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My New Project

zackcrack00

zackcrack00

Members
So, after the tank I wanted was sold, and the other tank my dear mother decided would be "too much of a hassle" to get in the house, I can't get mbuna or peacocks. So, I thought about what has been on my list of things to attempt to breed, and I got it. Bettas.

When I first got into the hobby, I completely failed at spawning crowntail bettas 3 times. I decided that now I will try again, this time with HalfMoons. Here is the male I picked up off of Aquabid earlier this evening.

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_closed_item&fwbettashm1374452828

Isn't he gorgeous?
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
I know nothing about bettas, or how difficult they are to breed. But if you succeed (and we're a cichlid club, so we're not a great audience for your babies), where are you thinking you'd sell them?
 
verbal

verbal

CCA Members
Generally bettas are considered not terribly difficult to spawn. The first trick is conditioning the potential parents. The second is to manage the aggression of the male so the female(s) does not get too beat up.

Raising the young can be a bit tricky. They produce a good number of eggs and fry, so I would only attempt to pull 20 initially. If you see any deformed fry you will want to cull those. Also when you start to see color you want to select down to your 10 best. I would be pickier with the males, since those each need their own container.

As you gain experience you can up the number of fry you start with initially, but you really probably should only have 5 to 10 keepers from one batch.
 
zackcrack00

zackcrack00

Members
My LFS is interested in them. And a question: How do I culture infusoria? If you look at the picture, I want that clear around the edges bigger, and the fins larger. That's what I'm trying for.
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
Your getting some good advice from Jesse!
Since so few LFS in the area take stock from hobbyists anymore (oh, how I miss Tropical Fish World!), where have you find willing to take your fish?
 
dogofwar

dogofwar

CCA Members
I actually started with fancy bettas (back in the day).

The IBC (International Betta Congress) is (or at least was) a great resource. Same with FAMA articles by Dr. Gene Lucas (i'm sure there's an archive online somewhere).

Once you get the basics of breeding B. splendens down, you can start worrying about genetics and developing particular lines with desired traits.

Breedingg them is not really not hard, especially if you start with quality, young stock.

Some advice:
  • Keep a basin of aged tap water and change betta bowls (nearly) every day. Fresh water, good food, warmth is what they need.
  • Feed lots of live food to breeders (worms)
  • Condition your fish outside of the breeding set-up and introduce them (male first so he can build a bubble nest) when they're ready. I used to introduce the female inside a glass lamp cover for inspiration for the male.
  • Have you infusoria reads for breeding. A piece of rotten lettuce in some tank water in a window for a week will yield plenty...
  • Have a grow out tank for fry ready. I used a 20H to grow out spawns of bettas from about 1/2" to 1.5" or so. They grow pretty unevenly and males will start fighting at about 1.5-2" (and will need to be separately jarred or othrwise housed). Females are OK together unless separated and reunited (at least in my experience).
  • Be prepared to cull heavily - most offspring won't be attractive. My frontosas ate plenty of bettas. I'm sure that plenty of folks in the club have hungry predators that would enjoy baby bettas!
Good luck and start looking for Mason jars and the like at Garage sales! If you breed bettas, you'll need plenty :)

Matt
 
zackcrack00

zackcrack00

Members
Here is my plan:

Buy a male and female. Put male in 5, and female in the 29 in a breeder box. Condition with Bloodworms and blackworms. Put male in 29, he builds a nest. Release female. Mate. Remove female into a bowl/jar and feed. Keep male in until fry are free-swimming. Remove male into 5 because he will be my "breeder", and I will frequently get new females And maybe a new male, feed infusoria fire 2 weeks, and then slowly translate to microworms and BBS as a treat. Grow them in the 29. Sell. Done. I will buy a bunch of jars and stuff and fill them and change water 2ce a week.
 
spazmattik

spazmattik

Members
did you get to attend mark denaros presentation? I think this video is essentially what he explained, except in his case he had the female in a mason jar filled to the brim already inside the males tank and noted that the female would jump over the wall when she is ready. are you going to get a female half moon with similar colors?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBclr753j30
 
zackcrack00

zackcrack00

Members
spazmattik said:
did you get to attend mark denaros presentation? I think this video is essentially what he explained, except in his case he had the female in a mason jar filled to the brim already inside the males tank and noted that the female would jump over the wall when she is ready. are you going to get a female half moon with similar colors?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBclr753j30
Click to expand...


I'm gonna really try. Only petco sells Female HMs. I am going on Monday to get my 4 breeding pairs (1 Blue, 1 Red, and 1 green CrownTails, and A pair of Cambodian Veiltails) and a red and pink/white female HM that I hope they have.
 
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