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Well, I now have my teal couple in the breeding tank. Mrs is in the hurricane lamp while Mr gets the roomier setting. So far Mr doesn't seem to awfully interested. He swims up to her and flares but doesn't hang around too long. I wonder if I should have let him hang out and get to know his surroundings first before I put her in. We'll see how it goes for a bit.

I can't tell about her...she is so light bodied that I can't really see her stripes...horizontal OR verticle. But she did go head down a few times and seems to be interested in him.

Emg

Jilly..

I have my two teals together in the breeding tank. (she is in the hurricane lamp) The male seems interested in her and has been trying to make a bubble nest..but the bubbles keep popping. Now I have the temp set so that it hovers right around 82 degrees...I have plastic covering the top underneath the hood and there is lots of condensation in the tank..so the air is humid enough. Could soft water make it difficult for the bubbles to stay ? I know that my water tests a bit on the soft side...if so, what can you do about soft water? and do they really need the bubbles in order to spawn?

Emg <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Don't worry about your boy - he will figure it out. it may take a few days to get that proper bubblenest, which will be high and mounded. Have patience. I think they will make gorgeous babies! CAn't wait to to hear and see how this goes.

The bubble nest is essential. If there's no nest, there's nowhere for the eggs to go. I'm not sure if the water being soft is responsible for the difficulty with the bubbles popping. Pinky got better at it when he realized he was gonna get to be a daddy fish. At first the bubbles were small and sparse, then he started putting more effort into them, as well as more size. If I ever get them available, I'll send photos of what the nest looked like. He was one busy fish there for a while.

Hi Nan. Looks like we were simultaneously posting! LOL

Jilly,
I figured I could use my experience for some benefit! LOL

Just to let you know how things are going with the breeding attempt.

I have taken Mr out of the hurricane lamp. I had the Mrs in there at first for a good while. Let her out to see what would happen. Mr just kept trying to take a chunk out of her so I put him in the lamp and let her roam for awhile. I kept them like that for a day. She kept swimming up to the lamp and the two of them would swim side to side and he was trying the bubblenest..(still not much to brag on)..

I let them out together today because they both seemed interested. He wasn't attacking the side of the glass anymore when she swam by and she was spending more time hanging out with him. Those two are funny...when she is interested, he just wants to chase and bite her....when he is interested, she just wants to admire herself at the side of the tank and pretty much ignores him except to get away from him when he swims by. One thing though..I have yet to see her even try to nip at him. She seems very tolerant and is quick as lighning when she needs to be.

I don't think she is impressed with the few bubbles he manages to keep. She will swim over to where he is trying to make a nest..then quickly swims back to look at herself in the glass. I still wonder about that and why his bubbles don't seem to hold. I hope he gets the hang of it before she gives up on him.

Emg

They are so cute - sounds like Junior High courtship...LOL. Emg, keep the girl in the hurricane until your boy has a high mound of bubbles. Leave her there until he's got it down. Patience. Put a floating piece of styrofoam, like the top quarter of a cup, and he can make the bubbles agianst that, or have a choice of using some plants as an anchor. Or not. These guys have their own minds. Styrofoam peanuts are good too. make sure the heat is high - 82 minimum - and that there is absolutely no current or bubbler on. This part might take a few days or a week, and when he's got a good nest, slowly lift the hurricane (so you don't break the nest. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Ah, love....

Thanks Jilly for the advice. I'll put her back in the hurricane. Right now I give this guy and "F" in bubblenest ! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Poor girl is giving him every signal she knows that she is ready and willing..he keeps chasing her away, then trying to bring her back with his snakey wave thing...then chaser her away again. I think he is embarrased by his lack of nest....He should be ! Haha..

Only thing is..he isn't eating much and that concerns me a bit. He is too busy chasing her and trying to make bubbles. How long can he keep this up and be ok to take care of the fry? <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Emg

Emg

He probably won't eat until he's feeeling a little more confident, and then still he might not want food. Don't be alarmed - he can go a week or even two and be fine. That's a predator for ya. Temp him with tubifex worms or brine shrimp if you are worried, but don't allow uneaten food to foul the bredding tank - a big no no. And siphon out all food wastes each day. Add slime coat conditioner each day just for safe side - all that stress is bound to wear away his coat.

trust that he will figure out the nest - you'll wake up one morning and it will be picture perfect.