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Anonymous
Hai guyz. My betta seems bored. What can I do for him! He has a plant and rocks what more does he want.
I was thinking of putting a Plecostymus in there. that seems to be the only kind of fish that can put up with the Betta's attitude.
I had tried 4 tetras before... but amazingly not only did the betta attack one of the tetras... but the OTHER tetras ganged up on him too. Makes me think this Betta is a conspiracy specialist.
Thoughts?
>> Anonymous
I was also curious about breeding Bettas.
>> Anonymous
What size is the tank?
>> Anonymous
>>182076
Bettas don't really get bored. Occasional stimulation by another betta nearby, or simply the picture of one can get him flaring, but I'm not sure if stressing him is really the angle you wanna go for. It's a fish, I wouldn't worry about him too much.

As far as breeding goes, its a pain in the ass. The male and female must be seperated, but can see one another, they go through a whole song and dance, then you put them together. The female gets the shit kicked outta her until finally she submits, they fuck, they have eggs, he returns to beating the shit out of her unless they're separated.
>> Anonymous
>>182077
It is not as easy as people say, or rewarding, or worth the money. Wasted shitloads of money just to watch male bettas shred the fuck out of female betta's fins and then eat all their babies. If you're going to get in to breeding any animal, you'd best be serious about it, because it's not something you can do right or easily on a whim.
>>182076
If your tank is under 55g, I really hope you don't mean a common plec. Those things get massive, shit like it's their job, etc.
>> Anonymous
>>182111
Ehh, I guess I'll elaborate on the betta breeding here.

First off, bettas have a lot of babies. If you DO manage to successfully breed them, you're going to have a lot of fry on hand. And if they're nothing special, no one will want them. And then you'll have 70 bettas. So you want to make sure your breeding stock is good. I mean not your usual petstore stuff.

Breeding can be stressful for both bettas, since they participate in ritualistic spousal abuse. So, before breeding, condition them-- get them really fat with nutritious food (live, frozen). Every breeder conditions differently. Some will say you have to have a certain kind of acid in the water-- they're just trying to get you to buy their special leaves. Don't do it.

Next step is to get the following: BARE 10g tank, sponge filter, heater, floating plants, and some kind of glass tube (I used a hurricane lamp). CYCLE the tank first, like any other tank. Then, introduce the male to the tank and the female, but have the female inside of the hurricane "lamp" within the tank. The male will see her but be unable to ream her just yet. Release the female once the male starts building a bubblenest and the female gets horizontal bars. Leave it alone for a few days. Some breeders suggest covering the whole tank with a dark cloth and not touching it or looking inside for three days or so-- whatever. If you witness the breeding, you'll see the male bending himself in to a weird "n" shape and squeezing the eggs out of the female. The female will float stunned to the bottom-- this is normal. They'll do this a few times, and hopefully, the male is blowing the eggs with his mouth up in to his bubblenest.
>> Anonymous
>>182123
After the male is done with the female, TAKE HER OUT. Put her back in her normal place, get her really good food, and use the proper treatment for any wounds (and she'll probably have them). Do not breed her again for a while. I always waited at least a few months.

Start hatching brine shrimp now. The baby bettas will be too small to eat much else when they first hatch, so they need very young brine shrimp or other tiny prey items. I noticed they won't eat stuff that doesn't move, so it has to be live. Microworms work great, too. You'll probably have to order the culture online.

If everything goes as it should, the male will continue building on his bubblenest and blowing fallen eggs back up in to the nest. Remove eggs which obviously have fungus growing. Once the eggs hatch, you'll see a bunch of little tails hanging out from the bottom of the bubblenest. When they start trying to swim, they fail a lot at first, so you'll see the male scooping them up in to his mouth and blowing them up in to the nest when they can't get back up themselves. It's safe to remove the male once all the babies seem to be able to swim on their own.

I've seen debate over whether or not to feed the father during this time. No matter what I did, mine ate the babies half the time. Most people suggest not feeding him. If he's a good betta he'll be too focused on the fry to eat anyway.

The reason for the bare tank is so you can keep it clean. Keep it very, very clean. Suck up anything you see collect on the bottom, and try not to get the babies too.

As the babies age, begin seperating them. Most breeders waited until they could tell males from females-- females have an eggspot, males fight.

And then good luck selling them.
>> Anonymous
>>182129
Oh, forgot to add, don't feed the babies until you see the yolk sac (yellow) disappear on their bellies. Otherwise you'll just be wasting the food.
>> Anonymous
sounds like crazy difficult to do. Kind of not worth the stress on the animal from the sounds of it. Thanks guys!
Think ill get him a stone pirate ship for the tank and be done with the 'making him happy' deal.
>> Anonymous
the betta is all alone in a 2 gallon tank.
my other 2 gallon tank has 4 tetras and a plecostymus that really doesnt do anything but hide from me and hurt my feelings :( But he keeps the tank really clean. That was another reason I wanted to get one for the Betta tank. He is only an inch long so I think its not the kind of plecostymus u r thinking of
>> Anonymous
>>182149
He'll grow.
>> Anonymous
>>182152
are you sure? The pet store said he'd stay a perfect size for my 2 gallon tank. Could you link or give more information ?
>> Anonymous
>>182157
Unfortunately, you can't trust petstores to give good info.

http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-Pleco.htm

It's possible you have an otocinclus instead.

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile76.html
>> Anonymous
I have had all of my fish for almost a year now and seen no growth. I think u liez sir >.>
>> Anonymous
>>182160
....wow. I am done helping you. Google plecostomus. You will see I'm right.
>> Anonymous
>>182159
oh god... thats him O_O
buw why hasnt he grown then ? O_O im confused
>> Anonymous
there is also one that only grows to 5 inches... I dont think mine is gonna get much bigger if he hasnt already. Thanks for the info :) didnt mean to make you mad i was joking :(
>> Anonymous
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>>182164
AHHH YOU ARE A RETARD

why have I been spending the whole thread walking you through everything step-by-step?

Do you have any idea how long these fish live? Of COURSE it isn't big yet by 1 inch. And look at your fucking 2g. Do you think a 5 inch fish could live in there comfortably? I seriously hope not.

Not to mention, if it IS the 5 inch kind, you probably spent extra for it because it's a BRISTLENOSE pleco, which are less common, and you'd KNOW if you bought it. They look like this.
>> Anonymous
>>182165
Meant "by 1 year." Typo in fit of gaiafag-inspired rage.
>> Anonymous
Stop anthropomorphizing fish. He doesn't get bored, or lonely, or contemplate the nature of existence or miss you when you're gone. As biological computers go it is programmed with only the most basic awareness to perform very simple functions.
>> Anonymous
>>182165
You clearly don't give me enough credit. When I bought the fish it was to keep the tank clean. And obviously the Petco people suck at telling me details in order to make a sale. Yes I fail at reaseraching b4 Ibuy I guess. But still, when it starts to look cramped I will obviously move him or find him a better home. I honestly didn't know that it would grow that big. And I said thank you for the information.
>> Anonymous
>>182175
Yeah kids making minimum wage should totally be fish experts after working there for a month and a half. Everything you need to know is on the little card under the tank with the picture of the fucking fish on it. That's 1st grade shit right there.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>182168

This is true, in a way, but you'd be extremely surprised at the smarts of one of the fish I had (not my most recent, but my first Betta). He was smarter than most give animals credit for. He could do tricks (don't ask), flip around in Spirals and a couple of other things. He also knew me when i would pop up and watch him in his bowl, for a staring contest (which he usually won).

OP, try getting something for him to swim in and out of, like a castle or a treasure pot. Also, if you have him in a small bowl, consider getting him a bigger one. You'll find that he'll swim around more often than normal.
>> Anonymous
>>182176
well yeah and I asked him about it cuz it said 4 inches and the guy told me that he wouldnt get bigger than what he is now if i kept it in a similar sized tank. So I was misinformed >.> I mean shit happens. It 'like I don't properly care for the fish and I'm not just gonna flush it when it outgrows the tank.
>> Anonymous
>>182177
Yeah... my fish swim up to the side of the glass when I walk in the door and then swim up top knowing I am gonna feed them. The Betta has a 2 gallon filter tank with a plant in it right now. The original purpose of this post was what you said lol I wasnt being entirely serious but It turned out to be a wonderous way to waste my work day.
>> Anonymous
>>182179
Alright I'll give it to you, the guy was an idiot. The myth that a fish won't out grow its tank should have died off long ago. People are dumb.
>> Anonymous
>>182177
lol, staring at a fish staring at you
>> Anonymous
>>182149
>>my other 2 gallon tank has 4 tetras and a plecostymus

r o f l
Seriously, I want to beat people who sell fish into this. I'm not saying it's your fault, OP, you obviously didn't know any better. But god, that's so bad. Augh.
>> Anonymous
>>182197
I am back to rant again in this thread. It could be worse-- I had a coworker who sold an oscar and a few mollies to someone with a 10g.
>> Anonymous
Yea I almost got an oscar then I realized how huge they got. Most people do not regard fish as being a pet that needs research done on it before buying. I looked up a ton of information prior to puttng my tanks together. And I dont mean internet stuff or pet store morons. Actual Libraries~! YES THEY STILL EXIST... you should try it. On another note, I don't think it is your fault and you do not seem like the kind of person that won't take care of his/her pets.
>> Anonymous
>>182197
bad that they got sold into this?
meaning i didnt know or im not caring for them right?
>> Anonymous
buying a new bigger tank isnt a big deal
>> Anonymous
>>182211
That is too many fish for that size tank. Rule of thumb 1 inch of fish per gallon. (2 gallons per inch with goldfish) and even that isn't accurate. If you have a 10 inch fish you wouldn't put the fucking thing in a 10 gallon tank.

As far as fish being sold into these situations. We aren't there to fucking interview every person who comes along and make sure that they're living in the greatest conditions and then decide if we should sell the fish or not.

If someone comes in and says "Hi I want 3 neons and a pleco" we aren't going to interview them and make sure they're taking care of their shit right. Truth is, they ARE just fish. That being said if some cunt walks in and says "hi I want that needle fish for this bowl" we are going to say no, go fuck yourself, here's a betta.
>> Anonymous
>>182221
I guess I'm a more caring employee than you. Since I don't see what "they're just fish" is supposed to mean, when someone says "I want an oscar" I'll just try to drop hints like "Oh, those get really big" conversationally as I catch it for them just to make sure they know what they're getting in to.
>> Anonymous
>>182223
Yeah, an oscar, but if someone asks for 4 zebra danios you aren't going to question it now are you? There are certain fish such as cichlids and the like that require a bit more knowledge that I always ask a few questions about, but not something like a handful of guppies or tetras.

If someone's eye balling a pleco they're usually asked, or at least informed they can grow 2 feet in length and then immediately show them to the rubber lip plecos which top off around 5 inches.
>> Anonymous
buy another beta(same sex) and they will fight to the death!

Problem solved!
>> Anonymous
Put the plecostymus in with the Betta. They can hold their own. Crowding problem solved
>> Anonymous
>>182235
Never give fish advice again.

>>182228
Okay, then I'm not sure what your point was. Initially you said you wouldn't ask if someone wanted a pleco and tetras because they're "just fish," and then on your next post you said you usually inform people about plecos. Which is it, or am I misunderstanding?
>> Anonymous
wtf is wrong with putting a plecostymus with a betta
>> Anonymous
>>182246
First off, you're spelling it wrong. Secondly, actually read the goddamn thread. OP has a 2 gallon tank. That is what's wrong with putting the plecostomus with the betta.
>> Anonymous
Throw some white cloud minnows in there for the guy.
>> Anonymous
>>182256
OP already said he's attacked a tetra before. Some bettas do fine with non-betta fish, some don't. Her's is probably one that doesn't.
>> Anonymous
>>182253

"Rule of thumb 1 inch of fish per gallon"
Bettas are about an inch and ... well we can only assume the pleco is too
>> Anonymous
>>182258
Adult bettas are about an inch? ....no. Plecos are not either. Please look at a ruler and try again. Plecos also grow and shit a LOT, which makes them need a lot more room.
>> Anonymous
>>182260
*shrug*
not my problem lol
>> Anonymous
>>182221

I worked at a Petsmart and we WERE taught to make sure every fish sold with the intentions of being kept as a pet was going to a good home, and I DID deny sales on multiple occasions. Pissed off some customers, but actually caring about it kept a lot of customers coming back.

>>182235
>>182256
Dumb, dumb. It's a two gallon tank, there is room for the betta.

That's it.

Don't try to squeeze anything else in there. Stop it. One or two fish can live comfortably (?) in a two gallon tank.. if they're of an appropriate size, but I'd still only recommend a betta for that kind of setup. A white cloud? Please. They're a schooling fish. How miserable is it going to be in there with zero companions of its own kind with zero room to swim? In before "stop anthropomorphizing your fish."

>>182211
Both? Nothing beyond the betta should have been sold into your care.
>> Anonymous
>>182281
Agreed. Fish with that long, narrow type body shape is a fish that needs a wide area of space to swim around in in order to be happy. Sure, you can cram them in to a bowl, but it's not ideal. And why would you keep a pet if you're just going to make it miserable?
>> Anonymous
(OP)
So... I put the pleco in with the betta and they are basically ignoring each other. I had done this originally but the other tank was dirtier so i put the pleco in there. So basically I will get a different more appropriate sort of algae cleaner for the one with the 4 tetras in it... and everyone is happy. I appreciate the help, and they ARE MY PETS... I care for them I'm not whateverthefuckthatwordwas-ing them
I also put the pleco's rock in there with him since he loves to hide from everything =x
I really wish I had been told about how big the pleco would get *sighs*.Bottom line is I asked and was given false info.
>>182257If you had read my post... I said that the other tetras attacked the one tetra as well.. leading me to think that there had been something wrong with it to begin with, not tha t I had a super aggressive betta. BAsically the thing with bettas (from what I have noticed) regarding tankmates is size. The pleco is big enough to hold his own and is also very passive.
Originally he was in the tank with the betta ( for about a month) when I decided to move him.
>> Anonymous
>>182308
The pleco thing happened to me when I was first getting in to fishkeeping, too. When he gets too large, find a non-chain petstore; they'll usually take them and might give you store credit (or actual cash, in my case). Or if you really want to keep buying bigger tanks that's great too, it's just that they're not cheap.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>182180

jhehe, just get something covered and with holes to hide and swim in and out of. My last betta's liked that a lot and swam around a lot more. I like the castles and caverocks.
>> Anonymous
>>182308
>>So basically I will get a different more appropriate sort of algae cleaner for the one with the 4 tetras in it

Why? Do you have an algae problem that would warrant overcrowding the tank further?

>>BAsically the thing with bettas (from what I have noticed) regarding tankmates is size.

Has it occurred to you that the betta and the tetras may have fought because they were competing for tank space? The tetras and the betta all use open water for swimming, whereas the pleco sticks to the sides and bottom.
>> Anonymous
>>182333
(op)yup I did realize that thanks. which is another reason everyone is now happy in their new tank situations.
>> Anonymous
(OP) The tank that had just the betta in it has a LOT more bottom space. I thank you 4chan for your advice
and with that I leave this thread to die.