Betta Breeding

First Step - Choosing your betta pair

Choose a pair of male and female betta that are mature in size. The male must be bigger than the female. Mature size of a betta is roughly 5 to 5.5cm. The female should be smaller than the male.

2nd Step - Breeding tank preparation

Preparation of a breeding tank/tub is required. A medium size Styrofoam box is preferable as it is the best material to sustain water temperature, big enough for fry to grow and has clear contrast for clearing of betta waste. Styrofoam are good material for breeding as the material slows down the breakdown of waste from betta .Fill your breeding Styrofoam tank with water with a height of at least 7 cm. Add in ketapa extract to replicate their natural environment and PH stabilizer. Ketapa are good for betta as it natural nutrients which are beneficial for betta. Finally a pinch of aquarium salt for good measure and disease prevention.

3rd Step - Materials to stimulate Bubble nesting

Bubble nesting is an important part of betta breeding as this is where the eggs will be stored and incubated. To stimulate this use a transparent plastic or a ketapa leaves with a whole in the middle. This is to check whether breeding is successful by identifying eggs in the bubble nest. Adding a floating material will stimulate the male to create big bubble nest.

4th Step - Adding the pair

Put the male first inside the breeding tank for roughly 10 to 15 minutes for it acclimatize and claim its territories. Add in a female with a covered plastic cup to act as divider as shown in the picture. This is the introduction stage where the male and female will embrace each other. Do not be surprise that either one or both will be aggressive. This is normal as betta are aggressive in nature and once breeding begins they will chase each other until both are ready to mate. Close the Styrofoam and wait for 24 hours for the male to create a bubble nest.

5ht Step

Once the bubble nest is ready. Release the female and wait for another 24hours for them to mate. After 24hours, lookout for eggs in the bubble nest. Once the eggs is found, separate the female to another individual tank for recuperation and leave the male to attend to the nest and eggs.

6th Step

The eggs will hatched after 2 days and the fry can be seen swimming around the bubble nest. At this stage they are not free swimming (unable to swim on their own). The father will attend to them and collect them. The fry will be nested inside the bubble nest. Remove the father 4 days after you are able to spot the fry in the bubble nest. From then one they will be able to swim freely on their own. Removal of the father is necessary as he might eat them.

Nurturing and feeding betta fry

First Week

Fry food: Infusoria or Microworm

2nd Week

Fry Food: Baby Brine Shrimp

3rd Week onwards

Feed the betta fry baby brine shrimp, daphnia or moina. These are crustaceans which are beneficial for fry growth. They are small enough for the fry to eat and consume on a daily basis. Remember to feed them daily.

End of second month

By this time the size of your fry will be roughly the size of a small baby guppies or tadpole. They are able to eat semi solid food like tubifex worm. Mix their diet with crustaceans and tubifex worm for faster growth. Finally transfer them to a bigger Styrofoam box. Do not remove them individually. Just pour together the old Styrofoam box to a new one with stocked water. And watch them grow!!. Bigger space means bigger opportunity for them to feed and grow. Small tanks will result in the large fry consuming all the food. Leaving the smaller ones starving thus slowing their growth process.

Third month onwards

You can start to give them bloodworms. Remember to cut them up into smaller pieces. And remember to mix their diet. Feeding the same food is not good as each foods gives different nutrition. At this stage you will start to enjoy watching them grow into many different colors and sizes!!