Betta Fish Breeding Quick Guide

Due to the unique character of the antagonistic fish and their large colorful fins, it is a challenge to try to breed Betta fish in an artificial habitat.

If you want to succeed in multiplying this species on your own, here are some tried and useful betta fish breeding tips.

Betta Fish Breeding Quick Guide:

Set up a Fully Equipped Betta Fish Tank Choosing the Beta Fish Breeding Pair Choosing the Perfect Breeding Pair Creating Breeding Conditions Betta Fish Breeding Signs to Look For Introducing the Betta Fish for Pairing Letting the Betta Fish Mate Caring for the Betta Fish Fry

Set up a Fully Equipped Betta Fish Tank

Since these territorial fish tend to get aggressive with their same species, especially with the same gender, you must set up a permanent tank to keep them apart and prevent them from killing each other.

The ideal pieces of equipment for a proper betta fish tank are :

Two 5 to 10-gallon tank with lid for enough space to hide, but not too big so they can't find each other. A 25-watt water heater that keeps a stable temperature similar to their natural habitat
Sponge filter to keep the water clean. Make sure that the sponge doesn’t create too much current to scatter the eggs
Air pump to draw water into the sponge filter
Some plastic wrap or styrofoam to create humidity
Add natural-looking moss and ferns to provide hiding areas
Insert removable tank divider to prevent the pair from fighting and to risk their lives.

Choosing the Beta Fish Breeding Pair

This is the most crucial part of successfully breeding a couple of betta fish.

Buy from a reputable breeder instead of a pet store even if they are more expensive because breeders have better information about the age and genetics of the fish. They select and maintain quality for themselves as well as the customers.
Choose a pair between the age of 4 to 12 months. Bettas reproduce better fry when they are young. Older betas often produce genetically weak and sickly breeds.
Since you will need at least a month to get them acquainted to each other and their environment, consider their age before you pair them.
Determining which betta to pick is another tricky challenge since the males are aggressive and the females are picky about their territory and mates.

Choosing the Perfect Breeding Pair

The female betta spies on the males to determine their suitability before mating with them. This is because they have instincts to sense the best genetics.
Like the female bettas, carefully observe the fish before you select them. Some points to look out for a while you pick the right betta pair:
Level of Movement: an active and energetic fish is a sign of good health. Slow moving ones that are barely affected by sudden movement show signs of parasitic infections or other diseases. It could also mean that they have genetically transferrable poor immunity.
Colors: Bettas are known for their colorful body and fins. Not only does the tone determine the quality of the breed but they are also indicators of good health and genetics.
The female mating preference determined that red-colored males are more attractive to the females than the blue.
Red pigment is an indication of sufficient carotenoids in the body which signals the female that the male is a successful forager and has a healthy immune system, therefore, makes a better mate.
Healthy Fins: Healthy male foragers have smooth and long fins without scars or damage. A female is likely to pursue one without tainted fins because it indicates that the male is a good fighter.

Creating Breeding Conditions

After you have built a suitable ground for each betta to swim and explore its surroundings, the next essential step is to create a condition for breeding.

Start by feeding them live food such as brine shrimps, bloodworms, roaches, and insects. If live food is unavailable, frozen food and freshly killed insects can also be used as substitutes.
Live food should be fed for at least a week before introducing the bettas so that they are familiar with their food and the conditions when they meet.
After a week of live feeding the male and female in separate tanks, bring the containers closer to each other, so each fish has a clear view of the other.

Betta Fish Breeding Signs to Look For

Make sure that they see and are aware of the other’s presence before putting them together to prevent injuries.
To find out if the fish are showing signs of readiness to breed, there are several signals you can see:

Indications from the male:

Flaring of the fins,
Making a nest and
Imitating the female’s position and rhythm.

Indications from the female:

Visible white egg tube behind the ventral fin
The appearance of vertical stripes on the body
May imitate the male’s movement
Moves with head held downwards

Introducing the Betta Fish for Pairing

Remove the separator when you see that the male has built a bubble nest.
Let the female swim freely to the male’s territory in the breeding tank and keep an eye for signs of hostility.
Nibbling each other and chasing around is a typical trait that lasts for several hours to over a week so do not panic.
Ensure that there are plenty of places for the female to hide in case there is a threat.
Watch out for signs of injuries whenever you feed them and check them regularly for normal signs of energy level and healthy coloration.
If the female destroys the bubble nest, remove her from the male and restart the conditioning process and then reintroduce them.
If that happens again, your pair might not be compatible.

Letting the Betta Fish Mate

Once the fish are comfortable with each other and their environment, the female will allow the male to catch her.
The male betta wraps its body around the female and strives to fertilize until the female starts to drop eggs.
Once the female release its eggs, the male collects and places them on the bubble nest that it built.
If you notice that the female is trying to eat the eggs, which is normal, remove her from the breeding tank.
Sometimes the female betta also helps the male to nestle the eggs so make sure you know what they are doing before removing it and placing her to her original tank.

Caring for the Betta Fish Fry

The males should be left in the breeding tank along with the eggs and fed small portions on alternate days.
It might not want to eat as frequently so make sure you remove leftover food from the tank without disrupting the eggs before feeding fresh food stock to the male.
Keep the tank light on throughout the day and night
Keep the filter off to avoid the current from disrupting the fry.
After the fry loses their yolk sac, and they can swim on their own, you can relax a bit.
Feed them infusoria, baby shrimps, microworms and vinegar eels after a few days.
The water tank should be kept clean and frequently changed at least twice a week for the first two weeks, and the temperature should remain consistent.
Once the fry swims horizontally, remove the father into another tank and watch the fry grow into beautiful fish within a few weeks!

Final Thoughts...

Breeding Betta Fish is not for the beginner, but if you are up to it, the above guide will get you started on the right path. Like all tropical fish breeding, investing in the proper equipment and fish with great genetics gives you the best chances for success.

Feel free to share your tips on breeding Betta Fish below!