Betta Pugnax

March 24, 2012 - This male has been holding at least 4 times but keeps losing them after about 4 days. I tried stripping him and tumbling the eggs, but the eggs did not hatch. The male has only held once since then and again he ate them. I'm starting to think that maybe the eggs aren't fertilzed properly and when they don't hatch he swallows them. I'll leave him be and since there are other pairs in the tank maybe I'll get some fry someday.

February 5, 2012 - I can't tell if the male is holding anymore or not. He has been hiding behind the rock caves for the past couple of days and I can't get a good look at him to see. I don't want to keep pestering him for fear he'll eat the eggs again. If he is holding, I may move him into the nursery tank in another week or so.

February 1, 2012 - The pair spawned again for me. I was watching them yesterday as they were flirting with each other and wrapping every so often. It was quite amusing - my betta rubra (female I believe) was pushing herself between the two of them regularly - like a dog putting herself between two people who are hugging. They didn't really seem to care and would just move away to another spot when she was being a pest. Male has puffy cheeks again this morning - I'm hoping he'll hold these ones.

January 29, 2012 - No more chipmunk cheeks :( Maybe they'll try again.

January 27, 2012 - I purchased a half dozen of these wild-type bettas in December, but when they arrived they had to be treated for ick. Then in January we did another group order and I decided to buy a few more. After nearly 48 hours of being storm-stayed in Montreal (no thanks to Air Canada who took them off the plane when they weren't supposed to), two of the three additional pugnax arrived. I have them in a 55 gallon planted tank with a few betta rubra, several zebra ottos and a pair of veiltail BNP.

I noticed last night before bed that there was a pair hanging out together near a rock cave and had hopes that maybe something would happen. This afternoon, when the lights came on, I again noticed the pair in the corner by the cave, and the male appears to be holding. The female is still hanging around him and occasionally appears to be trying to entice him to wrap more. He's got a good mouthful though and doesn't seem to be inclined to participate - lol.

This is the first time I have ever had a mouth brooder spawn, so I'm pretty excited about it. Here's hoping he'll be a good daddy and maybe I'll have a new type of fry in a couple of weeks!