Help a newbie!!!

[LoveSGSE]

I tried breeding my red HMPK pair, standard set up. 10g tank, ketapang leaf, jar for the female. The male built his nest under the styrofoam cup, a huge one in fact. I released the male and left them for 1 hour. After 1 hour, i checked on them and saw the female anal's fin tore. What should I do? I seperated them now, and im reconditioning them again. What was my mistake? The Male was VERY VERY agressive. the pair could chase each other and swim very quickly. What should I do? Im still planning to breed the pair.

[Maryrox247]

Was the only fin damage the torn anal fin? Did you condition them for two weeks? Some aggression is completely normal!

[LoveSGSE]

Yes only the anal fin was torn. Conditioned for 2 weeks. Any advice? Im trying to condition them more before I try again.

[Maryrox247]

Here is a sticky that will help you. I think the best advice I can give you is Research research research!!!!!

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=30005

[LoveSGSE]

But the female dont display her bars. What should I do? I placed her in the jar for 4 days and no bars yet...

[indjo]

"Patience is the key to success" ....
1. How big/old are they? IMO adequate size is 3.5 cm and above.

2. No v bars means she isn't ready. You must isolate her and try flaring her once in a while. Don't show her any males at the moment. Use other females or mirrors. When she is aggressive against the other/mirror like she's saying "I'm gonna kill ya", try floating her again with the male. If she dances (or flaring) with the male and showing vertical bars, She is ready. Wait 2 - 3 days then release her.

3. Use a lot of live plants so the female can run and hide. She will be bitten. This is normal. Some males beat females half to death while others may not touch them. So If you have done the above, there's nothing you can do about the aggression.

Good luck.

[LoveSGSE]

Originally Posted by indjo

"Patience is the key to success" ....
1. How big/old are they? IMO adequate size is 3.5 cm and above.

2. No v bars means she isn't ready. You must isolate her and try flaring her once in a while. Don't show her any males at the moment. Use other females or mirrors. When she is aggressive against the other/mirror like she's saying "I'm gonna kill ya", try floating her again with the male. If she dances (or flaring) with the male and showing vertical bars, She is ready. Wait 2 - 3 days then release her.

3. Use a lot of live plants so the female can run and hide. She will be bitten. This is normal. Some males beat females half to death while others may not touch them. So If you have done the above, there's nothing you can do about the aggression.

Good luck.

im gonna try that. But can I also flare her with another male at the same time?

[indjo]

For what reason?
Unless the female is isolated, she would not normally flare at males. Or in other words, females are afraid of males (if they are the same size). So if the female is stressed/afraid (or what ever) in the first place, she will not gain her self esteem which is essential to "force breed" a female.
But once she has gained an attitude, yes you can flare her to a male, specially a short finned male.

[LoveSGSE]

I tried flaring her with my mg female and she's like " oh hi " then swims away

[FloridaBettas239]

You need to let them see each other and let him keep the nest going, Feed them the best food you can... When she start's swimming back at him or flaring back at him she is ready, Also if she get's bar's then she should be ready, And I mean bar's not strips you want bar's like up and down... The other thing is you need to expect her to get some torn fin's, this is all part of him making her go to the nest and spawn. The other thing is you need to have plenty of live plant's this give's her a lot of place's to hall butt from him, Left then right and he can't keep up. So she don't get very much torn fin's and she goes to the nest and spawn's when she's ready...
The next thing is once you release the pair the tank need's to be covered. The fish need to be undisturbed once released. When he see's you he will get excited and and chase after her plus when they see you they think about food because there used to being fed when you show up. And the last thing is just because a couple hour's went by and you didn't get a spawn don't mean anything.. I once had a pair together for 9 day's before they spawn, I was going to give up on them and remove her in the next day or too and on the 9th day they spawn.
So as long as you got plenty of hiding place's and live plant's and he is not going up to her like a male on male and trying to rip her apart then Don't mess with them. You will get it...