# One-bubble bubblenest help?



## Pixierella (Jul 15, 2010)

Grr, I've looked everywhere and can't find anything on this subject. My male is trying really hard to make a bubble nest and it's just one big bubble, any suggestions on what to do? I am using half of a styrofoam cup.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

There is nothing you can do to MAKE a fish blow a nest  Some never do. Adding indian almond leave is supposed to encourage spawning so something like that might make the water conditions more suitable and then if he feels like it he will


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

If there is ANY current in your tank he might not just because of that.


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## Pixierella (Jul 15, 2010)

*he already is...*



Sarada said:


> There is nothing you can do to MAKE a fish blow a nest  Some never do. Adding indian almond leave is supposed to encourage spawning so something like that might make the water conditions more suitable and then if he feels like it he will


I'm not trying to make him blow a bubblenest, he is blowing a bubble nest. I've been watching him the whole time, he's in a spawning tank with a female in a net breeder. He's trying to, I've seen the bubbles, it's just that they keep melding together after awhile instead of staying seperate like they start out and now it's all one big bubble. Sorry if I wasn't more clear.


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## Kokonoko (Jul 28, 2010)

I am, by far, a total noob in breeding and have never attempt breeding bettas yet, BUT just out of plan theorizing it could have something to do with the water more then anything else. You would need to isolate possibilities though by providing some info. I'm assuming you know the basics of breeding, and have -possibly(???) breed before.

-Has he been CONDITIONED
-Has he -ever- blown an effective bubblenest?
-Have you recently added something (Chemical, odd item, etc) to the breeding tank that diffirs greatly from the previous tank?
-Is there strong air-currents near by?
-What filter are you using? If not a spong filter, does the outake create to much current?(This shouldn't be the case if you know what you're doing though)


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

You can buy something called Betta Spa from Big Als. I have never tried it but it's supposed to help make bubbles stick or something.


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## Pixierella (Jul 15, 2010)

*the rundown...*



Kokonoko said:


> I am, by far, a total noob in breeding and have never attempt breeding bettas yet, BUT just out of plan theorizing it could have something to do with the water more then anything else. You would need to isolate possibilities though by providing some info. I'm assuming you know the basics of breeding, and have -possibly(???) breed before.
> 
> -Has he been CONDITIONED
> -Has he -ever- blown an effective bubblenest?
> ...


I do have a filter but have it off right now so that the water doesn't disturb the bubbles nest, no, this is my first time breeding and I have 2 spawning tanks going at the same time, everything in the other tank is going well, the males bubblenest is several small bubbles like I am used to seeing and the female has vivid vertical bars as she should. I have done quite a bit of research though. Yes, they've been conditioned. The male I'm referring to is one from Thailand who has been previously conditioned and I think possibly already sexed. I don't want to run the filter until I have a successful spawn and the spawn are free swimming. Even then I may wait til they're a little bigger to turn it back on again. The water is the same as in the other spawning tank and as I said everything there is going as it should so what's causing the difference? As far as a successful nest, for the show-quality breeder in thailand I got him from, yes, but for me well, this would be ther first time he's been in a tank where he had something to blow the nest into so...maybe he just need more practice, he is after all a younger fish >a year


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

try getting an even younger fish that is about 9-10 months old they are the best!! and do great jobs with nests


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## Pixierella (Jul 15, 2010)

bettalover2033 said:


> try getting an even younger fish that is about 9-10 months old they are the best!! and do great jobs with nests


yeah, he's a little younger than that I believe, secondly, my $8 pet store Dragonscale who's age is unknown is making a better bubble nest then he is. Ironic much?


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Pixierella said:


> yeah, he's a little younger than that I believe, secondly, my $8 pet store Dragonscale who's age is unknown is making a better bubble nest then he is. Ironic much?


yea the younger the better


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Try covering the tank with plastic wrap. This will make the tank humid and the bubbles will hold better. Whats the temp of the tank?

IME when a male is ready to his business he'll make a nest. If he's not ready he might slack. Is he flaring and displaying for the female?


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## Pixierella (Jul 15, 2010)

*maybe not?*



bettalover2033 said:


> yea the younger the better


Yeah, that's what I learned while doing my continuing research but doesn't seem to be the case for me.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Pixierella said:


> Yeah, that's what I learned while doing my continuing research but doesn't seem to be the case for me.


YUPP WELL MY FEMALE CT THAT I WAS GOING TO BREED JUST DIED ABOUT 10 MINS AGO=( I WASNT EVEN ABLE TO GIVE HER A NAME YET


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

IAL tea will keep your bubblenests together like glue!
He won't even nee to make them, just by breathing the bubbles will form!
I recently started using IAL and was AMAZED at how many bubbles they made in one night


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## Dead Sunlight (Jun 14, 2010)

Every breeder is diffrent... He may be one of those bettas who won't start building a big bubblenest unlil the eggs are released!

IOL, I highly suggest... also the plastic will help too.


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## Pixierella (Jul 15, 2010)

1fish2fish said:


> Try covering the tank with plastic wrap. This will make the tank humid and the bubbles will hold better. Whats the temp of the tank?
> 
> IME when a male is ready to his business he'll make a nest. If he's not ready he might slack. Is he flaring and displaying for the female?


Yes he was but she just didn't want to cooperate so I put him back in his 5 and her back in the sorority tank. Both are doing well. I have 2 spawning tanks going right now, a top and bottom, I'm still on the same pair in the bottom tank, everything is going as it should. I'm on my 3rd pair in the top tank. The female is already starting to show her vertical bars and the male is adjusting to the tank. He displayed a little to her but is still kinda curious. I think it will be fine but I'm gonna keep an eye on them. I changed out the styrofoam to a styrofoam block, it seems to be going much better than the cups and is holding more bubbles without them turning into 1 big giant one.


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## Pixierella (Jul 15, 2010)

*IAL extract*



vilmarisv said:


> IAL tea will keep your bubblenests together like glue!
> He won't even nee to make them, just by breathing the bubbles will form!
> I recently started using IAL and was AMAZED at how many bubbles they made in one night


I just ordered a bottle of Wild IAL extract called Ocean Nutrition Atison's Betta Spa. Gonna try that and see if it helps but since I changed the styrofoam media the bubblenests are doing much better already.


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## Pixierella (Jul 15, 2010)

Dead Sunlight said:


> Every breeder is diffrent... He may be one of those bettas who won't start building a big bubblenest unlil the eggs are released!


No nest until eggs released??? Urf? There is no way I'm gonna put a female in unless she's ready for sure. The biggest problem other than the giant single bubble nest he had going was she wasn't too interested. I don't see how she wouldn't like him, he's gorgeous but still...maybe next time I try him.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

I've had a male who really didn't get started with the nest 'til I released his girl friend.  lazy boys..


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## Dead Sunlight (Jun 14, 2010)

Yeah, luckily when those eggs are dropping, they blow those nests PRETTY fast... Guys, thats called procrastinating


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

haha you probably have a stubborn betta lol


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Pixierella said:


> I've seen the bubbles, it's just that *they keep melding together* after awhile instead of staying seperate like they start out and now it's all one big bubble. Sorry if I wasn't more clear.


IMO, this is water related. If you've tried the above suggestions and it still becomes one big bubble, try changing the water.



> The biggest problem other than the giant single bubble nest he had going was *she wasn't too interested*. I don't see how she wouldn't like him, he's gorgeous but still...maybe next time I try him.


First how big/how old are the breeders? If you're sure they are adequate sizes, you can try isolating the female in a dark place. This should give her more self esteem (?). After a while or after she has calmed down, try flaring her with a mirror or by showing another female. First just see if she would flare. Hours later (even better, the next day) flare her again. Repeat this twice/3 times a day for 2-3 days. Then float her in the breeding tank. If she swim dances with the male, then she is ready. Otherwise you'll have to isolate her longer.

Good luck.


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## Pixierella (Jul 15, 2010)

*Spawning Tanks Update*



indjo said:


> IMO, this is water related. If you've tried the above suggestions and it still becomes one big bubble, try changing the water.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you for this information, I'll try this next time I attempt this pair. I switched out and have a different pair now though, they're doing like they should (female displaying her vertical bars, male flaring and showing off for the female and blowing a bubble nest) like the pair in my bottom tank. I use net breeders so they can be up close and personal until they're ready to be released. I found they work much better than the jars I was using and the females don't freak out. I released the female in the bottom tank. I used a little different of a technique. When I was about to put her into the jar she flopped out of the net and into the tank, I watched them for a bit and they immediately started courting. I've been putting her in the net breeder when she starts running away from him. I put her in for a little while and watch them, I found that it encourages the male to blow more bubbles and it perks him up. If I think she's too tired I put her back in. I've been doing this for a couple days. Today I released her for good, her bars are more vivid when she's in with him. His bubble nest is ready and she wanted out to be around him so I released her and now I wait and see. I started doing this in the top tank also. The female is in the net breeder right now and the male is working on his bubble nest. I'll try to keep ya'll posted.


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