Female And The Male Betta Issues.

[bettabubble]

bettabubble.livejournal.com

Thats basically the daily update of them.

I got them both yesterday and i thought it would be nice to introduce by putting there bags next to each other while my new tank its a 10 gallon conditioned. There aren't any plants in my tank btw. and there is about half the tank with gravel in it.

When i awoke the next day i found my betta fairy, the female, had torn fins and like i think a scarped face.

Is something wrong?
I thought they it was natural for them to fight to be like aggresive, but not that much. and hes always flaring at fairy too...

On day 1 he was chasing her ....

I didn't know he nipped her fins too....

 

[Netty]

Firstly you need to separate them immediately. Secondly I would advise you to research breeding before you start. It's not just a case of buying a pair and chucking them in together.

The reason she is getting beaten up is because neither of them have been conditioned to breed. This means that she will not be receptive to the male and he will harrass and possibly kill her.

There is detailed information on our website about breeding, so please read it and do some more research on the internet first.

 

[bettabubble]

yeah i had read that thanks a lot . I did separate them and i read your article on the website too.

 

[Netty]

I hope you found it useful When done correctly breeding Bettas can be a very rewarding experience but it does take alot of time, space and commitment to do it properly.

I hope you find this forum useful....there are alot of helpful people here that can give you help and advice when you need it.

 

[devon_charm]

Researching every available scrap of info you can find on it before trying again but it really is worth the time and effort when you get fry

 

[bettabubble]

Another question. I put the female betta in the container like a small plastic container no cover , water from the tank and i left the male in the tank is that okay? or should i switch them?

 

[Netty]

As I understand it, you've only just got these two. It would be best to keep them completely separate for now until they have had time to settle in and be conditioned properly before you start.

If you've just got them, you will have no idea yet if they are completely healthy and disease free. Spawning can be very stressful for them and leave them prone to getting sick if not done properly. Also she has already been stressed out by being with the male too early.

After a couple of weeks you will need to feed 3 times a day with high protein food such as bloodworm or Attisons Betta Pro. This can take up to a couple of weeks. Then the male is placed in the correctly set up spawning tank and the female is placed in a chimney.

Be prepared, as Bettas can produce 100+ eggs and you'll need to have heated containers for each and every one. These will also need water changes daily for them to remain healthy.

Do you have an outlet for any babies you may get?

 

[bettabubble]

How can i check for disease and should i check nitrate lvl? And i need a heater for each and everyone? like for example 100 fry= 100 container with heateR?

 

[Netty]

Only time will tell if they are ill. Your water stats should be checked regularly for Ammonia, NitrIte & NitrAte.

100 fry would need 100 containers and way of keeping them at a constant temp of around 81/82 degrees. We have a small fish room with a heater running 24hrs a day which keeps them all at the correct temp. A very large reptile heat mat would hold around 20 containers but you'd need a mat stat for each one to keep the temp constant.

At around 3 weeks old the fry will go to the surface to take their first breath of air. If the outside temp is too cold it can kill them, so a suitable cover should be in place to keep the air warm in the tank. The babies would then need separating at around 8 weeks old.

 

[bettabubble]

Okay thanks, im getting a heater tommrow and aquatic plants. Should i put the heater in and remove the fish for like a day or 2?

Oh right and is there anything at home which will make my fishes more comfy ?

 

[bronzecat]

Hiya Bettabubble

Refernce the heater, pick up a thermometer aswell. The temperature settings on heaters are not always accurate. Yes, its best not to have the fish in while you get the water temperature up. Remember that they will need acclimatising to any new temperature.

With reference to breeding - Both fish need to be in top condition, otherwise a) they wont breed or b) the female may die afterwards. Conditioning can take over 2 weeks.

The minimum you will need is -

Seperate permanent homes for your bettas. Either seperate tanks or a divided one. You really ought to be housing them in a minimum 5 US gals each. These tanks need heating, filtering, lighting etc etc....

A spawning tank - minimum 20 gals. Heated, sponge filter.

Lots and lots of gallon containers for when you need to seperate any fry. Even some females have to be seperated as some can be aggressive. Its not unheard of to have upwards of 150 fry! They all need constant heat, daily water changes.

Food for the fry - Freshly hatched brine shrimp, microworm, vinegar eels etc etc

Thats the minimum you need. If you attempt to breed them as you have them now you're going to end up in a bit of a pickle.

Get them nice seperate homes, enjoy them, and do lots and lots of research

 

[bettabubble]

Ah i see cat, so i awoke today to find my male has created a bubble nest, inside the styro foam cup i placed in the left corner of my tank...

i dont think the female is ready for breeding so what should i do?

 

[JoshH]

Ah i see cat, so i awoke today to find my male has created a bubble nest, inside the styro foam cup i placed in the left corner of my tank...

i dont think the female is ready for breeding so what should i do?

He'll make plenty of bubble nests over his time, my crowntail male is building another massive nest infront of me as i type, it keeps them busy, theres no girls around or anything, I guess he's just horny lol!! Just keep with the conditioning as Netty & Bronze described Just dont rush is the most important thing I've picked up, a week or two for conditioning may seem long but its realy not!!

 

[bettabubble]

Okay i see. well i just came home from the mall for fish supplies...and i came home to find my female jumped out of the container and it looks like its about to die...but i put him back in and its swimming but its like slow and demented.... should i return it and replace it?

 

[Netty]

I don't think the store would replace a betta due to an accident at home. You'll have to keep her very stress free and keep the lighting off. If she struggles to get to the surface for air then you'll need to lower the water level. She may recover but only time will tell.

Could I also ask why after all the advice we gave you, did you put her back in with him again??? I just read your updated journal.