Male bettas keep dying

[llrjhansen]

My son wanted to breed bettas which I did once before so I bought a female betta (already had the male for about a year), bought some live plants and did all the stuff for breeding them. I also bought the frozen brine shrimp,blood worms that I did not have before (I was feeding my male before with just flakes). Then started noticing that the male was laying on the bottom a lot and sometimes he would have his head towards surface and tail on the bottom. Then two days later he was dead. The female is fine. So I got a new male betta, thinking my male was just old. Two days later he died,female still alive. She isn't the cause because she was separated with first male. Any ideas on whats going on?

 

[Fishkeeper26]

What size tank? What are the water parameters? How are you testing your water? What else is in the tank? Did you do anything to attempt to treat the male betta?

 

[llrjhansen]

10 gallon tank, the temp is at a constant 78 degrees,I didn't have a aerator when I first set up the tank with the old male because I read they like still water for breeding, then I put a stone aerator for second male thinking it would help circulate the heated water more, there was a little fake fish for female to hide in, then changed to a different shelter for second male. The water has always been ok for fish before I started this, plus the female stayed alive with both males. Treating really wasn't an option since it happened so fast.

 

[Fishkeeper26]

You had two males in the tank?

 

[llrjhansen]

At different times. The first one died after having him a year and a half after setting up tank for breeding. Then got another male after that one and then it died within a day or so.

 

[Fishkeeper26]

Oh ok, were there any visible signs of a fight? without a picture or not knowing the water parameters its hard to know what may have happened... Can you give numbers for your water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)? also how are you testing?

 

[llrjhansen]

Actually no I have not tested water since it has always been ok with the fish in the past. Also the female is living in same water in a separator so I thought if she is still living it shouldn't be the water. Right??

 

[llrjhansen]

Whoops I forgot to say there was no signs of a fight between the male and female

 

[Fishkeeper26]

yes, but ive seen times where waters been bad and fish have died but others have lived

 

[llrjhansen]

Well I will get a testing kit today. By any chance would the male betta gorge himself on the food and the female wouldn't?

 

[Fishkeeper26]

there is a chance, but it all depends on the personality of your own betta