Should I Worry???

[treenab]

Ok... Last night I checked on my "daddy" with his nest and he had built it up pretty well... When my bettas spawned there wasn't a bubble nest at all!!! So I was pretty pleased to actually see some work had been done. This morning I get up and there are no bubbles surrounding the eggs and they are strewn all around the top of the tank.. yes they are still floating but they are not together and I can only count about 80-100 eggs. Is my daddy doing this?? the only thing inside their container is the floating plant he originally attatched the nest to and the daddy betta and the eggs so nothing else could have disrupted the nest, adn the whole tank is lidded. I can't see in any betta literature I have found where this kind of thing is normal, so I am pretty worried that these eggs may not fertile or the daddy is going to eat them... last note, the fish spawned Sat (Aust EST) afternoon around 3pm. making it now 42 hours approx since spawning.

Please any advice would be wonderful... I don't know where I would be without this forumm thanks guys!!!

 

[treenab]

Not sure what it means but the male betta his moving any eggs that sink into the plants. He isn't "bubbling" them, just spitting them into the plant which is holding them up... most of them sink again so he is continually doing "sweeps"... There are only about 50 eggs left.. should i remove the male betta, give it up as a failed spawn or let it go as is...

 

[Allivymar]

'Fraid I don't know a lot about bettas treenab; hopefully one of our betta experts will pop in tonite or tomorrow (maybe one of em will do a species article on them *hint hint*).

Some interesting info on the male's duties here: http://www.bettasrus.com/bcorner/daddy_duties.htm

 

[treenab]

Thanks Allivymar... the link is great!!

 

[treenab]

Ok, just to confuse me more, it looks like he is starting to re-build a nest, however as soon as he adds another bubble to the meagre collection a couple of others burst!! I think I will ahve to stop wtching him or I will do my head in with worry... Typical male.. as confusing as all else LOL *just kidding!!*

 

[Allivymar]

Aw you know men; give em some equipment to play with and they just can't stop

 

[treenab]

ROFL...

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

Is there a lot of current in the tank? That could explain why his bubbles aren't holding, and why the eggs are getting scattered.

 

[treenab]

there is no current where the male and eggs are. I had to seperate them into another container and theya re floating in the top of my aquarium. I'm off to get a 10 gal today to set up for the fry tank should any hatch... I was totally unprepared for this.. was the last thing on my mind having the bettas spawn!! He is still trying to collect bubbles.. but they seem sooo fragile ... I hope he doesn't exhaust himself...

 

[Megalofyia]

Just out of curiousity - what are you going to do with the babies? Ive thought about getting a female betta for my ten gallon with my male betta but I dont know if I have enough friends to give all those bettas to someone.

 

[treenab]

I'm not entirely sure yet. I know there aren't any breeders in the local area (and I think statte but not sure about that one...) that the pet shops buy from, they purchase from interstate so maybe I can sell on to them... Just hoping we get them to hatch.. Some of them have blackish spots on them... I hope it isn' t the start of a fungus....

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi, I have a betta, but absolutely no experience with spawning!! But maybe the black spots are the fry becoming bigger in the eggs, and they'll hatch soon? Just a guess!

 

[treenab]

Oh I am hoping so!!!! still I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much... The daddy has built himself up another good sized nest now so looking good.. well to my in-experienced eyes it is

 

[Terry]

Hiya treenab
Good to see you are having fun with Daddy betta and eggs, Isn't it fun
If you can see little black dots in the egg it wont be long now. When the babies are born they are tiny dots moving around in your box.
Looks like Dad is doing a good job though. As soon as the eggs hatch i would remove the male as there is a chance he might eat them. You could make up some infusoria, get yourself a jar put some water into it a place a lettice leaf. When the water goes cloudy then you have some infusoria. By useing a syringe or baster or spoon, you can put small amounts in there box to feed on.