# Betta Guy not making bubble nest in the breeding tank



## gsivac03 (Apr 1, 2014)

Hi Betta Gurus,

Last month i started of with this breeding project. My breeding pair is a HM Iridescent Blue color. Both are very healthy and Big. Initially conditioned the male and female with different foods for 3 weeks. Later last week introduced Male in the breeding tank(8G)...filled 10 - 15 cms water with live plants and floating Indian almond leaf on top right corner. Oxygen motor with low pressure on the left corner covered with floating plants to reduce the current....Waited for couple of days for the male to build bubble nest...nothing happened not even a single bubble...then tried introducing the female in glass chimney setup near the IAL....waited for couple of days...saw some 15 big size bubbles...those doesnt seem to be the normal bubbles...again checked today no progress...no extra bubbles...not sure wat is happening exactly...but Male and female are constantly flaring at each other...feeding them twice in the breeding tank...its the 3rd day Male n Female(inside chimney glass) are in the breeding tank...kindly help me if am making a mistake here.

Thanks in advance

Regards
Siva


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## amphirion (Jan 15, 2014)

my male only seems to build bubble nests in the presence of female bettas, especially receptive ones. if he doesnt have anyone to dance for he wont build. 

that being said, bettas have different personalities as well. i've had males who skipped the bubblenest stage and built it ad-hoc while spawning. 

what have you been conditioning/feeding your bettas? frozen and live foods are a much better option in this case.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I stole another male's nest, to encourage a handful of mine to build upon it. It actually works. He'll either destroy it and make his own, or build on it. Otherwise I show him a mirror, another male, or make sure he can smell the female. Females and males both give off a pheromone, as if to say "here I am, this is me!" Seeing isn't the only "trigger" for males. I do this by using a net breeder box, or scooping her water into his to introduce the scent.


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## gsivac03 (Apr 1, 2014)

Hi, 

Sorry for the late reply...appreciate ur valuable response.

@Amphirion - Very true...am facing the same issue wit my guy...my male didnt build any bubblenest even after keeping female inside the breeding tank inside Chimney glass...he wants her out...sunday morning finally i have decided to try out this last option...releasing the female...No vertical lines for the female but she had dark body...there were little fights, chase etc but not that much...saw little bit of bubble nest in the afternoon...but not much of a progress...today morning again he started building the bubblenest...chasing continues as well...my guy is pretty laid back..at times feel lik jumping inside n teach him wat to do...

@Sena Hansler - I tried ur method too...he didnt destroy it or build one...he was jus moving here n there...dont hav any idea wat my guy is really trying.

Updates so far from breeding project

1. 3 Weeks Conditioning completed for male & Female - Frozen Blood worms/Shrimp/Betta Pellets...2 times a day. 
2. Male in Breeding tank for more than a week with female(Inside Chimney glass).
3. Zero bubblenest till 4th April. 
4. Sunday released the Female from Chimney glass, both are accessable to each other. There are some 20 bubbles under indian almond leaf...but over 50 bubbles above some plants on the opposite side. 
5. Still chasing n little fights going on here n there...but they are kinda cool not so violent.

Its been a day since they are together in the breeding tank with access...No vertical lines for the female..No embrace till now...just dont knw whether this proj will be successfull..kindly pour ur thoughts on this....thanks in advance.
Regards
Siva


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Remember that it doesn't always work overnight. Some take a week or longer to spawn. If I notice my pair suddenly losing interest in each other I remove them and condition them heavily for 2+ weeks, making sure they do not see any other fish at all, asides exercising with a mirror. Hopefully you can find your own "rhythm" as to whwt you find works best for you!!


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## gsivac03 (Apr 1, 2014)

Update on the breeding...

1. Male started building bubble nest since Monday....today i saw quite a good number of bubble nest.
2. No vertical lines for the female yet
3. No spawning yet...Female is scared of the male and always away from Male's sight.
4. Been 4 days since male n female are together in the breeding tank.
5. Male and female not eating much/doesnt really care to eat...

Wondering whether they will spawn...i have one last resort to try...i have read in some Thailand Breeder website...he says that if the male is not spawning even after 4 - 5 days...we shud remove the male and place it with an other male for a small fight for say 15 - 30mins...after that we need to leave the male again in breeding tank and it will spawn 100%...not sure if its true...but have no choice.


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## atb224155 (Mar 10, 2014)

Are you using the foam cup? Like placing a part of it in the tank. Also, have you tried giving them some privacy and coming back to check on them abit later on. Fish who either take to each other prefer privacy.


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## gsivac03 (Apr 1, 2014)

Yes... initially i placed IAL and left it for a couple of days...Male didnt build even a single bubble under it...instead it was building exactly on the opposite side of the tank above some live plants kept for hiding...they actually used IAL as a bed...both male n female went on top of it...eventually IAL came down at the bottom of the tank...sterday i placed the cup above the bubblenest already built to protect it without disturbing them when they both were fighting...i hav also placed cardboard sheets on all the four sides of the tank to give them privacy.


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## atb224155 (Mar 10, 2014)

You might have a pair of stubborn bettas then. If the male hasn't wrapped around the female at this point. Then it's not ment to be for them, might have to get a back-up bachelor.


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## gsivac03 (Apr 1, 2014)

Hmmm...didnt expect to endup like this for my first spawn  ...guess am going to try the last resort today....else back to individual bottles...will try another pair


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## atb224155 (Mar 10, 2014)

Breeding is no joke when the pair don't have the wrapping idea around them. It's been 6 days since the first post and theirs no action. Out of curiosity, what breeds are your bettas?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Re condition the pair. Just because it didn't work the first time doesn't mean they'll "never spawn". This is their first time - there is a chance they could get the hang of it the second time around.

What gets my pairs to breed? I'll tell you what I do:

Currently my breeders are being conditioned. They are being fed 4-6 smaller meals of a variety diet: meat of mealworms (head chopped off meat pulled out by the fish), New Life Spectrum 0.5mm pellets, frozen bloodworms, frozen mysis... I exercise them (a male or a mirror) once every couple days. Their water is cleaned once a day. Their temp is never below 80. 

Then when I am ready to spawn them, the male is in the spawn tank for at least 24 hours before introducing the female. At this time I still offer the variety diet and clean the water once a day. I bring the water height down to 4 inches. I usually make sure to use live plants, and one "cave". I flare him a couple times, and have the temp at 82. Then the female is placed in a breeder's net or a floating cup. If the male only attacks the cup and doesn't "lead away" from her, preferably towards his nest, I don't let her go. Overnight if he shows the right behavior, I release her. If he doesn't, I introduce some of her water to his (only used if fkoating a cup, as the net allows the pheremones to slip through) or I flare him with the mirror, pretending to be a "rival". ****I also use clingwrap ontop of the tank keeping it absolutely humid in there. I may also "mist" with a spray bottle of water, mimicking rain. I offer food three timee a day to both of them when they are together. Then when they want to spawn they stop eating


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## gsivac03 (Apr 1, 2014)

@atb224155 - They are HMs bred by some thai breeder got imported with the help of local importers...but they are not siblings..i dont doubt there quality..they are perfect & healthy.

@Sena Hansler - Yes, will wait till this weekend else will recondition them..and What you do is way too gud for any hobbyist...i dont think i can even replicate urs...impressive...with the available resource am trying to give them the best i can. As u said they are not eating anything...it seems to me that they are ready to spawn but finding it difficult to spawn...something tells me that the tank size is little too much for them to get along...its around 2 feet in length...making it hard for the male to reach the female everytime...not sure need to try


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Lol thanks!! I found it works best for me. Every single breeder is different  you'll find what works best for you too. I use a 10 gallon for breeding, 4 inches of water. I have found bigger proved difficult - except for giants lol


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## atb224155 (Mar 10, 2014)

gsivac03 said:


> @atb224155 - They are HMs bred by some thai breeder got imported with the help of local importers...but they are not siblings..i dont doubt there quality..they are perfect & healthy.


Good to know...They could be not ready yet.



> Sena Hansler - Yes, will wait till this weekend else will recondition them..and What you do is way too gud for any hobbyist...i dont think i can even replicate urs...impressive...with the available resource am trying to give them the best i can. As u said they are not eating anything...it seems to me that they are ready to spawn but finding it difficult to spawn...something tells me that the tank size is little too much for them to get along...its around 2 feet in length...making it hard for the male to reach the female everytime...not sure need to try


That makes a lot of sense


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