| First off you need to clean your new tank. Rinse it very well using a paper towl to scrub it. Never use soap or detergents, they will kill your bettas. After rinsing it let it air dry. Old raggs will leave fuzz stuck on the glass. Done? Ok. Now put it somewhere away from sun light, heaters, and air conditioners and fill it a little less than half full. You should now check the PH of your water. It should be 7.0. Now you add about one rounded teaspoon of the aquarium salt. Add water conditioners. If you know a store that carries Bowl Buddies stock up on lots of them. They are nice little fizz tabs that add conditioners, salt, eliminates clorine and heavy metals and all that stuff without measuring bottles and bottles of things that do the same thing. It helps keep the water cleaner longer too. I use them a lot and they are fairly cheap. |
| Put the sponge filter in the corner of the tank. The tubbing should be tied in a loose knot so the air flow is not full blast. A couple of bubbles here and there is all that should be allowed. Add the thermometer and heater and add your plants. A weight will keep them from floating all over the place if you choose to use live ones. Put all this in a corner somewhere. You need to raise the temp. of your water to about 80 degrees. You need to keep the temp. steady so check it often. Tape the half styrofoam cup to the tank so that the cut edges are in the water creating a sort of cave like thing for the bubble nest. The rim of the cup should be against the glass. Place a cover on top of the tank. You can use plastic wrap if you have nothing else but make sure you have a light. The cover keeps out drafts which may upset the bubble nest and keeps the temprature the same above as below. That is all that should be in the tank. No Gravel !! As the eggs fall from the female and the nest they could get lost in the gravel where the male will not be able to find them. |
| Now let your tank run for about a week before adding your pair. This will help to avoid ''New Tank Syndrome'' which can kill your bettas. The temperature will be just right too. After two or three days if the temperature is a steady 80- 82 degrees and the PH is fine then introduce your bettas. |
| For the tank and pair you will need: Quality pair of bettas $100, a ten gallon tank $10, a hood with light $15, a sponge filter $5, an air pump with tubbing $10, plants for female to hide in ( live plants are best because they promote the growth of infusoria which the fry will eat. Use floating plants or cut the bottom off of a soda bottle and put substrate gravel and bulb or stem plants in it. Place in a corner.) $5 each, plant weights $6 per package, a clear plastic cup, water additives- Aquasafe $5, aquarium salt $3, Compleate remedy $4 (protects eggs from fungus attacks) can also use Betta Bowl Buddies I'll explain more later $2.99, a fish net $3, First aid kit: Melafix-antibiotic for healing fins and wounds $8, Ick Away- for the treatment of ick $5, Coppersafe - treatment of variouse parasites $13, Fungus Eliminator - treatment of fungus, dropsy, and bacterial infections $10, submersable heater $16, turkey baster $3. |
| Prices are that of my own local Wal-Mart and pet shops which should be simmilar to your own. |
| For the fry you will need: Brine shrimp eggs $3-$6 a package, brine shrimp hatchery ( a half gallon clear container with a lid) $10, a three-way T connection to connect an extra length of tubbing from air pump to hatchery $2. Microworm starter culture $5 ( culture must be purchaced several weeks ahead of time), a small rectangular, tall clear container $ 5, dry oat meal $4, bakers yeast $4, old tooth brush $0. Daphnia sp. pulex culture $7, gallon container $5, green water $3 or free if you make it yourself (see live foods section) Fifty or more half gallon jars or containers to house juvenile males $3 each, 20 gallon tank with hood and light, filter, heater, plants & gravels, additives ect., to house juvenile females $120 or more. |
| Breeding bettas is not easy or cheap as you will soon find out. I have comprised a list of the absolute essentials to get started. Without even one of these things, the probability of getting fry to survive or even getting your pair to breed is slim. I don't want to rain on anyones parade, but you have to be willing to spend a lot of time, sweat, and money, even blood sometimes...Eeeeeeehhhh! Can you take it? Think so... well then... |
| Are you still with me? Great! Now comes the whole set up... |
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| Sponge Filters |
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