# Easiest Way to Breed Bettas?



## animallover4lyfe (Jul 7, 2010)

*I tried breeding but had no success :-( The male would either terrify the female, and the female would hide for days, or the female was ready but they male wasnt! *

*I just purchased a pair yesterday (ill post a picture) and now Im thinking I should try to attempt again!*

*I have a 15 gallon tank and everything needed But i dont know how to go about it this time. Any advice would be appreciated! *


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## Campbell (Apr 12, 2009)

The fact that you're asking such a general question makes me think you're probably not ready to breed. You should have already researched a ton and maybe just have a few specific questions left over.
When will your fish arrive?
What was your original breeding setup?

And I apologize if you really have prepared.


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## animallover4lyfe (Jul 7, 2010)

No no, believe me I have read soo many different sites, and sources on ways to breed. But when I attempted I got so confused and I gave up! The first attempt I had a 15 gallon...with a sponge filter..fake plants, heater set to 78-80. a cup for the male to build his nest, I put the water about less than half way. Conditioned the water, used almond leaves. The first time the male made a bubble nest as big as the 15 gallon no joke, the whole surface was covered.

I obviously put the male in for 3-4 days, waited for him to make a bubble nest which he did. Then I put the female in firstly in a jar, then I tried dividing them with a divider as well. At first the female was interested, and she did have the dot shes apparently suppose to have. So I tried releasing her after a couple days. when I released her she was terrified...she hid in the corner for 3 days. So I removed her started over...The 2nd time she seemed better, she was going over to the bubble nest waiting underneath it, but the male kept chasing her away...and thats when she got scared again and hid in the corner, never coming out. I didnt know what to do after that !

My pair is probably going to come in august sometime, I have lots of time to research more and set the tank up.


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## TheJadeBetta (Mar 31, 2010)

Did you condition them before, well when you were trying to breed? Also, it is best to use live plants.
Did you put the male in first and then waited a few days to put the female in?


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## FloridaBettas239 (Jun 29, 2010)

Are you using IAL? that really help's a lot it help's the bubble nest stick together and not pop at all. Also your temp need's to be 82-86. I breed at 86, but thats just me. The IBC handbook say's 82-84.

What pair did you try to breed last time? Where did you get them from?

Where did you get the pair your going to breed now from?

On your breeding tank are you only filling it up half way?

Then next thing is feding them good food for 2 week's then put them in the spawn tank. Let him start building the nest as he see her, Keep feeding them good food atfer about a week. When she is flaring back that mean's she is ready. Make sure you have plenty of plant's. Also just because there's a little nip fins dont take her out. I put a pair together and on the 7th day i said if they havent spawned yet im taking them out. I went to check on them and they were doing it at last. Eggs every where. Some times a spawn can take a while just because they been together 2 days and nothings happen. Dont take them out.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I agree with everything FB said.

First condition them on frozen or live foods for 2 weeks prior to spawning, don't let them see any other fish or each other.

Put them both in the spawning tank at the same time. Keep the female in a glass jar or breeder trap, etc. Once the male starts to make his bubblenest and the female is barred up and "dancing" you can release her. It can take a while but as long as the female doesn't exhibit stress (horizontal) strips you can leave her in there. A nip here and there and chasing is normal, unless one of them seriously injures the other don't worry too much.

I spawned at 82* within 24hours of putting the pair in the tank. I released the female within 3 hours of being in the tank. I did turn the light off at night which caused them to sleep instead of spawn overnight but some people choose to leave the light on, its a matter of choice and since it was my first spawn I was hoping to see it. The pair spawned mid morning the next day.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Your male sounds over aggressive. In your case, try using plenty of hiding places for the female to escape to; preferably plenty of live plants, concentrated at one half of the tank (away from the nest) then reduce the plants after they've spawned. Or you could use dull objects that can easily be removed once they've spawned. Personally, I would use live plants.

Some females easily get scared after a few bites. These females are more difficult to breed and often get beaten up pretty badly. But that's normal, it's their nature. You can try leaving her floating a little longer. 

My question is; is the female really ready to spawn? Is she "dance" swimming like the male complete with spawning bars or is she flaring back in fighting mode? If she is ready, you need to give them more time. But if she isn't, you should remove her. 

Btw, gorgeous betta. If I may make a suggestion, get a female that is a super delta or better yet, a perfect HM with anal fins equal in length with the tail fin (like the male). IME - Rounded tail females often produces RT instead of perfect HM. And longer anal fins will also be passed on to the offspring. 

Good luck.


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## animallover4lyfe (Jul 7, 2010)

TheJadeBetta, Yes I conditioned the male and female for 2 weeks. And yes I put the male in the tank for 2-3 days and then put the female in a jar for another 2-3 days.

FloridaBettas, whats IAL? The pair I attempted with was from aquabid, and same with the pair I am getting now sometime in august. They are "Breeding pairs".

Indjo, Thank you! I can;t wait to get these two! And thanks for the suggestion, I am going to look for more females 


Thank you everyone for your advice/suggestions!


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## Campbell (Apr 12, 2009)

IAL stands for indian almond leaf


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## animallover4lyfe (Jul 7, 2010)

Then yes, I used a indian almond leaf.


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## FloridaBettas239 (Jun 29, 2010)

I just wanted to see where you got them from. Because pet store, and older bettas will give you problems. 
It sounds like to me you didn't introduce the pair correct. Conditioning is not where you let the bettas see each other, it's where you feed them really good food for a period of time. Introducing the pair is really important. You could get a dead fish. A ripped up fish. And nobody wants that.
It sounds like your on the right track, and are almost there. You just need to introduce them better. Just feed them good food for 2 weeks. The put them in the breeding tank, still divided feed them for the 3rd week as they see each other, for that whole 3rd week he should have a bubble nest. If he has a respectable nest and she has bar's on her not strips. Bars like vertical. And she should be flaring back at him. At this point they are ready. 
You can let her go and cover the tank where they don't see you walking around. That is a big thing, when they see everything going on around them plus they see you, and they think about food because when you come around they get food. So you need to cover the tank and give them there privacy, check on them every now and again. If one of them is getting beat up to bad then pull them out. Just remember there is going to be fin nipping going on so don't see that and remove them. Just peak in and check on them. 
But don't get fustrated, breeding is supposed to be peaceful and relaxing.


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## animallover4lyfe (Jul 7, 2010)

Thanks Florida Betta for all your advice. One question when I "condition" them what are the best foods? And does that mean I stop feeding them their pellets or do I feed both?


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## FloridaBettas239 (Jun 29, 2010)

Yeah stop feeding pellets, (best foods) are live foods like, fruit flys, brine shrimp etc... Just google search live foods for betta fish. Anyway you don't have to give them live food I feed frozen brine shrimp & blood worms. You feed one in the A.M and the other in the P.M. So it's not the same thing everyday. But there's just something about live food that bring out the best in bettas, they spawn easy. A couple times I have used wing less fruit flys. And they were ready to spawn in 2 days, not only that the fish are really healthy. And I only lost 2 fry from that spawn. And everyone grew up fast and healthy. Live food is the way to go but you don't have to.


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## Maryrox247 (Aug 10, 2009)

I use freeze dried bloodworms and the occasional guppy or platy fry. (my culled fry)


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