BREEDING BETTA

[carligraceee]

How do you breed betta? Kevin, every time I clean his tank, creates a beautiful bubble nest. I think he is ready for some babies. I have a couple females I can pair him with but I don't know where to start.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

@EllRog

 

[Colin_T]

Put the male and females in separate tanks but have their tanks next to each other so they can see each other. Leave them next to each other for at least a week. If the male builds a bubblenest and shows off to the female, you can move her into his tank. But monitor them closely because males sometimes kill females if the female isn't ready to breed or he doesn't like her.

Have the water temperature between 26-28C (79-82F) for conditioning the parents, breeding them and rearing the young.

Feed the fish 3-5 times a day with dry, frozen (but defrosted) and live foods for at least 2 weeks before you put them together. This helps them produce lots of healthy gametes (eggs & sperm).

Do big daily water changes and gravel cleans to keep their tanks clean when feeding more often.

If the fish like each other and are ready to breed, they show off for a bit and then embrace. The female releases some eggs and the male fertilises them, before picking the eggs up and putting them in his bubblenest. This continues until the female has released all her eggs. At which time the male usually drives her out of his territory and you should remove the female from his tank.

The male looks after the eggs and keeps them in his bublenest until they hatch a few days later. The fry (baby fish) hang on the glass and plants for a few more days while they use the yolk sac, then they start swimming around. Most males will look after the fry for a few weeks after they hatch. If the male starts eating the fry then move him out but he will clean the fry and put them back in the bubblenest and this is not eating them, but is good parenting on his behalf.

When the babies start swimming, they should be fed on green water, infusoria, and or boiled egg yolk. After a couple of weeks on these foods you can add newly hatched brineshrimp and microworms to their diet. Increase the variety of foods as they grow.

Keep a coverglass on the tank during breeding and for the first couple of months of the baby's lives because they need warm air when they are developing their labyrinth organ. You can remove the coverglass after a couple of months.

If/ when the young males start to fight with each other, you need to separate them into individual containers so they don't kill each other. The females can stay together and some males will live together, but most males fight to the death and need to be kept apart.

 

[EllRog]

@PheonixKingZ sorry, I was sleeping lol

@carligraceee on top of the great advice @Colin_T provided, I'd say that it's very important to know what you're getting into. Do plenty of research. It's very time consuming and hands on and a clear plan is necessary. You'll need to know what you plan to do with all of the fry you could produce and have plenty of time for all of the care they'll need in the time it takes for them to grow. It's a great experience though, very exciting and fun. Best of luck and enjoy

 

[carligraceee]

Put the male and females in separate tanks but have their tanks next to each other so they can see each other. Leave them next to each other for at least a week. If the male builds a bubblenest and shows off to the female, you can move her into his tank. But monitor them closely because males sometimes kill females if the female isn't ready to breed or he doesn't like her.

Have the water temperature between 26-28C (79-82F) for conditioning the parents, breeding them and rearing the young.

Feed the fish 3-5 times a day with dry, frozen (but defrosted) and live foods for at least 2 weeks before you put them together. This helps them produce lots of healthy gametes (eggs & sperm).

Do big daily water changes and gravel cleans to keep their tanks clean when feeding more often.

If the fish like each other and are ready to breed, they show off for a bit and then embrace. The female releases some eggs and the male fertilises them, before picking the eggs up and putting them in his bubblenest. This continues until the female has released all her eggs. At which time the male usually drives her out of his territory and you should remove the female from his tank.

The male looks after the eggs and keeps them in his bublenest until they hatch a few days later. The fry (baby fish) hang on the glass and plants for a few more days while they use the yolk sac, then they start swimming around. Most males will look after the fry for a few weeks after they hatch. If the male starts eating the fry then move him out but he will clean the fry and put them back in the bubblenest and this is not eating them, but is good parenting on his behalf.

When the babies start swimming, they should be fed on green water, infusoria, and or boiled egg yolk. After a couple of weeks on these foods you can add newly hatched brineshrimp and microworms to their diet. Increase the variety of foods as they grow.

Keep a coverglass on the tank during breeding and for the first couple of months of the baby's lives because they need warm air when they are developing their labyrinth organ. You can remove the coverglass after a couple of months.

If/ when the young males start to fight with each other, you need to separate them into individual containers so they don't kill each other. The females can stay together and some males will live together, but most males fight to the death and need to be kept apart.

@PheonixKingZ sorry, I was sleeping lol

@carligraceee on top of the great advice @Colin_T provided, I'd say that it's very important to know what you're getting into. Do plenty of research. It's very time consuming and hands on and a clear plan is necessary. You'll need to know what you plan to do with all of the fry you could produce and have plenty of time for all of the care they'll need in the time it takes for them to grow. It's a great experience though, very exciting and fun. Best of luck and enjoy

Wow you guys... thank you so much!

I might begin this process soon. I started a betta sorority but it just isn't working out and its been several weeks. I think I will be taking them back... so the female he is familiar with is in that sorority. Should I just put her in my 3 gallon holding container?