Fish Folk Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 I've set up three tanks for Annual Killifish. Now it looks like the N. Rachovii that I'm eager to start breeding and spawning will take maybe 5 months til I can even begin to hatch eggs. There's no way . . . absolutely NO WAY that those tanks can sit empty. Even if I get some N. Guentheri to play with, I'll still have tank space to spare. Today, I saw a hot Alien Betta on someone's post on the forum. I started chasing that a bit. I guess I'm not interested in breeding hybrids at this point. I've never had success with Bettas since I was a kid, many decades ago. As I fumbled along online I came upon Betta Imbellis. And I'm kind of charmed! Look at this fella: I'm not sure how long this YouTube video will stay active, but here he is in the flesh... I'm kind of smitten. Maybe he's too run-of-the-mill of some of y'all . . . but to each their own. I like him. And I want to help him MAKE MORE. So, I'm going to buy him . . . and . . . let's see here . . . two Betta Imbellis Females . . . And I'm goin to buy them . . . right . . . NOW . . . (*click*) Official challenge: I am giving myself 3-5 months to successfully breed Betta Imbellis for BAP. I shall journal my attempt here. Any input is most appreciated! Has anyone here successfully bred Betta Imbellis before? 11 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
813aquatics Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Oh my gosh I need that fish. Stunning 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Only splendens and it was years ago. I’m still waiting on my Betta persephone. Their in local QT but the guy is having some struggles of his own. I need to touch base with him and see where I stand. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 I love that you simply can not be stopped. You are a fish breeding force of nature! I've only ever had my eye on one species of Betta, because it can do brackish water, I think it might handle my very hard water - Betta mahachaiensis. Looks similar to the one you are chasing right now. I'll be watching this thread to glean what I can from your efforts just in case I am bitten by the same Betta bug someday. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 On 2/11/2022 at 7:49 AM, OnlyGenusCaps said: I love that you simply can not be stopped. You are a fish breeding force of nature! I've only ever had my eye on one species of Betta, because it can do brackish water, I think it might handle my very hard water - Betta mahachaiensis. Looks similar to the one you are chasing right now. I'll be watching this thread to glean what I can from your efforts just in case I am bitten by the same Betta bug someday. You know, I’m also very impressed with the b. mahachaiensis. I almost went for one of those. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 This guy has really good information on bettas, species, keeping, and breeding: http://www.franksbettas.com/wild-bettas-101/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 Franksbettas provides this helpful script for Betta Imbellis… Wild bettas prefer a smaller tank with a size of 2.5-10 gallon which should be planted, filtered and heated, biotopes are usually the best option as these are tanks that mimic their natural habitat and has beneficial tannins that the wild bettas love as it’ll keep the water soft and somewhat acidic. Dried almond leaves are a great simple source for tannin, I usually use half a leaf to 5 gallons but the more you use will be better as long as you have a tea like coloration in your water your fish will have no issue coloring up and settling in. Tanks should be semi-planted and not overly dense otherwise fish will like to hide a lot, as a breeder I keep my males in individual 2.5 gallon bare bottom tanks next to one another with no filtration but I do 100% water changes every 4 days using aged water that I’ve left out for a week to release all the chemicals that may be in the water. The most simplest wilds is imbellis but the common myths that Imbellis are peaceful and can live in groups with males together or pairs is thrown around too easily without much thought, these fish given the chance will fight for territory and in such a small tank it could end in deaths, Male and female pair in tanks have worked but its not always the case because after they spawn the male will be very aggressive protecting his eggs so the stress on your female is not really needed unless you’re trying to breed, a scenario which does work however is a Harem of 1 male to 4-5 females in a tank preferably larger than 15-20 gallons with dense plants life and plenty of room for fish to stay away from one another. Temp should be between 25-27 whilst ph can be from 5-7 in my experience. All wilds within the splenden complex can share the same water parameters with no issue as long as you have soft water and tannin. Reconditioning guide Reconditioning after travelling across the world, Do not expect a full glistening fish to show right out the bags it takes extra care and patients to reconditioning wilds. Before we start here is the super recipe. Tannin! Tannin! And more Tannin!!! Wilds will lose all their coloration whilst they are in the bags and clamp their fins which is expected due to the stress but they can easily overcome this after you give them time to relax and adjust to their new home. What to prepare ahead. Dried almond leaves for tannin is a must, bettas of all variants benefit from tannin as it helps soften the water and lowers the PH and replicating the environment of what these fish are used to. Tannin also helps reduce potential infection during these crucial stage whilst your fish shifts from its original setting to their new homes. A planted aquarium with a lid is highly recommended as giving these guys the most natural set up will always be a benefit to their adjustments, live plants offer coverage and keeps the parameter of the water in check. A lid will also keep them from jumping as these guys are super agile and will jump out of the smallest of holes, floating plants are very good for wilds and so are tall growing plants.Floating plants such as frogbit,water lettuce and tall growing plants like hornworts are great as wilds will love to swim through their roots and rest on them Turn off lighting for the first few days Lighting after arriving can stress them out since they have been in the dark for some days so it is best to keep lighting off whilst they settle and acclimate into their new tank. Live food or frozen bloodworms are highly recommended as this is what i feed my fish, live food is the best as this will get them hunting and help giving them their apatite back, feed small portions only after a few hours of them roaming their new tank, don’t feed straight away as they won’t usually eat after being out of the bag. Avoid any flaring or sight of another betta for the next 72 hours we should let them have their own territory that they feel its theirs and this will greatly help in making your fish have confident and flare when he sees another male or the mirror in the future. Color returning – t is very normal for wilds to be completely pale and brown with stressed stripes and clamped fins for the first few days but once they begin to settle their colors should begin to return and fins will begin to open up, after 3-4 days it is usually safe to try play around with your fish but don’t pressure him into flaring too much just yet as he may still be adjusting, the best thing to do is just give them time and not disturb them too much even though you are so eager to check out your new fish trust me it will be 10x better once he’s fully colored up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 On 2/11/2022 at 7:25 AM, Fish Folk said: keep the water soft and somewhat acidic And there is why I am not sure I'll ever be able to keep any of these species. My water is 320ppm TDS and 8.4pH. I'll have to live vicariously though your efforts! Which is far more cost effective. For me. 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 Just came across this video from Gianne (Inglorious Bettas) of her grandfather's wild Betta fishroom. I love it! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 Man oh man, this is a fun and informative video on catching some wild bettas in Thailand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 @Fish FolkI love Frank's videos. Really informative especially for someone trying to start out with betta breeding. Excited to see how this goes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 On 2/10/2022 at 11:03 PM, Fish Folk said: I've set up three tanks for Annual Killifish. Now it looks like the N. Rachovii that I'm eager to start breeding and spawning will take maybe 5 months til I can even begin to hatch eggs. There's no way . . . absolutely NO WAY that those tanks can sit empty. Even if I get some N. Guentheri to play with, I'll still have tank space to spare. Today, I saw a hot Alien Betta on someone's post on the forum. I started chasing that a bit. I guess I'm not interested in breeding hybrids at this point. I've never had success with Bettas since I was a kid, many decades ago. As I fumbled along online I came upon Betta Imbellis. And I'm kind of charmed! Look at this fella: I'm not sure how long this YouTube video will stay active, but here he is in the flesh... I'm kind of smitten. Maybe he's too run-of-the-mill of some of y'all . . . but to each their own. I like him. And I want to help him MAKE MORE. So, I'm going to buy him . . . and . . . let's see here . . . two Betta Imbellis Females . . . And I'm goin to buy them . . . right . . . NOW . . . (*click*) Official challenge: I am giving myself 3-5 months to successfully breed Betta Imbellis for BAP. I shall journal my attempt here. Any input is most appreciated! Has anyone here successfully bred Betta Imbellis before? I strongly recommend reading IngloriousBettas for Gianne's breeding tips, and I can't wait to watch your successful progress! Yes, they are beautiful! No, I never bred them, only splendens. I've been drooling over some macrostomas though....😍 I believe the imbellis may be more attractive, the females look like more streamlined versions of the male. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 12, 2022 Author Share Posted February 12, 2022 On 2/12/2022 at 12:03 AM, Torrey said: I strongly recommend reading IngloriousBettas for Gianne's breeding tips, and I can't wait to watch your successful progress! Yes, they are beautiful! No, I never bred them, only splendens. I've been drooling over some macrostomas though....😍 I believe the imbellis may be more attractive, the females look like more streamlined versions of the male. Yes, I'll be poring over Gianne's notes on breeding Imbellis. I've placed my order, and confirmed arrangements with the US-based seller. Weather might be a delay . . . they don't like to ship if the temperature drops below 40-F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 @Fish Folk how exciting! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 16, 2022 Author Share Posted February 16, 2022 (edited) Ok. Today is the day! Betta Imbellis have arrived. First question: did they survive shipping across country in the cold of winter? Packing looks Ok. I wish they’d have styro lining the box. You’ll have to take my word for it: this heat pack was stone cold. 72-hrs must have run out, or it was a dud. ugh! Not looking good! Is this male DOA?? Dear oh dear… he’s _barely_ respirating. Emergency help needed! The 2x Girls look alive, but very, very 😑 meh… I hurry home… Begin acclimation… resuscitation… to quote a movie line: “think he’ll make it?” “It’ll take a miracle!” “Buh bye…” What follows are a series of real-time videos literally bringing bettas back from the brink of death. Watch at your own risk… or be encouraged… or whatever! If this works, I am going to be very, very satisfied. And I’m so going to breed these, abs tell their kids about it all 😂 Here are the steps… Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 After a short while… Oh my! I’m almost hopeful now! Girls are looking good… Ok… time to add the mister… Part 9 I’ll check back this evening. Still hard to be sure of the final outcome. Edited February 16, 2022 by Fish Folk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 The fact that the fish got too cold is much better chance at survival than getting to hot. Still, opening the cold box had to be nerve wracking. If you have the Ziss hatchery from the co-op, this would be an ideal time to use it. Constant flow of clean, warm water *and* reduce the workload of the male to get to the surface. Kind of like the heated isolette with the elevated oxygen for preemies in the NICU, ya know? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 I’m crossing my fingers, but his color is already looking good, that has to be a positive sign. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 @Fish Folk, have you read any Mark Lawrence books? Your betta imbellis are heroes straight out of all 3 of his series. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 16, 2022 Author Share Posted February 16, 2022 On 2/16/2022 at 4:29 PM, Patrick_G said: I’m crossing my fingers, but his color is already looking good, that has to be a positive sign. I feel like . . . if this guy makes it . . . he needs a name like "C.A.R.E.y" since his life was literally resuscitated live on the Forum. On 2/16/2022 at 4:32 PM, Torrey said: @Fish Folk, have you read any Mark Lawrence books? Your betta imbellis are heroes straight out of all 3 of his series. I have not. Sounds interesting. They are survivors. So far so good. We'll see about them tonight, tomorrow . . . etc. I started a batch of Brine Shrimp up. Live foods is a wonderful help to these wild-type fish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenFins Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Cool breeding project, totally jealous of those guys. *Follows Thread* 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laritheloud Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Yikes, I hope the fish make it. 😞 I heard some... dubious things about the seller that posted that video. I have my fingers crossed for you, they are beautiful fish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 16, 2022 Author Share Posted February 16, 2022 Good news! He lives!! 3 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Unbelievable is right 😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 What a comeback kid!!! I'm sure that the upcoming anniversary of the forum, CAREy will win in the Comeback Kid category!!! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 On 2/16/2022 at 7:38 PM, Torrey said: What a comeback kid!!! I'm sure that the upcoming anniversary of the forum, CAREy will win in the Comeback Kid category!!! I’m hoping by then maybe he’ll have sired Forum Anniversary Comeback Grandfry 😎 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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