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Mustard Gas Mas Finally has EGGS!

16K views 99 replies 7 participants last post by  JettaBetta 
#1 · (Edited)
4-22-19: MG Spaen Log #1
Ok, so after several attempts with 3 different females, we have eggs. Mas had beat the 2 Thailand sisters pretty bad. So the only option left was a tough Turquoise MG cookie from Texas. She was a little beat up but held her own.
Well after a day, I took her out this morning not really expecting any progress. Well low and behold, there are eggs in the nest!!! (Photo)
Mas has been diligently tending to the eggs and keeps moving them around. He is extremely protective and is proving to be an excellent egg incubator.
But the most amazing thing I have to say is that he literally moved plants out of the way, pushed the nest all the way to the back of the tank, and the moved the plants back to block my view!!!
OMG....I have never seen a fish do that before!
Whether or not the eggs hatch remain to be seen but we will soon know....
 

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#4 ·
You really are going to town. I hope the breeding tanks work out and business takes off. local breeders with good stock are hard to find. I wonder though have you seen the pictures of the Asian breeding farms? This would really cause you to move. LOL And put you in a higher tax bracket. LOL
 
#5 · (Edited)
Haha, yes I have seen the farms.... One thing they really have going for them is the warm weather so they can have their stock outside with more room to expand. I unfortunately don't have the luxury of a lot of space and need to keep my operation small but hope to make up for it with Bettas Homegrown with Love...❤
 
#18 ·
2-24-19: SPAWN LOG #3 -
Day 2 after eggs have hatched and all is looking good so far. I've done a 50% water change (bottled drinking water) using and airline tube since I didn't put a filter in. I also added aeration with another airline tube on low, pumping air bubbles into a corner of the 5.5 gal tank. I think Mas approves because he pushed his bubble nest back to the front nearer to the air tube. I've started a BBS hatching so Mas' babies (Masitos) will have live food by the time they are free swimming, hopefully by tomorrow or the next day. The Masitos are getting stronger and now able to stay up in the bubble nest better instead of fluttering around the tank like flies. Mas wasn't hungry yesterday so I had to take out the few live blood worms I put in. I tried again today with the blood worms and he ate them so I'm glad. I know many breeders advise against feeding the male during this period but I feel that since they are working so hard nonstop, they need sustenance to maintain their energy. And As long as it doesn't affect their ability to take care of the eggs/fry, I think it's ok. I've also setup up the BettaCam so I can monitor the tank from different parts of my home. Mas has been a great father by doing an excellent job taking care of his little Masitos and I almost forgive him for being mean to the ladies 😂
 
#21 ·
2-25-19: Spawn Log #4
Mas and his little Masitos are doing well. Most of the fry are pretty much free swimming and hanging out at the surface of the water. Some are at the bottom and others in between. Mas is still watching over them like the good father that he is and I've busted him taking little cat naps on the giant Indian Almond Leaf folded in the back corner of the tank. It's a little unnerving because he looks dead 😱. Poor guy he is exhausted!
I'm debating on taking him out tomorrow morning, however, some advise that if the male better is a good father, the fry would benefit from his presence and protection even though it is not required at this stage. I left my Galaxy Koi daddy in for over a week and he was still watching over them even though they were perfectly independent. Water temp is set at 82°F
And the airline tube is still blowing gentle bubbles in the front corner of the tank.
I put in some newly hatched BBS and then some Hikari First Bites in case the larger ones were ready to eat. Also threw in a few live blood worms for Mas, though he didn't eat them until way later. Mas is sleeping more often so maybe taking him out so he can rest might be a good idea. We will see.
 
#23 ·
2-26-19: SPAWN LOG #5
Mas and fry are doing well. Babies are growing and eating newly hatched Baby Brine Shrimp. Their bellies have that familiar orange bulge. 😊
I've taken a few pics but you'll really have to zoom in to see them in the top waterline in the back. Ma's is still trying to gather them up and bringing to the bubble nest which he is still maintaining. At this point I would estimate the quantity to be around 150 to 175?? 🤷 But as we all know the number decreases over time so I'm not too fixed on a specific number right now.
Check out the pics and enjoy. Zoom in and let me know if you can see them ok.

💜💜 Oh and to OLD DOG 59.....when they become available, the one circled in blue is reserved for just for you!!! LOL 😂😂😂
 

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#24 ·
And the one circled is a male right? and you can tell this now How? I love it. If any males turn out as beautiful as Mas I will be ecstatic. And since they will probably be ready to go at the same time we move into the new house I may want a few females from the other spans. LOL
 
#27 ·
No problem If they are taken with your phone the file size is small and when you try to upload them they are enlarged for the email file. That's why I use my camera to do the photos and then take them into picasa to edit them and export them into a picasa file in a reduced photo and than post. If you have a digital camera it's easier than it seems. upload the picture files on to your computer use picasa to store and edit them and then after you edit them export them to a picasa file they are auto reduced so that you can post.
 
#29 ·
2-28-19: SPAWN LOG #6
I removed Mas from the fry tank yesterday because not only did he need rest but he was eating all the Baby Brine shrimp I was feeding to his babies. I have been giving him live blood worms the whole time but I guess BBS must taste better 😆.
I move the fry to their new cycled 10 gal. home today and introduced them to their new yellow tank mates. The babies were very intrigued by these alien critters as they've only known Papa Mas.
They seem to be adapting well but I will keep a close eye on them nevertheless.
P.S. ~ Apologies to the professional photographers in the house for my phone camera pics but wanted to get something up quick. 😜
 

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#31 ·
5-1-19: SPAWN LOG #7 - Ok, I just realized I've been putting the wrong month on these logs. But system is not letting me edit my posts for some reason.

Anyway.....Mas' babies are 8 days old today and doing well. I removed the Mystery snails because they poop too much and have been counterproductive to the reason I put them in the fry tank to begin with. 😂 Many of the fry are hidden amongst the plants but I've managed to capture on video a few of them eating Baby Brine Shrimp dor their dinner feeding.
Check it out ...and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/CrvTwrCdIu4
 
#35 ·
5-5-19: SPAWN LOG #8
The Masitos are 12 days old today. I sucked up most of the gunk on the bottom of the 10 gal. tank today with a turkey baster today and found a few (3) casualties under the Indian Almond leaf. 😢
Did a 50% water change and raised the water level. Everybody else (175+) is eating well and looking pretty good. I don't expect to end up with that many but I will give it my best shot. They are still eating newly hatched Baby Brine Shrimp 2 times a day and I tested out a frozen Daphnia feeding to see if they were still too small. It looked like some of the bigger ones were eating them so I should be able to incorporate that in soon. I also turned up the spinge filter a tad to make sure enough water is being cycled and filtered as these guys grow.
 
#36 ·
Sorry to hear about the three. With 175 + there are going to be losses. I know what you are doing is the right thing and trying your very best to save all . The video shows the growth rate in a whole new light. Soon your going to need a lot of Jars to separate them, and a bigger tank for the young ladies.

I hope this new move of ours is done by June 1 so I can start setting up all the new tanks I had purchased last month. I think the large room in the basement Is going to be my new area for them. Plenty of room and a cement floor with drains, and heat.
 
#37 ·
You are right, I am trying my best to save all but do understand losses are inevitable. As a matter of fact, if this fry is anything like my last Koi x Koi, I will probably lose more than half of them by 6 week to 8 weeks due to one reason or another. Though it is sad, this may not be the worst case scenario as this means only the strongest and healthiest will make it to the end. I've learned a lot from my last spawn and will carry it forward this one 😊. And Mas says hi btw 😂.

I'm so excited about your move and the new fish room in the basement! Can't wait to hear about and see (pics) its progress!
 
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