About Breeding Beta Fish
If you are interested in breeding beta fish, you need to set up a tank with the necessary equipment and conditions for breeding. Consider the possibility, you may hatch several hundred betas that need to be accommodated until you find homes. There are many methods and theories about the best ways to breed betas. Use these basic steps and study breeding for success around the corner.
Condition the breeding pair with high quality foods at two weeks before spawning in a private tank from other fish.
Set up the spawning tank. Preferably a 10-gallon equipped with heater, full hood including lights, thermometer, and sponge/corner filter. Fill the aquarium with five inches of water and treat with dechlorinator, Aquari-Sol and Stress Zyme. Place plants and the filter on the left of the tank and a glass chimney in the middle. Cut a Styrofoam cup lengthwise and tape one half to the front corner on the right side. Insert a heater in the center towards the rear of the tank, set at 80 degrees and insert the thermometer.
Introduce the male beta to the tank and leave him alone for several hours or a whole day to acclimate to the tank. Place the female beta inside the glass chimney so the pair are separated, but can still see each other. The male will begin to build his bubble nest on the underside of the Styrofoam cup. The nest will contain the eggs, which will hatch into fry.
Release the female from the glass chimney when she shows signs of being ready and the male is done building the nest. You will know a female is ready to spawn when she swims with her head down, her belly is round and full with eggs and vertical stripes appear on her body.
Watch the mating dance begin. Each fish may chase the other and flare fins and nip each other. If it gets too rough separate the fish and discontinue breeding.
Spawning takes place when the male embraces and squeezes the female, releasing eggs from her body. The male takes all the eggs and places them in the bubble nest. When they have finished remove the female. The male cares for all the eggs until hatching.
Hatching occurs 24 to 36 hours after they have been laid. Fry become free swimming in 48 to 72 hours. The male is removed after the babies are free swimming.
- Feed small fry after they have eaten all their egg sacs. Food size and types will have to be adjusted as they grow in size. Use microworms, vinegar eels, live brine shrimp eggs and eventually flaked food.