betta eggs

[fishstick]

I have a 5 gallon tank with 1 male(Phil), and 6 females (Helga, Gretta, Olga, mikala, sassy, pinky), What do the eggs look like?? I would hate to toss them out "with the bath water" so to speak.

[amanichen]

Eggs? Did you have a spawn? If so what you'll need to do is get all the females out and put them in another tank (that is if you intend to raise them to maturity.)

Additionally, seven bettas in a 5 gallon tank is too many. You should have at least heavily planted 15-20 gallon tank, as the females might be overly bothered by the male. Or the females might bother each other (even females are somewhat aggressive.)

Not only do you have too many fish, you have too many bettas together. While it is possible to keep many females with a single male, they need room, and ways to hide from each other.

[starlight]

fishstick said:

I have a 5 gallon tank with 1 male(Phil), and 6 females (Helga, Gretta, Olga, mikala, sassy, pinky), What do the eggs look like?? I would hate to toss them out "with the bath water" so to speak.

I definitely agree that this is not the way to keep bettas. Are there are any plants in that small tank? How long have you had seven bettas in a five-gallon? With 6 females around to eat them, you don't have to worry about eggs. There won't be any. Btw. eggs are blown into the bubblenest by the male. The male tends the nest and blows any eggs that fall down back into it. While he’s guarding the nest, his other job is to kill any female that approaches. This would include the female he mated with. It's quite doubtful that you will find any eggs on the bottom of the tank.

I noticed in your first post you mentioned that Pinky and Helga were rescues with serious illness. How long did you quarantine them after they were cured before they were put in with the others? Is there a filter in that tank?

Sorry for all the questions; I try to help with some of the answers around here. Unfortunately, this approach to betta keeping raises them.

[fishstick]

I had them hospitalized for about a month before I reintroduced them, I was worried about getting everyone else sick. There are in fact three plants for them to hide in, but I have not seen anyone getting tough with eachother yet. I do have the tank filtered mainly because of the number of fish. I have not seen a bubble nest however. This is ok since as you mentioned earlier, there are already too many fish. When I thin out the tank, do you think he will make a nest?? Also, how do I know which girls to leave with Phil and will the other three be alright with a new male?? Sorry about all the questions, but I have never had so many Bettas, I have 8 other large tanks running too, Bettas are new to me.

[fishstick]

Oh, I forgot, they have been together for about 6 months.

[starlight]

fishstick said:

I had them hospitalized for about a month before I reintroduced them, I was worried about getting everyone else sick. There are in fact three plants for them to hide in, but I have not seen anyone getting tough with eachother yet. I do have the tank filtered mainly because of the number of fish. I have not seen a bubble nest however. This is ok since as you mentioned earlier, there are already too many fish. When I thin out the tank, do you think he will make a nest?? Also, how do I know which girls to leave with Phil and will the other three be alright with a new male?? Sorry about all the questions, but I have never had so many Bettas, I have 8 other large tanks running too, Bettas are new to me.

In general male bettas are usually not kept with females.
With a filter running it would be difficult for him to build a nest. It will break up and he will get discouraged.
Perhaps you have another 5G to put the male in? Three females in a well-planted 5G would be pushing the limit. Hopefully they would not tax the bio-load in a fully cycled tank.

How does the male act with all those females? Does he chase them all the time? Do any of the females display either vertical or horizontal stripes? (light or red body females may not show stripes, blues may)

[fishstick]

Phil does fine with his famales, he just co-inhabits with them and no one seems to mind. Please be more specific about the stripes. Pinky is quite albino and has no color at all, and the others look normal to me, but Im not sure what I am looking for. What do the stripes mean anyway??

[briggs]

fishstick said:

What do the stripes mean anyway??

I think it means she wants to start a family..

[starlight]

fishstick said:

Phil does fine with his famales, he just co-inhabits with them and no one seems to mind. Please be more specific about the stripes. Pinky is quite albino and has no color at all, and the others look normal to me, but Im not sure what I am looking for. What do the stripes mean anyway??

With females horizontal stripes are called fear stripes and run the length of the body. Vertical baring in the front of the body would indicate having eggs and a willingness to mate. Opaque and other light colored females don't display stripes. It's easier to see them on a dark bodied (blue) female.

It sounds like Phil is co-inhabitating with them. My males get very aggressive if I put them in with two females. All hell breaks loose.

[fishstick]

HHHMMMM.... well, there aren't any distinctive stripes, just the normal betta racing stripes. I guess they are tolerating eachother for now. What should I be looking for if some one gets voted off of the island?? I did test the water for all of the normal stuff and my water tested fine, all within normal paramitters.

[Minaku]

I never knew that bettas had normal racing stripes. *perplexed*

[fishstick]

Well sure they do!! For example, the blue one has darker blue stripes from nose to rump, she is rather zippy, the white ones don't have stripes and are alot more mellow. Soo, they must be racing stripes.

[teresa]

Racing stripes! that's new one lol ;D can you post a pic of the little sweethearts? I would love to see them

[fishstick]

I will ask "the boss" to take a picture of them for me. I sure do love them!!