Breeding Bettas

From The Betta Forum
 
By: Lauren Jul 1st, 2002

Disclaimer: Breeding these guys is hard work, and requires lots of time and space. They can have up to 500 babies in one spawn. Are you willing to clean out 500 jars per week in 3 months time? Also, get some live food cultures going before you start, that way you know you have food for the fish. Remember, even if you do everything right, the fish may just not like eachother, and you may end up with one of them dead. Are you willing to risk the life of one of your fish? Also, this is what I do to breed fish. It may not work for everyone. Do lots of research, and find out what works for you.

Start out with 2 young, healthy fish of the same size and age. Get a 2 1/2 - 10 gallon tank. Fill the tank 5 inches deep with dechlorinated water with 1 teaspoon of salt to the gallon. You will need an adjustable heater (I use a Tronic heater) and a thermometer. Put the thermometer in the tank and see what room temp is. Set the male and female in separate jars in the 5 gallon. Put the heater in the 5 gallon and set the temp 2 degrees warmer than room temp. Every day, adjust the temp 2 degrees warmer until the temp is 80. As far as conditioning, feed the male and female live foods (I use blackworms) several times a day as much as they can eat, for two weeks or longer. The female should start getting fat, and you will notice a small white tube projecting from the underside of her belly. She will also get dark vertical barring, and swim in a head down position. The male should start building a bubble nest and flaring at her. If they do not show all these signs at two weeks, they don't like eachother, and will probably fight. If all is well, after two weeks, cut a styrafoam cup in half and tape it to the side of the tank, so it makes a cave at the surface of the water. Add a good sized fake plant (or real) to the opposite side of the tank (for the girl to hide in). Release the male. Once he has built a large bubble nest in the cup, release the female. They will chase eachother a bit, and sometimes there is some nipping, but if either are injured more than a few frayed fins, separate them asap and medicate them. If all goes well, the male will chase the girl to the nest, than wrap around her, and the eggs will be released. He will swim to the bottom and take them in him mouth, then blow them into the bubble nest and chase her away. They may do this a few times, and when she has no more eggs, she will g hide in the plant. this is when you should remove her and medicate her water (I use melafix). After a day or two, the eggs will hatch, and the fry will hang tail down from the nest. 3 days after they hatch they should be swimming horizontally. This is when I remove the male. I feed the fry newly hatched brine shrimp when the are swimming. Feed them at least 2 times/day. I don't recommend flakes or dry food until they are 1 month old, because they dirty the water, and they are usually ignored. Instead of water changes, add a few cups of water each day. 2-4 weeks later, you can do your first water change, and I recommend transfering them into a larger tank (10 gallon or more). Siphon gunk off the bottom into a clear container. Check for fry. They are VERY small. at about 3 months, separate males and mean females into jars. Most females can be kept in the growout tank. Clean jars often, or the growth will be stunted. um...any questions? learn more about bettas

http://www.bio-art.net/betta.html

 

Re: Breeding Bettas

Katie Jul 1st, 2002

I think it's good to post a refresher for this subject often...I have lots of females now, and two healthy males but never once has breeding crossed my mind...I know i aint got the time, paitence or money for that! I think alot of people think it's easier than it is.....

 

Re: Breeding Bettas

Lauren Jul 2nd, 2002

So, what do you other betta breeders think of my methods? What do you do different? I'm still learning how to do this, so if you have any suggestions, it would be apprecieated.

 

Re: Breeding Bettas

Doug Jul 2nd, 2002

Lauren, I think the only thing that I do differently is I let the male swim freely in the spawning tank and only jar the female. Otherwise it's almost exactly what I do.
Doug

 

Re: Breeding Bettas

Lauren Jul 2nd, 2002

the reason I jar the male is so the spawn tank doesn't get as dirty, since it's hard to do waterchanges with new fry.

 

Re: Breeding Bettas

Kat : Jul 30th, 2002

Thought I'd add my $.02 worth here.
Pretty much the same as you Lauren, except I use 10 gal. exclusively so I don't have to clean tank as much in begining when fry are so tiny. I also use a spong corner filter set with just barely bubbling. Have 2 spawns that are at 3 weeks give or take a few days from each other, right now. Spawns were aprox. 250 and 100 eggs .. have 40+ left in each growing nicely. Can't count them too well yet. LOL

Kat

 

Re: Breeding Bettas

Lauren : Jul 31st, 2002

I agree. Lately, I have been floating a 2 1/2 gallon critter keeper in a 20 gallon, and breeding in the critter keeper, than pouring the fry into the 20. The cool thing with this method is I can start some daphnia in the 20 gallon, so the fry will have plenty to eat when they are big enough. I have also been experimenting with sponge filters. I haven't mastered them yet, but I'm working on it. I set up a sponge around a fluval 1, and it seems to work so far. I would use 10 gallons for breeding all the time, but I only have one 10 gallon, and it has killifish fry right now. I have way too many fish. *sigh*

 

Re: Breeding Bettas

kit807: Aug 10th, 2002

ok i have an orange male betta and a red female betta i set the female in a jar in the males tank and he swims around the jar flaring at her but he doesnt make a nest, is he not interested? and my other question is is it necessary to use a heater in the fry tank and will they eat adult food crushed into powder?

 

Re: Breeding Bettas

Doug : Aug 10th, 2002

I do not recommend that you try feeding fry with crushed flakes until they are about 6 weeks old. Use infusia until they are about a week old then star raising baby brine shrimp for about 2 months, mixing with an introduction of finely crushed flake or crushed betta bits (biogold) at about 6 weeks. If the male in your spawning tank is not building a bubblenest after about 2 weeks in their currect set up, and feeding them live food, then they may not mate. but make sure that your water condition is as it should be with nitrate lvls, ph levels and 1 tsp of salt per gallon. temp should be around 80-82F After you release the female, have some cooler conditioned water to sprinkler over the surface of the water, this simulates rain and may trigger spawning

Doug

this site is very very helpful thanks

hey luren i breed my betta differently i got a 10gallon tank and a filter so i put some gavel half way of the tank and put some plants in there and then let the female swim freely and the male. (when the male try to bite the female so the female can hide in the plants) so if they get use to each other they will mate......... e-mail me for Quettion