Betta Albimarginata

[black_knight]

I'm just trying to see if I can post a pic of some of my Albimarginatas. I'm kind of techno-challanged. Hope this works.

[Mzungu]

Wow! Beautiful!

[black_knight]

[Slonline]

Very nice! Have some fries or juvies to sell, yet:)

[TexSun]

Very beautiful!

[armthehomeless]

Great fish . . . and amazing photos! Can you share your water parameters and WC schedule?

[black_knight]

At first I used only RO water and had almond leaves at the bottom plus black water extract with 50% water change 2 times a week. Ph was around 6 and almost zero hardness. I also used very little water flow (1-2 x volume over/hr). Breeding occured regularly, but males would not hold term. I did more research and found that many of the mouth brooding bettas come from areas of higher flow, and some from harder water conditions. I gradually switched over to using aged houston tap water Ph 8 out of the tap and very hard- after a day it's PH 7.5. I put higher flow filters (6-8 x volume roughly/hr). I do 50% water change 1x week. The trio are in a 5 gallon. Breeding is regular. I have fry every 1 1/2 months. My problem is my work schedule doesnot allow me to keep up with rotifier and newly hatched brine shrimp cultures for fry. They quickly starve and are micropredators (adults eat freeze dried foods). I've only manage to keep fry alive, near 2 months at best. The fry seem to do better with leaf litter at the bottom of the tank and rotifiers. They will quickly devour all he small microrganisms in a small 2 1/2 gallon tank (small sponge filter). You need to cover the tank so that there is a humid air layer for them to develope the labyrinth organ. 50% water changes using old water from the adult tank and aged tap water same temp as the rearing tanks water. There are usually 50-70 fry ( alot to feed). Fry are very sensitive to changes in temp. They can all die out with a few degree variance in temp. Fry usually get eaten in the adult tank. I guess one solution would be to try a large well planted rearing tank (to provide a long term supply of microrgansims). I'd be willing to give some fry away if I could get them to the stage that they transport better.

[sunkenmetal]

Those are awesome looking fish...

[black_knight]

Thanks. They are tough as nails too. I've had some jump out flopp around the carpet for I don't know how long and still manage to survive. They also heal very fast from injuries. I've only lost 1 pair to disease when I didn't quarantine a pair of licorce gouramis properly. Otherwise I've never had any fall sick (knock on wood). The most common cuase of death is jumping out (sometimes forget to cover the rimless tank with the plexi glass cover). They are very curious once you've had them a while they feed out my hand at times.






















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[black_knight]

I've cut my betta collection down. I just became a dad 2weeks ago.

[Ca Nguyen]

wow, never seen one. pretty cool

[sunkenmetal]

How big do they get? If you ever have any fry that live let me know I will definitely buy some!!!

[black_knight]

They get to be just under 2 inches. My biggest male is about 2 inches. I'll post if I ever have fry make it to the point that they'll eat freeze dried foods. Talk to Don at the Fish Gallery. Aquabid also will feature them. If you like these, Betta channoides is very similar. It's a brighter red, but the white and black seems don't extend all the way. The fry are grey in color, unlike the fry of albimarginata which are black. If any of you want to do some research, you can start with IBC bettas web site. I'm not a member of the International Betta Congress, but I started all my research with their site. PM me if you've got any questions.

[sunkenmetal]

Thanks for the information.

[rice1029]

Wow! I'm a bit late to this thread I know but Ive always loved these fish. Where did you get them?