Interfecus Posted January 15, 2004 Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 I'm setting up a tank to breed siamese fighting fish and would appreciate any advice or comments on this. I've read many websites but would appreciate any assistance as my last attempt ended with the female killing the male. I have just bought and set up the following equipment: - 20L tank filled just over half full to a depth of 14cm - 25W heater - Thermometer - Power filter, running in an established tank so that it be used later. I've made a spraybar to put on the filter from airline tubing pierced with hot pins. I intend to add the filter after the fry have been free-swimming for a few days. I'm breeding a cambodian female who is very fat and has a visible ovipositor and a red male. The male was only bought yesterday but appears to be very healthy as he flares at his own reflection. I'm currently feeding them on frozen mosquito larvae as I've run out of live ones but intend to stop feeding when they're in the breeding tank. The heater has just been turned on and the tank is coming up to temperature. I intend to keep it at 28 degrees. The tank currently also contains a flotaing plant and some java moss for the female to hide in. I've put a large glass jar inside for the female to be introduced into and the male will have the run of the tank. Any comments or suggestions to help with this would be much appreciated. Interfecus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interfecus Posted January 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 The tank is now up to temperature, a half polystyrene cup has been put in for the bubblenest and the pair have been introduced with the female in the jar. The male is flaring continuously at her and the female is flaring back. She seems to have her head down at 45 degrees about half the time. I intend to leave them overnight and release them in the morning if she seems ready then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.L Posted January 15, 2004 Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 Goodluck! Don't you have to let the female out when he makes the bubblenest or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interfecus Posted January 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 The male still hasn't made a bubblenest this morning - what should I do? Do I release the female anyway? Should I conceal the female to get him to leave her alone for long enough to build a nest? I could easily slip a loop of black plastic over the jar to hide her. Would you suggest feeding or can't you feed in the spawning tank even before spawning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interfecus Posted January 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 I just checked to measure the jar and the female seems to have built a tiny bubblenest. Is it possible to transfer this to start the male off? Somebody please hurry up and design a bottle that squirts out bubble nests like those compressed cream bottles. It'd be useful for young males like this who don't know their own instincts yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
count_sexy_tart Posted January 15, 2004 Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 some betta males are lazy like my one is and he only builds his nest as he is about to mate,and it can take awhile as well,my male likes to have dense floating plants around his nest,so let the female roam in the tank as well and keep an eye on them. you don't want a power filer but instead use a sponge filter for the fry they are very small, also do you have lids on tank as the humidity helps with the process and also helps the nest stay together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interfecus Posted January 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 The male has begun to make his bubblenest. I've added some more plants to provide plenty of hiding spaces and I'll release the female soon. The power filter will run a spraybar with very little current so I'm hoping it'll be fine for them. I'll cover it with some thin cloth to stop the fry from getting trapped inside the filter when I add it to the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.L Posted January 16, 2004 Report Share Posted January 16, 2004 You better start getting heaps of jars! Once you know what are what sex you need to get the males out then otherwise they will kill eachother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interfecus Posted January 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2004 I've cancelled the spawning as the bubblenest was completely destroyed and the male had large chunks of his fins torn off. I spoke to somebody who breeds fighters who advised me to do this as cambodian females tend to be very aggressive. I'm going to try to set up a permanent diet of live food to recondition them as quickly as possible and I'll use a mirror to train the male to be more aggressive. I figure stopping the spawn is better than risking the male fighter dying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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