# Will this work......



## Alienbetta1 (May 9, 2010)

for a tank temporarily?








Here is the bottom.








Im planning on getting a female Betta to breed Alien but I can't afford a tank for the moment:-D.By the way any one want some babies from him?








Ain't he Handsome:-D:-D.


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## Jooleeah (Feb 20, 2010)

uuum is that a pop bottle with the top cut off? :| how long are you planning on keeping her in there :|


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## Jooleeah (Feb 20, 2010)

and if you cant afford a tank for her id assume you cant afford the necisary things you need to breed them/feed/take care of the fry :|
just assuming though. you should really get a tank for her, the pop bottles not fair.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

I think you can find something MUCH better then a soda bottle. Like a storage bin. You probably have one laying around your house. That is where I got mine. 

OK, I have to say it... Are you sure your ready to breed?? Because you said that a 12-20 dollar heater was too expensive. I just have to wonder, how the HECK are you going to pay for a breeding set up, food, and everything else you need!? Also, you can't afford a tank for your female. 

I'm not trying to be mean, but I'm just wondering how your going to try and do this??


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## SaylorKennedy (Aug 11, 2009)

Ditto what Jooleeah and Doggyhog said.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

umm well i would NEVER recommend it but u should really try something else.

As much as i despise this idea i would recommend a good sized (vase) but have this as your last option i really do not like vases and if it does come down to it and you have to use the vase then you much NOT ever put a plant with roots on the coming down!! you betta will die if that is done


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## Learn To Fly (May 15, 2010)

DH, is it okay to use plastic storage containers? I know they're plastic but could they have toxins in them?


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## Alienbetta1 (May 9, 2010)

Im gonna by a tank off ebay soon.Perhaps I will wait till I have $50 before I breed him.


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## MustardGas (Apr 22, 2010)

Do you have any plans for the future fry? You're going to have to be prepared for A LOT of separate containers for them when they start getting aggressive. I don't think $50 is going to cut it to be honest.


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## CodeRed (Jun 11, 2009)

I think a member, TianTian, counted up the amount of money it would take her to take care of and breed her bettas, and it ended up 400 or something? I'm not positive...

That was with buying and shipping a female betta, but that's still much more than 50 dollars. Ask DH how much it ended up being.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Yep, it was $400. If you don't have the cash to do it, DO NOT DO IT. Every breeder of any animal of every kind MUST have a goal in mind. They are responsible for bringing life into the world and must have proper homes for all of the young ones they bring into the world by setting up a breeding situation. 

So. Don't do it if you're not ready. 

And that's not the best home. Try a kritter keeper instead. Inexpensive and safe (they even have lids).


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

Okay I am going to get a rough estimate of how much it would cost you to breed your guy.

Let's start with the breeding setup. 
Top fin 10 gallon starter kit (with filter heater lights aquasafe ect): 40 bucks at lowest.
All of the stuff you will probably use breeding them.
Indian almond leaves, conditioning food, ect: will probably add up to 10 bucks lowest.
Oh plants, let's go ghetto like me and make your own,
sealant- 9 bucks
silk plants to glue on- 4 bucks

Food for your babies, Microworm starter culture, Baby Brine Shrimp hatchery, ect
Microworm starter- you can get live cultures ordered for about 4 bucks, lowest
Venegar eel starter- 3 bucks lowest
Baby brine Shrimp hatchery (let's go with sea monkey set lol) 11 bucks lowest

Grow out tank let's go with a 20 gallon starter from top fin which is 80 bucks.
Of course as an option let me see what a tupperware set up would cost in comparison.
Cheapest 50 gallon storage tub is 20 bucks
Heater for that 18 bucks
filter to that 25 bucks lowest I found
the 63 buck setup with 50 gallons might be better then.

Cheapest bulk of containers for your male fry.
hmm beanie baby containers, case of 48 will be 68 bucks

let me add this up, I left out medications but oh well.

With the 50 gallon storage bin setup as the grow out tank it added up to be: 208 bucks

you have a fourth of that planned to spend on these.

not to mention I have to get a heater for Alien and a tank for his mate eventually.


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

The price I came up with was minimum, plus I left out a few things...
so yeah. Plus there are variables to consider, your male might actually be too old to breed, he has to be big enough to wrap around the female to squeeze her eggs out, all kinds of good horrible things happen with bettas unexpectedly.
I would focus on getting Alien, your one betta in a good set up home before even fathoming a breeding process.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Yep. That about sums it up.


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

yeah, I spent a lot on my two, very stupidly,
and I ended up with a male that was too small to wrap around my huge female >.<
somehow it is kinda funny, when they attempted, I should have gotten pictures, and added words.
but the money I wasted was not funny.
well I only "wasted" it for the microworms and baby brine shrimp hatchery, my gpa had gallon contaniers to give me anyways, LOTS.
but still.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Ah...

Well I had been thinking the past few days... I've been debating whether my first spawn will be with Cinder and another VT female, or go all out and get a HM pair from aquabid. Because my fear is Cinder will be too old by the time I straighten finances out.... so we'll have to see.

</off-topic-ness>


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

True, I think everyone that buys a betta goes through the (i wanna breed them no matter what phase, I did, luckily it failed lol) because it is at the expense of thier fish.
when it comes to animals, at least I have learned one thing, skimping off on nessecities to save a dollar will just end up in a lot more money spent, or a lot of animals lost.


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## Betta Slave (Dec 8, 2009)

I'm echoing everyone else.
If you can't afford a tank for your female, and think a $20 heater is expensive, I wouldn't breed your bettas.


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

argh all that made my head hurt >.< Now I think I will go check on all the babies before I go to sleep.
Exams tomorow =___= yay.


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## Betta Slave (Dec 8, 2009)

Good luck! I HATE exams.... How exciting.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Bleh, exams! Good luck!


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

thanks :3 I just got on bc I can't sleep and my brain won't really hold much more.
but yeah breeding is hard.
Spoof ended up tearing akira up in a matter of seconds, after a spawn attempt >.<
Here is the scenerio.
I finally release her, they flirt and playfully chase, she gets all ready to spawn,
he tries to embrace, his little body couldn't wrap, and after about 5 tries, he got mad, and like grabbed her tail and didn't let go, which tore a chunk, and turned into a piranah as I tried to net her out of there, litterally grabbed her fin and wouldn't let go, I ended up scooping them both up, him with a big old chunk of Akira's fin in his mouth O.O It isn't worth her stressing like that, so I give up.
that was the small bodies betta I referred to btw.
I guess he got all mad because she crushed his ego. lawls.
She is in her little hospital tank now, she definitely just won't be bred, I feel so bad now O.O 
At least she is still all playful with me and stuff.. Still I feel horrible that it happened.


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## Betta Slave (Dec 8, 2009)

It wasn't your fault- Spoof sounds like a mean little fishie!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm sorry it didn't work out for you.


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

It is all good, I am just glad Akira is healing up and she is still active. Spoof, is a mean betta, i should have known; one time we were playing the jump and bite my finger game, and he held on O.O Until my hand got out of the water. It didn't hurt but it is kind of a shock to see him holding on.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Awww... Cinder used to jump at my finger but as he's gotten older he hasn't jumped for my finger in a long time. He'll just flare at my finger beneath the surface and follow it around. I know he was very aggressive when he was younger at the pet store, but he's mellowed out as he's spent more time with me.

I still kinda want to breed him but... you brought up a valid point I hadn't thought of. Cinder's tail and fins are large and wide, but his body is relatively short and I imagine, unless the female was TINY, he'd have a hard time wrapping properly. He is still just under a year, I believe.... so hopefully he'll do some more growing in his body. Otherwise I may change my mind and either not breed at all or go for an HM breeding.


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

Well Spoof's body is short, stout, and muscular, Akira's is longer. 
Spoof is a funny looking fish all around if you watch him in real life, one of them bettas with a face so ugly that it is cute :3 lol


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Haha well I've been told that Cinder wasn't exactly pretty when I first got him, but he's grew into a real looker now.  

I wouldn't say Cinder's too muscular... he's fairly scrawny and thin looking above him, come to think of it...


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

only a mother could love that face, and that huge mouth  









She is looking at me accusingly.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Heavens!! Muscular, indeed!


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

Mhm he is like the hunchback of Notre Dame lolz. I love him though :3 wow this thread has been through everything lol


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## Alienbetta1 (May 9, 2010)

Betta Slave said:


> I'm echoing everyone else.
> If you can't afford a tank for your female, and think a $20 heater is expensive, I wouldn't breed your bettas.


Im gonna have like $20 after I get my pay check for cleaning all the grass out of are yard:-D.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Alienbetta1 said:


> Im gonna have like $20 after I get my pay check for cleaning all the grass out of are yard:-D.


*First of all... it is "our" yard not "are"*. I've seen this mistake so many times online I honestly wonder if people know it's a mistake or not. And if you're not a native English speaker, now you know the difference. 

Secondly.... I'm glad you're working hard for your money. This is a quality most of the "younger generation" have lost. At the same time, I highly encourage you to save more than just twenty before you go and buy fish supplies. 

Why do I suggest something so absurd as saving money? Let's try two scenarios:

1. You don't save your money and you go right out and go to the fish store. While you're picking out your $20 heater, you find a fantastic deal on a tank + heater for $25. Oh, but if only you saved your money for that extra five! Now you'll have to save money again, come back to the store and pay and extra $15 for a 10 gallon tank. Boohoo! 

2. Conversely, you save your money and discover there's lost more fun to be had deciding how to spend it, rather than digging in your pocket for that last penny to cover a purchase you're probably not 100% sure on making.

I can probably cite a dozen other reasons why you should save your money but I think this will suffice for now.

Just a few tips. Hope things work out for the best.


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

Or just search like crazy on craigslist.com
you might find a couple of wonderful deals


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

.... we're encouraging the saving of money, jenny.


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## lucyinthesky (Mar 9, 2010)

I think $20 is not enough to breed... listen to the experts. 

you will need over 20 containers for the fry when they get bigger 
and then where will you put them all when they get bigger? what if they get sick and need medical attention? 

you will probably kill all the babies because you cannot afford to look after them properly.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I'm not sure if anyone's said it yet or not but another thing.. Don't breed PET STORE bettas! I can't stress this enough. No one is going to buy a fish that is spawned from pet store stock.. which means you either have to give the fish away (losing money) or give them to a pet store to sell (Immoral IMO).

Like others have said when you decide to bring life into this world you have to be responsible for it. If your going to breed you need to have a goal in mind not just because he's pretty. There's a good chance that NONE of the fry would look like him. An example of a goal would be trying to create a line with good form and finnage in a color that is unusual or highly sought after.

As for money it takes a lot. Let's see if I can list all my stuff.
HM pair-~$30
10 gallon spawning tank~$5 (thrift store deal)
50 watt heater- $15
29 gallon grow out tank $25 (craigslist deal)
75 watt heater ~$20
Air pump for brine shrimp hatchery ($0 because it came with a tank but normally $10+)
Brine shrimp eggs ~$6
Worm cultures.. I suggest getting at least 3 in case they die ~$10+
Jars.. lets see you need at least 30 so lets say $60+ (for gallon jars)
food to condition the breeders ~$10
space heater to keep the jarred fry warm ~$30 (unless your room is 80*F)

lets see that's...$212 for ONE spawn (and I've gotten a LOT of good deals off craigslist that have taken MONTHS to come across). Factor in any medicines you need plus your time and its a lot more.

Time is the big factor. Your going to have to be able to feed the babies 3+ times a day, do daily water changes on the grow out tank and later on the jars. Cleaning 50+ jars every day is time consuming but if not done can lead to disease and death plus poor fin growth.

Also you need to be prepared in case you can't find homes for all of the fish. Do you have plan if your only able to sell 30 out of 80 fish?

Also since the fish you want to breed is a CT you also need to take into consideration the hardness of your water. CTs need very soft water to have proper ray growth so you'd probably need buffers.



Please don't take this the wrong way but breeding is VERY SERIOUS. You need to be 100% dedicated and know what you are doing if you decide your going to breed. This is something I'm very passionate about for all animals. If you want to breed, fine. But breed the right way.


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## mfskarphedin (May 19, 2010)

bettalover2033 said:


> ...if it does come down to it and you have to use the vase then you much NOT ever put a plant with roots on the coming down!! you betta will die if that is done


Sorry to go a little off-track, but why? Are the roots poisonous?


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Some plants can be poisonous I would think.... but most people have a misconception that the Betta fish EAT the roots of the plants ... when really they don't and they, sadly, starve to death. People that usually sell this kind of setup claim it's a whole ecosystem in a vase.... when really it's not.


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## Alienbetta1 (May 9, 2010)

Do you know any Petstore that would buy the eggs before they hatch?


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

..... no. You can't sell Betta fish eggs. At least I have never heard of it.


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## Alienbetta1 (May 9, 2010)

Aww how bout when they just hatch?


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

You don't give kittens away right after they've been born, do you?


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## Alienbetta1 (May 9, 2010)

No but they are mammals and they need milk.Anyway my parents usually pay for the food.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Regardless, do you know what newborn Bettas look like? TINY TINY almost microscopic in size. I guarantee, unless you're selling them to someone who keeps carnivorous fish, no one will take your Bettas that small.


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## Alienbetta1 (May 9, 2010)

Aww


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

I am not condemning you from ever breeding Bettas... I am simply trying to encourage you, through logical reasoning, that you are not ready yet and need to do more research. 

Of course, you have free agency to choose what you want to do. So if you so choose to breed anyway, despite our best efforts to lead you in smarter paths, don't come running to us in tears that all of your Bettas died, or you have too many to care for or you don't know what to do. 

Be wise in your decision. 
Best wishes, 

Tian-Tian


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Defiantly listen to 1f2f and TT.... They KNOW what they're talking about! 


It sounds like you need to study up and research more anyhow...


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Thanks, doggyhog. <3


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

I *am *condemning you from ever breeding bettas, 
well at least until you have your own money to pay for them, and have it figured out, and have done so much reasearch that when you close your eyes you see the text on your eyelids.
-_- Bettas from pet stores are pets, 
I just attempted to breed mine bc I had a few LPS that treated thier bettas extremely well, and told me they would buy them, for a low low price.
In the end, it isn't worth it unless you really know what you are doing and have a place for ALL them babies.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

No you can't sell betta fish eggs and you cannot sell them right after they hatch.

Have you done any research at all? Start here.. read EVERY article she has under breeding bettas and raising spawns. Also read the sticky in the breeding forum. Then go through the threads under the breeding forum... there is a lot of information out there.

You are not ready to breed. You need to understand what goes into breeding before even thinking about breeding. I know you're young but please listen.. this is not a joke.. this is very serious. Your taking lives into your hands... you have to be ready, you HAVE to know how to do this the right way.


I've been researching for over a year on how to breed bettas.. a YEAR. I started collecting stuff for my spawns over a month ago and I still haven't spawned. I've carefully planned out each and every step making sure I knew what I was doing and what I wanted from the spawn.

"Research until your brain hurts".. 
How do you harvest brine shrimp?
What do you feed fry at various life stages (1 week,2 weeks, 1 month..)?
When should you remove the female from the spawning tank?
When should you remove the male from the spawning tank?
What is the #1 most important thing to have in raising fry (or keeping fish in general)?
What is culling and how do you do it?
At what time do you start jarring fry?
What do you do if a sickness emerges in the grow out tank?
What foods should you feed to condition your breeders and how long should you condition them?
*WHAT ARE YOUR BREEDING GOALS???*


Before you begin to breed you need to be able to answer all of these questions and more.


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

1f2f I swear I love you.
In that loving the person on the forum that gets things straight kind of way lol


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

"What is the #1 most important thing to have in raising fry (or keeping fish in general)?"

..... food? Clean water? This one is a little vague.


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

Haha the #1 thing is the knowledge and research.
Anyone can crush some flakes, put a filter that will suck em up, and do everything wrong, but have provided them "clean water" and "food"
therfore, it is research :3


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

LOL.. thanks jenny

TT.. that would be clean water. That question is a little vague but anything you read will tell you when it comes to growing fish you want as clean water as possible. That's because not only does dirty water cause disease but it also inhibits fin growth. You can tell the difference in fry that have been kept in the most pristine conditions and fry whose water did not get changed enough.

Of course food would run a close second  The reason its not the most important is because you could feed your fry only one food (BBS for example) and have a decent amount live (although not all).. but if you have bad water conditions your very unlikely to have any fish live.


ETA... Jenny ROFL.. I'm not that clever! That question pretty much comes from the bettysplendens site. She lists clean water as the biggest necessity in raising fry and I have to agree. I never would have thought of research LOL... that really is the most important!


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

ahh Study until you are like this.
Teacher: "What is the square root of 9 LOL"
You: "but you gotta be...ZZZZZ... O.O Careful, because some roots are poisonous!!!"

Mother: "What do you think would be good for dinner?"
You: "If its for Alien, just give him three pellets, not bloodworms today. Those fry can't eat that, they just hatched, scoop some disgusting looking microworms up for them."

Random person: "What's your religion?"
You: "Everything and anything, Betta Splendens."

 Dream betta, Eat betta >.< uhm nvm..., Live betta.

Most importantly, listen to these people, because we are beating a very dead horse.

This is like freaking dead horse purree by now.


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## Learn To Fly (May 15, 2010)

This is another good place for breeding info http://www.bettatalk.com/


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## mfskarphedin (May 19, 2010)

Re: plant roots. Maybe I'm missing something. Barring people with no common sense about feeding, maybe it depends on the plant, because I've seen many a setup with bettas in a large vase with a terrestrial plant growing in it, something usually like Pothos, and they were fine for a long time as long as water quality was kept up.

(Of course a vase still isn't the best home for them, anyway...)


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## Alienbetta1 (May 9, 2010)

I dont think Ill breed Bettas but anyone have an idea of kind of Betta should I save from Walmart next?


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## Betta Slave (Dec 8, 2009)

Any one that needs help! That looks really sick or that's in really gross water... that's what I'd do.


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## Alienbetta1 (May 9, 2010)

Thats what I was thinking Betta Slave.


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## Jennyinurmouth (Apr 6, 2010)

Yeah, but make sure you have a good home for it at home, otherwise, it defeats the purpose of saving him.


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## Betta Slave (Dec 8, 2009)

Agreed with Jenny.


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