A little two on one action...

[cation]

On some of the other boards I visit, I've noticed that there are a few people who have used two females to one male in spawns. Usually the technique is the same - two chimneys, then they are let out, usually he spawns with both.

What do you guys think of this method?

 

[wuvmybetta]

I've tried it before with my red HM. The first female wasn't cooperating so I tossed in a sister of hers as well and he spawned with the sister.

I also tried this with my last orange spawn. The failed one. The first female was scared so again I tossed in a sister and she was very willing and cooperative. The only bad thing was that the first female turned on her. When female #2 would try to hide the first would chase her out like "Oh no you don't,missy! You get out there and occupy him" so I had to remove the first.

 

[cation]

I've tried it before with my red HM. The first female wasn't cooperating so I tossed in a sister of hers as well and he spawned with the sister.

I also tried this with my last orange spawn. The failed one. The first female was scared so again I tossed in a sister and she was very willing and cooperative. The only bad thing was that the first female turned on her. When female #2 would try to hide the first would chase her out like "Oh no you don't,missy! You get out there and occupy him" so I had to remove the first.

Hmm...very interesting. I'm thinking about giving it a go when I spawn the opaques...maybe throwing in my copper girl too and seeing what happens. It seems like it could work.

In both cases you added the second female after the first was already having issues, right?

 

[wuvmybetta]

Yeah,but only a few hours after they had been in the tank initially on the HM spawn. The oranges were in the tank for a couple of days before I added an additional female.

Releasing both girls at once would be interesting to see. I wonder if it would overwhelm or overexcite the male.

 

[cation]

I'll start a spawn thread for the opaques when I spawn them, and I will let you know how he reacts. He's not a particularly aggressive betta, but he's not a total pushover either. Kinda mellow, but has good spirit. He'll either be the perfect choice for this experiment, or he'll swim off with his tail between his fins. We'll see.

 

[Sorrell]

That is interesting I would suppose you would either want to use sisters or completely different colors in order to keep genetics straight though eh?

 

[cation]

Exactly, Steph. I figure it should be an easy go with the opaques, considering I know Tim Lee's been working with them for a while, so there shouldn't be too many surprises. Then I can just pick something drastically different to put in too, like the copper or the steel blue girl.

 

[f250fisherman]

I can see why u might put a second one in if the first is not reacting well to the male. Ihave done it myself with no luck. I don't quite see why you would plan on using 2 just to be doing it. Maybe I missed something.

 

[cation]

From what I understand, usually one of two reasons:

1. To increase the size of a spawn. For instance, you have a prized male, and you want to make sure you maximize his spawns. 2 females each spawn should increase the average spawn size, allowing you more fry out of a given male.

2. You have a male that you want to pair with two different females for different reasons. This is my case. I've been wanting to spawn my opaques, but I've also been dying to x opaque and copper. 2 females in, 2 spawns, one go.

Oops, forgot to add. Those are the spawn reasons. Apparently it can also help keep everybody less nipped, because the male switches between the two. It also (supposedly) induces better bubblenest production.

 

[GuppyDude]

i was juts wondering about this exact same thing last night, it seem like it could work, as long as the females dont gang up on him and hurt him

 

[f250fisherman]

From what I have seen and gathered from other boards, the females are more chewed up because they want to fight also. I've heard of more problems trying this than good points. Mixing a spawn is not good, because you can't accurately give a genetic background from the spawns. Every spawn usually has fish that are somewhat different. How can you tell which spawn it came from? Most serious breeders want to know what they have, so they can plan on what they should breed. Why not spawn one female, condition the male for a week after, and spawn to the other?

 

[cation]

Eh, it's true. Just something I was tossing around. I don't know that the girls would fight each other, as they're usually together in a community tank. However, you are right about the genetics issue. I was thinking that the opaque shouldn't give me many suprises, but it probably will anyway.