To encourage bubblenesting . . .

[Andie]

Well, this was Fiyero's last water change in his 2.5 for a while. Next week I'm setting up the spawn tank and he moves in around Friday, because I want to give my li'l old man a good jump start on his bubblenest.

The idea of his bubblenest, though, is also causing me some concern. He blows beautiful quality nests, but although he makes them very thick in terms of depth, he makes them very thin in terms of width. They're four or five 'bubbles' deep (a good centimetre if not more) and easily three inches long, but they're barely a cm wide, so I don't know where he plans to put the eggs, unless he can make little chains out of them!

Is there anything (nontoxic) I can float in there to really encourage him to 'branch out' a bit? I read that a little piece of bubblewrap can help- would that really be safe for him, or might something else work better?

 

[GuppyDude]

try cutting a peice of bubble wrap and putting it under the cup, works every time

 

[splashluff]

Bubblewrap is good, I've heard. Also make sure you put seran wrap over the hood, to seal in all of the humidity... humidity really keeps the nests together and helps to keep it thick

 

[Andie]

Thank you both for the tips. He's always been able to cement them together- they're tiny but they do seem to last forever! It's just the size- I'm not expecting a huge spawn, but I was still hoping for more than ten eggs!

I'll definitely give the bubblewrap a go, then, and see if it gives him the right idea.

 

[Lady]

Well...I have had trouble getting my males to blow bubble nests when I want them to! haha they do it all the time in their houses soon as they are in the spawn tank...not a single bubble! SO...Wuv suggested I try Amazon Rain...its a product and I got some and just decided to try it out so I put some in the boys tanks and I kid you not an hour later they all had bubblenests covering the complete corner of their tanks...haha it was amazing...so..there is my two cents good luck! (and thanks wuv!)

 

[Andie]

It just drives me nuts that all the great products like that aren't available for miles around here I'm lucky if I can even find silk plants- most everywhere sells either plastic or snail-infested live ones!

We're the capital town of the province but there really isn't much focus on fishkeeping, here. Even Moncton, which is over a two hour drive away, hasn't got a proper aquarium store (although my friend does want to open one there . . . though naturally I have been encouraging her purely out of support for her, and certainly not my own selfish desire to have a place to shop )

Right now, though, as things stand if I want Amazon Rain or anything similar I'll likely have to drive to Fredericton or Halifax- a little tricky when one hasn't got a car ) Hmm . . . maybe I could order it online? It would probably be pricey, but if the bubblewrap won't work then I might just have to shell out. Not that I've ever had a problem forking over when it comes to my menagerie

ETA: I may - I just may - be able to track down blackwater extract, though. It's manufactured by the same people who make my dechlorinator, so they might have some in stock here *crosses fingers and runs to the phone to check*

Edited again: Nope, nothing. I called every store in town- the ones that do carry Aqua-Tetra products don't carry blackwater extract, and nobody seems to have Amazon Rain. It's not on ebay and I can't find it on Aquabid, either. I did come across this product, but I've never heard of it before so that makes me extremely wary of testing it out on my beebees. Ergghhh

 

[Lady]

Ive bought most my fish from bluebettausa...and I wouldnt be surprised if that was a great product you should try it!....well I just bought some more amazon rain online from That Pet Place It is really aweasome but good luck

 

[wuvmybetta]

I've been wanting that tonic that you linked,Andie. Get it if it's fairly cheap. And also, yay for Amazon Rain Get that too, if you can. If you have to choose one- go with the AR.

 

[Andie]

Thank you both very much. I actually, mercifully, tracked down some blackwater extract today. It was hidden behind the three bettas I also bought. Yep, that's right. Had to buy them to get to it

ETA: Incidentally, I may only have needed the new bettas, not the extract! This handsome little red copper BF juvie staring into his tank has aroused all that is adorably masculine and territorial in Fiyero, and the nest is starting to look pretty professional