I have a tail biter.

[hyperfin]

cool will do!

[mdfa.ca]

Hmmm, I'm a little confused. The male has built a beautiful, huge nest! It cover the whole leaf (about a diameter of a large apple) and about 1/2 of the cup beside it. He spends hours under it, gazing (loving LOL) up, fixing it here and there, but I'm pretty sure there are no eggs??? Am I wrong? The female is hiding in her hidey hole but to me she still looks gravid. He seems to have totally lost interest in her... How big are these eggs? Is it possible to see them before the fry hatch?  Ugh, my control freak side is coming out. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON! 

Margaret.

[Ian Turkstra]

If you can shine a flashlight under the next, do so.  The eggs are white.  When in clumps they just look like areas that are more "full" than the bubbles in the nest.  They also won't have the light glint off of them like the bubbles. 

If they aren't fighting, I would keep the female in there.  You could try putting her back in the chimney in a few days if still nothing happens (do this for a day or so to make him want her again then release her)...

-Ian

[crazy4bettas]

Sounds to me like they have done the deed.  But like Ian said, as long as they aren't fighting then you can leave her in there until you know for sure.

Females don't always slim down after spawning.  In fact, I find they often appear even more "swollen" immediately after spawning (perhaps from the squeezing).  The male is generally the big indicator - you describe him as lovingly watching the nest.  That is exactly how I would describe them at the egg stage.  They get more active once the eggs hatch and the fry start to fall, fall, fall....

I have a hard time seeing eggs in a nest, especially if it's a thick nest and under a leaf.  Sometimes I go on my gut feeling from watching the pair and wait until I actually see tails sticking down from the nest (about 36-48 hrs post spawn).  Then the underside of the nest will look "hairy" and the dad will usually be somewhat more active/busy caring for his fry.

[mdfa.ca]

Thanks, Ian and Heather. So what you are saying is, there is a possibility there are eggs in there and I just can's see them. That would be awesome. I'll have to get a flashlight tonight and take a good long peek. Will let you know.

[Ian Turkstra]

Yep it's a possibility.  I wouldn't take too long of a peek.  He might not like you looking in

[mdfa.ca]

I took a good peek last night - nothing. Or at least, I can't tell. He's still gazing up and fixing here and there. Most of the bubbles under the leaf have disappeared but he now added more under the cup. So I took the female and put her under the bell last night. There was lots of showing off again. Same this morning. We'll see what happens this afternoon.

Who would have thought Betta breeding would be so stressful on humans!?

Margaret.

[bettasandbeads]

Sounds like you are having fun
I have had the same problem. Telling whether there are eggs or not. I have even given up and removed the female and left the male for a week.  Found fry swimming in the tank 2 weeks later.
Everyone laughs at me because I usually only see a few fry but end up with 30 or so several weeks later.
So don't give up on your Bettas, there maybe fry there too.
Good Luck.
Catherine

[crazy4bettas]

Sounds like you are having fun
I have had the same problem. Telling whether there are eggs or not. I have even given up and removed the female and left the male for a week.  Found fry swimming in the tank 2 weeks later.
Everyone laughs at me because I usually only see a few fry but end up with 30 or so several weeks later.
So don't give up on your Bettas, there maybe fry there too.
Good Luck.
Catherine

Yes, we are always joking about having a "Cat-spawn" 

[mdfa.ca]

Well, I'm not sure what happened. I did put the female away back in the bell and he seemed very interested in her all of a sudden, but then, when I released her about 36 hrs later, same thing happened. He pretty much ignored her. The nest has disintegrated to about 1/2 its original size. Most of the bubbles have combined into larger ones and i still  cannot see any eggs / fry. And now when I look at the female she does look a lot smaller. Soooo, my guess is, he probably ate the eggs and now, in his newbie ignorance, is staring at the nest, wondering what happened to them LOL. I will remove the female totally today (she looks pretty stressed right now) and will probably do the same with him in a few days if I don't see any fry. Will try with another couple while these two are reconditioned.

Margaret.