how do i breed my betta fish?

[Aniluvu22]

how big does the tank have to be? im worried if i put them together, they will fight. im positive they are male and female. is there anything else i need to do? please send some pics as well to see if i'm doing it right. also, i cant keep all of them, will the pet store buy some off me? please don't say "i need to research" because that wont help. thanks so much!

 

[LookAliveSunshine]

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. 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. 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.

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. Once you introduce the male and female, you will need to devote at least a few hours every single day for more than 2 months to caring for the pair and their young.

Set up your breeding tank. The breeding tank should be 5-10 gallons and set up with a removable divider, a few hiding places, an adjustable filter + around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Never add gravel or other substrate to the breeding tank, 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 blood worms are the best bet, but other worms, crickets, roaches, and other insects (cut up) will also work.

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

Introduce the pair. 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.

Remove the divider. Once your male is ready to breed, he will build a large bubble nest. 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.

The male will finally get the female under his bubble nest and they will embrace. It may take a few embraces to produce eggs. Then the female will go into a 'zombie-like' state while the white eggs fall to the ground from her little white ovipositor. The male will swim down and scoop them up, putting them one by one into the nest. Some females will help with this once they recover, but others will eat the eggs, so watch carefully and remove her if she is eating them.

Remove the female betta. Once the female is done releasing eggs, the male will bully her again, and she will hide. Gently scoop her out and put her into her own tank. Treat her tank with Maroxy to help her fins heal. It is a good idea to treat the breeding tank with Maroxy too, to prevent fungus from killing the eggs.

Leave the male in the tank until the fry can swim around (about three days after hatching). Remove the male from the tank.

Feed the fry. As soon as you remove the male, feed the fry a small portion of live microworms. Feed twice a day, and watch closely to see how much is eaten. Keep the fry warm at 80F and cover the tank to prevent drafts and evaporation. Continue to feed increasing amounts of food. When the fry are two weeks old, begin performing small (10%) water changes every few days to keep the tank clean and free of dead food, but use a gentle siphon or turkey baster to prevent injuring the fry, and add clean water very slowly.

Wean the fry off live food. When the fry are about a month old you can gradually start switching the fry to frozen and then freeze-dried and flake or pellet food.

Separate males. When the male fry begin fighting (anywhere from 5-8 weeks of age), it is time to remove them from the tank.

Decide the future of your spawn.

Good luck, and make sure you know EVERYTHING about it before embarking on this