Anybody Keeping a Marine Betta?

[Beverly]

One of the first fish we kept many years ago in our 75g reef was a marine betta, Calloplesiops altivelis. It was a very cool fish, but we lost it when an exotic and toxic-when-dead worm-thing died and killed all the larger fish in the tank :(

Anyway, we're thinking of getting another one for our 4' 120g. The only other inhabitants in the tank are a pair of ocellaris clowns (hosting in both our RBTA and GBTA :biggrin: ) and a solarensis wrasse. The rockwork currently in our 120g has lots of caves throughout the rock structure, which is perfect for a marine betta.

I know marine bettas can grow to 8" in length, but our first one grew very slowly over the three years we had it. I'd appreciate any comments, pro and con, about keeping a marine betta in a 4' 120g.

TIA :)

[Willow]

don't they eat inverts?

[i have crabs]

cool fish golds has one right now if your coming to calgary

[Murminator]

Stan aka Reefhawk1 used to have one......BTW haven't seen Stan in a while

[Beverly]

Willow,

I read that they eat shrimp and small fish. Don't have shrimp because I think our fairy wrasse eats them too, and our fish aren't small enough for 4"-5" betta to eat.

i have crabs,

Cool! Not going to Calgary any time soon, but I wonder if someone in Calgary might be coming up here? Will help pay for gas for the person who brings the betta up to us :) BTW, do you know how much the betta at Gold's is and if it's in good condition?

[Denis]

I got one for about 6 years, it hasn't grown much.
Doesn't bother anything, mostly comes out for feedings, very shy fish.
I found this to be almost bullet proof fish.
Highly recommended.

[Canadbis]

Willow,

I read that they eat shrimp and small fish. Don't have shrimp because I think our fairy wrasse eats them too, and our fish aren't small enough for 4"-5" betta to eat.

i have crabs,

Cool! Not going to Calgary any time soon, but I wonder if someone in Calgary might be coming up here? Will help pay for gas for the person who brings the betta up to us :) BTW, do you know how much the betta at Gold's is and if it's in good condition?


Golds are always healthy and in good shape. go to www.cichlids.ca for the number and ask Dennis, or Albert will see this post and chime up

[OCDP]

Golds are always healthy and in good shape. go to www.cichlids.ca (http://www.cichlids.ca) for the number and ask Dennis, or Albert will see this post and chime up

I wouldn't say always . But yes, the majority of the time they are healthy and in good shape.

[Delphinus]

Don't have shrimp because I think our fairy wrasse eats them too
What fairy wrasse do you have? I kept shrimp alongside fairies in several different situations and never had any issue. Both cleaners and peppermints. Fish were C. cyanopleura, C. lubbocki and C. rubriventralis.

Man I do miss having fairies, they are such wonderful fish. Stupid ritteri... :neutral: (Ok .. what I really mean is "Stupid me for failing to identify a risk and thus failing to take adequate precautions against such fragile fish against such a large anemone with defensive capabilities." :( But I guess I digress...)

[Beverly]

Canadbis,

Thanks for the link. Dear husband has Friday off and is now planning to a trip to Calgary :biggrin:

Tony,

Our fairy wrasse is a C. solarensis. I always thought they'd eat shrimp. Maybe I was misinformed. Sorry to hear about your wrasse, though :(

[Quagmire]

Maybe give Golds a call to make sure the Betta is still there.Maybe Dennis will hold it for you.It was there yesterday,but it would be a drag to have someone buy it out from under you at the last minute.

[Beverly]

Quagmire,

Good idea. Actually talked with Dennis before my last post. He says he will hold it for Friday.

[Quagmire]

Right on :biggrin: I think I'll go in and offer $100 for the Betta,to see if he bites:twised:Just Kidding,but it would be fun to see him squirm lol

[naesco]

Never had one but am getting one as soon as I see one in the LFS.
Here is what I read about them.
Very Sensitive to light initially and will want to hide so make them a cave or overhang. Wouldn't get it if you are running MH all the time as they will hide all the time.
Need live food when first introduced than wean them away. (live brine shrimp)
Crabs and shrimp are not safe.
Wayne

[Beverly]

Quagmire,

I know you're just kidding, but what if ten other people drop in at Gold's looking for one now they know there's one there :eek:

Wayne,

Good information. Dang! Should post some pics or a video of the new aquascaping in the 120g since amalgamating the 37g and 67g rock and livestock into the 120g. Anyway, there are two piles of rock and both of them have extensive tunnels with lots of openings to both back and front of the tank. Since we've already kept a marine betta, I'm sure our current set up will offer the betta a few great choices for its lair.

We have also set up the lights this morning so there is 1.5 hours of dawn and dusk in preparation for the betta. Hope the current fish don't get freaked by the change and don't feed this morning.

Don't know how the wrasse is going to take the intruder, since it has had the run of the place for the last week since the switch, and for several months before that. But bettas are pretty tough, if shy, fish, so maybe the betta will put the wrasse in its place pretty quickly.

Dennis also assured me this betta is eating a variety of frozen and flake/pellet foods, so I'm not concerned about providing live food for it.

[Quinster]

I have had my Betta for almost 6 years and it is one of my favorite fish of all times. The hiding is a both a plus and a minus...I don't know if it would be my favorite if I got to see it all the time, but when it does come out, it sure does attract attention from anyone who see's it.

It reacts almost as if it knows it is the center of attention...is swims to dead center of the tank, flairs it's pectoral and dorsal fins, does a big mouth gulp...then it is out for the evening. Very personable fish, and it takes krill right from my fingers (with some patience)

As for the lighting affecting it, during the day it will come out when the halides are on, but it is definatly more active in the evenings with the lower lighting.

[Beverly]

Can anyone post directions from Hwy 2 to get to Gold's?

TIA :)

[dunl]

Sure. Take the Deerfoot, turn off at 17 Ave SE exit....turn left before the Pizza Hut on the left side of 17th. :)

I can't remember the exact address, but it is in a little mini-mall to the north west side of the lot of the Pizza Hut, and the store opening is small.

[Delphinus]

Dunl beat me to the punch but since I've typed this in anyhow I'm going to post anyhow.
-->

Pretty ridiculously easy coming in from Highway 2. Highway 2 turns into Deerfoot. Stay on Deerfoot until you get to 17th Av East/Blackfoot Trail west. Take 17Av. Gold's is on 17th. It's in a little strip mall with a yellow roof in behind a .... I think it's a Pizza Hut. (? someone correct me if I'm wrong). It's almost all the way to 52nd.

from their website cichlids.ca
Gold Aquariums Ltd.
Bay J 4710 - 17th Ave. SE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2A 0V1

mapquest
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&country=CA&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&addtohistory=&cat=&address=4710+-+17th+Ave.+SE&city=calgary&state=ab&zipcode=

[Beverly]

Thank you both for the directions :biggrin: Will pass them onto Chris for Friday. Oooooohhhh! I'm so excited :biggrin:

[Chaloupa]

Bev-once you get your Betta, let us know your impression of his behaviour etc. I have read as much as I could find on them, and have found a lot of conflicting stuff. The LFS has one here that is really really healthy, not overly shy and eating well that I have been considering for a good month or so. (they've actually had him for roughly 4-5 months)

[Beverly]

Woohooooo! Chris is well past Red Deer by now. After stopping for lunch, he should be at Gold's by noon :biggrin:

Here's an old article from Reefkeeping Magazine on marine bettas...

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/hcs3/index.php

A pic from the article...

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/hcs3/images/beta1.jpg

In honour of our new fish, we're going to have to give real names to the fish in our 120g. The betta is gonna be called Spot :wink: Will have to confer with Chris on names for the solarensis wrasse and the ocellaris pair, but none will be named Bob, Bawb or bBob anymore :razz: