Marine Betta

[User1]

How is everything going with the children?

 

[ThRoewer]

How is everything going with the children?

They are doing fine but will have to move this weekend since I need the tank for the next batch.

 

[ThRoewer]

I had to empty out the larvae tank for the next batch and was pleasantly surprised to find a lot more babies than I had expected.

 

[TriggerFinger]

There’s a noticeable range of sizes & a lot more than what I was expecting also. Fantastic! Any idea when you will start sending them to new homes?

 

[ThRoewer]

There’s a noticeable range of sizes & a lot more than what I was expecting also. Fantastic! Any idea when you will start sending them to new homes?

I would think they still need at least 2 more months before they can be moved to a reef tank. It may be longer before they can be shipped safely.

 

[laverda]

That is really great ! Excellent job. They look very healthy. I would be interested in two probably to go with my adult when you start shipping them.

 

[ThRoewer]

I used a video screenshot to count them and came to 75.

 

[Ardeus]

Beyond physical appearance, what differences have you noticed between altivelis and argus? Behavior, growth rate, personality?

 

[ThRoewer]

Beyond physical appearance, what differences have you noticed between altivelis and argus? Behavior, growth rate, personality?

I have only one and only for a couple of months so it is too early to say anything definitive, especially growth rates. They seem to be more shy in the beginning but by now my single female argus comes out waiting for food just like the altivelis.

Btw, the female of the altivelis pair I have the babies from is the most outgoing so far, almost always out at the front and always begging for food. Her male, on the other hand, is one of my shyest individual.

Both species like calmer tanks with rather unobtrusive, calm tankmates. They don't seem to be bothered much by clown and anemonefish but seem to be intimidated by tangs and other larger and more restless fish.

 

[Ardeus]

I asked because I notice that the altivelis is much more outgoing and grows much faster. In fact I'm getting worried because the altivelis (supposed female) is now larger than the male and she was less than half his size when I got them.

I also noticed that the argus uses the ventral fins differently, often projecting them forward, something I very rarely see the argus do.

 

[laverda]

I have only one and only for a couple of months so it is too early to say anything definitive, especially growth rates. They seem to be more shy in the beginning but by now my single female argus comes out waiting for food just like the altivelis.

Btw, the female of the altivelis pair I have the babies from is the most outgoing so far, almost always out at the front and always begging for food. Her male, on the other hand, is one of my shyest individual.

Both species like calmer tanks with rather unobtrusive, calm tankmates. They don't seem to be bothered much by clown and anemonefish but seem to be intimidated by tangs and other larger and more restless fish.

I would agree. Mine was seldom seen in my tank, always lurking in the background. When my large 12" salfin tang of 24 years died. I noticed with in a few days my marine beta was out front and in the water column much more. My tank was always very gentle. I called him the gentile giant being much larger than my other fish. When it did tussle with my yellow tang on rear ocasions, it did so with the side missing the scaple. It was always the yellow tang starting things.

 

[ThRoewer]

I asked because I notice that the altivelis is much more outgoing and grows much faster. In fact I'm getting worried because the altivelis (supposed female) is now larger than the male and she was less than half his size when I got them.

I also noticed that the argus uses the ventral fins differently, often projecting them forward, something I very rarely see the argus do.

Now that you bring it up, the ventral fin thing is something I noticed as well, mostly with the one I suspected to be a male. But I have seen that also with altivelis when they hunt live shrimp.

 

[ThRoewer]

59 days. They have settled in well in their new tank:


And here the next batch, just 2 days old:

 

[Ardeus]

What do you think is the relation between these 2? It doesn't look too friendly to me... or is it courtship?

They can see each other a lot of times but rarely get close. This was one of those times.

 

[ThRoewer]

I don't think the 2 species will spawn in mixed pairs. Their distribution in the wild is largely overlapping, yet, no hybrids have been found to my knowledge.
In the wild, C. argus is found at greater depths. C. argus also gets a lot larger than C. altivelis.

 

[Ardeus]

Thanks. I didn't know that the argus is usually found at greater depths.

I see submissive behavior from the (younger) altivelis occasionally.

At what age do they reach sexual maturity? Is there certainty regarding sex change?

Sorry to pester you, but there's so little reliable information in spite of this fish being kept and bread for decades now.

 

[ThRoewer]

Thanks. I didn't know that the argus is usually found at greater depths.

I see submissive behavior from the (younger) altivelis occasionally.

At what age do they reach sexual maturity? Is there certainty regarding sex change?

Sorry to pester you, but there's so little reliable information in spite of this fish being kept and bread for decades now.

No idea about age but I think it is rather size driven.
By my observations, C. altivelis females reach sexual maturity around 100 to 130 mm TL (4 to 5 inches).
All my C. altivelis males were at least 150 mm TL (6 inches) or larger.

As for the depth range of C. argus, I've read that in a reefs.com article and also found it somewhat confirmed by pictures taken by divers. It is plausible and would be an explanation why they are far less frequently imported despite not actually being rare in the wild. It would also explain why they seem to be caught more with cyanide (less time to catch fish at greater depths).

 

[ThRoewer]

8 DPH:


9 DPH:

 

[ThRoewer]

10 DPH:

 

[Sudaien]

After a break of almost 30 years, I plan on raising a few more Marine Bettas.

I currently have one spawning pair in my 100-gallon mixed tank (where harvesting the eggs is difficult) and a harem group of 1 male (wild-caught), 1 large female (wild-caught), and 1 smaller female (Sea & Reef tank bred) in a 40B. I hope the 3 in the 40B will start spawning soon.

This is the male of the pair in the 100-gallon tank with eggs:


This was right at the entrance of the cave structure and could have been easy pickings. Unfortunately, I had neither suitable food nor a suitable larvae tank ready, and the next nest he put in the back of the tank where it can't be reached.

This was the pair while in quarantine, still quite little:



And this video shows them now in the 100-gallon tank



This is a (crapy) video of the harem group:



The male of the group (back then still a female) and the small female have been together since June 2015, the large female I added just a few days ago. When putting the larger female with the other two I expected actually a little bit of fighting but she got along with the male right away and pretty much ignores the smaller female. In the past I had pairs spawn 2 weeks after putting them together but it could also take a few months. I have started feeding krill but might also try to find live grass shrimp to get them going fast.

I also will have to build a special larva tank.

I bought a small one a week or so ago. And have not seen it one time since I put it in tank. Not sure if it is alive or not. I hope so , they look amazing. I have always loved them.
Is this normal for them to vanish this long?