# My second betta breeding attempt. Motherload. [Updated 2013-12-20]



## JMN16150 (Jul 21, 2012)

Wow, so many neat looking bettas! Good Luck


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

Cool! So what is the process?


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Nice, if you need to heat those little containers in the big container, fill the big container with water and throw in a heater and water circulation; a bit like you're making a flan/bain marie.

You need to sell off/give away those guys soon. Keep the best for yourself of course.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

So what are you gonna do with them all??


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

congrats. 
i know the feeling. i had one spawn of about 300 once... way too many lol. i ended up cracking and offering unsexed juvies for free at one point.


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## peachii (Jun 1, 2013)

I have seen people list and successfully sell batches of unsexed juvie bettas on [Ebay Link Removed] A flat price, which is usually a good deal for the buyer to grow and sell them eventually. 

Just an idea if you are looking for a quick sell and to get rid of the 100 or so you have outside.


edit- there was no link i just said the word.


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Too funny on the flan marie, mistergreen 

I am waiting to tell males from females, who's a HM, color development, etc.
Kinda overwhelmed. (Guess what everyone's getting for Xmas this year?)
I will RAOK, sell, try e bay, possibly AB, add a fish for sale category on my site (along with some awesome guppies), etc. I do have a sorority tank, so some gals will go in there.

I used a lot of banana leaves (sun-dried from my tree in the back yard-it's a Thai banana tree) Found it discourages green algae growth. (also used IAL, and those little alder pine cone thingys, but not as good as banana, and IAL makes the water too dark to observe)

Also, "seeded" moss balls from my scud tank in every breeding box.

After a week or 2, I put some in plastic totes and buckets outside. I found black or darker colored buckets do not work well, unless you want leeches and dragonfly nymphs.
The best, even better than inside sponge filtered planted tanks, was clear plastic totes outside, with plenty of plants, the lid on, with a hole cut in it. Only water added was rain water. The mosquito population has been kept in check, also.

Big Bubbles x Pinky Pie (peach/pink/green) had over 300 babies.
Jazz (jumping marble SDT) x Betty Boop (jumping marble HM) had over 100.
R n B x Sapphire (16's sister) had over 150.
Rockstar (Dumbo purple/red HM) x 16 (16 ray HM Basement Betta female) ate most of his babies, but I managed to save 7.

I did breed when a storm front was coming in, or a full moon.
Took 2 attempts before Big Bubbles accepted a "wife" he liked.
Jazz committed suicide shortly after. He jumped out of his 5 gallon planted tank (a small crack behind the filter) when I separated him from the brood. I will keep his Son? Daughter? Named "Blinky". It has a third eye (marking) between it's eyes. (Jazz had a smiley face on his forehead)

I am toying with the idea of selling "batches" or RAOK. The thing is, it will be a mixed lot from 3 of the above breedings (holding onto the lone 7 for a bit). In the baby pool, I put extra's and "over flow" from the other "tanks", so I don't know who's who.

The baby pool is basically in Mother Nature's hands. It has been dipping down into the 40s some nights, and I'm sure frogs n things are having snacks, but when I look down in it, there are still about 100 assorted fry swimming around. I'll try to pull what I can.

I didn't just dump and forget about them-I monitored them daily. I stay away from ammonia test kits, though. The ones inside, in carboys and tanks, have nano tanks earmarked for any trouble makers, so I can't add anymore inside.

-Stef*


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

Very cool! One of the benefits of living in Louisiana, I would guess. That and crawfish etoufee! 

Fry ship well. Get them out before a hard freeze!


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Here's what kills me.

The first try, she kept a close eye on ammonia levels during the critical first weeks. Added water to dilute it frequently. I built her a giant drip acclimator to slowly add water so the fish wouldn't get shocked, and a custom siphon to remove water if needed without sucking up fry. Upgraded container sizes regularly. Meticulously sucked out mulm with a pipette. All added water was from an existing aquarium, so that there would be no ammonia rebound (Prime only binds the ammonia in chloramine for a few days). And ALL the fry died.

The second try she didn't even try to keep ammonia levels down. Added water infrequently (same water) and left most of the mulm in place. Didn't upgrade containers often. Didn't test. She only tested that once because I was curious. The calibrated test was, as I expected, right off the chart. I followed it with a pH test, which was also so high as to be off the chart, so the ammonia was in fully toxic form. All the fry SHOULD have died, end of story. But only TWO did. No signs of disease, distress, or stunted growth either.

I can't figure out why this worked, but it sure did. :eek5:


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## aluka (Feb 2, 2013)

and here i thought i was the only one that wished i had a smaller spawn! at least you have long tails, lol mine are plakats. they are so much more aggressive!


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## sc91006 (Nov 8, 2011)

Really liked reading your progress and looking forward to many more. I had a pair that spawned more a month ago. I actually witnessed the spawning and the male was a great dad for being a 1st timer. When the frys were free swimming there might have been about 30-40. Now after a month there are now less than 5 left. The female was relocated to a bucket pond soon after and the male unfortunately died. Would love to see what you will be offering in the near future.


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

aluka, I have a extremely large, aggressive, what I thought was a HM female import. 
I put "her" in with Big Bubbles first go around. (She was specially ordered to be his GF) They had each other in lip locks. The male drug her around the box by "her" tail. "She" dive bombed the bubble nest-it was like watching an extreme wrestling event. I choked on my coffee and literally hand scooped her out. She bit me. Dropped (by accident) a piece of rubber band in "her" tank. Before I could scoop it out-she ate it. Can't put a snail in her tank-she bangs it against the tank like a convict with a tin cup. When "she" arrived, she had breeder stripes. She has an obvious egg spot. (although I have yet to see the breeder stripes come back, and she doubled her size) I need to post a pic, because "she" flares at me and surrounding fish, and if I wave at her from across the room, she goes nutso. I am beginning to think it's a plakat...

sc91006: I will be adding future pics, and my first experience was similar to yours. I actually did manage to keep 2 alive. When they turned 2 months old, I put them in a ten gallon planted tank and they promptly died, despite acclimation procedures. It was my male, Jazz, first time, and he was a great dad. Second time breeding him (to the same female) produced some of what you see in the last scud tank pic. Maybe the parents appeared mature, but are not mature yet and we don't see it, so the offspring are weaker? I did wait almost 5 months to re-breed. Don't know what that is in betta years, but maybe gave them stronger constitution to breed and make more sturdy fry?

When I get situated, I will be offering for sale/raok give aways/my site/online auctions. 
I only raok guppies before-once-with much success. Shipping live makes me nervous, but I guess I'm gonna have to get used to it in the very near future 

-Stef*


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## aluka (Feb 2, 2013)

lol she definitely sounds like a plakat, lol The father of my spawn totally flared at the sponge filter for days before deciding its harmless


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

wow... i read what youre saying but all i see are a ton of water changes ahead


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## aluka (Feb 2, 2013)

*My second betta breeding attempt. Motherload.*

Oh yea it is. I dont know how op is doing it. I only have about 30 cupped but I was so tired yesterday I paid my little sister 10 bucks to help change my bettas lol


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

acitydweller: It wouldn't be so bad if there was only one brood. I do have a system, and I enjoy "zoning out" (I'm Aquarius on the cusp of Pisces) and inspecting each little fishy.

All toll, total water changes are about 2-3 hours a week. I "refresh" almost daily. The little plastic tanks in a tote have holes I put near the top. I simulate "rain" and the overflow goes in the tote. Any "men overboard" have water in the tote and swim laps until I can put them back in their tank, but really hasn't been an issue. Carboys get unloaded, and new water flushed through the top. I have doubles of everything, so once a week or so, everyone gets a new, clean sterilized bowl, cup, etc. 

Not too bad for a hobby if one enjoys it, but this amount can get you waterlogged and a bit loopy (I hope to remedy soon). I also breed guppies and have other fish. Darkcobra does water changes on the main and filtered planted tanks, or I'd be growing gills by now 
-Stef*


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

aluka, your sister could have a little part time job betta-sitting instead of baby-sitting, if I lived in Boston


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## Terminalance (Oct 31, 2013)

Great job, I'm beginning to breed bettas as well and have found it's quite an art!


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Terminalance, you got me singing "all my bettas live in Texas". 
Some good betta breeders in Texas, neighbor
2 of the above mentioned broods have Texas bred Mommas'.
-Stef*


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Betta baby update pics:









"We Are Borg"-Big Bubble's Babies @ 8 weeks









Big Bubble Baby @ 8 weeks









RnB Baby @ 10 weeks









RnB Baby @10 weeks









"Ya Talkin' to Me? Shut ya bubble hole!" RnB Baby @ 10 weeks









RnB Baby @ 10 weeks









Big Bubble Baby @ 8 weeks









RnB Baby @ 10 weeks









RnB too pooped to care or flare properly after his daddy duties.

-Stef*


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Okay. I am beginning to get a take on who's boy and who's girl.
Little guys like this are a big help:










RnB Baby-11 weeks old-first bubble nest.










Still widdle, but blows a mean bubble :O










-Stef*
Just about ready to go!


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## Virto (Dec 6, 2012)

I love the face on the little blue guy, he's gorgeous.


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Thank you, Virto, I'm quite proud of these little ones.
I am an artist, and most of the bettas and the fry are in the art/computer room.
They get a lot of interaction with me, and watch me paint.
I like to imagine that this little one was watching me and decided to create something of his own. He kept trying to get my attention like, "Look! Look what I made!"

-Stef*


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## mosspearl (Jan 30, 2013)

I really enjoyed looking at everything you posted about your spawn. Amazing! Thanks for sharing!


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Lol-it's spawns-plural, mosspearl. I can't help but post because I am still in amazement myself, after the terrible first attempt. I felt so helpless watching one after the other die from a batch of over 100, in a month's time. I was hoping for a handful, that's why I bred my 4 males a couple weeks apart. (actually 5, but "Hook" is an abuser, and has a history of domestic violence) Didn't think I was going to hit triple 7's 
-Stef*


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Widdle Baby Blues, the Bubble Blower, 1 1/2 weeks later...


























-Stef*


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## AHGoodwin (Aug 21, 2013)

Wow. I didn't realize they matured so fast. He is beautiful!


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

(looking down at my gut, sighing, making mental promises of exercise to myself)
Yup, AHGoodwin, seems like everything down here is getting bigger fast this time of year 

-Stef*


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## Kitsune_Gem (Apr 10, 2012)

You are making me want another male again... amazing fish


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

Do not remind me I have a spare tank. DO NOT REMIND ME I HAVE A -oh what a pretty boy, who's a pretty boy? You're a pretty boy!
I'm only a little bit nuts.


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Ha ha Kehy!
I'm just as nuts-maybe more so. These fish are in the same room where we sing karaoke, I play flute and Darkcobra practices guitar. So, not only do they get talked and sang to, they also get serenaded.

 Stef*


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## Suzie Q (Jan 8, 2007)

That boy is very well balanced!!! Except for his red ventrals, he is a contender for showing. The only thing that would be better is a fish as balanced as he is with out red ventrals. VERY nice boy!!! Congrats!!!


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Thank U, Suzie Q!
Not particularly interested in showing, but I do know about the "red wash" thingy.
(Would love to go to the next local betta show, though, never been, but it could prove very scary to my pocketbook, other responsibilities, and hobbies)

His Pa had red wash and ventrals, but faded as he matured. Some seem to have it, some don't. It seems the richer, more vivid the blue or turquoise, the more red on these little ones. (ain't that how things always work?)

Maybe put caps or extensions on him at the local nail joint? Just kidding. Don't want people putting weird things on their bettas, Heaven forbid.
He might grow out of it, if not, I accept him the way he is. 


I'll be adding more pics of Baby Blues, and others from these spawns as they progress.

 Stef*


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

I sold and RAOK close to 25 fish over the weekend.
Freed up some room, but still plenty left.
Some more shots of the little fellas.
The colors are amazing!

Double Tail Blue. Contemplated keeping him for his personality alone. Curls up in the plants like a cat, and likes to be "petted.'










Pink Fish!



















Turquoise










I like this one's lavender body color with the turquoise, but has a weird "spike" on it's tail-a ray that is not fused? Will it fill in with webbing eventually?










Here's my possible "keepers" so far. Very hard to narrow them down.
Baby Blues and his bro on right ( bro available).










I love this fish! Not completely sure if "Spot" is a male or female yet, but a sucker for those baby blue eyes.










And 'Pisces"-the twins. Photo's don't do them justice-they glow. I can't choose between the two. They are not very big on flaring, though.


























Already photo heavy, but some real interesting lookers. Last one (for this week).
A Blue-eyed Baby Blanket:










I haven't a clue as to what to call some of these colors/patterns. I guess when it doubt-grizzle?
Mother to the pink tones (Pinky-Pie) is a peach/pink with green/blue iridescent highlights. (Not a Cambodian). Dad imported as a pastel marble-sky blue, pink, red, and white. They are unrelated. 

-Stef*


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

Beautiful fish, Stef!


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## Orangespotted (Oct 14, 2013)

Pastel and grizzle are some of them, combined with all the fun effects of marbling. You certainly have a variable hatch there!


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

Awesome fish! 
Wanted to try betta breeding for a little while, then realized I'd probably never be able to let the babies go...
Hmm, that one with the weird extra ray? I used to have a female with one of those. She was an utterly massive betta... Over three inches long, hefty too. I suspect maybe she was a female dragonscale that somehow turned up at Petsmart. Yeah, I get bettas at Petsmart... Mine is good about betta care.


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## Kitsune_Gem (Apr 10, 2012)

Stef you are making me want another male betta! Perhaps my oldest male passing away is a sign I should get some from you! (Considering he was the last male betta in the house)


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Thank you, Aquaticus! I thank Mother Nature. 

Orangespotted: With the colors going on, I feel like I'm in Wonka-land.

Betta123: Although the conditions the betta fish are kept in at some pet stores are deplorable, a lot of these fish ARE from Thailand, and there are some really nice ones. Too bad they can be sickly, mislabeled, unsure of age, sex, or variety, and possibly carrying a disease. Kind of a good thing they are a solo-sold fish.

I don't know if the spike on "Spike" (as he is now called) is an extra ray, or if an original that didn't fuse to the rest of the tail. Probably a birth defect, he did come from a double-tail spawn. When he flares, it kind of blends in. When relaxed, he looks like he's giving the "thumbs up" sign.

Kitsune_Gem: Maybe Santa will bring you one for Christmas, along with some aquatic garland and trim? PM me!

-Stef*


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Okay, I showed some beautiful (at least I think so)...

Temporary Girls Sorority:










Girls Grazing:










Underwater Butterflies:










Now for the bizarre...

This little micro betta hasn't grown. I don't know if it's a male or a female.
Eats like a hog, tons of personality, and not intimidated in the least:










Hi! I'm 3.5 MONTHS old!










The Bettas Christmas Tree:










Betta Prayers Before Lights Out:










Dancing Robotic Dollar Store Enrichment:










While selling/trading some bettas at a LFS, I didn't go home empty tanked.
I seen this wild looking crowntail and just had to have him. (Never had a CT)
He reminded me of my Jazz, a delta tail that looked like he rolled in a paint palette. Jazz passed shortly after fathering. He jumped the tank 

This Punk Rocker doesn't have a name yet, and is quite camera shy:










I love the combination of maroon, white, grey, and pink.



















He is hard to photograph, and my camera isn't the best.
Hope to get better pics when he is more comfortable.
Pardon the seam in his temporary (crappy plastic corner unit) home.










-Stef*


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## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

i love the micro betta. i want a micro betta!


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Lol, Wicca, it certainly is novel. PeeWee came from the spawn where the father ate all the babies and I managed to save 7. The 6 others are normal sized. I have 2 rather small females (nothing like this) from a different spawn, and some small (puny late bloomers?) males from a Half Giant breeding that I will hold onto until I see what gender PeeWee is.
Other than being tiny, it is healthy and not retarded in any way. I am toying with the idea of a toy teacup betta 
-Stef*


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

love the itty-bitty-teeny-weeny.. yeh you get it, lil' guys cute, bet he'll be a lady's man when he's mature (even if hes half their size) *helium voice* "hey baby wanna make a few dozen babies!" Also like the crowntail, usually not a fan of those as they remind me of shredded fins, but that wine red in the tail really makes me like him ^^ thank you for sharing these photos


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## thebuddha (Jul 16, 2012)

the micro beta is amazing! love it
make sure to let us know how big he grows, and snag a pic if you end up selling him off


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

AquaAurora, I was never a fan of the CT for the same reasons. Although the solid black ones remind me of the shadow spaceships in Babylon 5, insectile, but kinda cool. Now that you speak it, newbie looks like he just finished a bloody battle (or an argyle sweater).

For the record, I will try to duplicate the micro betta, but a lot of factors in play. PeeWee may get a growing spurt. It may be sterile. It may have normal size babies. 
It was not purposely stunted in any way, and actually had to down size its quarters.
I separated it from a grow out tank because sometimes when you place one in its own bowl, it may have a growing spurt and you can control feeding, in case it was getting ousted by its siblings. (Almost culled it, but learnt my lesson with jumping the gun on culling with the Rorschach guppies. There's nothing physically wrong except it's miniature) 

It is happy in its little candle holder cup, and will be up-scaled to a bigger bowl soon. I'll be sure to keep everyone posted, and maybe y'all can help me decide if it is a boy or gal through pics. Right now, it is much smaller than a CPD, can't see an obvious egg spot, and the anal fin is between pointy and rounded. It did kind of flare a few times. Don't know if the bubbles I see under the water lettuce is a nest or trapped pearling bubbles.

-Stef*


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## aluka (Feb 2, 2013)

there's always runts in each spawn. Sadly if cared for properly, they always catch up. They only stay small if you neglect it and give it bad quality food, and even then it'll still slowly catch up just slower than the first option.


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

I could never neglect PeeWee, and the food quality here is A+.
Either way, it's win/win for PeeWee!


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## aluka (Feb 2, 2013)

i feel like while we like our pretty fish, we always love our special fish more, i have a pearly white runt in my spawn of blue marbles, only white one. Its the size of a cherry shrimp, lol.


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## 1987 (Jan 27, 2007)

When I used to breed, I always had one or two tiny runts like that. I would give them to my mom as xmas presents.

They would be the ones that lived for 4+ years. I always wondered if they lived so long due to being so much smaller.


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Last betta update until after Christmas...

I don't think PeeWee grew much over the week... (Yes, my finger IS in the jar. It likes it.)










Size compared to another late bloomer:










What 'cha think? Am I a boy or a girl?










Figured out Spot is a boy for sure...










A few with that Christmas glow...


























Argyle's red beard:










Mr Grumpy Gills (Argyle)- "Bah. Humbug. Get me a hum bug, or any kind of bug to eat."










Meet me under the mistletoe!










Y'all Betta Have A Merry Christmas!
 Stef*


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## Aquaticus (Jan 7, 2013)

Love this thread. That is one itsy bitsy fish!


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Thank you, Aquaticus, I am having a blast with it 
The faces on some of these fish are a constant source of amusement.
BTW, that is my PINKIE finger in with PeeWee...


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## Kitsune_Gem (Apr 10, 2012)

Here is the male I got from Stef~


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## Kitsune_Gem (Apr 10, 2012)

And then his sisters, they are not as photo friendly as he is.


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

Thank you, Kitsune_Gem!
I'm glad they are settling in and hope they bring you much entertainment
and joy!
Thanks also for posting the pics. It's one of the best "Christmas Cards" I got
this year 
-Stef*


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

Nice thread thanks for sharing. Love the pastels. How's the baby runt?


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## Art by Stef* (Jan 27, 2013)

amcoffeegirl said:


> Nice thread thanks for sharing. Love the pastels. How's the baby runt?


I will be posting pics soon of PeeWee, it's doing the same. Grew a little, but not enough to determine sex. Healthy, though, and full of spunk 
Still the size of pinky finger's first joint. Maybe a tad bit finnier. (spell check discriminates "finnage" but not "finnier"?)

-Stef*


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## Bercey (Jun 6, 2012)

Updates, please! =D


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## KnownSyntax (Mar 15, 2014)

All of those Bettas look stunning, like wow. That mini one is pretty cool too!


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