Betta sp. Palangkaraya

**Shi Xuan** · 29th Jan 2013, 18:59

Hi Bernard,

Pardon me for asking. When were the fry free-swimming? I noticed that some species are slow-growers, so I'd figure palangkaraya might well just fit the bill.

Also, the Paros that you got from Y618, according to Peter Fincke, they should be Parosphromenus cf. Bintan. He mentioned that an adult rubrimontis male must exhibit plain red in caudal and dorsal, mainly some red in the back portion of the anal too. "The bintan variants from Jambi/Sumatra could be found in the trade in great numbers these years because they are easy to catch. P.rubrimontis has become rather rare; even experts have difficulties finding any since the traditional habitats were destroyed. They still exist, but I have not heard about them in the commercial trade since. They have become too rare for catchers to make things rewarding."

**Emokidz** · 29th Jan 2013, 22:56

The fry were free swimming about 4-5 days after spawning. I fed them on vinegar eels and dapnia. Yea they do grow slowly at first. But once they are big enough to take more daphnia or small tubifex worms, they do grow a lot faster.

Hmmm yea, they do look like P. sp.bintan or some other hobbyists have said sp. nagyi. Personally, I'll just call it an aquarium strain until we have sufficient evidence of their true origin. Very cute fishes still though. Haha.

**Shi Xuan** · 30th Jan 2013, 01:05

Vinegar eel is a convenient food for the fry but they grow slow on it. I feed 1-2 cm fry with Grindals and insect larvae but it can be hassle culturing the former. Keep the sp. Palangkaraya well. Last heard that the collectors are not able to catch any in the wild, so maybe in the future, I can buy some from you.

The Paros are decent little fish. Got what I think, is an adult pair. The male is a little bit obvious with its fin colors but the other one is colorless, so it might probably be a female. Still, they are not really that shy as what I've thought. Keeping them in a 12 litres tank. The bottom of the tank is covered with dried Ketapang leaves to add tannin to the water, a Charcoal tube placed behind as a hideout and the only plant I used, is Java fern. I'm feeding them twice a day on BBS. Tried grindals but they won't touch them at all.

**Emokidz** · 31st Jan 2013, 01:29

Good to know that the paros are doing well. Will be a long time before I consider putting any of the palangkaraya on sale, if they grow up well and if I ever do want to sell them. Right now, they are doing quite well in the tanks, and I'm probably going to leave it that way to avoid any unecessary casualties.

**Emokidz** · 3rd Mar 2013, 15:31

It's been a while and the palangkaraya fry are growing well, eating well, and are both active and healthy.

Currently keeping a grow out tank for the small fry i fish out from the parent's tank after they spawn. I leave some fry with the parents too though as the water in their tank is very stable.
Pretty happy about how the fry are doing and surviving. Keeping up water changes regularly and checking on them to make sure they grow fine.

Here are some pictures of the fry in their grow out tub, nothing fancy. Just moss, a leaf and some snails...

Yes! There are actually fry in there... Look closely!

A close up on a few of them...

During meal time, they get either crushed tetrabits, live daphnia or vinegar eels (which I keep cultures of).

Munching happily on crushed tetrabits...

On a side note, updates on the older batch of fry... They have grown really well and have reached nice sizes (almost about the parents' size when I got them!)

A probable male, judging by the distinct patterning on its caudal fin. Also pelvic fins are colouring up and on a whole, the blue tinge is starting to show.

Thanks for reading!

**Shi Xuan** · 4th Mar 2013, 02:02

Hi Bernard,

Nice to know that your fishes are doing well.

Just a curious question, are these the oldest fry from the first spawn?

**Emokidz** · 4th Mar 2013, 12:13

Yea they are. First and second spawns. Fishes out from parents tank when they were about guppy fry size. So only the stronger ones made it. Makes more sense since I don't want too many fish at the end too.