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Post by nataliey on May 2, 2011 13:48:36 GMT
I mentioned a bit back that 4 bettas had arrived from Indonesia which id ordered from MH like i usually do, left them a while so if there was any problems during the travelling they'd be straightened out by the time i went to get them. Well anyway, went on Saturday for them and 2 had changed quite a lot...I had a pair of white opaques HMPK's, a green female and a fancy HMPK male. The first time i saw them the green female looked black which i didnt mind as i wanted a black female anyway, so not a problem also the fancy boy didnt look as fancy as he does now he was more white and pink. When i brought them all home Saturday i noticed something different under my tank lights that i hadnt noticed at the lfs...the white opaque male has green markings on his body and his fins/tail stunning colour, you cant really see from the photos but just looking at him wow! Here he is: Can you see the green markings on his finnage in this photo: This is his matching female he was paired up with for me: This is the green female she only looks green in certain lights though: Finally the fancy male HMPK (he's very nosey and cheeky) he looks more red in his finnage now when i first saw him he didnt have that colouring: He's got a gorgeous little face love his eyes I dont know if anyone will believe me but all my tanks arent full yet i have to big ones that are empty!!!!
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Post by Roxane on May 2, 2011 15:41:39 GMT
Natalie, have you heard of carotenoids? They are what ive fish their colour basically. Me and Charlie are doing some extensive research into it at the moment.
Basically the colour of a fish is determined by the pigments in it's skin (genetic) but in order for that fish to display those colours, it needs to intake carotenoids to promote that colour. Most fish receive these from the foods they eat. One of the biggest problems with modern fish foods and the colouration of tropical fish - especially show grade fish is that there is a huge market for bright coloured fish. Many companies are now putting carotenoids into fish foods to boost sale as everyone wants a brightly coloured fish. However, to meet demand, compnaies put a whole range of carotenoids into fish foods (there is a seperate carotenoid per colour). Here is where the problems start for single coloured fish. This is quite hard to explain but i'll give it a go:
Say you have a pure white betta. He has been bred specifically to be white. However, due to need to occasionally cross out a strain in order to stabalize the strain's genes, you will always get a slight hint of another colour (usually red or green/blue in whites). There will also be certain pigments in the genetics that just can't be bred out - these fish aren't naturally white.
Ok, so you have your white male and the breeder WILL know a little about these carotenoids. Certain foods contain certain carotenoids and some food just don't contain any. A good example is Kirll/Shrimp. Flamingos are naturally white but there are pigments in their genetics that will display pink if they come into contact with the astaxanthin carotenoid. Krill contains a naturally high amount of astaxanthin (the red carotenoid), so the flamigo become pink as the carotenoid passes onto them when they eat the krill.
If you feed your white betta krill, shrimps or any other food containing astaxanthin, you will turn him pink - the intensity will all depend on the levels of the pink/red pigments in his genetic makeup.
I wish i had taken some pictures, but when i got my imports in, all i had to feed them at the time was TetraBetta which contains shirmp. All the white bettas are now a shade of pink. This is not a problem, they just need to be fed a diet containing no carotenoid for a few weeks to return to white.
Another problem is where you have a single coloured fish, but the food you're feeding him contains a number of carotenoids. He will eventually develop different colours and will no long be the one solid colour.
Natalie, finnaly getting around to your scenario. A lot of the betta i've sold you and these ones from MH have changed colour haven't they. I would put it all down to the food. What are you feeding them? Try and find out what MH have fed them whilst they have been at the fish store.
It's very interesting stuff. I'm looking for some more researchers to join me and charlie if anyone is interested?
Roxy
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Post by fuzzynicki on May 3, 2011 14:58:36 GMT
All gorgeous Natalie! I'm a sucker for the whites!
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Post by nataliey on May 3, 2011 15:29:43 GMT
All gorgeous Natalie! I'm a sucker for the whites! LOL, im glad its not jjust me then!! You'd better join the "sucker for whites club"
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Post by petebatman on May 10, 2011 19:17:22 GMT
That white/green male is beautiful!
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Post by nataliey on May 10, 2011 22:12:38 GMT
Thanks
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Post by charliem177 on May 13, 2011 21:01:32 GMT
nat did you ever breed your hmpk red dragons?
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Post by nataliey on May 13, 2011 21:13:36 GMT
nat did you ever breed your hmpk red dragons? I did but he ate all the eggs they where fantasic spawners and they got on very well, but the male ate all the eggs...i wasnt happy!! Then for some reason he died there was no obvious reason for it couldnt see anything wrong and water tests where as they normally would be his death has always been unexplained. Im finding it hard to spawn HMPK's they are just uninterested in even blowing me a bubblenest.
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Post by charliem177 on May 13, 2011 21:18:32 GMT
lol oh dear, i must admit ive found so many males ive bred eat their eggs which is so frustrating cus it then takes days and days to condition the female again, possible weeks if shes been hurt at all. Thats a bugger that he died, i always get a little twitchy when ive had matched pairs in the past because they are expensive and it only takes 1 of them to die and the dreams of breeding a sucessful line are all over.
Charlie
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