About to go for my first time betta breeding?

Question

OK, so I got a betta male on Thursday. This morning, he made a bubble nest and I started thinking that maybe I should try breeding once. But my head is spinning and I dunno where to start:
My betta male is pretty small and not very colorful, so he's probably pretty young (right?). And he made his nest pretty quickly, which means he's probably being fed well and in good water condition (right?). Also, he's in a bowl, not a tank, and I also need a tank size.
On the 26th (because stores are closed tomorrow) I'm most likely going to buy a female for him. I'll put them in the same bowl (is that safe? Or should I buy a tank and put them together and put some toys in for her to hide?). After they've chased each other, gotten her eggs fertilized, etc. I'll take her out and put her in a separate bowl. Here's where it gets tough: I don't want THAT many betta babies. I'm going to have to take some of the eggs out. How many is safe if I don't have too many people to give them too? More in a sec.

I think I'm going to keep about 2 of the males and give away the rest. Actually, now that I think about it, I think I'll have to start the whole process when I get a bit more acclimated to just this one. Maybe next month. But still, I want to get my questions over with. What supplies am I going to need? Can I just have someone take me through the whole process? =P Somebody gimme a website or something!!! Help :( And I HAVE done quite a bit of research (which is how I got that much of the process typed out) so I'm not as underprepared as I feel... right? X.x Anyonee help!

Answer 1

I'm sorry, but after reading your post, I do not feel you are ready in any way to undertake this process, and you don't have the quality fish that you should have to even think of breeding. Anyone who encourages this with the fish you describe and all the unanswered questions you have should not be doing so, ESPECIALLY if they say they are betta breeders too. I'm going to give you a couple of really good websites to check out that can help you with this. IF you decide to do this, you had better have a LOT of MONEY and a lot of time as it is time AND money consuming. It is NOT easy to do and it's not just add the 2 fish together. They have to be "conditioned" and with research you would know this. It takes about 2 weeks to condition a male and female for breeding. If you throw them in together they will most likely kill each other.

Just because your fish is building a bubble nest does not mean he has to breed. He is just "practicing" as they all do. Mine has a bubble nest constantly and I've had him about 2 years. I have 4 of them and have never bred because you need HIGH QUALITY fish, and a LOT of knowledge about spawning them.

What you are talking about doing I feel is wrong (by taking eggs before they even get a chance to hatch). IF you are going to undertake this, you need to do it the RIGHT way and all the way, not half the way. You do not seem committed to it as you have proven that by making the statements you have about "not having many" and your other questions. AND, if you cannot get rid of them, you had better have a lot of tanks as they cannot stay together for long! THIS is why you need to research this WAY more. If you were to do it, you really need to get people interested in taking them BEFORE you breed or you are going to get stuck with all these fish that need SEPARATE housing (and I don't mean plastic cups!).

I would hate for you to make a mistake because you think you've researched a lot, but from what I'm reading, you haven't gotten even 1/4 of it. People that breed Betta's have extensive knowledge and have done extensive research to get the quality fish they get. You CANNOT keep them in the same tank after a little while or they will kill each other also.

I'm not trying to be mean, I'm really not, please know that. I love Betta's, as I love all my fish, and I would hate to see you do something you are going to regret. Please please please check out these websites BEFORE you do anything, I BEG you.

http://www.bettatalk.com/spawning_setup.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2002252_breed-betta-fish.html

Try breeding livebearers first like Platys and Mollies!! They are easy and fun!

Happy Holidays and Good luck!! ;o)

PS: In my experience, chainstores will not buy OR take fish off people's hands as it is too much of a risk for them, and especially even moreso if they aren't beautiful and unique. PLUS, if you are only breeding "store bought run of the mill" Betta's that you paid $3.99 for, no one will want them anyway. When people breed bettas they breed EXPENSIVE bettas that are show quality, or ones that are put together nice enough and pretty enough to breed. You're saying your male is small and not real colorful, why would you even WANT to breed him? The bettas you find in the pet stores are NOT usually breeding quality. You want to breed BEAUTIFUL, BRIGHTLY COLORED fish with awesome finnage. Not a little dull colored fish. And again, a bubble nest does not mean he has to or wants to breed, it means he's following his instinct, that's all. Take it as a sign you are taking good care of him!

Answer 2

Hmm, okay, it looks like you've done quite a bit of research.

Breeding tanks should typically be about 10 gallons. They don't need 10 gallons of water, but in a breeding tank the water should be shallow, about 6 inches deep only. So, since the water is shallow, the footprint of the tank needs to be quite big so that the male betta, and later the fry, are still in a decent amount of water.

Don't put the male and female together yet. You need to keep them separately for at least two weeks, while you condition them. Conditioning is basically getting the female and male used enough to each other that they don't start killing each other on sight. It is a way to achieve temporary peace between them - it's only temporary, but it is usually long enough for the spawn to take place. You can read more about that, and breeding, here:

http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/breeding/kick_beta-breeding.html

About the fry: you will have a lot of them. Think about a hundred. You will need to separate the males as well. Some pet stores will take betta fry, but ONLY after they have actually grown to a fairly large size, not when they are in the fry stage.

Answer 3

First off,buy a good book on Bettas and their spawning requirements. If you had just bought a female and thrown her in with a male,he surely would have killed her. A female must be in spawning condition,preferably with her spawning tube displayed. If the female is not in spawning condition,he will try to drive her away,and since there's no place to go in a small enclosure he winds up killing the female.
No-one will set here and type a book for you,so just buy one,you have an awful lot to learn before attempting a spawn.
Oddly enough, the first thing that you need to know is how to feed the fry. They are so small that their first food must be microscopic. You first job is to learn how to culture infusoria,and how to keep infusoria cultures alive. This involves starting back-up cultures to assure a steady supply of first food. This food is only required for the first couple of days (3 or 4) after the fry digest their yolk sacs. But if you can't supply this food in a timely manner,your fry will be sickly and of poor quality.
Next you must learn how to maintain and condition your breeders. This involves learning how to maintain excellent water conditions,and for the best results,culturing live foods for the adult fish. This will provide the quickest route to well conditioned breeders.
You really have little choice in how many fry will be hatched,messing with the fish while they are spawning will probably result in injuries.
So for now spend your money on books about spawning egglayers,and raising their fry,and culturing live foods. If, like most beginners in Betta culture,you begin with the bubblenest,you will first lose a couple of females (by introducing them at the wrong times),then lose a couple of batches of fry (because you won't be ready to feed them ),then either finally succeed or give up. This will result in a few hundred dead fish,unnecessarily and a lot of heart break for the beginning Betta breeder. Buy the book tomorrow,and let the female live for a while. OK? Good luck and have fun with your fish.

Answer 4

Seems like you've already done plenty of research.
After the fish are "done" the boy fish will take the eggs to the bubble nest. The female needs to be in another tank after they are "done", or they will hurt each other. The male does all the work by watching over the fry.
Here is a link:
http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/bettas/betta_breeding.htm

Answer 5

Yep,or he could'wild type'yes he sounds happy&is showing sighns of wanting to breed.Any tank will do,actually there are various methods&the American is the tank way,they are spawned well in bowls(a bit big)They do best(if in tank,lower the water)6inchs(yep,true)water&you will need heater if you live overseas.Do not put them together untill you prepare/condition them(feeding,seperation ect)this is best done for two weeks before trying to spawn,(best if they do not see each other this period(or through partition)
It is actually suggested by most show breeders to sacrafice(throw)1/2the spawn(i can't)this ensures the best chances/health&growth for the remaining fry.But to be truelly honest it is unlikely that you would have all(even1/2)survive to young fish(this bears no reflection on breeder)just the different growth stages of fry)Many fry are lost@wk3(when labarynth forms/complete)as just one cool breath of air F-CKs this process(tank water temp&room air temp must be the same)this is imperative.
If she is a virgin fish,first few may be small(only get bigger)they can have just 50-300,where as when older/bigger 350-1000.But you cant just remove eggs(this may stree male so much so,it will not breed again/or worse will only kill females)
You can always sell to or get instore credit(food/supplies for fish&fish too)for surplus fighters(but you will have to raise4-6mnth till sexable&salable in size.
In your case,dont breed them(why if you dont want to do all the work?)+it's cruel to make them spawn just for some twisted exercise.
Geez there's so much to tell,IF YOU WERE REALLY SERIUSE but not enough time&space.
Hope it helped,plse contact me if i can be any help about the breeding/raising bettas&fry+fry foods/cultures(feeding/making)
Good luck with your new guys..Choice hobby man!!
MERRY X-MAS

Answer 6

I discovered something stunning approximately Bettas that i'm passing directly to you. do you recognize that bettas are relatively no longer an aggressive fish and that once you get them you are able to retame them to be very dosile even around different fish. We did. Bettas have been first bred to be in betta fights that are banned now in lots of states and engaged on being banned virtually everywhere, in simple terms like **** and canines scuffling with is. For some reason they nevertheless are available those dinky dishes on the puppy shops. Betta's are stored in those dinky little fish bowls for the objective of arising them aggressive through fact they do in contrast to small enclosed environments. through fact it is transforming into outlawed, i don't understand why they do no longer quit putting them in the small bins. in case you ought to make your betta doscile, first get a 10 gallon tank and placed it into the tank for a era of one month by employing itself. then you definitely can introduce it right into a larger tank that has some lady bettas in it... ie 20 gal. and enable them to be for somewhat. examine up on the ambience that works ideal for breeding bettas and make your lady tank that ecosystem. We finally placed all of them right into a 50 gal. tank that had different fish into it besides bettas and that all of them lived very thankfully collectively. there have been various matings till now we gave our tank to our nephew as a present through fact he develop into so facinated with them. He nevertheless has the tank and all of the fish are superb, residing collectively in simple terms superb. whilst the babies have been born, we took them out of the tank so as that they does no longer be eaten by employing the different fish as nutrition. Then whilst they have been sufficiently huge, we gave them away in pairs to neighbor babies.