LF FTail Guppies

Help -- anybody !!
I have a pair of Betta's.
It looks like they are starting to really get along...if ya know what I mean.... She stopped playing hard to get ( also looks fuller ) and Is beginning to fancying up to him.
Now he has started to play hard to get...so I removed 2 of the 3 tankmates.( both Tetra's) .....
But the problem is while he was taking a rest.... the 3rd tankmate ( which I though would be harmless ) took a go at him... ( a frog )...
No visible signs of injury...but... I think I might loose him..........
He isn't swimming..... his gills are still working........ could he just be in shock.......
Yes, I now have removed the frog !!

Half an hour has now passed & so has my Male Blue Betta.......
Can I get another Betta before she looses interest or will the game ( hard to get ) have to start over again.............

Patti ( lost our 20yr old Cockatiel yesterday.now my Betta )

chickadee

First, no I do not think you can substitute one male for another and breeding bettas is very dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. It is not like with guppies or livebearers. It takes a lot of preparation and much equipment and MONEY. I have heard others say that it is not unusual for a betta spawning to run upwards of $1000. in equipment and materials used plus you almost need a staff to maintain the jars and tanks and to protect your breeding pair during and after the experience. They may injure each other or even kill each other and the fry if you do not know what you are doing. This is not an activity for the weak at heart. You should never keep a male and female in the same tank ever. You should never keep two bettas of any type together unless you have really done your homework and know just what to expect and what you are going to do when it turns sour on you. And it generally does.
A PARTIAL list of equipment needed before you even THINK of breeding bettas or having them spawn is:

1. A special breeding tank where the male is placed to be conditioned and to build his bubblenest. At least 10 gallons and not the same tank they are in to live all the time.
2. A special recovery tank for the female to recover in after spawning takes place. Needs to be at least 5 gallons and cycled.
3. A growth tank for the female fry with sponge filters and heat that the female fry can be placed in when they are at the freeswimming and bit older stage. It also needs to be a cycled tank should run in the 55 gallon size range.
4. At least 100+ jars of at least 1 quart size that you can keep in a special room that will be kept very warm for the male fry to be placed (one fish per jar) to keep them from injuring or killing each other.
5. Equipment to hatch your own baby brine shrimp or other live food for the fry to eat or some form of food for them that they can eat as first foods.
6. Extra water conditioner, cleaning supplies and tank maintenance equipment. Every tank you use during this process has to have a 50% water change every day and all the quart jars as well to keep absolutely positively clean conditions to keep the fish from being deformed. This is no small amount of supplies as this goes on for MONTHS. The fry are not ready to be sold for at least 3 months. The parents should NEVER be placed back in the same tank together so you are going to have to maintain at least 2 tanks for the parents and one large tank for the female fry and all those jars for the males.
7. Special foods for conditioning the fish before the spawning process. The process actually begins with weeks of preparation and this is another reason I say you cannot take a new male and just move him in. It takes special feeding for several weeks ahead of time to prepare the male or he can starve to death or die of malnutritiion while he is taking care of the fry. He is the one who stays with the fry after the spawning process and keeps them protected until they can swim. It is exhausting work and many males die even with being cared for and conditioned. Many breeding pairs kill each other also and then the fry die as there are no parents left to care for them.

This is truly a job best left to the professionals who have staffs to take care of their fish and nurseries where the process occurs. It is not for those of us who do not have the room or energy for the job. I do not recommend using fish you care about in this manner.

Rose

COBettaCouple

We're sorry that you lost your male Betta but Betta spawning is a careful step by step process with Betta Splendens that can take days or even weeks. And it really is the easy part compared to the work & expense of raising the fry. We have a fairly rare type of Betta Splendens (a feathered tail) but just don't have the resources to breed him.

I'd recommend treating your female Betta with Vita-Chem and Fish Protector if you can find or order them. Extra water changes will also help get her water cleaner to help any healing that she needs.