A
bare bottomed tank, ten gallons or so is sufficient but, if need
be, you can
get away with smaller tanks. However, you must condition the
Betta fish before breeding. This is not complicated and simply
involves introducing them and feeding your Bettas with live foods.
To introduce your Bettas place each fish in adjoining containers where
they can see each other. (the male will usually say something like "
So, you hang out here often"...) Use either separate jars or a
barrier so that they can not intermingle. This should last between 3 to
10 days depending on their state of readiness. Once introductions have
been made you can place them in the breeding tank together.
The breeding tank should be about 5 inches deep. Place a large leaf or
a piece of foam in it to aid the male in building the bubble nest.
Note
Several readers have sent emails asking which fish should be bred and
how to tell when the fish are ready. In general you should select a
pair that has the color and shape that most appeals to you. The
male should always be larger than the female and you might want to
choose one that has a great deal of energy with a vibrant color.
The male is ready as soon as he starts making his bubble nest. The
female will have a distended stomach culminating at the ovipositor.
(white egg spot protruding from her abdomen) You will also see verticle
stripes on the females flanks when she is ready to spawn. (If the
stripes are horizontal this is a sign of stress) The female is capable
of holding upwards of 500 eggs.
Notice the White
Egg Spot (Ovipositor)
You should test your water's acidity. Ideally you want a PH level of
about 7.0. The temperature of the tank should be 23 C or slightly
higher (80 F).
When ready to spawn, the male Betta will blow a bubble nest. (This
should take 1 - 2 days) Be
sure to provide the female Betta with a place that she can hide
in. (Placing plants in the tank will provide shelter) This is to
protect her from the male who can become aggressive
during the courtship period. ( Men... sheesh!!)
It is not unusual for the female Betta to lose a few scales or have
her fins
frayed during spawning. (poor dear) Spawning will cause both male and
female Bettas
to
display intense colors and begin circling each other under the
bubblenest.
Next, the female betta will turn over and the male Betta will
wrap himself around her as she expels the eggs. Don't be alarmed if at
times the female gets lethargic and floats to
the top, this is hard work for her and can be exhausting. The whole
process will be repeated several times until the female has finished
laying her eggs.The eggs are fertilized
and will sink to the bottom of the tank.This is when the male Betta
takes over. He will scoop up the eggs in his mouth and carry them
into the bubble nest. The male will tend to the brood from here
on.
You should remove
the female as soon as the male drives her from the nest. (Do this
carefully so you do not disturb the nest) The male can become
quite aggressive
towards her as he tends
his young.
Any eggs that fall out of the nest will be put back by the male. Within
a day or two the eggs will hatch and you will see the
fry hanging from the nest, tails pointed downward. The fry are fed, for
the next day or two, from their yolk sack. If the fry fall out of
the nest during this time the male Betta will continue to put
them back in the nest.
The fry will start to swim in 3 - 4 days. When the fry begin to swim
freely, you
should remove the male or he will begin to eat them. ( alas... it's a
fish eat fish world) I digress...
Feed the fry twice daily. Use baby brine shrimp, daphnia
or very fine baby food. You can use a Tetra dry mixture specifically
designed for
egglaying fish. Most pet shops carry frozen baby brine shrimp.
When the fry reach 2 weeks you can begin small water changes but do be
careful as the fry are still very small.
Remember - do not overfeed your fish. The excess food will foul the
water and can
quickly prove lethal to the fry.
