Having a tank with colorful betta fish will keep boredom and dullness in your everyday life at bay. You could spend hours watching those little creatures and never cease to marvel at the diversity of their lives. Days of observation strike a little question in you: Why do betta fish blow bubbles?
Don’t let this small mystery occupy your mind any longer. Discover the reason for this action as well as this fish’s interesting habit here!
Contents
Why Do Betta Fish Blow Bubbles?
The bubbles that you see are actually bubble nests. Thus, if you see your betta fish do this, he is in the process of building a house for his offspring. You should be pleased to see it, as it shows that your pet is doing well, finding its love, and tending to build its “home”.
What Does It Mean When Fish Blow Bubbles?
In the wild, the one to carry out this task is the male betta. They make small bubbles and gather them into a cluster on the water surface or underneath floating debris.
Then they’ll guard the nest until female bettas come and spawn. After the female ones release the eggs, the male fish quickly secure the eggs in their mouths and place them carefully in the nest. So do bettas blow bubbles for fun? Absolutely not!
Should I Remove Betta Bubble Nest?
There is no need to do this. The nest doesn’t make your tank dirty nor indicate that the fish is unwell. Plus, you can see that it is part of the breeding process of this animal, telling you that his life is going on smoothly.
Why Keep The Eggs In A Bubble Nest?
When roaming freely in nature, these animals’ environment is pretty dirty, shallow, and full of puddles. Such a place will not have enough oxygen for a grown male fish and a bunch of eggs to breathe simultaneously. Thus, the bettas decide to blow bubbles, which can freely surround the offspring with moisture and oxygen.
This habit is also a way for a male betta to protect his fries better. The male fish is the only one to ensure those little beings’ safety. He will wander around the nest, picking up the falling egg, putting it back into place, and fighting off the dangerous predators.
Even after all the eggs have hatched, the nest remains a safe shelter for the fries to hide under until they can survive on their own.
Bubbles Nest Building And Mating
At first, these nests indicate that the young bettas are mature enough to carry the responsibility of parenthood. The male ones also use them to attract females.
Actually, the process above is just a part of a somewhat violent breeding process. While spawning, the male bettas wrap their bodies around the female and squeeze until the eggs are pushed out.
This violent process brings lethal internal wounds to the female ones. As a result, after spawning, the female bettas are often very weak, leaving the offspring for their father.
Male bettas have to take care of the nest and make sure that all the eggs will hatch. Their parental obligations are considered completed when the fries appear from the nest.
Betta Bubble Nest Building Frequency
All betta fish are different; therefore, the frequency at which they build their nest is also not the same. Some fish build their nest frequently, while others can do it more often or just sometimes. Normally, every day, every week, or every month is the common time frame to catch this special moment of this creature.
The characteristics of the nest also vary depending on the fish. Some are big, some are small, some are thinner, and some are thicker. Aside from telling that the pets are content and happy, these clusters of bubbles also show that they feel safe and see the tank as their home, their territory.
Tips To Encourage Bettas To Build The Nest
If you’re curious to witness this special moment more or want to encourage the pet to breed more bettas, there are some tips to achieve your goal. The deciding factors include water temperature, barometric changes, tank materials, other females, and even other males.
Specifically, you should apply the following tips:
- Clean the tank regularly, so the water quality is always good.
- Maintain the temperature that simulates the tropical area (78-82 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Plant floating plants in the tank like Indian Almond Leaves.
- Use filters that produce gentle flows.
- Place the females somewhere the males can see but can’t reach (in a short time) as this can stimulate the male bettas to blow bubbles.
FAQs
How To Clean The Tank Without Ruining The Nest?
It’s okay to ruin the nest when no eggs are inside it. However, if you want to be extra careful, you can use a cup to scoop the bubbles before cleaning the tank and place them back inside afterward.
However, supposing that you accidentally destroy his nest (without eggs) while doing this, don’t feel too guilty. After all, the priority is still a clean tank rather than empty bubbles. Your pet could be under even greater stress if he has to live in dirty, sticky water.
What To Do If My Bettas Are Not Building Nests?
It’s completely normal if your pet doesn’t build any nests. He simply has no plan to breed. Also, don’t think your fish isn’t happy or satisfied with its current habitat. Thus, there is no need to panic when you notice no bubbles in the tank. Applying the aforementioned tips should you want to see him make this construction.
On the other hand, if you’ve been ignoring the tank for a while and the water and the filter flow isn’t ideal, then no nests can be a sign of stress and unhappiness from the bettas.
Conclusion
Why do betta fish blow bubbles? Luckily, that is just a sign of the contentment and happiness of the fish. Do you understand more about the pet you’re raising through this article? Hopefully, we can help you nurture them and give them a happier life!
Alex is a pet freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience. He attended Colorado State University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, which was where he first got some experience in animal nutrition. After graduating from University, Alex began sharing his knowledge as a freelance writer specializing in pets.
