# Female betta with ovipositor?



## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

She's plump, so yeah she's ready. Usually another sign is vertical bars on her body but it's not possible to see in a white or blond betta.

Did she make those bubbles above her?

Don't introduce a male in the tank with her at first. Let them meet through a divider first.


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

She looks fertile!


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

Oh thats exciting!! I wanted to breed her, but i haven't got the male yet. How long will she stay like this? How long until the male and the female can breed?


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

As long as she is fed well, she will stay that way. 

Lower the water level and fill a glass mason jar with the tank water, put the female in the jar and lower the jar in the water. Let the male loose in the tank and when he is done building the nest (could take a day or three), release her, once they breed remove the female. Wait 3 days or until the male cannot control the fry, remove him. Feed the babies infusoria, once big enough then bbs


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

Oh, thanks for the fast reply. It was very very helpful. I must get a male first. :/ Im hopefully getting one today. My females about an inch and a half do I need a male at least 2 inches?

Should I remove the gravel in the breeding tank as well?


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

Bare bottom tank would be easy for clean up and for the dad to pick up the eggs, but isn't extremely necessary. Almost all male Betta's you can buy are old/big enough for breeding. Also turn off filtration/airstone, and slowly start adding water back once the fry are getting older. Another tip is to cut a styrofoam cup in half and float it on top of water, with tape holding it in place, He will most likely make the nest there.


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## Captivate05 (Feb 23, 2010)

The big time breeders start their breeding at around 4 months old. Most fish at the store are at least that age to ensure good size and fins.

From what I understand, you do want the male to be bigger than the female.

Google some betta breeding tips; there's tons of info out there about it, and it can really help if you get caught in a tough spot and aren't sure what to do.

Another great food to give to fry is vinegar eels. They are stupid easy to culture and will help give your fry some variety.


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## LilGreenPuffer (Sep 23, 2010)

ultimatebettas.com has a big breeding section with articles and so forth. Do lots of reading before you get started!


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

Nue said:


> Bare bottom tank would be easy for clean up and for the dad to pick up the eggs, but isn't extremely necessary. Almost all male Betta's you can buy are old/big enough for breeding. Also turn off filtration/airstone, and slowly start adding water back once the fry are getting older. Another tip is to cut a styrofoam cup in half and float it on top of water, with tape holding it in place, He will most likely make the nest there.


Would I have to do many water changes with the young fry? And i shouldnt use a filter when breeding?


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## Aubzilla (Mar 2, 2008)

Yes, lots of water changes to keep the tank clean and the babies healthy.
No, no filter during breeding- it'll disturb the bubble nest.

Before you breed, I'd really suggest reading a few different articles. Bettas are very time consuming to breed and raise properly to adulthood.


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

Would you do water changes every day? How much water would I take out of a 10 gallon tank, if I cleaned it for the fry? Do I need a sponge filter when fry are free swimming? Do i remove the male when the fry are free swimming? Sorry to ask all these questions. Ive been doing my research though!


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

I would start a sponge filter once they are free swimming, at a really slow rate, and slowly increase the bubbles throughout brooding. I wouldn't change too much water at a time. Maybe remove a half gallon, and replace with a gallon. As often as you see fit, until the tank is filled back up. 

You will want to remove the male as soon as they are free swimming, because he will still try to put them back in the nest, and then he will go crazy trying to manage them, and eat them.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I always kept a running air-driven filter, either a little corner box filter or a sponge filter, in both my spawning and my fry-raising tanks to keep the tanks cycled. I just kept the air turned way down low to minimize current and water surface disturbance. As long as I had floating plants for the male to make his nest in, the filter didn't bother the bubblenest.

+1 for www.ultimatebettas.com


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

Alright, I think I understand it all now. She's a bit fat, but not to much anymore. Im not sure anymore if she has eggs. :/ The male is pretty agresive, I hope they would get along and not kill each other.

"Don’t add water (yet). For the first month or so, don’t add water level. Keep the tank where it’s at (about 1/2 empty)."

( I found this on the web, Should I still do water changes when I need to anyway?)


Would hatching BBS be easy? For the fry's food? ( I didn't breed them yet, by the way)



















Wouldn't they make a nice couple.


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> I always kept a running air-driven filter, either a little corner box filter or a sponge filter, in both my spawning and my fry-raising tanks to keep the tanks cycled. I just kept the air turned way down low to minimize current and water surface disturbance. As long as I had floating plants for the male to make his nest in, the filter didn't bother the bubblenest.
> 
> +1 for www.ultimatebettas.com


Thank you Lauraleellbp, I will probably go to the store soon and pick up a sponge filter. I don't have any experience with sponge filters.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Yes, hatching BBS is very easy. You'll want to be sure to start up a new culture every other day, though, as as the BBS age, they use up their yolk sacs, which is the nutrition that benefit the fish most. You might also try feeding decapped brine shrimp eggs, I've heard some breeders have success with that and don't even hatch eggs any more.

Personally I always started fry off with infusoria, and I believe feeding infusoria helps ensure even the smallest of fry have a food source, plus feeding infusoria doesn't risk fouling the water like you risk if you overfeed with most other food sources (boiled egg yolk, BBS, etc). I'd switch over to BBS after the first week or so.

I didn't do water changes for at least the first week- I just added an inch of water every day until the tank was full before I started doing small water changes.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Oh- and you'll probably want to re-condition your adults at this point. Feedings at least 2x/day with good quality foods for at least 2 weeks.


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> Yes, hatching BBS is very easy. You'll want to be sure to start up a new culture every other day, though, as as the BBS age, they use up their yolk sacs, which is the nutrition that benefit the fish most. You might also try feeding decapped brine shrimp eggs, I've heard some breeders have success with that and don't even hatch eggs any more.
> 
> Personally I always started fry off with infusoria, and I believe feeding infusoria helps ensure even the smallest of fry have a food source, plus feeding infusoria doesn't risk fouling the water like you risk if you overfeed with most other food sources (boiled egg yolk, BBS, etc). I'd switch over to BBS after the first week or so.
> 
> I didn't do water changes for at least the first week- I just added an inch of water every day until the tank was full before I started doing small water changes.





To get infusoria you have to put a piece of lettuce in a cup with water for a few days? Than the water clouds up, than the infusoria make the water clear and you net them out and feed to fry? ( does this seem right?)

How long should I feed them infusoria?
I can feed them boiled egg yolk?


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

Instead of infusoria can I just feed the fry BBS?


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## bklyndrvr (May 24, 2008)

Newborn betta babies are too small for BBS.. You will need to suppliment something smaller for the first week.


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

bklyndrvr said:


> Newborn betta babies are too small for BBS.. You will need to suppliment something smaller for the first week.


so i should give them infusoria for a week?


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

I would start your infusoria culture before you start breeding. You don't want to starve the fry. Like Lauralee said start re-conditioning them with fatty foods like blood worms, also at the same time start your infusoria culture.


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

How long should I feed them that? After I feed them that and they get a little bit bigger do I give the BBS?


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

It'll take you a few weeks to make infusoria, so start now. You can supplement with liquidated hard boil egg yolk too. Use this very sparingly.

Feed them for a week or 2 and then you can feed them bbs or microworms/vinegar worms. Frozen daphia will work too. They'll get big enough for crushed dried foods and bigger foods.


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

Ok , thank you so much!! I learned so much.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I'm feeling lazy. Here's a few other threads where I typed out my own feeding/housing procedure back when I was breeding bettas (I don't feel like typing it all again :hihi

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/t.../111604-lycosas-betta-breeding-adventure.html

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fish/111533-breeding-bettas-bubblenest-question.html

If you joined up at www.ultimatebettas.com, check out Pam S's posts. She's a real "pro" when it comes to breeding bettas, and has a really nice, user-friendly system worked out for breeding and raising the fry. If I ever start breeding again, I'll probably set up something similar to what she does now.


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## bkrivera (Feb 16, 2010)

green water is great for just born bettas


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

lauraleellbp do you have a special method or way of breeding brine shrimp to get BBS for fry?


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## LilGreenPuffer (Sep 23, 2010)

kchan said:


> Wouldn't they make a nice couple.


Depends. Did you get them from good stock? If you're just breeding Petco fish, then that's a different story, and probably not a great idea.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Check this wonderful thread on how to culture live foods.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fish/82387-live-foods-best-natural-food-fish.html


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## Captivate05 (Feb 23, 2010)

+1 on live food. Most of the worms are just too easy to culture. They seriously do make BBS look like a pain in the butt.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

kchan said:


> lauraleellbp do you have a special method or way of breeding brine shrimp to get BBS for fry?


I don't breed brine shrimp, I just buy eggs.

I've heard that breeding brine shrimp isn't terribly difficult, just it does take alot of space. I've seen some people breed them during the summer in kiddie pools out in the backyard.

Worms are defintely easier, since there's a big difference between needing a kiddie pool versus just a butter tub.


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

Can i just give betta fry infosuria untill they get big enough for flakes or blood worms?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

You'll probably have a few survive that way.

You'll have more survive and better growth with more food, though.


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## kchan (Oct 24, 2010)

How would I know when they would be big enough for larger food? without them choking?


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## LilGreenPuffer (Sep 23, 2010)

If you can't take care of the offspring, then you shouldn't be breeding.


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