# Dilemma....



## TheCartographer (Dec 6, 2010)

Okay, I'm officially confused. I've been researching for about a year about how to go about breeding bettas, and I have heard so much conflicting information. 'Do what works for you' is the most sound advice I've heard so far.

I'm not in a position to buy more equipment, and I'm beginning to doubt I have the resources for breeding. I dearly want to, though, since I've been captivated by bettas since I was little. 

I currently have two 2.5-gallon tanks, a five-gallon, and a ten-gallon tank. The five-gallon is split between two chummy male bettas by a divider, with only a heater. The filters I've tried are too strong for whichever side they're on. I'm not breeding for number, but quality. I've heard that half-gallon tanks can be used for growing out fry, but I've also heard that they need huge tanks. So....

Last thing is that while I've got two good wild-type breeding females, I also have a half-moon male and a crowntail male. I'm hoping to get a delta female and a crowntail female to complete my collection, even if I don't breed them. -sigh- 

Suggestions, anyone?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Hello and welcome to the forum. We have several breeders here who will be glad to give you advice and answer your questions. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. lol But, if it was me, (and it ain't) I would use the 10 gallon for spawning, if and when you decide to breed. A larger tank means less frequent water changes and the fry have more room to move around and grow.


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## nomoretickets (Sep 29, 2010)

dramaqueen said:


> Hello and welcome to the forum. We have several breeders here who will be glad to give you advice and answer your questions. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. lol But, if it was me, (and it ain't) I would use the 10 gallon for spawning, if and when you decide to breed. A larger tank means less frequent water changes and the fry have more room to move around and grow.


+1


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Welcome to the addicting world of bettas. Since it's your first breeding attempt, I agree with DQ. 

1/2g tanks are not a good idea for grow outs, unless you plan to keep them in solitary since very young. More water means better growth.... I guess that's the basic principle. So if you use small tanks, you'll need to do frequent wc.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Many breeders spawn in 2.5 gallon tanks but you will need to transfer the fry to a larger tank once they're about a week old. I prefer to spawn in either a 5 or 10 gallon because the fish can stay in there longer.

To be honest it doesn't' sound like you're ready yet. You'll need heaters for every tank, plants, live foods, jars, and lots of space for all the babies. Depending on the size of the spawn you probably could spawn and grow out in the 10 gallon but if you get a spawn with a large number of females it wouldn't be practical to keep them in such a small tank.

I would check out craigslist and thrift stores and look for cheap tanks that can be used for grow outs. I was able to pick up a 55 gallon tank for $35 which would make an excellent grow out tank (if I had the space to set it up LOL).


While there are many different ways to breed, I think beginners should stick to the most popular method and then tweak from there. That would be a 10 gallon filled 3-5 inches and heated to 82*F, female in a jar before being released.

Once the males become distinguishable you can keep them in 0.5 gallon jars but remember that the smaller the jar the more frequent the water changes you'll have to do.

As far as your pair. I would start out with a nice sibling pair whose colors and finnage are what you would like to see in your off spring. While starter pairs can get pricey at time it's far better to start out with quality genetics than to try to weed out all the problems of badly bred fish.

I hope this helps a little  Welcome to the forum and if you have any more questions feel free to ask  I'm always around.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Im a breeder myself. Im still in the beginner stage but i sort of got the hang of it. I got two successful spawns so far and are working on two more with plakats and VTxCT... VT's are (pet store bought)....

Though everyone says dont breed pet store bought bettas i find them VERY easy to breed and are good for beginners to try it out and beginners like yourself can get the hang of it. I recommend trying a couple of Pet store Vt's for your first attempt and then once you think your ready to move onto other tail types. 

Yes Pet store Vt's will not all (SELL), but you can always just give them away as gifts and then once you move onto HM's then start selling because HM's are very popular and are worth more. So i suggest trying Vt's first since they are easy. What do you think?


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

VTs are pretty easy but trying to rehome them is a challenge...unless of course you get a spawn of gorgeous fish like one of our memebers last year.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Yet again I don't see the point. You can just as easily give away fry from a nice pair to friends and family as you can pet store fish. At least with a well bred pair you'll know that if someone decided to breed the fish that you raised you wouldn't be further muddling up the gene pool.

I'm fine with breeding VT but I want the breeder to be able to show WHY they're breeding those two fish and what about them makes them worthy to breed.

I really can't stand that "pet store fish are easier to breed" lie. Because that's what it is.. a lie. I've never bred one pet store fish and every spawn I have attempted has been successful, just like there are some breeders who have tried mulitple times with pet store fish and haven't gotten a spawn. There's nothing magical about pet store fish that makes them easier to breed. The only thing that's easier about them is you feel less guilty if they get torn up or if the spawn doesn't make it because they're cheaper to buy. That's the sad truth about it.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

1fish2fish said:


> Yet again I don't see the point. You can just as easily give away fry from a nice pair to friends and family as you can pet store fish. At least with a well bred pair you'll know that if someone decided to breed the fish that you raised you wouldn't be further muddling up the gene pool.
> 
> I'm fine with breeding VT but I want the breeder to be able to show WHY they're breeding those two fish and what about them makes them worthy to breed.
> 
> I really can't stand that "pet store fish are easier to breed" lie. Because that's what it is.. a lie. I've never bred one pet store fish and every spawn I have attempted has been successful, just like there are some breeders who have tried mulitple times with pet store fish and haven't gotten a spawn. There's nothing magical about pet store fish that makes them easier to breed. The only thing that's easier about them is you feel less guilty if they get torn up or if the spawn doesn't make it because they're cheaper to buy. That's the sad truth about it.


Im sorry, but i disagree. I understand that there are nothing about pet store fish makes them easier to breed. Although if you read carefully to my statement, you could see that i said VT's in general.

Also, i think your wrong about the second to last thing you said and i quote "The only thing that's easier about them is you feel less guilty if they get torn up or if the spawn doesn't make it because they're cheaper to buy."
I say that because a lot of new beginners care about their bettas fins being torn up and the betta being practically killed. 

Also i do have to agree that people do treat bettas that they paid more for a lot more special because its more expensive.

BUT, wouldnt you agree that if YOU bought a betta from ...lets say AB... that you would pay more attention to it than you would to a pet store betta from ...lets say Petco...?


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

No.. I don't treat my well bred fish any differently than I do my pet store fish or my adoptive fish. They all receive the highest possible care no matter where they come from. I'm just as sad if a pet store or adopted fish dies as I am the ones I paid $60+ for. I don't see the point in caring more for one animal over another just because you paid more for it.

And ...


> Though everyone says dont breed pet store bought bettas i find them VERY easy to breed and are good for beginners to try it out and beginners like yourself can get the hang of it. I recommend trying a couple of Pet store Vt's for your first attempt and then once you think your ready to move onto other tail types.


You said pet store bettas, not VTs, although that's a falsehood as well, no one tail type is easier to breed over another. It's all dependent of the individual fish.


Anyways that's not even my point. My point is.. if your going to breed fish why would you start with fish that you KNOW will need homes, that you KNOW are over bred and have bad genetics, and that you KNOW are less popular? It all comes back to what I constantly harp on.. REASON. Why are you breeding, what are you trying to accomplish, where are the fish going to go, how will this breeding make Bettas better? That is what is most important and very few people seem to be able to answer those questions.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

1fish2fish, i understand what you mean, but in my experience of breeding i found that VT's are fairly easier. and to correct myself, i mean store bought VT's.

I do agree but with you on caring about all your bettas equally. I just made a suggestion.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

I'm in the middle...I can almost always get a VT spawn but other pet store fish NADA! But I mean a pair will spawn eventually....no fish is really easier to spawn than another.


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