Grr! I Need To Vent

[Elise]

<--That is how I feel right now.

OKay, those of you who have been on here for some months know that I've been trying to breed for a bit now and it's driving me nutso!!

I've done all the research and I've asked all the right questions and I've set up the right tank! But everytime, my plan gets foiled....

So, I realized I was just too excitable when it came to conditioning (I tend to be an instant gratification kind of a person) so I'd get so excited about the breeding stripes that I'd just put the female in too soon.

Okay, so point understood. So this time, I was careful. I have been feeding live food for weeks. I set up the breeding tank again. My boy loved it and bubbled a nice 3"x4" area. Good. So I put the female in her little vase/glass thing and she instantly bars up. I hold myself back. So I decided that I would make myself wait at least 2 full days before I release her and only if the male bubbled more. So he did, the nest was like 5"x5" last night--she'd only been in for a day.

This morning I wake up to see the honeymoon couple swimming around together and the vase-thing completely empty! Grrr.....she just couldn't wait one more friggin' day!!

So, this is just a small rant because I finally restrain myself and the poor love-stricken girl can't!


Anyways, okay, I'm done now. It's just so frustrating because all of you guys breed your bettas so easily! Even that one girl put the female in the tank with the male only because her tank broke and THEY BRED!! And I take all the precautions and advice of the breeders and I get...empty bubbles. Grrr!

Oh well. I scooped her back up and put her back in her vasething. I just kinda wanted to breed them now so that they would be all grown and shipped off and possibly another spawn before I move to the university and can't anymore! Guess I'll give it another go in a bit...

Haha, how silly that darn girl!

 

[IovaykInD]

I'm sure everyone who has bred bettas has gone through a lot of trouble in figuring out how to. Any cases where it 'accidently' happens is very uncommon so you shouldn't blame yourself. Experience will eventually get you there, and when it does, you will be really happy that you had patience.

 

[Synirr]

Haha, frustrating sometimes, aren't they? How long have you been leaving the pairs together?

 

[fishykisses]

you should have left her...24 hours is enough time.

 

[redbetta]

OH MY GOSH, you are not the only one! I've been trying for quite a while, about 7 times and only twice did I have eggs and fry which died at 5 days old. It's heart wrecking but nothing I can do. As we speak I have to couples set up, one's released and the other isn't, but she's been in with him for 6 hours and just as I thought I had a full nest... nothing. I'll just leave her in a bit longer and see how it goes. Believe me you are not the only one. It must be one of the hardest things I've ever tried.

 

[Elise]

I WAS leaving her in her vase for about 10 hours..I know too short. Then I was leaving them together for about 2 days.

My plan this time was about 2 days for her in the vase and 3 days tops (depending on how they react together) for the actual breeding. I know some people say leave them in there for longer together but I really worry about my fishies...I don't want fatal injuries!

Anyways, thanks for the support! It's nice to know I'm not alone in my anguish!

 

[fishmom]

Better luck next time!!

 

[Joby]

You vent away, you poor thing. Breeding bettas is one of the most frustrating things I've done. You can get everything right and still things go wrong

I personally find that it takes at LEAST 2 days for a pair to decide to spawn from both being in the tank together because lets face it, you wouldn't usually get down to it on a first date Sometimes you're lucky and they will the first day, but usually thats only if they've spawned previously and know eachother. I like to leave them 4 days together as long as there is no severe damage of course. If after that they haven't spawned then I pull them and re-condition or I sometimes substitute the female for a different one as I keep my fish conditioned throughout and feed even when in the spawning tank.

Good luck with this spawn, I hope it works this time

 

[Amerce]

Hey it's not easy I had a couple eyeing each other up for nearly 3 weeks, and then when I finally thought they were ready nothing happend, I am currently waiting to see if the my first spawning is even viable, cause the dammed male hasn't bothered to add to his bubble nest - I can't see anything cause he has pulled loads of floating plants into the nest.

So nothing is easy when you rely on someone else to get it on.

Just keep trying.

 

[ral]

The method I use would probably elicit some comments.

I put the male in a 10-15G breeding tank with a hiding place for the female. I used half a styro cup for the male to build his nest in. Than I place the female in the tank in a clear container attached to one of the sides of the tank. The female is placded so she can see the nest.

I put them in at night and will leave them like that for 24 hours. I feed them during this period their regular meal.

On the second night, if the male builds the nest, I release the female behind he hiding place. If there is no nest I wait till the next night.

If there is still no nest the next night, I pull out both fish.

Once the male builds a nest, I release the female. I don't check to see whether she has vertical stripes. I leave her there for 48 hours during which time I don't bother them at all. After two days I pull out the female.

Two days after I pull out the female I check the for free swimming fry.

Have less than a 25% success rate... but since I do this on a weekly basis I now have almost 400 fry from 3 spawns.

Give it another go.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Then I was leaving them together for about 2 days.

Elise, if they're getting along well...just leave them. My last spawn failed due to it being their first time (not the point) the point is- I left them together for two weeks and they bred on the 14th day, exactly. After week one I didn't think they were going to do it at all, I just left them out of curiosity.

 

[sukie]

Then I was leaving them together for about 2 days.

Elise, if they're getting along well...just leave them. My last spawn failed due to it being their first time (not the point) the point is- I left them together for two weeks and they bred on the 14th day, exactly.

I was just going to say. . .aren't you suppose to condition for 2weeks - but Wuv beat me to it!!

 

[ral]

I forogt to mention I put them in tanks side by side and let them see each other often for a period of 7 days before putting the pair in the breeding tank.

 

[Elise]

Oh, thank you so much! Opinions differed on how long to keep them together! You guys give me such hope for the future!!

So right now, the pair is in the breeding tank, the female is still in the vase. She's not very big with eggs...I was thinking I should leave her in the vase longer even though she's got bars.


Thanks Guys!

 

[splashluff]

Aww, good luck! I hope they get down to it this time... but, honestly, if you think THIS part is frustrating, just wait until they're 3 months old and you're cleaning 40 jars a week. I long for the pre-spawning days, sometimes. heheh