He Won't Build A Bubblenest!

[haleystropicalfish]

My male, Fluffy, won't build a bubblenest. He can see and smell a female, and I have a little styrophome cover for his nest. He hangs out under it when he's not flaring at Saphire, but he won't blow the bubbles. I even tried blowing some bubbles with a turky baster to see if I could get him started, but what all popped. What else can I do? Is he mabey to old? I got him from the lfs but they take really good care of their fish and most of the ones there were kind of small, obviously still younge. He was one of the biggest, but still, he doesn't look old. What could be the problem? (I know all the tank conditions are right and he is well conditioned, as is the female, Saphire)

 

[afishdude]

turn off all filters and the lights, put a half a styrofoam cup in a corner and he will start.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

It might be that he's too old. It's not good to breed pet shop bettas. The breeders I got were the right age and only about an inch long, pretty small, so you can tell when they're young.

 

[haleystropicalfish]

The lights are off and I have a sponge filter that barely makes and ripples, and I already have a styrofome cup in the corner.

And you might be right mommyof2bettas. He could be. I wish he wasn't though, he's so beautiful and he's my fav! I'll keep trying though, he might still build one.

 

[leec]

Hi There

All the males that I have bred have required a couple of attempts at breeding to get the whole nest and egg thing working. I reckon that the males dont just 'know' to make a nest to keep eggs in, before they have ever bred. Most young males may build nests very early before ever breeding - they may not know its for holding eggs - they just probably feel that its their creation and it marks their territory, and that females might like it. When they breed and find the eggs are sinking, they usually seem to figure out that the territorial display -the bubble-nest- works real good at holding the eggs. (Hence the instinctual and genetic ability to make the nests for egg holding has worked out and paid off).
A few of my previous breeding males never made a nest until the first and second batches of eggs all sank and the fry died within a few hours of hatching. They then seemed to 'invent' a bubblenest idea themselves as a way to preserve their precious fry.
Also, I have had males that simply cannot make nests. They try to make a nest, they breed, they struggle with eggs and dying fry, they blow bubbles that burst, and only some fry survive. I reckon these fish have a genetic flaw in the saliva production required, probably from inbreeding. The important thing about these males I have seen is that they are trying, they just cant, while some males may build huge strong nests before ever breeding but can be bad fathers, and just eat all the eggs/fry.

So I reckon if you think your male is trying to build a nest, let him breed anyway- he may get it working once the eggs are sinking (great motivation, but a shame about the poor eggs). You may have to lose a couple of batches of eggs/fry before he gets it right. The female will probably give in and breed with him eventually if she sees him trying to make one and be a good dad. If she wont because of no nest and is getting torn up, make sure to abort the spawning.

Hope this helps
Lee

 

[Dark Wolf]

He could be too old, yeah.

Also what's the pH of your water? doesn't a high pH affect breeding?