# New betta fry! Help!



## Sweetlove2350

Ok so I have betta eggs, they're growing tails and that's amazing. Except the fact I have no food for them. I'm 17 and no car no money. I got my betta as a gift and everyone I ask puts it off and says feed them flakes. But I've done my research and I know we'll enough that fry only eat LIVE food. (Microworms) and I can't get them. Please any suggestions are appreciated! I don't want my betta babies to die!!


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## Vier

Why did you breed the fish before realizing this? 

Some options
Get to a pet store and buy supplies for hatching baby brine shrimp
Someone is nice and mails you a microworm culture
Attempt to get them to eat crush flaked (maybe 1 or 2 will end up eating it)
Research infusoria cultures and get on that asap! 
Let the spawn go, and try again later once you are more prepared to handle fry


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## Sweetlove2350

Well I got excited cause I heard they were live bearers and I put them together and read how to breed them. So I followed those instructions and then when I seem eggs in the bubbles it came to me, what do they eat? And I've searched google and all over the Internet what other options I had. The said boiled egg whites, crushed flakes, etc. but I need an expert answer so I came here. I really wish I was prepared because I hate for them to die. I also mate mollys, they are way easier. And I've mated guppies as well. And I've cried when one of my favorite fish who I had for about a year died. Trust me this wasn't my intention to have any die that's why I'm trying so hard to get other answers.


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## MattsBettas

I agree that it was very irresponsible to breed without doing proper research or being prepared. Just a lesson for next time. 

Honestly, if they can't get love food when they start free swimming, they will not survive. The quickest live food would probably be baby brine shrimp, to get those you need to set up a hatchery (jar with salt and airpump) and add brine shrimp eggs... If you can't drive to a petstore (any chain store will not carry it... You need a local business... And even there there is no guarantee) you could order them online. Where do you live? Someone on here may be near you and have a microworm culture, which isn't ideal but will keep them alive.


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## Sweetlove2350

I'm in lake Charles, La. Know of any shops that sell them? And you bet next time I WILL have it done right and be prepared


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## LebronTheBetta

Will you be able to house those male bettas separately and have them all the same temperature? I'm serious, livebearers are the easiest to breed and sell. Breeding bettas are several levels higher. You can easily get over 150+. Not small like the average birth rate for guppies at 10 each push.

Here are CA fish stores. Good luck.

Just to add, and I'm sorry if it seems "cruel". I'd let fish die early rather than keep them in bad conditions throughout their lives.


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## Sweetlove2350

@lebronthebetta you have no clue how much I'd love to help everyone of those fish. Both me and my boyfriend have a great passion for bettas and yes we have the tank supply. And I agree that I'd rather end their suffering but I can't help but try my best to give them a chance at life. I'm dedicated to get this done right. I have a feeling that though its my first time and I'm not prepared that I will have a few survivors. I'm a beginner but learning so many options and fast. Lol thank you for your help. I highly appreciate it. 




-your fellow future betta fanatic


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## trilobite




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## trilobite

Since its your first spawn most will probs die. The fry have a critical stage when the become free swimming and if they dont get food withing this stage many will starve. Feed em a chunk of boiled egg yolk mixed in water if you dont have live food. How big is your tank? the bigger it is, the harder it is for the fry to find the food. 
Also hope like hell that you dont end up with 100 fry and 95% of them being males lol. 

Ps. bettas arent live bearers ;-)


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## Sweetlove2350

Lol my tank is a 5 gal and yes I took out half the water. And how much egg yolk should I put and exactly how do I feed it to them? Do I crush it up or keep it whole?


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## tigerhappy26

Sweetlove2350 said:


> Lol my tank is a 5 gal and yes I took out half the water. And how much egg yolk should I put and exactly how do I feed it to them? Do I crush it up or keep it whole?


Are the fry in their own tank or still with the parents?


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## tigerhappy26

trilobite said:


> Since its your first spawn most will probs die. The fry have a critical stage when the become free swimming and if they dont get food withing this stage many will starve. Feed em a chunk of boiled egg yolk mixed in water if you dont have live food. How big is your tank? the bigger it is, the harder it is for the fry to find the food.
> Also hope like hell that you dont end up with 100 fry and 95% of them being males lol.
> 
> Ps. bettas arent live bearers ;-)


I hear you could feed them mosquito larvae? If so she could probably leave out a bucket overnight and feed them the larvae I'm on a site that says they can eat newlt hatched larvae


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## tigerhappy26

Quoted from http://bettacrazed.angelcities.com/c...dMosquitoLarva
Newly Hatched Mosquito Larva


Newly hatched mosquito larva is a great addition to your frys' meals. Do not feed any sort of mosquito larva to very young fry because the larva could attack the fry. Feed newly hatch mosquito larva to fry that are 2 weeks or older. Newly hatched mosquito larva is not easy to catch but it is very easy to find the egg rafts that the larva hatch from in a few days. Simply go to a pond that doesn't have fish, a puddle or (a never ending supply of wonderful live foods) a horse water trough.

Anywhere there are mosquito larva there are usually egg rafts. The egg rafts look like small floating bits of charcoal but on closer examination there are tiny cells where the eggs lay. Collect these rafts by gently scooping them up and placing them in a container with some water from the collection site. When you get home examine the container and water to make sure you didn't bring home any other organisms that could attack your fry.

Place the egg rafts (not the water!) in the fry tank and in a few days there will hundreds of larva floating at the surface of the tank. The larva go through their life cycle in fresh water so they will not die and pollute the tank. The fry will eat them all before they grow any larger and develop into mosquito. During the time the larva are in the tank it is not necessary to feed any other foods and doing so may result in overfeeding and a polluted tank.
*Quoted from http://bettacrazed.angelcities.com/care_live.html#NewHatchedMosquitoLarva*


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## Sweetlove2350

The fry are still with the dad. Tomorrow they will be 3 days old.


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## shannonpwns

Did you get any food for them.....?


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## Sweetlove2350

Can't. Buying going to try boiled egg yolk and crushed flakes. Wasn't prepared at all but I deffinately will be next time.


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## dramaqueen

Was this an accidental breeding?


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## bambijarvis

My first spawn didn't have "live" food.
I had various powder foods(spirulina and APR) decap brine shrimp eggs, and egg yolk.
more than half the fry that hatched lived.
Most of the ones who died were do to a heater shorting out.


To feed the egg you can pinch off a tiny bit and mush it around in a spoon with some tank water. dip you finger(clean) into the egg then kinda swish your finger in the tank(I used a q-tip when I did this xD).


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## dramaqueen

The problem with using egg yolk is that it will foul your water .


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## jadaBlu

I bought a fish from this breeder past that I don't know much about him. I seem to remember he is in Louisiana somewhere. Try emailing him maybe he is close by or can get what you need quick enough. You could maybe pay him by Paypal or something for food.

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?disp&viewseller&Jimxiong5749

I am not breeding but I've read enough to see you could really have your hands full if they survive. Post pictures of the parents I am curious to see what the fish look like.


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