Breeding bettas...completely unexpected outcome

[melbot]

As I posted earlier, I was planning on introducing my first betta pair. All of the supplies are ready, female was barred up like crazy, male blew a huge nest, and all seemed to go well. I first introduced them in the tank with a divider, and they flirted, flared, and shimmied like crazy. Then I removed the divider and...nothing!

Initially, I was encouraged because my VT male was following her around while doing a cute little shimmy wiggle, and the female was being passive with nose down, but then they just completely lost interest in one another! By this morning, they were both hanging out together at the opposite end of the tank. The bars were gone from the female. Someone even tore the nest down! It is like they decided "we are better off as friends". I went ahead and put her back in her own tank, and now I am just scratching my head.

I bought the female from a breeder, but the male from a LPS. I have more expensive males that I plan to breed later, but this was to be my "starter batch". What did I do wrong? Is the male just poor quality? Lazy? Is he a "Kanye West"? (OK, just kidding on the last part.) Both are extremely healthy, but I am not sure as to the exact age of the male. Perhaps he is over a year?

[1fish2fish]

Some pairs just take a while. If they werent' being aggressive towards each other I would have just let them be.

[indjo]

Willing pairs (breed) do not normally loose interest like that (both male and female alike). The male may not be healthy enough - not enough energy to constantly swim around and tend to his nest.

It doesn't matter where your pair came from, just make sure you condition them and that the male is constantly active.

[nowzem]

[quote=melbot;654643]Is he a "Kanye West"? (OK, just kidding on the last part.)[quote]

Hahahahahahahhaha!

[melbot]

Glad someone watches SouthPark...LOL

In all seriousness, I have owned the male for over 3 months and the female for over a month. They are both currently active, colorful, and eating well. They have both undergone proper conditioning. I live down south, so I have actually been collecting mosquito larvae on top of frozen brine shrimp, periodic baby brine shrimp feedings, dry pellet feedings, and the occasional green pea. I went through all of this when breeding Angelfish.

The fish are healthy. Their colors are excellent, they are both active and eating well....they are just ignoring each other. I am thinking that I misculated the female's receptivity?

[indjo]

Make sure both want to breed, neither is trying to fight. Some pairs may take longer and some females might loose her bars when bitten, but if she were willing, she will eventually swim back to the male. ...... I don't know why they kept still at opposite ends - usually the male would work on his nest.

[1fish2fish]

I read stories of pairs living peacefully for as long as 7 days before finally spawning. Similar pairs have spawned and then a day or two later spawned again
Like we always say there's no rule book for breeding and the fish definitely don't care how things are supposed to go