The Betta fish are unique from other fishes because they boast beautiful colors. Their attractive appearance lures many aquarium enthusiasts to keep them in their home aquarium. In addition to their attractive design, have you contemplated on the subtle habits of such fishes? If yes then you may have noticed the habit of Betta fish building the bubble nest. It is a splendid scene to observe these fishes preparing bubble nest. One of the straightforward ways to assume your Betta fish is happy is it will prepare a Betta fish bubble nest. You may be astonished to listen to this terminology, isn’t it? Well, read below to know everything about the Betta fish bubble nest:
What is a Betta fish Bubble Nest?
There are several fish species that prepare bubble nests and their meaning is exactly implied from the name. They blow bubbles that are conveyed together to form a nest. It is alluring to watch how Betta fish prepare its bubble nest. Generally, these nests are positioned below the debris or plants in the natural environment. Here, they can conveniently butt up against something that floats over the surface. This is because they need to stay oxygenated by the air at the surface. It is usually observed that such bubble nests are part of a natural process of reproduction. Typically, they are prepared by the male Betta fish; however, during rare occasions, female Betta fishes too prepare such nests.
Reason to make Bubble Nests
The key motive behind the preparation of the bubble nest is the breeding process. In the wild, male bettas come together small bubbles either on the water surface or below floating debris and leaves to construct their nests. In most cases, the male Betta will protect its nest and would wait for a female Betta to spawn with. Once the spawning gets completed, the female Betta fish will release eggs. Now it is the responsibility of the male Betta fish to quickly catch the eggs in its mouth and securely place the eggs inside the bubble nest.
How is a Bubble Nest Made?
The way the Betta fish prepare bubble nest is not complex. During the nest building process, the fish will blow bubbles. Some of these fishes will adopt a hysterical way that may generate a lot of noise. The generated bubbles are positioned at the water surface in the aquatic environment either in the wild or the tank. These bubbles are bonded together to hold oxygen. The Betta fish coat the generated bubbles with saliva to keep them stronger and durable over time.
Appearance of a Bubble Nest
The appearance of a bubble nest is unique that appears eye-catching. Generally, the dimensions of these nests vary. The large sized Betta fishes are capable to support more offspring. Therefore, they often produce larger bubble nests. The same does not always hold true; based on different factors, even the large Betta fishes may not always construct the same size bubble nest.
Some of these nests are built from tiny bubbles and they appear more like foam. On the other hand, others possess distinct bubble shapes. You may be surprised to find more thickness in some of the bubble nests whereas others are thin. Some are spread out, whereas others are tiny and condensed. Furthermore, the age of your Betta fish may influence the size and overall appearance of the bubble nest.
Why Betta Fish keep eggs in a bubble nest?
In the wild habitat like the filthy, shallow, puddle, the Betta fish are often in lack of sufficient oxygen. So, they will secure eggs inside bubbles to kept them moist and let them covered by oxygen-rich air.
Frequency of Betta Fish Bubble Nests
For the breeding process, the Betta fish usually form a bubble nest. But the bubble nest building comes impulsively to the male betta fish even without the attendance of a female. Nearly all male Betta fishes will blow a bubble nest from time to time. There may be no other reason for building the nest; they may build it just because of the natural urge. When you observe a nest built up in your tank then it clearly indicates that your Betta fish is happy and healthy. Actually, there is not a normal time frame set for the making of such nests. They may prepare it whenever they feel desirous for the same. Every individual betta fish possesses a different pattern.
It sometimes happens that a betta fish will build bubble nests on a weekly or monthly or even daily basis. Sometimes, these nests will only consist of a few bubbles while some times they may be an inch thick and cover a full corner of the tank. There is nothing to worry about the frequency of bubble nest construction. If your Betta fish do not build such nests frequently then it does not mean they are unhealthy or unhappy. The frequency may depend on factors like their health, age, water parameters, and their desire for building the nest.
How to get your Betta to make a bubble nest
There are some approaches you may adopt to provoke your Betta fish to build a bubble nest. Adopting such approaches will create a suitable environment for the successful build up of bubble nest. You may let the female Betta fish present inside to boost the urge for a male Betta to build a nest. These fishes will get fascinated to create a bubble nest if the water is maintained clear. So, from time to time, change the water in your tank. By floating debris or lids of plastic cups will encourage Betta fish to build bubble nest. You can also encourage the bubble nest building by making sure your tank is heated to 78-82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Conclusion
When you have a Betta fish in your aquarium, it is exciting and fun to watch the natural process of bubble nest making. This bubble nest building process will ultimately create an oxygen-rich environment to hatch fry from eggs.
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