The Spawning Tank

[Kame-San]

I've read a ton of FAQs and Quides and Web Pages and picked up plenty of opinions for the spawning tank. In the next few months I would like to plan a spawn, so I'm trying to make a list of things I need.

I've read in a lot of places that people suggest using a half full 10G tank for spawning, then filling the tank to full capacity once the fry are free swimming. Then, moving the fry to a grow out tank at 6 weeks. If I used a 20G tank filled 1/3 full for spawning, would this also work as a grow out tank? I wouldn't have to move the fry, so it would be less stressful on them, right?

Now, I know people say "Don't breed veiltails!". But, my favorite female is a veiltail, and male is a crowntail. If they were to spawn, would this create (about) 50% VT and 50% CT? I'm not worried about finding homes for them, and plan on keeping quite a few (at least 3 males and making a female betta species tank).

One last question. Microworms, Venegar Eels, and BBS. Which of these is best for Betta Fry? I plan on getting cultures of microworms and venegar eels, and making a hatchery for BBS, but I was just wondering your preferences.

Thanks

 

[Rediahs]

I think it's fine to breed veiltails as long as they are very nice, and not just some random petstore bettas that you bred just cause you want to see a bunch of fry swimming around. From the sounds of it, breeding your vt with your ct is fine.

You sound like you did a lot of research I'd try to answer the rest of your questions but I've never bred, so I have no experience. However, I've heard a much easier option than live food is to take an egg, hard-boil it, then take the yolk and mash it up with some water. Feed that to the fry. I heard lots of thai breeders do this. It's a bit messy in the water, but they'll eat it anyway so yeah...

 

[Kame-San]

Thanks for the fast reply

I've tried egg with my guppy fry, and they only picked at it a bit. And it clouded the water a bit more than I would've liked. That won't stop me from using it, but I know I can't use just that.

 

[BWBettas]

VT x CT fine it would be fine if you wanted a load of VT with tiny little combs and and demented looking fins lol... upto you but i would just breed VT to VT if i had that choice

Bret

 

[athao04]

While we're on the subject of breeding, sorry Kame-San, I have a question.

I would love to breed a Plakat Male and a Crown Tail female, and have been planning on breeding since forever. I will be at school and space will be limited, but I will be able to make enough room. I Will. Anyways, how hard would it be to keep bbs or microworms? this would be the only thing that would be a problem to me.

 

[BWBettas]

Microworms are not hard at all.. just scrape them off the sides of the tub they are in every day. Even if you dont need them, because you will need to throw them out. BBS will only last 2 days MAX so you will need 2 hatcheries going to keep a steady supply of the going

Bret

 

[lisie]

Eeeeek... don't spawn a CT and a VT. You won't get half VT and half CT, you'll get a bunch of fish with pretty ugly looking fins. My suggestion is to find a pair of bettas that are something other than veiltails or pet-store-quality crowntails. Bettas can have up to 500 fry in one shot, so you keeping 3 males and some females for a "sorority tank" will not make much difference, and you very well may have trouble finding homes for all of them. Trust me, it's not a good idea, and most betta breeders and hobbyists would say that it's irresponsible as well. If you want to breed your VT and CT just because you like them and want to see their babies... that's not a good enough reason. I have the most gorgeous yellow VT I've ever seen, and would have LOVED to have bred him, but I knew it wouldn't have been smart or responsible.

You can get a good quality pair of bettas for cheap, I've even gotten a couple of my pairs for free, so you don't have to just stick with breeding the bettas you already have.

 

[f250fisherman]

VE's are only good for the first few days. They have very little nutrition. The only reason you use them is they are so small, it gives the new fry something they can eat. It sort of jumpstarts them on feeding on live foods. Microworms are bigger, and have more nutrition. Some breeders have fed just Microworms, and their spawns have lived. However, living is not flourishing. You need more protein to grow young fry and achieve some semblance of proper size and development. I would suggest the BBS. You can feed BBS for 5-6 weeks and get reasonable growth. I also use boiled egg yolk mixed in water, and spray it into the tank water. This is good for young fry, has good protein and amino acid levels. The egg spray can foul your tank water faster, and you need to do bottom siphons more often. I personally use VE's for 3 days after free swimming. Then I use the egg spray instead of microworms. I feed the egg spray for 3 weeks. I start the fry on BBS at day 7 from freeswimming. I rotate the egg spray and bbs, twice for each food daily. At 3 weeks of age, I feed some fry growth pellets in place of the egg spray, rotating the pellets with the BBS. I spawn my Bettas in a 10 gal, half full. I siphon an inch out after free swimming, and add 2 inches. I do this until the tank is full.I personally move the fry to the growout at 4 weeks of age. They are in the growout for 4-5 weeks before I start jarring them. I jar the fry as they start nipping and sparring with each other in the growout. Several breeders use the 20 gal long tank to spawn in, so they don't have to move the fry. This is ok, but sometimes the male doesn't have as much contact with the female, and they don't spawn as easy. You will find there is no set way to do anything. What works for me might not work as well for you. Just try what sounds good to you, and then make adjustments as you gain experience.

 

[Kame-San]

Thanks for the replies.

No one has to get upset about me spawning a VT and a CT. I did ask first for a reason

And I know me keeping 3 males and some females wouldn't do much, but I never said anything about my mom and sister We could end up having 30 bettas around the house, permanantly. My mom was the one that said "hey, let's breed bettas" in the first place. Which is exactly why I'm asking opinions and learning what I can.

 

[lisie]

I'm not upset at you, sorry, I know I kind of jumped on you there though. I just strongly advise against breeding a CT to a VT, or a VT to a VT, or a pet store CT to a pet store CT, lol. Since your mom is so supportive of you breeding bettas, maybe you can talk her into letting you get a nice breeding-quality pair.

 

[Kame-San]

It's okay. I know you didn't mean anything by it

Lol, with my mom, even with how 'supportive' she is, it's "as long as you pay for it, we're good!" Though, I can probably talk my grandparents into buying a nice pair