# What should I do? (Horizontal stripes?) Includes TIMELINE!



## Iman (Feb 6, 2011)

I am going to begin from the time that I got my female betta, her story line.
1.	I go into the pet store, and ask if they have any female betas. The pet store owner told me that he did and he took me to look at them. 
>>>>>>I am going back in time from here<<<<<<<<
a.	Around a month over a year ago (13 months ago) I went into the same pet store to buy bettas. I looked at the females he had at the time (he had around 16 of them) They were mostly small around 1 inch or less long.
>>>>>>>Coming back to recent times<<<<<<<<
2.	So I came into the pet store, picked out the male I wanted, and looked at what females he had. He only had 2 females and they were both around 1 ½ of inch long (excluding tail) they weren’t in the same tank that I had seen bettas in over a year ago. 
3.	I bought the two bettas.
4.	I brought them home.
5.	I put the male in his tank.
6.	I put the female in my large aquarium with the gourami, tetras, and cories.
a.	>>>the male is doing fine>>>>>
b.	>>>The female is hiding>>>>>
7.	I take the female out of the big aquarium and give her, her own tank.
Next evening:
1.	I put the breeding tank together.
2.	I introduced the male and the female.
3.	The female instantly got those horizontal lines.
4.	I left them together for a night.
Next morning:
1.	The female isn’t looking to good, she still has those horizontal lines. 
2.	I put her in her aquarium, but she still isn’t recovering.
3.	I put her in my large aquarium and the gourami starts chasing her around, but she regains her color.
4.	I put her back in her normal tank.
5.	Every time I show the female the male she turns really pale and gets those horizontal strupes.
Next day:
1.	They stay apart all day (they never see each other)
Next Day:
1.	I brought the fish (male, female) down into our basement (because I don’t have a heater and it is over 75 degrees down there) and she still has her normal color, although she has 7-8 black stripes running length ways down her body (not the thick stress stripes she had before)
2.	I show the female the male several times and she doesn’t get the thick horizontal stripes nearly as quickly.
Next Day (today)
1.	I move the fish to a slightly less out of the way, but slightly cooler location.
2.	I show the female the male (same thing happens today as yesterday).
3.	I let the male and female see each other at a distance, the male goes crazy (he literally looks like he is demented he was moving around so fast. 
4.	The female gets those thick stress stripes although she isn’t as pale.
5.	I read the isolation thread in this forum, so I slide a piece of black paper in between their tanks. 
6.	>>>Currently<<< The female has her normal color with those 7-8 slight stripes horizontally. 
So what are your thoughts?


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## HayrideHaunter (Dec 20, 2010)

Youre trying to breed? I haven't tried breeding ever, but from what I've read on here youre introducing them too fast...did you condition them at all?

Also, I think maybe you should let them be apart for like a week, maybe let the female chill out for a while...all that stress can't be good for her =(

i think maybe a warmer place would help too? If your basement is only 75-80 degrees...the water will barely be that...anyplace cooler can't be all that great...I think they need 76-80 degrees


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## Iman (Feb 6, 2011)

Yes, I am conditioning them on Frozen BB. Also wh does everyone keep ignoring my question. (do you think she is too old to spawn have babies? 
Also, I meant the water temperature is 75 (which IS warm enough)


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

I don't think ppl are ignoring your question...
Her age shouldn't matter... they can breed well into adulthood.
The water _*IS*_ too cold! 
Read up on betta breeding and raising fry... go to http://www.bettysplendens.com there's really good information there. 
You cannot expect to get a good spawn if you skip important things like water conditions when breeding.


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

hold on....Horisontal stripes? from head to tail are stress stripes


STRESS STRIPES:










breeding stripes (VERTICAL):










There in lies your problem her stripes are telling you she is stressed and scared.


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

Iman said:


> Yes, I am *conditioning* them on Frozen BB. Also wh does everyone keep *ignoring my question*. (do you think she is too old to spawn have babies?
> Also, I meant the water temperature is 75 (*which IS warm enough*)



yeh i know this will sound like im a bitch but m having a rough day

A) CONDITIONING takes two weeks and in those two weeks you keep them separate and not in visual contact.

B) Your getting replies NO ONE IS IGNORING YOUR QUESTION, they are simply pointing out the OTHER things that need addressing BEFORE YOU THINK IT OVER.

C) we are telling you 76 and HIGHER not 75 have you got a thermometer in the tank?

D) have you got fry food ready? have you got over 150 containers and jars to house the offspring? have you got three tanks. MINIUM? do you even look at any of the breeding information BEFORE leaping into this endeavor?


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## leeb62 (Oct 22, 2010)

Boost your tank up to 84. They more likely to breed at 80 and above anything below that you have a slim chance of them breeding. Just remember they like warm water. Another thing is how big is your female because if she is too small or doesn't have a big stomach don't try breeding yet.


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## bettamaniac (Jan 6, 2011)

if I ever tried breeding bettas I would spawn them in a 1.5 gallon tank to purposely get at most about 3 bettas. I know that that would work because I know someone who used to breed them in 1 gallon tanks.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

bettamaniac said:


> if I ever tried breeding bettas I would spawn them in a 1.5 gallon tank to purposely get at most about 3 bettas. I know that that would work because I know someone who used to breed them in 1 gallon tanks.


 Problems with that:

1 gallon does not give the female much room to run away and hide.
Betta fry need ROOM to grow...they will still need at least 20 gallons to be grown out.
Hundreds of fish = lots of waste = ammonia = death.


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

MrVampire181 said:


> Problems with that:
> 
> 1 gallon does not give the female much room to run away and hide.
> Betta fry need ROOM to grow...they will still need at least 20 gallons to be grown out.
> Hundreds of fish = lots of waste = ammonia = death.


Well said! I was gonna say something, but didnt know how to word it right. xD


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

and i think bettamaniac was meaning s/he would cull the spawn to only recieve three or so fry knowing that that is all she can care for


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## bettamaniac (Jan 6, 2011)

Most likely I would only be able to care for 2 or if one or both of the parents die 4 but all of my male bettas are petstore quality bettas. My female is a yellow dragon but I cant condition them and my males are probably too old to spawn.


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

breeding is over rated unless u got the time space and determination
lol i will breed sooner or later


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## HayrideHaunter (Dec 20, 2010)

we're not ignoring your question, I'm pretty sure this PARTICULAR thread was not about her age but about her stress stripes. Unless I missed it in your original post, you didn't mention anything about whether she's too old.

Now stop caring about her age and start caring about how to breed properly. Her age doesnt matter unless she's simply too YOUNG.


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

the OP is confusing stress stripes with breeding stripes.


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## HayrideHaunter (Dec 20, 2010)

they said horizontal didnt they? stress = horizontal, breeding = vertical


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

yeh OP is seeing the horizontal and thinking thats breeding but its not thats stress


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## HayrideHaunter (Dec 20, 2010)

eep...but i think OP asked about the thick stripes...i think they even called them stress stripes? idk. *waits for OP to respond*


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## HayrideHaunter (Dec 20, 2010)

> 1.	I brought the fish (male, female) down into our basement (because I don’t have a heater and it is over 75 degrees down there) and she still has her normal color, although she has 7-8 black stripes running length ways down her body (not the *thick stress stripes* she had before)
> 2.	I show the female the male several times and she doesn’t get the thick horizontal stripes nearly as quickly.
> Next Day (today)
> 1.	I move the fish to a slightly less out of the way, but slightly cooler location.
> ...


see bold ^


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

===== is bad 
|||||||good


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

the whole "learn to read the body language" comes into play here me thinks


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## HayrideHaunter (Dec 20, 2010)

Abby, I'm aware of that. this person is seeing stress stripes, horizontal stripes, and seems aware that they are bad. thats what I'm trying to say...I'm pretty sure the OP hasnt gotten them confused.

theres no need to be condescending alright? i've read enough to know what stress stripes and breeding stripes are.


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

well i posted the ==|| then remembered something someone said to Justin about learning to read the body language no condescending was meant


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## henshooter (Feb 10, 2011)

*did you leave the light on her*

Hey i have two that did the exact same behavior the first two times i tried to breed them and stupidly didnt do my research into breeding them thinking ahhh easy as pie BUT (and thats a big BUT) i have since taken the time to condition them with live feed for at least a month before even attempting to reintroduce them into their breeding tank which is a 30l tank and still i consider that a bit small
ok
first you need to consider that some couples are just not compatible and this results in stressed fish and often death

second you must condition the fish for at least a minimum 16 days prior to spawning with nutricious live food like bw bs daphinia or other suitable foods otherwise it can and will also result in stressed fish and possible death

third have you left the light on overnight as ive been told by a top breeder it brings on hormones in the female for breeding

fourth you must introduce them slowly and peacefully and not fuss to much over them (remembering they can see you through the aquarium)making sure the humidity in the area is good and not to dry

fifth have you got cultures ready to feed the fry once born and the correct equipment for this as if not it will result in the death of the fry

now in saying all of this it still doesnt mean they will breed successfully

i have followed these steps to a t and now they are conditioned at all times weather i am breeding them or not and if i add them together in the tank they start breeding asa they are put together 

now as everyone will say fry food is the most important thing to have before breeding them and if you dont have it its personally very stressful for you i say this because i reciently went for a weeks holiday and left the bettas in care of a relative who thought theyd be happier together (didnt realise its a no no) and as a result i now have a nest full of hundreds of fry  with no food cultures for them and face the fact i may lose many if not all without adequate feeding which in my book is very stressful and upsetting for you and the fish 
i hope what everyone has written has not offended you but the truth is alot of people rush into it (as i once did) without consideration for the fish at all and then get upset when there fry start dying and try to blame it on advice from others

id suggest you keep them appart for a month and condition them in this time on live nutrisious food and do some research for at least a week or two before you attempt to breed bettas as it is notoriously hard and stressful thing to do
regards Henshooter


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

I won't comment on how to condition or breed. IMO your main problem is that you have a stressed female and she remembers the male so she will always be afraid of him if you show him on a daily basis.

1. Isolate them totally. Don't show her any other betta for at least 3 days - specially the .... that male.... or what ever betta with the same color as that male. If you don't have any other female bettas, use mirrors. If her stress persists, isolate for at least a week - longer = better. Repeat the flaring exercise. Make sure she is quite aggressive before showing her the male. And when you finally introduce - place the female in the tank and the male in the jar. She will gain confidence if she isn't chased by the male..... let her do the approaching.

2. Feed her nutritious food and make sure she is in good health. Think of it as a conditioning period. Btw she isn't too old.


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