71 replies to this topic

[tunagirll]

Congrats But... where are the photos

 

Don't feed them until they are horizontal and free swimming. Then I normally start with a tiny amount of egg yolk - hard boil it, then take a small pinch and squash it in your fingers, then rinse it into a small bowl, then take a small amount of the dilute with a syringe and add it to the tank. If you add too much, your tank will foul. Feed 4-5 times a day. A pinch diluted into a small bowl will last a few days in the fridge.

 

Leave him in until you start seeing the population drop off - he will cull the deformed first babies for you and babysit the rest. Don't panic if you see him pick up mouthfuls of free swimmers - he will take up a passenger load and then spit them back into the nest.

Edited by tunagirll, 01 October 2014 - 07:29 PM.

[Michael the fish fanatic]

Here are some pics, it is really hard to take pics of them as they are tiny, they are the little black dots (btw they are under the nest, under the styrofoam and around everywhere, so you can't see them all):




Sorry for bad pics, thanks for the help

[malawiman85]

Wheres the pics???
Wait... just my dodgy phone didnt load the pics.

[Michael the fish fanatic]

Lol, gonna say

[Michael the fish fanatic]

Should they become free swimming tomorrow???? Also how long after they become free swimming can I feed them?

[Michael the fish fanatic]

About 1/3 of the fry have gone free swimming, when should I feed them? And as I'm going out at about 10am, would it be best to feed them micro worms so the rest of the fry that go free swimming while I'm gone have something to eat? Thanks

[Redevilz]

Sorry Michael. I don't know much about Bettas but I usually only feed my fry when all the fry have become free swimming Although if you are going out maybe put in a small amount of microworms. They stay alive for a while underwater and the free swimming fry will pick some off the bottom.

[Michael the fish fanatic]

I tried feeding a couple that were free swimming, but they didn't eat, I think they still have a little bit of their eggs sac, so when I get back hopefully they will all be free swimming and I can feed them. I put in some java moss that has been sitting in my apisto tank for over a year, so that should have some organisms for them to eat, and I put some riccia moss that had algae on it

[tunagirll]

Don't panic - just add a little egg yolk. They are too small to eat microworms.

[Michael the fish fanatic]

I am trying egg yolk, but they are not eating it (I think), what do they look like if they are eating?

[deliriouz]

Not wanting to state the obvious but if they ate, they'd look a bit fuller. I used to mix my egg yolk with mashed up chicken liver but you'll have to change the water after each feed. You can also use liver alone..probably slightly less fouling.

I chucked a couple of splenden pairs in the pond last summer. they bred and survived thru the winter..that was so much less fiddling around. I might try chucking in some betta macs this year to see how they go.

[Michael the fish fanatic]

K, I think they are now eating as they hang around where I put micro worms

[Michael the fish fanatic]

UPDATE: They are eating well and as crazy as it sounds, I have only had one fry die!!!!! They love the micro worms and are getting it 2-3 times a day at the potion of 1cm on the end of a toothpick on one side. I put one jar of water in my other tanks to get up to temperature, then I am putting one jar full of fresh water in a day, I am not sucking up any debris on the bottom as I tried once and kept on getting fry. Fabio is doing great and eating well, I am going to do a back up spawn next week photo:

[Michael the fish fanatic]

They are still all doing fine, haven't had any die and are eating well, I'm training them by putting food in the middle so they learn to come to the food rather than me spreading it everywhere at they are responding well to the training

[tunagirll]

Sounds like you're being a great dad What temperature did you set the breeding tank at?

[Michael the fish fanatic]

Thanks, the breeding tank is at 26

[tunagirll]

You can probably nip that up to 28 degrees, they like it warm

[Michael the fish fanatic]

Cool, thanks

[Michael the fish fanatic]

I am now adding 3x 500ml of fresh water a day, what I do is let the jar that holds 500ml sit with new water in my other tank that is at 26 degrees as well, then after 2-3hours when the temp is 26 in the jar I place the jar to sit in with the Betta fry for 1 hour before releasing the water slowly into their container, and I do this 3 times a day, and I don't take out water I just add . Thanks

[malawiman85]

Hey Michael,

Are they super sensitive to temp as fry?