# Egg Eaters!!! Ahhhhhh!



## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

So I am new to betta breeding. I started in august and now up until this point all my pairs failed. I had everything perfect and yesterday my CTs spawned and they started eating the eggs. Some of them werent eaten and put into the nest but this morning they were gone! I'll post pics soon. Any helpful iddeas anyone.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Can you tell us more about your spawning setup and the breeders...age, how conditioned etc......as detailed as possible.....

Sometimes you will get eggs eaters because something is wrong with the eggs and sometimes it can be due to new breeders or being disturbed in some way can also cause them to eat eggs.....I would recondition and try again....some breeder may take 2-3 spawning attempts before you are successful and sometimes you have to artificial hatch


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

well it was with my crowntail pair. Pit and Aqua Marina. I conditioned them basically all the time. they were in a 10g tank half filled with some plants in it. all the ammonia nitrites nitrates pH and everything were fine. I do not know how old they are, but are probably young cause they are small. This was their 1st time. But i was taking pics so could that have bothered them


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

this is the pair


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

ahhh. that was weird. here is the pair.


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

and


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## drkeni9ma (Jan 24, 2011)

Is it their first time?


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

ya it is their first time.


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## drkeni9ma (Jan 24, 2011)

Well its okay for first timers.. You don't have to worry at all.. there's always a second time for the pair.. but if the second time fails.. then its time to choose another pair..


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

Remember to recondition the pair for two weeks before your next attempt!


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## drkeni9ma (Jan 24, 2011)

mernincrazy8525 said:


> and


May I ask.. what's the background? how'd you do it?


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

okay i am already reconditioning them. Thnx guys!!!!


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

i introduced the male in the tank and then thirty minutes later i added the female in a jar. both went bolistic and flared at each otheer. he built a bubblenest within 20 minutes and she was eggy so i released her and she went right over to the nest and they spawned. But the male never went to get the eggs the first time. the female ate them all. then the second time they wrapped he got the eggs and appeared to bee putting them in the nest. but then i checked the next day all the eggs were gone from the ones i thought he put in the nest.


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## reaper0325 (Nov 23, 2010)

Hi, I'm a newbie too at betta breeding. I have tried spawning my bettas about 15 times and only have 3 successful spawns. lol

In those 3 spawns, it seemed that they were gone the next day, but they were still there. The next time i saw them they had already hatched.


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

so dooes that mean there may still be some fry in there


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## reaper0325 (Nov 23, 2010)

mernincrazy8525 said:


> so dooes that mean there may still be some fry in there


yep.. Wait for two days and see if the eggs have already hatched. 
If it has been more than 48 hours and still to tails hanging from the nest, then the eggs have been eaten.

Try indian almond leaves. Worked for me..


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

Were can i get them besides aquabid cause it is expensive


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## drkeni9ma (Jan 24, 2011)

I agree to reaper0325, just w8 for 2 days and see if there are any fry.. if none then try again someday.. heheh

BTW sir may I ask what's the name of the bubble nest background?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Shine a flashlight under the nest. You might be able to see them if they're there.


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

Wait, you couldn't have had time to re-condition them the whole two weeks in the course of a day, that simply isn't possible. One feeding between the next attempt at breeding really doesn't count as conditioning, and can be seen as irresponsible. If you want your breeders to preform at their best and breed well, you have to make sure they are physically at their best, hence why breeders condition them 2 whole weeks


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

i didnt fully recondition them i am doing it now.


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

oh, okay. I read this post:


> i introduced the male in the tank and then thirty minutes later i added the female in a jar. both went bolistic and flared at each otheer. he built a bubblenest within 20 minutes and she was eggy so i released her and she went right over to the nest and they spawned. But the male never went to get the eggs the first time. the female ate them all. then the second time they wrapped he got the eggs and appeared to bee putting them in the nest. but then i checked the next day all the eggs were gone from the ones i thought he put in the nest.


which you posted right after you said you would re-condition, and I thought you had stuck them back together. My bad ^-^;;;


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

it's okay it was my fault. bad choice of wording.


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## catappa leaves (Mar 6, 2011)

Correct me if I am wrong but I don't see any of the pictures with any Catappa Leaves ( also know as Indian Almond Leaves ) in it ???'

Terminalia Catappa Leaves, also known as Indian Almond Leaves, is the leaf from a large tropical tree in the Leadwood tree family. It is considered native to tropical Asia & northern Australia, but is today also common in tropical parts of the Americas.

Catappa leaves have been a long kept secret of breeders of Bettas Splendens (Siamese Fighting Fish) in South East Asia. It was long ago noticed that fish that lived in the waters next to any of these trees ( the leaves of which would fall naturally into the waters ) were found to be healthier and more vibrant than their counterparts. It was surmised that if one were to introduce the leaves into aquariums one could achieve similar conditions as found in the fishes natural enviroment. The leaves were found to help keep their fish healthy with strong anti-bacterial properties and promote better breeding.

All you need is to add one or two piece of the leaves into your breeding tank, and there will be no more Egg Eating problems any more.


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

i actually can't find anywhere that sells them that is not online because the online ones are expensive and i can't pay for shipping from thailand.


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

if you go to his website, 100 small grade A leaves are like 10 dollars, and shipping is free.


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

i will probably buy some of this site. thnx.


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## Betta Slave (Dec 8, 2009)

Good luck... I know how you feel. Egg-eaters are the worst. -.-


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## mernincrazy8525 (Feb 28, 2011)

ya especially if it's your first time and you actually think you are finally going to have beautiful fry.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

I've read (some members here) that you can substitute IAL with oak leaves (don't know which kind though). It may not be as good as IAL but it works and above all, it's free.

You should try artificial hatching if you don't have another male and/or can't get a new pair. IME egg eaters will always be egg eaters. Sometimes they miss a few and these get to hatch. But most of the time they will eat the entire batch.


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## catappa leaves (Mar 6, 2011)

I still believe that it is so very important that we create aquariums that are as close as possible to the similar conditions as found in the fishes natural enviroment. In that way they will not feel the unnatural factors when trying to reporduce. 

Do not set-up your breeding tank too clean, they will not have the "Mood" to do it !


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## reaper0325 (Nov 23, 2010)

South east asian here. lol

Useful tip: Cover the aquarium with dark cloth. This way, the daddy fish will not be disturbed and so there is a greater chance that he won't eat the eggs. Don't worry about the dim light. It won't stop him from tending the nest. ;-)


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