# Surrogate fathers?



## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

Ok well I spawned my CT pair last night, I woke up to a huge clump of eggs ( pics posted in my "help new spawn" thread) Well much to my disapointment my 2 year old got into my fish room and played in the spawning tank, ruining the nest and scattering eggs everywhere. I was so happy to see Archer trying hard to rebuild his nest and gather any floating eggs he could find. I checked on him later to find he hadn't touched any of the probable 200 or more along the bottom so I thought maybe instead of losing them I could trick my VT male into caring for them along with his eggs since he didn't have that many. Has anyone else ever tried this? Both pairs spawned the same day so he wouldn't have to care for them much longer than his own fry. Anyway I slowly sucked out the eggs and dropped them in with my VT about 5 at a time and he took them! I really really hope this works. So far he has cared for them right along with his own eggs and hasnt eatn any that I could tell.


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## GunsABlazin (Jun 1, 2011)

That is great that he accepted them!


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

Oh god, that's too cute!  Glad he didn't eat any!!! Think you can tell what babies will be from who? haha


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

I will be able to once they are older, It was a VT pair of blue and a CT pair of lavender cambodia and purple  I hope it works out too, I already lost all of my CT spawn last time I tried, I didnt want to lose them again.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I had success getting another male to accept eggs by using an eyedropper and drop eggs in the nest area one at a time to make him think it was his eggs...he took the eggs and placed them in his nest, however, no way to know 100% if the eggs hatched or not....spawn brothers...one egg eater and the other a good father.......or just artificial hatch them in a small cup floating in the tank...I have done about 10 nest of eggs this way in the last month because I need a lot of Bettas for an order this fall.....


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

Ya i tried dropping them slow and he took them just fine. Im actually quite excited because this male is a really good daddy anyway so I bet they have more of a chance than even with they're own father, he was an egg eater too.


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

wow that is really cool!


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

HD4life said:


> I will be able to once they are older, It was a VT pair of blue and a CT pair of lavender cambodia and purple  I hope it works out too, I already lost all of my CT spawn last time I tried, I didnt want to lose them again.


Aaahhh ok well that's good that you'll be able to tell them apart! haha.


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

The adopted fry are starting to hatch today, So far I cant tell how many with all the older fry bouncing around but by this evening I should be able to see if its mostly fry or a bunch of unhatched eggs.


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## Shimizoki (Jul 8, 2011)

Very cool HD, i hope they all hatch and are cared for by the adoptive daddy.


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## bettaboyshiva (Jul 14, 2011)

I wonder about somthing thou...did the CT male fertilize the eggs or u took them out before he did ..if not maybe u will get the VT fertilizing them? jus wondering..


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Aww, I hope everythging works out.


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

No they are fertilized, they were several hours old when I had to take them out


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

Well everyone has hatched and most are swimming I only found a couple bad eggs so I'm satisfied. Chester gets to recover in his own tank tomorrow since he has been working double time. I'm so proud of him.


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## bettaboyshiva (Jul 14, 2011)

HD4life said:


> Well everyone has hatched and most are swimming I only found a couple bad eggs so I'm satisfied. Chester gets to recover in his own tank tomorrow since he has been working double time. I'm so proud of him.


 aww nice! now you are a betta daddy lol! so many tiny ones to feed and care for now they swimming horizontally now i would think? ;-) i have three batches to care for so its alot of work .


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## Shimizoki (Jul 8, 2011)

Very cool HD and congrats on the successful surprise adoption.


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

Ya betta boy, I have 3 right now, 2 that are only a day apart and one that is 5 weeks old now


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## bettaboyshiva (Jul 14, 2011)

ok man keep them brine shrimp bubbling! alot to feed like me.!


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