Betta Fish and Betta Fish Care

Posts Tagged ‘Eggs’

Breeding Betta fish at home could be somewhat difficult. Especially with Betta fish, as they tend to be aggressive towards other Bettas. There are many steps you’ll need to follow in order to successfully breed your Betta fish.

You will need to make sure that your fish are at least 5 months old and fully acclimated to their tanks. You must set the male in one tank and the female in another close to each other so they could get used to one another before you bring them together to mate.

Betta fish will initiate to show signs when they are ready to mate; the male will make a bubble nest at the top of his tank where he will eventually place the eggs, and the female can develop colorful stripes.

Your breeding tank should be kept at 80-82 degrees for the baby fish to best survive. You can now place the female in with the male and he will hold her upside down so that she can release her eggs.

Betta fish can release hundreds of eggs, while some have been well-known to release close to a thousand. Her job done, the female will then hide and the male will take over the caring of the young.

It is best to take the mother out of the tank at this point, or the male may view her as a threat to the eggs and may get aggressive towards her.

Once the fish have hatched and are swimming freely, take the male out of the tank as well or he may begin to eat his young and your hard work will have been in vain.

Give the babies about two weeks before you change their water, and be careful that you don’t overfeed them or the tank could become cloudy.

After a couple weeks, you can begin changing the water and separating the fish into other bowls. Now all you will need to do is decide if you want to sell them, or keep them for your family.
About the Author

Bettas have a fairly short lifespan, and are most successful as breeders when they under a year old (bettas in pet shops are usually at least six months old). They breed in bubblenests and do not require a large tank or special equipment.
Most breeders find that a bare bottomed tank of roughly ten gallons works well, although smaller tanks are also suitable.Ideally the fish should be conditioned prior to breeding, by feeding them a diet of live foods. The water should be at a pH of about 7.0, and temperature around 80 or slightly above.

The male will blow an elaborate bubble nest when he is ready to spawn. The female should be provided with a hiding place, as males may become aggressive during courtship. Even with a hiding place, it is common for the female to lose a few scales or have their fins frayed during spawning.

When they are ready to spawn, the pair will display intense coloration and begin circling each other under the bubblenest. The male will wrap himself around the female who has turned on her back. As she expels the eggs, they are fertilized and begin to sink. The male will scoop up the eggs and spit them into the nest. From this point on the male will tend the brood. It is advisable to remove the female, as the male may become aggressive towards her as he tends his young.

The male will continue to tend the bubblenest, spitting eggs that fall out back into the nest. In one to two days the eggs will hatch, and the fry will be visible hanging in the bubblenest with their tails pointing downward. They will feed off their yolk sack for another thirty six hours, during which time the male will continue to pick up any fry that fall out of the nest. The male should be removed within two days after the fry hatch, as they may eat the young once they are free swimming.

The fry should be fed a couple of feedings daily of baby brine shrimp or very fine baby food. Tetra makes a dry mixture specifically for egglaying fish, and many pet shops carry frozen baby brine shrimp. Take care not to overfeed, as the uneaten food will foul the water and can quickly prove lethal to the fry.