What Do I Feed?

[jourdy288]

What are VE's? Also, I can't find mw's. I also lack a paypal account, so I can't just order them online. I have a small tup container that I add fishfood to every few days. It contains copepods, but does that mean it grows infusoria? also, I need to make sure I feed the fry, infusoria, not bacteria. the stuff is growing on my tank hood.

 

[nemosworld]

ve's are vinegar eels which are aquatic nematodes

 

[mommyof2bettas]

Well, you really can't breed without live food
And infusoria is too small after about a week, ve's are vinegar eels. They are a really strong culture and great for back-up, in case your mw/bbs culture crashes.
I really suggest mw's or ve's because you don't need to keep buying them once the culture starts going bad, you just replace it, which is really easy, and you don't even have to buy any more mw's or ve's online!
They are also really easy to culture and you don't have to buy air pumps or other stuff like bbs need.
But, again, you can't breed without live foods for the fry.

 

[jourdy288]

Ok, so, first few days infusoria, after that bbs?

 

[K.J.]

Yes, then feed baby brine shrimp and once big enough frozen foods like BW, BS.

 

[jourdy288]

Is it true that too many BS cdan cause swimbladder disease?

 

[jourdy288]

IS IT?

 

[Lynda B]

Please make sure you do a whole lot of research on what it takes to raise betta fry prior to placing your adults together. You need a specific environment for them, as you can see you need special food, etc. They are not at all like livebearers. Lots of research will pay off when you feel you're eventually ready to spawn and you will be rewarded with healthy and happy fry.

Also, you need to think about what you will do with all those fry, should they survive. The males will all need separate housing. Are you going to sell them? There's a lot to consider.

 

[jourdy288]

I will sell them, I have a place to sell them and will house them separately.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

Lynda's was the best response imho... make sure you can get homes for possibly hundreds of bettas... and that you have everything and all the info before even thinking about putting the pair together. You do need to do lots of research... I suggest bettatalk.com as a great site, with awesome info, all of which should be followed precisely to the last detail if you want to spawn correctly.
You need to condition (at least 2 weeks), set up the tank well, make sure you have at least 50 separate places to put all the males in, a big tank for the females, a place that will take all your fry, not just 10 or 15. You'll need infusoria, mw's, ve's or bbs (and yes, too much bbs can cause sbd), you need a big (at least 20gal) tank for the growout, etc, etc...
And, if you house them separatley, you will need a lot of tanks, even for your first spawn, bettas lay hundreds of eggs, even though only about 100-200 of the 500-600 survive, and some may die off, you'll probably have a lot of fry left!

Bettalk, setting up pair:
http/bettatalk.com/setting_up_pair.htm
Bettatalk, spawning set-up:
http/bettatalk.com/spawning_setup.htm
Bettatalk, how bettas spawn:
http/bettatalk.com/how_bettas_spawn.htm
Bettatalk, raising the fry, the first few days:
http/bettatalk.com/the_first_few_days.htm
Bettatalk, raising the fry, rearing basics:
http/bettatalk.com/rearing_basics.htm
Bettatalk, raising the fry, what fry eat:
http/bettatalk.com/what_fry_eat.htm
Bettatalk, raising the fry, mw's:
http/bettatalk.com/microworms.htm
Bettatalk, raising the fry, bbs:
http/bettatalk.com/hatching_brine_shrimp.htm
Bettatalk, raising the fry, mistakes to avoid:
http/bettatalk.com/mistakes_to_avoid.htm
Bettatalk, fry growth:
http/bettatalk.com/fry_growth.htm
Bettatalk, sexing the bettas (for distinguishing the juvis):
http/bettatalk.com/how_to_sex_bettas.htm
Bettatalk, jarring:
http/bettatalk.com/jarring_young_bettas.htm
There... seems like a lot to read, but this is some of the best info imho, so I think you should read all of it if you want to breed!