First Time Breeding Bettas

[Pugbrat]

Hello all,

It's my first time breeding bettas. I have successfully spawned my bicolor plakat pair.

I wanted to ask about mortality rate. It's kinda disappointing to see some fry dying.

Facts:
Estimate 150-200 fry.
2 and a half weeks old.
10 gallon tank.
BBS diet.
Lost 25 fry already.

Am I doing ok?

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Hello all,

It's my first time breeding bettas. I have successfully spawned my bicolor plakat pair.

I wanted to ask about mortality rate. It's kinda disappointing to see some fry dying.

Facts:
Estimate 150-200 fry.
2 and a half weeks old.
10 gallon tank.
BBS diet.
Lost 25 fry already.

Am I doing ok?
[/quote

I hope the father is already separated. Then do frequent water change like 10-20% everyday add few drops of methyline blue so the water will be free from bacterias (though not 100%).

Don't overfeed the fry and you should have some live floating plants it's a big help.

 

[splashluff]

Yep, I think 25 lost is a reasonable amount for such a large spawn in such an early stage. After 1 month, you should have very few, if any, losses. Some of the 25 deaths could be a result of underdeveloped swim bladders, not being big enough to eat the BBS, or just not strong enough. All in all, it's better for the weak fry that they die when they're young and pretty oblivious rather than dying as sick juveniles.

I can't wait to see pics of the babies as they grow! Just keep up on water changes, religiously, and feed them plenty and they should do well. Congrats!!

 

[Pugbrat]

Thanks _cRaCkEr_, splashluff.

I have plants in the tank. The male stayed in the tank for only 5 days because the fry were free swimmimg early on. Doing water chage as well and meth blue routine. I do some very careful siphoning at the bottom as well.
I now have tennis elbow from doing that... and a sore back!

Most of those that died were the wee litlle ones that won't feed (perhaps), but it's dumbfounding and disappointing to see some larger ones dying as well.

That total 25 lost was over the 2 1/2 weeks that I had them. I'd loose around 2-4 fry every other day or after three.

One reason I'm getting paranoid is that they seem to develop faster than what some of my friends' fry look like that were born 2 weeks earlier. Some of my fry are bigger. What if I loose the ones with potential?
Maybe it's just me.

Oh, I do hope I pull this off.

Should I put a sponge filter soon?
I can see some bullying going on in there (but not much). Should I separate the bigger ones already in another tank?

 

[MishyTheFishBreeder]

Each and everyfish are individual maybe your betta's had some giant gene's in it but anyway keep a close on on them you are doing very well for your first time.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Thanks _cRaCkEr_, splashluff.

I have plants in the tank. The male stayed in the tank for only 5 days because the fry were free swimmimg early on. Doing water chage as well and meth blue routine. I do some very careful siphoning at the bottom as well.
I now have tennis elbow from doing that... and a sore back!

Most of those that died were the wee litlle ones that won't feed (perhaps), but it's dumbfounding and disappointing to see some larger ones dying as well.

That total 25 lost was over the 2 1/2 weeks that I had them. I'd loose around 2-4 fry every other day or after three.

One reason I'm getting paranoid is that they seem to develop faster than what some of my friends' fry look like that were born 2 weeks earlier. Some of my fry are bigger. What if I loose the ones with potential?
Maybe it's just me.

Oh, I do hope I pull this off.

Should I put a sponge filter soon?
I can see some bullying going on in there (but not much). Should I separate the bigger ones already in another tank?

Sponge filter is a great idea it also stores beneficial bacterias that will help your Bettas grow stronger. These are fighting fish and it's normal for them to bully each other and separating them at this very early stage is not a must, howver if you can see serious injuries then you can go ahead and separate the bigger males and keep the females in the community.

If they are already ready to be fed by bloodwroms you may put some to boost their growth but still BBS is the best for them. Frequent water change is neccessary these lil kids wants to swim in a crystal clear water and don't introduce IAL leaves first.

Prepare your containers

 

[Pugbrat]

Prepare your containers

Scary!

Each and everyfish are individual maybe your betta's had some giant gene's in it but anyway keep a close on on them you are doing very well for your first time.

Thanks for the confidence boost!

 

[Pugbrat]

Just wanted to share pics taken this morning...

Dad and Mom... both still a bit frayed from last breeding.

The dark and drab growout tank... or so it seems in the pic.

Fry

 

[Pugbrat]

Death toll has now reached 41. I don't really like it.

I saw bigger fry this morning with ventrals and developing anal and dorsal fins. At least, that's good.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Death toll has now reached 41. I don't really like it.

I saw bigger fry this morning with ventrals and developing anal and dorsal fins. At least, that's good.

That's normal......

Remember whenever I breed my fighters I only have like 10 at the most survivors though my way of culling is different

 

[MishyTheFishBreeder]

It was a big birth so your got to expect 50+ deaths.

 

[ezrock]

hey...nice fish..fry should look great when they grow up! when did the spawn occur?

-Ian

 

[Pugbrat]

hey...nice fish..fry should look great when they grow up! when did the spawn occur?

-Ian

Hello Ian,

The fry will be 3 weeks old on Monday. Your fry are 1 and a half weeks older. Am I correct?

One amazing thing about this pair is that they spawned 8 hours after I placed them in the tank together. Embraced about 10-12 times too. The male took care of the eggs excellently. The female was helping out too.

I'm actually going to give them another go about soon.

Oddly... just saw the female gravid with eggs and she was spewing them out. To my surprise, she created a good sized bubble nest on her own. She's retrieving the eggs and placing them in the bubble nest.
She's not eating the meal I prepared though.

Looks like I need to do some water change later.

 

[ezrock]

Hi. On monday, mine will be exactly 4 weeks old, so they're one week older than yours. Are you able to get a closer up picture of the fry? I'd like to compare sizes if possible. Mine are in about 7.5 gallons of water, with 9 or 10 fry, but they're growing quickly I think!

-Ian

 

[splashluff]

As long as you don't have a huge jump in fatalities, it should be ok . *pats*


Really, I'd never jar 3 week-olds ever. They need the stability of a big heated tank and a filter, and it'll be sooo much less of a pain for you. In a month or so, start consider jarring!