# Planning for the Future



## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

As some of you may know, I planned on breeding this spring break but because of some space issues that fell through. Well I am so happy that I might have the chance to try again soon (April-May) because we are moving back into our old house! The renovations are being completed early and we should be moved in by the end of April. I decided that I would try to breed once we are all settled. I am going to breed Bellino. I have attached a photo of him, he is a DTHM Marble, about 6-7 months old. I got him in January from Greatbettas on Aquabid.

Anyways, I am going to San Antonio on Thursday and thought it would be a good time to pick up a breeding female from BasementBettas on Aquabid. All the females I have are pet store or they're the raise-your-babies from beat2020's spawn, so that is why I need a new one lol. Considering Bellino's form and color, which one of these females do you recommend I try breeding him with? Also, would it be best to buy _two_ females, just in case? 

1- http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1301794803

2- http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1301973616

3- http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1301813397


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Anyone?


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## beat2020 (Dec 31, 2009)

Do you have any pictures of Bellino? 

BTW How are my babies doing?


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

The babies are doing great! They are growing and are at about 1.5 inches. They are currently in a divided 10 gallon, instead of a divided 20 gallon. The 20 gallon already had the sorority and the cories in it, so in the 10 g they have lots more room. They get so vibrant when they see each other through the mesh!

Oh, stupid me! I said I attached a photo and totally forgot!
Here it is:


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## beat2020 (Dec 31, 2009)

Try to post pictures of them! 

And wow he's stunning! I would go with girl #1. She has a nice long body (Which is always great when breeding to a DT) and a nice big dorsal.She's not quite HM, but it does state in the auction that she's still young...


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I agree. 

As far as two females.. that's never a bad idea ;-) (... it's like I always tell Karen.. getting just one fish in a box seems like a waste LOL). 

I would get that green female and then maybe look at her black marble females she's posted (I'm not sure if she has any up right now but you can ask).


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Okay I am going to message her right now and see if I can do that.

I will try to get pics of your (beat2020) babies up tomorrow!

Edit: I just sent her a message on aquabid asking about the metallic green female and one of the black marble females (there were still some up). If every thing goes right, I will be coming home Thursday with two new girls!

I have a question, Can females that live in a sorority be bred? Or do they lose their breedy-ness?


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## Martinismommy (Dec 2, 2010)

Ask Sherolyn if the 1st green female is out of TB.....I'm pretty sure she is from my line..NICE female either way....


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Ill ask when she replies. That would be so exciting if she was from your line! Yeah she looked something special 

BTW I just noticed this photo is from when he had fin damage, his fins are better now and the red line is gone.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Can female bettas that live in a sorority be removed, conditioned, and bred?


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

PlakatFighter said:


> Of course they can still breed.... why couldn't they?


I really don't appreciate your sarcasm. I am looking for a real answer. 

I don't know why they wouldn't be able to breed, that is why I am asking. There could be lots of factors.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

The only issue that would arise is re-introducing her to the sorority. When I had mine set up I just conditioned all the females together and when I was ready to spawn I just took the female I wanted out and put her straight into spawn. After the spawn I kept her by herself for 2 weeks to recuperate and make sure she wasn't injured then I re-introduced her to the sorority.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Okay great, thanks. When re introducing her I can re-arrange the tank to make things "new".


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

My sorority was planted so I never did that. I just took all the girls out for like a day then put them back in... didn't have much issue with fighting that way.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Okay I may just do it that way. 

Anyways, this won't be until May so I have plenty of time to figure it out.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

I wasn't able to pick them up due to timing, so on Wednesday night I bought BasementBetta's green metallic female and one of her marble females. I also sent a money order than night through paypal. I still have not heard back, is this normal? It has never taken this long to hear back from a seller.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

She's got a big show coming up tomorrow so she's probably making sure her fish arrived, etc. Send her a friendly email to ask when you can expect her to ship out the fish. She probably won't ship out until Monday.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Okay great, thanks!


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## Johnificent (Feb 21, 2010)

omg! turtle10, u are breeding? of course your baby bettas r going to strive, u're like a professional, hahahaha XD best wishes from john!


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Thanks johnificent! Definitely far from being professional, but I try to learn as much as I can.

But yeah, I am breeding Bellino in May. The two girls will be here on Tuesday, and I am super excited because I have never bought a female on aquabid and the marble female will be a total surprise, I don't know what she looks like yet. I bought too just incase he doesn't get along with one.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Good idea to buy two.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

New dilemma:

So it isn't for sure that we are moving into our house at the end of April, it could be up to late May.


Would it be super irresponsible to breed them only to have to move the fry 2-3 weeks later or something? I have been reading up and it seems it would be okay as long as precautions are taken. 

My plan would be to drain the tub as low as possible and then have the movers VERY gently carry it down to the suburban. They would have a heater and an airstone set on low with lots and lots of plants and moss so they don't bang around as much. Also, I live in an area where I can go super slow and just have the cars go around me. Once at home, I would refill the tub with the original water and then over a slow process drip-acclimate them to the new water. It is only five minutes away, but I don't want to take chances with water differences.

Would this be okay? Or is it really stupid?


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Bump?


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## Dragonlady (Nov 29, 2010)

Moving betta fry at 2-3 weeks old should not be a problem if you do it right.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Okay great. Thanks!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I hope the movers will be careful.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

I will be watching them all the way down the stairs. And then I will drive them myself in our suburban. So the movers will really only be handling them for about two minutes. I read on some website that it is a good idea to have a cup of water in the front of the car with you so you can get an idea of how much the water sloshes, so I am going to do that too.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Females have arrived safe and sound! No pics yet, sorry lol. But soon! She ended up giving me two extra marbles, which I am super excited about! They have all been acclimated into the sorority, except for the green metallic female. She is in her own 2.5 so she can get ready to make babies!

My question is, should I wait the full two weeks? She was _very_ "eggy" when she got here, and displayed her breeding stripes almost right away. Bellino is already almost conditioned, as I have been feeding him his normal pellets (tropical and betta formula), plus frozen brine shrimp, blackworms, and white worms for about a week. Do you think it would be okay if I waited just a week? I have whiteworms, blackworms, frozen brine shrimp, frozen mysis, and frozen bbs available for conditioning.

Here is a pic of the spawning tank:

















It is a food/people/animal-safe container. I bought it at the container store, it was made for dog food storage and said BPA free and FDA approved, so that sounded good to me lol.

There is about 5-7 gallons in it right now, with two tiny ramshorn snails (is this okay?). Temp at 78, with a few sprigs of anacharis and hornwort, some moss, and an anubias attached to a rock. The bubbler won't be there during spawning btw, and I have a sponge filter currently cycling in the sorority.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

You can spawn them immediately if you want. Most breeders keep their fish in top condition so she's probably ready to go so as soon as you feel your male is ready you can set them up.

Spawning tank looks fine. They should have plenty of space to get away from each other in there.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

OOh exciting! I think I will set them up tomorrow!

On a semi-related note, I went by whole foods and got 20 containers for separating the fry. They are the plastic, clear, food containers that come in different sizes, but I got the 4 quart ones.. They are probably about a quarter gallon? Are these big enough to "jar" them? I also got the lids to punch air holes in so I can raise the water almost to the top.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I don't see why not. You just have to make sure you do daily water changes.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Okay, I will do that.


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