a couple Tiberius photos now that he isn't in his nasty shipping water.


















Such a lovely boy! Dat stripey beard! Dat dark lipstick! That goober personality! I adore this boy already...even if he is a pain to photograph.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Sunny's box is out for delivery.


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Sunny made it safe and sound. Lovely, big girl!


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

Aww he's gorgeous!! I just love HMPKs! Congrats!!


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## JHatchett (Aug 24, 2014)

Moar photos!

Sunny was not the happiest camper when she first came out of the bag.









It took her a couple days for her to decided that pellets where food. She has perked up considerably. 









She has a great grump face, you can see Scorpi admiring in the background. Too bad she is out of his weight class.

Scorpius, recovering nicely.

















Xena, being uncooperative for photos.









Love this Xena fish.


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

Sunny is ADORABLE! Scorpi is looking good as always! And Xena looks great! I love her red color!


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