i need help

[Santiago]

My male betta is in a 10 gallon tank and i put my female inside his tank in a separate container, well the male keeps on flaring at the female and the female flares back but the problem is that the male wont build the bubble nest so what should i do?

[BettaLu&Meg]

ok santiago, even tho he wont make a bubble nest, there sometimes are males that just don't want to mate, Out of all my males only one is not intrested in matting, Some also have preferences in each other. Some males don't like the same color that they are, and some do. Same with the females. Also what you want to do, is my sort of called the "missing each other trick" is place the female in the tank, seperated for 3 days, and remove for 1day, repeat this for about 9 days, so they get used to seeing only each other. But what you can do also is try to promote them breeding and here's how.
Also in breeding just as in keeping bettas, they always have to be in conditioned water, tap water and harsh metals in tap will definitly play a role in them not being comfortable enough to breed. This should be done when putting new water from water changes or changing there home/breeding to another tank.

there are a couple of ways of promoting breeding in your bettas.
1- A seperate breeding tank should always be just for breeding this is so you don't have to run around wondering which tank you want to make your spawning happen in. A 10 gallon is good for this. limits the swimming all around and harrassments.
2- lower your water level to about 6 inches, this is because in there natural enviroment the water is shallow and still. For some filters it wont reach the water to keep it clean so being on top of that is neccasary.
3- Introducing tannins in the water. This can be done in a couple of ways. INDIAN ALMOND LEAF - AN ASIAN SECRET - IT WORKS LIKE MAGIC ! You will be amazed at the results and improved vitality and breeding frequency in your fish. The leaves have been a long kept secret in Asia where they are used by many breeders and wholesalers.
It also will brown the water making the bettas natural breeding habbitate available.
The Sea Almond tree produces a substance in its leaves and sap to defend against insect parasites. The dried leaves are ideal for reducing losses due to bacterial disease, and keeping sensitive species. This leaf will also if floating will be a housing for your males bubble nest. Add one leaf per 10-15 gallons of water for all sensitive fishes such as baby discus, dwarf cichlids, rare bettas and all black water tetras, rasboras and catfishes.
3A-For tannins instead of an almond leaf you can simply place a REGULAR TEA BAG in your water to brown it. this will also release the tannins neccasary for promoting breeding. AND WONT HARM YOUR BETTA! i know and did this and you seen my precious fighters
4- The Bubble Nest- Your male HAS to make a bubble nest before you even think of releasing her. Without this its just a death match. Insuring that there a bubble nest or to get him into the idea is place the Indian almond leaf in Or If thats available which for me at the time it wasn't here yet. Place a styrofoam cup, cut long ways, on top of the water. Giving him a bubble nest housing. This will Keep all the bubbles together, will give him the idea that bubble making will not be destroyed and float away (sense of security) and if he is already making one place the cup over the bubble and watch him make more in it. My video should the huge nest the CT made. This is because my female didn't like the nest, she swam up to it played with it and ran away. UNTIL his nest was that big is when she gave it up lol!
5- The Egg or "Pearl" and Strips- You also have to make sure your female is in a confined area like a vase, chimney, or a bottle in the center of the breeding tank. This is so the male has constant sight of her and will show off his stuff! then will retreat back to the area where the nest will be made, and start his project. Also keeping her close and not just on the other side of the tank with a divider is because with that she can get and hide far way on the other side of the tank and loose intrest quickly, same for the male. When You see that her vertical strips are present and her "pearl" is protruding out of her belly then she's intrested. (Remember wait for the nest to be a decent size before releasing her).
6- The hidding place- You need to place in your breeding tank a hiding spot for your female, while she's being harrassed or simply tired from matting she WILL run away looking for a spot to hide for awhile to relaxe for a few min. then she will come out and the be harrassed again, this is normal and not just being bullied.
7-The harrassment- You have to make sure your female is smaller than your male! Other wise your male will have trouble showing dominance in the tank, and do damage to him! Again learned this from exp. Making sure she's a little bit smaller than him will insure that he can wrap himself around to spawn, also will give him the upper hand in "dominance showing" and will eventually nip and rip some of her fins. This is NORMAL AND CAN'T BE ANOTHER WAY. THIS IS THERE NATURAL WAY OF BREEDING (unfortunatly). If you notice while she is being chase and hiding and looses her strips and its been gone for an hour take her out and keep her in the bottle for another 3 days and repeat.
8- Patients- this is the hardest thing to do, trust me i know! i'm as impatient as anyone else if not worse. but the spawning/matting process can take up to 4-5 hours with all the harrassing and chassing, flirting and showing off, and going back to the nest to spawn. This hobby will test your patients cuz it did mine! BUT will be worth it when you see your bettas spawning.
9- keep your water temp at 80 degrees F.

Keeping them in the bottle close will always get them to show off and promote spawning being that they always have sight of each other and have a chance to.

[Santiago]

thanks for your help!

[BettaLu&Meg]

no problem, also what works like magic is that INDIAN ALMOND LEAF, i refered it to a buddy on here and he even said that breeding wasn't on his CT's mind until the leaf was put in the water. This leaf releases tannins in your bettas tank that not only Promots a VERY healthy enviroment for them, it also releases a chemical that triggers your betta to want to spawn. This is a natural antibiotic for your bettas and a spawning mood changer glad to be of help if you have any other questions feel free to ask!

[BettaLu&Meg]

yes yes. and even tho bettalvr did state that they should be condition before hand, I believe for betta to be conditioned throughout the community tank and breeding tank. CONDITION every body of water you decied to put your betta in, Thats a giving, but i know you own bettas before santiago so i didn't state it assuming you new this already, my appologies

[Santiago]

can i use a lemon tea bag to change the color of the water?

[BettaLu&Meg]

You don't want any flavoring in tea to do this, I used when i ran out of indian almond leaves, was a lipton tea bag, normal tea flavor. Its regular tea no additives, like i said this is what i used and it also releases the tannins, now note that you want your water to be somewhat brown, NOT BROWN BROWN, lol but you want to notice a hint of brown in there. I kept the tea bag in the way of the filter throwing water back in the tank to help releasing it. U can use 2 bags also, i have a 10 gallon breeding tank and use 2 when i don't have time to just let it sit, But 2 will make it brown quicker if you'd like to do that also.

[Santiago]

oh all right i guess i will just separate them like you said and then put them back together later but thanks

[BettaLu&Meg]

I didn't introduce myself i'm Luis, the breeder here, i have been breeding for some time now.
and...yes you don't want to put them together unless you know for sure that they are ready to mate! The male will create a big bubble nest and the female will have her "pearl" protruding under her belly, With her verticle strips showing. Mostly multi colored females you'll notic they change color when there strips appear. When they constantly have there stripes then you release them. Now when doing so, its not just release and bada bing bada boom there spawning, Spawning rituals and the act itself take up to 4 hours. So watching them in this time period is a must, For the safety of your female and your male. If you release them and notice that the male is constantly chasing and not returning back to the nest, you want to leave out until the male created a nest about 4inches or more. This will also insure that when u release the female the nest is big enough for her liking. Now when you do release them MAKE YOUR YOU HAVE HIDDING PLACES FOR HER! leaving her out in the open is asking for trouble, for your male and female. If your female doesn't have a place to hide she will either get attacked and will be scared of him for a couple of weeks until forgoten(had this happen to me) or she will attack for self defense and you can end up with a dead male. Definitly take my advice above to help get things started and i will be happy to guide you all the way and give tips to get this going. Remember do not put together until signs of breeding is in order
Female: Vertical bars showing, and her "pearl"/"eggs" is showing under belly.
Male: bubble nesting and constant "showing off"(flaring and swimming around everywhere)
The matting ritual is also one reason to watch for there well being. The males will constantly harrass the female to show dominace. Nipping at her and ripping of her fins and tears are NORMAL. so don't be alarmed. If your female is to precious i do not recommend it. he will harrass, chase her all around(this is y hidding places are needed) and will try to get her to follow him to the nest. When she does so, she will go under the nest and "see if its up to her standards" if not u'll notice her swimming away and constantly be in hidding, until his nest is big enough for all her eggs. Patients is the key to this, if you have it, then you'll be ok.
Remember feel free to ask if you have any other questions

[Santiago]

thanks and im santiago by the way