# Summer outdoor spawning tanks!



## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Well I think I'm gonna spawn some pairs....ALL NAT-U-RAL!!! This won't be happening till summer but I thought I'd share!

The set up:

16.5 gallon plastic tub with lid, resting on something to make water changes easier.

NO heaters

Java moss

Java fern

A lot of IAL

2-3 inches of water

The lid will be on top of the tub but there will be a small crack for mosquitos to lay their larvae.

*I will be leaving the father with them for about a month.


These will be resting outside on my deck. I will be planning my spawns with the weather...during a week with some thunder storms (bettas like rain). 

The reason I want to try this is because I was browsing some posts on another forum...some of the breeders were posting about our clean, sterile enviorment in the breeding tanks isn't natural....so I thought I'd test it out!


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## beat2020 (Dec 31, 2009)

Cool idea! 

I plan to set-up some outside tubs over the summer as well...


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## Creat (Dec 6, 2010)

Sweet sounds like fun Ive heard it creates less but stronger fry tell us how it works out for you I would love to know!


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## crowntail lover (Apr 25, 2009)

I was actually thinking about setting up a outdoor spawning tank over the summer as well. Wow... Thats strange.. lol


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## leeb62 (Oct 22, 2010)

Yep same here. My setup is probably one of those plastic swimming pools at wal-mart and figure out some way to divide them or get a small pools. Then just put the female and male in there with some plants and let natural set its course.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

I would use the kiddy pool idea but the air here is dry and young bettas need humid air for protecting their labyrinth...hence the lid 

I really can't wait for summer now!


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

For all natural outdoor, I suggest setting up tanks once winter is over, give it about a month (longer better) to age and have tiny critters in them, then condition breeding pair.

MrV; is air that dry? ... I was going to suggest some sort of large mesh (?) covers instead of solid lids - avoid larger critters getting into the tanks, like dragonflies, frogs etc.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

That method worked well for me last summer-I use 5g buckets full of rainwater, oak leaves and let the mosquito and other aquatic critters lay eggs and develop in them first...I added 2 females for a couple of days to fill up on larva and then I add the male and some water lettuce and other plants from my tanks that I had just trimmed and had a spawn within a few min the females demanded that the male spawn with them the second he was added...he didn't seem to complain...lol...... I had a nest and eggs nearly daily after that-no injuries or ripped fins-limited fry eaten by the adults....water temps got over 100F and as low as 56F and they continued to spawn and I would still get lots of fry...I made a post about it in the breeding section if you want more details http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=47192.....had several set up in different containers with mix of male and females....worked well.......


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## Perdue (Nov 3, 2010)

couldnt summer hot temperatures make the water too hot and hurt the bettas?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

You don't want to keep them in full sun for longer than a couple of hours-depending on the size of the container and amount of water-in shallow containers the heat can be a problem-in tall deeper container will give the fish a place to go and get away from too high temps....in the shallow containers full shade and close monitoring of the water temp will be needed to prevent cooking the fish
In the 5g buckets I used the water would stay much cooler at the mid and bottom level and the top would reach over 100F on some days and the fish tolerated it without issue and continued to spawn...same as when it started to get cold or it rained-the water temp would get down to 56F and take several hours before it would warm back up, however, a plant mass mixed with leave at the top would be much warmer inside due to decomp when I check temps and this is where a lot of the fry would be found.


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

This is such an interesting thread! And it's nice because these fish get a chance to be "wild" and act like they would in nature.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

indjo said:


> For all natural outdoor, I suggest setting up tanks once winter is over, give it about a month (longer better) to age and have tiny critters in them, then condition breeding pair.
> 
> MrV; is air that dry? ... I was going to suggest some sort of large mesh (?) covers instead of solid lids - avoid larger critters getting into the tanks, like dragonflies, frogs etc.


Thanks for the tips! Yes where I live I'm a mile above sea level and our humid isn't really humid at all....My favorite vacation place, Cozumel Mexico, is a betta breeders paradise...it rains for a few minuets a day...is always around 80F and HUMID! I made the mistake of wearing jeans the morning I left the island...ya not good  



Oldfishlady said:


> That method worked well for me last summer-I use 5g buckets full of rainwater, oak leaves and let the mosquito and other aquatic critters lay eggs and develop in them first...I added 2 females for a couple of days to fill up on larva and then I add the male and some water lettuce and other plants from my tanks that I had just trimmed and had a spawn within a few min the females demanded that the male spawn with them the second he was added...he didn't seem to complain...lol...... I had a nest and eggs nearly daily after that-no injuries or ripped fins-limited fry eaten by the adults....water temps got over 100F and as low as 56F and they continued to spawn and I would still get lots of fry...I made a post about it in the breeding section if you want more details http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=47192.....had several set up in different containers with mix of male and females....worked well.......


 I loved that thread! I might let the tubs fill with rain water too.


Perdue said:


> couldnt summer hot temperatures make the water too hot and hurt the bettas?


 My tubs will be located under a large shady maple tree (my tree is tall and the bracnhes go over my deck).


TaylorW said:


> This is such an interesting thread! And it's nice because these fish get a chance to be "wild" and act like they would in nature.


 Yup! I've tried this method (well kinda) indoors before....I like it a lot better!


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## nomoretickets (Sep 29, 2010)

MrVampire181 said:


> I would use the kiddy pool idea but the air here is dry and young bettas need humid air for protecting their labyrinth...hence the lid


no problem with humidity here, if it gets lower then 20% people would think the world is ending... usually stays around 35-40%


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

It usually doesn't get that hot in Colorado.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

dramaqueen said:


> It usually doesn't get that hot in Colorado.


 You'd be suprised now a days...it was pretty warm today and it's been nice...no snow! This past summer was a killer with the heat.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I've heard you haven't gotten much snow. They haven't gotten any in Trinidad, either.


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