Short lived surprise

[Sylvan]

I acquired a group of Betta coccina a few weeks ago and when I went to feed them last night I noticed eggs in the bubble nest which I was very happy to see. Unfortunately when I checked this morning the eggs have been eaten. I presume either the other females raided it as I did see one doing that last night before or the male has eaten them.
I was hoping they'd wait to spawn until I could get to the LFS today to pick a breeding net but it was not to be. It's a shame because the male is a lovely looking fish and the female that spawned is the best of them and a very good looking fish too. Hopefully they will do it again and the other females are also looking close to being ready so may get some out of them too. I don't know if you can see the eggs in this photo, they're in the leaves to the top right.

 

[Sylvan]

Popped to the LFS after work to pick up a breeding net. Got back, went to put it in my room where the tank is, glanced at the tank to make sure the male definitely wasn't guarding the nest anymore and found myself watching a fishy porno. It seems that the other female who I did actually see raiding the nest last night was also ready to spawn so hopefully there will be eggs again and this time I have the net ready.

 

[Retired Viking]

Good luck, hope all goes well.

 

[Sylvan]

Good luck, hope all goes well.

Thank you, I'm very happy about this. They're not as flashy as the Splendens but they are stunning little fish with the most beautiful glowing blue blue eyes. Not sure what I'll do with fry if I get them but one step at a time. If this spawning doesn't work out there's always female no.3 who's been waiting in the wings as well.

 

[Retired Viking]

I was thinking about what you were going to do with all those Betta fry. Hope you have friends who like pet fish. I just gave my bother-in law 17 red eye tetras, I stated off with 5 and in 3 1/2 months they had several broods. He just started a 20 gallon tank with my help and now it is full of tetras

 

[Sylvan]

I've got 3 LFS to ask if they'll take them if I get fry that survive. One is the one I bought them from who were quite pleased themselves to hear they were breeding as they're closest to my work and the cheapest so the ones I got the breeding net from. Another is my favourite which is a bit further away and the last is a Maidenhead aquatics whose manager and I were having a good chat a few weeks ago about wild Bettas and is himself quite keen on wild Bettas so they may be an option. If none of them are interested then it will be onto the online websites. Otherwise it will be a good excuse to get another tank . This is all if I get fry that survive which in all likelihood is not that great.

Spawning seems to have finished so I'll attempt to get the breeding net in when I feed in the hopes of drawing the male off the nest plus it will distract the others.

 

[Sylvan]

I was thinking about what you were going to do with all those Betta fry. Hope you have friends who like pet fish. I just gave my bother-in law 17 red eye tetras, I stated off with 5 and in 3 1/2 months they had several broods. He just started a 20 gallon tank with my help and now it is full of tetras

That is a lot of tetras! Shows how good your tanks are though.
I'd love to breed my 2 Betta Splendens because I think I would get some lovely fish out of them but I've no space to split the fry up as they mature so that is a project that will have to wait until I have a bigger house.

 

[Retired Viking]

I am hoping to get my ember tetras to breed, I need to pick up some more males. I bought 5 when they were tiny and on sale and ended up with 4 females and 1 male .

 

[Sylvan]

I do like ember tetras, looking forward to seeing your fry when you get them.

There's definitely eggs in the nest. I was a little bit worried earlier as when I checked I couldn't see any but checked again and I can see eggs. Male is guarding them closely at that minute.

 

[Retired Viking]

Good luck , post a picture of the fry when they hatch.

 

[Sylvan]

Breeding net has gone in as it looked like I'd lost some eggs already so decided to put it in. Lost some eggs getting it in but I think I've salvaged the majority. The female who spawned yesterday is displaying breeding colours again so may have another batch from her soon.

 

[Retired Viking]

I just bought and added 3 male embers so hopefully they will take an interest in spawning.

 

[Sylvan]

Maybe play them some romantic music while you turn down the lights for them . Fingers crossed for you.

 

[Sylvan]

I think I'm going to rename the breeding male. They've all had nicknames to help me identify them so we have Split Fin (female no 1 who spawned yesterday and is displaying breeding colours again, has a notch out of her tail fin), Solid Maybe (female no 2 who spawned today, for a while I couldn't decide if she was a female or a male who had lost the longer part of his anal fin and she has been one solid colour until she spawned), Little Girl (female no 3 easily identified as female and is the smallest of the group), Filter boy (was Filter Maybe for a while as I was hopeful he was a 4th female but is definitely a male and hangs out at the back by the filter), Boss Man (2nd largest male and the only male displaying the green spot on his side, he lives by the driftwood on the left hand side of the tank) and finally Big Daddy (until today he was Right Hand Man as he lives on the other side of the tank but I feel with how successful he's been at breeding he deserves the new name).
The males are very tolerant of each other and respectful of territories. There is more chasing among the females and particularly Split Fin and Solid Maybe, Little Girl is the only female who has carved out her own little territory and lives in the plant by the driftwood owned by Boss Man.

 

[seangee]

Good luck. Cling film may be useful to create the right humidity levels for the fry.