Betta Breeding Trouble.

[I <3 my fish]

I've done quite a bit of research on how to breed my bettas, and I've set up the tank, they've been conditioned, and the female was in the cup, the male outside. He Blew a bubble nest, she wiggled at striped... And now they're cuddling. Not chasing, and not embracing. They're just cuddled beside each other, seeming enjoy the company. I'd say they've been doing this for the past 6 or 7 hours... Will they eventually breed? Or has she placed him in the "friends zone"?:help:

 

[Madcrawdad]

Regarding her conditioning, is her belly swollen with eggs?

 

[JAY973]

Cuddling is good... There is no such thing as happy zone or friends with these fiesty fish. You can separate them and condition them again. You do not want to not be there if it turns to aggression.

 

[I <3 my fish]

She is definitely full of eggs, her egg spot is showing even more than normal (if she was a human the "button would have popped"). Should I give it until tonight before bed, or wait another day?

 

[colematthewmala]

Breeding bettas is really finicky and it's pretty much a guessing game. I'd leave them until tonight then put her back in the separator until morning. "Cuddling" is a good sign, it just takes lots of patience, in the morning release the female again and try for another day. I know they say if after 3 days nothing happens you should re-condition but I will feed them a little bit in the spawning tank and leave them together for up to a week (of course remembering to put the female back in the separator at night). Some pairs will go at it immediately while others will seem to take forever but most will eventually breed. Also, what strain and age are your bettas?

 

[I <3 my fish]

They are crowntails. I was told the male is 5 months and the female is four. I'm not sure how accurate the ages are though, I'm considering getting another breeding pair, but I heard halfmoons are harder to breed than crowntails, and wanted to try my hand with these guys first.

 

[I <3 my fish]

Unfortunately I'm no longer breeding these two. I went to take the female out for the night and feed them, but when I came up to the tank she promptly swam away from the male, swam around for a second, then turned and tried to bite half his tail off. Poor little guy. I originally wanted to try my hand with my vt, but was told it wasn't a good idea, to try an ibc accepted fish. So I guess I'm waiting for a new breeder pair!:shocked: