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Most of mine build all the time, others build randomly. Females build randomly as well.

They are kept at temps of 80-82 degrees. They are in all different sizes of tanks, from 20gal to 1 liter. They all have fake plants, not all of which break the surface. Most are in full sight of other males and females so that prolly contributes. They also get water changes everyother day.

ashley

Mine generally make nests the most often after a water change. They live in 2 1/2 gallon tanks with dividers. I have plans on trying to set up a SMALL drip system. I have a few things I want to alter on it. I have plans for a great one, but I am not all that handy with plumbing, and it is a setup that holds 92 (if I recall correctly), and I want to bring it down to about 20... that will keep me from purchasing any more than I need! LOL! I already have the 20!

Back to the question at hand since I tend to go off on tangents. Mine have floating plants (water sprite mostly) and they LOVE it. They push themselves up into the center of it and just almost lay in the plant.

I have a lot of plans for changing my setup though. I think they are the ones I sit around and think about the most. I did like the little tanks in the big tank idea though... that would definitely help with keeping the water temp more unified. I really want to get them all on filtration too though... sponge filters, or the full drip system.

I am CERTAIN I skipped parts of the questions... LOL!

I've always wondered why that is Daniel, why would they nest before a big storm? you would think the nest/eggs would get washed away and that the rainwater would drop the temperature of the water

Mine do it too, i just haven't had a decent low pressure system for a while here

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

My bettas seem to decide to build/not build with the weather... right before a big storm you should see some of the nests I get!

Last edited by Daniel at 18-Jan-2005 08:44

I er, I pour them out

Usually directly into a cup, or through my hand and a sort of pseudo-net, then place them in a hoding area. They expect it now and aren't that bothered.

Its about the only way i could have them in this house, as its lacking in powerpoints and is not insulated or air conditioned, so i had to come up with something.

I got the idea from the WebShots Betta Experiement album, where they heated the brine shrimp hatchery inside the tank itself

And the narrow necks to have their up-points... less jumping out

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Callatya, how do you get your bettas out for water changes? Do you net them or use your hands. I'm just noticing the narrow necks. I've not netted any betta since someone, I think it was you or light_bright suggested scooping them out. I had to get rid of a container I could not get a cup into. That's why I'm curious how you get them in and out. Or, do you leave them in and just siphon out some water weekly?

Looks like a convenient way to keep a bunch of bettas in a small area warm.

Mine will nest either directly after a waterchange, of when i'm overrdue for a waterchange, and those nests stick around more, higher protien level in the water holds the nest together better Bettas in medicated water make WONDERFUL nests because the antibiotc powder holds the nest shape much better.

Some breeders with no foresight have taken to adding TC to the tanks of thei breeders to hold the nests up

I keep mine in 2L glass bottles (yell at me later) with weekly water changes.

Its hard to explain my setup, so photo attached.

the females are loose around the jars, so the males are always entertained. they build less nests, but they are always acive and interacting with the other fish, and i prefer this.

the main tank is heated to about 80*F, so the jars are about that.

Callatya attached this image:


For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I have 5, 3 share a tank and 2 share another tank, of the three in one tank, currently 2 have nests and the 3rd doesn't and the other 2 who have shared a tank for almost a year build nests sporadically. The water (unfiltered and about 78 degrees) gets changed at the same time. I can't see any rime or reason.

---

I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Mine usually make bubblenest every few weeks or so

One of mine, is constantly adding to his bubble nest, even with a filter. My other betta doesn't build them at all.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

This applies to bettas in waters still enough to reveal bubblenests (mainly filterless or very low flow).

How often do your bettas work on bubblenests for the most part. If you have multiple bettas, differentiate with comments, but use a rough average for what you see out of the majority.

Provide some background info on how you keep them:
-Filterless containers (rough size)
-Real or Fake Plants (note whether you have any that stick out above the water line or at the water line).
-Avg Temp
-Anything else noteworthy on what alters the bubblenest habbit of your bettas.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 14-Jan-2005 12:55

Mine nests alot usually after water changes...
Its really exciting when they do it because i take it as a measurement of their happiness.

I love my Betta

As soon as i moved him into a ten gallon he was so happy! But the bubblenest that Step 2 blows are always really thick but not wide, is this alright?

How old is that Pug?

When Gofish was younger, it seemed that he was always working on a bubble nest, especially after a water change, but now that he belongs with the geriactic set, he doesn't make them anymore.

After a water change mine usally makes a nice big bubble nest he tears it down though after a couple days. If i dont change the water he wont make one.

i rarely ever not see a nest in each of my boys 1 gallon tanks.

my oldest, mr.fishy, doesnt maintain his nests as much as i would like, but the other 2 that are in a heaterles, filterless 1 gallons (red has a vase, my red/white/blue has a 1 gallon kit thing) always have nests, because they dont get to flair all the time at eachother, but all i need is a few more girls and to get rid of the fry in the fry tank and i can breed them but i have noticed they are more apt to make them in the winter, when it is summer hot inside (wood stove) than when it is summer and winter weather inside (AC) they have a lamp above them, they each have a small fake plant, and golden qhuuen tops for nesting, but sometimes they dont even use the leaves

I'm glad you mentioned the plants because I think it is one of the minor triggers. Before I had any plants at or above the water line, my previous betta didn't make as many. I put a floating lily pad in there (fake) and he bubblenested that thing to death.

On a similar note, I have two bettas and neither builds their bubblenests the same. I may try to get pics today. They too are in a 2 gallon small world type container with the same cave, same fake lillies and similar broad leaf plant. One even has a small clump of hornwort.

The blue one stacks his bubbles so that it pushes the lily pad up. It gets to be very high, like you say. The red one always builds flat nests that are wide and cover a good chunk of the surface.

I too find they like to start after a water change, but I change every 7 days and they seem to bubble throughout and just start over again when I change the water.

Interesting stuff.

I'm going for other, because there's no "almost every time after a water change" answer. It's true... they almost always nest right after a water change, even if it's only a dozen or so bubbles big.

Size: My betta boys are kept in two gallon kritter keepers, heated but no filters.

Plants: Fake plants, one small one, one larger one per tank. The larger one has long leaves that break the surface. Some of my boys attach the nests to these leaves, some just bubblenest madly all over.

Average Temp: Mid- to high-seventies (74-78 F), it varies a degree or two between tanks.

Noteworthyness: They tend to nest more in the summer months (or, at least those months where it's warm out, but not warm enough to put on the AC), I've seen some BEAUTIFUL bubble nests when the temps start to go up.

Some of my bettas rarely nest, but when they do, it's a big deal... time for partying! On the other hand, I have a betta who nests ALL the time. He/she (dunno which - short finned, dark, sold as a female, but can't seem to find an oviposter... also the best bubblenester I have) manages to cover the whole surface of the water with a thin layer of bubbles. I feel bad when I feed my fish, cause then I have to bust a few bubbles with the food!

One of the most impressive bubble nests I've seen was just recently, and it was more like two bubblenests in one. I was trying to breed one of my eggbound females with one of my males and he made these two HUGE piles of bubbles that he then connected. It was QUITE impressive.



~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~