And the Betta Fry Emerge!

[Tilt]

We've got babies over here! At about 11:30 AM the fry began to emerge from the eggs! I've seen at least five so far that I can tell apart. They're jutting around the bubblenest and some are falling to the bottom. Kuuipo is frantically trying to pick them up and put them back into the nest. Some make it back up on their own. It's so darn cute to watch!

Pictures to come as soon as I can get a clear shot of the wee ones...

[PicOlio]

VERY KEWL!!!!!!! CONGRATS!

What are you going to name each of them *g*

[Tilt]

Thanks!

LOL! Wait until I can tell them apart, please! Otherwise I'm going to have to name them all "Bob."

Looks to be about ten fry now. Woo! Daddy Kuuipo is a busy little betta now... Maybe next time he'll think twice about having an amorous night with Mali.

[Tilt]

OK, here's one picture. At the top, you can see about four Betta Fry. They're the white dots. (Btw, the ones right about them are their reflection.) There's also a couple of eggs in that pic as well. Then, in the lower left, the white dot with a transparent tail is another fry. They're not much right now. You can just barely make out tails and eyes at this point.

I can't wait until they're actually well defined little fish.

[veggiegirl]

Congrats on your many new arrivals!

Thats so cool that they came right after you lost your other fishy. Do you have any idea what colors they will be?

[Tilt]

Thanks VeggieGirl!

It's hard to say exactly, as Ku'uipo is multi-colored. Mali is a Cambodian Red. I would imagine a good number will look like Mali, and others be wacky colors like Ku'uipo. They'll be a colorful bunch though! Reds, pinks, purples, whites, flesh colors, etc. And who knows what pop up that didn't show up on their parents! I can't say that I know what colors Ku'uipo's parents were.

They won't start showing color for awhile still (a month? I forget exactly.) And even then, the color won't be set. It'll darken as they age, and as the males' fins grow longer the patterns will change and more color will appear. (Their fins grow in clear and the color comes in later)

What'll be fun, to me anyway, is that these colors are mostly what I consider "Valentines colors." lol. I don't think anyone breeds Bettas with valentine colors in mind.

I can just see it now... "Love your Valentine? Get her a Valentine Betta! Four colors to choose from!"

[Tilt]

I think I'll be naming the fry (much later) after my past Bettas. At least, if any remind me of them.

[dappledoxie]

Awesome!! That is super neat!

[Tilt]

The fry are developing swimbladders now. Some are actually swimming left to right (and vice versa) rather than just up and down. Daddy Ku'uipo is relaxing more.

Everything is looking good.

[Tilt]

Picture update

[Sassy]

How many of them is there?

[Tilt]

Earlier I counted 50, and I KNOW that's not all. I was only counting what I could easily see at the FRONT of the tank. I'm speechless, honestly. I thought I had 2-3 dozen, not over 50!

Needless to say, I've begun collecting jars and containers to hold them all in.

[Sassy]

Wow! that is alot of babies

[Ilovesmepets]

Congratulations!!!! I love bettas. I've contemplated raising some myself, but wouldn't know what to do with the oodles of babies.

[Tilt]

Thanks!

Give them away as gifts (to people who show an interest and would be good Betta mommies and daddies,) sell them to friends/acquaintances, sell them to your LPS, etc.