# Bubble nests on water change day



## Wallawoo (Oct 17, 2014)

Alright so lately it is like my fish knows what day water change day is and decides that this is the day he is gonna work all day on his bubble nest. Seriously it has been like this for the past 3 weeks. He built a gigantic bubble nest, spent most of the day on it, just to have me come and destroy it in about an hour. Does anyone else notice this with their fish? Why does he pick water change day to build a big beautiful nest? He is still working on it as I type.


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

I wonder if the quality of the water has something to do with his ability to make bubbles. Does the amount of ammonia or organics in the water make it easier for him... like soapy for us to make bubbles only on a much smaller scale. 

Try an experiment to see if that is the case. Do your water change a day early next time and see if he still builds it... or if he waits another 6-7 days before he works on one. Let us know!


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## Wallawoo (Oct 17, 2014)

That is a very entertaining idea. I think you may be on to something.
Perhaps the amount of compounds built up into the water make the water easier to bubble up and so he works more on it because the bubbles just form so nice and easy for him. That theory makes a lot of sense, he does sometimes work on bubble nests on other days of the week (not to the same extent as water change days) but they tend to get broken up quite easily and doesn't stick like it does towards the end of the week. So maybe he spends hours on it is because it forms so easily for him.
I was also reading some articles online, and came across the theory that perhaps the DOCs or some part of the nitrogen cycle gets high enough where the fish can sense it. Perhaps it's nearing high levels and he develops this urge to breed before the water gets bad and he dies (of course I wouldn't let that happen, but he doesn't know that). So he works diligently on his bubble nest to breed before he dies. 
I will experiment with these two ideas for a few weeks and see if I can gather some evidence to support either theory. I will do a water change Saturday next week and keep you posted on what information I gather in a couple weeks.


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

Sounds like you are on to something!! Hadn't considered the breed and die concept... it's hardwired in them to behave i.e. the nest in the first place and watch the offspring. Looking forward to your results!!


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## Aura (Jan 6, 2015)

I hear a lot of folks bettas make them nests. I have had my betta since Christmas...no nest  why would that be? He has a nice big tank, places to hide, I try to keep his water at good quality. I wanna see my little guy blow some bubbles lol


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## Wallawoo (Oct 17, 2014)

Some fish make bubble nests, and some don't. Just because yours doesn't, does not mean you are doing anything wrong. Mine didn't make any while I was cycling my tank. But I cannot speak for all bettas, your fish is going to do what he wants. He could the healthiest/happiest guy and not make a bubble nest. It's neat if it happens but don't fret if it doesn't. Just keep him in clean, warm water with stable temperatures and a well rounded diet and you will be a good fish owner, regardless of if you see a bubble nest.


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## Aura (Jan 6, 2015)

Thanks Wallawoo!


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## datathebetta (Jan 15, 2015)

My betta doesn't make snests either  But he seems happy anyway


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## Greenapp1es (Dec 4, 2014)

One of my new guys made a beautiful bubble nest within the first day I got him. He hasn't been active building until today - and today was 50% water change day because ammonia had reached .5ppm.

I was able to save the nest by turkey-basting around that part of the tank and cupping water out of the other side, but I find the whole thing funny given the topic.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

My males typically do not build a bubble nest until the water is at least two days old. There's one incorrigible overachiever who does it earlier - he seems to have REALLY good bubbles. The others will try, but it looks like the bubbles pop when the water is too new.

Now when I set up a breeding tank, I fill it at least a day before I put the male in so that the water has a chance to stagnate. I muffle the sponge filter so that it doesn't cause ripples in the water. That lets the male get started on the job faster, which is a good thing since three out of my four breedings, the female was dancing and ready to go right away.

If you want to let your bubble nests survive a good long time and get huge, there's two things you can control and one thing you can't: Cover the tank (keeps heat and humidity in, which makes for longer-lasting bubbles) and add dried Indian Almond Leaf, dried Banana Leaf, or dried oak leaf. The substances released by these dried leaves have an invigorating effect on the male, and his bubble nests will be stickier, too! But...some guys just don't want to build a nest...


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

My wilds always seem to spawn or have newborn fry on water change day. Of course I usually end up sending the nest with its eggs or fry flying everywhere, much to the chagrin of my males. 

My nest building activity seems to be triggered by water changes and me putting something floating like a plant or IAL into the tank. I always feel slightly bad destroying their nests. The males put so much work into them.


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## Rubedo (Jan 14, 2015)

My little guy built his first nest last night. I thought for sure he never would since i change his water so frequently but lo and behold, there it was! I tried to save it for him but i ended up destroying it anyways lol


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## rubbie5837 (Dec 22, 2014)

Well I'm going to ask a question since this thread is about bubble nests. Is it weird that my betta builds two nests? They too seem to be built either on wc day or the day before. He hasn't built one huge nest, rather two smaller ones in two opposite corners of his tank. I haven't been able to find any other information about it, so has anyone else seen this? I would also like to see how this experiment goes. ;-)


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## KitDewStein (Jan 20, 2015)

Mine is now building his and later I have to change is water ;-; sadly I won't be able to save his nest. He is finally building one though.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

I've had mine get silly and build two before, but not often.


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## rubbie5837 (Dec 22, 2014)

Mine does this almost every time and will guard both of them. I guess that is just one of his things


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## Wallawoo (Oct 17, 2014)

My observations thus far:
Poseidon does make bubble nests every day in the same corner. It is gone every morning so it seems the water does need a type of dirtiness to it for the bubbles to get sticky enough to hold together and not break up. Now I am going to experiment changing my water test days (I have a liquid test kit and Prime so his safety will come first). It does seem like on water change days he acts like it his one and only job to do and spends ALL DAY on it. So I am trying to observe and see if when the water gets dirty, if he spends more time on bubble nests so I will experiment and see if he spends more time on them during water change days (Day 7 in my case) because of the idea I have: that when water parameters are nearing unstable it brings out an urge to breed. It will be a few weeks to collect my data but I am already seeing a correlation in how well the bubble nests hold up on Day 1 vs. Day 7 (up to day 10). Bubble nests seems to be bigger and better with dirtier water. So I also want to try and observe the time spent on bubble nests as the days go on as well. I really don't want to go past 10 days without a water change. I will keep you posted. Thanks for sharing in the discussion of bubble nests.


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

Yes...His safety is top most!! I agree to no danger to him for sure!! Prime to neutralize any build up of Ammonia will help too... do you have that on hand?


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## Wallawoo (Oct 17, 2014)

Yes I have Prime, and will be testing regularly, especially towards the end of the week. I changed the water yesterday one day earlier then usual (Day 6) and he did not work on a bubble nest at all yesterday. Next Saturday I will see if he works on a bubble nest all day like he did on day 7 of last week. The following week I will perform the water change to Sunday (Day 8, only if possible) and observe his bubble nesting on days 7 and 8. Since I will not be working either of those days I can observe if he is fanatical about making his nests those days.


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