After the February earthquake I lost my Betta tank, so the girls went to the community tank and my boy was under strict "earthquake accommodation". A few months ago I got a cheap Jebo tank and after cycling etc they were all reunited.

I am not a breeder and just have these guys because I love their personalities, they have helped me prove to many people that fish aren't boring! So he has realised he is the man of the tank again and began displaying to the girls and then a few nights ago I got to see an actual mating. Was pretty exciting ha ha but I realised there was no bubble nest and I didn't see any eggs being laid, they were twirling around each other and displaying etc..... Is this normal? Was it just a warm up kinda thing? Is it inexperience or is my boy just a pretty face?

Whats the filtration like? he will need still ish water to build a proper nest

sometimes the male needs practice wrapping the female before actually managing to squeeze eggs out

sometimes the male needs practice wrapping the female before actually managing to squeeze eggs out

ahahahahhahahahahha

sometimes the male needs practice wrapping the female before actually managing to squeeze eggs out

+1

Whats the filtration like? he will need still ish water to build a proper nest

+1

I always spawned mine in tanks with no flow. Kept the nest together better. Also the unplanned spawnings were done in places with little flow. The male may not have found something appropriate to make his nest under either

The flow from the spray bar is pretty full on, the surface is in constant motion. Don't get me wrong it's not like Niagra falls but it's def not calm enough to build his nest. He had attempted a nest about a week ago under the leaves of a plant but I had to trim it back as it has gone a bit balasitc

So...... I should turn the filter off? Or maybe let the plants grow up again so he can build one under the leaves again?

I wouldn't turn the filter off, your just asking for trouble, you need another small glass tank, put them next to each other, separate the male from females, leave the females in your current, get a gentle bubble filter, about $13 off trademe and put it in the new one, the male should go in here so he can see and flash to the females and build a successful nest, separation gives you time to fatten the females up with high quality foods. When you think hes done a good job and the females display vertical bands and are nice and fat with eggs, you know they are ready, place the females in the males tank and put on some Barry white, maybe close the curtains, give them some privacy, ya never know :slfg:

http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=50533

Check out that thread. I always follow it when I breed my bettas :lol:

Ok thank you so much guys

Another quick question.... the Bettas live with 2 Aldofi Cory and 3 Khuli loach, the Khuli loach have the ends of two coke bottles that go under my two ornaments so they have some caves to hide in during the day, i've noticed my male Betta spends time in there (which freaks me out, as i'm worried he'll get stuck!) and has been guarding it from the corys (Khulis still seem to go in and out ) could he have built a bubble nest in there?

no, he will not have built a nest in there.