Not going to get dropped eggs?!

[Smr2892]

So I decided to stick to my original plan and breed combtails. The two had already been conditioned for over two weeks and they're beautiful bettas, plus everyone interested in buying the babies likes the combtail look :) Everything has been great! I put them in the tank together last night. I used the natural method (substrate, full tank, crammed with plants on the one side) and today they've been dancing, chasing, he's still improving the nest. About an hour ago they started embracing! It was adorible, she finally just swam over and nudged him in the side like "alright mister..."
I was worried at first because she wasn't dropping any eggs. Then about five minutes ago she dropped two. But he just let them fall.. Could they be infertile? Or does he not know he's supposed to catch them?

I'm worried that those two little eggs could be fertile and are going to die down there...

[Oldfishlady]

Awesome....pretty neat watching them spawn......

Don't worry about the eggs on the floor....he will either pick them up now or later and put them in the nest or she may go get them and do it or eat them....give them time...its not uncommon for them to embrace several times without eggs release or few eggs...egg numbers will increase with time and more embraces......

I have even had eggs on the bottom never cared for hatch...but no worries they will have plenty......

Keep us posted and we want pics...lol....

[Smr2892]

Thank you so much! It is amazing to watch them! More eggs are coming out with every embrace, like you said I have now counted 38 eggs falling to the ground.. He's made no attempt to get them.. Is that still okay?

[Smr2892]

The eggs on the ground now number 113.. Still no attempt to catch them...

[Smr2892]

215 eggs in all! Eeeeeeeeeeee!! *happy dance*

[Oldfishlady]

Wow....he should be at least going after some of the eggs....is the female going after or doing anything with the eggs......is he paying any attention to them...going and looking at them......

I have had males that ignored the eggs totally and once he ran the female off he gathered and placed them in the nest.....

If he doesn't do anything with them within an hour after they are done...meaning he runs the female off and won't let her back under the nest......and you have removed her...and he still ignores the eggs....you can artificial hatch them...but wait......you don't want to intervene too soon......

Artificial hatch....use airline hose and suck the eggs out and place in a small cup to float in the heated tank...add some floating plants like water lettuce and in 24h...add a small common snail....the snail will start eating the fungus eggs....

Or....I would leave them over night...he may need time to settle down if this was his first spawn.....the eggs will be fine and even if not....re-condition for 3 days and spawn them again......this is what I would do.......

[bettafish15]

Could he perhaps not see them due to the substrate?

[Smr2892]

Still no attempt to pick up the eggs.. they're still at it though. The substrate could have something to do with it, it's naturally colored. I can see the eggs on it perfectly, but I'm not a fishy.. Stupid beginners mistake :( if she goes near the bottom by them though he runs her off, so maybe he intends to do something about it?

[Smr2892]

Much better! He's catching them now as they fall! Yay! I've now counted well over 600 eggs! I think I may need to buy another tank or three.. Some buckets, bins.. LOL!

[mernincrazy8525]

YAAyyyyyy im breeding combtails too so maybe i can give you a male from my spawn to breed with a female from your spawn and you can give me a male to breed with my female and we can have cousin combtails!!!!