12/10/2021
How to properly breed Betta Fish.
Pair should be of the same color and same tail type.
Before you introduce the pair, make sure you gave them proper conditioning by feeding them live food with high protein like mosquito larvae, tubiflex or Daphnia. The reason for this is to ensure they have the energy and strength for the breeding process, since you will not feed them while they are mating.
Pairing Procedure:
Put the male Betta first on the breeding tank and have him own the place which usually take an hour. No need for acclimation since by now, the water temperature in your area should be the same. After an hour or so, introduce the female Betta to the male. Place the female on a cut out plastic bottle (I used the top portion of a 1.5 Liter Coke bottle) and put it in the breeding tank. This will ensure that the female will jot be harmed while on the process of courtship (yes, Betta males will court the females before they...) Cover the breeding tank (privacy, yeah....) and leave them for about 24 hours. After 24hrs, you may release the female from her cut out bottle to join the male. I usually check the male if he already built a bubble nest, this is my indication that both are ready to mate. Eggs will usually be layed within 24 to 48 hours after you release the female Betta.
Once the female is done laying eggs (you can tell she is done when she is already swimming in a corner and the male is busy around the bubble nest), you can remove her from the breeding tank. Leave the male Betta inside the breeding tank to take care of the eggs. This usually take about 2 to 3 days. You can remove the male from the breeding tank once the Betta fries (baby betta) is free swimming (self explanatory, lol!)
Egg hatching usually take 24 to 48 hours after being layed.
Once the fry are free swimming, you can now feed them baby brine shrimp. Feed them twice a day but make sure you feed them correctly. Too much food will pollute the tank in no time. I introduced Apple Snails on my breeding tank for this as well.
After 10 days to 2 weeks and if you see they are bigger, you can transfer them to a grow out tank. A grow out tank usually is bigger. Examples would be Ref tub, 50 gals aquarium, MegaBox (yes, storage box), lundry tub (batya, make sure your wife will not uae it for her laundry), etc.
Once they reached a length of about .75 inch, you can then feed them tubiflex or on my end, mosquito larvae.
To ensure growth and health of your Betta fries, water quality and food quality should always be the tip priority.
Hope this helps. Happy fish keeping!!!
A personal blog about my Betta Fish hobby as well as some tips on how to take care of and breeding Betta fishes.