# Should I release my female?



## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

I have my betta breeding tank set up, culture ready for fry and the male in the tank and female in a glass bowl in the tank. The male has built a large bubble nest and is going mad trying to get to the female. My female is white so I can't see her stripes but she is showing the white egg releasing tube and seems fairly interested in the male plus she is very fat. When should I release her? They have been together about a day.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Knowing the right time to release the female can be tricky! I think you could release her, but remember to keep a VERY VERY close eye on them!!! Especially in the first few hours!!!!! Check on them at least every hour.


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## oXsonriksXo (Oct 3, 2009)

Umm. Some people say you should encase the female on a floating container filled with water on your larger aquarium. That way the female would be conditioned, it would get a an instinct to breed after some time (1-2 weeks i think) instead of fight, same for the male.

But. I think the instinct kicks in right away. You should try to be weary, look at your fishy if you do release it, you might see nipped fins, but thats no problem unless she gets terribly bitten.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Yeah I have the female floating in a large glass bowl in the tank. I left them for a couple of hours and when I came back the male has at least doubled the size of the bubble nest! The female was flaring at him earlier and following him around from inside her bowl. How much time should I set aside to watch them? Obviously it will have to be sometime when I am home so I can supervise them.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Well, sounds like HE is ready!!! Flaring from the female is completely normal. One of my girls was flaring at the male while they were spawning!! LOL! She's an aggressive little bugger!

I'd set aside an hour or two. Just to see how they do. There probably WILL be some chasing and nipping. Don't worry unless it's getting REALLY aggressive. Get a book or something and just take some time to read while you monitor them.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Thank you! 
Yeah he's definitely ready, as soon as I put her in he started on his nest and has been splitting his time ever since between making his nest perfect and flaring and showing off to her! Very entertaining to watch, this is the first time I've attempted to breed my bettas and I'm very impressed!
On a side note, I have an infusoria culture (I hope) but is there anything else I can buy from the pet shop which my fry will eat straight away once they are free swimming? Any live foods or even liquifry? Just as a back up plan.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

You can run to your LFS and see if they have brine shrimp eggs. Those are great for feeding fry.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Live ones?


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Well you get the eggs then once they hatch you feed them to the fry.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Ok thanks! What about liquifry, I know you have to feed the babies live food but isn't liquifry some sort of bacteria?


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Sorry I'm not sure, never heard of it! Maybe google it?


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Ok no worries! My bettas have been mating for hours and I kind of need to go to bed now! How long does this normally last?


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

A few hours. You can take her out if you are satisfied with the number of eggs.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Great thanks!!


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Yep no problem! Good luck!


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

I think the male is eating the eggs???


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

He might just be moving them around.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Yeah on closer inspection I think he is. I've removed the female, fed her and put her back in her tank. How long should I leave the male in, just til the fry become free swimming?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I think you're supposed to take him out when they become free swimming.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Cool. I'm just hoping they actually hatch, I've just got home from work and no sign yet, but he's really enlarged the bubble nest around the eggs and is standing guard bless him! I never actually saw anything come out of him to fertilise the eggs, is this normal? I'm thinking maybe he could be too old? I bought him from a pet store as I have no idea how to find proper breeders round here, despite trawling the internet, so I have no idea how old he is. Also, I know he didn't fertilise some of the eggs as the female was still dropping them as she was in her 'stunned' state between mating, and he picked them up and spat them into the bubble nest anyway.
Fingers crossed for hatching anyway, it hasn't been 24 hours yet.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Sounds like everything is going well!!!!!!

Eggs CAN take up to 72 hours to hatch. It's not very common, but it happens.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Oh ok, I really hope some hatch! How tiny are the tails when they hatch and you can see the tails hanging down? Cos I think I can see a couple but I'm not sure!


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

The nest will look kinda "Hairy"

here is a video of baby fry..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRT4o_BdHmQ


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Helllpppppp!!! 
I just got in from work and looked straight in the tank. There were loads of fry dropping down from the nest with what looks like their eggs still attached? They had tails and were swimming around a bit. I panicked cos I thought the male was eating them so I removed him, but now I'm thinking maybe they haven't hatched yet, but are still in the 'hairy' stage?! They have little eggs and tails, and are all dropping down to the bare bottom of the tank weighed down by their little 'egg heads' and then just laying on the floor of the tank and not moving. Do I need to put the male back in? Are the fry on the tank floor dead? What do I do?!!! :/


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I have no idea what to tell you. Hopefully, one of our breeders will come along soon to advise you.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Ok well I stopped panicking like an idiot lol, put the male back in and he's collecting all the fallen babies up and putting them back in the nest! Thankfully! 
How long-ish until they become properly free swimming and free of their eggs? Also, I put a tiny bit of the 'culture' that I made into the tank earlier, and also a bit of liquifry during the panic stage lol, as I thought they might need feeding and the culture STINKS! And has the consistency of sort of cotton wool water if that makes any sense?! Is this normal? If not, I'm worried what I can feed my babies if my culture didn't work?


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Yeah, cultures stink. That's normal. 

The fry will become free swimming in about 2-3 days.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

Ok thanks again!!  
I came down this morning and can only see a handful of babies. The male is still picking them up and returning them to the nest, do you think the others hatched and he ate them? Should I take him out now?
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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Yeah. I'd take him out. If they are free swimming, then give them a meal.


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## 1stAquarium (Jan 4, 2010)

They are trying to swim around a bit more but he is still 'collecting' them. I bought some liquifry for egg layers, can I feed them that?
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