My bettas are spawining right now

[jacquelyn01]

My bettas have been spawning for the last 5 hours. The female is doing all the work it seems. When he squeezes her and the eggs fall, she is the one who goes to the bottom and puts them in the nest and eats half of them each time. The male sometimes will go to the bottom to the eggs but just eats them. He has nothing to do with the eggs when it comes to putting them in the nest.

As for their health, everything is great. They were conditioned and the female does not have one ripped fine at all. This is there first time together and I did everything I could do right on my part to make them healthy but why are they eating most of the eggs and why is the male not doing his part during this time? Is this normal?

 

[aznmidnite]

I'd like to know too. I have a CT pair that I've been trying to breed. 1st time they weren't ready (nothing happened), 2nd attempt, she released eggs while behind divider, and 3rd time, they went under the styrofoam cup, embraced for a bit (from where I was watching...I wasn't that close), and I saw eggs drop to the bottom, but she just went down there and ate them. Male didn't help pick them up or anything after the embrace.

 

[tony92]

maybe they arent fertilized

 

[yeeviabetta]

In my view and experience, they not going to hatch. The male is another retarded one. I do wonders why so many males don't have a clue how to breed. No parenthood my guess and all are work of mankind. Back to the mother nature, all males know how to breed. My two cents.

 

[jacquelyn01]

You don't think the eggs will hatch? There are eggs in the nest. Probably only half of what the female dropped though. They have been spawning for apprx. 6 hours now. Is there a time where I should seperate them so they don't get overtired or should I just let nature take it's course and wait till the male chases her away and go from there? This is my first betta spawn so I'm getting over protected and worry-some maybe? The female and the male have perfect fins, and either of them are beaten up on. They were very sweet to each other.

Even though it's been six hours, they are still spawing, should I just leave them alone and not worry so much? Thanks everyone!

 

[yeeviabetta]

Leave them alone and finishing up the breeding process. I think the male have to do the part like picking up the eggs and takingcare of the nest. I am still not sure if the fertilitizing taking place in his mouth or while clamping on her. All I have read still not convincing me that the fertilizing the eggs take place while clamping. I am still doubt it might happened in the male mouth to fertilize the eggs. We will see how yours go but in my opinion is that they not going to hatch. Don't worried if they not making it. Breeding is not easy. Not all betta will breed right. About 10 to 25 percent bettas only knows how to breed. That is why I am arguing the babies are not been well parenthood just only for two days fatherwork. All scared that the father will eat the babies. I proved them wrong with all my males betta that know how to breed.

 

[jacquelyn01]

Do you think it's possible to leave the female to tend to the nest instead of the male? Has anyone ever done that before? Maybe he will come through. We'll see though. Even if the eggs don't hatch, I still find this to be a great learning experience too. I must be doing something right for them to keep spawing all day long! lol! She is doing a great job being a mommy and doing most of the work by putting eggs in nest. It's so beautiful to see this in person as this is my first time. They are such a gental couple too.

As for fertilizing the eggs, I read that when the male embrases the female, he realeses sperm into the water while she realeases the eggs. But, I question that. I still have yet to find out how eggs really get fertilized and have been seeking information on the mayself. During my reasearch of breeding bettas, I never really see people talking about that. Hummm... Maybe it's their little secret. hehe

 

[yeeviabetta]

That is what I say. I do knows some wild betta in the wild fertilized the eggs in their mouth. The male just clam the female body so she release the eggs. We need to get a marine biology person to talk more about breeding betta. I have to write to this guy who is a marine biology who wrote a lot of articles about fish.
Any, back to the topic, tell us what will happen after tomorrow. Babies should hatch between 24 to 30 hours. Temperature have to set in between 80 to 82. Enjoy the betta breeding. I see to much. LOL
Oh yes. Since the male just know how to eat the eggs and do nothing. Just tried to let the female takecare of the babies. If the babies did comes out in the end, this will at least proved that the fertilization take place while clamping.

 

[jacquelyn01]

My water is at 81 degrees and is about 5 inches high. I have the tank covered and I did a half water change last night since they were in there for about 3 days getting used to each other. I'm glad I did a water change last night so today the water is very clean. I found a local breeder that is going to give me the babies foods when they hatch. The breeder only lives a mile away so I can pick it up before they hatch. I do not have a filter in there and prob. wont add a sponge filter until I see fit. I will do a 50% water change is two weeks if babies actually hatch. For back up food I have eggs in the fridge for egg cooked egg yolk and infusoria culture with lettuce in water. Any tips on those food sources would be greatly appreciated. They are in a 10 gallon tank right now. It has now been 8 hours and they are still spawing. Its that an unusually long time for bettas? I did drop a few betta pellets in the tank just in case they get really hungry because they have been at it all day. They female ate a pellet and I hope the male grabs a bit to eat too.

Any information that anyone feels that would help me would be greatly appreciated.

yeeviabetta, Thanks for all your information so far.

 

[yeeviabetta]

You are doing great so far. You don't have to worried about the adult food for right now and also the filter. You can be panic when the babies do comes out. One or two days won't hurt the adult in getting hungry. They are busy doing their business right now. I do have two pairs that takes more than eight hours. Usually 2 hours should be done unless the eggs still have to keep laying. Sometimes the female is too big for the male to embrancing so it takes a lot of time until the female surrender and run aside. In your case, it is very new to me since the female take over the male part. If both in the tank then you can observation and see who want to take over the nest up. I bet if you take the female out, the male will go up and eat all the eggs. If you take the male out, the female might not doing the job right but it is the best to see if the eggs fertilized or not.

 

[jacquelyn01]

Ok, here is an update...

They are finally done spawining 9 hours later.. WOW! Poor things must be tired. The male went to the other side of the tank and the female is tending to the eggs and being a good mommy and blowing more bubbles. She has taken on the daddy role. The male is just sitting by the heater not bothering her and I think he may be building his own nest. Maybe he is planning to steel the eggs from her and put them in his nest or maybe he just does not care. I'm afraid to take the female out because the male shows no interest right now and the female has been doing all his work. What if I take her out and there is nobody to tend to the eggs? But, what if I take her out and he will do his job then. They are not fighting or chasing each other, but just acting like one another is not there. Any advise?

 

[jacquelyn01]

Ok, I took mommy out and I think daddy is trying to figure out what to do. He is occasionally picking up fallen eggs and spitting them back in the nest. He is staying by the nest too. I took mommy out because she wanted to also take care of the nest and they were starting to fight for the job. She still has no ripped fins and in good health. She seems sad though and constantly looking for eggs at the bottom of her new tank.

They are: Male royal blue crowntail and a Plakat turquiose female. What do you think I will get color and tail wise if my eggs are fertile? I tired looking it up but genetics of bettas seem so confusing. lol! I hope they hatch! Wish me luck.
tee-hee