# Thinking of breeding my male



## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Hey everyone!

I have done LOTS of research, even months (or a year or two) back when I wasn't contemplating breeding them!

However, while my female was temporarily in one of my male's tank, he built a huge bubblenest and was showing off for her, and she filled up with eggs and did that 45 degree nose down submissive position...under the circumstances, I am not breeding them... (long story...I didn't even mean to do all of the necessary steps to breeding them haha...including the foods they were eating)!

Anyway, I ordered a starter culture of microworms....and they should be getting here sometime in the next week ish..any other foods they have to have? or is this good until they can start eating some of the bigger foods I already own? (like BW, BS, BBS, etc)....

Any other tips, I would love to hear!

I am not doing this for show quality fish or profit, just for the fun and experience of it! (Plus, I love the coloring of this male ;-))

Thanks!
Meg


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

The more variety the better. The type of food is personal preference, some prefer MW while others prefer BBS.


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thank you! So MW are okay in the begginning? Until I can feed them my bbs?

And if I had them spawn in a bare-bottom ten gallon, is that good? Around 82 degrees?


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

a lot of people will feed micro, banana, grindal worms, and vinegar eels, all are okay, alot of people are actually starting to prefer MW over BBS because fry dont have as many problems with SBD, although some end up without ventrals.

If I remember right, grindal worms are even more prefered because they have less of a chance at missing ventrals but your fine with MW!


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

I have MW and Banana worms to feed at the very beginning, and BBS a little after hatching.. 
Bare bottom - I don't see an issue with it, and it's preferred by a lot of breeders as it makes it a bit easier for the males to see the eggs and easier to clean (can see the debris better). I have mine in a bare bottom 10g with only 3g of water in there and lots of floating plants.
82-85 is a good temp as well..

I wish you luck!


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Bare bottom ten gallon sounds perfect, just make sure to research until you think you know what to do... And the research some more!


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

*then not the


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Try to find good breeders. I don't know there source but Pet store betas are bad breeders. There usually too old.


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thank you all! I have done so much research over the past few years...I wasn't going to do it until my mom said I should  haha

Thank you chocolate betta! The betta I am breeding I raised myself, so it's a good age I think


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Thats good. Wish them the Best. I would reccomend San Fransisco BBS when there older.


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Oh that's good! I think that's actually the brand I have! Thanks


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I mean Population. Great Salt Lake is bigger than San Fransisco Brine Shrimp.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Have to correct here - most pet store bettas are the right age to breed, and there is nothing wrong with breeding them. The only thing different is that you won't know the color background, so the babies will be more of a surprise. 

Other then that, they are just fine to breed - as long as they are healthy and you condition them right they are fine. I know many (me included) who have pet store bettas to breed. Unsure why people (who don't breed) keep saying it's not good to use pet store bettas - many people start with them, and many show winning bettas have pet store parents. It's a matter of opinion on whether you want to use it or not, but don't think for a moment there is anything wrong with using them.

Good luck!


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Many bettas are past breeding age and have already bred.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I agree Myates....also, you can only research so much before its time to get your hands dirty or wet....lol....and I have successfully spawned both males and females as old as 4 years of age without any problems with either the breeders or the offspring.....

Look forward to following your spawn log....good luck...


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thank you! I am really excited! Unfortunately, some freak thing happened o the female I was going to bring, so I think I will use one of my other females...(she has also been eating brine shrimp, so she would actually be ready whenever)...I just need to get my ten gallon tank back and wait for those micro worms to come in 

I will try to post a picture of my male and see what you all think


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

This is him: and under the flash of a light he has a really rich blue to him



























This picture makes his caudal fin look uneaven at the angle that it's at, but it is not



















What do you think? Like I said, I am not going for jaw dropper show bettas, it's just for fun...but I do want your opinions!


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Oldfishlady said:


> I agree Myates....also, you can only research so much before its time to get your hands dirty or wet....lol....and I have successfully spawned both males and females as old as 4 years of age without any problems with either the breeders or the offspring.....
> 
> Look forward to following your spawn log....good luck...


 Older humans can breed but its not the best.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I don't see anything wrong with breeding healthy pet store bettas as long as you realize that you could get pretty much anything. That's what I (and pretty much everyone) started with. I do find that old females lack erm... Drive.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

He's handsome, Meggie 



ChoclateBetta said:


> Many bettas are past breeding age and have already bred.


99.99% of bettas you purchase at pet stores are around 3-6 months of age, haven't been bred (when you have a good breeding pair you tend not to get rid of them, as virgin fish are a pain sometimes >.< (yes, I'm dealing with 2 virgin girls right now..)).. so they are the ideal age to breed.



Oldfishlady said:


> I agree Myates....also, you can only research so much before its time to get your hands dirty or wet....lol....and I have successfully spawned both males and females as old as 4 years of age without any problems with either the breeders or the offspring.....


I agree a million times.. until you actually start, you really have no ideal sometimes! LOL



ChoclateBetta said:


> Older humans can breed but its not the best.


Bettas are fine to breed after they are older - as long as the betta is healthy and willing, there is no reason not to. I ask that a little more research on your part will help when it comes to facts about breeding.. you don't want to lead people astray when it comes to something that is already hard enough as it is. You have a single betta, that is a lot different than attempting to breed or having been breeding for years.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

I hate how everyone tries to tell others not to breed pet store bettas! Sure, you probably won't get show quality fish, but if that isn't your aim, then it's no problem! The first 2 pairs I tried to spawn we're from pet stores. Now that My aim is to get show fish, I'm buying from breeders, but still see absolutely no problem with pet stores. 
Pet store fish are actually much less in-bred than breeder fish, so you have much less chance of defects in spawns, which would make them a better choice IMO, as long as you find a good complementing pair


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thank you all for your replies!

Do you think I should breed that betta? Or this one?


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

What's the female look like? I am in love with the 2nd


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Meggie cannot view new pics?


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Hmm that's weird....maybe refresh the page?

And I have a few females to choose from...because the one I was going to breed died :-( if I post up a few pics of each maybe I can get an opinion? However, I think 2 out of 4 of my females are crown tail...and even the 3rd one might be...so it might limit me to one female. She is kind of a red/orange/pink betta...not Cambodian. I could breed the others but I have hear bad things from mixing a crown tail with another tail type? Like it gives them messy looking rays or something? Or should I just experiment? 


Edit: I love that second guy...his name is Rory  I rescued him a while back....this is what he used to look like...crooked spine, lethargic, underfed, ammonia poisoned....he was the only betta in the store that no one ever wanted because he was so ugly...he was there for at least 4or5 months that I saw :-( he is one of the most friendly fish ever!















































A you think I should breed rory?


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Yeah you really don't want to mix tail types or you will just end up with a huge mess. If you can't find an hmpk or pk female to breed these guys to, you could possibly get away with HM and end up with mid-length fins, but I would avoid vt, DT, and ct at all costs.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

You can mix the tails, but you will have to work with the spawns for a couple generations to clean up the tail.. the second guy is pretty.. but both him and the one in your last pics need lots and lots of food - rather skinny, and they will need a ton of energy to keep up with the breeding process and egg caring. 

I say go with what you like - being surprised is all part of the fun if you aren't being specific for certain colors!


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thanks! The one in the last pics (if you are talking about post 25) and the betta in post 22 are the same fish...the pics in post 25 are pics of how awful he looked when I first got him. I know he looks skinny, but I don't know what to do about it...he gets so much food! Guess I'll have to up it even more  for both of the fish! They are kings so it take lots of food to feed the big guys! Haha  no matter how much I feed them I can't get their tummies to grow!

It's going to be so hard to decide which on to breed!

Thank you all for all of your help! Any last minute advice is extremely appreciated!


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

I say breed the same fin type or HM - PK if you don't have others. Crossing CT to regular tails could be frustrating unless you know which offspring to breed. Color wise is up to you - I agree with Myates that a little surprise would add to the fun.


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