Bettas!

ryanp15

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
1,130
0
0
37
Kentucky
#1
Okay here is my situation. About 2-3 weeks ago I bought a male and female betta from my LFS. They are really beautiful. The male is red and has almost perfect finnage. The best I've ever seen around here. The female had a white body and her fins are blue,red,purple,and all kinds of colors. I have had them in seperate jars feeding them for about 2-3 weeks. I fed them flakes, tubifex worms, and brine shrimp. They didn't seem to take much tough.

While I was feeding themI started to set up my breeding tank and here is what I did. It's a ten gallon filled with about 4-6 inches of water at about 80F. There are plastic plants floating upside down in there and there's no substrate. I also have a heater. I covered the top in suran wrap over thickly so it can keep the heat in. I also cut a styrofoam cup in half and placed it in there. I think I did everything right in there. Any objections?

After feeding them and setting up the tank I placed the male in the tank to swim free for a while and then I put the females jar into the water to float. The male would come up to her and she wouldn't run like she did at first when they were in the jars next to each other so I let her out into the tank with the male. She approached him and then ran. The first day she ran most of the time from him and then I had to leave and I put the female back in the jar to float. Her colors also started to change to a darker shade. Is that normal? I was gone the next day and she floated into the tank without getting out for a day. Today I came home and I looked into the cup and the male has built a huge bubble nest in there. That's good but the female still seems to not want to do her part. She won't run from him in the jar but she will when I release her. She is starting to not be as frightened now but she still hides and runs. Today the male was lunging at her and she would run. He is constantly going close to her and flaring at her. Is that good? I think he's trying to impress her. That's about how things have went up to now.

I havn't fed them since I put them in should I? Thanks. ;D
 

Franky099

Large Fish
Oct 22, 2002
440
0
0
43
southern Ohio
www.aquabid.com
#2
Ryan,
Sounds like you have everything planned out well.  I think the only problem is maybe your female isnt conditioned well enough.  You're male is ready, the flaring and of course the big nest is a good thing.  You are going to hate what I say next, lol.

Take the male and female out and back into their jars.  Trry to find some live foods.  Brine wont cut it, they dont have enough nutritional value. The fry will be weak and most likely wont survive. White worms, red worms and other live worms are good.  If you cant get them at your LFS go to a bait shop and get earth worms.  Cut them into small enough pieces for your bettas to eat.  WHen your female is ready she will look like she has swallowed a huge marble.  That means there are tons of eggs.

You mentioned the female was turning dark.  Thats a good thing.  She should get dark verticle lines on her body when she is interested in the male.  Thats a good thing.  If she gets long horizontal lines, that usually means they are stressed or scared.  This is when you will see her hiding from him.  

I hope this has helped some.  Good luck!!
 

ryanp15

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
1,130
0
0
37
Kentucky
#4
Yes I was afraid of that. I didn't think she was ready after these few days. Today the male kept flaring at her and she would sit there and he would just nail her into the glass. It kinda scared me. Oh well. I have plenty of earthworms around here on the farm I'll try that for a while. Do you think just plain cut up earthworms is okay? I heard that the best thing is mosquito larvae. How do you get those? Do you think the male should come out too? Or could I leave him in there for about a week or two? I don't know. Since I'm going to be taking her out should I remove his bubble nest he made and let him start over next time? Thanks for the input. ;D
 

Franky099

Large Fish
Oct 22, 2002
440
0
0
43
southern Ohio
www.aquabid.com
#5
earth worms should be fine.  just make them bite size.  I would put them both in jars and let them start over fresh.  Clean the tank out, but save some of the water in the tank to keep the bacteria and all that good stuff.  I dont know how to get mosquito larvae, lol
 

ryanp15

Superstar Fish
Oct 22, 2002
1,130
0
0
37
Kentucky
#6
Okay thanks. I will try that. I hate to see that great bubble nest go to waste! ;D I think he can do it again though. I'm getting a new male Sunday from a freind so I hope he's good too. I will find some earthworms and continue the brine shrimp. ;D Thanks for the input. ;D