# Betta Breeding Documentary



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Hello everyone! Well I have a Media Production class and he was all out of projects for us to do, so I suggested a documentary of something. I thought what more do I know about than bettas? Anyway, I might be able to do a documentary about bettas, or betta breeding. So, are there any pointers that some of you may know? Can someone help me out here? I am researching how to do a documentary, but I was sort of hoping to maybe be in a pressence of someone who has experience with filming and how else I should go about doing this. Anyway, most of this was to tell you that I might be able to do one about them, all I would need is the confirmation that i'm allowed to do it on BETTAS, or BETTA BREEDING! What are your thoughts on this idea?


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

I love it! After you're done, will you post it online? You could start out with sad little bettas in their cups at the LPS, go from there to how they SHOULD be taken care of, unless you're really set on the breeding angle. I sure hope your fish cooperate.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

That sounds like a wonderful project!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Thank you both! And I think I might just focus on the breeding part. I hope my fish cooperate correctly and they don't give me much of a hard time. Though i'm sure they will give me a bit of a hard time for the first few attempts to film the event.

Also I hope I actually get the pair ASAP!


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Sounds interesting! Let me know if you need any advice or tips. I don't have any filmmaking knowledge but I know my way around a spawn tank LOL


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

@1fish2fish: Thank you. It was a good idea that I though i'd share with you all and I dont think it has been done (on the forum). Thank you for the support. Also I most likely will want your help.

I think i'll take that help offer now. If you were perhaps doing a documentary of betta breeding, which method would you use? I've used many methods but would like your opinion on how you might go about doing this. Also I would prefer a little simple method that would be effective reasonably quick. What are your thoughts on the "Shock Method?"

Update: I will be starting this project on monday the 12 of this month.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I would try to use the more popular methods to show the basics. So I'd use a 10 gallon tank, filled 4-5in, a heater, and plant cover. IAL if you use it.

I would put the female in a glass and leave the male loose.

I normally use the shock method and let the pair in the tank together immediately but IME it doesn't speed up the process any more. It really just depends on the fish.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Ah, I see where you're going. Keep it simple because it in fact is a documentary. Their purposes are to inform viewers of how to breed basically and the "easy" way.

So I will just use the traditional method (half full, half cup, ect.) So it is the simplest method.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Also Sadly I don't have an IAL:/. And have no more money to get one. I know they are cheap, but I honestly just dont have it. I've always wanted to use IAL. Another question: Does the IAL make them want to breed under more than the half cup? Also is it the IAL that makes the tank kind of a tan color?

Though I think that I will mention that.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

*Starting Tomorrow! [ALL FROM DARKMOON17]*

Hello again everyone! I am back to say that after a week or so, I FINALLY GOT MY FISH! The pair plus a back-up male! I will begin the documentary tomorrow (12/16/11). I will keep you guys updated with pictures and such of the fish and how they are doing!

This will be like a Spawn Log, but better because there will be two updates..One for the Doc. and the other for the Spawn Log.

Okay so here is a little bit of a pic spam of them all! The first few are when they first got here, (12/15/11). I found it easier to post direct links...

*In the bag!*

Red Dragon female:
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15172018.jpg

Cull Male (Free and optional):
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15171953.jpg

Back-Up Male:
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15172055.jpg

*Outta The Bag!*

Red Dragon Female:
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15201232.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15203309.jpg'

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15203318.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15202024.jpg

Cull Male:
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15201319.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15202140.jpg
He is SO photogenic!

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15202223.jpg

Breeder Male & Back-Up:
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15201612.jpg

The beautiful Breeder Male:
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15201656.jpg


Back-Up Male and Cull:
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15202108.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15202120.jpg
Great picture^

Back Up male:
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15202314.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15202359.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15202709.jpg

Cull Male and Breeder:
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af122/bettalover2033/2011-12-15202804.jpg

I hope you guys enjoy! If you want to just go through my photobucket page then you are more than welcome to!

The link to the "My fish" part is: http://s1000.photobucket.com/albums...ish/?action=view&current=2011-12-15202709.jpg

Any feedback is appreciated!


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## Tisia (Mar 15, 2011)

the "my fish" album was the only link that worked for me :/


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

BEAUTIFUL!!!!
This project sounds very interesting and can't wait to see the results. 
Love coppers but never had luck with them.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Tisia said:


> the "my fish" album was the only link that worked for me :/


Was that the only page that you could see? Or did you click the "next" button on the "My fish" page?

IF you were able to click the "My fish" page then you aren't missing much. They are just the same pictures for different computers that cannot see the links i posted.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

vilmarisv said:


> BEAUTIFUL!!!!
> This project sounds very interesting and can't wait to see the results.
> Love coppers but never had luck with them.


Thank you!
They aren't really coppers though. Red/black Dragons. Though I think they are developing their "copper" looking color from the mother she was a black and white marble, while the male was a Red dragon HMPK. Amazing fish he is!

This project will truly be an experience for me!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

This is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PICTURE!:










It's my phone back round and going to be my avatar! This picture is just the perfect pose! It will be on the next enter of the contest days!


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## Bambi (Sep 11, 2011)

beautiful picture,looks almost like a reflection untill you see the different colors xD

Goodluck with everything


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

I see where you're getting the "reflection" from! It really does. I didn't notice it until you just pointed that out!

And thank you.


Update: The fish are doing great! I just have to get a few live plants for the tank. Let's see how this will work! (Not more money left). I am supposed to get about 4-5 koi, and then I can give a few to my great LPS. (They have a really nice pond. It almost looks like a park.) So I could definitely get some store credit and after live plants. Though I won't get any until next year :/ and I refuse to breed without live plants.

The breeding tank is perfect (except for live plants). I have the female It was a bit hard to get 4 tanks for them. I'm going to need dividers to put them in one of my ten gal. tanks. It beats having two 2.5 gallons and two 1.5 gallons.


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

Your fish look really great. Love the "reflection" pic too.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

@tpocicat: Thanks.

@everyone: I'll update in tomorrow when I get up.

I have cute pictures of the female for tomorrow!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

*New Update!*

Update:

Last night I couldn't take my eyes off them! They are so fun to watch, talk to (I know what your thinking), take pictures of, ect.

As you all know I plan to breed them. I am conditioning until next week on Thurs; when I was feeding the female, she would gulp the pellet and then spit it out. She would just keep repeating this. It was adorable. (Something common to you, but myself not owning bettas for a good month and a half is pretty torturous and seeing the things that I've seen before, again is just fun).

So I have taken pictures of the female eating and then spitting it back out. I think the pellet was a little hard and is pretty GREEDY. At the end she wouldn't let go and I felt sorry so I just moved the water a bit so she would remember to gulp it again so she could eat.

Red female Dragon:

Grab:









Then Spit:









Then grab again:









And never let go lol:









The males are doing pretty well all of them are flaring like crazy and so fast so I haven't been able to get a good enough picture of them so bare with me.


Lastly, I hate to have unnamed bettas so will be coming up with a few from some Greek gods, Pharaohs, Egyptian, OLD, warrior, ect. names for them. They are my favorite.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

*Question!*

Oh almost forgot! The breeding tank picture:










(Still bugging me that I have no live plants in there *Yet.*) ANY tips on it for the documentary?

The question is: Is bamboo okay to use submersed? I know the bottom should be submersed in water to keep it live, but I ask more elaborately, Can the bamboo be in the breeding tank as a substitution of live plants? Can I have the whole "body" of the plant submersed?

Those questions are all rephrased to ask in different perspectives so hopefully all will understand.

Lastly, If so, WILL it produce enough infusoria, or infusoria at all for the fry to eat the first few days?

This is the bamboo:










Thanks all!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Sorry, I tried to edit my last post but it was a little late for that, so...


Also I am going to re-post all of he first pictures because we're not able to see them (some of us) including myself. P.S. I origonally didn't want to do this because the pictures are so big so i'm sorry if they are way too big for your screen.

*In the Bag and Outta the bag!*

Red Dragon female:









































The Male cull:

































Male Cull and Back-Up Male:

















Breeder male (one with Back-up male):
































He just wouldnt stay still!


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

One question, why is the male considered a cull? I think he is beautiful, is it because his anal fin is a little long?


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

tpocicat said:


> One question, why is the male considered a cull? I think he is beautiful, is it because his anal fin is a little long?


That is exactly the reason he is considered a cull. I would breed him if he wasn't. His anal fin is a bit too long though. When I first saw him in the bag, I looked at him and the bag said cull, I thought why in the world is he a cull? Then I put him in his new tank and saw why. He is a beautiful halfmoon, but has terrible anal fin that i'd rather not breed for.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

bettalover2033 said:


> Oh almost forgot! The breeding tank picture:
> 
> (this one I dont know if it will work. I am having so much trouble with PhotoBucket!)
> 
> ...


..


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## beat2020 (Dec 31, 2009)

bettalover2033 said:


> That is exactly the reason he is considered a cull. I would breed him if he wasn't. His anal fin is a bit too long though. When I first saw him in the bag, I looked at him and the bag said cull, I thought why in the world is he a cull? Then I put him in his new tank and saw why. He is a beautiful halfmoon, but has terrible anal fin that i'd rather not breed for.


The "breeder" male's anal is a little too long as well though isn't it?


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

beat2020 said:


> The "breeder" male's anal is a little too long as well though isn't it?


It's longer than it should be, but it isn't as long as the "cull" males anal fin. I'm guessing that they are getting their long anal fins from their dad. He was a HMPK Dragon and the female was a HM. So the long extended fins are coming from both, but the fairly "cut" look at the bottom of their anal fin is definitely from the male of these fry.

Also I will cross either a HM or HMPK into a different generation of these guys.

I hope that makes sense.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hi Bettalover!

In regards to the bamboo . . . unfortunately if you submerse the leaves of a bamboo, the leaves rot and will foul up the water. Bummer, isn't it? I have a bamboo in one of my tanks, the stalk goes up out of a hole in the lid. I don't see any harm in leaving the bamboo in there (if you can get it to stand up) because the roots and stalk will provide a growing ground for microorganisms and infusoria for the fry. But for plants that provide cover, you'll want Java Moss, Water Sprite, and Water Wisteria. All of them float and don't need to be weighted down necessarily and have lots of fronds and hiding places for fry and for momma. 

Hope this helps. 

And absolutely beautiful fish! Best of luck with breeding and I can't wait for fry pics.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

@Sakura: Thank you!

I was afraid that they would rot in the water because many plants do. I am planning on getting a few other plants like Water Sprite as they are my favorite. As for cover for the female, I have a really nice cave decor that I put in the tank. It has many (fake) plants connected to it which will definitely help with the cover as well. I plan to introduce the pair on thursday, but just wanted to be sure that if I do introduce the pair and still haven't been able to get the plants, I will still have some infusoria for the fry.

I am definitely going to buy some "bunched" live plants a little down the road. Though some of them are rediculously priced and I dont have any money for shipping to buy on AB so It will have to be either next week or the week after. I'm sure to have infusoria in the tank, but DONT want to breed without live plants. Lately my LPS has been seriously lacking live plants so that is another down-put!

P.S. If you take a look at the breeding tank you could see the decor in the tank and the fake plants that are attached to it.

I cant wait for fry/ pictures myself!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

That's a really nice-sized decoration. I like it. Bummer, I'm sorry your LFS is plant-deficient.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

They get all their shipments in every thursday or when they need them so I'm really hoping to have money by then to buy them.

I'm not as worried as I was since I have a source of infusoria by the bamboo. Though i'll still add in the other live plants for the fry to hide in later on.


Update: I have 4 fish as of now and they are all bettas. I DONT want to use vases so I divided my 55 gallon into two and two bettas are LOVING the 25 gal to themselves lol. I currently only have two 2.5 gallons so I'm also using those. Pretty funny if you ask me. I'm sure I have about three other 2.5, and 1.5 gallons in the garage that i'll whip out.

The fish are doing great! Not interesting as I want it to be (yet) but i have faith. I'm glad that they are here and as energetic as they can be.

Just so every knows, they have been and still are being conditioned since Thursday (hence why I'd like to introduce them Thurs.)

Thanks to all the followers.

P.S.
Should I put this information in a new thread as a spawn log and not as "documentary?" I am still doing the Documentary, but dont know if it would just be a waste of time or if it would be kind of necessary?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Documentary, spawn log, seems like they're the same to me of if you want to continue here, that's fine by me. 

Are they those rectangular glass 2.5g? I love those. 

If you have some clean oak or Indian Almond Leaves, just setting one of those in the tank will also get you some infusoria. Read it in my "Culturing Live Foods" book. Putting any kind of green matter (plant leaves, lettuce etc) in a jar of tank water for a week also gets you ready made infusoria. If the jar smells like fresh grass clippings, it's good. If not, it's bad and you have to start over. You can hold it up to the light and you should see the water moving.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Sakura8 said:


> Documentary, spawn log, seems like they're the same to me of if you want to continue here, that's fine by me.
> 
> Are they those rectangular glass 2.5g? I love those.
> 
> If you have some clean oak or Indian Almond Leaves, just setting one of those in the tank will also get you some infusoria. Read it in my "Culturing Live Foods" book. Putting any kind of green matter (plant leaves, lettuce etc) in a jar of tank water for a week also gets you ready made infusoria. If the jar smells like fresh grass clippings, it's good. If not, it's bad and you have to start over. You can hold it up to the light and you should see the water moving.


Yeah I guess they pretty much are the same thing.

Yes the amazing rectangle ones are 2.5 gal. At least mine are. Though I dnt have mine completely rectangle. Mine has a curve in the front.

You know, I have really wanted to use that this time, but never got around to it. Its a great idea to put the lettuce in a jar of the tank water. I had to do this for my crayfish because they ate rotting plants. What happens if the lettuce rots?


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

i think it doesn't matter if you keep the thread or if you make a new one, as Sakura said they are like the same thing. Just saying I have been stalking this thread!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I guess if the lettuce rots you have to start over. I know Punki put a bunch of green things in a jar to make her infusoria. Strawberry tops, grass clippings, plant clippings. You can ask her how she went about it because it seemed to work for her.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

@Sakura: Thanks, will do! I'll try the lettuce thing for some time. Usually I had to prepare the rotten lettuce about 2 weeks+ ahead of time so they would have something to eat on a very controlled diet. They would eat every other day.

Anyway, I dont think I will need to leave the lettuce in the tank water very long as it will eventually rot.

This is the first time in my two years of breeding that I am having such a hard time with this! Its stressful and frustrating! I have never had this problem. Only when it was my first and second spawn. Even then it wasnt as much of a hassle.
I'm sure i'll get through it though and it will be worth all this time. I guess it was the move that really messed me up because I had to clean all of my tanks from storage because they were getting cloudy, dusty, and dirt coming out of nowhere! (IDK where it is coming from).

@Kfryman: I think i'll stay on this thread. It will help with less confusion on the forum. It'll also be unecessary to do so and more of a hassle for SM's.


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

I'll stalk this thread no matter where it is.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

I've decided to Make a new thread of my spawn log and will post the link when I do. Also this is so I'll get more followers that way.

OFL advised me to do so if any of you were wondering about the sudden change.

P.S. I'll update in a bit...


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Well the thread is moved:
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?p=927646#post927646

That's the new spawn log of the pair!

Please visit so I can maybe get some help with it too?


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## betta lover1507 (Aug 6, 2011)

um i can't see them =\ they say page not found


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

If you look at page 3 you should be able to see the pictures posted right there...


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## Curlyfatbottom (Sep 29, 2011)

how's the project going so far.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

It's going great! I have tons of clips and I just have to add in the Voice part of it. I uploaded a lot of the beginning of the breeding on youtube.

Here is my channel if you want to see the "Halfmoon Breeding series":

http://www.youtube.com/user/jayjay2033?feature=mhee#p/u/8/vmMoZPFeKhM


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## Curlyfatbottom (Sep 29, 2011)

so you manage to get the pair to breed already


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Not just yet...

If you go on the "Darkmoons halfmoon dragon spawn" thread you will see the updates there..So far nothing yet....


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