| Show betta siamese sea fish builds nest of bubbles bubble 3 betta fighting denizen of the siamese sea is a strange fish and the strangest thing about him is his love life writes brian curtis in the life story of the fish published by appleton century when betta is in a romantic mood he builds a gorgeous bubble castle this he accomplishes by going to the surface breathing in air retiring to a chosen spot and there releasing little bubbles one after the other each covered with a sticky substance from his mouth which prevents it from bursting and makes it adhere to the others this process he repeats until he has a dome of bubbles from one to two inches in diameter and protruding as much as a half an inch above the surface of the water betta then takes his post under the nest and attacks all intruders until a mate of his choice appears eventually he drives her out and she is at liberty to continue on her carefree way but not so the male betta his task has just begun he remains in his nest making such repairs as necessary and returning to their place such eggs as fall out until the young are hatched for several days thereafter he remains the perfect papa until suddenly he wearies of the whole idea turns cannibal and tosses off those of his offspring who are not fortunate enough to escape his menacing jaws |
