The spawning process is interesting, yet it appears to have no order to the inexperienced eye. Fortunately for everyone, there is a pattern, and while I used to be unable to predict when a pair would spawn, I now know when they will almost surely spawn the day before they do. We’ll get to the behavior in a moment, but first you must understand how to introduce the pair.
Image Credits: Hristo Hristov
Contents
Betta Fish Breeding: A Step-by-Step Guide to Spawning
Betta breeding may be time-consuming and costly. Betta may lay over 500 eggs in a single spawn, which means you’ll have over 300 juveniles to care for if the majority of them survive! You must plan ahead of time and be clear about your objectives and aims for this spawning activity. Large-scale breeding for supply necessitates a significant commitment of time, space, and money.
Breeding betta is quite difficult to generate a profit on due to the high starting and supply expenses, therefore this should not be your objective for a long time. Do you want to work in genetics, supply a local pet store, or compete in a breeding show?
Or are you simply a betta fan who wants to take your passion to the next level? When attempting to breed any animal, having as much knowledge about the species as possible is essential. You must educate yourself about betta care and reproduction. If you follow our instructions, you may simply breed betta fish at home. So let’s get started with a step-by-step instruction in 6 phases on how to breed a betta fish! Before that, check out this lovely video of betta fish breeding!
1. Making Your Betta Species Choice
Before you buy a betta, think about how old it is. At least 3.5 months old and an inch in length or longer. Man sexuality is largely focused on females until a male achieves maturity (age 2 to 3 months).
Because females mature sexually sooner than males, females must be at least 3 months old before they can reproduce. When they mate, they wrap their bodies around their female partner.
As a result, the male must be bigger than the female!
2. To Setup of a breeder fish tank is the second phase.
You may require:
- a 10-gallon tank that is empty (be equipped with a removable divider and a few hiding places) Set the 25-watt heater at 80°F (27°C).
- A programmable filter (such as a sponge filter with a gang valve). There is a lot of Christmas moss and Indian
- Almond Leaf (only available online)
- The tank well is wrapped in plastic wrap (preferably siblings)
- The presence of substrate in your breeding tank, like as gravel, may result in egg dispersion. Use 5″ – 6″ of water that is free of pollutants, parasites, and potentially harmful microorganisms.
- You’ll also need to build a building that allows the female to flee or seek refuge from the male.
- Plants should be placed on one side of the tank to achieve this. The framework is meant to provide a way of escape and safety for the female in the event that she has to distance herself from an unduly aggressive suitor. As a result, the male may murder the female during the mating process.
3. Third Phase: Observing Behavior
You may either put them in different containers or put them next to each other with a divider.
You must also be able to construct a non-transparent barrier that you may employ as needed to do this. This barrier might be something opaque that keeps them from seeing one other.
Remove the non-transparent barrier every three days to see how the pair interacts with each other.
If they’re ready to breed, you’ll see a frenzied reaction from them, as if they’re “clashing” in each other’s presence.
The male will swim about flaring and creating a bubble nest, but the female has black vertical stripes on her body (usually visible only on dark colored betta females).
4. The fourth phase is the preparation.
Preheat the oven to 76-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the couple to be fed on a daily basis for a week or two before introducing them to their mating tank. Increasing feeding is critical since it is required for the mating process. Overfeeding results in a disease known as “dropsy,” in which the fish’s body expands and the scales stand on edge. Curing this disease is difficult. Every week, half of the water is changed. Every time you replace the tank water, add 14 tsp non-iodized salt to each 10 gallons. Tannins can also be added to your water change. There are a plethora of alternatives accessible.
Allow a tea bag to soak in the tank until the water turns light to medium brown. The tea can be brewed ahead of time and allowed to cool to the same temperature as your aquarium.
You may also add tannins to the tank by microwaving a dried brown leaf for 30 seconds to kill any bacteria before adding it. Using a medicine dropper, add the tea to the tank. Placing the escape structure near the filter is a good idea. In this fashion, the filter permits the female to hide and escape, while simultaneously providing a supply of oxygenated water for the female to recover from all of the chases and bites she would typically experience throughout the spawning process. Place the heater and spawning area diagonally across from the filter and escape structure. Where will the eggs hatch and the pair mate? Place the desired spawning location diagonally across from the filter to ensure that there is no water flow in the area.As a platform for his bubble nest, the male utilizes a Styrofoam cup or a piece of waxed paper. My favorites include dried leaf and/or a floating water sprite plant. The dried leaf serves as a bubble nest platform as well as a tannin source for the breeding couple. To help induce spawning, add extra tea bags to the spawning tank. The leaves of the water sprite provide as a natural platform for the male’s bubble nest, while its roots feed both the fry and the infusoria population. Toxins in the water, such as ammonia and nitrites, can be absorbed by the water sprite.
Male bettas will bubble nest under duckweed as well. Reduce the tank’s water level to 4 to 6 inches so that the male does not have to waste as much energy hunting for the eggs that are tumbling in the tank.
Phase 5: Introduce the Mating Pair and Spawning
Mating couples should be introduced one at a time rather than all at once. In most situations, I recommend beginning with the female and positioning her behind a transparent barrier so that the male can see her. A clear soda bottle with the bottom cut off might serve as this transparent barrier. Place the male in a part of the tank where he won’t be able to view the female.
Allow the man to find his partner in his new circumstances.
Preheat the oven to 82-82 degrees Fahrenheit. This increase in temperature will entice them to reproduce. When the male notices his companion, he should indicate his interest by flaring his fins.
A female should respond by exhibiting vertical marks on her body, raising her fins, or expressing her desire to mate. If this does not occur, add additional tannins. There is no need to be concerned about tannins entering the water. Tannins are not toxic. When they exhibit this behavior, wait until the male is out of sight before releasing the female. Discovery increases the odds of a successful spawn.
Spawning will start between 48 and 72 hours. If you follow the procedures outlined above, they will appear 99.9% of the time. If they don’t, try putting an additional female into the tank and mutating one of the partnered individuals. Completely completing this process. An additional female should be added to the tank to stimulate the bettas’ natural aggressive nature. Many fish breeders have noticed that each fish has a favorite companion. There are just a few guys that will interact with one girl, while there are many males who are interested in another. It is reported that changing the female causes the eggs to hatch in two days. Day and night illumination is recommended from the moment the mating pair is introduced until the fry are free swimming. One school of thought argues that continuous light aids in spawning and also cares for the eggs until they hatch.
Post-spawning processes are covered in Phase 6.
Remove the female when the spawning has finished.
When you observe the female depart the bubble nest after she has placed all of the eggs, it means the operation is complete. That tank must be drained on the same day that the spawning is completed. If she is hungry, she will be tempted to eat the eggs to restore her lost energy.
This man will be here for 5 days to take care of the fry. Simply increasing the water level will enough.
Enjoy!
References: https://www.leaffin.com/betta-fish-breeding/
Image Sources:
https://web.archive.org/web/20161104070422if_/https://www.petshop-zoomania.com/BETA,%20Colisa,Gourami/21.%20Bettas%20Spawning.jpg
https://web.archive.org/web/20180108230552if_/https://www.petshop-zoomania.com/BETA,%20Colisa,Gourami/18.%20Bettas%20Spawning.jpg
https://web.archive.org/web/20161104070848if_/https://www.petshop-zoomania.com/BETA,%20Colisa,Gourami/16.%20Bettas%20Spawning.jpg
https://web.archive.org/web/20161104130645if_/https://www.petshop-zoomania.com/BETA,%20Colisa,Gourami/12.%20Bettas%20Spawning.jpg
https://web.archive.org/web/20161104074433if_/https://www.petshop-zoomania.com/BETA,%20Colisa,Gourami/11.%20Bettas%20Spawning.jpg
https://web.archive.org/web/20161104073927if_/https://www.petshop-zoomania.com/BETA,%20Colisa,Gourami/10.%20Bettas%20Spawning.jpg
https://web.archive.org/web/20161104073531if_/https://www.petshop-zoomania.com/BETA,%20Colisa,Gourami/09.%20Bettas%20Spawning.jpg
https://web.archive.org/web/20170715160459if_/https://www.petshop-zoomania.com/BETA,%20Colisa,Gourami/07.Bettas%20Spawning.jpg