Betta Breeding

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

i was quite interested in breeding my bettas this summer so i have more time to research, prepare and just have more time for the fish. i read the threads and everything but i still had a few questions.

one: where can you get all the little bowls you need for them cheap?
two: where can i give the fry to once they're grown?
three: what are common problems that happen (not including the bettas hating each other)
four: any other FAQs?

 

[Wisperian]

For number 1, you can usually get some off Aquabid/Ebay for quite cheap when you buy them in bulk
Number 2, You can try to sell them online, Aquabid or your LFS or just family/friends
Number 3, they might be inexperienced, the fry might get some deformities, they get too violent/impatient
Number 4, just look online

 

[Jaded12]

i was quite interested in breeding my bettas this summer so i have more time to research, prepare and just have more time for the fish. i read the threads and everything but i still had a few questions.

one: where can you get all the little bowls you need for them cheap?
two: where can i give the fry to once they're grown?
three: what are common problems that happen (not including the bettas hating each other)
four: any other FAQs?

1. aquabid, ebay, or try majesticbettas.com he has really good prices and is a great guy to deal with. You could also start collecting empty containers around your house.
2. Like whisperian said you can try and sell them online through aquabid and forums, locals lfs's may take them, you could also try selling them to family and friends. The type of bettas you breed and the quality you produce will help determine how easy it will be to find them homes.
3. Inexperienced parents may eat the eggs or the babies the first couple of times, the fry can develop diseases such as ick or velvet which could cause the lot of them to die with out watning. There are many problems that u can encounter breeding, in the end you just need to cross your fingers and hope for the best.
4. Research, Research, Research, if you have any other questions though please feel free to pm me!

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

hmm. okay, another one. how do i ship fish if i sell them on aquabid? they're both crowntails, their pic's are on my sig and avatar. i really want to keep at least one male from each of them though . especially my baby, shadow.

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

okay i thought of another. when can the fry be seperated from the parent?

 

[Jaded12]

The fry begin free swimming at around 3 days of age, and that is when you remove the male. The female gets removed right after she's done laying her eggs.

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

ahh okay. so i cant take the fry out and leave the 'daddy' in his tank?

 

[K.J.]

In a nutshell, you condition the two and if they have proper heritage, breed. Sometimes they might eat the eggs or fry, sometimes the female won't cooperate or the male won't. Sometimes males never build bubblenests. But when they successfully breed, take the female out immediately after she finishes dispersing eggs, into her own tank and treat her with a mild medicine if she has any serious damage. If you leave her in there, the male may get fiercely protective of the eggs and kill her. So you leave the male in there, and you separate them when the fry are free swimming, at roughly three days of age. If you don't, he'll eat them. Then do some research.

I'd also like to add, it's not recommended to breed pet shop bettas, even if they are crowntails or halfmoons. The offspring depends greatly on what the parents, grandparents look like, etc, not just the parents. Plus, sometimes pet shop bettas can be too old and in return have no "breeding drive," or are sterile, or simply too incompetent. Pet shop bettas are usually mutts, so it's not a good idea to breed them.

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

i'm not going to spend $20 on a fish when i can find fantastic looking ones at my LFSs. my one is young (his color's changing and he's growing, alot.) and the other is contstantly blowing bubble nests.

 

[K.J.]

i'm not going to spend $20 on a fish when i can find fantastic looking ones at my LFSs. my one is young (his color's changing and he's growing, alot.) and the other is contstantly blowing bubble nests.

Well, that's your choice, but I'm just warning you, there's a good chance the fry will look nothing like them.