Next step is to set up your 10 gallon tank. I only fill mine a little short of 1/2 way with dechlorinated water and a smidge of aquarium salt. Then I put the betta jar in that is already set up with dechlorinated water and aquarium salt. I set the heater and the thermometer and wait a couple of hours to make sure that the water will stay at an even 80 degrees. I like to use anacharis or duck weed for the fry tanks. Duck weed will multiply like guppys given half the chance but it is a nice cover for both Dad and fry. The anacharis I like because I can readily get it from the pet store, and it gives pleanty of cover for the babies as well. I can also move it around as I need to without too much fight. None the less, the live plants I think are better than plastic. They help clean the water, and are softer than the plastic, therefore better for the fry to rest on. While I wait to see what adjustments need to be made to the heater I set up the sponge filter and let it start running in an already established tank. That way the micro-organisms and good bacteria get established in the sponge so it will do its job while the fry are in there and keep the tank from getting too bad. I also cut the styrofoam cup longways and set one half of that on top of the water. He will build his bubble nest in there.

After I establish that the heat will stay constant then I add Dad. I let Dad have a couple of hours in his new temporary home. I may wait until a day or two later before I add the female to the jar. Once I put the female in there I know that he will ignore the food more often than not so I try to feed him up good. She will eat while she is in the jar, so I know she will be in top condition. It is my male that I am always concerned about. They just get so darn mad at seeing another fish in the tank even if she is unable to get at him or him to her that he spends most of his time building a king size bubble nest. The styrofoam cup will be slap full of bubbles to the top before I know he is ready. That usually takes a day or two for him to do.

During this time, Mom is getting bored and just hanging around. Like I said on the mistakes page, Mom might take up to 2 weeks to get ready to spawn. Dad will not lose interest. He will just keep building the nest until she is ready. I leave my girl in there all the time so they can get used to each other. For the first day or two he will flare all around the bowl, he will charge at it and just generally be a snot. After some time, he will calm down and build his bubble nest. Mom will figure out that Dad can't get to her and will eventually just turn her back on him. I have put anacharis plants in her jar so that she has something to rest on. I have found that my girls will find soft plants and take a rest in them so I try to provide it for her. Just be prepared, when you finally get her ready and have to net her the plants will get in the way. Usually I just pull them out and let those float in the tank as well. Gives her extra coverage from him while they are doing the fussing that usually starts it all off.

After about a week, I will let my female out of the jar into the tank with the male for about an hour, so that they can chase and do their fin nipping. Then I will put her back, so that they can have a break. It seems to help her get ready for him, and makes him build more onto the nest. Sometimes that isn't necessary, sometimes it is.

You will know when she is ready because she will be noticeably fatter, and I can guarentee that it is not from the extra feedings. She will have a vertical stripe down her sides, she will also have a small white tube that will stick out between her ventral fins. (see Betta Cave for anatomy of betta fish for more information). When all those conditions have been met, it is time to release the female.

Then the real work begins for the pair. She will more than likely go check out the nest, and he will chase her off. I have actually had one female go look at the males nest. I don't believe she approved of how little he had done, so she then turned her back on him and ignored him. That time didn't work for me or either one of them apparently..*LOL* None the less, after he has chased her off, she will come back several times. When she comes back and points her body down and approaches him, then they will begin to spawn. The spawn will take approximately 2 hours, I have heard reports of it takeing up to 6 hours.

The best pictures of the spawn, what to look for that I have found on the internet, is at Datafish. The pictures are real clear and it is one of the sites I looked at for information on before I started breeding my bettas.

Well, then the spawn is done. How do you know? Well, she will go hide and that will be it. He won't leave the nest to chase her, and she is ready to leave. Mom will help Dad as they eggs fall and put them in the nest, and that is as far as it goes for her. Now it is time to take Mom out. She will eat the eggs or fry, given the chance. Dad is doing the rest of the work.

Do not offer Dad food, he will refuse it. Mine always does, until after the babies are born. You can offer food, just remember that it will fungus if he doesn't eat it, and that will kill your fry. Once again, I fall on the safe but sorry rule.

For the next 24-48 hours, Dad is going to be running his tail off, chasing down eggs as they fall and spitting them back up in the nest. Then they hatch. Dad will then be chasing down young'uns that fall to the bottom of the tank as they hatch and spitting them back up into the nest. The young have heavy yolk sacs that pull them to the bottom, so when they fall they can't get back up. Dad picks them up and spits them back up into the bubble nest. After about 24 hours they are free swimming. Now Dad has to go.

Oh yes, Dad has done great up until now. At this time, though, those young'uns are out to check out their new world. Dad gets frustrated because he can't keep them in the nest, so he will EAT them! Dad has to come out. With my males, at least with 2 of them, I know when to take them out. One will start eating them after about 24 hours, the other was in there for 3 days and I took him out. He didn't eat them, I just didn't want to take the chance that he would. He sulked/pouted for 2 days and after that he ate, but wouldn't look at me. After about day 4 he decided it was ok to look at me again.

Now it is time to start the liquid food for the fry. They need to be fed at least 2 times a day, I feed 3 or more. They are small and weak. Fry are small and you won't be able to see them well for the first week. At Waynes he has a wonderful page for the growth of a betta. He also has loads of info on care/breeding/keeping bettas.

When they are about a week old, you will want to start the sponge filter going for them. By that time the sponge filter will have had plenty of time to get the good bacteria built up that it will help your fry. Now it is just a matter of keeping them fed and warm. Keep the light on to keep the temperature even, a cover which is why I said with a hood. Which is the point I am at now. Check back with me from time to time, and I will update and let you know how it is going.

Leptoprin