Eggs

[who-izzet]

Hi guys.

I have a heavily planted 2ft tank with 1 male betta & 2 females. I noticed they had eggs 4 days ago but they dissapeared after 48hrs. I've read a little and sounds like they have been eaten. The male was protecting them and putting them back in the nest too.

I've just noticed a 2nd batch. This time I have taken the 2 females out the tank and will take the male out once they have hatched. Or should I take the male out too?

Whats best?

The surface is covered in water lettuce which has gone wild so I guess they will be kept from any drafts.

Anything else I should be doing?

 

[zoekin8yg]

Males and females should not be kept together. In a community its likely that all the eggs will be eaten. Can you take the eggs out?

 

[Jaded12]

Are there any other fish in the tank besides the bettas? if so the eggs/babies will get eaten. Males and females really should not be kept together, chances are very high that you will end up with 1 or more dead fish that way. Also remember the babies are going to need lots of attention, constant water changes, live foods such as baby brine shrimp and micro worms. Breeding is a very large under taking. If you have any questions or need any advice though you can feel free to contact me.

 

[who-izzet]

Thanks guys.

I have a 2ft well planted tank. The water surface is covered in water lettuce. The tank is like a jungle. I had 2 females in the tank with the male (which have now been moved to another tank), nothing else is in the tank. I have a very small trickle filter running in the right hand corner (doesn't even move the surface plants) and the nest is right in the top left corner of the tank.

The females had plenty of hiding places from the male and are in tip top shape (but taken them out now that there is eggs). Oh mind you the bigger female has a small tear in her dorsal fin, so I guess it was her that layed the eggs. I've had a read about breeding etc now but any help at all is most welcome from you guys that have done this. I've been interested in breeding these for a while now. I wasn't expecting this just yet though. I brought a young male and 2 young females about 1 month ago now and this is the 2nd lot of eggs.

I have egg fry yolk if that is anygood for feeding them when they are hatched. I will try get a cultivation of microworm set-up again.

Any help is appreciated.

Dave

 

[who-izzet]

I noticed today that the eggs are starting to shake abit and I can just about make out the little fry. Can't wait till they hatch.

 

[who-izzet]

Woohooooo they are hatching!

I seen one sort of spin round then the male got it & hopefully put it back in the nest. Otherwise he eaten it.

Ok had to take the male out. He eaten about 6 or more then rammed into the nest for the ones that were moving. Kept a close eye on him and he wasn't putting them back. There seems to be quite a few missing now but they are still hatching.

I hope it's ok takinghim out at this stage, the fry seem to find their way back to the nest ok.

 

[fiki]

dont know much about breeding but aweee pics!!

 

[Jaded12]

How deep is the water (inches wise) ? If at all possible it would be a good idea to carefully lower the water level to about 3-4 inches it'll make it easier and less stressful on the babies so they don't have to expend all of their energy getting to the surface. But if there's no way without disturbing the nest too much then leave them as is

 

[who-izzet]

How deep is the water (inches wise) ? If at all possible it would be a good idea to carefully lower the water level to about 3-4 inches it'll make it easier and less stressful on the babies so they don't have to expend all of their energy getting to the surface. But if there's no way without disturbing the nest too much then leave them as is

The debth is about 12 inches deep. Yes I'm worried because since I took the male out the babies have been dropping to the bottom and not coming back up. I'll drop the deth like you said. Sounds like a good idea. The babies on the bottom are moving though.

 

[who-izzet]

Well if anyone is interested. I have done a little experiment to see what suits my tank better for breeding these guys.

Seen as the bubble nest split into 2 earlier today, I sunk very small breeding trap under the 1 half, raised it and successfully managed to keep the bubble nest afloat in there. Alot of them are now swimming around freely in there already but going back to the nest.

I have also reduced the depth from 12inch to around 4 1/2 in the tank.

The 2nd half of the nest stayed intact but since then alot of them have dropped to the bottom. Some have come back but they don't look as lively. The fry in the main tank seem to have scattered a fair distance and not all have gone back to the nest too.

Will these guys survive?

I have liquid fry, hopefully that will do me when they need it.

 

[Jaded12]

Unfortunatly any babies that fall to the bottom and cannot manage to get back to the surface will probably die. As you know bettas are labrynth breathers which means they need to breath air from the surface of the water to survive, so if the babies cannot get to the surface to breath then they probably won't survive.

 

[who-izzet]

Unfortunatly any babies that fall to the bottom and cannot manage to get back to the surface will probably die. As you know bettas are labrynth breathers which means they need to breath air from the surface of the water to survive, so if the babies cannot get to the surface to breath then they probably won't survive.

Going good sofar. Alot of the fry in the main tank have gone to the top and are sitting there with their tail dangling. Some of them have swam away from the nest though. The fry in the baby tank seem to be doing well and have all huddled together.

lol they don't spin around anymore, they seem to swim quite well.

I never expected them to be this small.

 

[Jaded12]

They are tiny aren't they? remember it takes a good to months to be able to really sex them and 3 months before most of their full color develops. Good luck can't wait to see pictures!! And I'm starting a spawn diary in case you're interested in reading it. Maybe you should do the same, we can keep track of eachothers spawns, lol.

 

[who-izzet]

Could be a good idea. I hope they survive, I'm not very confident or optimistic because I have never breed these. I've only breed livebearers and convicts. Both sets of babies seem ok. I have noticed a few really tiny ones at the bottom of the tank trying to swim to the top but failing to do so. Main thing is they seem fairly active.

If successful I will try do this abit better next time but I am thinking about setting up a big goldish bowl as their main tank so I can try breeding my albino cory's in the 2ft.

 

[ezrock]

Hi. As far as I know, betta don't really use their labrynth ogans until they're 5 or 6 weeks old

Could be a good idea. I hope they survive, I'm not very confident or optimistic because I have never breed these. I've only breed livebearers and convicts. Both sets of babies seem ok. I have noticed a few really tiny ones at the bottom of the tank trying to swim to the top but failing to do so. Main thing is they seem fairly active.

If successful I will try do this abit better next time but I am thinking about setting up a big goldish bowl as their main tank so I can try breeding my albino cory's in the 2ft.