# breeding alien bettas



## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

I have a few pair of aliens im trying to breed, but no matter how hard i try the male dont seem to make his nest, from what i read that they tend to be very difficult bettas to breed, any tips you guys can give me?


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

To my understanding, aliens are wild (forgot what species) and splendens hybrids. If that is the case, try totally isolating male and or female for a few days. Then flare exercise and see their behavior. 

If they flare then swim all over the tank and return to flare, they can be bred - regardless of nest. But if they hold their position as they flare, let them flare for an hour or more.

*** full view of sparring partner may cause stress. It might be better to make a small hole on the bottom part of a card. OR lift card only about 1-2". Since they surface when they flare, they will lose sight of each other - thus can rest when ever they want.

After a few days, they should show "flirting" behavior. 

This method usually works about 95% of the time. But there are some exceptional males that are harder to breed. You have to be extra patient with such males.


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

Yeah they flare and swim around a lot, I've introduced them a couple times but everytime he would ignore her and not build a nest.

She has deep barring pattern the whole time she's been chased, maybe not a good match?


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

The female is being chased? Look how the male swims. He should swim . . . . Sort of with style - in an "S" fashion . . . Sorry, don't know how to explain better - they swim differently when breeding or fighting. 

Some males make nest after they are with a compatible female, some after they begin to spawn, some after laying eggs, and some are just too lazy and never bother. I rely more on swimming/flaring behavior


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

Yeah he's doing the S dance lol and trying to lure her back to his lair under the katappa...she's flaring back and smacking him with her tail...just don't want her to not like him and get hurt beyond repair.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

They sound like they are flirting. One will follow the other. Usually female follows male but the other way round is also common. 

More to wild usually don't beat females that badly. But if it is more splendens, you can expect some damage.


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

Do you think that what they say is really true? That aliens being so hybridized that they are infertile?


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

No. I've seen some, though few, succeed. 
I'm not into wilds nor new hybrids. But from time to time I come across people sharing their experiences with those types/species. 

Most hybrids, to my knowledge were initially hard to breed - including metallics and dragons demanded patience during their early generations. 

Don't give up. If a pair of aliens won't breed, try crossing to splendens then continue to breed towards alien patterns. 

Good luck. Don't forget to share in spawn log when you succeed.


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

Would u say to cross a splenden female to a alien male or vice versa?


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Sorry, I have no experience nor have I discussed it with friends.

All I can say is that there is a myth that believes males pass on color more while females pass on more form. This isn't always true but I still rely on it to choose my pairs. 

I'd say use which ever wants to breed - your main goal is to get their offspring. For F2, breed offspring back to alien parent to maintain alien color pattern


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

So update...cane home and saw she dropped all her eggs on her side of the tank lol...the male still dont know what to do with himself lol...update...they spawned...but he ate the eggs lol...ill give it to him this time but better not be a next time.


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## Fish 4 sale ¢50 a fish. (Sep 30, 2019)

I REALLY am interested in this spawn. Good luck next time.


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

I have another alien female and male conditioning, and a hmpk female on the stand by


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Coincidentally, I found these comments on the internet about crossing aliens to splendens. Hope they help;


It seems quite complicated but I believe you’d end up with majority regular fry possibly non alien at all. I believe I read someone’s experiment where he bred and sometimes there were defects or just all regular fry. He was crossing HMPK x Alien male and Alien x Alien 
. . . . . . . . 

They won't look like the male... think of them like dogs, they will have a bit of everything that ever went into the parents and then some. 
The female is long finned, so the fins will be most likely delta and of varying length - sometimes on the same fish even. 
For color, you'll get metallic and copper, some may have the speckling. 
. . . . . . . . 

Hi OP, I recently said this to someone else here who was thinking of doing a similar Domestic X alien cross and I'll stick it here too:

While I know aliens are ady hybrids, please do NOT ruin the efforts of breeders who bred these Aliens (it can take up to 5 years of breeding to get the alien Betta you see now according to a Malaysian breeder I know). If you want to breed your nice looking male maybe try getting your hands in an alien female or a wild female. Do not, under any circumstances cross an alien or any other wild to a fancy domestic as U will be ruining the genetic integrity of the Alien thru introducing genes from inbred fancy domestic splendens. The only "domestic" I'd consider crossing them with would be fighting strain plakats, even then you have to know what you're doing with a desired result in mind. Again, best stick to an alien female or Mahachai female if you want to breed that alien male 
. . . . . . . . .

I can see your point 100%, I’d cross with a different wild though as Alien females tend to have a lower fertility rate I believe
. . . . . . . . 

Please dont "destroy" wild types like what happen to betta splendens with the crazy tail types. Not that I am against it but dont change the alien hybrid variant as it took a lot of time and breeding into it

It took 3-4 wild types of betta to create it and it is not easy to replicate it anymore
. . . . . . . .

To my understanding, they are basically saying don't cross breed to slendens.


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

Yeah im trying to keep my line as pure alien as possible, had my other gray i was conditioning jump out...it set me back a month since I only have that egg eating male left to work with besides my hmpk lol now I have 4 alien female to 1 male


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Hope they give you offspring.


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

Hey @indjo have u had any problem like this? I was spawning a avatar male to a samurai galaxy female and they wrapped each other once then the male out of nowhere chased her away and stopped the process...had to take her out since she looked like she wasn't receptive anymore.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Very rare, but it happens - a few wrapping, no eggs, then male become super aggressive. Female either drops unfertilized eggs in the breeding tank or in her solitary.

Btw, I don't let male eat eggs. I fear he might like them too much and keep eating eggs in future breeding.


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## Marlo (Feb 11, 2021)

Any advice how many times should i feed the fry?


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## Chinitobetta (Oct 7, 2020)

Marlo said:


> Any advice how many times should i feed the fry?


Depends on you...when my fry are still small I feed them bbs once a day until they are bigger ill feed them twice a day


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