# Sucessful Spawn!! First time with oak leaves.



## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

My Turqoiuise CT and his mate spawned sucessfully this evening after a week of ready, not ready, ready-- nope..

I was beginning to think I was going to have to just give up. Luckil for Lucky, Sebastion is a gentle male. I had never used oak leaves before either and was pleased with the results!:lol:


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Let me know how that goes. I've heard good things about oak leaves.


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

As near as I can tell, it works exactly like IAL's. I hd an eBay contact who sold IAL for $3 a pack, but now the price has doubled and she is no longer around. I thought I would give it a try. The pH has held at 7.2 steady and the temp is hanging at 82`. 

Daddy is very happy this morning, had a fly land in the tank and he went nuts, I helped and scooped it out with a net. This is my first spawn in four years or so, and the fish's first time ever, so we will see.


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

View attachment 445881
Not the best pic but here's my spawn... The little white things are obviously the babies


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

View attachment 446457
And my fry are free swimming. Have a few still attached to the nest and he's still mothering them. Actually I am alarmed at how many there are! He has built an extension to his nest for the free swimmers and is keeping the smallest near the heater. 

That little green box thing is an isolation tank for sick /injured fish and is my little secret to having the female not beat up too bad. I just slip it in next to where he's building and he will use it as support, then they can chase, play tag to their hearts content with no damage. When she finally goes nose down and is ready, I gently move her out into the tank. It really helps keep damage down.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Yay, babies! That's a great picture, too!


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

I am so tempted to try the daddy-in method but I feel my tank isn't planted enough. It will be a while before I spawn again so I am changing up my set up and maybe try a planted tank.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Yeah, I'm going to be spending the next couple weeks setting up a tank with plenty of plants. Creating "heavily planted" at the same time as "bare bottom" is going to be interesting.


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

I wonder if something like black gravel on the substrate would help with gathering and see for eggs and fry


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

Oak leaves, leaf litter & such is an old school breeding trick. I got bristlenose to breed by accident years ago,brought in platys from an outdoor tub, plenty of leaves with them late in the season. Resident bristlenose in that tank went to town, a couple weeks later little ones everywhere.

There's all sorts of micro foods that grow when dried leaves are present, pairs see this & know there's available food for fry. Can't beat the price either, one walk in the fall & your set for a year!


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

That's what I thought Tolak. I haven't put infusoria in yet and I see some of them diving at something.. Maybe they have infusoria in there from the leaves. He has built a second nest now and moved the small ones into the new nest. Some are swimming free, though


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

View attachment 446834


This is the father of my spawn, Sebastian, he's fresh out of the fry tank this morning looking a little ragged and stressed. His children are all free swimming and he is an excellent father. He's in his critter keeper right now getting treated for his stress and mild injuries.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Oh! Veil! What's the mother?


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

She's a VT as well, same color


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Excellent. Looking forward to seeing how the babies turn out.


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

The fry are active and eating well. Still tiny. But at least you can see them. Daddy is back to blowing bubbles and making a nest in his tank.


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

The fry tried their first micro worms this morning, and the little buggers are voracious eaters. I have onefry who is transparent and the rest are dark. I have never seen this, anyone else have an idea?


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

So I think it is about time for a water change. The little guys are getting bigger and are voracious eaters.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

They grow crazy fast, don't they?


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## NTexasBetta14 (Oct 7, 2014)

Yes they do. Seems like last wee they were just little eggs.


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