# to cross or not to cross???



## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

I have a lovely little blue regular female, I'm not sure if I should purchase a regular male or a twin tail male to be her mate. Any suggestions ? I'm not sure if crossing her would have nice results :/

by the way I have had fish all my life, have done my research and consider myself ready to spawn a pair of Betta, I am simply not familiar with the genetics quite yet.  would love some help


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

HI, and welcome to the forum.

It all depends on your goal, Do you want DT or ST. If you want DT, then you must pair her to one and select the best DT out of the offspring and breed them for F2. But if you want ST, you don't need a DT.


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

Alright that sounds great, thanks for the help


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

Do you have any suggestions what to feed the once they finish their yolk sacs? Iv heard so many contradicting things, some say baby brine shrimp are fine and some say they don't work.


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

I have to say if you dont know what to feed the fry thats not enough research. IMO Take some more time and be prepared, and get all your supplies, then spawn. I use micro worms and my fry are pretty round and happy so far, I introduced BBS yesterday and only about half of them have accepted at a week old. I think its a little easier for them to eat once they are a little older, but there have been varying opinions at what age BBs is best to feed. Micro worms, vinegar eels, baby brine shrimp and walter worms are of the more popular choices, just remember most worm cultures take a few days to a week before they can be harvested so set them up before spawning as well.


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

Thanks for the reply =, and dont worry I have not even bought my pair yet I am still doing my homework on it. Before I spawn I want to have a good culture of some sort to feed the fry but was conflicted with micro worms, bbs or some sort of fungus? anyways thanks  now I must find where I can get some 0_0


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

IMO it is all about variety. I feed mine a mixture of microworms, walter worms, and banana worms for the first 2 weeks (you can buy these cultures in a set on Aquabid). If the fry aren't particularly keen on the worms, I begin offering bbs as early as 3 days after they have become free swimming but I continue to offer worms as well. I don't like starting off right away with bbs though since I have heard it can cause jaw problems if the fry are to small (wether that is true or not I do not know). At around 2 weeks I begin offering powdered foods like Atison's Fry starter in addition to bbs....


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Neems said:


> Do you have any suggestions what to feed the once they finish their yolk sacs? Iv heard so many contradicting things, some say baby brine shrimp are fine and some say they don't work.



Well in my Experience and Opinion, BBS works amazingly great! I have been using it on EVERY one of my spawns and thats pretty much the only think i use until they are bigger.

You shouldnt ONLY use BBS though, because the fry should get a variety of live foods. Though you CAN just use BBS.

It works good and i will continue to use it.


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## HD4life (Jun 4, 2011)

@ NEEMS I can send you a culture of micro worms if you want, I just started 3 new cultures and have enough to start 3 more, too much for my one current spawn lol. Just message me and we can work something out if you want.


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

Thanks Darkmoon and bettalover  I have found a gorgeous little red bt doubletail XD hes very small probably young so Ill have to wait till hes bigger  my female looks like a plakat?? shes a cutie


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

Thanks so much for the offer! Funnily enough I just was given a culture from a nice lady in my area. 
thanks again !


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Neems said:


> Thanks Darkmoon and bettalover  I have found a gorgeous little red bt doubletail XD hes very small probably young so Ill have to wait till hes bigger  my female looks like a plakat?? shes a cutie



Can you get a picture of him?


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

And a picture of the female too please!


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

YES! I will post pictures as soon as possible! just have to pick up my camera from my mothers house and Ill show you  hopefully by tonight


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

*Pictures *

the pictures aren't very good quality cause I'm using my bad camera but there they are!, Little Double Tail guy(no name yet) and Jasmine/Jazzy who I suspect to be a Plakat of some sort.  tell me watcha think


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Wow they are both very pretty. I love DT's and wow nice butterfly pattern he has there. Your female is a plakat. She is a Halfmoon plakat though.


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

honestly the fact shes a halfmoon plakat is so awsome! I loove halfmoon plakats  I got really lucky with these two  from the pet section of a hardware store ! lol XD. Do you think they would produce nice ofspring or should I try to get another halfmoon male ? I hope they could work.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

I agree that having a HMPK is very exciting. She is a lucky find, especially in a hardware store lol. 

If you get another HM male i think that she would be a perfect female to breed with the HM. She would produce strong fry with a good chosen female.


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

*Doubletail*

Here is a better pic of my DT, He is very small and was not responsive to other fish or his reflection untill the other day, he flared for the first time  my poor HMPK girly is all full of eggs and all feisty but her futer hubby hasnt gotten with the program yet. Iv gotten myself a nice big 20 gallon tank for them to spawn in, now if my DT will just grow up !


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Woah! His fins look perfectly equal!


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

His top lobe is slightly smaller than the bottom but it may even out


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

If your guy is tiny, try keeping him in the 20g and hope he will grow faster than the female. Under the same conditions they will grow at the same rate - often, DT grows slower (IDK why) than ST. So he will unlikely grow bigger than the female (until they are fully grown/ much older) unless you boost his growth and stunt hers.


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

Oh I hadnt thought of putting him in the big tank yet, I fear he might get territorial if he has lived there for longer :/


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

IMO it doesn't make him any less aggressive by keeping him in another tank. I often have my male in the breeding tub long before I introduce the female. Besides you said he wouldn't flare - IMO you want to boost his self confidence as well. So putting him in the breeding tank would help. 

If you're worried about aggressiveness, you can always remove him to another tank when he's the right size. Then a week later introduce them in the breeding tank.


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

I will set up the tank in the next few days and put him in, thanks for the advise. I am sure he will love the space .


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

I was wondering whether anyone has any input on the filter I plan to use, It says that it works fry but I realize that its a different type than Iv seen in other spawning tanks. Would love some feedback


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## FiShFiShFiShFiSh (Jun 21, 2011)

Most of the time if you use an air pump in a filter it is fine, you just need a sponge filter (Which is in the picture) I have never seen a sponge filter that looks like that, but if it says sponge filter it is probably fine  Good luck on your future spawn, and the male and female are both GORGEOUS


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

Thank you Fishfish, that is certainly reasuring  and my bettas are flattered X)


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## FiShFiShFiShFiSh (Jun 21, 2011)

Haha  All bettas deserved to be flattered, not just mine LOL. And i know my username is rather annoying....but all the greedy mods and old users took the good usernames! Grr! Haha just kidding, I love this website and everyone here. Everyone is so friendly and willing to help, and if there is an emergency people usually respond in 5-6 hours MAX. Usually around 1-2 hours. it may seem like a long time, but better late than never for your fishy friends!! :3


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

I agree with you ! I just joined this month and was pleasantly surprised at the help and welcome Iv received. Having this support network has gotten me so into bettas !


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## FiShFiShFiShFiSh (Jun 21, 2011)

Yep :3 I WAS happy with my bettas until I joined, now I want MOREEEE!  Especially that I know that if there is an emergency, i have support, not just guesswork by googling things.


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

*Doubletail in 20 gallon *

I took Indjo's advise and have placed DT in my 20 gallon, Its so nice to see him in such a big tank, he loves the freedom


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## FiShFiShFiShFiSh (Jun 21, 2011)

What a nice tank! My bettas go stir crazy over just a 10 gallon tank, much less a 20 gallon, thats double!


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Now all you have to do is excessively feed him - frequent small quantities, preferably live/frozen foods.... watch him grow - if he isn't stunted in the first place.


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## FiShFiShFiShFiSh (Jun 21, 2011)

Yep. Good luck with your spawn


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## FiShFiShFiShFiSh (Jun 21, 2011)

And before you actually spawn, I would lower the water level too, or it will crush the little babies because of too much pressure. To about 4-5 inches


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## Neems (Jun 17, 2011)

Yess, Fishfish I will  and he would get awfully tired going up and down with his rascally babies  
I now have everything ready for a spawn and am simply waiting for the male to mature. I will Post a new thread when they spawn ! thanks for everyone's help XD


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## FiShFiShFiShFiSh (Jun 21, 2011)

Neems said:


> and he would get awfully tired going up and down with his rascally babies


LOL yup that's a definate 


Neems said:


> thanks for everyone's help XD


 No problem, us betta people like helping


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