Betta Breeding Musts

[Dieses Madchen]

I'm not really one for the ranting threads but I feel some of this needs to be put in the open as there are ALOT of threads popping up about breeding. I'm not a betta breeder personally. I know how to do it because I have spent months researching the topc. Even have a stunning male (high quality) that I payed out the butt for that I intended on breeding. But here is the reality of the world of breeding bettasas it is not for the faint of heart of for the impatient.

1. It is an extremely TIME CONSUMING breeding experience. If you are in school full time, or have a full time job, and cannot devote the time, then its best not to try. This is what stopped me. I work full time. When i realized how often you have to feed the babies, I knew that I couldn't do it.

2. It is expensive. You need at least 4 tanks. Separate homes for your male and female, a breeding tank, and a grow-out tank that is 20g MINIMUM. Bigger the better. You also need established tanks as the babies cannot survive in bad water conditions. You also need at least 100 jars with the ability to keep them warm. They spawn in the hundreds and you can end up with up to 100 males. They cannot be in the same tank together. Also, live food at the rate you will be needing it is expensive

3. Aside from equipment, you also need to condition them. You will have healthier fry if you have bettas in top health. Not to mention they need those conditioning foods for the energy, as the spawning process is hard on the bettas.

4. research research research!!! Did I mention that you need to do extensive research??

I'm not trying to rant, but I have seen some of our experienced breeders receive a little bit of attitude due to their input. Feel privileged that our betta experts want to take the time to educate you. They know what they are doing. Heck, most of my knowledge comes from them and they are very very experienced with the process.

I hope this paints a good picture for what you need to do. For those that have taken the time to do all of these things and are ready for the experience, I wish you the best of luck. We want you to succeed. Its very rewarding when you do. I urge all new breeders to reap the benefits of the knowledge our experienced breeders have to offer.

 

[lilfishie]

Agree 100% i spent a good 2 years reading before i dared try it

Another MUST is a QUALITY pair *None Veils!* unless you want to be stuck with them

 

[FishFanatic04]

I feel better just reading this. ;p

 

[Qwatch]

I've already spent 1 and a half years researching in breeding them and I think I'm about 95% ready

Good thread!

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I wish you the best of luck!! Make sure you make a journal when you start. It's a good way to have experienced people follow and help out when there is a question

 

[lilfishie]

I've already spent 1 and a half years researching in breeding them and I think I'm about 95% ready

Good thread!

I spent a good 2 years, thankfully i had friends that had bred before so they helped with any last minute worries

 

[TwoTankAmin]

There are a lot more types of betta than the traditional splendens. These fish held not interest for me and after 8 months I gave away my two males. I never wanted to spawn them. However, from the very first days of fishkeeping I had always wanted Betta imbellis. I fell in love with their coloration based on the illustrations in the Baensch Aquarium Atlas Vol 1.

It took me a number of years to find fish that looked like the ones in that picture. They turned out to be F1 from a pair that won first place in one of the IBC competition the year before. So I bought a trio and plopped them into a heavily planted 10 gal tank in the bathroom and left them alone. They spawned, a few survived and I kept a tank with these fish for several years before finally losing the last one. When in spawning mode their colors are truly amazing.

The point is if you want to have bettas spawn and get to see it, consider some of the other types which can be kept together in groups, Give them lots of cover and maybe you will have the same luck I did.

Bear in mind that the site for International Betta Congress Inc. lists 70 species of Betta- 64 described and 6 undescribed. Here is what they say about imbellis http/smp.ibcbettas.org/species/imbellis.html

 

[lilfishie]

There are a lot more types of betta than the traditional splendens. These fish held not interest for me and after 8 months I gave away my two males. I never wanted to spawn them. However, from the very first days of fishkeeping I had always wanted Betta imbellis. I fell in love with their coloration based on the illustrations in the Baensch Aquarium Atlas Vol 1.

It took me a number of years to find fish that looked like the ones in that picture. They turned out to be F1 from a pair that won first place in one of the IBC competition the year before. So I bought a trio and plopped them into a heavily planted 10 gal tank in the bathroom and left them alone. They spawned, a few survived and I kept a tank with these fish for several years before finally losing the last one. When in spawning mode their colors are truly amazing.

The point is if you want to have bettas spawn and get to see it, consider some of the other types which can be kept together in groups, Give them lots of cover and maybe you will have the same luck I did.

Bear in mind that the site for International Betta Congress Inc. lists 70 species of Betta- 64 described and 6 undescribed. Here is what they say about imbellis http/smp.ibcbettas.org/species/imbellis.html

Another great point there, Having had wilds myself *Falx* yeah that not as colourful as splendens but they make up for it in other ways, very peaceful fish, i hade 2 pairs in a 15gal with cories & a small pleco, they bred every few weeks

 

[Fishball7]

i find it interesting nobody here talks about culling ie killing unwanted fry by feeding them to bigger fish or other methods. If you cull, you dont have to worry about the nightmare of having hundreds of jars or needing to care about all that much space. Culling is an ethical debate; some people advocate it while others think it's cruel. Personal choice. One way that solves the space issue as well as how to sell fry, as culling encourages selecting only those with the most potential.

 

[lilfishie]

i find it interesting nobody here talks about culling ie killing unwanted fry by feeding them to bigger fish or other methods. If you cull, you dont have to worry about the nightmare of having hundreds of jars or needing to care about all that much space. Culling is an ethical debate; some people advocate it while others think it's cruel. Personal choice. One way that solves the space issue as well as how to sell fry, as culling encourages selecting only those with the most potential.

I could never cull any, ever in there only a day old, most breeders cull young meaning most are perfectly healthy fish, any imperfect fish are just sold cheaper to trusted friends where you know they'll be looked after 100%.

The thing with Betta spawns there so touch and go, you could cull 50% at a few days old then suddenly loose the other 50% just how things work

 

[Liquid skills]

Yeh I like this thread
I do feel sorry for the veils
I had people to help me through it as well

 

[Dieses Madchen]

i find it interesting nobody here talks about culling ie killing unwanted fry by feeding them to bigger fish or other methods. If you cull, you dont have to worry about the nightmare of having hundreds of jars or needing to care about all that much space. Culling is an ethical debate; some people advocate it while others think it's cruel. Personal choice. One way that solves the space issue as well as how to sell fry, as culling encourages selecting only those with the most potential.

I personally don't believe in culling. Now, if i were to have fry (not neccessarily bettas)that had a deformity that interfered with their quality of life (disallowed them to swim/get to food) I would euthanize them to keep them from suffering.

 

[Liquid skills]

+1

 

[Cerbius]

Have never really approved of culling personally, never done it in over 20 years of fish keeping.....natural selection always works best

 

[bettaboy150]

i kinda do breed, like i have 2 active spawns right now, and im 13, i have alittle time on my hands. taking care of fry isn't that hard, theres may thing they eat, i prefer attison's and hikari first bites, both serve excellent but BB's are recommended. the betta breeding process isn't too hard, you just need to be patient, just like the male and female see each other for a total of 30 minutes a day, 15 in the morning and 15 at night. then seperate them with like apiece of paper or soemthing, do it so for like 1 or 2 weeks depends on how your female is. the male should be healthy and is blowing bubbles in his nest, maybe even making a bubble nest. you will need tanks, 5 gallons minumum, but i have done it with a 2.5, it hwas hard but i've done it. if you introduce your pair right, they should get into breeding in about 1 day, or a couple hours, depends if you've conditioned them right, also depends if shes ready and is just waiting for the right time. i forgot to mention, feed the female alot when conditioning. so if they breed, yay you, now comes the fry caring. remove the female after, because you'll know cuz she'll flee from the nest, probably chased away by the male too. a real life example here right now, it is so hard, to gwet the female out, i use heavy plantation for the breeding process, and im telling you it is hard. i just netted my female out, omg took me 20 minutes straight, using a ridgid air tubing to chase the female to the nest, i almost messed it up, but i fianly got it. so after you do everything, you wait 2 or 3 days and then take your male out, if he's eating the eggs, take him out. from there, the frys should develope and there you have your own spawn, just feed the frys what ever you want, and change the water frequently.