SamH Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 Hello all, This is a thread about my first ever attempt at breeding any fish (my fish have bred before but not cause I made them), but more importantly, my first attempt at spawning my Betta splendens. So far I've taken the male out of his tank, drained the water from his tank and put it in the spawning tank. Then I added the heater, sponge filter and plants to the spawning tank. I put him in the spawning tank and acclimitized the female. When I put her in he was so obsessed with his own reflection that I had to cover the back with a peice of old real estate sign. Now she is in the soft drink bottle and he charges at her flaring ever minute or so. All she does is look at him and flare back. Then he swims away to hide behind his plants. Here are some pictures I took of the setup. Please let me know if there's anything I can/should do to improve it: The tank: The female: The male: The male sulking behind the plants: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 does he have something to build his nest under? my first spawn is going well so far (touch wood), dad is still looking after his eggs nicely. good luck with yours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 He usually builds his nest in the corner of the glass but my dwarf Gourami's and other Betta built thiers in the plant leave or against the glass too. What do you suggest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfishfanatic Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 I use a plastic lid, or a half cut poly cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 I'll try that then. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 i gave mine a piece of poly, he built a small nest under it but then built a huge one on the edge of some plants where they break the surface, and thats the one he's using, its sort of spread into the corner too. They might like having a few different choices of building sites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 I put the lid in and now he's hanging out under that. He's blown about 5 big bubbles, not the normal bubble nest size, but hopefully he gets the idea soon. Here's even more pictures: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 I think that my "not so smart" fish has just got an "oh so smart" idea. I believe he has just clicked and realised that there is a female behind that plastic and she is full of eggs. Now he's starting to take this bubble nesting thing seriously! Bubbles are quite large still but at least he's blowing them. If they're still there in the morning then I shall take some pictures. *Crosses-fingers* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 He still had his nest at 8.20 this morning so I took this photo of it: But at 8.50 the nest looked like this: And now (10.30) it looks completely different, he's moved it around to the side. The bubbles are very big and keep popping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 those are big bubbles maybe he's just trying out his skills and trying to get the hang of it, does he build nests in his own tank? I though mine was never going to build one, i put the first girl in in the afternoon, and he just danced around for hours, with no sign of doing anything else. I checked at 8.30 that night, nothing, felt dispirited, then at 9.30 i went to turn the lights off and he'd built two huge ones in only an hour. I was so excited and proud of him lol. So maybe yours will be the same and suddenly start building in earnest in a demonic burst of activity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 Yeah, he did nothing but flare and show off to her yesterday but I put the lid in and he just hung out under that. Come home at about 9 last night and there were some bubbles, even more this morning. He's just made some smaller ones now too and yes he built a few nests in his other tank. Here's a pic of the current nest: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 looks like he's getting there now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 I'll give him some more time, it's a tiny nest. My old dwarf Gourami built his ones 3cms+ above the water. The female seems ready and she's getting bored lols. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 This is going to be an interesting thread for me . I tried breeding my pair but I think the male was too old and he never managed to make a nest. Good luck with yours 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 Best of luck Sam! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetgear Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 Put some more water in as she carnt jump that high over the top,or can she? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 If anything, my male's too young. He keeps destroying his own nest but I've fed them some more bloodworms so hopefully that'll get him in the mood. Thanks Phoenix and Mark. Put some more water in as she carnt jump that high over the top,or can she? I don't want her to jump over though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze-dragon Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 shes not bigger than him is she? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 They're of equal size or she's slightly smaller and her belly is very round. She's super bored, he's really taking his time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 I'd release the female. He'll chase her around a bit and then he'll make a nest over night and they'd probably breed within 48 hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 I might try that. What fighters do/did you breed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 I use to breed CTs but sold them all as I needed tank space but now I've got a bigger setup I'm trying to get back into them so I'm looking for HMs and CTs again but so far all I've only got are 3/4 CT fry and 2 HM girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 Cool. I might need to add a flower pot for her to hide in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2009 Just released her into the tank, hiding in flowerpot. He's lost all intrest in the nesting site and is hanging out around where she is, still flaring, charging and swimming away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted July 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2009 Not looking good at the moment The temperature was at about 24C yesterday so I started turning it up. I was checking the thermometer and noticed it had water in it. It was broken so I took it out, not sure if it's leached anything into the water though. Put in a correct thermometer and turned down the temp because the broken thermometer was reading too low. The male hasn't even tried to make anynests and ever since I released the female she's just been sitting in her flowerpot. Should I just take them both out and try with another pair later? Perhaps I need some IAL? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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