# School, French and Fish - Oh My!



## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

So, this is my first attempt at a journal! It will mainly be about my fish but there may be a it of personal stuff in there too. So... I am conditioning 2 of my bettas for breeding! You may already know them, Red and Mar. They are doing fine so far but Mar seems disinterested. Anyways, I have to go get ready for school!


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Just got a new seating arrangement in school and I have to sit next to my worst enemy! Grrr.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Just a reminder that this is a family friendly forum so please watch your language.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Ok, I thought staring it out would be fine but I guess not.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Anyways, my girls are doing well! They are looking quite fat though so I think they need a diet. Fuji seems to love his sea grass and will swim straight into it on occasion. I put some shrimpy things in Red's tank and he seems to be having fun with them.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm glad your fish are doing well.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

So, I woke up this morning and saw a large rip on Calypso's tail. It was ripped right down the centre al the way :-( She had the nicest tail, too!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Do you have anything in the tank that she could have ripped it on?


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Maybe, I'm not worried.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Good luck red. I took French in school and still remember a lot. I went to quebec and butchered the language in front of people who spoke good French. It was kinda funny when people look at you with big question marks on face like "what did he just say?" Tails will heal it just takes some time. Glad your fish are doing well even if cute and chubby lol.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Thanks! I really need to diet them, maybe after the spawn.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Your girls are more eggy than fat. At least you will get lots of eggs from them lol.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Hopefully!!


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

I'm thinking about putting Mar in a jar and plopping her in Red's tank today. I heard that some breeders only condition their bettas for 1 week and I've done 10 days.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I would do the full 14 days... I find that the better you condition, the faster you get a spawn and the eggs will be healthier. But then again, I always introduce my pairs on Friday and put them together on Saturday because I like to supervise them...


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Can I condition them while the female is in the tank? That way I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I edited my last post. 

I wouldn't, because the longer the pair sees each other the more used to each other they get...


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

I just thought this would be a good day because today is a Pro-D day for me and I have no school.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

You could always try! If she looks nice and eggy you're probably good.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

She has a HUGE belly! I think she is ready!


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

In they go! I will post pictures later!


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Red is flaring like crazy! He did build a small bubblenest overnight but it is way to small for the spawn.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Grr.... He won't blow a single bubble! He is just ignoring Mar!


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Any clues why, anyone?


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

You need patience lol. it can take awhile for much action in the spawn tank especially for rookies. It took me 10 days for one pair to get going.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Wow! Red has stared blowing bubbles now but just really slowly. Mar just wants out of the Mason jar she is in.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

It is a good sign that she wants out of the jar really bad. It means that she wants to breed and is interested in Red.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

That's great! She is to dark to make out any vert stripes of there are any.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

At this point, can I leave them alone for a few hours?


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Mars mother was Binky. Binkys back half turned very dark almost black before spawning. Binky never did get vertical bars. You should be ok to leave for a while provided Mars has a spot to hide in and be out of visual sight of red. There are always dangers when breeding this species.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Yea, there is some sea grass and a pineapple house so she should be good. How big of a nest does Red need? It's about baseball sized.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Baseball size is more then enough!


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

It's actually not quite that big, I'll post photos.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)




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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Could they go in tonight and be left in overnight?


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

They are in and doing fine! Mar seems disinterested though. Red's bubblenest is totally demolished, should I re-jar Mar?


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

You shouldn't be breeding in a fully decorated tank... I would remove the gravel and all but one decoration.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Why is that?


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

The eggs could get stuck in the gravel and rot...


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

I cleared the gravel away from under the bubblenest but. red still chases Mar away.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

I think I might take Mar out because Red is just letting his bubblenest go to waste and he is stressed and tired. On the bright side, I got a new Oto named Walter!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I would recondition them and start over without all the decorations and gravel as Matt said.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

I'm trying another pair soon.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Good luck with the spawn.


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## redthebetta (Aug 11, 2013)

Thanks!


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