# Here it is!



## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Ok, well plans are finally moving forward! I am still in the conditioning stage, but I thought I'd go ahead and start my breeding thread now. I am conditiong Chip (red dragon), and Spitfire (red cambo, but more red is filling into her body now) as pair, and Aqua (turq marble butterfly) and Nova (blue cambo) as my backup pair.

They are being conditioned with frozen brine shrimp, Hikari bio-gold, and BettaMin. 
I have a ten-gallon that needs to be cleaned and set-up, and have money for a heater. Yay! So after things calm down after New Year's, I'll be setting up. 

Oh, and Nova has built another bubblenest. I'm sure she's a female since she's dropped eggs before, but this is kind of strange. This is the second one she's built and they are pretty small, but definitely bubblenests. I'm pretty excited!


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## Lethbridge (Nov 8, 2009)

Hope it goes well for you! I love your avatar betta it looks so orange very nice. Most of my females blow bubble nest too when they are ready to breed, i keep mine in a hurricane globe, and the male builds his nest and the female will build hers inside the hurricane globe, its quite cool actually!


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Wow that's neat, this is the first female I've had that does that. So last night, I had Noel in one of the divisions of the ten-gallon, with three boys in the other 3 divisions, and she somehow got in with the dragon Chip. I watched her a little bit then put her back and fiddled with the divider so she couldn't squeeze through, then went to bed. (The tank has a kind of high cover on it.) I heard a little thunk so I turned on the light and checked on them, and they were fine. I was almost asleep when I heard another *thunk*, so I checked the fish again and sure enough Noel had jumped over the divider, under the cover, into Chip's side. So I switched her to and individual tank, put Toby back in the ten gallon, and went to bed. Noel's tank now had a tight-fitting lid, and sure enough pretty soon I heard a large *clunk*. But she's still in today so maybe that knocked some sense into her. She's a character.


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## Lethbridge (Nov 8, 2009)

thats pretty funny! some breeders let the female jump out of the breeder box/hurricane globe etc. when they are ready to breed,that way there is no guess work when she is ready, however if she is a jumper like yours then you have a problem! What kind of divider are you using? those clear ones with the greenish/bluish ends?


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

I have homemade dividers. Kind of like stiff plastic "netting". Kind of. 

Today as I was siphoning her tank she jumped at my arm and scared me to bits.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

lol!! It would have scared me, too!


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## Lethbridge (Nov 8, 2009)

Thats pretty funny. I hand feed all my bettas because it makes them less jump etc. during feeding and breeding time, and i want them to know that human's walking around are okay, and every time i feed this one female of mine, she attacks my fingers, and every morning it makes me jump, bettas can be quite unique


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Today I found a sumbersible, adjustable, 100W heater within my price range!I also picked up a couple of silk plants, so hopefully I'll be setting the tank up tommorrow.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Sounds good!


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## Lethbridge (Nov 8, 2009)

A 100W heater is very high for a 10 gallon tank if that is what you are using, i would go with a 25W heater


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Yes, it is a ten-gallon. But's the only submersible one they had, and living in a rural area I don't have many options. I do have different heaters that I am using and could switch out, but they're old and I kind of want to use the new one.


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## Lethbridge (Nov 8, 2009)

Well just keep it very low because that heater is very huge for a 10 gallon tank, you dont want to cook the fry


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

yeah. or fry the fry.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

lol!!


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

thanks dq. :lol:

So here's a little update: I haven't gotten the tank set up yet, and I think I've decided to switch around and use Aqua and Nova as my first choice and Chip and Spitfire as the backup. Chip has torn up his tail a bit and hasn't made a bubblenest in a long time, although he seems happy. I think maybe he's bored because there is no plants or decor in there. Aqua has a big bubblenest, and Nova has made her third small bubblenest. Plus, I think I like the both of them better anyways.   
Hopefully I will set up the tank today. And, I think I've decided that it's too hard to keep this many fish in our house. We have wood heat and harsh winters, so if we leave the tanks would literally freeze solid, and I don't know how good my heaters would work in that type of cold. So after I breed, I'll be giving away/maybe selling most of the babies, keeping one or two. I might keep the rest of my fish however long they live or give them away, not sure. Anyways when I move out hopefully it'll be a house with more stable heat.


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Oh, forgot! Here's a couple of pics:
This is Aqua and his bubblenest.








This is Julius' bubblenest and Aqua's on either side of the divider. I think they've got a competition going.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Nice bubblenests!!


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

thanks!


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## Zenandra (Nov 14, 2009)

Haha wowza! Look at those bubbles!!


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Yeah, I think Aqua's really ready. And Nova's dropped her eggs before, so I'm anxious to get her bred before she does it this time.


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

the tank is set up! I still have to regulate the temp, so I haven't added Aqua yet.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Sounds good!! Hopefully, there will be babies in a few days.


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## puppyrjjkm (Aug 2, 2009)

Good luck! Can we have pictures of the parents?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Yeah, can we have pics of the parents? lol


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## Lethbridge (Nov 8, 2009)

Those are some impressive bubblenests very thick, good luck and i cant wait for pics of the parents


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Ok, here's some pics. :-D

Here is the setup: (I am still working on the temp.)








Here is Aqua: (yes he tore up his tail but it is healed and growing back.)








Here is Nova:


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

They are soooo beautiful!! The fry are going to be beautiful, too!


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

thank you! Also, I was just wondering if anybody knows if you can feed baby bettas the powdery Seamonkey food? I have egg yolk, frozen baby brine shrimp, and bbs eggs, but I want to see if this is also an option.


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## Lethbridge (Nov 8, 2009)

Very nice betta's, sorry but i dont know what the seamonkey food is made of so i cant help you, i would start with either the egg yoke or hatch the bbs eggs


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I've never heard of powdered seamonkey food either.


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Hmmm, it doesn't list the ingredients on the package either. But I'm sure I could find them online. Anyways, I added Aqua to his new digs and he's checking it out.  I am planning on using fresh-hatched bbs as the first meal, so when the fry hatch I'll set up a shrimp hatchery so they'll be ready when the fry become free-swimming.


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

I looked up the Seamonkey food and apparently the main ingredient is algae, so I guess I won't be using that!


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Ok, so since putting Aqua in the tank yesterday morning, he has now made a small bubblenest! I'm planning on putting Nova in the hurricane globe sometime this morning. Can somebody tell me where that thread is for preparing bbs ahead of time and putting them in the fridge? Also, what are your guys' opinions on when I should stop feeding him?


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Update:

So this morning I had to adjust the heater, and kind of ruined/moved the small bubblenest in the process. I put Nova in in her hurricane lamp, and I was trying to put her in found out my net was too large to fit inside of it so I had to just dump her in, which spooked her. She was scared for a little while, then finally started flaring back at Aqua. I think they've been looking at each other all day, and Aqua isn't thinking too much about blowing bubbles, but I do see a few. I'm considering moving his large, thick nest from his original tank into there but I'm not sure. It's not really natural. We'll see!


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Update:

I released Nova this morning, leaving the hurricane lamp in there because he built a bubblenest by the lamp, so I'll take it out after the babies don't need the bubblenest anymore. It's pretty gentle so far, and they've actually both met under the bubblenest a few times, it seems that spawning should be happening fairly soon. I'll start a new thread if they spawn and daddy doesn't eat the eggs to document the growth of the babies.


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Update:

Well, they are spawning and now, and Aqua is eating the eggs after each embrace. There are a few eggs in the nest, but I don't know who put them there. I just pray that he stops and starts to realize what he is supposed to be doing with them!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm sorry he's eating the eggs! I guess he doesn't realize what they are and that he's supposed to take care of them and not eat them.


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Update:

Ok, so they're done and I think he stopped eating them at some point. There's maybe fifty? and I think he's taking care of them but I'll have to keep a close eye. He keeps putting them in his mouth but I watched and I'm pretty sure he's just moving them. 
Thanks DQ!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

It may look like he's eating them but he may just be moving them around. At least, I hope that's the case.


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

It looks like there are less eggs now, I may have to take him out.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I think they'll be ok if you take him ouit.


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Ok, so it looks like there's maybe about 40 eggs. I took Aqua out because I suspect he is eating them, so we'll see how they do. Here is some photos of the chasing/spawning process.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Nice pics!!


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks! I'm pretty excited


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Update:

During the night about ten? eggs fell from the nest. (Probably from the dog rooting around on the bed next to the dresser that the tank is on) Anyways, so I siphoned them into a little betta cup with some water and floated them in the tank. Some of them float, some sink, and one of the ones that sinks is about the twice the size of the other eggs. There are still a nice amount in the nest.


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## Hopeful (Dec 27, 2009)

Well good luck on what you have left I want you to know that Im post-stalking you because I hope to be breeding very soon. I want to do a little more research. Also I dont want to start breeding Until I can find a very good pair. Is it normal to have abnormal egg sizes?


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Good to see I have post-stalkers.  I'm not sure about the egg sizes--but I did spot another large one, and I accidently ruined about 10.


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## Hopeful (Dec 27, 2009)

The first thought that came to my mind was "OMG they could be giants!" then I remembered that breeders cant tell they are giants for awhile...plus Ive never seen a giant that was not plakat


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

lol actually I've been checking on the eggs fairly often, and to me it almost looks like the ones that are larger (one was ruined) look like they might be hatching. I'm not sure, I've never watched that close before, but it looks like that might be the case.


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## Hopeful (Dec 27, 2009)

It would be really interesting to actually watch them hatch! I'd be sitting next to my betta tank with a bag of popcorn for hours. So what colors are you hoping for out of this breeding? Who do you think you will be using for your next spawn?


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

I'm hoping to get some of each of the male and female's colors, and then any kind of marble would be awesome. I'll only be spawning again (for now) if this spawn does not work out. This is pretty much a one-time only deal for me right now. I'm not sure if they're hatching, it's so hard to see, these ones are laying on the bottom and it alllmoost looks like something is "bulging" out of the eggs but not sure. They could be growing fungusy or something since Aqua isn't in there cleaning them. If I do have to redo the spawn I'd probably use either my red dragon male or my orange veiltale male with my red kind of cambo female.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Awww, I hope everything works out!


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## HopeInHeart (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks.


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