# I need help with my first breeding.....



## Olivia21 (Feb 11, 2010)

So i have all i need to breed my two bettas, Spike & Pearl. I have my thermometer, heater, and filter. Im using a 10 gallon tank 3/4 filled. the water temp is always at 76-78. there is a plant in the tank. i have a tank hood and the tank is in a low activity area. i conditioned both Spike and Pearl for a week in both their own fish bowls. i had been feeding Spike hikari betta bio gold and live brine shrimp and the same for Pearl. during that week i left the filter on so that i knew the water would be safe and ready. I also treated the water with Aqua Safe. after the week I noticed that her white spot was protuding under her belly between her bottom fins so i put Spike in the tank first left him in for a good two hours before i released him in the tank. after the first day of him in the tank i put Pearl inside the tank within a plasitc clear container. he flared at her and did his thing showing off and what not lol. Her stripes came out and she followed his direction within the container wherever he went so i knew she was interested. Its been about three days now and i noticed he still hasnt made his bubble nest. there are a few bubbles around the tank and the foam cup but not a complete one the way i see others. Am I doing something wrong or am i missing something? I would really like to know and any answer would be alot of help.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Sound like your pretty well set. Give him more time. He may or may not build a nest. Do NOT release her until he builds a nest. 

I personally would that the filter you have in there OUT. Those filter are way to strong for the fry and will often suck them right up. ): I suggest a corner filter or sponge filter.

Just making sure, how are you as far as food for the fry goes?


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Oh, you might want to get a different heater too, because bettas like to breed at temps of 82-83 degrees. It might make him build a nest.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Hello and welcome to the forum. I would recommend turning up the heat, as doggyhog suggested. Also, add another plant or two, not only for the female to have a place to hide but also for the fry.


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## Olivia21 (Feb 11, 2010)

doggyhog said:


> Sound like your pretty well set. Give him more time. He may or may not build a nest. Do NOT release her until he builds a nest.
> 
> I personally would that the filter you have in there OUT. Those filter are way to strong for the fry and will often suck them right up. ): I suggest a corner filter or sponge filter.
> 
> Just making sure, how are you as far as food for the fry goes?


 
For the fry my husband and I ordered 12oz containers for when they get older just incase they get aggressive and as for food for the fry we bought Frozen Brine Shrimp the Sallys San Francisco Bay Brand. Should i buy other types too?


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Well, fry will not know that frozen food is food. They will only eat Live food. Such as newly hatched brine shrimp and microworms. 

If you haven't already, read these sites for info. 

Bettatalk.com read the breeding and rearing fry section
bettysplendens.com


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Here is a sticky that might answer some of your questions. http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/breeding-betta-fish/breeding-bettas-30005/


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## Olivia21 (Feb 11, 2010)

Thanks guys i really appreciate your feedback!!!


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

It's really not that complicated to breed betta's, Males are not always in the mood,
Most females carry at least a few eggs.

All I do is throw a female in with a male every now and again, If he's interested he'll take right to building his nest, If he's made no attemp within 24 hours remove the female and try again in a week or two.
Keep the temps warm around 80, Styrofoam cup cut in half lengthwise, As for food, The easiest is to keep lots of floating plants like Watersprite, a sponge filter and the baby fry can and will survive two weeks on that, in which time you can start to feed tiny crumpled flakes,. It's easy, When you fret about having babies it'll seem like nothing ever happens, 
I have a batch right now I just noticed this morning, two weeks old, Fed them today for the first time, Dads still with them too, He's a good dad, unlike some.

Let nature take its course and give dad a break if he's not in the mood.

I don't usually encourage people to breed their betta's because so many end up misused now,
As for tank size you can bred them in tiny containers, But bigger is always far better, otherwise you end up having to move fry when their still very tiny and that can end in disaster.

The batch I have now was born in a 3 gallon tank and will remain there for some time yet....


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## gobble (Feb 16, 2010)

I've just bought a couple of crown tails 4 days ago from LFS and put them together from the very first day I bought them in a 4 G tank with gravel, plastic plants, a couple of 4 days gubby fry and fed them live tubifex and freeze dried blood worms. I'm keeping them at 25C (77F) and today they spawned!!! I never intended to do that, but it happened... I removed the female and the male is guarding the nest. I'll feed the fry (if any make it) BBS. I have nothing else to offer them or prepare at this short notice, never started infusoria culture in my life, still I've been breeding angels for some time now and I hope I can do it with betta.
I guess this fish is moody, sometime everything works perfectly and some other times no luck at all. Guess I was lucky so far


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

> I have nothing else to offer them or prepare at this short notice, never started infusoria culture in my life,


 If you had lots of floating LIVE plants in the tank like watersprite the young will eat the infushia created from that enough to survive 2 weeks, in which time you can feed finely crumbled flaked foods,

You can also feed this, it's quick and easy, most walmarts sell it.


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## gobble (Feb 16, 2010)

well, the eggs hatched. still not free swimmers yet, but they hatched. Boy, I didn't expect them to bet that tiny, there is no chance they'd ever consume BBS!!! I guess this batch is history already. I'll try some fry food and see if they make it, also I'll do my work and prepare some yummy BBS. Hope if they ever spawn again I'd be ready for it. At least I know I have an excellent non baby eating father


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

> I guess this batch is history already.


So did you not even try to get some of the liquid small fry food I posted a picture of?
I know some people feed boiled egg yolks masked and claim it works great,
I have never had the desire to try, But if it's all you have to offer it beats nothing.

You should look into investing in lots of Floating watersprite, 
The wee tiny betta's can survive off the live infushia from it alone for weeks.


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## gobble (Feb 16, 2010)

Chicklet said:


> So did you not even try to get some of the liquid small fry food I posted a picture of?


This food is not available where I live, and ordering would take forever (I'm not in the states)

I guess boiled egg yolk would foul the water so much, and I'd better avoid it. I'll try freshly hatched BBS and some powered fry food I have a grab on.
The father is really doing great. He is a white crowntail. I'm so proud of him. 

Definitely I'll use floating plants next time. Actually I intend to prepare a spawning tank with dense floating plants ready for the parents to do their job.
after 2 weeks being feed on the plants, do you feed them live food or just powered flakes ?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Fry usually do best with live food.


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

Live food is most definitely the best to feed if you can get access to or grow it,
The young will do better and more will survive.

If you don't have access to the Wardley small fry and no tiny live foods then your young fry are pretty much doomed

Flaked food will work only after 2 weeks of age,
Just Run it thru a mini chopper or something similar until its a fine powder,




> (I'm not in the states)


neither am I


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## gobble (Feb 16, 2010)

A follow up to my spawn. I removed the father after seeing a couple of free swimming fry. I put him in a betta cage (which holds two fishes at the same time with a sliding barrier in between them) with the female (separated from each other but visible to each other). 
I never fed the fry. I tried BBS but when I compared size of fry with that of BBS, I was afraid that BBS would eat the fry (LOL). So, I just added a sponge filter that has been running for ages in one of my angel tanks. Just now, I discovered a few well sized fry in the tank!!!! they are as big as a newly hatched angel fry. what did they eat ?? I have no live plants in the tank!!!
Another strange thing happened too. the father is building a huge bubble nest in that tiny betta cage!!! the cage is like 6 X 3 inches !!! His nest is anchored to the sliding barrier, to let the female in, I'll wreck his nest.
Just wanted to update my news.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Get that filter out and lower the water level, put the heater on the bottom of the tank and you should be good. The heater on the ground makes it easier to clean without a fire hazard.


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

They could be eating the tiny microscopic infushia that grows on sponge filters,
Also if there is algae present on the tank walls, 
I run sponge filters in all my Fry tanks and I never lower the water level, 
Plus I keep gravel in the bottoms of all my tanks, Which everyone freaks out over!
I do nothing special or different to the tanks then I do from the adults and I gets oodles of young fry that flourish just nicely.. To each his own success, So if you find somethings working for you, don't knock it, Just keep doing it!.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Everyone has their own way of doing things. What works for one person may not work for someone else.


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## gobble (Feb 16, 2010)

now, I have sponge filter, heater, gravel and my fry are doing fine. they started to eat BBS today and they seem to like it much. though the tank is small, it is like an ocean to them!! would it be wise to transfer them to a smaller container so they can find their food easily or leave it as it is (If it ain't broke, don't fix it) ? Any ideas ?
one last thing, is it wise to treat your fishes with tiny guppy fry ? I got tons of these little ones, and they are a great conditioning food for angels (where i came from), is it wise to offer them to betta ??


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## gobble (Feb 16, 2010)

Well, a late follow up. I took the surviving dozen out of the spawn tank and put them in a 2L container where I fed them BBS like crazy. They THRIVED dramatically and now are about 7-8mm long. Mean while, I''m having a new patch, this time, they are dozens, and are placed in a HEAVILY planted tank. hope they make it


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## gobble (Feb 16, 2010)

A very late follow up, that surviving dozen is now lovely fishes, have a look http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLkdNPYwBKA
the new patch I talked about are more than a hundred and they are now on flakes and doing just fine.
this forum rocks


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## Olivia21 (Feb 11, 2010)

I havent been on in a loooong time and just saw your video!! i know its late but they looked very beautiful!!!


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