Should I Breed Em

[K.J.]

I've got everything I need. A spare 10g, getting a 30 gallon for my birthday, plenty of jars and IAL. So I have a pair, a cambodian plakat pair. I can't say how old they are but judging on size about six months, roughly. They're pet shop bettas, I don't know the genetics but the shop seemed very well informed and I'm fairly certain they're spawn siblings. Pics:

Female looks pretty much the same, except smaller and with a different tail. And an oviposter.

 

[lisie]

YES! And then send me babies!!

 

[K.J.]

lmao! Sure thing. The only problem I'm worried about is the male has what usually occurs in fins - red wash - in his body. Like half of it is red, the the other half cream.

 

[K.J.]

I've decided to do it. First question, I have fine sand in there, is it okay for the fry? Secondly, I have a Whisper filter, it has adjustable flow so I could turn it to just a trickle and cover the intake with tights to keep from anything being sucked in there, would that work?

 

[Ilya]

Do it! You can write a book afterwards. Or not.

Seriously, why not? If you too many fry, just sell them to a friend or fish store. You can make money, and get something nice for your self (even though you won't get very much).

 

[MaddieJ]

I say go for it, you obviously love your fishies very much, so I have no doubt they will get the best of care throughout the spawning. Just remember, lots of babies=lots of homes but not always lots of money. However, if like me you will spawn for the love of it (I will spawn in about a month) then money and space doesn't matter.


Good luck to you, I want full reports and hundreds of pictures!

 

[faithless1294]

you should deffienetley do it the fry would be amazing you would have to show us pics.
Good Luck.

 

[dmarie04]

I've decided to do it. First question, I have fine sand in there, is it okay for the fry? Secondly, I have a Whisper filter, it has adjustable flow so I could turn it to just a trickle and cover the intake with tights to keep from anything being sucked in there, would that work?

If that's all you have, I'd spawn without a filter then. The water needs to be really still so the bubblenest doesn't get disturbed and the babies don't get blown around. They are so teeny tiny when they are first born. Good luck with your first spawn. Your guy is cute You mentioned that part of his body is red and part is cream. I wonder if he doesn't have some marbling going on. If so, you'll have cute marble babies

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Spawn them !

No sand, no filter no nothing except real plants, water and the pair.

 

[lljdma06]

I've got everything I need. A spare 10g, getting a 30 gallon for my birthday, plenty of jars and IAL. So I have a pair, a cambodian plakat pair. I can't say how old they are but judging on size about six months, roughly. They're pet shop bettas, I don't know the genetics but the shop seemed very well informed and I'm fairly certain they're spawn siblings. Pics:

Female looks pretty much the same, except smaller and with a different tail. And an oviposter.

Nice-looking fish. You may get a mixed bag genetically, but the fish looks like a plakat to me, right? Is the female one as well? Normally, I don't encourage breeding pet shop bettas, as the background of the stock is uncertain, but it's ultimately up to you and I can understand why you wouldn't want to invest a lot of money in a pair if this is your first spawn. You never know what is going to happen.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

llj

 

[lisie]

What you're talking about with the male's body... that's normal for cambodian-based reds. You'll probably get all reds/red cambos, but with pet store fish, you might get some surprises too. Either way, with plakats you can't go wrong.

 

[K.J.]

Yeah. I'll probably write a little spawning guide, just hope he isn't an egg eater. I do suspect some marbling, though, at least diluted. Considering they're both cambodians, and were in at the same time I would imagine the shop got a batch in all at once so they'd be spawn siblings. Which will hopefully improve the genetics. The little girl seems to be a plakat, closest thing I can get to and I'm 100% sure she's not a veiltail. So right now my plan is bi weekly 80% water changes with aquarium salt and IAL, and feeding frozen BW and BS with some live mosquito larvae if it's still out. Could I do a DIY sponge filter? I have everything I need, just wasn't sure if it was powerful enough. Gonna take out the sand then... but dang, in the cycling 10 gallon (which I'm usuing for breeding now, I'm just going to start the cycle, was only 3 days in) I have two frickin' huge snails. All they do is crap and then eat their own crap. Alrighty, question. Now, you guys probably know you can fit strip lights to a hood and buy new strip lights, etc. But can you buy a hood? I have a 15 watt fluorescent I've never used but only a hood that came with the cheaper models of the old TopFin 10 gallon sets, so the strip light can't be moved. Girl already looked like she was getting eggy as she was still a bit fat after eating peas (no, not swim bladder or dropsy) but then again... my Platy is constipated after eating peas, too.

Note to self.. get hood before I have rampant 5 week old kittens running around.

 

[K.J.]

Oh, I forgot to add. i'm getting some hornwort and val at the pet shop, probably just going to keep at in the other tank until I can breed them.

 

[rollntider]

I have bred with a filter running cut back to low, intake covered with a sponge and had no trouble. I usually use a bare bottom tank though.