MelbourneGlobal Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 After a long search for that perfect HMPK, I eventually changed my mind and choose this pair of Betta Smaragdina. For Sale Vid Jodie sent them about 2 weeks ago and when he arrived I thought it might be the wrong fish, as he was completely beige/white but after a day the colours started coming back. I expect to move soon so I just set up this temporary tank. (thanks Victoria Betta society for the Rocks, Java moss & thermometer) We made him mad with a mirror, the camera makes him look gold-ish but he is actually more a metallic blue like in the next picture. With his girl. (I was afraid he would be aggressive to her but he's not -yet fingers crossed) And this morning he did this. Is this a bubble nest? or is it just foam from the pump? If its a nest it doesn't look very secure it's just floating there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 Thats definitely a nest it looks secure enough - it's attached to the corner of the tank. Has the female colored up? Is she showing interest in the male and/or the nest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelbourneGlobal Posted February 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 Colured up - (just googled). Not sure what vertical breeding bars look like but that photo above is of her about 12 hours ago. It doesn't look like she has vertical lines. She's hiding right now, but a saw her about 30mins ago and she looked the same. Do Betta Smaragdina females colour up like Betta Splendens? Hopefully if they breed they will do it after I have moved! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 The best people on here to ask are wildnut and bristoon, as they are spawning wilds. To my knowlege, I'm pretty sure the females colour up like Splendens females. You will know vertical breeding bars look like when you see them. The horizontal bars disappear and you will see definite vertical bars. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afr3178 Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 If you get them to breed, I will be after some fry! I love smaragdina! They're one of my favourite wilds. I have imbellis and have bred them, same complex as the smaragdina. As Shadoh said, the female will get very obvious vertical bars. Not the horizontal ones like in the photo. Do you have any IAL in the water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briztoon Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 Some females do develop some colour similar to males, others don't. I have a couple of videos, one of mine and one from Fishchicks. In Fishchicks video you can clearly see a female imbellis barred up. Smaragdina female will be very similar. This video is from my Smaragdina tub. There were two male and four female Smaragdina in the tub. The male has a bubble nest under the leaf, and is busy defending it and trying to court a female. She comes in to the video towards the end, and you can briefly see that her scales have metalic colours that the male does. http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd105/pk3333/Wild%20Bettas/?action=view¤t=003-9.mp4 I've got about 30+ fry that I am growing out at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelbourneGlobal Posted February 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 (edited) Thanks Shadoh AFR3178,Briztoon Wow the Betta imbellis look great. IAL not sure what it is, but i haven't put anything in the water. Wasn't trying to breed them just trying to keep them in ok condition till i do a proper set up. Well the nest is getting much denser. Briztoon my fremale is much more shi around the male than yours in the video. I havn't seen her near the nest yet. (But i have been out mostly - so it could of happened then) How to i know if the female has laid eggs in the nest? And if she does do something. What do i do next? the fry hatch in 2 days right? Edited February 24, 2013 by MelbourneGlobal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briztoon Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 If you don't get to see the pair spawning, easiest way to tell if there are eggs in the nest is the male will guard it with his life and chase to female away if she's silly enough to come in to his view. All my pair have spawned in the morning, from sun up (or lights on) until around midday. Give them time. He's got a good nest going, he's just got to get her interested. IAL is Indian Almond Leaves. They have many beneficial properties for bettas. http://www.indianalmondleaves.com.au/indian-almond-leaves/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 The smargs I had before peters the girl never coulerd up or got bars she just stayed gray but the two girls from peters stock go green and get the darkest vertical bars ever then after matting they get the horizontle strip till they are removed from the tank. If the top of the nest is open then you will see eggs in it if you shine a small tourch at it. if it is coverd I use the same as I would for splendens the male gaurding the nest. Cheers les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelbourneGlobal Posted February 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 She has changed colour and is bending her head down to him all the time but he has attacked her at some stage and she is missing a small part of her tail now so i have separated them because i don't want her to get more injured. Hopefully I will see some fry soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelbourneGlobal Posted March 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 OK well she has now coloured up and had some breeding bars so i have put her back in with him for round 2. http://s1275.beta.photobucket.com/user/MelbourneGlobal/media/P3030002_zps98eef2ea.mp4.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afr3178 Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Looks promising! I can't see the bars maybe because its too dark, but the clamped fins and obvious interest in the male are great signs just remember, I'll be wanting fry from them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelbourneGlobal Posted March 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 hhhmm he just doesn't play nice. this could be a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footycards Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 great effort, one of the most beautiful betta's i've ever kept. good luck with the spawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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