A-d-d Fish?

[K.J.]

My betta boy Fiji, whom I'm going to breed, is odd. He loves females, flares at males but his bubblenesting is weird. He's started to blow very small ones every day, but they only last an hour because he gets bored. I've only had him for a little over a week so I'm guessing, he's still getting over his traumatic experience, but I wonder if I can do anything to help him.

 

[Biulu]

If he doesn't get any better, then you can always use a stand-in male to make the bubblenest, and you let him do the rest!

 

[K.J.]

I do actually have a substitute male who's mad because I was going to breed him but the female wouldn't cooperate. But will it blend? He's a cambodian plakat/HM/vt something some kinda mutt) so I would get, uhm, interesting babies. He's a lovely bubblenester.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

I think he means place the male in to make a nest, then put back the original male.
It could work, but make sure the original male will tend to the nest and not just let it fall apart.

 

[joycould]

I don't breed bettas but I have noticed the bowls and tanks I use betta spa in the bubble nests hold up to lowering the water level and pouring in water when I do my partial water changes. When I use the full dose I have noticed the bettas are a lot more active as well. I can't get betta spa locally and found some on ebay.

 

[Lynda B]

joy, I've been reading about that betta spa recently..... how long have you been using it? I've been thinking about getting it for my various betta tanks.

 

[Biulu]

I think he means place the male in to make a nest, then put back the original male.
It could work, but make sure the original male will tend to the nest and not just let it fall apart.

That's right! With the female in sight, you can have your other male making the nest, and then put the original male back in. Just curious; how do you notice the other male is mad?

By the way, I am a woman....

 

[K.J.]

I have IAL, and Betta Spa is just a concentrate of that. So he's in that at the moment. If he doesn't build a bubblenest soon I'll try that method.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Re condition and fight him with another male for few minutes .... Then he will think he's tougher and wins the fight and wins the female's heart !

 

[K.J.]

Hehe that would be interesting. He does seem to get "happier" if I let him see a male... though the first time he saw my CT larry he got vertical stripes He's building the largest bubblenest he's built yet right now, but hardly enthusiastically.

 

[knt5005]

If you put another male within sight of the male you wish to breed that will help. I had to give Harvey some competition from Charlie, and he got his little tail in gear.