Meeting Notes

June, 2009

Frank Cowherd gave some pointers on presenting and preparing the fish for the bowl shows.

1. Do weekly water changes to prepare the fish and give it the best water conditions to show itself. Check the color of the water in a clear glass. If it's at all yellow, it is not as clean as the water in which you will show the fish.

2. Put the fish into a bare bottom tank for a few days before the show for the fish to get acclimated. If you don't let it adjust to a bare tank with no gravel or decorations, it will be scared and not show well at the event.

3. Stop feeding for 2 days before showing the fish, so the fish does not fowl its water.

4. Aerate the water if you bring your own water supply and use slime coat.

5. Always use a fine mesh net to catch the fish to avoid torn fins. Or catch it in the tank and transfer directly under water to the vessel for transport.

6. Catching a fish always damages the slime coat on the fish so add some Stress Zyme or similar product to the water.

Showing the fish:

1. You are required to use a tank or bowl with at least one flat side. Put plastic wrap on top because fish often jump at shows.

2. Buckets are best for transport. Whether you use a bucket or a bag, use very little water and lots of air. In a bucket with too much water, the fish will stay at the bottom where there is less oxygen. Keep the water level low and the fish will have enough oxygen. If you use a bag, double bags with about 2/3 air.

Risks:

1. Quick water changes or a large water change can affect the fish negatively. Acclimate slowly to new water.

2. Avoid fish trapped in a corner of the bag. Double bagging will eliminate the corners.

3. Acclimate the fish slowly at home.

Robert Dozer gave a talk about Bettas. He has been raising fish for 50 years, he has a degree in biology, and is considered one of the world's leading Betta breeders.

He said there are two types of Bettas: Betta splendens and wild types. There are two types of wilds: bubble nesters and mouth breeders. They have a wide range in South East Asia, and there are 70 species. All Bettas breathe air with an organ called the labyrinth. Betta splendens can be found in streams, puddles, holes, and even large animal footprints filled with water. Wild type Bettas come from cooler waters with a little more current.

80 degress is the optimal temperature for Betta splendens. The wild types prefer cooler temps in the low to mid 70s. Splendens acclimate easily to a wide pH range, but for breeding, an acidity of about 6.5-6.8 is best. Bob keeps wild types in even more acidic water - 5.5. Bettas prefer planted tanks with leaf litter at the bottom. Almond leaves make a good ground covering. The number one thing for good health is water quality. If you don't change water, it becomes toxic. It is like a fish toilet, so change water frequently. Bob recommends changing every 2-3 days if they are in jars, or twice a week if they are in small tanks.

Bettas are carnivores; they need meaty foods. They are definitely not plant eaters. Bob said he does not use flake food, but pellets are ok. He feeds primarily frozen foods like brine shrimp, bloodworms, mysis and a beefheart formula that he makes also for Discus. They make good community fish, so long as you don't keep them with very small fish or fin nipping fish.

Bob said that breeding Betta splendens is a violent act. The male flares before the female. He beats her into submission. When she's ready, she'll display a vertical bar on her body. He wraps himself around her, and she is upside down as she releases eggs and he releases sperm. The male collects the eggs and places them in his bubble nest. The eggs hatch in two days at 80 degrees. When the fry hatch they cannot keep themselves in the bubble nest for the first day, so the male blows them back to the nest. Once the fry are free-swimming they can eat microworms, then baby brine shrimp a couple of days after hatching. After a month they should be fed other foods. Wild Bettas are not as violent in breeding and you can have several pairs in a large aquarium.

All wild Bettas jump, so you must keep a tight lid. They also come from faster moving water, so add current to the tank with a sponge filter or hang on back filter.

ibcbettas.org is the web site for more information.

Mark Harnet