# Betta Breeding- What is your method?



## DezernGirl (Nov 21, 2012)

Since there is no wrong or right way to breed, I thought it would be interesting if everyone could share a brief summary of how they like to condition/breed their Bettas? This can be anything from tips, spawning tank setup, conditioning methods, fry foods used, ect. I have learned so many useful things by listening to other breeders methods, so I thought it would be awesome to start a thread dedicated to individuals explaining the way they go through the process of breeding their fish. I hope this thread takes off and I can learn some new things! :-D


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## Jayloo (Mar 13, 2013)

Congrats on taking initiative and wanting to learn! It's actually quite afflicting after you begin. I don't necessarily condition my fish... They are always fed a variety of frozen food twice a day. The closer to spawning day I may add extra but in general the fish are fed well anyway. I set the tank up with live plants, heater at 84-86, and then let it age for a week or two. I use a bigger tank 29 gallon-35 gallon to set the spawn up with. I also have a sponge filter on during the initial set up but turn it off when I introduce the pair to the set up... I place a smaller container in the large spawn tank setup in which I release the male and female (sometimes at the same time,other time I float the female awhile, it depends on the pair). I usually introduce them in late evening so the male can get to work on his nest. By early morning there is usually a big nest and as the morning progresses usually a spawn. Just depends. I actually got the small container in the spawn tank idea from a member on here named Myates. She is very knowledgable.  so then I leave everything alone. The fry hatch. Daddy puts them in the nest. Finally they free swim. At this point I take daddy out. I wait til the next morning and release the babies from the small container into the big open tank. Start my sponge filter on a very low trickle. Drop in a mix of VE, MW, BW, and WW. Every 2nd or 3rd day I fed BBS. Watch out feeding frozen or live food too large for the fry.. I did lose four fry to choking.  At this point I have about 30 fry at 5 weeks if age. Coloring up every day! Good luck to you!


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

I'm just starting out so I likely won't have a set spawn style until I figure out what works best for me. So far I am going to be testing out a few things this year and have a few things I already tried that has worked well and some not so well.

Conditioning:

What works best for me was keeping my fish in two separate tanks next to each other with a card between them. Fed 4 times a day, smaller meals of two frozen foods a day. Normally mixed bloodworms and brine shrimp and the next day black worms and mysois shrimp, some bugs here and there, and some bug larva such as mosquitos. For 15 minutes a day I would pull the card and let them see each other and they seemed to get breed ready very quickly. Also changed half the water in their tanks every day and replaced with slightly colder water at a trickle to help imitate the rainy season....REALLY seemed to work as my male blew a nest even when he couldn't see the female.

Divided tank doesn't work at all...female just released her eggs early and ate them all so yeah <.<

Breeding Setup:

Tried breeding virgins in a 10 gallon tank and after 3 days nothing happened, they were constantly being distracted by things outside the tank so you can bet I'll never do that again.

Bucket: This has been working MUCH better as their is less runaround space and the fish start getting to work faster, only setback is I can't see the nest from my point of view as it is under a leaf and with the top down view it's hard to know if they are blowing the nest still or already breeding. Also I am thinking it will be hard to see if their are eggs in the nest and when the fry hatch. I'll have to get creative with that one...and moving the fry will be a pain.

Some methods I want to try out is certainly the one above that Jayloo mentioned. However keep some of my idea's such as the half cut cup which I got from a lot of breeders here in MN to help encourage the male to build his nest under that. 

Another thing I want to try is something I got from a breeder in MN who breeds outside from June to August. He sets up small pools that are all naturally planted and breeds in them (not doing this with virgins). He covers the tops with large mesh lids he makes himself for bugs to lay their larva in the water and releases his pair after 5 days conditioning. After the fry are freswimming he removes the male and lets the fry grow up in the pools feeding off larva and MW and BBS. He's had great luck with it and I have been interested in trying it myself.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

There definatly is a wrong way to breed- but also many right ways. 

EVERY single breeder does things at least a little bit differently (which I think is really neat). Here's how I do it-

Conditioning: For two weeks, the future parents (hopefully) are fed new life spectrum pellets three times a day to total twelve pellets, and they get one serving of fresh or frozen food. For the first week, the female gets to see the male for 10-15 minutes a day, and for the last week they are isolated. It is usually suggested to expose them to each other for the full length of conditioning but I find and have read that basically, lonleyness makes the heart grow fonder. Water changes are also increased to mimic the rainy season, which is when they naturally breed. 

Spawn tank: Basic ten gallon tank half filled with an adjustable 100w heater set to ~82 degrees. It should have hiding spots, but not to many hiding spots. I have talked to another breeder and we both agree that the female needs hiding spots to escape from the male, but to many hiding spots make it take longer. Also, ial is added. 

Introduction and spawning: The male is let into the tank in the morning, the female is introduced via glass chimney or open bag floating in the evening or at night, and the next morning, if both are ready, they are allowed together. I make everything is going well and watch them carefully but am also careful not to disrupt them. 

After spawn: The female is taken out in the least disruptive way possible. If she is beat up, she is qt'ed and treated if necessarily. On my last spawn the male was very gentle, only ripping the anal fin a few times, so I added her strait back into the sorority. The male is left alone with the eggs, the light is left on during the day and a flashlight (torch for the Australians and British!) is left on the nest during the night. My "fish room" is really my bedroom, so obviously I can't leave the lights on 24 hours a day. Even covering it with a towel let to much light through. After the eggs hatch and fry are free swimming, the male is lured out from underneath his nest and then carefully acclimated back to his original tank. First feeding is provided but at this point they are mainly living off infusoria from live plants, etc. 

Fry rearing: I feed microworms, banana worms, and baby bring shrimp but mainly the first two due to convienience. (I wrote a good 'article' on the worms. I will link to it if you would like me to.). They are fed three or four times a day. I don't add water for the first week but after week one I start carefully dripping in same temperature treated water a little bit at a time. By week two the tank is filled and water changes begin, 30%-50% every single day. Fry rearing is still something I'm figuring out lol. 

So yea. That's what I do, but it varies greatly person to person. Good on you for doing your research! That's one thing that you can not do to much of! There are a lot of more experienced people out there but hopefully I helped.

Matt


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## DezernGirl (Nov 21, 2012)

I love reading these! I have already learned some things from each of you that seem very useful! I think it would be great if we could have all of the breeders on this forum to collaborate and share their methods/tips. Keep the posts coming! I'm enjoying learning from all of you! :-D


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## DezernGirl (Nov 21, 2012)

I will be combining tips given from all of you! And LadyVictorian, what kind/color bucket do you use? Mine have been getting distracted too so I think I might try that out.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Me? Well...

I condition anywhere from 3-7 days, usually don't let them see any other betta the whole time. Sometimes I'll let the pair see each other off and on, and some they don't see each other at all. It depends on which pair it is for me.. some need that time alone to become aggressive, otherwise they will be too docile or basically "bored of the other fish" as they usually see each other 24/7 when not conditioning.

Fill up a 10g with a few inches of water, place in a plastic tub about the size of a shoe box with holes in the sides to allow a flow of water (fill tub with water.. it's a balancing act to get enough water in tank and in tub so tub doesn't float away, but there is enough water in tank to cover heater.. yet not too much water in tub so female can jump out).
Turn sponge filter on very low.
Live plants on the outside of the tub but in the tank.
Heater set to 84-88F
2 large IAL leaves in the 10g outside the tub, broken into 4s. One large IAL leaf broken in half in the tub (large = 8-12")
Place male in tub that's in the tank, then immediately place female in a chimney in the tub.
6-24hrs later (depending upon female) let her loose..
Usually this method I have eggs anywhere from a couple hours to a day, one time it took a virgin pair a week to breed doing it that way.

After fry are free swimming will gently tip them into the tank and that's that. Usually I remove the male then, but that also depends.. currently one spawn has no male, the other has a male in with them.. they are both about a week and a half old.


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## DezernGirl (Nov 21, 2012)

I may try your method for my next pair Myates! I'm eventually going to try out everything so that I can find the best method for myself. Thanks!


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

I have them in a white bucket so it's easier to see in there but any bucket should really work no matter the color. I can just see the bottom better on a white bucket.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

You don't want to go for dark/black buckets as it will be harder to siphon.. white or light tank would be best.


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## DezernGirl (Nov 21, 2012)

I found some white "dish pans" at the dollar tree that I am using now. I kind of took this from the bucket idea. I figured since they were white (and only a dollar) they would be perfect! So far, it seems to be working better than the 10 gallon I was using. It was too small to add a heater, but I sat it inside a 5 gallon shallow (about 5 inches tall) clear storage tub, and added a heater to that container. So the breeding section is heated to 80F by the water inside of the other container. When the fry get old enough I will tip them over into the other body of water so they will have more room. Then when they are much older they will be moved onto the 10 gallon, and then to the 30 gallon until old enough to separate. Also, I didn't overdo the hiding places this time. Just a few baby javas to add some greenery, and an upside down terracotta pot. Honestly, my tubs and setup looks kind of like Elitebetta's on YouTube (and not on purpose either actually, haha). I added a large flat IAL and he blew his nest under it. How do I see when there are eggs? Do I put a tiny mirror under the water to view them? I have one of the tiny round mirrors that dentists use to view teeth, lol. Can I sanitise this and use it? 

Again, thank you all for your help! I'll report my findings and let you all know if it worked! Wish me luck! I have my Blue Green HMPK pair in there now. Can't wait to see how they are doing when I get off work! Maybe I'll have fry soon enough! *fingers crossed*


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## wish4coner (Mar 22, 2013)

I use 3 Gallon Rubbermaid containers. I put Bubble wrap around the area where the bubble nest would be, and put a styrofoam cup under it. I have a heater on the bottom, which is set for 82 degrees. I put IAL in and prime. I have the female in a self-made tall cup (QT 52 oz, cut to size), during the introduction stage. I have a moss ball, and a live plant in there as well. I do syphon the areas I can reach, without touching the bubble nest, by using an air pump line attached to a baster. So far, it's worked. And, usually it's the 3rd day where, the nest is established and the female is waiting, where I open it (I have a lid, loosely set on top), and take her out by hand. I then stress coat her, check for injury and then, after isolation, put her back in the tank.

Dad comes out when he is ready--he does same as female--comes over to where I open it. I scoop him out and put the sponge filter in.


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## DezernGirl (Nov 21, 2012)

Awesome! I used Prime and the Bubble Wrap square too next to his floating leaf and piece of styrofoam (he's got a plenty of options, haha). I've never tried it before now but it looks like it would work pretty well! I already had a huge nest next to it after one night. I think it may have done the trick.


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## wish4coner (Mar 22, 2013)

Yay! Good for you! I just had a good spawn for my first try. I counted around 40 but may be more


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## BeautifulBetta123 (Aug 27, 2012)

I personally like the shock method but you must be careful. Dnt know if anyone has posted this yet.
The full 2 weeks is required, heavy conditioning and lots of water changes. Introduce the male and female after a week of conditioning for only 15 minutes a day for the second week.
Set up the spawn tank with a bit of IAL extract, a pot or other object for the female to hide behind. Stand it up right so she can't be cornered inside. Float a small piece of styrofoam, taped to the edge. Cover the tank with Syran wrap or a plastic bag. Do not disturb them! add the male and female at the same day. The male should build a bubble nest right away and usually in 24-48 hours you will have eggs in the nest. 

Leave the male in until fry are free swimming. 
Conditioning properly is very important because otherwise the male will be too aggressive and not care for the fry properly. 
The female needs to be very submissive.


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