Betta Breeding Tips

Betta splendens or Betta fish are freshwater aquarium fish that are in great demand among aquarium owners. Most Betta owners want to try their hands at breeding Betta, but do not know about their requirements and the right procedure. Breeding Betta is not very difficult, you just need to carefully follow some Betta breeding tips in order to do so. You might only face some problems with the spawning of the fish but otherwise, it is really easy to breed these fish. The female Betta fish lays eggs and the male builds a nest for the eggs, where they are kept and cared for by the male Betta fish. Here's a detailed guideline on the equipment and procedure for breeding Betta fish.

Betta Breeding Equipment

Before you can begin with the procedure for breeding Betta, you will need to gather all the supplies required for the method. The type of equipment required include a reproduction tank of 15-20 liters, a small water heating equipment, an air pump and air rock for bubbles and a thermometer. Place a few aquatic plants and clay pots in the tank. You will need to set the temperature of the aquarium water to 29C and use a heater to maintain the temperature constantly. Keep a check on the temperature of the water using a thermometer. The depth of the water should be around 12-15cms. The reproduction tank will also require to be covered with a lid or something similar to maintain a constant air temperature for a month or so. Once all this is done, the Betta breeding setup is ready. Read more on how to take care of Betta fish.

How to Breed Betta

Choose the Betta
The most important requirement for breeding Betta is the availability of compatible male and female Betta. You should select Betta that look healthy and have good features. To start-off you can get two male and two female Betta. Keep all four of them isolated for about 3 to 4 days and feed them live or frozen fish food twice a day. Isolating them will help better spawning, reason being that during this time the Betta fish only notice each other.

Process of Spawning the Betta
On the fifth day, add the male Betta to the reproduction tank, a few hours before the female is added. This is one of the most important tips for breeding Betta. This allows the male to establish his territory in the reproduction tank. Then, add the female to the tank and watch the male build some bubble nests in the tank. When the female displays few vertical bars on her body, it is a sign that she is all set to be spawned by the male. Now, you will be able to see the male chasing the female and also a fight between the two. Their fins may also break apart from their body, but this is the normal spawning procedure and there is nothing to worry about.

Betta Fry
Once you notice egg evacuation, you must immediately remove the female from the tank and place her in another fish tank. The male then lifts the eggs with its mouth and places them in the bubble nests until they hatch after 48 hours. The fry remain in the bubble nests for 2-3 days more and then swim free. The male should be removed at this point after which you need to start feeding the fry. Read more on how to breed Betta fish.

Looking after the Betta fry is essential until they are a few weeks old. Also remember to remove the 'bad fish' as they may affect the health of the other healthy fish. Hope these Betta breeding tips prove to be useful for you. Good Luck!