THE LIFE OF A BETTA FISH blowing bubbles, fighting, and breeding

[@Fly_strange]

This is the best video related to betta fish I have seen on YT. Covers everything, every educational 😊

[@TheDave333]

Wow, thank you! 😊

[@purpleworm4725]

I had similar situation to yours where treatment wasn't working. My fish all had a disease that caused them to itch and periodically (once in a few months) one would develop ulcers, start piping at the surface, and die slowly. I think I literally tried everything. I tried all types of general meds, parasite meds, antibiotics, salt. I even attempted to put fish in new, clean environment and dip them in formaldehyde before the transfer. I even brought one of my fish for microbiological testing at a lab. Unfortunately they couldn't find the causative agent with the methods they used. I was told it is either virus, something in their environment or I didn't catch a good sample fish. At the end I just gave up on trying to treat them and decided to help them live as long and happy as possible. As a result third of my fish lived to their normal life expectancy. And it was all in all enjoyable experience having them.

[@TheDave333]

Hi, and thanks for sharing your experience with me. Even with all of the ups and downs, the lost lives, and the heartaches, this is still a truly rewarding hobby. Do you still have tanks? You haven't put out a video in a while. . .

[@syedshahzad1389]

Amazing and very educational video…….much better than bbc nature and natural geographic wrapped together.Fabulously talented person

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much. The fish did most of the work. :-)

[@pepercat17]

Oh my gosh. Yasssssssssssssss! Finally a documentary of fish tank beta

[@TheDave333]

Good stuff...... thanks for watching.

[@PaulsFishroom]

I’ve bred many many bettas over the years and Velvet is a common occurrence. I found an effect treatment using Sealife Cuprazin. This medication is also copper based and normally used for marine aquaria. For freshwater adult fish use half the marine dose and for fry use one drop for every 4 UK gallons. This information isn’t general knowledge as most hobbyists can’t accurately calculate the volume of their aquaria and there is very little safety margin when using this medication in freshwater tanks. Terrific video as usual Dave 🤓👍

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching Paul and sharing your many years of experience. I guess the Cuprazin is best used in a precisely measured volume of water / bare tank, which should be simple enough. Sounds like powerful stuff. Thanks for the tip.

[@adamhalcyon3393]

Im glad this video exists. In alot of KZbin vids you only see sucess. They must not post the screw ups. But thats what beginners need to see.

[@TheDave333]

Thanks. It's a part of the hobby and many times we need to fail in order to succeed! The Dave keeps it real. . .

[@shanak9892]

You're amazing 🤩 thanks for making this Never stop moving forward 💪

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much. 😁

[@witnesstheworld2010]

We adopted 2 baby betta fish (1 male, 1 female) this month, and my 4-year old son is very excited to see these fish interact and explore their new home (6.5 gallon tank with many live plants). Your video is incredibly enjoyable to watch and super relaxing/highly educational. I learned a lot, so THANK YOU for sharing an inspirational video, despite the sad ending regarding the baby fish.

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching the video and sharing your story. I think it's great that you're getting your son interested in the hobby / natural world.

[@jaekelopterus9999]

Such a good narrator!

[@TheDave333]

Thank you!

[@MaryBarry-ks6hn]

@@TheDave333. You have a very melodious voice,calm and it draws you in. Thank you for your patience ❣️

[@mikeymaiku]

it kinda makes me sad your amazing videos dont get more views, but theres something about very educational / informative videos that do poorly on youtube =(

[@TheDave333]

No worries. I'm happy making them, and the tide is changing.

[@jagbombs4life]

I loved the two I just Watched

[@steviemichelle7271]

His channel was just recommended to me last night, and I can’t remember the last time I watched a video about fish. I hope this means that the algorithm is showing his content to more people, as his work is beautiful and educational ❤

[@noufalzed8513]

One Main reason is the bad thumbnail. Work on it, show a beautiful betta and frame well the photo

[@elizzyyy1074]

now they got 65k !!

[@tomneeb5474]

Another absolutely amazing video. Thank you so much for creating this. Tom

[@TheDave333]

You're very welcome Tom, thanks for watching.

[@mondraymondo]

i love dumbo / big ear betta! when they swim its like they have fluttering fairy wings

[@TheDave333]

Wow, they do look like fairy wings! I love them too! :-)

[@tamarrajames3590]

Dave, this is an amazingly beautiful and informative video. Seeing the entire mating process and birth was very special. I’m so sorry the fry didn’t make it…they are quite beautiful with their big eyes. Thank you for keeping in the problem with velvet, and the treatment. Too few channels ever show the things that can go wrong, and only present their success. It is important for those newer to the hobby to see, and learn from issues like this one. You are the best my friend.✨🖤🇨🇦

[@TheDave333]

I'm so glad to see that you're back, but it's important to take time to grieve. It's never easy losing a loved one.✨✨✨

[@MaryBarry-ks6hn]

Agree, wonderful to experience that, I’m in awe! Thank you…

[@tamarrajames3590]

@@TheDave333 I hear you…and I am trying to give myself that needed time. Losing such a loved one is the hardest thing I know, but returning to the good people and normal parts of a life interrupted is also necessary to recovery. I don’t guarantee that I won’t have lost times in future… but I can hope they will not be as isolating as this one was. One day at a time, and sometimes one breath at a time is all I know. I missed you, and that was enough to bring me back, even if only until the next wave hits. ✨💖✨🖤🇨🇦

[@leahnichol6665]

Those babies have / had a high likelihood of being stunningly beautiful. I hope you have been able to rescue the last few.

[@TheDave333]

I'm working on it. . .

[@angelawhite2022]

This is the best footage of betta breeding I’ve seen yet. You are an excellent photographer and narrator. I have a male and female now in two separate tanks and it makes me go, hmmm 🤔 but then the ending here was devastating. I got so invested 😭

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much for the kind words, and sorry for the let down at the end, but this is the reality of our hobby. Life gives us pain and heartache right next to the joy and beauty of living . . . 😞🤗

[@angelawhite2022]

@@TheDave333 for sure. Gotta take the bad with the good. But you certainly did the very best you could for them, and that’s all that matters! ❤️

[@stevekim280]

This is the best video. I've seen them all. And this one is by far the most informative with awesome footage. Keep it up!

[@TheDave333]

Wow, thanks!

[@mq9047]

Wow what a roller coaster of highs and lows… the circle of life continues. Outstanding video!!

[@TheDave333]

Thank you very much!

[@ObeseMcDese]

Any news on the babies? I imagine if they could be totally cured they would have quite the immunity to velvet in the future. May even benefit offspring they have.

[@TheDave333]

Unfortunately, all of the babies died. one by one . . . very sad.

[@mq9047]

Noooooo 😢

[@danieldaddydeeevans8136]

​@@TheDave333so sad😢

[@fishfuse02]

Very well organized and documented video Dave. Much appreciated work 💯

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much. 😊

[@POTPachyOTP]

Im so heartbroken about the velvet. I was so invested. 8 love this video

[@TheDave333]

I was heartbroken too!

[@farlonglong3555]

Just stumbled across your channel yesterday and I really like your videos. Very informative, thank you!

[@TheDave333]

You're very welcome. Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave a comment.

[@moonpleco5083]

Amazing view into bettas life. So close catched footage of egg laying and fry development. Velvet parasite may enter the aquarium with live food. Adults are more resist to invasion. If copper is not sufficient, please go to veterinarian who cures fish too. They can prescribe medication not available in stores. Give betta fry a chance !

[@TheDave333]

Hello again, and thanks for watching another video! 😊

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

Dave, I actually like the idea of you making a song about these beautiful fish!

[@TheDave333]

Me too . . .

[@AquaJoyClub]

Yay! New video from The Dave!! Beautiful footage as always and great narration! I've never seen bettas embrace each other like that, so cute how they hug

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching the video. Yikes! I don't really know how to treat that an abscess. I'm sorry. Off the top of my head I'd say you probably need antibacterial meds, but I'm not a vet. Salt in the water might also be helpful, but best to check with a professional. If your betta lives with other fish, they might be tempted to pick at the abscess. . . I hope he gets better soon, and sorry I couldn't be of more help. :-(

[@AquaJoyClub]

@@TheDave333 thanks for info~ I think I will keep on monitoring and pray to the fish gods 😆

[@TheDave333]

❤❤❤

[@AquaJoyClub]

@@TheDave333 Good luck with your miracle fry :). I'm excited to hear back with an update. Also, I didn't realize bettas have la petite morts hahaha...I was waiting for the male betta to light up a cigarette after :P

[@joshpoonsingh9514]

@The Dave I have this problem at every batch of betta fry i breed,the only solution for me was methylene blue ich and velvet treatment,use this in the water for 3 days with a water change everyday to ensure they dont get it back do the same thing everyweek until they are about 1.5 cm

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching the video, and for the helpful advice! I'll give it a try.

[@LDProductionsClass]

Thank you for sharing this video! It was awesome to follow you on this journey, even if it had a sad ending. That is an unfortunate but real part of the hobby, and it is good for you to show that!

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much!

[@expertz]

beautiful footage!

[@TheDave333]

Thank you!

[@SalamanderFangskin]

10:49 😂 Not only in French; but also in Spanish I have heard it to refer to what the French also refer to. Very sad that the babies got sick with those parasites 😓 In this case; where did these parasites come from? 🤔

[@TheDave333]

I'm thinking the parasites came from the female betta. Some adult fish have a built in immunity to these things, and don't actually get ill, but they can still carry the bug. 😓

[@SalamanderFangskin]

@@TheDave333 I understand. I see you added salt along with the medication. Just before watching your video; I watched The Fish Dr. [ from Australia] latest video "Curing koi pond with excess mucus foam caused by skin parasites." And he says that you add salt at the end of the complete treatment because when you add salt the fish form a mucous coating that if they have a parasite they also end up protecting it.

[@TheDave333]

I see, that makes sense to use the salt at the end. Thanks so much for sharing that with me.

[@SalamanderFangskin]

@@TheDave333 You are welcome! 😊 And I hope you can show us in the future what happened next and maybe some conclusions or advice to prevent it from happening again from your experience. Thank you! - Ramón 🇲🇽

[@toysandstuff2846]

Dave, Loved your commentary.

[@TheDave333]

Thank you! It's a labor of love.

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

Being a male betta is very hard work.

[@TheDave333]

Yes it is!

[@janicelefever2918]

Beautiful video. Is it true one can "put fish to sleep" using clove oil? Life is full of ethical decisions - I trust you to make the decision that is the best for both you and the life you care for. Thank you so much for showing me things that I would never otherwise see. Stunning!

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave a comment. Yes, it is true that you can "put fish to sleep" using clove oil. I've had to do it several times over the years and it always makes me sad. Now, I associate the smell of cloves with sick / dying fish. I'm still treating the babies and hoping for the best.

[@janicelefever2918]

​@@TheDave333 How very sad. Due to an infestation of Malaysian Trumpet Snails and fear of cross contamination to my other tanks, I fear I might have to join you in clove induced sadness. And after a good 60 yrs. of aquarium keeping. Life does have its ups and downs, eh? Thank you so much for adding to my ups.

[@sunnyy1322]

I love bettas

[@TheDave333]

Me too

[@Rosiethefatcarp]

I love bettas too.

[@shankarvg5118]

Dev sir your explanation and camera work is superb.i don't have words to appreciate your work.thanks a lot.

[@TheDave333]

You are most welcome my friend. 😊

[@ars.photography8952]

Your videos are so good

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much 😀

[@mesandz2623]

Amazing video, your patience and technical skills in bringing this video to all . Thank you.

[@TheDave333]

You're very welcome! It's a labor of love. 🐠🦈🐟

[@tamarrajames3590]

This is a truly beautiful video Dave. I love your great attention to detail, and how you marry history to present action. I have always found betas intriguing and exquisite, but have never understood how people have treated them. Thank you for sharing this, and I hope the babies come okay, that little one in the head on image is so sweet.🖤🇨🇦

[@TheDave333]

Thank you once again my friend. 😊

[@QuebecFish]

Another awesome video! Everyday i look to see if you posted a new video. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@TheDave333]

You're very welcome. Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave a comment. I'm making them as fast as I can. 😊

[@marksteele2008]

Fantastic work, as in all your videos. The incredible macro video sets them apart from all others, plus the accurate information. Sorry about the velvet disease. The most frustrating part of the hobby is dealing with disease, which despite careful quarantine and medication, often creeps in, because there are so many kinds of disease, they can lurk without symptoms for a long time, and they are often hard to diagnose.

[@TheDave333]

My thoughts exactly.

[@leons5k]

Such a beautiful video and beautiful species. I’m so sorry about the parasite. Had to subscribe!

[@TheDave333]

Thank you for subscribing. 😊

[@rsousaaquarios]

POR Alguns de nós partilhamos umas coisitas no KZbin, depois vem você com vídeos como este e envergonha-nos a todos! 😅😅😅 Brilhante! Mais um grande vídeos que nos faz apaixonar por uma espécie de peixes e dar, ou voltar a dar, uma oportunidade a este peixe lindo uma vez mais. Eu não sei o que dizer se não: obrigado. Adoro a forma como conta a história. Um abraço, desde Portugal! Renato Sousa ENG Some of us share a few things on KZbin, then you come with videos like this and embarrass us all! 😅😅😅 Bright! Another great video that makes us fall in love with a species of fish and give, or give again, an opportunity to this beautiful fish once again. I don't know what to say other than: thank you. I love the way you tell the story. A hug from Portugal! Renato Sousa

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much. 😊 Eu aprecio o amor.

[@chhuantea1781]

this will hit million views

[@TheDave333]

I think so too! 😊❤😊

[@michellebrownstein6569]

Beautiful film❤

[@TheDave333]

Thank you 😊

[@Theoscarshow]

Fantastic video

[@TheDave333]

Thank you

[@elr5475]

Ugh I didn’t get notified about this video. Glad I found it!

[@TheDave333]

I'm glad you found it too! It didn't do as well as I had hoped. Maybe it's a bit too long?

[@dillonyakub3428]

Very Informative, Thank - you ...

[@TheDave333]

You are welcome!

[@lukasjanecka9996]

Stunning footage, thank you Dave!

[@TheDave333]

You're very welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@kenfortuna3663]

Great video. Thanks for your effort and sharing 👍

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment.

[@aholiabtegar3036]

Thank you for this incredible documentary!

[@TheDave333]

You're welcome, and thanks for watching. 😊

[@Kate-cb4rj]

I just got my first batch of krib fry and this is scaring me! I'll take a really close look at them in the morning when the lights come on. Glad others in the comments seem to have some medication suggestions, hope something can work!

[@TheDave333]

Congratulations on the Krib fry! They're such awesome fish / parents. Don't let the velvet thing scare you. . . The best way to avoid introducing parasites is to avoid adding new plants, and or, fish to the tank. Every time you add something to the tank you run the risk of introducing something nasty. Stability will also help the immune system of the fish. To help set your mind at ease, I suggest buying a magnifying glass. I have one in my fish room and I use it a lot. It comes in handy for inspecting small worms and all of the little bugs that turn up in the tank. I use mine to look at snails, fish, eggs, bugs, hydra, etc. I have a link to a great magnifying lens in the video description section. And finally, have you seen my video on the Kribensis? It's one of my older ones where I used text rather than narration, but it's still a great video. 😊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4OpkHhjo95mmtk

[@Kate-cb4rj]

@@TheDave333 Absolutely love the krib video, though I do like having the audio component in recent videos (your voice is very soothing). This is my pairs first successful spawn and the female is herding babies around the tank as she speak. She did completely rip the tail off of the male though. He's currently in a breeder box for his safety, so shes a single mother. I'll try keeping them together for the next spawn but I think the male would have been killed if he stayed there with her! She is doing such a good job taking care of the babies though that I forgive her for nearly killing the male.

[@TheDave333]

Kribs are very, very, serious about their parenting. I'm guessing that your female krib probably saw, or thought she saw, the male eat one of her babies. So, she turned on him. For some reason she doesn't trust him near the babies. I'm assuming your don't have another tank for the injured male? A larger low stress environment will help make sure he recovers soon. A breeder box under bright light without any place for the male to hide is very stressful and may slow his recovery. . . She may not let him near the babies again. Nonetheless, enjoy watching the mother and her fry. They're such smart fish. It's fun to watch them parent. 😊

[@Kate-cb4rj]

@@TheDave333 he’s currently in a heavily planted 15 gallon. He was in the breeder box for only couple days and I had a cave in there with him. I thought he might recover fast (I’ve seen their fin nips grow back in a day) but the female did some serious damage. His fin has been growing back though and he seems very happy in his own tank. I’ll put them back together once the babies are older and she calms down a bit!

[@TheDave333]

That's awesome to hear! Thanks for letting me know. 😊😊😊

[@abnerarciaga2210]

"I will give you a big hug!" The hug 💀:

[@TheDave333]

It's a short nap, rather than a long sleep. . .

[@RoyalesSushi]

amazing video, enjoyed this during my TOK lecture :)

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much. I've heard great things about TOK.

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

Dave, what's the reason why you wanted to keep these lovely fish?

[@TheDave333]

The answer is in your question. . . because they're lovely.

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

@@TheDave333 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@JJLewin1]

Amazing filming, truly wonderful. So sorry about the velvet problem, how sad to lose so many fry. Better luck next time.

[@TheDave333]

Thank you very much!

[@karenburke6298]

Thank you! What a great video! I would put them to sleep. Not worth the risk . Now I need to go watch It again. Just wow, wonderful.❤

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much! It was a fun video to make.

[@sandrayala]

Amazing footage, as always. And very educational, as always. I agree en one of the comments I read, this account should have thousands more followers, not those misleading accounts on TikTok. Having said that… I have struggled with tens of sick bettas, in most cases they died, but a few I could manage to save, so my advice is to fight (treat them) till the end. I also suggest changing treatments after a while with no results, some brands have very effective meds, but when they don’t won’t, better to switch. I just got a book by Hector Gutiérrez, about fish deseases. It’s by far the best guide on treatment, even if you don’t speak Spanish, it’s worth buying it and getting someone to translate (you’ll need a microscope too). Great luck with whatever you decide! 🙌🏼

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for for watching the video and leaving such helpful comments. I won't give up, and I will be switching treatments. I also like to give the fish rest periods to recover from the stress of the medication, before I start another round of treatment. Thanks for the book recommendation. I've seen Hector's posts on his face book page. I really need to learn Spanish! And get a microscope. . . I've been wanting one for years. 😊

[@sandrayala]

@@TheDave333 Best of luck! And please let us know how it went.

[@TheDave333]

Thank you, I will.

[@shadowhackerv90]

Very interesting great video

[@TheDave333]

Thank you

[@davejones7202]

So sorry for the babies and you. Velvet is so tough to get rid of.

[@TheDave333]

Thanks! It really was, and in the end all of the babies died. :-(

[@losir7331]

Great video. Very informative and well produced. Wish you all the best.

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much. Best wishes.

[@rayanedits8198]

Literally appreciate ur work ..... awesome video ❤

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much 😀

[@JvWet]

Thank you for this informative vid, very much appreciated especially your remarks about mistreatment by humans with (very) small tanks.

[@TheDave333]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@hibathahar7884]

Hi could you tell me how to clean a tank (with no filter) without disturbing my betta's bubble nest

[@TheDave333]

It's difficult to do. My best advice is to lower the water slowly and put the new water in the same way, slow. You can use a bit of airline tubing and an airline valve to carefully put the water back in. (As well as to remove the water very slowly). Don't worry about vacuuming up mulm, detritus etc. Keep the tank covered as much as possible to keep the humidity high. Humid air helps keep the bubbles in tact. If there no females in the tank and they're not getting ready to breed, it's okay if the nest gets broken up a little. He'll just fix it or make a new one.

[@lordhemel10]

There is good reason people breed them in bare bottom tank and use almond leaf to avoid type of parasites, if u have used almond leaf from the begining the parasite problem would have not apeared.

[@TheDave333]

I understand the benefits of almond leaves, but I don't believe that they would've made a difference here.

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

Dave, how was your Thanksgiving?

[@TheDave333]

It was great = lots of pie! I hope yours was good too. 🤗

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

@TheDave333 Mine was unusual 'cause we spent all night looking for a restaurant to eat at until we found a Cantonese one.

[@TheDave333]

Well, that makes it memorable.

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

@@TheDave333 Ha-ha. Yeah, you can say that.

[@julianantun1735]

great job, loved the vid

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much.

[@sherrysaunders8988]

I just got 4 Betas yesterday. 1 is in a 2 and half gallon tank. I still have the 3 in their original cups. How often do you take and add water to the containers? Just found your page. Love this video

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching the video. In a small container I would change 50% of the water every 2 or 3 days. Use dechlorinated water that is the same temp. as the water in the bowl. You could put water in a one gallon container and place it near where you keep the fish, then the water temp. will be about the same. Feed very lightly when keeping bettas in a small container.

[@glossguild]

Enjoy your new babies! Remember, bettas require at least five gallons at a minimum. Planted environments will improve their living conditions greatly, along with driftwood to explore.

[@arijitpal166]

Is hydra good for aquarium?

[@TheDave333]

I wouldn't say they're good, but they don't really do any harm.

[@arijitpal166]

@@TheDave333 thank you

[@fish375]

베타 키우고 싶네요. ❤❤

[@TheDave333]

베타를 키워야 합니다. 그들은 훌륭한 물고기입니다. ❤❤❤

[@NoapteaMintii]

Nice video, surprising ending. 😞

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching. There's always lots of surprises in this hobby. Some are good, and some not so much.

[@bilishabass6294]

The video is so soothing, what happens if you don't remove the male papa fish from the babies?

[@TheDave333]

He might eat them. Once he's ready to breed again, he may see them as threat. 🐠🦈🐟

[@everythingisprobability6692]

So do you feed the male beta fish form the time of laying eggs to the time the fris are 3 days old or dose the male beta dosen't eat in this period of time

[@TheDave333]

I don't usually feed the male after they spawn, and some males won't even eat when they have eggs/fry. If I do decide to feed, I don't use floating foods because they might contaminate the bubble nest / eggs. I prefer to feed the male live foods like black worms because they sink to the bottom, they won't die, and they won't cause water quality issues. If I don't have black worms, any good sinking food given in moderation will work. Avoid floating foods. . .

[@justmeemily6482]

What happened with them? Are they still alive? I hope so I need update

[@TheDave333]

Babies all died. Parents hanging in there.

[@taylortisaac]

Good call making me look up la petite mort on my own 😂

[@TheDave333]

Thanks! Just trying to keep things appropriate for all ages. 😁

[@MaryBarry-ks6hn]

@@TheDave333. Just looked it up. Again , you are kind to think of the young ins! 👍

[@EricaMendoza-z2i]

Absolutely great art

[@TheDave333]

Thank you so much!

[@MaryBarry-ks6hn]

Send them to fish heaven.! Completely clean/ disinfect ,but everything must go. It needs special cleansing. So sorry Dave. You were such a great caregiver. My husband and I mourn your loss,with you. You did everything you could. 😕

[@TheDave333]

It's just part of the hobby, these things happen . . .

[@owl7278]

I have a question, why do some bettas die after mating or giving birth?

[@TheDave333]

Probably due to exhaustion would be my guess. And we never really know how old they are when we first buy them. It's always sad to lose one of our little friends.

[@owl7278]

@@TheDave333 I see. Thanks for that info.. sadly, I only have 1 betta male left here. I'm hoping my betta frys will do grow up..

[@twotornfins]

I generally try to let the fish fight the parasite or disease on their own. My assumption is that the parents already have or had (and likely passed it onto the babies) the parasite, and have immune systems robust enough to survive the attack. I also assume this happens more often than we know about in commercial breeder settings, so I allow the babies a chance to fight off the parasite, disease, etc and assume that any survivors will grow up to have strong immune systems.

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching the video. That's a very good way of approaching the problem. The best defense is strong immune system.

[@mrlimas7460]

excellent job of filming.

[@TheDave333]

Thank you!

[@FluorescentBetta]

I've had four, deep substrate, planted tanks for about a year now. From what I understand from Father Fish is that if the fish are sick, then the tank is sick. It's like the human body. If our face breaks out in acne, we could spot treat, but unless RCA is performed and treated, the acne will keep coming back. So a sick fish means a sick tank - the tank also needs to be treated. Diversity of microflora and fauna (bacteria & parasites) in the tank should keep everything in check. Disease only outbreaks when there's an imbalance in the tank. If everything is healthy and the tank has a complete food web, then survival of the fittest. In backyard poultry keeping this allows the fittest to pass on their disease resistant genes.

[@TheDave333]

Sickness does weed out the weaklings. . .

[@pandora881]

Hope you kept treating them.

[@TheDave333]

Yes, I did continue to try and save them all, but in the end none of them survived. 😞

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

Whoooaaa! Oh wow this is glorious!

[@TheDave333]

Thank you my friend! 😊

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

@@TheDave333 I was suprised to see it too! 🐟❤💃🚶

[@ugarit5]

Would some salt help em? You should make a community post about their state,i hope theyll survive...

[@TheDave333]

Yes, I used aquarium safe salt. There's a link in the video description section.

[@MisterEcks]

Absolutely stunning photography and beautiful commentary! Only gripes would be the off pause (a bit too sudden, jarring?) and the detailed red finger, which really stands out. I suggest swapping those out for arrows, or a moving spotlight accompanied by darkening the rest of the screen (preferable! it'd look so good with such high definition and quality!). If you decide on using an image overlay, I suggest playing around with the colors as well, your tank looks amazing and the still/jerkiness of the small png doesn't match.

[@nastyboy69]

Counterpoint: No.

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching the video and taking the time to leave such a comment. I'm always looking to improve the quality of my work, so I'll consider all of your suggestions.

[@BLUEBIRD-1960]

Try hard, boiled eggs and take the yolk out. Crumble the yolk and feed that to the babies. The problem with feeding live food is it carries parasites has you found out. keep up the good work.

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for the advice, but I'm not a fan of using eggs yolk. It goes bad in the water very quickly, you have to be real careful with over feeding. My case was just bad luck, one of the parents were probably carrying the bug.

[@julian.morgan]

Do some research on using H2O2 for velvet. Probably way too harsh for fry - though you could possibly do repeated very diluted doses? But seems to work well for adults and is how the marine guys do it with a similar disease.

[@TheDave333]

I'll look into it. Thanks for sharing.

[@leahnichol6665]

I expect, sitting here, that I would try a more aggressive form of treatment. I remember hydrogen peroxide baths (diluted, I believe) and some other form of chemical. Iodine?

[@TheDave333]

I've been getting a lot of great suggestions. Thank you so much. 😊

[@boglarkaselek4837]

I tried to make my male and female betta breed but the male wanted to beat up the female (I didn't put her directly in the tub, I separated them at first so they can only see each other). The male bult a larg nest, but when it came to the most important part he simply nibbled the female :( what am I doing wrong?

[@TheDave333]

You may not be doing anything wrong. They might not be ready. They might be too young or they don't like each other. Or they don't like their environment. A little nibbling is okay, as long as no one is getting hurt. Do your homework, learn as much as you can. Keep trying.

[@b.o.3815]

amazing video

[@TheDave333]

Thanks!

[@moonpleco5083]

Can female betta to be keep alone ? I have found information that's highly not recommended because she can't lay eggs without male and surely would die due egg bound. Is it true or she doesn't produce eggs if male is not present? I'm thinking about keeping one betta, I haven't any experience with this fish. Another question is, is it better for betta to eat only live food ? There's some opinions that in reality they don't digest betta pellets.

[@TheDave333]

I have kept female killifish alone for years without any trouble. If a single female does produce eggs, she will either release them into the water unfertilized or reabsorb them back into her body. However, female bettas typically only begin to produce eggs when specific hormones are released into the water by male bettas. So, I don't believe that a female betta that's kept alone will become impacted by her own eggs. However, an improper diet could cause a female to have digestive problems that could lead to bloating and sickness. So, a high quality diet is important. A variety of live foods would be great, but difficult to provide all year long, especially in the winter. Mosquito larva would be an ideal live food for them. . . The trouble many people have is that they feed their bettas too much food, and then they have trouble digesting it. In the wild, food is rare, so naturally they don't eat as much as we feed them in an aquarium. So, feed them a small amount of food each day, and have one day every week where they get nothing at all. This allows their digestive system to clear out all of the food before they eat again. (Intermittent fasting) High quality pellets are fine to use as the main part of their diet. Look at the ingredients on the label and avoid foods that contain things that fish don't eat in the wild like soy beans, corn gluten meal, and wheat flour. Bettas are wonderful fish, and treated properly you should have little trouble. Bets of luck my friend. Ich wünsche Ihnen alles Gute

[@moonpleco5083]

​@@TheDave333 Thank you very much for detailed information. I didn't know that female betta develops eggs only in presence of male hormone. Best if fish doesn't produce eggs, resorbing not always goes without trouble. All depends on species - female ancistrus may lay eggs in any corner but she doesn't want , she turn on her psychological barrier for not to do it . If betta already have eggs the point is that this species female need male assistance to release them out. Egg bound is common problem in reptiles too, however not every female struggles with it. When it occurs in majority of cases only instant surgery may save unlucky female. At least guppies are free from such problems. Considering food, great that betta can be feed with good quality food. Yes, live food it's not always available but then frozen food can be given all year. Some individual fish like to eat more , l had very wise lady pleco who unfortunately leave behind her brain when it came to eating.... Thank you for German wishes too, perhaps it's time for me to learn some language when time allows. Have a beautiful day!

[@TheDave333]

Yes, egg bound females can be a problem, and too much food can contribute to that problem as well. I had a female angelfish that would lay eggs even though there was no male in the tank, but she never had any trouble. Each fish as its own problems. Have a beautiful day.

[@lamp2807]

what is that end😭😭😭keep treating them man don’t give up on them❤

[@TheDave333]

I like to mix things up and get people thinking. 😊

[@lamp2807]

@@TheDave333 but i’m sure if circumstances were different the ending would be much sweeter right

[@TheDave333]

Yes, I had a different video in mind when I started.

[@lamp2807]

@@TheDave333 well that’s reassuring st least😮‍💨

[@vikkirountoit497]

Wow tough ending on this one. Beautiful video, and so great that you were able to spot the issue with macro. What would I do? Honestly I would find and attempt a different treatment if available. And treatment or not, if not eradicated, I would make the hard decision to put them to sleep. My fear is that a drug resistant parasite like that can too easily be unintentionally transferred to other tanks and fish and if you ever share fish with others it can then be transferred to other fish rooms and unknowingly spread from there. Am I willing to be responsible for that outcome? I am not. Am I willing to put my fish to sleep to avoid it? Yes. Have I done so? Yes. Was it a hard decision? Yes. What goes through my mind during the process? I will not let this particular strain of parasite survive to take the lives of any other fish. Yes, tough ending to this video -maybe you will pin a comment to the top to share what happens to the fish? And again, you have put out such a stunning view of the world of fish - your male betta is a really beautiful!

[@TheDave333]

Thanks for watching the video and sharing your thoughts. It is a tough decision, and I've received several comments offering new suggestions for treatment. So, I've decided to try some of them out. I like your idea about pinning a comment with the results. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@eddietrujillo172]

Pleqse keep them they will grow normally so then u can actually cure them whit more strong dose thanks for the videos

[@TheDave333]

you're welcome, thanks for watching.

[@eddietrujillo172]

@@TheDave333 of course I got some Betta too mine don't look like they have any deceas but I will not know for sure till they fully grow ... Put a video on how big they are now and how many weeks

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

I used to own bettas too. 😁

[@TheDave333]

Nice! They're awesome little fish.

[@AbelsWorld810]

Great video❤❤

[@TheDave333]

Thank you!! 🐠🦈🐟

[@Bandsonsol]

I would love to send you some pairs of Fundulus pulvereus. It’s an extremely obscure species that inhabits fresh, brackish, and marine water, with the males often burying themselves in mud puddles(making them extremely difficult to collect). They behave in a really fascinating, endearing way…I could email you some videos I’ve got of them if you’re interested. You’d be the first person to make any type of high quality, in-depth content about them!

[@TheDave333]

Hello again, and thanks for the offer. They look like interesting killis, but my plate is pretty full right now, so I'll have to take a raincheck. So, many fish so little time!

[@Bandsonsol]

@@TheDave333 I understand. I figured you probably aren’t short on awesome video ideas anyway so I wasn’t holding my breath!

[@TheDave333]

Ideas are as plentiful as there are fish in the water. . . I also have a backlog of amazing footage on all sorts of different stuff that I haven't gotten around to yet, but I still appreciate the offer.

[@moonpleco5083]

How are betta fry today ? Do they survive? Something pop in my memory that tetracycline can be a treatment for oodinium velvet. But be careful with dosage, I don't know what is on pharmaceutical market in USA. Short, everyday bathing may be crucial, regarding parasite life cycle. Veterinary advice may be precious rescue for little fishies.

[@TheDave333]

There are a lot of different paths I can take. The fish are fine for now.

[@moonpleco5083]

@@TheDave333 That's great news! Please make video how are they after recovery, how you cured them from velvet.

[@TheDave333]

If I cure them . . . 😓

[@badrhelmy80]

if i were in your shoes, i will keep trying with the last 6 babies, and do my best with them, just imagine if they grow up healthy how they may look like with their beautiful fins and colors, and even wonder which color and style they will be, i would do all i can to reach that point 🙏

[@TheDave333]

You're right, there's always hope! 😁

[@doapSauce]

Plakats are my favorite fish. They're so different from long fin bettas that I feel like they're a different fish

[@TheDave333]

I agree 100% They do look and act like a very different fish.

[@ngothienterrarium]

❤❤❤

[@TheDave333]

😁😁😁

[@287christy]

Id probably put them to sleep as you said. They must feel those nasty parasites, and being drug resistant its not worth the chance of spreading to harm more. So sorry for all the work that you and the parents put into these little lives and then this happens to them😞 Beautiful tank, fish, filming and research, hope it turned out ok

[@TheDave333]

Hello and thanks for watching the video. It's a tough decision.

[@harleylatorlucis6273]

Me watching this video: "Wow, that was a nice video." Me two hours later: 🥺😟😣😖😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 "DID THE BABIES MAKE IT!?!"

[@TheDave333]

No, unfortunately they did not. Heartbreaking.... 😞

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

In honor of your betta fry. 👮👮‍♂👮‍♀💂👋🦅🌎⚓🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖

[@TheDave333]

Thanks you very sad story indeed. New video out in a few minutes! :-)

[@TheDave333]

Thanks! New video out in a few minutes!

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

@@TheDave333 Alright!