# Best conditioning method?



## Creat (Dec 6, 2010)

To all the breeders out there what are your favorite methods to condition the pair. I usually separate the male and female for a week or so while I feed them high quality frozen food. That has always worked for me. And as I embark on another breeding attempt what are your guy's suggestions. 
Also is there a good way to tell if a white female is receptive to the male if you can't see any vertical bars besides flaring and displaying back?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I like to condition with live foods-mosquito larva, guppy fry and other freshwater critters big enough for adult Bettas-if it is off season and I don't have live foods or new born guppy fry- I use my homemade food I make with raw shrimp, blanched spinach, crushed garlic all smashed together into a paste and frozen

I keep my Bettas in condition all the time and because of the way I house them-this is different than most....I will QT or use a small container for at least 3-7 days so that they can't see each other or any other Bettas for that matter and increase feedings...

As far a telling when light body females are ready-I go by the head down position...but I also spawn using a natural method and use live plants as the natural separator..... so I don't use hurricane glass or artificial mean to separate the pair in the spawning tank...when the female is ready she will approach the nest head down

Depending on the pair I may have to tweak this at times as well...


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## Creat (Dec 6, 2010)

I might have to try that homemade food because I dont have access to live foods at the moment. And thank you for the information


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I condition for 2-4 weeks on live and frozen foods. Daily 100% water changes and let the pair see each other for about 10 minutes a day everyday for the last week.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

I like keeping my fish in condition. Good food and clean water. Bettas don't need much conditioning other than proper care.


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## nOOb iHACK (Nov 11, 2010)

Oldfishlady said:


> I keep my Bettas in condition all the time and because of the way I house them-this is different than most....I will QT or use a small container for at least 3-7 days so that they can't see each other or any other Bettas for that matter and increase feedings...


How do you keep your Bettas in condition all the time? How do you house your Bettas?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

* DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS........*_I have been doing this a very long time and my aquariums are setup differently than most...this is partly successful because 98% of the fish are related_-I have time to monitor for problems and intervene as needed............

I have successfully been able to keep my Betta in the same tank..going into the 3rd year now...about 30 or so mix adult/related male and female in the 75g-these are breeders I will pull to spawn and have been able to put them back without problems this past year...this was a problem in the past .....all my tanks are very heavy planted and 20-25 mix each in the 2-20g and 25g all different ages and unrelated males..no fighting or fin nipping at all......I do get some spawning in the tanks but due to all the fish and filtration no fry that I am aware of anyway....

Some choice males are cupped for grow out...

I also have lots and lots of guppy that produce guppy fry and shrimp and shrimpletts for free range feeding-that I grow in different tanks to keep the Betta tanks stocked....lots of different freshwater critters that are fed...this is seasonal and my homemade food that they all get daily...not to mention what I culture for the Betta fry that I fed.....

Lots of tanks, lots of fish, lots of foods, lots of plants...thank goodness I am retired....laffs....


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

that's pretty amazing, OFL! it's not something just anybody can do, and it's way amazing that you don't have any issues with it!


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