# First "introduction" Super pic heavy!!



## britnyjackson (Mar 10, 2010)

I am new to this and have been reading a ton about bettas and breeding bettas. They've lived next to eachother for about 1 week now and they can see eachother through the tank divider. He started building a large bubble nest. After a few days I put her in with him. I only left them together for about 2 hours, then had to go to bed so I removed her because I didn't want her to get hurt... anyways, here's some pics of them... Enjoy!!


----------



## britnyjackson (Mar 10, 2010)

and more...


----------



## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Just curious....why are you breeding in a divided tank with gravel and a filter? The fry will go through the divider and get munched by any fish on the other side and of course sucked up by the filter. Please correct me if I'm wrong.


----------



## jmtriro01 (Jun 22, 2010)

your bettas are gorgeous as well as your tank. but you might have a problem with the missing eggs and frys since your tank is heavily decorated plus you have gravel. if they haven't spawned yet, i suggest you restart by taking them out of that tank and let them spawn in a clean bare tank/container.


----------



## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

One more thing...your male's head is WAY dippy...not a good thing at all.


----------



## mand (Nov 19, 2010)

That tank is a lovely home for a betta but it's not very practical for breeding.
When the male and female embrace she will drop the eggs and they sink to the bottom. The poor lad will have a hard time finding them and picking them up amongst all the gravel. Then when they hatch they drop again (mine dropped constantly) and it's the poor males job to find them, pick them up and put them back in the nest. A bare bottomed tank makes his job so much easier and you will have more fry make it to the free swimming stage as they will not get lost amongst the gravel.

When the fry are free swimming they will easily slip through the holes in the divider and get eaten by whatever lives on the other side. My fry are now 2 weeks old and up untill now i have been watching them with a magnifying glass so you can guess how small they are.

Also i would lower your water level so it is only 5" - 6" high. With the male constantly going up and down collecting eggs and fry from the bottom he will get very tired. Probably more than mine did as yours has bigger fins and so has more weight to lug up and down.

Anyway those are just a few suggestions based on my first attempt at breeding. Whatever you decide to do i wish you good luck with it.


----------



## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

*Imo bad idea*

IN MY OPINION​
EESH! unless your PREPARED to raise and HOME between 10 and 200 babies or EVEN MORE dont be breeding them. This is not very responsible and i know i sound like a cruel heartless person but think of the babies.

IF YOUR GOING TO BREED LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING
​A) Have you conditioned BOTH parents for two weeks? The breeding takes A LOT out of the female. Tending the nest and eggs/fry is round the clock care for the father.

B) Have you got ROOM, when breeding you need AT LEAST three tanks to begin with. you take the female out after the breeding, the male remains with the eggs for two or three days then he needs removing. the spawn stay in the breeding tank. Breeding tanks usually are best bare bottomed to prevent loss of fry in amongst the gravel.

C) Can you house the fry. when the males begin "puberty" they will fight to the death if left together. Males MUST have their own tank or container.(ONE male to one container no females with them)

D) Are you prepared to feed and care for all these offspring and do daily or every two day water changes (depending on container size) my 2 gal or a little more needs water changes AT LEAST every two days.

E) although Bettas may like with no heater and no filter its recommended to put both on all tanks.( heater filter sizes are depended on each individual tank size) Can you do this?

F) Finding homes for that many babies is HARD some LPS (local pet stores) will take them most wont. but pet shops wont look at even taking them until they are matured 4 months and up, usually they take them at 6 months old. can you provide the daily (when young they need special food and feeding little and many times) care and maintenance for them?

Im sure the more experienced members can add to this list


----------



## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

*Adding and typos *

I like the colours though.


----------



## jmtriro01 (Jun 22, 2010)

listen to them, your spawn will most likely go to waste. your bettas will stress themselves out for nothing.


----------



## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

Unresponsible breeding is wrong I can't think of words to describe it. Noone wants a spawn to go to waste or die or be stuck in cups and I'll cared for for the rest of their lives.
As I've stated there is a tremoundous load of work that goes into a single breeding it's not just a "oh I'll just toss her in there" both fish NEED to be ready just because he has a bubble nest doesn't mean she will be ready, the end result would be him attacking and harming her in his bid to have his way with her. This sites members are in LOVE with these fish and will agree that you can own and enjoy these fish wihout breeding them


----------



## britnyjackson (Mar 10, 2010)

I couldn't agree more, no need to get upset. I'm sorry i didnt look into it far enough. I want nothing more than for them to be happy and healthy.


----------



## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I don't think that male is breeding quality. He looks severely roachbacked or "shovel headed" to me which is not a good quality to pass along.

I'm also concerned about your choice of breeders. A CT and an HM? What is your goal from this cross because your looking at some pretty bad fins from a cross like this and heavy culling.

I suggest you put the breeding on hold and do more research into what it takes to breed and how to get nice fish. It's way more than putting two fish that you think are pretty together... even two pretty fish don't always make pretty fry.


----------



## monroe0704 (Nov 17, 2010)

I'll go ahead and say, don't give up  Just do a bit more research and be picky when selecting breeding stock, then make another attempt when you're fully prepared. Making mistakes along the way is all a part of the learning process. If you ever need some breeding stock, there are a ton of breeders on the forum here who would most likely be more than happy to hook you up!


----------



## Lyssa89 (Dec 16, 2010)

Wow. Way to jump on this person right away guys. I love this forum but sometimes you guys come off as downright mean!

britnyjackson- Don't be scared off by some of the people on this forum, It's an AWESOME way to get breeding information and a ton of the people on here are extremely knowledgeable. 

As a new breeder myself I can't give you tons of help but this is the set up that worked for me:


* 5-10 gallon tank filled halfway with a bare bottom
* A few plants on the opposite side of where the bubblenest is (I used fake plants but I really wish I had used real ones  )
* A Heater and thermometer 
* A lid to make it more humid so the bubble nest sticks together


PS- MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FRY FOOD READY BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT BREEDING - I made this mistake. Don't do it. Trust me.


A super awesome website for breeding is bettysplendens.com


----------



## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

beautiful bettas, but what 1fish2fish noticed concerns me. the male's head is shaped wonky, and that's not really something you wanna pass onto the fry, ya know? you don't wanna breed a betta with something like a spine that's curved too much, or a "shovel head", as it's called. otherwise, the male's beautiful, but i'd personally choose a different male.

also, are you gonna spawn in that tank? you'll lose alot of the fry, if you are, because the male won't be able to find them if they drop outta the nest, and he wont' be able to find the eggs, either. i'd get a different tank for spawning, but that's just me. :3


----------



## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I'd like to address the issue with the tank. It is not neccessary for the tank to be bare bottomed at all. OFL breeds exclusively in planted tanks with substrate of some sort and many wilds breeders keep planted/substrate tanks.

However, if you are planning to use that tank it has to be solely for the fry. You can't divide it and keep an an adult on the other side because the fry will get eaten. It's also true that the parents may have difficulty getting the fry from in between the gravel so you may lose some eggs.... but for a first time breeder that's not necessarily a bad thing.


----------



## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

Lyssa89 said:


> Wow. Way to jump on this person right away guys. I love this forum but sometimes you guys come off as downright mean!
> 
> britnyjackson- Don't be scared off by some of the people on this forum, It's an AWESOME way to get breeding information and a ton of the people on here are extremely knowledgeable.





I did say i was going to come across bad, but my concern ISNT her feelings its the care of the fish. I have been raised to respect any and all animals from the cute and cuddly to the deadly and irresponsible breeding of ANY ANIMAL is completely wrong and I will speak my mind about it.



IF i saw anything AT ALL here in my town regarding irresponsible breeding or care of ANY ANIMAL i'd report it to the correct authorities and i HAVE.
I come across a dog crossing the road one day he was infested with fleas and mange no collar either, he was skin and bone and when i found out he belonged to a local council worker for the pound i reported it and put an ad in the local paper about the condition of the animal to bring awares to the situation. the dog was tracked down and removed from the persons care and since then i have had a lady from the area call me for assistance in finding loving homes for many dogs in these conditions.

So dont think i wouldnt speak up if i thought something was going to bring potential harm to any animal.

and again it was IN MY OWN OPINION.


As most of you will see and understand that i am very protective of all animals.


----------



## britnyjackson (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks for all of the info guys! I will hold off on breeding until I have a suitable pair and am 100 percent ready. Please don't get upset with me, and trust me I love my babies more then you could image. I only want the best for them, so ill just let them admire eachother from a far! : )
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

No one is mad at you  and if they are they need to get off the internet and get a life.

Your just learning. At least you took the time to post this thread and learn something instead of letting them spawn and then coming to us for advice on how to fix it.

If you need any help or information or advice feel free to pm me. I'm always available to help people get breeding straight and get off to the right start.


----------



## britnyjackson (Mar 10, 2010)

Thank you sooo much 1fish2fish. I love you guys because I can always ask and get an abundance of info!! Thanks for all the help, and I will NOT breed my bettas. : )


----------



## Lyssa89 (Dec 16, 2010)

Abby said:


> I did say i was going to come across bad, but my concern ISNT her feelings its the care of the fish. I have been raised to respect any and all animals from the cute and cuddly to the deadly and irresponsible breeding of ANY ANIMAL is completely wrong and I will speak my mind about it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




....Okay, I worked as a vet tech in an animal shelter for over a year...Mange at this point is like to common cold to me. I've seen abuse you cant imagine. I never made a comment about how much you care about animals, I simply think that sometimes the way people word their advice to new breeders is very mean and maybe we should think about that. If you are mean to new breeders then they will go breed the way they want instead of taking the good advice. Believe me, I have to talk to people about breeding their dogs and cats the same way you guys have to with bettas.


----------



## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

Lyssa89 said:


> ....Okay, I worked as a vet tech in an animal shelter for over a year...Mange at this point is like to common cold to me. I've seen abuse you cant imagine. I never made a comment about how much you care about animals, I simply think that sometimes the way people word their advice to new breeders is very mean and maybe we should think about that. If you are mean to new breeders then they will go breed the way they want instead of taking the good advice. Believe me, I have to talk to people about breeding their dogs and cats the same way you guys have to with bettas.


Abby, chill out. Its okay to be angry, but the OP didnt understand. Its not like she tossed them in together and said, "Hey! I feel like killing them/causing them harm!!"
She didnt understand.
While youre entitled to your own opinion, there is a limit to what you believe and being rude. Would you scream at a child for tapping on the glass of a tank? Its loud for them, it'd "hurt" them. No. You tell them they need to stop. You dont know these people in person, so they should be addressed with due and complete respect and courtesy.

And chyeahh, Lyssa. I hear you on that one... Its sad but true.


----------



## jmtriro01 (Jun 22, 2010)

im glad you listened to the advices mentioned here. there should be more forumers like you who takes time to think about things and really listen to those with more experience.


----------



## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

jmtriro01 said:


> im glad you listened to the advices mentioned here. there should be more forumers like you who takes time to think about things and really listen to those with more experience.


 Agreed + 1<333333333


----------



## britnyjackson (Mar 10, 2010)

Aww thanks guys for sticking up for me. I donate to the ASPCA religiously and volunteer at animal shelters. My babies are my world and I would NEVER EVER intentionally do something to harm ANY animal! I cry everytime I see that aspca commercial with sarah mclaughlin for god sakes! haha. I love ALL animals no matter what!


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I don't understand what all the uproar was about. I think Britny posted here for advice on breeding.


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Well i think you you are in the right path and have the best intentions but im afraid that this isnt the correct way. Here ill help you if you really feel you would like to breed

First you will need at least a ten gallon tank.
Clean it and keep it clean. Fill it up only HALF way so its easier during the embrace.

Then you will need a Sponge filter so this filter can clean your tank but not suck up your betta fry at the same time.

Then you will have to get an aquarium heater.
Betta fry NEED this because they are native to Thialand and in Thialand it is very hot ALL the time. 

Then you have a choice of getting an indian almond leaf,You can find these on aquabid. this leaf will encourage the bettas to spawn because this is wat the male betta will build its nest under.

then you should get water conditioner because this also encourages the pair to spawn, because it has (IAL) Extract Indian Almond Leaf.

Or for the bubblenest you could use a half cut styrofoam cup.

And If you really want the pair to spawn then they need to be in their top health so for 1 week or 2 weeks you will have to condition them with live or frozen rich foods, so what you have to do is go out and buy some bloodworms or other rich healthy foods.

If you want the fry to survive you will HAVE TO HAVE live foods. Like brine shrimp, Vinagar eels ect so thats about it Good luck!


----------



## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

You don't have to have anything. Breeding has so many different methods there are no absolute truths.. except needing a tank, water, and heater.

I breed exclusively in 7-10 inches of water and I've never had any issues with the breeders being tired of getting eggs etc. IMO a well conditioned breeder in good health should have no problem retrieving eggs from any depth. The fry are going to be in the nest.. they don't care how deep the water is either.


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

1fish2fish said:


> You don't have to have anything. Breeding has so many different methods there are no absolute truths.. except needing a tank, water, and heater.
> 
> I breed exclusively in 7-10 inches of water and I've never had any issues with the breeders being tired of getting eggs etc. IMO a well conditioned breeder in good health should have no problem retrieving eggs from any depth. The fry are going to be in the nest.. they don't care how deep the water is either.


I completely agree, but for beginner breeders i would suggest a depth of about 5-6 inches because it just helps a little. Also 1fish2fish, i usually fill my tank all the way up when i breed. So i know what you mean.


----------



## britnyjackson (Mar 10, 2010)

Please dont worry you guys, I will NOT be breeding my bettas. I understand now.


----------



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

britnyjackson said:


> Please dont worry you guys, I will NOT be breeding my bettas. I understand now.


Ahh, im please dont get discouraged at this. If you really want to breed i will gladly pm you and walk you through everything if you like. Okay.


----------



## Dragonlady (Nov 29, 2010)

I am glad you made the right decision to not breed that pair. I wish you the best of luck in your future betta breeding adventures. Breeding is less complicated if you choose a sibling pair. Be sure to ask the breeder what generation he or she is working on(e.g F1, F2, F3 etc). The longer a breeder has been working on a line, the more you should expect to pay.


----------



## britnyjackson (Mar 10, 2010)

I would want a sibling pair? That just seems wrong. Haha. U guys are definitely the pros though!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

