Betta Breeding?

Question

I have a 10 gallon planted tank and sand on the bottom. The temperature is at 78-80 degrees. I'm trying to get my Betta to breed. I threw in a fake floating leaf and my Betta started making a huge bubble nest under that leaf. He cares for it everyday by adding a little more bubbles. I recently went and purchased a female and had her put into the same tank as my male Betta was in. After a day of being together, the male would chase the female alot. The female would not be attracted to the male's bubble nest. But as we speak the bubble nest is getting bigger.

My question is..

Is this female I bought suitable for mating?
Should I buy another female and try the same process?

Thanks
Jason

Answer 1

It's possible she might be a little young yet, but she's also in a new tank and with a male for the first time.

I'd suggest removing her for now and putting her in a small tank next to the breeding tank. The fish will still be able to see each other, but won't be together physically. This is important to their wellbeing, because if one is ready to mate and the other not, there will be some fighting between them (there will be some anyway, but less when both are ready). You should also provide some plants (real or silk) where the female can hind if the male starts to bully her (or she bullies him). When she's ready to mate, she'll turn a dark color with lighter up and down stripes and get a small white bump under her belly. Then you can introduce her to the tank again.

Here's a website with more details of breeding bettas:
http://www.bettatalk.com/

Answer 2

They will chase for a while. Just wait and see. I compare it kind of like a guy in prison. They will jump anything once around it. If he gets near her and starts wrapping his fins around her, then they'll be fine.