Can I put male and female betta in same tank

[Benji k]

So I have a ten gallon heavily planted I was thinking of adding male and female betta nsf letting them do ther thing and if they breed and stuff and they can have ther own spots in the tank

 

[Essjay]

Not in a 10 gallon, it's way too small.

A male will only accept a female in breeding condition which is why breeders keep males and females separate except for the actual breeding. Once spawning has finished a male will drive a female away, and except in a huge tank there's nowhere for a female to go. She gets pretty beaten up during spawning and the last thing she needs is to be continually attacked by the male. Once the fry are fee swimming, the male has to be removed or he is likely to eat the fry.

 

[On_a_dishy]

You need to 'show' her to him for a while, first, (I spent several hours doing this). You could have her in a small container (with good visibility) next to his tank. He'll flare and show off.
When you introduce her to him in the actual tank, he might be quite aggressive to her. He'll work on his bubble nest and keep chasing her away. After a while (it might be hours) it's as if a switch is flicked, and she'll nose up to him - she might even nudge him in the side as if to say, "I'm ready!".
They then do this incredible mating, where he rolls her up in his fins and they just drop through the water. She releases her eggs and then stiffens as if dead, but she then recovers. They'll do this a few times.
You then need to get her out; it's not fair to keep her in there as he will become aggressive again.
You then need to remove him once the fry disengage from the water surface (they hang there for a few days), otherwise all your hard work will have been for nothing as he munches on his offspring!

 

[Benji k]

Not in a 10 gallon, it's way too small.

A male will only accept a female in breeding condition which is why breeders keep males and females separate except for the actual breeding. Once spawning has finished a male will drive a female away, and except in a huge tank there's nowhere for a female to go. She gets pretty beaten up during spawning and the last thing she needs is to be continually attacked by the male. Once the fry are fee swimming, the male has to be removed or he is likely to eat the fry.

I have a 4 gallon I’ll remove her to

 

[Benji k]

You need to 'show' her to him for a while, first, (I spent several hours doing this). You could have her in a small container (with good visibility) next to his tank. He'll flare and show off.
When you introduce her to him in the actual tank, he might be quite aggressive to her. He'll work on his bubble nest and keep chasing her away. After a while (it might be hours) it's as if a switch is flicked, and she'll nose up to him - she might even nudge him in the side as if to say, "I'm ready!".
They then do this incredible mating, where he rolls her up in his fins and they just drop through the water. She releases her eggs and then stiffens as if dead, but she then recovers. They'll do this a few times.
You then need to get her out; it's not fair to keep her in there as he will become aggressive again.
You then need to remove him once the fry disengage from the water surface (they hang there for a few days), otherwise all your hard work will have been for nothing as he munches on his offspring!

I have a 4 gallon should I just try move her or that once done and did you just keep your female in a jar

 

[Essjay]

The female is only put in a jar while she is being introduced to the male. Apart from that, she lives in her own tank. At least 5 gallons, with 10 gallons being better.

if they do breed, where will you move the male to so he doesn't eat the fry?

 

[Benji k]

The female is only put in a jar while she is being introduced to the male. Apart from that, she lives in her own tank. At least 5 gallons, with 10 gallons being better.

if they do breed, where will you move the male to so he doesn't eat the fry?

I’ll remove the fry to another tank

 

[On_a_dishy]

It would be easier to get them both breeding in a tank that you then move them both out of, leaving the fry.
I raised my fry in a box like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Really-Useful-Storage-Box-Litre/dp/B0146PSD9O/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=14W9G4PCKRLVT&keywords=really+useful+box+9l&qid=1679722846&sprefix=really+useful%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-3

With a heater in there. I wish I had used the actual box for the breeding but I didn’t and ended up trying to move the bubble nest into it - I lost so many potential eggs because of this.
I had no pump because they were so tiny, but I did twice daily cleans - a length of plastic tubing will be your best friend! Make sure your nursery box is elevated so you can get suction but you have to be SO careful not to siphon up the babies. Siphon into a pale bucket so you can check the bucket after a clean for any accidentally hoovered-up fry, and gently suck them back into the very end of the tubing to then plop them back in the nursery.
Your phone light will also be your best friend. Prop it up on the outside of the nursery box so it highlights all the uneaten microworms for you to clean more accurately.
You have to keep the water surface very clean. Lay your siphon end at an almost horizontal angle at the surface and the suction will pull a bit of air in with it - it’s a really effective water-surface-cleaning-technique!
I’ve attached a photo of how tiny my fry were. They were treated like royalty and I was their maid. They will take over your life!