Breeding bettas

[Benji k]

So I was thinking if breeding dumbo bettas i have a 4 gallon we’re the female will stay and a 10 gallon were the male will stay and the breeding tank do you think this will work and any tips and if the tank is big enough should I get a tub and I’m probably gonna put the baby’s in ponds

 

[On_a_dishy]

I have bred Betta and the breeding tank (I assume that this is where you’ll keep the fry?) needed virtually full-time maid service! Keeping it clean - particularly the water surface - without siphoning up the babies was a nightmare, but so much fun. I learnt that if I held the siphon tubing end in the water at a horizontal angle and right at the surface so that some air got pulled in with the suction, all the surface debris would obediently get sucked in - that worked well.
Your operation sounds a lot bigger than my little projects, though, so you might have much more equipment and know-how than I did!
I also used tights (stockings) to cover the filter intake so the babies didn’t get sucked in. I used liquifry and then microworm culture which I grew on porridge - they loved that. Then onto the baby brine shrimp.
Once they were old enough to be separated, the best advice I had was to buy a vivarium heated mat and put the mason jars (a fish in each) on those, with cardboard between each one. Then it became the fresh hell of maintaining the water quality in each jar before I could sell them.
They were great little fish, and a really enjoyable time but I found the responsibility so stressful! Good luck and please update with your progress!

 

[Benji k]

I have bred Betta and the breeding tank (I assume that this is where you’ll keep the fry?) needed virtually full-time maid service! Keeping it clean - particularly the water surface - without siphoning up the babies was a nightmare, but so much fun. I learnt that if I held the siphon tubing end in the water at a horizontal angle and right at the surface so that some air got pulled in with the suction, all the surface debris would obediently get sucked in - that worked well.
Your operation sounds a lot bigger than my little projects, though, so you might have much more equipment and know-how than I did!
I also used tights (stockings) to cover the filter intake so the babies didn’t get sucked in. I used liquifry and then microworm culture which I grew on porridge - they loved that. Then onto the baby brine shrimp.
Once they were old enough to be separated, the best advice I had was to buy a vivarium heated mat and put the mason jars (a fish in each) on those, with cardboard between each one. Then it became the fresh hell of maintaining the water quality in each jar before I could sell them.
They were great little fish, and a really enjoyable time but I found the responsibility so stressful! Good luck and please update with your progress!

I’m not doing to much what did you do because I don’t feel like I’m doing to much I just have two spare tanks

 

[Benji k]

I have bred Betta and the breeding tank (I assume that this is where you’ll keep the fry?) needed virtually full-time maid service! Keeping it clean - particularly the water surface - without siphoning up the babies was a nightmare, but so much fun. I learnt that if I held the siphon tubing end in the water at a horizontal angle and right at the surface so that some air got pulled in with the suction, all the surface debris would obediently get sucked in - that worked well.
Your operation sounds a lot bigger than my little projects, though, so you might have much more equipment and know-how than I did!
I also used tights (stockings) to cover the filter intake so the babies didn’t get sucked in. I used liquifry and then microworm culture which I grew on porridge - they loved that. Then onto the baby brine shrimp.
Once they were old enough to be separated, the best advice I had was to buy a vivarium heated mat and put the mason jars (a fish in each) on those, with cardboard between each one. Then it became the fresh hell of maintaining the water quality in each jar before I could sell them.
They were great little fish, and a really enjoyable time but I found the responsibility so stressful! Good luck and please update with your progress!

I’m just using hob filters and spare tank Ik not doing to much what did you do and I’m just gonna put the baby’s in a pond to grow them up

 

[Benji k]

I have bred Betta and the breeding tank (I assume that this is where you’ll keep the fry?) needed virtually full-time maid service! Keeping it clean - particularly the water surface - without siphoning up the babies was a nightmare, but so much fun. I learnt that if I held the siphon tubing end in the water at a horizontal angle and right at the surface so that some air got pulled in with the suction, all the surface debris would obediently get sucked in - that worked well.
Your operation sounds a lot bigger than my little projects, though, so you might have much more equipment and know-how than I did!
I also used tights (stockings) to cover the filter intake so the babies didn’t get sucked in. I used liquifry and then microworm culture which I grew on porridge - they loved that. Then onto the baby brine shrimp.
Once they were old enough to be separated, the best advice I had was to buy a vivarium heated mat and put the mason jars (a fish in each) on those, with cardboard between each one. Then it became the fresh hell of maintaining the water quality in each jar before I could sell them.
They were great little fish, and a really enjoyable time but I found the responsibility so stressful! Good luck and please update with your progress!

I’m not doing to much what did you do because I don’t feel like I’m doing to much I just have two spare tanks

 

[On_a_dishy]

I used a 9 gallon (34l) tank for the male, and spent ages showing him the female who was safe in a little jar. I then put them together and held my nerve - it was incredible to see her sort of switch from disinterested to very, very interested! He had built a good bubble nest.
They did the business a few times, and I took her out and back to her tank. I then gave him a while to spit the fallen eggs into the nest.
Then, and this is where I went wrong, I tried to move the nest with the eggs in it to a separate little fry box, all prepared with a heater. I should have moved him out, of course, leaving the nest intact. I should have put them both to mate in the box that I was going to raise the fry in, but, like a complete donkey, I hadn’t thought ahead.
Anyway, against all the odds I managed to produce a few fry and raise them. You sound much more organised, experienced and prepared than me.
Please post photos of your journey!

 

[Benji k]

I used a 9 gallon (34l) tank for the male, and spent ages showing him the female who was safe in a little jar. I then put them together and held my nerve - it was incredible to see her sort of switch from disinterested to very, very interested! He had built a good bubble nest.
They did the business a few times, and I took her out and back to her tank. I then gave him a while to spit the fallen eggs into the nest.
Then, and this is where I went wrong, I tried to move the nest with the eggs in it to a separate little fry box, all prepared with a heater. I should have moved him out, of course, leaving the nest intact. I should have put them both to mate in the box that I was going to raise the fry in, but, like a complete donkey, I hadn’t thought ahead.
Anyway, against all the odds I managed to produce a few fry and raise them. You sound much more organised, experienced and prepared than me.
Please post photos of your journey!

I’m not prepared at all I just have 2 spare tanks and what did you keep the female in just a jar do you think the fry will be alright in a pond because I have a pond with lots of plants in it the male will probably always stay in 10 gallon and female on 4 gallon but if the females does well in males tank and dosent fight I’ll probably just leave her ther with him

 

[Essjay]

In a 10 gallon, that's asking for trouble.


It is almost impossible to move the fry when they become free swimming as they are tiny. That's why it's the male that is moved out as he is bigger and much easier to see to catch him.

 

[gwand]

I used a 9 gallon (34l) tank for the male, and spent ages showing him the female who was safe in a little jar. I then put them together and held my nerve - it was incredible to see her sort of switch from disinterested to very, very interested! He had built a good bubble nest.
They did the business a few times, and I took her out and back to her tank. I then gave him a while to spit the fallen eggs into the nest.
Then, and this is where I went wrong, I tried to move the nest with the eggs in it to a separate little fry box, all prepared with a heater. I should have moved him out, of course, leaving the nest intact. I should have put them both to mate in the box that I was going to raise the fry in, but, like a complete donkey, I hadn’t thought ahead.
Anyway, against all the odds I managed to produce a few fry and raise them. You sound much more organised, experienced and prepared than me.
Please post photos of your journey!

What do you feed betta fry? Here is my boy.

 

[gwand]

Oops. Here he is.

 

[On_a_dishy]

What do you feed betta fry? Here is my boy.

Liquifry at the very start - you can buy it online or at your LFS.
Then I cultured microworms. These are really cool! Again, easy to buy - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Proximus_N1-Microworms-culture-Microworm-nematode/dp/B00CQR2SAK
I made some warm porridge, put it into an old takeaway food container, and sprinkled the microworm culture on top. Keep it moist (I stretched clingfilm over the top and periodically dropped water onto the culture.
Within a day or so you’ll see shimmery, tiny creatures, so small you can’t see individuals, starting to climb up the edges of your container. They’ll look like a fungus, but they’re the microworms!
With a damp finger, just wipe a few off the edges of your container and swirl into your fry. They’ll suddenly “peck” and dart for the microworms - it’s lovely to watch!
At the same time, order baby brine shrimp eggs - I’ve just used https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shrimp-Art...3&sr=1-1-1ccd8dd6-22b2-400b-bddc-4df1f1459235
And they’ve hatched well. Again, a takeaway food container, salted, warm water (no porridge this time!) and sprinkle some eggs in. The ones in the link I give here also contain salt but you can buy just eggs on their own and use table salt.
These will hatch in 24 hours. When you want to feed the fry, put your phone light at one end of the container (the baby shrimp are attracted to light) and, using a turkey blaster, suck a few up. Try to avoid sucking up the egg casings; it’s an easy job.
Then plop them into the water with your fry!
Siphoning up the uneaten food was a chore, but actually creating the food for them was fun ☺️

 

[gwand]

Liquifry at the very start - you can buy it online or at your LFS.
Then I cultured microworms. These are really cool! Again, easy to buy - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Proximus_N1-Microworms-culture-Microworm-nematode/dp/B00CQR2SAK
I made some warm porridge, put it into an old takeaway food container, and sprinkled the microworm culture on top. Keep it moist (I stretched clingfilm over the top and periodically dropped water onto the culture.
Within a day or so you’ll see shimmery, tiny creatures, so small you can’t see individuals, starting to climb up the edges of your container. They’ll look like a fungus, but they’re the microworms!
With a damp finger, just wipe a few off the edges of your container and swirl into your fry. They’ll suddenly “peck” and dart for the microworms - it’s lovely to watch!
At the same time, order baby brine shrimp eggs - I’ve just used https/www.amazon.co.uk/Shrimp-Artemia-Hatching-Individual-Sachets/dp/B0968B6LMV/ref=sxts_rp_s_sp_1_0?content-id=amzn1.sym.9b19a5b4-8367-4c22-a2e8-308de46e7871:amzn1.sym.9b19a5b4-8367-4c22-a2e8-308de46e7871&crid=3JGU7EQWBOH97&cv_ct_cx=brine+shrimp+eggs&keywords=brine+shrimp+eggs&pd_rd_i=B0968B6LMV&pd_rd_r=fb98d246-30e7-463c-b15f-34142390c2fb&pd_rd_w=BI1u1&pd_rd_wg=7D5zU&pf_rd_p=9b19a5b4-8367-4c22-a2e8-308de46e7871&pf_rd_r=1PJE3XH3R9D51WCCZ0TV&qid=1679722230&sbo=RZvfv//HxDF+O5021pAnSA==&sprefix=brine+shrimp,aps,153&sr=1-1-1ccd8dd6-22b2-400b-bddc-4df1f1459235
And they’ve hatched well. Again, a takeaway food container, salted, warm water (no porridge this time!) and sprinkle some eggs in. The ones in the link I give here also contain salt but you can buy just eggs on their own and use table salt.
These will hatch in 24 hours. When you want to feed the fry, put your phone light at one end of the container (the baby shrimp are attracted to light) and, using a turkey blaster, suck a few up. Try to avoid sucking up the egg casings; it’s an easy job.
Then plop them into the water with your fry!
Siphoning up the uneaten food was a chore, but actually creating the food for them was fun ☺️

Wow that’s a fascinating process. And I thought you fed bettas alpha bit soup🤪