# Im a proud mum!



## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Altho I didnt breed the betta's I now have 3 fry 

I was told they are 3months old, but looking at them they are tiny! About 1/2 a cm (o.2 inches).

Im keeping them in their own heated tank - 80 degrees right?

Some anachris in there. The owners gave me microworms to feed them and told me they do eat crushed granules as well. How can I help these kids grow up a bit faster? I dont have a filter in the tank neither do I have an airstone cos I cant control the airflow so it will be to disruptive. The tank is about 3 gallons, but I only filled it half way. The girls (I hope) are swimming freely tho and are very active considering they just had a 9hour drive.

And tips and advice as to when I do water changes and so forth would be great and when to feed them what.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Are you sure the previous owner said 3 months? 1/2 cm should be about 3 weeks. 

Massive daily wc would boost their growth, given that they eat like pigs (belly always full). Worm type of food would make them fat and grow faster compared to shrimp like foods which makes them more .... athletic ... sort of. IMO it's best to give them a balanced diet and let them grow on their own rate.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

No advice but Congrats Mum!! How exciting. Can't wait for pics.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I would get them in a bigger tank and start daily 50% water changes on them and improve their nutrition to get good growth....that size at 3 months....they already sound pretty small for their age.......

Nutrition...live is best....but high protein varied diet fed in small frequent meals....

Can you post pics of them.....


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Lemme try and take a pic of them, will be with my camera phone till my brother comes visiting later.

Ok tank dimensions are 25Lx19hx19w (this is in cms)


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

There you can see how tiny they are. There is just the three of them OLF and this is unfortunately the biggest container I have to grow them out in for now. If they are girls they will go into a 10gallon tank as soon as they are a bit bigger and the guppies wont think of them as food.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Last question = how long should I feed them the microworms?
As well as how often?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

So cute and so tiny....I think they will be fine in the 3gal you have them in too....just stay on top of lots of partial water changes and good nutrition...enjoy and watch them grow....

I don't feed microworms...but I am sure someone will be along soon to help you with feeding.....

I like that tank by the way..rimless I need to find me one like that...is it glass......good idea with the plastic veggie wrap to retain heat and humidity for their labyrinth.....

Look forward to watching them grow up....


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Hehehe thanks. Managed to measure one of them they are 1cm not half a cm so bigger than I thought. I decided to stop with the microworms. Its very tiny and I suspect that was all they had. I gave them some mysis (almost like baby brine shrimp). And the kids loved it. It was frozen and they attacked it and each ate 2 shrimps. The shrimps are about .75 of an inch. 

I will do 50% water changes every day so that i can get rid of any leftover food - altho they have managed to eat everything I gave them so far. They love playing - chasing each other and playing hide and seek with the plants. Im hopeful that I can get them grown  I will post weekly reports 

Oh and the tank is a general tank that we get here. We have loads of LPS that makes the tanks in their back rooms - they get the glass cut to size and then they glue it and add the styrofoam on the bottom to protect the glass. We call them custom tanks and basically can get it any size you can dream of. As long as you have a proper stand they are willing to go mad. We have one shop where they have BIG tanks along the middle of the room that basically creates a wall and divides the room in two. I really need to go take pics there.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Aww, they're so cute!!


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Heheh thanks Dramaqueen  Im really proud of them! They are all over the show, very fast, and I swear they are a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitle bigger and getting more colour already!. So far Ive been giving them something of everything except the microworms I was given. I felt the microworms are where this breeder went wrong since feeding them that for so long has slowed their growth. And these babies love daphnia (however you spell that!), chopped up bloodworms, chopped up mysis as well as crushed pellets. 
After staring at them for hours (I cant help it Ive never had fish this young before nor this tiny!) Ive noticed the one's eyes are a bit funky. s/he has one eye that is almost double the size of the other eye. But it definately doesnt affect him/her since its the greedy one of the bunch - waiting for me in the morning for their food and first to find the new food.


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## Betty (May 31, 2011)

Wyvern said:


> Heheh thanks Dramaqueen  Im really proud of them! They are all over the show, very fast, and I swear they are a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitle bigger and getting more colour already!. So far Ive been giving them something of everything except the microworms I was given. I felt the microworms are where this breeder went wrong since feeding them that for so long has slowed their growth. And these babies love daphnia (however you spell that!), chopped up bloodworms, chopped up mysis as well as crushed pellets.
> After staring at them for hours (I cant help it Ive never had fish this young before nor this tiny!) Ive noticed the one's eyes are a bit funky. s/he has one eye that is almost double the size of the other eye. But it definately doesnt affect him/her since its the greedy one of the bunch - waiting for me in the morning for their food and first to find the new food.


Congrats on the babies, I agree with you that the breeder's downfall was feeding them micro worms constantly, then need variety lol, it sounds like they have you wrapped round their...well little fin I guess!!!lol good luck, maybe feeding morning noon and night with just a couple of things at a time, daphnia will be great for them as it's also a laxative for gloating and swim bladder etc, good luck, let us know how it goes soon!!!


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## kif3 (May 10, 2011)

naw XD thay are so cute :33 goodluck with it all, hope they grow quick! ^^


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Yep they are being spoiled rotten! Im feeding them daphnia in the morning, chopped bloodworms at lunch and crushed pellets at night. So far the pellets and bloodworms seems to be the favourite. And they are already used to me! When Im cleaning the tank (I do 2 25% changes a day one in the morning and one in the evening) they come say hi and swim around my hand. Im going to be so sad if one of these kids turns out to be a boy. But then again Ive already made an arrangement that if one of them is a boy, my brother will take him and give him a home in a 2 gallon filtered tank he saw and I fell in love with but cant afford it.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Meh, one of the kids is looking a bit unhappy. S/He barely swims, hangs out at the top of tank and when s/he swims its almost as if its only the one side of the body that moves. But I can see its little fins moving, s/he was eating last nite but now just hangs out at the top of the tank floating on the anachris leaves. This one actually also grew a few milimeters in the last week.

The other two are still tiny but they do seem a bit bigger. The all love bloodworms the most - so I finely chop that for them and feed it. Plus Daphnia as well.


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## Loryen (Feb 16, 2011)

No advice, but I hope your little kid gets better :-( I'm sorry, but may I ask where you got them from??


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

A local breeder bred them, but I found out when I got them from her that she is 12 and this was her first time breeding. She definitively didnt feed them right, all three that I got has grown a little bit tho since I got them, but yea it looks like he cant move his tail much. But he (im assuming its a he since I really cant sex these kids yet) does manage to eat and swim from the bottom of the tank to the top. Ill give him a few days and watch him. The otehr two are still tiny compared to him but at least they are growing and they are eating everything I give them. Ive been feeding them 4 times a day and after an hour after feeding I remove the little left over food. As well as 2 water changes a day (small ones about 25% at a time). The water that they came in wasnt the cleanest so I figure I rather over do the water changes - Im using aged water I have on standby with some prime in. 

The other two kids are very active and I have one that definitively knows im their food source, when it seems me it swims to the front of the tank and does a little mini happy dance. So Im taking my chances on them and see what happens. Altho Im already attached to them.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Aww, I hope he/she will be ok! Just keep an eye on him/her and hopefully he/she will be ok.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Unfortunately he/she didnt make it. This morning I did their water change and noticed he/she was at the bottom of the tank not moving a fin. Left him for incase maybe i looked wrong but 30mins later he still was in the same spot so I used a cup to get him out and where he would normally swim away the body just floated into the cup.

I felt bad the whole day! But at least I know I tried, I added a small piece of driftwood to the tank (more so that it can soak out the last tannins before it goes into the big tank next week with some anubis that my LPS will get for me.) the other two loveeeeeeee the driftwood. They have been swimming around it non stop all afternoon. Both still have a healthy appetite they ate the pinch of chipped bloodworms in 2 mins. Will give them some more before I go to sleep. 

In my head I keep telling myself the fact that two of them are very active I must be doing something right. But I did feel very sad, I become way to attached to my fishie friends so fast.


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## Loryen (Feb 16, 2011)

Aw, I'm so sorry for your loss. Don't blame it on yourself, you took very good care of them. And, as you said, you've got 2 beautiful babies who you will now probably value even more. RIP :-(


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## bettaloverforever16 (Jan 14, 2011)

I' so sorry, you did your best. It was probably because of the microworms he was given, or because some fry just pass. At least now he's not in pain.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm so sorry you lost one of your babies. S/he had a good home for the short time s/he was with you. I hope the other two continue to do well.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Thanks for the well wishes guys. I was sad to loose one, but so glad its only been one.


Update time 

I am pleased to report back the other two are healthy, growing, swimming AND they are turning metalic blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are still very tiny, but today I decided they are growing so nicely that its time for a change of scenery for them. I got one of those breeder nets, set it up in my 10g which is gonna be their home eventually (if they are girls ). Then I placed them in a cup that was half filled with their water and half the new tanks water. (but I have been adding some of the 10g water to their QT tank since day one to get them used to it)

I floated their cup in the net for a good hour, adding more and more of the new tank water. They are now swimming free in the net, teasing the guppies with their yummy bloodworms that the guppies cant get to in the net 

I added some hornwort that I got free yesterday to the net just so that they still have some cover. I promise to get some pics of them next week - I think it will be easier in the net than it was in the little tank.

Main reason for doing this is to get them used to some light, as well as the current in the 10g. They are not directly in the current but it does move their water more than what they are used to. 

They are going to be beautiful. If they are both males I suspect I will keep one and my brother will take the other one.

In the mean time my LFS has been ordered to get some girls in for me!


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## Creat (Dec 6, 2010)

Ha ha cant wait for photo's !


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

And finally some photos, will try to get better ones but these buggers can move!

































At this point Im guessing the bigger one of the two might be male, cant be sure yet they are still small. As you can see the colour is slowly coming in but at this point I have no idea, on the photos you see the red in the tails not sure it that is vein aka blood or that their tails are turning red with the blue shimmer. 

The one is a greedy pig and tends to eat loads fast, the other one gets more than enough food tho. He/she is just growing slower since that one was the tiny one at about 5mm when I got it. They are both now over 1cm and heading to the 1,5 - 2cm fast as in I can see the growth now daily! So yay me Im doing something right 

Considering how tiny they where and that Ive only lost one Im very chuffed with myself  

Oh and ignore the food bits you see its the only way I can get them to go to the corner of the breeding net to let me take pics  I waited till feeding time to con them in that spot. So far no real aggression, some chasing altho both take turns.


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## Creat (Dec 6, 2010)

AW there so cute! Your so lucky I love watching babies grow <3


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Aww, cute fishies!!!


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Hehehe thanks guys, its rather amazing for me to watch these guys grow and by how much they grow every day. Its rather scary! Im now more curious to see what they are boys or girls or boy girl. Plus im dying to see their colours!


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Ok so today I took a leap. My one boy/girl is in the 10g for better or worse. He is sharing it with some guppies and snails. So far so go, an hour in and he is still expolring the world. Maybe you lot can help me decide what his colours are?!? Ive kinda started calling him Skye. Since at the moment the mix of colours looks like an evening sky here.









The new space (excuse the messy look, im giving my plants some time before I rearrange it all again )









Checking up on my friend in the net.








Exploring this HUGE world

















His brother or sister is still in the net, want to give him/her time to grow a little more since its a bit more stunted in growth than the bigger one.

You can see Skye has a blue shimmer over his body and most of his tail. Altho some red on the tail and near his gills.


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## bettaloverforever16 (Jan 14, 2011)

Make sure if you put them in the 10 gallon together you get two more females. They'll fight to death if you don't, even if they're sibilings.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

At the moment we dont know if they are male or female. Once I know what they are I will decide what to do. Even tho a sorority is still calling me, if Skye is a boy Im going to keep him separate and sell his sibling.

If they are both girls I will get more from my LFS. My shop keeper is already on alert so that he can get me more if I need.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Very quick update








Horrible pic of Skye but he is now as big as the guppies









Larke is at the bottom of the pic - and she is a stunning little girl.

At the moment she is about 2cms and Skye is now as big as my full grown guppies.

Both are swimming free in the tank with the guppies and will do untill either of them shows some threatening behaviour. So far they tend to sleep together under a leaf, otherwise they go their own way during the day and neither have bugged the guppies and the guppies leave them alone as well.


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## Creat (Dec 6, 2010)

AW so cute I am so excited to see them grown up


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## Loryen (Feb 16, 2011)

Awwwwwwwww!!!!!!!


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Unfortunately Larke decided to play in the fake tree stump I have. And she got stuck, Im not sure how long she was stuck but when I looked for her yesterday at lunch she was missing, in the end I decided toshake the stump lightly to make sure she isnt in there. She came out but was struggling to swim and reach the top of the tank. So she is back in the breeding net, at least she is swimming a bit - lots of floating at the top tho (I think she hurt her fins when she got stuck). She is eating and otherwise looking fine. Her brother is getting HUGE! Im getting my new girls tomorrow afternoon and then we will see what happens. 

Fortunately due to a tradgedy I have space to move Skye if he doesnt play well with others (so far hes on very good behaviour - only flaring a little no chasing). My big boy Blue Moon had died on tuesday so I took out the divider in the tank to give Ozzy some space. He is loving it but if Skye is naughty I will divide the tank again and add Skye to it (5g that I divided for them).


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I hope Larke will be ok. I'm so sorry about Blue Moon.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Thanks Dramaqueen, unfortunately she didnt make it  So only Skye is left.


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## Wyvern (May 19, 2011)

Skye is slowly growing up. But I suspect hes not going to get much bigger.


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