# Fighting/Liplocking



## lovelybettas (Apr 6, 2014)

I haven't seen a post on this before, 
I'm breeding my pair, the male has a huge bubblenest going and I released the female and they were really fighting. They were liplocking (?!) under the nest for several seconds before I seperated them since I've never seen that before. Also they were biting and flaring back and fourth, as if it were two males fighting. This went on under the bubblenest for several minutes straight so I just floated the female but it seems like they are very interested. I know they aren't both males since I have bred them before (the fry hatched) I feel like they are fighting too violently so I don't know if I should release the female again.

The male is now working on the nest because 1/3 of it was destroyed.


----------



## kevinap2 (Apr 3, 2014)

Continue floating the female and try again. If it doesn't work again, scrap it and try again in a few weeks using some of the introduction/flaring techniques posted here on the board. Liplocking is bad news, the fish can do serious damage to one another.


----------



## lovelybettas (Apr 6, 2014)

Thanks! I let them out again today and they tried wrapping immediately. The female would let him wrap around then she would wriggle herself out. The male just wants to breed but I'm not sure what the female wants, she is just flaring at him and biting him.


----------



## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

When fighting, there is a "move" (not sure whether it's an attack or defense) where they embrace. It ends when one of them wriggles free.
Lip-locking occurs when either one bites the mouth and the other responds or when both try to bite at the same time. Both embracing and lip-locking may drain their energy (not sure why).

That being said, IMO your pair is NOT in breeding mode. They are merely fighting. I suggest separating them and recondition. 

Next time, make sure the female is also in breeding mode. She must swim "dance" - flirting and trying to do "follow the leader" (either male or female may take the lead)


----------

