# Tips on Breeding and Selling (new breeders)



## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

It's been jumping around in my insane membrane, so I decided to write about it 

*This will be for those who are new to breeding, and who will have to expect selling or re-homing as well.*
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*Re-homing and/or selling*

Make sure in your area that people would like to own betta fish. *If there are no buyers, there are no sellers.* What then? You could be stuck with 1-80 fry… That's a lot of work once you get passed about 5-15 babies (depending on how much time, and commitment you have).

*Tips:*

If you are going to carry on breeding, it is really important. If this is a one time thing for you, it is still important for your first spawn. 

*Do not be afraid to ask around in your area*. 
- _WHO_ is going to be the buyer? 
- _WHAT_ are they looking for in a betta fish? 
- Do they like even _full-spread finnage_? Do they like_ certain colorings_? Do they even like the _tail-type_ you have picked to breed?

*EXAMPLE in my area:*

*SOLD/FIRST SOLD* 
*1.* Those who have a wide spread (caudal mainly) will sell faster. If they have the “shaggy” look caused by VT/CT spawns they are "cooler"

*2.* Certain colors such as dark green, black, light blue, white, bright yellow, flawless red, orange, dalmation and butterfly, and marbles will be sold faster.

*3.* Doubletail, CT, HM and DUMBOS go faster than any other tail type.

*UNSOLD/LAST SOLD* 
1. _Veiltail_ bettas whose fins are _not able to fully spread_ are less likely to be sold. 

2. _Colors_ like flawed red, pale yellow, royal blue, teal, seem to sell last or not at all. 

3. _Uneven veiltails_, _weighed-down_ bettas (some heavy finned HM or DT) who cannot swim right, seem to be last to be sold.


*PRICES:* 
Do not forget if you breed VT you must compete with the chain stores. HM and CT can also be found in most chain and smaller stores. You go with common, you play their game. Price will be everything. 

So, re-think now. _What are you breeding_ *VS* _what will sell_? I’d hate to see people discouraged from the betta world because their spawn never sold or found good homes, and they feel overwhelmed with 50 or so fry.

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Now that we got passed the “what if” of the re-homing and selling, onto the next part…


*QUESTIONS FOR YOU*

1. *Now that you have had time to think about it,* what are you breeding? And what are you breeding for? Can you sell or re-home them in your area?

2. *Food!!* You have to remember the babies! :lol: What will they eat? Ask around for what works best… Obviously live foods are better as they go after it more often than not. There is also non-live foods. Do you know them? Most importantly, do you have the foods you need/want to use?

3. *Time Consumption:* Are you ready to dedicate a lot of time to the babies? Not just from when they are free swimming, but even after you have to jar the aggressive ones. Feeding, water changes, disease/illness fighting, culling… 

_And not just the fry, but the parents_. The male and/or female can be in rough shape after breeding. You have to make sure to keep them healthy before, during and after breeding. Daddy will be exhausted, and mommy will probably have been beaten up, maybe has a few cuts, torn fins, etc. 

If you have too much on your plate, maybe right now is not the right time to breed. You do not need to breed right this second anyways 

4. *Do you understand* breeding, conditioning, fry raising? Do you still have questions? Ask away on this forum! Too much information is better than not enough.

5.* Do you know* what signs to look for in a "ready" female and male? Do you know how long to condition, and how to condition? And do you know what to watch out for when they are spawning? Better safe than sorry! You do not want to go in with two bettas, and come out with two severely injured, or one or both dead.

6. *The pair and the reasoning:* have you decided on a pair? What are you going to breed and why? If your answer to “why” is “I don’t know” or “because I can" you may need to review yourself, to make sure you have everything organized - not to discourage you, but trying to make sure you get the best experience, and the bettas end up with good homes.

7. *Shipping*: Would you be willing to ship fish? There may be more demand somewhere else rather than just in your area. On here, you can post your "for sale" or "for adoption" young adult bettas, and get more people loving your all-grown-up spawn!  On a note about shipping... Do not forget about weather and proper packaging. Ask around, look around - see what has worked for people who have shipped fish.

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Are you still willing to breed? Good!  This is not a fancy "here's all you need to know" thread, just something to get you thinking about conditioning, breeding, spawning, etc, before you do.

Breeding can be a learning experience - whether show bettas, or pet bettas.


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## KadenJames (Mar 23, 2012)

Very good information, Sena. =D


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Thanks =D Just wanted something as a friendly tip and brain-racking thread for those starting out breeding


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## titolatino1970 (Mar 11, 2011)

good 1 love it


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

thanks, hopes it helps out some people.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Just to add....

It takes just as much time money and effort to breed pet quality fish as it does to breed show quality fish.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Yes, but you do not _have _to breed high quality, imported fishies  But, you should at least get a decent pair  I try to stick to Big Al's and a breeder/importer from Ontario I found =D


Hence the part of....

"Do not forget if you breed VT you must compete with the chain stores. HM and CT can also be found in most chain and smaller stores. You go with common, you play their game. Price will be everything." 

If you stick to only store bettas, you'll be selling store bettas. And competing with the said stores... If you were to sell that is ^^ My first pair was VT/PK, but then I avoided this store, and now I avoid petsmart since Big Al's gets imports and actually decent/awesome fish. =D


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

I'm still against breeding fish from pet stores. Its just supporting the pet store as well as adding up the problems you'd have when breeding these fish in the first place.

IMO, I believe you _have_ to breed quality fish to get somewhere. When breeding pet store fish, it shows me that if the person has never bred before, they can't afford a quality pair...I mean honestly, if the person has the money to get a nice pair, I'm sure they will pass on getting pet store fish.

It's just a thought.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Yes but this thread is not about that. It's about encouraging. Why do you think I added HOW TO SELL and why it is important for the buyer to be the first concern. And why breeding "common bettas" ends up trying to fight against the pet stores money-wise :lol:

It's a nicer way of saying "do something different!" than "if you cannot afford a 80 dollar pair with 80 dollar shipping don't breed" which I've seen on this site, that is exactly what it is coming across as. It's been burning me, because there's been more caring about the fish than the person behind the fish.

I say, you found a pair that is decent quality (for me, it's Big Al's - thanks to a poster on here!) which does not mean imported, shipped, expensive... you have the room, you built up the supplies, go for it. If you want to breed pet store bettas, know you won't be selling them above pet store prices. And maybe get smaller or no spawns...

You know how much I am spending on this next spawn (Candy x Ricky)? 0.00. I have the foods, the supplies, the growout tanks, the medications, the conditioners, etc 

I think if they have never bred before, let them learn the hard way. If they decide to use veiltails, or pet store crowntails or something - let them. How do you think I learned? I didn't delve into expensive fish. I slowly crawled up to it :lol: 

And since I've found Big Al's I've been itching to go back and check out some dumbos, and see if they can special order a doubletail female, and see about some HM gals if I want  But again, I didn't start out going all out - I slowly got the stuff, got more addicted and boom I have a bunch o' pets AND breeders =D



Oooo something to add to the top part!!!

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*Breeding Pet Store Bettas*

When deciding on a pair, keep in mind breeding bettas from the stores (especially Wal-Mart, Petco and Petsmart) *the babies resulting from the spawns will never be worth more than what the store charges* *- if not less.* It is more convenient for people to go to a store where there are supplies readily at hand for the fish - there is less likely of a chance people will buy yours.

You will be a _little_ luckier if you live in a small town - but again you will have to worry about supply and demand. Do people want a pet store betta that may or may not live three years, that may be all reds and blues (dominant coloring)? Or would they want something different, more healthy, and perhaps more long lived? Perhaps with marbles, or yellows or whites? 

For colors pet store bettas are unstable. Blues do not come from blues, yellows do not come from yellows, whites not from whites and so on. There's no line breeding for perfection... Think of a mill and how they operate. Breed, sell, breed, sell, breed, sell, back to back.

When working on the form of the betta, or even the color (or both), remember to breed healthy fish. Never breed a sickly one or one you have had troubles with keeping healthy. An outwards sign of bad genetics, is sickness (not to be confused with stress or bad husbandry).

If you still want to breed pet store bettas, I can guarentee eventually you'll begin eye-balling the higher quality fish. If you are unable to get fish shipped to you, there is a good chance someone here is in your area! (Except me, no one is in Alberta LOL) and they may be able to ship or drop off (or allow pick up) for fish from their own spawns, or ones they are rehoming that are decent quality.

And remember, there is more chance you'll end up with no babies, some babies, or sick babies from a pet store betta. If you want to breed yours - just be cautious and well warned. 

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Did that help Bettalover? 
It's a nice way of warning  Without being so harsh which especially when dealing with online, without spoken tone it can become harsh o.o


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## Nutt007 (Sep 22, 2009)

Great thread! Deserves a sticky!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

aww thanks 

And BettaLover I added the "breeding pet store bettas" for you :lol: It's a way to deter pet store breeding perhaps, without...offending? I guess? o.o I hope xD


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

I know exactly what you mean. The "tone" or way that things are said on here are just rude and sometimes wrong. Yes that helps, but I was just explaining it from my perspective. It was just my opinion of why I think people buy petstore bettas to breed.

I was just giving input. Also I don't like how members here always have their "helpful advice" saying "No, you're wrong, what did you think was going to happen?"

These are just things this forum needs to work on. It's not impossible though so thats why some of us here are trying to help as much as possible.



Sena Hansler said:


> Yes but this thread is not about that. It's about encouraging. Why do you think I added HOW TO SELL and why it is important for the buyer to be the first concern. And why breeding "common bettas" ends up trying to fight against the pet stores money-wise :lol:
> 
> Did that help Bettalover?
> It's a nice way of warning  Without being so harsh which especially when dealing with online, without spoken tone it can become harsh o.o


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

> Also I don't like how members here always have their "helpful advice" saying "No, you're wrong, what did you think was going to happen?"


 Exactly - warn, but don't rub it in :lol: "I told you so" doesn't need to be said.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

IMO, is that is said, there are few things that the member being told their wrong will do. They will either reply back rude and do what they want, or leave the forum and not return (still doing what they want).


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

Good posts Sena.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

thanks


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I agree with Sena that people start out with breeding petstore bettas then work their way towards breeding better quality fish. Some breeders breed petstore bettas to Aquabid bettas.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

The term "AB bettas" really is kind of irrelevant because really I can buy bettas from the pet store and sell them on AB and say they were bred by me. Now that I have been familiarized with show quality bettas, when I look on AB, I don't see many good show quality bettas that are right for the price tag they have.

I just think as long as the breeder has a plan for the fish, it's okay. I also think that breeding pet store bettas shouldn't be something for a beginner to take on since they will be putting much more on themselves than they should be working with in the beginning. Of course this is their choice.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Also another reason I will be breeding decent to high quality fish... Because I am in canada. One person I talked to has 7 bettas and is happy there will be a local breeder  i think if people feel they can be supplied closer to home (as shipping can be a pain and expensive here) they will feel more able to breed with thw bonus of less diseases or dead fry.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Well, maybe not Aquabid bettas but bettas from a breeder that are good quality.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Exactly lol. Another thing when I breed my bettas the buyer will get an informative sheet about betta care (including the 'why' factors).


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## Creat (Dec 6, 2010)

Very nice post. To much negativity here on this site surrounding breeding... I have a line of HM that I have just now gotten to a higher quality. I started with pet store fish and mixed in 2 breeding quality female the past 2 generations. But it took 6 generations to reach even where I am (which still isnt perfect!). It started with 1 delta and 1 vt female lol. I think if you have a goal but have to go the hard way because you cant afford $80 imported pair its fine as long as your dedicated.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Exactly. Another way I have noticed people being turned off breeding is someone saying 'it is expensive'. The only true expense is time. The next three spawns I will be spending a total of maybe 5.00... For a new microworm culture and conditioner. I have all the tanks... Four 10s, four 20s one 40 one 80... Lol. 

If they were wanting to breed... They could also take a year to get supplies. Even out the expense.


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