What Would I Need To Be Able To Breed?

[catherine896]

I dont know whether to take the plunge and start preparing to breed. I have a beautiful crowntail male on reserve and am getting a female aswell. Im splitting my 10G which already holds Spike my VT so the new male will live in the other side. The female is going into my boyfriends community tank. So we will have the fish to be able to breed but I need some pointers as to what I will need. I dont want to just do it 'cos I love the fish. Obviously I have where the male and female are going to be living already and prepared for them etc. I have a 3 foot tank unused sat in my basement - it doesnt have a lid at the moment but obviously Id get one before anything was to go into it. Ive read the minimum tank to be used in breeding can be 18inches long, so I can split the 3 foot in half and have the breeding tank 1 side and then the other half - what could I use that side for?
I understand that the adult male needs to be removed once the fry are a few days old so I can take the male out and he can go back into his half of the 10G and then Ill take the divider out so the fry would have a 3 foot tank to grow in until the males need to be seperated. How old do they have to be when seperated? Around 6-8 weeks isnt it?
But what would I need for them to be seperated into? How old do they have to be before they can go to a new home? If I had a good waiting list of people wanting the fish, could I say seperate them into nice big jars and have them picked up the day I seperate them so they wouldnt be living in the jar its just more along the lines of thats what they go to the new home in?
Im not going to rush into doing anything, I want it all to be done properly if Im to go ahead and do it.
Any help/input would be great, I want to know everything before I go ahead and start doing anything.
Thanks.

 

[zoekin8yg]

There is some good info on the pinned topics and lots online best to read read read.

 

[jess6905]

you will need to get a heater and food for the fry and be sure you have the time and space for once they are older and start getting seperated. keep in mind at all times while you consider breeding them that you can end up with anywhere from 50 to well over 100 fry from any spawn. (thats alot of space and cleaning to be done) i wont lie its not an easy thing to take on, but its not as difficult as many people often times try to make it sound. just do alot of reserch and try to line up homes for them but have an lfs that is willing to take them if you cant find them all homes well in advance. good luck though and keep us updated.

 

[Jaded12]

I have a 3 foot tank unused sat in my basement - it doesnt have a lid at the moment but obviously Id get one before anything was to go into it. Ive read the minimum tank to be used in breeding can be 18inches long, so I can split the 3 foot in half and have the breeding tank 1 side and then the other half - what could I use that side for?

The minimun tank for breeding is actually 2.5 gallons, the majority of the breeders in thailand never breed in anything more then 5 gallons, the smaller the space the quicker the female will submit to the male and the quicker they'll breed. My opinion would be to divide out a 10 gallon section, filled onliy 5-6 inches, then once the male has a nice nest and the females all barred and seems interested, shrink the space to about a 5 gallon space.

I understand that the adult male needs to be removed once the fry are a few days old so I can take the male out and he can go back into his half of the 10G and then Ill take the divider out so the fry would have a 3 foot tank to grow in until the males need to be seperated.

Yupp you want to remove the male when the fry become free swimming, about 3 days old

How old do they have to be when seperated? Around 6-8 weeks isnt it?

Most breeders won't remove the males until they start acting aggressive toward one another, before then there's really no reason to, so there's really no set time, you just have to keep an eye on them

But what would I need for them to be seperated into?

small jars or containers, check out, majesticbettas.com he has really nice juvi cups for a good price

How old do they have to be before they can go to a new home? If I had a good waiting list of people wanting the fish, could I say seperate them into nice big jars and have them picked up the day I seperate them so they wouldnt be living in the jar its just more along the lines of thats what they go to the new home in?

Most breeders won't rehome the babies till they're a good 2-2.5 months old, and you definatly don't want to put them through the stress of shipping until they're at least 3 months old.

Im not going to rush into doing anything, I want it all to be done properly if Im to go ahead and do it.
Any help/input would be great, I want to know everything before I go ahead and start doing anything.
Thanks.

You'll need a heater (the tank should never drop below 80 if possibly, temps between 82 and 86 are best)
A sponge filter (so the babies can't get sucked up)
Lots of baby food (Microworms, vinegar eels, daphnia, bbs, etc)

Good luck and feel free to ask me any questions you may have

 

[catherine896]

Thankyou Jaded12 I was told to ask you on the fighting fish forum aswell!
I certainly will be hunting you out when I have more questions lol!
Thanks again

 

[cd_customs]

i have read that you need to remove the female after spawning other wise the male will become agressive and kill her.

 

[stang1]

i have read that you need to remove the female after spawning other wise the male will become agressive and kill her.

You're right. The female will need to be removed as the male will attack her. He becomes very protective of the nest and will attack anything that goes near it.