My Betta's A Moron

[LauraFrog]

I've been trying to spawn these two bettas, everything set up right. So I thought everything was going great. The female is full of eggs and showing vertical bars and the male is displaying for her all the time. But no matter what I put in the tank for him to build a nest under (or if I use nothing) he just will not build a nest. He's obviously interested in her but he won't stop flaring for long enough to blow a nest. Should I remove the female or block her from his view for some of the time or should I just switch males?

 

[azulfire24]

when my sis and i breed this is our set up
20 gal long, water half filled up
temp 80 to 82
our ph is very high 7.5 to 8, but our have grown accouston to it, ial helps this alot
indian almond leaf, ither a whole leaf droped in the tank or attisons betta spa
styrofom cup cut in half at one end of tank
lots o silk plants at other end
sponge filter, water level below top so it wont disturb nest
chimney
male and female well conditioned 2 weeks at least, in seperate tanks, by them selves, blood worms and other live food.

put the male in clean tank with fresh water, let him hang out for a few days to let him chill, our guys start to build a nest at this point,
then introduce the female in the chimney, he will alternate between building the nest bigger and displayitn to her, afet a day or two let her out , they can take minits or uop tp 24 hours to sdtart wraping, let them be as long as they arent killing each other, when they are completly done and she swims afay tanke her out and dad stays with the nest, some males are good dads and other eat the eggs,, i found i like to steal some of the eggs and float them in a tupperwhere container in the tank, till they hatch, and dad takes care of the rest, if he dosret eat them, after they babies are swimming good dad goes out and babies are good to start eatin.


i use wardleys liquid fry the first week, then baby brine shrimp, then as they get older other foods, ground up blood worm, ground up betta food,daphina, brine shrimp and the like till 8 weeks, then they are on betta pellets, slightly crushed if they are still small, to 12 weeks then they gert adult pellets and are ready to be sold at 12 weeks

 

[LauraFrog]

Sounds like a great setup - but 20 gals is the biggest tank I've ever owned and I could hardly believe it when my parents agreed to letting me get it.
The setup is fine (I hope - is it?), filtered 5 gal about 3/4 full (because otherwise the filter won't work) and both fish are conditioned 2 weeks. I added them at the same time (female in chimney) but I don't really want to pull them out now when she's showing vertical bars. I just don't know why the male won't blow a nest. I can't get IAL, but the wardley's liquid fry food was what I was planning on feeding them along with infusorians and then vinegar eels and microworms. But that won't do much if they never get to spawn!

When should i give up on him and use the other male?

 

[azulfire24]

i would take the female out, dont worry keep feeding her good and she will be ready, to a huge water change on the spawn tank, 3/4 outa 5 is kinda small, will you be moving any babbies to the 20 gal at 3 weks? cause 5 even filled up is too small, but let the male have a terrtorie then add the female,, that way heisnt trying to make a nest at the same time as showing off to his girlfriend. what kind of filter? is the current enought to break bubbles? whats the ph at high ph makes bubbles break up more, ial helps this. the only sfae filter for babies is a sponge cause any other will suck them up and kill them. left the male in for a few days with feeding him good he ''should'' make a nest if not then try the other, add the female after he starts then lets her out again when she stripes up,
i found that releasing the female for 30 minits then putting her back in over night then letting her out again prompts better nesting and wraping. if you cant get ail try asking a pets fish shop to order you some attisons betta spa, has ail and make bettas crazy horny!

 

[dusky]

Sometimes I'm sure they just don't fancy each other. i've had males who wont do a thing with a particular female but try another and they bubble like mad. We all know how different they are in character.