It’s necessary to distinguish between adult males and females, but it isn’t always easy to do. It’s important, since two males in close quarters will engage in fish-to-fish combat to the death. They do not get along very well with most different fish either! Very foul in disposition, aren’t they?

Each male should be kept in his own bowl or tank. Two males in the same tank will usually fight until one is dead. Even a male and female should be join togetherexclusively briefly at spawning. Otherwise the male will often treat the female roughly and do permanent damage.

Several females can sometimes be kept in the same tank, give d here is many room. However, there should be more than two females, otherwise one will dominate and continually chase the other female. Some aquatic plants in the tank make it easier for the fish to maintain some separation.

2. Water conditions.

The betta’s native habitat is the vast, shallow freshwater paddies of Southeast Asia. The fish must have access to the surface of the water, since it takes oxygen directly from the atmosphere as well as through their gills. Since they can get oxygen from the surface, they can survive in smaller spaces and poorer condition than other aquarium fish. The little cups that the fish are brought in at a pet store certainly aren’t adequate. They actually do best in clean, filtered water.

 Male fish are often kept in bowls of about one and one-half gallons without supplemental high temperature or oxygen. If kept like this, the water should be changed when it becomes cloudy, every one to two weeks. Or you able to modify about 20 percent of the water every day or two. Then every few weeks completely clean the tank with all the gravel.

The general recommendation’s to allow about three gallons of water per fish. With a ten gallon tank three or four females would have many room. It’s recommended to have a minimum tank size of six gallons so a heater could be used. With smaller tanks a heater can cause more temperature variation than the fish can tolerate. The right water temperature is 75 – 84 degrees F. At those temperatures the fish’ll be quite active.

The fish can do well at 65 – 75 degrees F, though they will not be as active at the lower temperature. Since they aren’t as active at the cooler temperature, the bowls will stay cleaner.

3. Feeding your breeding betta fish.

Bettas are carnivorous, but can usually do well on food labeled for betta fish. The addition of live or frozen blood worms (mosquito larvae) and live or frozen shrimp brine is recommended. Most aquarium bred fish will also accept dried flaked aquarium tropical fish food.

Some breeders recommend black worms as supplemental feed especially for spawning females. Black worms are Lumbriculus variegatus. The worms can be kept in cool, clean, unchlorinated water. Some breeds of fish do not like these worms, but bettas prefer them.

4. Mating betta fish.

Males bettas build a nest of air bubbles for the baby fish or fry.

For spawning, a female is introduced into the male tank. If conditions are right for mating, the male fish will squeeze the female. Eggs will be expelled, then fertilized by the male. The eggs will float into the bubble nest. The female should then be removed to her tank to prevent her injury by the male fish. Even if spawning does not take place, the female should be removed.

The male fish will care for the eggs until the young emerge in  a couple of days.

5. The fry.

The released little fish or fry are very tiny and vulnerable. Most often they are raised in special ponds where they feed on tiny microscopic living creatures. Some have success raising the fry in bowls or aquariums. But the conditions must be right, similar to the usual pond environment.

Related Posts

• June 25, 2009 — Betta fish breeding guide
• June 4, 2009 — How to Make a Betta Fish Tank in a Vase
• June 23, 2009 — Breeding Betta Fish at Home
• June 18, 2009 — Betta in a Bowl or Vase?
• June 17, 2009 — Breeding Betta Fish