Camera Ham

Not a very epic post this time. Just two new photos of Chaos hamming it up for the camera. They came out quite a bit better than the other one.


And yes, I am planning on getting him a live plant instead of that one. That's just a temporary installment. :)

Chaos

In Greek Mythology, Chaos is the nothingness in which all else sprang. Seeing as he is the first in a set I hope to continue this summer, it seemed fitting. He won't be for spawning as I stated earlier (because he will probably be too old by then), but he will be a companion of mine in this adventure.

While we were out today, we went to Petco. It was there that I spotted him. He's a yellow butterfly super delta. A drop-dead gorgeous betta. You'll have to excuse the poor photo, as it does not show off his true beauty. He is absolutely amazing, and constantly very stunning to look at. I will see if I can move him to a window one day to get a better shot.

The Beginner's Basics

As I was setting up a new betta tank last night, I got to thinking about this post. I felt like I should make one outlining the very basic needs in betta care. It's a very simple fish, and there are a lot of options, but some people still don't know exactly where to start. That's where this blog entry comes in. :D

Enclosure

Your VERY first step is always the enclosure. What are you going to keep the animal in? There are two options I usually go for. First, a vase. It's pure and simple. As long as you have something to secure the top (in case of a rather high leaping fish), a vase works well. I usually make sure it's fairly sizeable. I like my betta vases to at least hold 4/5s of a gallon of water. Preferably a full gallon. A simple way to secure the top of a vase is a piece of cheese cloth (or other breathable material) and a rubber band to hold it in place. Not pretty, but effective. My second, and favorite option is a one gallon tank from Walmart. They're triangular in shape, and comes with an air pump, hood fixture and light. It costs about $10. You don't have to use the air pump, it's your choice. Bettas do well with or without it.

Decor

Feel free to go with whatever you want! Just make sure it won't rip the delicate fins of your betta. I usually grab a plant (I prefer a live one over plastic) and some gravel for the bottom of the tank. Bettas are easy to satisfy, though the do seem to have a love for Java Ferns. I guess it's a good place for them to rest their fins. :)

Water Treatment

Ahh, the joys of water treatments. Not my favorite part of owning fish, but with bettas, it's not too bad. One of the basic water treatments you can get for bettas is Stress Coat and Aquarium Salt. Yes, salt. Just a few little granules of Aquarium Salt is enough, and it will help reduce the chance of disease in your betta. The second option is a little more expensive, but I prefer it to the Stress Coat as it seems to work better. AmQuel, NovAqua and Aquarium Salt. AmQuel and NovAqua seem to be more potent than Stress Coat and treat the water the way it needs to be. Bettas seem to thrive in their environments even better.

Nutrition

What we all love! Food. One of the best pellet foods on the market right now is Hikari Betta Bio-Gold. Bettas can be picky eaters, but so far I have not had one turn down Hikari. There is something about it that they just love! I usually don't feed them Hikari alone. I like to pair it with Freeze-Dried Bloodworms. In the wild, bettas will usually feed on mosquito larvae. Bloodworms are one of the closest things you can get to that. If you're a little squeamish, yes, you can just stick to the Hikari and they'll be fine. ;) (And as stated by Giovanni in the comments, live foods such as brine shrimp and mosquito larvae improve the diet of said fish.)

Lastly, if you have all this ready and water in the tank, GO GET YOU A BETTA! You're ready for one. Remember to let your water sit for 24 hours before adding the fish, and have fun!

Bubbling Basics

(Since I have delayed my project until this summer, I figured I would put some random facts up about bettas and their habits in consistency with spawning.)

As many people who own bettas know, the males constantly make a bubble nest in the corner of their tank (if their water is still standing). It almost looks like foam on top of the water. Many beginners with bettas often mistake it for putting too many chemicals in the water. This is not the case. Males have an instinctual need to make a nest, in case of impressing any passing females.

(This nest was made by my betta Caspian AFTER I tried to breed him.
He never made one while in the spawning tank. T'was quite the disappointment.)

The nests keeps the eggs and (hopefully) young fry in place until they are able to swim on their own. Occasionally, the eggs and fry will fall out of this nest. This is why the father is on vigilant guard duty until they're ready to brave the waters themselves. Seeing a helpless baby fall out of the bubbles alerts him. He will quickly grab them up in his mouth, and spit them back into the nest. The fry are so small that they latch into the bubbles with ease.



Tiny fry are almost impossible to see for a while. One of the only ways you really can spot them is by focusing on their black, beady eyes. They show up against the background of bubbles. While they're in the nest and protected by their father, they will begin develop by feeding on their egg sacs. With any luck, you'll soon be feeding them microworms and have them grow into full fledged adults.

Good Night, Sweet Fish.

My last betta from my former spawning trials passed away the other night. She was old, leaning on about three years. Her name was Arwen (yes, LOTR, I am a geek), and she was such a vibrant, red lady. I was hoping that she would spawn but fate did not shine upon us. Either way, she was a good companion and a good little friend.

For me, this feels like a start of a new era. I will get my first betta for my second round of fishie companions rather soon. This one will most likely not be used to breed, but be more like a companion through it all. It's nice to have one around that is generally for friendship.

I've plotted everything out, and I do believe I will begin spawning my bettas this summer. It will give me ample time between college semesters to really get things going. I will be able to focus on the little details, putting together the spawning tank, and (hopefully) caring for the fry. It should be a relaxing task between bookwork.
Bah, I can't wait to get started. I love working with these little fish... almost too much!

Updates! ...or not.

Bah. I haven't posted on here in a while. I thought I might give some news. Weird thing is, I really don't have many updates about my project to post. I got distracted this past while by reptiles, Sharlto Copley, Metalocalypse and Ball-Jointed Dolls. Sometimes I don't know whether I'm eclectic, or just plain odd.

Anywho, to get back to the topic on hand, I have started trying to collect the items needed for spawning bettas. I have already gathered up my large grow-out tank for the fry. It a 37 gallon aquarium I grabbed off of Craig's List, and should be roomy enough for all the babies to stretch their fins until they have to be separated. It'll be gorgeous while they're all living peacefully, I'm certain.

As soon as I can, I'll post the list of items I need. You might find it interesting (or not, I dunno).

Possible Spawning Predicaments

Someone may also be thinking "What is so complicated about spawning fish? Don't you just throw them in together and let them have at it?"

Sadly, bettas like to make life MUCH harder than that, my friends. This is no simple task. Unlike guppies, you can't just throw two in together and watch your tank explode with tiny baby fish. Bettas are picky. They must have everything the way they want it. Sometimes, it's for good reason. Other times, it makes very little since to me why it needs to be such a way.

The spawning tank is typically 5 to 10 gallons. It is only to be filled halfway with water, kept around an 80 to 82 degree temperature, and kept completely gravel-less on the bottom (this is for the collection of the fertilized eggs). A slow bubbling carbon filter should be added to help water clarity. Along with this you will also need the right chemicals, a cluster of plants thick enough to hide in, a way to temporarily separate the female from the male, and half a Styrofoam cup.
...yes, I just said what you think I said.
The half a cup is place in a way that a male betta can blow a bubble nest. The male betta cares for the eggs and young hatchlings with this creation. He will keep them wedged between the bubbles in a comfortable cushion of protection. Nothing, not even the female, is allowed near this nest after spawning.

And no, being picky does not stop here.
As I have SADLY experienced, you can get a few pairs of bettas (or lots of pairs of bettas) that will refuse to spawn even in the best of conditions. The males are not going to strut their stuff for just any female, and the girls will not always be impressed by what the male has to offer.
Not to mention, there is no guarantee the male will know what he is doing. Eggs could accidentally be eaten by him, fry left on the bottom of the tank away from the comfort of the nest... there is no telling what could happen next.

This is why I ask for a few little prayers. Once I get everything together, I truly want to to be successful this time!

Introduction

Welcome to the Betta Labyrinth.

As you've seen by now, my name is Meg. I shall be your (slightly) humble host through this blogging experiment.
Some of you may be asking yourself about the name I chose for my blog... or not. You could be the cynical types waiting to post about how crappy my blog is. Go ahead. Excite yourself. For the people who might actually be curious, I shall explain.

Bettas, or Siamese Fighting Fish, host a unique "labyrinth" organ. This organ is used to draw air from the surface of the water, as if taking a breath.
To me, this is also a play on words. The definition of Labyrinth is "an intricate combination of paths or passages in which it is difficult to find one's way".
Now you're probably confused. Well, this is where I explain what this is all about! I am going to attempt something I have been wanting to do for a very long time. Spawning bettas. I have attempted this before, only to conclude many failures. To me, this is my labyrinth, and I have lost my way many times. This time, I'm taking this on as a true project. I wish to find my way to the end of the maze.
This time I'm determined to get a matched set of bettas and have a successful spawning. I'm going to get everything they need, with no cut backs and no settling for less.

This first post marks the beginning of my project.
Ready, set... BUY A LIST OF EXPENSIVE OBJECTS!!
...ok, maybe I shouldn't put it that way...
...but it is expensive...

(This project is dedicated to a little betta named Johnny Storm, rescued from a pet store in bad condition. I kept him for a while, but his health was poor when I got him. He did not live long. I want people to realize that fish may be fish, but they have lives like any other animals. They do not deserve to be abused.)