Finally... Fries!

[Shi Xuan]

That's good. Your Betta persephone is getting more prolific or is it just that pair? Nice Pseudomugil sp Red Neon. I guess they are easy fishes to spawn. Pop in a spawning mop and you should see eggs very soon.

[Emokidz]

I guess it should be all of them since the parents displayed the same characteristics too. They don't eat their eggs or fry either. Then again, individuals may vary in terms of character and we won't knoe unless we actually try it out and witness what they do.

As for the neon reds I'll just try to keep them alive and fatten them up first. But it would be nice to have a larger group for my planted tank. Worth a try... after the exams. Haha.

[Shi Xuan]

Yes, it would be breathtaking to have them in a planted tank. I have a lot of Oryzias woworae fry now and I'm going to stop the pair from spawning.

I noticed that the single Betta persephone I singled out yesterday, has built a bubblenest in the container. My guess is, both males are ready even without a female.

[Emokidz]

Oh try putting the female into that tub with him.

[Emokidz]

Coming back to this thread (some 2 years after it was first penned), I read it once again with much joy looking back at the entire course of maintaining this species. Over the course of the last 2 years, both my muar and ayer hitam strains have not been prolific and most of the initial spawn have since grown up, been passed to other hobbyists,
or still swim (though much older and larger than their parents were) in a tank I still keep. Within this time, the results of my breeding attempts for them have been extremely poor to say the least.

After the past year of reapeated attemts, unsuccessful tries, failed spawns, and fungussed eggs - and - Just when all hope to revive the line seemed lost, I came home from work last week to chance upon a very pleasant surprise. A small bubble nest floating in 5cm of water in a 15cm by 15cm tank, home to a pair of Betta persephone sp. 'Ayer Hitam' no larger than 3.5cm each - the male an F2 from the fish I got from Hermanus and female from a good friend's F1 spawn (1cm large when i received it almost a year ago). With a very healthy spawn of 35 fry, the jewel of Ayer Hitam and the line will continue to endure here in sunny Singapore! Though I can't say the same for the Muar line, I am still very ecstatic about the spawn and will once again get the great chance to watch these small and pretty fish grow up from egg and fry.

The fry are free swimming now and are feeding off vinegar eels daily and daphnia on weekends. I separated them from the parents just to be safe.

Pictures to come soon!

[Shi Xuan]

I'm so happy to hear that. Very inspiring indeed. It's always nice to see fry again and that's the best part of keeping betta.

[similus]

Bro Emokidz congrats! I had been looking around for B Persephone but without success. I will be glad to purchase from you if you are willing to part some of your precious juveniles later.


Just got crazy about the wild bettas again!

[Emokidz]

I'm so happy to hear that. Very inspiring indeed. It's always nice to see fry again and that's the best part of keeping betta.

Thanks Shi Xuan. It is indeed the most rewarding part of the hobby. Watching the eggs hatch, hanging fry become free swimming and grow up over time to attain their full beauty.
In the case of Betta persephone, the initial red caudal fin turns slowly into translucent blue - and then to a solid shade of sky blue. While the body changes from red to deep bluish-black.

Pictures of the transition from my fry two years ago:

Building the nest..


The embrace..



The eggs..


Tiny fry and Dad..



Tiny guppy fry-sized persephone



Growing out on Tubi


Red juveniles..


The red going off and turning into blue...



Full blue..


And fully grown..

[TanCH]

Nice betta you have there! And superb pictures! Thanks for sharing!

[Emokidz]

Thanks! My pleasure

[stormhawk]

Congratulations again Bernard. Bubblenesters really love you.

Now trying my hand at a pair of albimarginata.

[similus]

Good old film canister! Will look for one for my b uberis. So far no luck with bubblenester.

[Shi Xuan]

Good old film canister! Will look for one for my b uberis. So far no luck with bubblenester.

Those small plastic flowerpots sold at Nurseries will work just fine too.

It comes down to luck. I think if your fish are willing to spawn, they will do it no matter how you try. That's also the reason why it's more preferable to buy a few pairs of a species. Helps to increase the chances of a successful spawn.

I'm also keeping uberis. You can see them here;
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...alan-buun-quot

I'm raising the F2 fry now.

[similus]

Nice B uberis community.

[Emokidz]

Congratulations again Bernard. Bubblenesters really love you.

Now trying my hand at a pair of albimarginata.

Haha. Thanks... I try my best to keep them happy : )
All the best with the Albi, they are awesome fish

[Emokidz]

Good old film canister! Will look for one for my b uberis. So far no luck with bubblenester.

Yup the film canister works wonders, alternatively, flower pots on their sides work too.

[Emokidz]

I'm also keeping uberis. You can see them here;
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...alan-buun-quot

I'm raising the F2 fry now.

Very nice SX. The fishes look good. Hopefully they are able to thrive under your care and the line will endure.

[Shi Xuan]

Very nice SX. The fishes look good. Hopefully they are able to thrive under your care and the line will endure.

Yup, I hope so too. I have three lines of uberis now, after exchanging my adult Aphyoplatys duboisi pair with Sam for his uberis. For now, however, I'm keeping his fish separately from my line because its colors are quite different from yours and mine. The adult male has some red tinge on the pectorals and until I am able to confirm the species, either through meristics etc., I'm planning to keep his line pure as it is.

[Emokidz]

Yup, I think the strains should be kept separately until we can confirm them. As for the ones I passed you, I hope either of us can breed the strain. The lateral spot is really distinct on the males and a trait that defines the pangkalan bun strain I believe. Am trying on my end, but not luck as of yet.

[Rutilans]

Emokidz,I'm keeping wild bettas too and would be happy to take some Persephone off you.
Hi similus.
and I'm also in AF