# Betta Unimaculata- trying to get fry



## Missinasworld (Aug 26, 2015)

So not that long ago I went to an IBC show in Clear WaterFlorida, and left with 2 pairs of betta unimaculata and 1 pair of bettafalx. The unimacs paired off and thelargest pair has spawned 4 times, The male has eaten the eggs 3 out of those 4times. 
So why is it that he only ate 3 out of 4 spawns? Simple.Today I noticed that the pair spawned again last night, and I stripped him ofhis eggs. I went to lowes first thing today and got a few bits and pieces andfollowed a DIY that I found online for an egg tumbler. I think it works prettyOK. So I then netted the male out of his tank and wrapped him in a wet papertowel. I had a little bowl set aside with water from his tank in it, and a toothpick. I then used the toothpick to open his mouth and put his head into thewater and gently shock the eggs out. Idropped him twice, hey he is a big fish and I was worried about hurting him.Thankfully he was fine and back to his old self in no time flat. His eggs arecurrently in the egg tumbler inside the tank. I am not sure if this is going towork, but I really hope it does. I already have a fry tank set up if it doeswork out. So I am crossing my fingers! This is NOT a spawn log, but rather just me ranting about the insanity of today and hoping beyond hope that these eggs make it and turn into fry.
ok photo time:









the male with eggs from another spawn









upclose of the eggs in the homemade tumbler









full view of the tumbler in the 40gal tank
and if your board and want to see a few of my fish and the unimacs eggs tumbling, this is my youtube update:




 

anyways, here is to hoping!


Missina


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

This is great! Thank you so much for sharing.


----------



## Missinasworld (Aug 26, 2015)

Update: Well I worked the last 3 days in a row and the eggs were tumbling and doing good. I added some anti-fungle stuff to the water and moved them in a 1.5gal tank by themselves for this. I saw them starting to develop, a few died and I removed them. then yesterday while I was at work, the air line for the tumbler was moved (probably thanks to one of my cats) and they stopped tumbling. I have no idea how long they were still for, but apparently it was long enough for them to all stick together and fungus and die! So I purchased a small egg tumbler and will try again later. *sigh* this would be easer if my male would just hold the eggs to full term! 


Missina


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Sorry you lost the eggs. Give the male a strong lecture about honing job skills. ;-)


----------



## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

That's a shame about the eggs. Mouthbrooders can be extremely frustrating, which is why I stuck with bubblenesting wilds. 

Is the male with any other unimaculata or just the female? I'm not sure if you've tried this, but perhaps isolating him while he is holding may encourage him to hold to term. Some males seem to be especially sensitive, and even the slightest stress will cause them to swallow any eggs/fry.


----------



## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

My he's a handsome brute. Let me know when you get fry. I'll stand in line over here ----->


----------



## Missinasworld (Aug 26, 2015)

I *had* 2 pair living together in a 40gal planted tank. After the horrible trouble with the eggs in the egg tumbler I did 2 things. 
#1. I purchased a real egg tumbler on line and have it sitting aside for later use. 
#2. I REMOVED the smaller pair of unimaculatas to a 20gal long planted tank. This created some issues and I had to relocate about 50 juvenile red/koi sword tails. the sword tails who would not come willingly, well they were eaten by the unimacs that went into that tank. 


The larger pair left in the 40gal went a few days and then spawned again. These guys are like freaking rabbits..maybe its a good thing I haven't gotten fry out of them yet! Anyways, the pair spawned again on Thursday while I was at work. The male is still holding at this moment, but he has held for up to 5days in the past.
The smaller pair that I moved into the 20gal long planted tank are doing great and the female is flirting up a storm with the male..but as of yet, the smaller male has NOT reacted to her advances. 
*if* the larger male in the 40gal holds to term, YAY, if not, the next time the pair spawns, I will strip him of his eggs Again and try to hatch them in the new egg tumbler. 
Here are some more photos of the unimacs!
This is one of the photos of them when they were first courting, the female would open her mouth at the male and then shake her body back and fourth. then the male would do the same thing back:


















here is another flirting photo from last month:








this is a photo of the male holding eggs on 06/29/16








this is my smaller male now located in a 20gal long planted tank








and this is the smaller female, also in the 20gal long planted tank. although the female has ben opening her mouth and shaking at the male, he doesn't seem interested. and she is super fat from just having eaten a bunch of small crickets. they really don't care for dry foods and prefer blood worms and crickets










well I guess time will tell. it kind of sucks because Im going away for a few days..but my best friend will be house sitting so hopfully she keeps me updated. 


Missina


----------



## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Terrific photographs; among the most professional I've ever seen. Too bad we don't have a functioning Photo Contest, like we used to.

I noticed all those shells in there. Are you trying to raise the hardness/pH?

Don't you just love their iridescent mouthparts when they open their jaws?


----------



## Missinasworld (Aug 26, 2015)

Hallyx said:


> Terrific photographs; among the most professional I've ever seen. Too bad we don't have a functioning Photo Contest, like we used to.
> 
> I noticed all those shells in there. Are you trying to raise the hardness/pH?
> 
> Don't you just love their iridescent mouthparts when they open their jaws?





Oh geesh no. There are no shells in the unimac tanks. Thise shellls are ik my shellies tanks  i had to get an rodi unit and add peat moss and seahem chemicals to Lower he ph in my wild betta tank. 

Missina


----------



## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Of course. You living in FL, that's what I figured. (Just curious 's all.)


----------



## Missinasworld (Aug 26, 2015)

I have awesome news! BOTH of my males are holding eggs right now!!! My larger male has ben holding for 6 days-that's 1 day longer than he has ever held before! and the smaller male has now ben holding for almost 3 days. I even got some video of the smaller pair spawning


----------



## Missinasworld (Aug 26, 2015)

I have awesome news! BOTH of my males are holding eggs right now!!! My larger male has ben holding for 6 days-that's 1 day longer than he has ever held before! and the smaller male has now ben holding for almost 3 days. I even got some video of the smaller pair spawning 






Please ignore all the sounds in the background. I had just gotten home from work and my boyfriend was cutting tile in the back yard, my dogs were eating dinner and their collars kept hitting the raised food dishes..and my foster kittens really wanted out of my office. its not typically that loud in my house. 
So ever time my pairs have spawned, it has ben around 19:00 (or 7pm), and never before then. so every day when I get home from work, I have seen the spawning, but this is the first time I got a video of it. my tank lights are on a timer so the lights turn off at 6pm. I turn the lights back on to feed fry and conditioning adults. this pair did not care that the lights were on, and that's a good thing. they are in a bottom 20gal tank and have to deal with all the traffic of animals and people walking by. the male also doesn't have a lot of cover in the tank, but so far he doesn't seem to care.
The bad part about all of this, with 2 males holding eggs/fry right now, I don't want to go on vacation..but I leave for the Keys tonight and will not be back until the 11th! *keeping fingers crossed that both males have fry when I get home!*


So I will keep everyone updated. I need to go by petco today before the sale ends and pick up another 20gal tank..looks like I need a 5th rack! 10gals do NOT work for these giants!


Missina


----------



## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

Have a fun safe vacation.


----------



## Missinasworld (Aug 26, 2015)

I did not notice until now that i double posted above and it will not let me delet one, owell. 
Im on my way home from the keys and according to my house/pet sitter, both males are still holding! Guess i will know for sure in about 5hrs.


----------



## Missinasworld (Aug 26, 2015)

Sorry for the late update, but yes we have FRY! lots and lots of fry  THe male release between the 11th and 12th. I netted a few fry out but there are tons in the planted 40gal with mom and dad  still watiting on the smaller male to release his fry..but they will be out soon!




 

Missina


----------



## Nismo83 (May 9, 2015)

nice fishes... except for macrostoma.. I do not know how to differentiate the rest in the Unimaculata family..


----------



## miguelgr7 (Aug 9, 2016)

Very nice Wild Bettas, anybody has some wild bettas for sale? Thanks


----------



## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

Wowowowowowow! How are the fry doing now?

Sent from my LG-VS450PP using Tapatalk


----------



## Missinasworld (Aug 26, 2015)

FishyBets said:


> Wowowowowowow! How are the fry doing now?
> 
> Sent from my LG-VS450PP using Tapatalk


They aelre doing great. I havent done much updating on here becuz this forum likes to crash my computer and it ticks me off. Anywhays, i have a fish room update here, it includes almosy all of my fish and does show the unimac fry:






Hopr you enjoy!


Missina


----------

