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Tuesday, August 6, 2013

How To Breed Bettas

Bettas are a member of the Gourami family. The most popular Betta species is the Betta Splendens (sometimes referred to as the Siamese fighting fish or Pla Kat in it's native Thailand). They are popular in aquariums because they have a distinctive shape/color and are quite active. This article will discuss some of the things you need to know and tips for breeding Bettas.

Like many cichlids the male betta is responsible for raising the young. Bettas are split into two sub groups based on their method of rearing the Betta Fry. They can be either a mouth brooder or a bubble nester. Mouth brooders keep the young in their mouth for safety. Betta splendens are typical bubble nesters. The male will create a nest close to the water surface. It will consist of bubbles and a saliva that is used to give the nest more durability and protect the eggs and fry in the future.

Building a bubble nest is often a sign that the male Bettas are ready to spawn (although not always). The female is ready to spawn when her body changes. The abdomen becomes rounder and fuller. The white ovipositor at the end of the oviduct becomes prominent.

It is generally a good idea to put the breeding pair in a separate fish tank. This will prevent other fish in a community tank from eating the fry or eggs. It will also allow you to remove the male or female Bettas after breeding hence protecting them from each other. The water should have a neutral ph level with a temperature of around 28 deg. Celsius (83F)

Once the pair are together the male will embark on an elaborate courtship. He will try to encourage the female to go to his bubblenest. Once this occurs he will dart about her and they will mate. The female will release numerous eggs that will float down to the bottom of the tank. The male will round up the eggs with his mouth and place them under the bubble-nest.

The female Bettas can be removed from the tank after mating. The males will tend the nest. Within about 24 to 48 hours the fry will begin the develop and start moving. You can remove the male at this point.

The fry will develop into miniatures of their parents after about 3 weeks. In a few months they will be completely developed and can be transferred to other tanks or sold on. It is not a good idea to keep male Bettas together as they will fight. The key to healthy and fast growing fry is to keep the water quality good and the temperature at around the 28 deg. Celsius mark.

Find all the products you need for your aquarium at http://www.fishtank-supplies.com . The site has features on fish tank maintenance, selecting a filtration system and the importance of a fish tank stand. For a bit of fun, why don't you pick up a free fish tank screensaver so that you can watch a virtual aquarium on your computer during breaks at work. Adrian Whittle writes about keeping both fresh and saltwater fish.

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