Phillz Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Approx. 1 month ago I aquired my first Simease Fighter, a beautiful Blue male...just the other day I bought him a girl friend, she is a pinky red colour. The Male resides in a tank with 5 angels, a pleco, 3 B/noses and a cory. The female is in a tank with a bunch of livebearers. I have a spare 2ft tank that has been up and running for a few months now, only recently have I moved its inhabitants to a bigger tank. Although this tank has been cold water and has had only snails in it for around 4 days......would the tank as it is be ok for a breeding tank for the fighters? I have done a 50% water change, using water from the tank where the male is & added some gunky water from the main tanks filter to the sponge filter I also added a heater this afternoon. I also have a really small glass tank ,about 1/4 of the size of the 2 ft tank, I have placed this inside of the 2ft tank......my plan is as follows... Once I am sure that the tank is safe for use I will add the male to the 2ft tank and let him get used to his surroundings....a couple of days later I will add the female to the small inner tank, I have read that this is a good way to introduce the fish and see if the are ready to spawn. Hopefully the male will get interested and start building a nest, then if all goes well I can add the let the female loose and leave them to their business. I have also read that some people leave the male in the tank with the fry, he will eat some, but the reaming fry with be stronger, healthier ( :lol: faster :lol: ) fry. Please let me know what you think.....is there anything I should do before I add my male to the tank? Any other suggestions greatly appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 You might try putting some gravel in from an established tank too, because not much bacteria lives in the actual water. Better yet, some 'cycle' if you have it. Add livestock soon after you do this though, because you want to give the bacteria something to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Whoooooooops forgot to add :roll: I added a couple of hanfuls of gravel, as well as a hollow piece of driftwood which has plants growing out of it, aswell as another large plants which I placed in a pot with a load of gravel from the main tank. If the tank has been kept going with the sponge filter... but with no fish, only about 20+ snails will it still be cylcled OK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Rather than risking your nice bettas finding out if you got it right, why not put your least-favourite live-bearers in there for a week and see what happens? Everything you have done should speed up the cycling process, but how much do you want to risk? Not that I'm an expert at this sort of thing, just paranoid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KM Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 I have never seperated my male and female siamese fighters, and I haven't had any too many issues. The male and female either like each other, or they don't. They seems to be quite picky about their partners! :lol: I have successfully bred my fighters in a 165l community tank. At first, it seemed that my male was eating the fry, but he was in fact retrieving them and spitting them back into the bubble nest. Quite amazing to watch. It can be hard, but patience is the key here! Wait until your 2 foot tank is fully cycled before adding the two. Personally, I don't think I would be able to contain myself, I would be tempted to add the female to the males tank now to see how they react to each other. It takes a while for a male to learn how to build a good bubble nest. Mine must have tried about 4 times before he was happy with the end product. They really are such awesome fish, and breeding them is very rewarding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 Personally, I don't think I would be able to contain myself, I would be tempted to add the female to the males tank now to see how they react to each other. It takes a while for a male to learn how to build a good bubble nest. Mine must have tried about 4 times before he was happy with the end product. They really are such awesome fish, and breeding them is very rewarding! I admit it I gave in......they were so neat to watch....chasing and dancing together......then I went outside to hang out the washing :roll: When I checked on them again the male had a couple of slight wounds on him so she is now having time out I will be watching to see if he makes any attempt to build a nest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 Wow! How incredibly exciting! The fighter fish has got to be one of the most beautiful fish around. I have only ever seen a female fighter in books and to be honest she didn't look a lot different to the male she was squirming with....are the differences obvious? (certainly didn't appear so in the photograph in this book but maybe it was the picture). That is so amazing to hear of the fighter gathering the babies and pushing them into the nest.....the tank has me mesmerised as it is but I wouldn't be able to tear myself away at all if all that was going on. Please let us know the progress of your fighters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 The females have comparatively short fins next to the males. Here're a couple of pics of one of my males and one of my females: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 Well bluey has attempted to make a bubblenest, he has been at it most of the day......they both seemed really eager, so I let her out for awhile, and they raced around and made a mess of his nest, so poor little guy will have to start all over again I have put in a glass jar to see if this encourages him to make the nest in there. I am trying to upload some pics, will try to post them soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 Here is the first attempt at a bubble nest Here is Bluey Here is Pinky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted March 7, 2005 Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 Very appropriate names. Shae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 Could'nt think of anything more appropriate at the time lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Well......I was really concerned when I saw Cherrie drop about a dozen eggs and eat them. Then I noticed a small batch in the nest with dad busily tending to them.....so cute! Here are some pics....the eggs are in the left hand corner. In this photo, he is re-positioning an egg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Awesome! Here's hoping they all make it to adulthood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Had a fright when I couldn't see them......but he has moved them, Not eaten them as first thought :roll: I have to lower the water level as advised 8) Thanks Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvguppies Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Just a question.....when you were breeding your fighters did you have a filter/air flow in the tank? we had babies for about a week and then they all died Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 This is my very first go at breeding so not one to give advice :oops: But I have a sponge filter at one end of the tank, on very slow bubbles.....he built the nest at the other end of the 2ft tank. The bubbles from the sponge filter barely make any water motion. Have you got photos of your fighters? would love to see them in the "Show us your bettas" post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 The eggs are about 24 hrs old now, and I have tiny little wriglers. I can see them jiggling about in their eggs.....tooooo darn cute! I have been watching them on and off all day, I think I may have eye strain, trying to focus on such tiny things LOL. Dad is keeping close guard on his pride and joy....but I am a bit worried about him. I have noticed a couple of white spots on him I hope fatherhood isn't going to cause whitespot on him.......if it is the beginning of the dreaded white spot what could I do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Panic!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just kidding, you saved the pleco, you can save these ones Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Well I am pretty sure he has whitespot....and not too sure what to do about it He is totally worn out, chasing his prize fry around.....he gets a few seconds to rest then he is off again, gathering them up.....naughty little thing Here are the latest pics.......wriglers in this pic They are loose and have their tails hanging down in this pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 They are free swimming now, so have removed dad and treating him for whitespot. The babies have just been given their first meal, which they gulped down. I gave them Wardley Small Fry....the only thing I could find available. I think I will have to syphon their tank soon as i think it will polute very quickly using this stuff. I may try boiled egg yolk aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 I decided to do a small water change, and get rid of a tonne of snail poop. I carefully siphoned a little at a time avoiding the tiny fry as best I could.....I decided to check the bit of water I was about to throw out :roll: At first I spotted 1 fry, then 2 more, so moved them back to there tank. I checked again, and the more I looked the more I saw......I think I removed about 30-40 fry AND I thought I was being soooooooo careful :oops: They all look fine, even after their scarey experience....and I won't be doing any more water changes until they are bigger Seeing them up close, I can already see a tinge of red in some of their tails, some are alot darker and some are almost see-though, only able to see their eyes( probably why I sucked up so many :oops: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 Make sure you keep a lid on the tank, this helps keep the air in the tank warm, if the the air is too cold the young fish can get infections in the labyrinth.. Well Done and Good Luck Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 I am absolutely mesmerised! I don't blame you for watching them all day. Well done and good luck with the babies. I think you have done a wonderful job! Thanks for the photos too, it is great to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillz Posted March 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 Lid is on nice and tight......Can't wait till they get bigger my eyes are sore from staring to hard :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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