# A list of stuff i need to breed bettas



## Dressagerider1011 (Apr 12, 2013)

Someone give me a list of all the stuff i need to start breeding


----------



## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Well for splendens you need

The actual spawning tank/tub. Usually around 10 gallons or so. 

Separate grow-out tanks or tubs. Depending on the size and number of your fry this could be a minimum of 15-20 gallons. 

Individual jars for any males from your spawn.

Live food cultures such as microworms, vinegar eels, banana worms, grindal worms etc. for the fry. These usually need to be purchased and cultured in advance as otherwise you will not have the numbers to sustain a lot of hungry fry.

BBS hatchery and eggs. You can make the hatchery yourself from videos on Youtube but have to buy the eggs. For maximum nutrition you have to hatch a new batch every 24 hours. People usually run two so one is always ready to go. 

Heaters for the spawning tank and grow-outs. 

High quality live or frozen foods to condition your breeding pair. 


There are probably other things but this is all I can think of off the top of my head. 

You really should read all the stickys in this section of the forum, and do some googling as you can pretty much find the answers to your questions in 5 minutes.


----------



## Dressagerider1011 (Apr 12, 2013)

thx a lot


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I second what LBF said about reading the stickies. There is more to breeding bettas than throwing them together and letting nature take its course.


----------



## BeautifulBetta123 (Aug 27, 2012)

I made a list for someone else, with prices, I can try to find it for you.


----------



## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Turkey baster is the cheapest and MVP tool of all.


----------



## Dressagerider1011 (Apr 12, 2013)

thx that would be great


----------



## BeautifulBetta123 (Aug 27, 2012)

This is the average price of things, you can buy them cheaper used and people put different prices when they sell them, not all used 10 gal tanks cost $10
10 gal tank $15-$20
Fully submersible high quality heater $20 (new)
IAL depending on quality and seller 10 cents ea
Live plants $10
Cultures $3 ea (usually)
Turkey Baster $1 at a dollar store lol
Sponge filter $5
Air pump $10
Large grow out $15 for a rubber bin or $40 depending on the size of tank you get
Heater for grow out $30 depends on size of heater you buy
Jars I spent easily $30 for like 100 jars, some people get Beanie boxes that cost $2 each
Any you need a way to keep the individual jars warm, such as filling a tank half way up with water or heating a closet or room to like 80*
So I space heater or perhaps another tank with heaters.
Most people buy high quality fish for more money. On this list are not hard fry food, the cost of the time it takes you, electricity and water bills, water conditioner, seran wrap, or the cost of paying for some of the items to be shipped to you.
You can cut a few corners by buying used items and and rubber bins instead of tanks.
I also missed some other thing most likely.
Breeding is expensive, time consuming, and often a pain in h butt to do all the water changes but it is also very rewarding, I wish you the best of luck!


----------



## BeautifulBetta123 (Aug 27, 2012)

Found it! Lol!


----------



## Dressagerider1011 (Apr 12, 2013)

thanks for the list it was what i was looking for and now the fun begins


----------



## BeautifulBetta123 (Aug 27, 2012)

What the going into dept trying to afford everything? Is that the fun part your talking about? XD
Good luck and I am glad I could help!


----------



## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Breeding equipment needed:

Breeding tank - anywhere from 3-10 gallons, can be glass or plastic bin that is food grade quality.

Grow out tank(s) - ideally I recommend having two, so you can split up a spawn if it is large or need more space. I personally recommend no less than 29g for at least one.. and the second I would recommend no less than 20g long. A few other large grow outs would come in handy, as just having one or two means you will only have one spawn at a time and must sell/cull all the fish before you have another spawn needing the grow outs. You will always have fish left over.. so some breeders will use large tanks (55g+) to use as a large sorority to keep some of the females they are wanting to sell/breed/grow.
A couple smaller tanks to condition the adults.. something easily moveable and heatable.

Heaters for all of the tanks/bins, drip system. Keep in mind for larger tanks you will need higher watt heaters such as 100w+. Make sure they are adjustable so you can control how warm the water is for the fry/juveniles. A spare one in case one malfunctions.

Live plants and IAL are not mandatory, but are highly recommended - IAL creates the tannin the fish love, helps keep fungus off the eggs along with other health benefits. It can make a difference with some spawns. Live plants will provide food for the first few days of the fry's life. It also helps maintain water quality and puts oxygen into the tank for the fry.

Glass canopy or seran wrap, plastic painter's tarp, hood/light - will need something to keep the humidity in the tank, especially once they get about 6+ weeks of age and their labyrinth are starting to develop. A hood and light will also help keep drafts away and give them light.

Sponge filters - I use smaller ones for the fry tank and larger ones for the grow out tanks.

Air pump - a minimum of 4 pronges, if not more. Could use a T to divide a smaller one - but need air for breeding tank, grow out tanks and for two BBS hatcheries.

Lots of airline tubing for both the filters and for water changes. T splits and air control valves to make the airflow into the filter minimal when needed.
BBS hatcheries, at least two of them - can use old 2L bottles.

Cups/jars, lots of them, minimum of 32oz. I recommend a minimum of a 100 - you will be holding fish in there for a while as they grow until sellable size/age. You will still have some in them when you have other spawns going. So will need LOTS of space to hold all those jars/cups and a way to make sure they are all heated. A lot of breeders have rooms set up just for breeding and will use ceramic space heaters to keep them warm. Have to keep them warm..

Shelving units and tank stands 

_Some of the smaller stuff needed includes:_

Multiple nets - small, shrimp and medium size
Large water siphoning tube
Thermometers for all tanks and a few spare ones to keep track of jar temps and in case one is broken.
Medicine for fungus, internal/external bacteria, AQ salt, Epsom Salt
Extra water conditioner - I buy the large Prime bottle which will last about 6-8 months
Eye droppers, turkey basters, q-tips, rubber bands
Small cups - some extra cups the fish come in, I also use a lot of the small styrofoam cups when feeding - whether for BBS or non live foods. Will place some tank water into the cup, then put in the dry food (such as golden pearls) or frozen food and mix it in the water then pour into the tank.. that way I make sure a lot of the food goes into the water column rather than just floating on top.
I personally use coffee filters when feeding BBS. I place a coffee filter over a small styrofoam cup held on by a rubber band, use a turkey baster to collect the BBS and put it in the coffee filter. Once the water has drained into the cup I will use a bit of tank water to rinse the BBS off. 
Power strips for extra plugs.
Buckets for water changes
Buckets for creating drip system - can use other large items as long as you can safely use a heater in it.

Food for all ages.. most of these you will need to get online - a lot of breeders will sell the cultures for around $5 each. 

Cultures - I prefer Banana and Walter worms, but vinegar eels and micro worms are also popular. You will need plan oatmeal and yeast to create the food source for the cultures. Will also need smaller tupperware to hold the food in.

BBS - it is expensive, but if kept in the fridge/freezer the can will last a very long time.

Frozen bloodworms are great for conditioning the adults and feeding juveniles.

Good quality pellet type food for both adults and will need juvenile size. I love Golden Pearls - I have all the sizes available, and all my fish go nuts for it. For a bit bigger juveniles NLS Growth formula is a good choice. 

Repashy Meat is also awesome for juveniles. 

Live foods such as grindal worms, mosquito larvae, etc are great for adults and juveniles.

Keep in mind you will be feeding the fry at least three times a day so lots of food will be used. You will need food for all stages of growth. 


All in all expect to spend a few hundred dollars to set up at the minimum. If you can get tanks used it will be cheaper, or if you use tubs - personally I would go with glass tanks for your first few spawns so you can see/watch them better. Look for deformities, fighting, etc.. will be hard in tubs if you don't know what to look for at the beginning.. once you are more experienced and know what to look for then tubs will be easier to use. You can use clear tubs with the same results, but a solid, darker colored tub I would hold off on until you are more experieneced. Also keep in mind shipping costs - some things you will need to purchase online and shipping will add up.

I'm sure I missed things.. but this is the general idea of what is needed. Everyone does things a little differently, but these are some of the items I personally use.


----------



## Dressagerider1011 (Apr 12, 2013)

thx for the list


----------

