My female beat up my male

[PeggyJ]

I have been trying to breed with no luck so far. I have had several problems so far including daddy eating eggs, another daddy eating fry, fungus (which I think I've eliminated) and my latest problem... one of my females beat up my male crown tail overnight so bad he looks awful! I've treated him and her for torn fins.. but the kicker is.. they didnt even spawn! Now I am trying a different pair altogether, but is there anything that can be done to prevent this? Other than not putting those particular pair together again. I noticed this particular female seems to also pick on the other females.. maybe she is the dominant one? She is a bit bigger than the other two I have... and the male she fought with was a bit smaller than she. Could that have been the problem? He is maybe too young for her?

[bettalover2033]

As bettas age they either get more or less aggressive. In this case this female is a little too aggressive and needs to be removed and in a seperate tank because she is just too aggressive.

Also, if i were you i would try a different pair.


Can you tell me what your set up looks like or what materials you have? Do you have everything needed for breeding bettas???


This could also be a HUGE problem. And the biggest mistake was that the female is biiger than the male and she is clearly faster because the male (crowntail) will have to drag its fins to get away from the female and he isnt as fast.

[PeggyJ]

I have separated them already, treated them with pimafix and have put a different pair together in the breeding tank. They are in a 10gal with the water lowered to about 4 inches. Lots of floating plants and about 83-85 degrees, bare bottom and a sponge filter. When I am not breeding, the females live in a community tank and I have the males in separate smaller tanks.

This particular female seemed fine with the larger male, I guess I just didnt think the size would make that big of a difference... I learned the hard way. She also picks on one of the smaller females when they are in the 53 gal tank, although they usually just stay at opposite ends of the tank...I may have to keep her separated altogether though...

[PeggyJ]

So now my new pair have spawned already and I have eggs.. the daddy though is a known egg eater. I think I am going to remove him tonight. He did make a better nest this time, but he always knocks the eggs out and then tries to put them up knocking more down... I hope the ones on the bottom will be okay... but last time I left him in there overnight he ate every egg.

[PeggyJ]

I meant treated them with melafix.. I use pimafix for fungus

[PeggyJ]

Well, Blueberry wasnt very happy about moving back to his tank away from the eggs... but I am hoping at least some of them will survive this time. The eggs looked okay this am although there were some on the bottom that he knocked down before I got him out. I guess time will tell.

[dramaqueen]

I hope everything works out for you this time.

[bettalover2033]

Well i think that removing his from the eggs will kill the babies because they need him to help them get back to the bubblenest. Also he has to constantly fertilize them.

males will only eat the eggs two 2 reasons.
1) may be to regain more energy and protien to spawn again.
or 2) to get rid of the bad ones that WILL cause diseased or deformed fry, (if they even live). So removing him could put him in a VERY stressed and depressed mode that could kill him. litteraly.

So i dont think he will be so happy or the fry will live without him. so that is where the mistake is. The dad will only eat eggs if he finds something wrong.

[PeggyJ]

Well I have read from some others that you can hatch fry without the daddy. I know that normally he should be in there, however, he eats them every time. Not just a few... ALL of them, Every time! From what I have read, some male bettas just like to eat the eggs and are not "good dads". I guess I'll find out.. I have tried many different things... so this is just another trial and error I guess.

[MrVampire181]

Ive had females kill males before...young love :P Anyway its hard to tell with jarred females. I have one whos all scared when shes with the male but one who flares and goes right up to the nest. Its really important to watch the pair for aggression.