Sarah Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 My males (I have three right now) don't blow nests. They have a tank (about 35L), heater, sponge filter, foam cup, they are being conditioned, etc., yet they don't blow bubblenests! I went to the LFS today, and the Bettas were in tiny cups. All the males there had bubblenests! They even have 3wk old Betta fry! There is about 10 of them, and they are fed on flakes! I don't think they will last that long though.... Anyway, why do they have fry, nests, and I don't?! I saw the parents a few weeks back of the fry. CT. Male was multicolour, and they had TWO females in the tank at the same time. The on the male was interested in was cellophane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neffy Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 (edited) can they see a female? sometimes having a rival male in view can work as well! have u tried different materials for him to nest under ?(IAL leaf, bubble wrap, container lid) while im settling the boy into the spawn tank there generally wont be a bubblenest soon as i add a female in a jar, there is a HUGE nest the next morning then they destroy it playing tag. Then sometimes they just arnt bothered at all u can put it down to many thigns but in the end i dont think there is anything u can do to get a non bubble blower to blow bubbles if hes not interested. Edited August 23, 2010 by Neffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delyall Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Sometimes the water is too 'clean' and the bubbles just pop.. if you had IAL Id say add some of that or the "gunk" on the bottom of planted aquariums (not poop or old food... stuff from the plants... *sounds foolish*) also try giving them something else to make a nest under or showing thm a female might work Im really no expert.. but I hope something helps :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted August 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 There were females, but most couldn't see them. Nothing to blow under, they barely even had room to turn around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delyall Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 I was talking about what you can do for your fish I thought thats why you posted the topic ... :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted August 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Oh, thanks. I got a new male yesterday, so I'll see how he goes. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracey6565 Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Sarah I'm by no means an expert but I've found that some of my males have blown bubbles right from the outset and some have taken months to begin. I wouldn't worry too much, just enjoy them for the beauties they are for now. As long as their water is clean and they're looking happy, no fin clamp etc they're fine. As delyall suggested try putting a female in view of your males, that may give them a prompt. :cheer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleangel Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 I wouldn't worry too much. My Boy didn't make a nest until after fertilization. He blew the eggs to the top while blowing the bubbles at the same time. I think he was just lazy. But they hatched without an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted August 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Thanks! I have heard this and just keep telling myself, they are happy and healthy, they will come in there own time, don't worry. I still do sometimes... My mum suggested that my Bettas are too spotlit that I should put them in cups! She means well, but doesn't really know that much about Bettas.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfin Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 I have 3 males all in large tanks (not cups) and none of them blow nests. I read somewhere that they may blow nests out of boredom too which would explain why the ones in cups and small cubes etc might blow nests. My 3 are in community tanks. I thought there was something wrong with them but they are all happy and healthy it seems. I'd love to know the real answer too! Leonie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted August 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 hmmm.. boredom may be the answer... I really would love to know what they think and their reasons for not blowing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 Not all Betta are 'into' blowing bubblenests. I have two males who haven't build one in the entire time I've had them. I've got others that have been tending the same nest for 3 weeks now. Humidity plays a part, a nest will hold together better in a humid environment. Also what Delyall said about the water being 'too' clean. I've read somewhere that IAL helps the bubbles stick. RE the cup Bettas bubblenests, I strongly believe it is a territorial thing. They can't attack each other, flaring gets old, so they start building a nest instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted August 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 Maybe. I guess I can't force them to blow if they don't want to. Once I got a straw and blew bubbles on the water to try and show them "how it's done". It didn't work a bit. They just flared at the straw (it was hot pink). Actually, I think you are right about the territorial thing. That really makes sense. All you need is for one to start and most would follow... Anyway, I don't want to sound silly, but what is IAL? :embarrass: Sometimes, I'll pour a drink into a cup, and bubbles will float to the top, and I'll get upset and go "WHY, WHY DON'T THEY BLOW!!!" Please don't think I'm trying to force them to blow, I'm not. I just clean the tank when necessary, make sure they are healthy, watch them, feed, etc. I know if I don try to force them, they won't even try to blow. I just have to "suffer in silence". Oh, I have three males. Two are CT, one is VT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delyall Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 Why is it so important for them to blow bubble nests? Id be happy enough with them being happy and healthy, blowing bubblenests makes no difference... IAL = indian almond leaves :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted August 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 Oh, I'm trying to spawn them with my females. IAL = Indian Almond Leaves. Got it. Thanks. Also, two of my males, Raspberry and Blueberry have started their nests today! I'm not going to spawn Raspberry, as he killed one of my females, and don't want it to happen again. He may have a taste for blood. Sounds funny, but I'm not taking chances with him. I have a BF male (VT, but I don't care), which I got two days ago, and would like to spawn him if I can. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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