Emergency! Betta has cloudy eyes during breeding!Please help!

[MattsBettas]

So my bettas are currently breeding, they haven't embraced yet but are still "courting". My female is still active but has torn fins, which I know is to be expected. What worries me is that her eyes have clouded over. Before she went into the tank,her eyes were clear. She is (was) perfectly healthy. When I checked up other, her fins were torn and her eyes cloudy. What is this and what should I do?

[MattsBettas]

Anyone? I need help immediately please!

[Oldfishlady]

Is it both eyes or just one.....

The cloudy eyes could be due to either an injury or stress related...any other S/S besides the cloudy eyes and tattered fins. Is this her first time to be spawned and about how old is she.

[MattsBettas]

Both of them. She is definatly
not young. I think it is stress related, because she was fine before. I yanked her, but it is very important to me that she spawns. It is not her first time spawning, but she has never spawned successfully, probably because last time I was scared and took her out way to early lol. When should I try again? As I mentioned it is very important to me that she spawns.

[Oldfishlady]

Is she responsive to the male or showing signs of pre-spawn behavior....
If not and/or she appears too stressed-I would remove her and the male to re-condition them for at least 3 days.

Place them in small containers-neither in the spawning tank (don't let them see other fish during this re-conditioning) and mass feed them live mosquito larva or good quality varied diet-Let them see each other for 5 mins a couple of times a day. Keep them on 12h/day PP-let their water get a bit cool-about 76-77F and don't change the water-if you have either IAL or dried Oak leaf-add a bit to their containers and a sprig of live plant or some floating plant, like water lettuce, frogbit, duckweed- remove any uneaten food.

In the mean time-make a 50% water change on the spawning tank and maintain temp at 80F-If you haven't already, add lots of live plants to float and a tannin source to get the water conditioned.

In 3 days-you can either do the shock method by dumping both in the tank at the same time-water and all-they will be stunned for a second or two-but as long as they are healthy to start-they will be fine...
Or, add the male-then the female cupped-once she shows readiness release her-or you can attach the cup to the side of the tank and fill her cup all the way to the top and she will jump out when she is ready to spawn...usually...lol....

What spawning method are you using by the way...have you had any successful spawns with either of them?

Good luck...

[MattsBettas]

Thanks ofl! She was responsive to him, and she was starting to show bars (it's kind of hard to tell on her.) Before I took her out, she was beat up and lethargic, but I know there is no serious damage. I think I will do that, but I have always just housed the male in the spawning tank so that he can get a good start on his nest. I have never heard of this "shock method". Have you had a lot of success with it? I use the traditional "hobbyist method" to spawn them. You know. Male in the tank, female in a cup, styrofoam cup, etc... And my male is a first timer and this is my females second time (see above) so no, no successful spawns from either. Ps... Her eyes have cleared since I put her back in her "home tank" so feel free to move this to the breeding section.

[Oldfishlady]

I use the shock method on my hard to spawn Betta with good success. I don't wait on a nest-I have had males that won't even make a nest until he has eggs in his mouth. I generally go by the female to determine readiness to spawn and not the male-but that is just my method...Lot of ways to reach the same goal...no real right or wrong per se......Dealing with live creatures-things can change...lol.....

I don't like to condition the males in the spawning tank-Sometimes it can cause them to be too aggressive over the set territory, however, lots of hobbyist do condition in the spawning tank and still have success.

[MattsBettas]

Ok thanks