ASIAN BETTA ALLIANCE - Cebu Chapter

[nevalaroza]

na hala, mamaligya tag rock salt

[420HabiT420]

pde butangan og waterlily na gagmay ang breeding pair?

[pulchra]

y man naay salt?

[The Good$!!!]

pde butangan og waterlily na gagmay ang breeding pair?

Mas maayo na bai pra niay build-an ug nest ang lake...

[The Good$!!!]

Annoying Things Bettas Love To Do




'Hold still, ya mad bugger!' Bettas seem to love ruining photographs.

1. Cluster around the end of the siphoning tube when you're trying to clean the fry tank.

2. Turn their backs to you every time you take a photograph.

3. Flare perfectly while you're looking the other way or when your camera jams.

4. Refuse to eat the food you paid top dollar for and that you know is good for them.

5. Refuse to eat brine shrimp once in a while just on principle, to remind you who's boss.

6. Give you dirty looks when you try to feed them a new food.

7. Hide in the front edge of the spawning aquarium where you can't see them.

8. Change from brilliantly beautiful in the store to flat and colorless when you get them home.

9. Decide to become celibate when you want them to spawn like crazy.

10. Decide they like the taste of betta eggs.

11. Ditto for betta fry.

12. Swim around excitedly, flare, and show off for you then turn listless and dull as soon as you invite someone over to look at them.

[The Good$!!!]

What Do They Mean?
By: BettySplendens


'Calico' Marble


Although the International Betta Congress (IBC) only recognizes 24 color/pattern/finnage types, you see new names popping up everywhere, both in sales listings and slang terminology. The purpose of this article is to walk you through what these names mean.

First, the IBC recognized solid colors are: Red (bright and cambodian-red), black, blue, turquoise/green, steel, yellow, orange, clear, pastel, white, metallic dark-bodied and metallic light-bodied. The bicolors are dark bicolor and light bicolor. The patterns are Butterfly, multicolor, marble and grizzled. The finnage types are ST (single tail), DT (double tail), CT (crown tail), Traditional Plakat, Show Plakat and Symmetrical Plakat. ALL betta colors, patterns, and types are sorted into one of these categories; or in the rare instances that they don't fit into those categories, are relegated to Form and Finnage Variations.

However, the popular terminologies abound, and can leave you shaking your head. I will describe the most common ones, and also add what show class they are. I will also update this list frequently as new names come onto the scene.

3-4-5 Star Plakats: This refers to fighting ability. The plakat for sale is a fighting type. Because Aquabid has made it illegal to solicit betta fighting on their website, sneaky sellers have continued to offer them under this terminology.

Apache: One breeder's strain name for a marble type cambodian BF. Depending on pattern, they could be classified as Light Bicolors, Marbles, or Butterflies.

Appaloosa: My own term for a strain of marbles worked by myself and fellow breeder Shannon Kasarcik. They are white based with small spots of colored marble pattern. The pattern is consistent, and, unlike many other marbles, does not change over time. They are classified as Marble.

Armadillo: This is my own name for a group of fish with extremely heavy metallic iridescence on their bodies and completely covering their faces and heads, like body armor. They are considered Metallic Dark Bodied or AOC.

Black Copper: Copper (metallic steel) iridescence over a marble-black base. They are Metallic Dark Bodies.

Black Crystal: One breeder's strain name for a marble-based black that produces fertile females. The black density rarely approaches that of the black melano or super black.

Black/Green: Bright,electric green metallic iridescence over a marble-black base. These are extremely beautiful fish that play in the light like little dragons. Can be shown under Metallic Dark Bodied and, in some cases, Butterfly or Dark Bicolor.

Black Devil: This refers to a black betta with a bright red butterfly pattern. They are considered Butterflies.

Black Lace: This refers to a black bodied fish with royal blue iridescence, although in times past it referred to a marble-based black fish that didn't quite approach the density or darkness of the melano. The fins of the classic Black Lace were often transparent, hence the name. In order to preserve the classic terminology, I have tried hard to push the name "Black Ice" for these black/blue fish so as not to confuse it with the true Black Lace. Depending on what they look like, Black Laces can qualify for Black, Dark Bicolor, BF, or AOC.

Black/Orange: A unique combination created by master breeder Gilbert Limhengco; the fish is light black or orange with a blended orange/black BF pattern. Without the crisp banding they are not good Butterflies, and are usually shown in Color and Form Variations.

Black Orchid: This name was first coined by Henry Yin of Indonesia to describe his unique strain of prizewinning crowntails. These fish were black with heavy steel blue iridescence running through the rays of the fins. It is a very beautiful type, and fairly rare. Unfortunately they are difficult to show, as the IBC considers the iridescence a fault in the black class, yet the fact the fins aren't an entirely different color from the body make it unserviceable in the dark bicolor class as well.

Blob: This was a term given to a line of orange bettas created by Ralph Tran. They are classified as Oranges.

Blue Moon: One breeder's strain name for royal blue butterflies. They are also produced in green ("Green Moon"). They would be classified as Butterflies.

Brass: My own name for a copper bodied/red finned betta. Because there is not yet an IBC class for Metallic Bicolors, this type would probably be put in the Dark Bicolor class.

Calico: Almost always refers to a multicolor marble, especially if they show yellow marbling. As colorful and unique as these are, they are still considered plain old marbles.

Canadian Flag: As far as I know, I'm the only one using this term. I use it for my particular strain of white/cambo bodied, red/white BF bettas. They are considered Butterflies.

Cellophane: A betta with a clear body and clear fins. Sometimes they have the smallest amount of soft iridescence in the fins. Fish with heavier iridescence are usually moved to the pastel class. They pop up often in marble spawns, and can sometimes gain color to become fully marbled! Cellophanes are shown as "Clear".

Chocolate: Brown bodied fish with yellow or yellow/orange fins. I've also heard the term applied to black bodied/yellow finned bettas, but that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It began as a descriptive term for the choco-brown coloration on the body. Black/yellows are...well, black/yellows! Chocolates are considered Dark Bicolors.

Dalmatian: Credit for the name and color goes to Sarawut Angkunanuwat of Thailand. The first were called Dalmatian Orange, and it was an orange betta with spots of red or darker orange in the fins. They have since been created in other colors, including blue/orange, blue/yellow, cambodian, peach and red. Thus far it's a genetic mystery, as the pattern doesn't behave like typical marble, and yet could not be considered a solid. From personal experience the trait seems to behave as a dominant. I believe they would be classified in Color and Form Variations.

Dragon: This refers to bettas that have an extraordinary amount of metallic iridescence on the bodies in combination with colored fins. The bodies often appear silver. They are gaining rapidly in popularity, and I have seen them recently in black, green, white, yellow and even bright blue. They would be considered metallic types, dark bicolors, light bicolors, or AOC, depending on the finnage type, color, and degree of metallic.

Dreamcatcher: One breeder's strain name for a marble-black with a black/white BF pattern. They can be classified as Marbles or Butterflies.

[The Good$!!!]

Ketapang Leaves & Black Water Extract
By: Chris Yew


Ketapang leaves in live form (left) and dried (right)



Ketapang tree


Ketapang Leaves;

Most of the tropical fishes that lives in the rivers and lakes, their natural and best environment is Black Water. Black water have a distinctive brownish tea like colour and contain many dissolved organic materials.

It was first noticed that fishes living around the water where the ketapang trees grew are found much more vibrant, beautiful and healthy. Thus started the practice of putting in ketapang leaves into aquariums to try and achieve the same condition as those found in their natural environment.

The ketapang tree is a big 'pagoda-shaped' tree with distinctly tiered branching. The origin of the tree is in Malaya. A noted pecularity of this species is the tendency for its leaves to turn bright red and fall - a rarity in the tropics where most trees remain evergreen throughout the year. The bark, fruit and leaves of the tree have traditionally been used to treat various ailments ranging from skin disease, dysentery, headaches and colic in children. Research has identified properties which could be used in treating hypertension.

Ketapang (TERMINALIA CATAPPA, or commonly called tropical almond, badamier, Java almond, amandier de Cayenne, wild almond, Indian almond, myrobalan, Malabar almond, Singapore almond, Huu kwang, Sea almond, kobateishi) tree is known to produce a poison in its leaves and sap to defend against insect parasites. When the dried leaves falls into the river, a strong brown dye is given off. The dye is full of organic acids like humic and tannins.

So the dried Ketapang leaves actually release organic acids like humic and tannins which lowers the pH of the water, absorbs harmful chemicals and help create a soothing and calm environment for the fish.

What is Humic Acid? Is it a mixture of several organic acids? Humic acids are a complex mixture of partially 'decomposed' and otherwise transformed organic materials. The freshwater humic acids can come from a variety of sources, most of which are on land (decomposing terrestrial vegetation.) These substances wash into lakes and rivers, undergoing further transformations along the way, and ultimately into the ocean.

Humic acid contains Sulfur, Nitrogen and Phosphorus in varying amounts. It also contains metals such as Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn etc. which can be 'chelated' in some undefined way. Humic acid can be broken down into two groups based on the polarity and size of the individual 'compounds'.

The smaller, more polar fraction is generally termed fulvic acid and the larger, more non-polar fraction is generally termed humic acid. Humic acids are the end product of microbial degradation of plant and animal debris and are one of the most important constituents of fertile soils.

Tannins, lignins and fulvic acids are sub classes of humic acids. They all tint the water yellow.

Tannic and humic acids may be useful for inhibiting many types of bacteria including cyano-bacteria and are fairly benign for your fish.

Another paradoxical effect of humic acids is the detoxification of heavy metals. Humic material and detritus in the aquarium also rapidly absorb and detoxify many chemicals including zinc, aluminum and copper! One might expect them to be made more, not less toxic by humic acids, but the studies seem to indicate a detoxifying effect.

Also important to know: The harder the water the more ineffective the humic acids - - - more exactly: the dissolved lime in the water produces undissolvable calcium humates. So, the higher the water hardness, the higher must be the supply of humates in order to achieve an acidifying effect. The softer the water, the less humates are needed and the better the effect.

Peat is a rich source of humic acids, as are decaying driftwood. So in some countries, peat is used instead of ketapang leaves.

[The Good$!!!]

'Plenty of Food...Plenty of Clean Water'
By: BettySplendens
Submitted: 9/16/2003

'Plenty of food...plenty of clean water.' That was what a noted breeder once said to me in answer to the question, 'How do you raise such stunning bettas?', and it was perfect in its simplicity. Bettas are easy keepers...give them good grub and clean quarters and they will often live to delight their owners for years.

Bettas are carnivorous fish. In their native habitat, their primary food is mosquito larvae, but bettas will eat almost anything that wiggles past their noses. Adult bettas kept as pets can be kept quite well on freeze-dried foods such as bloodworms (larvae of the mosquito-like insect Chironomidae), brine shrimp, and betta pellets. Breeding fish should be fed some variance of live or frozen food (bloodworms, grindal worms, adult brine shrimp, wingless fruit flies, etc), and young fry will often not eat anything but very small, live food. Most bettas turn up their noses at flake food, and they ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT live on the roots of plants in vases, like *some retailers claim*.

We feed our adult breeding fish twice a day, once with live or frozen food and once with high protein pellets. We also have quite a few 'pet' fish that are unsuitable for breeding (but still much adored) that we keep entirely on pellets, supplemented 3 times a week with freeze-dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, or crumbled krill. Bettas have a tendency to get fat when kept in jars, so fasting once a week might be a good idea.

Feed only enough that the fish can consume in five minutes, and promptly remove uneaten food. A turkey baster or large medicine dropper works well for this purpose. Just compress the bulb, insert in water, and suck up uneaten portions. If you see uneaten food covered with a clearish fuzz, get it out of there. Its going toxic.

Make sure your betta is kept clean. A betta stirring up his own feces as he swims is just disgusting. Half-gallon containers will have to be changed twice a week. Gallon containers can go as far as once a week, and the larger the container, the longer the interval between changings. If the betta is kept in a 5+ gallon container with adequate filtration, normal tank maintenance of once a month or so is fine. Of course, if you see an accumulation of uneaten food, you should change his water sooner.

Be warned, there can be too much of a good thing, and changing the water too much can weaken your fish, forcing him to have to adapt and re-adapt to his conditions.

Water should be aged, whether naturally or artificially (products like Amquel and Novaqua instantly age tap water, making it safe to use for most aquarium fish), and the same temperature as the water he is living in. There are several ways of doing water changes:

1.) Two containers for the betta are kept next to each other, and the betta lives in one of them. When it is time for a water change, he is netted and placed into the other container, and the first one is then dumped, rinsed, and refilled. The process is repeated for the next water change.

2.) The owner puts the betta in a cup along with some of his old bowl water (bonus if you can suck the betta into the cup as you dip for water - no netting!) while the water in the bowl is dumped, rinsed, and refilled. If treated, the betta can be put back into his clean home as soon as the water reaches room temperature; if not, he can be put back in 24 hours, once the water has 'aged'.

3.) Most of the water from the bowl is carefully poured or siphoned out until the bowl is halfway full, and then clean, aged water is added. This is called a 'partial water change', and can be very effective; however it needs to be done more often than a full water change. I recommend the siphoning method, as pouring usually doesn't get the accumulated gunk on the bottom.

These are the three most popular methods, but every owner eventually finds a water-changing routine that works for them. At one point, we had so many young fish in jars that needed changed twice a week, that we did the it assembly-line style - Open lid, pour water through net, catch falling fish, plop him into new jar, slap on lid, repeat. We had an equal number of empty jars to the number of jars with fish, so that the water was always aged and the right temperature. Nowadays many breeders employ a 'barracks' system for their isolated bettas, where clean water drips into each individual container and old water runs out into a gutter, which then empties it into a reservoir where it is filtered and then pumped back through. This is a great way of keeping the bettas in clean water, but it can also facilitate the spread of disease.

Remember that bettas can also jump. Its a good idea to keep a lid on your betta, or he might end up going kamakaze. Make sure there are airholes in the lid; a hole about the size of a dime provides enough oxygen and makes feeding a breeze. In the event you betta does jump out of his bowl, put him back in immediately. Even if he's been out awhile, and looks sort of dry, fuzzy, and dead, bettas can often be revived if put back into their containers. Of course, if he is dried out like a Dorito, its too late. I came home one day to find an empty jar where one of my breeder males was supposed to be. I commenced a frantic searching of all the lower shelves and the floor, and fifteen minutes later I finally found him crumpled against the leg of the shelving unit. Thinking him a lost cause, I nevertheless picked him up by his fin and dropped him back into his jar, where he floated to the bottom, motionless. I fed the other fish, and when I returned to dispose of the jumper, I was shocked to find him swimming lethargically around his jar! By that evening he ate a little bit, and by the next day he was building a bubblenest. So you just never know.

Bettas can easily become bored and depressed if they are not given any stimulation. Plants provide a place to hide, and sometimes they will partially beach themselves on large leaves and take a nap. Aquarium castles and decorations give the fish little caves to swim through and little hidey-holes if he's feeling uncommunicative. I have also seen bettas play endlessly in bubbles provided by a corner filter or air stone set on low. Setting up a mirror nearby will give him something to puff up at, and he'll spend hours staring at himself in it like an aquatic narcissist.

Bettas prefer warm water - between 70 and 80 degrees F. I've found that 72 - 74 degrees is best for keeping bettas, and I keep the temps at a set 82 degrees for breeding and raising fry. Bettas kept at very high or very low temperatures tend to become less active, and too much fluctuation can weaken their resistence to disease and parasites.

[420HabiT420]

bai kinanghalan ba jd na usa ra ka female ang ibutang sa breeding tank? or pde 2 females den 1 ka male?

[420HabiT420]

ABA-CEBU

ka mga masters ba ani nla oi... hinaot ma apil ko aning pundoka.