Betta Breeding Help Needed

[Echinodorus]

(I posted this post in 'Emergencies' but then I saw the betta section and I thought I could better post it here)

My betta male and female are breeding for the first time (and it's my first time too).
Everything went perfect: he showed interest and good displays and chases and built a nest but did not damage her too much, she developed vertical bars, is showing her breediong tube and is willing.

But right now they are embracing each other. He tries to squeeze her but no eggs come out, although her belly is full and round. After the embrace she kind of 'slips' and he is left still curled and hanging in the water. Then they try again.

No eggs are coming and they've been going for a good two hours. Will eggs finally come? If they don't how long should I keep them together without exhausting them too much?

Thanks!

 

[lilacamy931]

I havent breed and only read up on it, some of our veteran breeders will be by soon to help. Their first time may not be successful at all so you may have to try again once they have fully recovered and been conditioned again. As to how long to leave them, really unsure leave them to it for the moment but keep a close eye if you can.

 

[betta fish]

Leave them to it! she will drop eggs, just be patient, she may already be dropping them but you can't see them, if after the embrace the male is going to the bottom of the tank and then returning to the nest you can be sure she is dropping eggs, either way it does sound promising by your description when she is no longer showing interest in the male and nest and the male chases her aggressively away then it is time to remove her.

 

[Echinodorus]

He is not going to the bottom. He just hangs for a few seconds motionless and still curved and then they try again. They are both getting tired.

 

[kizno1]

how is she now?
is she really big and has she been like it for quite a while?

 

[Echinodorus]

Yeah she's big and very round and has been getting that way for two weeks.

I have separated them now by the way. I was afraid that after 4 1/2 hours of constant embrace the female (and male) would be pretty exhausted. I will try again with another female when the male is fully rested.

Do you know if they need to learn to mate properly? He is young and this is his and her first time.

 

[Curiosity101]

I posted this on your other post... but I'll post here too.

As above I'm not a breeder myself, but I know enough to ask a few basic questions.

1) How long did you condition for?

2) What is the breeding tank set-up like?

3) How did you introduce them? Did you chimney her or just drop her straight in?

4) If chimneyd how long was she in there for?

 

[Echinodorus]

1) How long did you condition for?

2) What is the breeding tank set-up like?

3) How did you introduce them? Did you chimney her or just drop her straight in?

4) If chimneyd how long was she in there for?

1. Conditioned for about 3/4 weeks, mostly on red and white mosquito larvae.

2. Setup: 25 litres, weak bubble filter in corner, fine substrate, java ferns, elodea densa and hygrophilia stricta planted densely in both corners with some java ferns left to float at the surface. A free space in the middle. The male built his nest in the right corner.

3. I chimneyed her for two/three days first. Then she jumped over the chimney and into the male compartment herself and it took about 2 hours for them to stop chasing and start embracing.

I have separated them now. The female only has some minor fin damage and the male is fine but I would still like to know what went wrong. Why weren't there any eggs coming, as she was obviously full of them? Does the male need experience to squeeze her in the right way? Is it normal for the female to slip and the male to be left hanging curved up in the water?

 

[Echinodorus]

1) How long did you condition for?

2) What is the breeding tank set-up like?

3) How did you introduce them? Did you chimney her or just drop her straight in?

4) If chimneyd how long was she in there for?

1. Conditioned for about 3/4 weeks, mostly on red and white mosquito larvae.

2. Setup: 25 litres, weak bubble filter in corner, fine substrate, java ferns, elodea densa and hygrophilia stricta planted densely in both corners with some java ferns left to float at the surface. A free space in the middle. The male built his nest in the right corner.

3. I chimneyed her for two/three days first. Then she jumped over the chimney and into the male compartment herself and it took about 2 hours for them to stop chasing and start embracing.

I have separated them now. The female only has some minor fin damage and the male is fine but I would still like to know what went wrong. Why weren't there any eggs coming, as she was obviously full of them? Does the male need experience to squeeze her in the right way? Is it normal for the female to slip and the male to be left hanging curved up in the water?

 

[betta fish]

It is possible that because they were inexperienced the male did not squeeze the female correctly in order for her to drop the eggs, also if the female is much bigger or much smaller than the male this can also be a factor, ideally they should be about the same size, they will get the hang of it eventually though so try them again once they have rested.

 

[Curiosity101]

I don't think the female releases eggs due to being squeezed... I'm pretty sure the wrapping is purely so that they are in the correct position for the sperm to fertilise the eggs as they're released.

There are a couple of problems, mainly the breeding set-up. A couple of plants are ok, but to be honest the breeding tank should be empty (except for water) and a place for the male to build his next...ie under a poly styrene cup.

He'll have a hard job trying to collect eggs and fry from the bottom if there is a substrate on it.

I'm not a breeder...but from what I've read I think it's a mixture of 2 things.

1) They're inexperienced
2) She was released to early. You shouldn't release her until you think she's ready, in future you will need a bigger/more secure chimney to stop her jumping.