Some will directly swim up to the male with their heads down and fins clamped to show her submissiveness; others will charge the nest, banners flaring, and challenge the male to spawn. Pro Tip: If at any point, you feel very concerned about your females safety because of how aggressive the male is being — take her out. Pro Tip: For first-timers, this may take a few attempts before they get it right.

You remember your first time? Not the smoothest or process, eh? Your male will then release her and allow her some time to recover minutes before they do it again. The purpose of this embrace is to place the ventrals close to each other to improve the chance of fertilization. When your female recovers, she may help your male put the eggs in the nest. However, some females will eat the eggs, so watch carefully and remove her if she is. I recommend taking her out of the tank as soon as she has woken up, because your male will now see her as a threat and could try to kill her.

Pro Tip: Bettas need privacy and sometimes will not spawn if the light it on. Having Almond leaves will darken your tanks water, helping them feel more comfortable. Over the nest hours, your male will spend all of his time attending to the eggs: mouthing them and blowing more bubbles.

Your fry will hang tail-down for the first few days, and slowly start taking on a horizontal swimming position. You can click here coming soon to see our guide on how to successfully raise Betta fry. Thanks Betta Lover Dee. Hello Dee, thank you for your comment. You can breed different tail types but the chance of the fry will have a crossed tails between a veil and a crown tail or etc.

But thing I want to know about colors of babies. Is there any format that can maintain the body colors of babies. Awaiting for your reply. Hey, thank you for taking the time to comment. There are many factors in genetics, depending on which genes are dominant and recessive. In terms of dominance of genes, there are four types:. Homozygous dominant 2. Homozygous recessive 3. Heterozygous 4. You need to understand the genotypes of your female and male betta.

By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Explore this Article parts. Things You'll Need. Tips and Warnings.

Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Learn as much as possible. When attempting to breed any animal, it is important to know as much as you can about the species. Research betta care and breeding. There are many great websites and books. More than eggs can come from a single spawn, meaning that you could end up caring for more than betta fish if most survive!

You need to know beforehand what you want to get out of the experience. Or are you simply in love with bettas and want to take your hobby to the next level?

Breeding for show or supply is a big undertaking that will require a large investment of time, space, and money. Due to the high start-up and supply costs, it is very difficult to make a profit breeding bettas, so this should not be your goal for some time. Set up your permanent tanks. When you are ready to try breeding, you need to first prepare to bring your breeding pair home. Set up two tanks as shown in Set Up a Betta Tank.

Be sure to cycle the water in both tanks before bringing home any fish. Obtain a breeding pair. Bettas breed best when they are young, so you will have the most success if you find a reputable breeder either online or in your area to purchase a pair from. If you are able to find a breeder in your area, they can also be an invaluable source of information. Make sure the male and female are about the same size, and consider getting two pairs in case the first pairing doesn't work out.

Part 2. Let them settle in. It's best to have your bettas for a few months before you start breeding to allow them to adapt to their environment. Remember, however, that males breed best when they are no more than 14 months old. Plan to breed them when you have a long, uninterrupted stretch of free time. Make sure you don't have any vacations, business trips, or high-stress events coming up.

Set up your breeding tank. The breeding tank should be 5—10 gallons Never add gravel or other substrate to the breeding tank because the eggs will get lost when they fall to the bottom. Only fill this tank with 5"-6" of water, and set it up where there are few distractions, such as other fish, bright colors, and human activity. Start feeding live food when you are ready to breed them.

Live brine shrimp or bloodworms are the best bet, but other worms, crickets, roaches, and other insects cut up will also work. It's a good idea to raise these yourself or purchase them from a pet store or breeder to avoid the bacteria, dirt, and chemicals that wild insects could be carrying. If live food is unavailable, you can also try frozen or freeze-dried brine shrimp and bloodworms.

Begin raising fry food. Betta fry are very small, and only eat live food, so you will need a supply of very very small live food to feed them when they are ready. Start now to be sure you have a good supply in a few weeks when you need it.

Microworms are probably the best food, but some breeders prefer infusoria or vinegar eels. Baby brine shrimp can also be fed, but only in moderation alongside another food source, as too much may cause swim bladder disorder.

Introduce the pair. When the live food cultures are going strong and the breeding pair has been eating live food for a week or two, you are ready to introduce your bettas. Move the male and female so they can see one another clearly, but are separated. You can either put their tanks next to each other, or introduce them to opposite sides of the tank divider in the breeding tank. It is essential that they are able to see each other before being put together to minimize the risk of serious injury.

Some breeders release males into an undivided breeding tank and use a clear plastic cup or oil lamp chimney to introduce the female. When using this method, the female should only be introduced for a few hours each day, as she is being contained in a very small space. Let them watch one another for a few days.

Some breeders then separate the pair for a few days before introducing them for a few more days, then proceeding to the next step. Observe their behavior. Watch the bettas to see if they seem interested in one another. The male will swim around, displaying his fins, flaring and generally showing off.

The female will display vertical bars on her body and will angle her head down submissively. Some aggressive displays are normal, but if they are flaring and trying to attack one another through the divider, do not put them together. Instead, it may be best to separate them and try again later, or try a different pair of betta. Sometimes the betta fish fight so it would be better if you take a little time to watch and wait.

Part 3. Remove the divider. Once your male is ready to breed, he will build a large bubble nest which will take days. When this happens, turn off the filter and release the female into the tank, but be sure to keep an eye on the pair. The male will probably bully her some, nipping at fins and chasing her around. This is ok as long as neither fish's life is in danger. This courtship may last several hours or even days. Be sure there are plenty of hiding places for the female to escape the bullying, and check on the pair regularly to prevent serious injuries.

Microworm Culture As the name suggests, this is a culture of live microworms that will serve as food for the fry during their first days. They are the perfect size for the fry's mouths, and they wiggle - which will encourage the fry's natural instincts to eat.

As the media ages, the microworms will consume the yeast that will be produced. Small Container with Lid To house the microworm culture Brine Shrimp Eggs and Hatchery Small saltwater shrimp that will serve as food for the fry after the first couple of days. You'll need these to house the male fry once they start displaying aggression. Fry food Adult Betta Food Should be quality nutrient-enriched food, to condition your breeding pair for spawning and to feed your fry when they reach adulthood.

Fish Net Biological Conditioner Contains beneficial biological conditioner that will aid in neutralizing harmful toxins produced by fish waste. Water Conditioner Remove chlorine and other toxic heavy metals found in tap water, making it safe for fish. Adult Betta Pair Should possess the ideal characteristics you are looking for in their batch. Turkey Baster To suck up food and remove any dead fry. Patience and Responsibility! That means they must fit into the following criteria: Active - rather than lethargic.

You can usually tell a betta's age by its size large bettas are usually a sign of old age , color older bettas tend to be duller in color , and activeness. Sick bettas are usually lethargic. You can find a list of 13 most common betta diseases here. Color, Fin Shape and Genes - you'll want to select bettas with striking characteristics that you'll want breed. Personally speaking, It's recommended breeding halfmoons, plakats, doubletails and crowntails - as they are usually harder to come by.

Female's Size - should be slightly smaller than the male. Day 1 You'll need to setup your breeding aquarium at least 10 days prior to breeding. The tank should have a bare bottom. Clean and rinse the sponge filter and airline tubing with warm water. And assemble the sponge filter in the tank, then connect it to the air pump with airline tubing and the air regulator to control airflow follow the manufacturer's instructions. They safe to use in breeding tanks, and will not produce too much flow that would disturb the male betta's bubble nest - which will be later discussed.

Place the sponge filter in a corner of the tank. Place the heater in the tank and set the temperature to 80 degrees Fahrenheit Do not turn it on just yet. Fill the tank with 6 inches of clean conditioned water dose the tap water according to the water conditioner manufac. This water level is ideal for the male to pick up any dropped eggs. Then add the biological conditioner and aquarium salt to the water - following the manufac. Add a few almond leaves to the tank, not only does it naturally buffer the pH - but it also releases tannins in the water which are believed to prevent fungal infection from taking over the eggs and the adult breeding pair.

Float 1 leaf in a corner for the male to build its bubble nest. See the image above. Assemble and add the breeder nest cleaned and rinsed. Place the net close to the almond leaf where the male will build its bubble nest, and so that he can see the female.

Add the java moss. Turn on all the electrical equipment. Adjust the air regulator to let out small bubbles per second. It should not be too strong otherwise it'll disturb the male's bubble nest and will make it difficult for the fry to swim.

Day 1 On the first day, you should start your microworm culture for your fry. To start out your microworm culture, get a clean container and add a 1 inch layer of cooked oatmeal. Let the oatmeal cool out overnight in room temperature, then mix in 1 tsp of the active dry yeast. Add the microworm culture to the cooked oatmeal - this will have a slightly fermented smell which is completely normal. Slowly mix the culture into the oatmeal. As the oatmeal ages, the microworms will feed off of the produced yeast.

Put a lid on the container, make sure to poke some holes on the lid to let air in - otherwise the culture will die. Stir the culture once a week to keep it alive. Day 10 After conditioning your breeding pair for 10 days, they are ready to be placed in the breeding tank.

It is important not to disturb the tank otherwise the bubble nest risks falling apart. Breeding is not exactly a piece of cake for these fish.

You can condition them by providing high-quality food sources such as live foods. Once you introduce the male and female to each other, it might take some time for them to adjust.

It might be a good idea to use a tank divider or two separate clear tanks for this purpose. These stripes are known as a barring pattern.

The bubble nest consists of many air bubbles created by the fish himself and layered with saliva. They will build these nests in different places in the tank depending on where the male finds favorable conditions. Put the female into the tank once the nest is ready. The female will inspect the bubble nest and if it is not acceptable for her, she might destroy it or simply swim away. If the female approves, both fish will start performing a dance which includes swimming next to each other and flaring their fins.

The next step is the nuptial embrace which starts with a mating dance. The male flips the female and wraps himself around her. This fertilizes the eggs. The two fish might stay floating or sink to the bottom and then they will take a break and try again. After a few squeezes, the female will start dropping eggs with each embrace. Bettas lay almost 30 to 40 eggs during each spawn. Some bettas can lay up to at a time.

This allows the eggs to be externally fertilized.

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