Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

Breeding the Siamese fighting fish, or the Betta, is a wonderful pastime. However, this is not something you should take lightly. If you have the much spare time, economic potential, knowledge, and dedication required in the Siamese breeding business, this can be a worthwhile experience.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Establishing and Choosing Siamese fighting fish for Breeding

1. 

   Learn as much as you can. When you're trying to breed any type of animal, it's important to get to know that species well. Research on how to care and breed Siamese fish. There are many great websites and books about Siamese fighting fish. Over 600 eggs can be spawned at a time, meaning you have to care for more than 500 Siamese fighting fish as they hatch! You need to know what you want to get out of this real experience.
   • Are you interested in genetics, breeding them to show off to people, or supplying aquarium shops?
   • Or simply you like Siamese fighting fish and want to take your hobby to a new level?
   • Breeding Siamese fighting fish to show off to friends or supply to a store is a large-scale business that requires a huge investment of time, space, and money. Due to high start-up costs and high budgets, it is difficult to make a profit from breeding Siamese fighting fish, so this should not be your initial goal.

2. 

   
   
   Set up the aquarium. When you are ready to breed the Siamese fighting fish, you need to be prepared before bringing the breeding pair home. Set up two tanks and make sure you cycle the water in both tanks before bringing any fish back.

3. 

   Find a pair of fish breeders. Siamese fighting fish breed best when they are young, so you will most likely succeed if you find a reputable breeder online or close to home to buy a pair of fingerlings. If you find a breeder in your area, they can be an invaluable source of information. Make sure males and females are the same size, and consider buying two breeding pairs in case one fails.
   • Most of the Siamese fighting fish in the store are often too old to breed and of unknown origin, but this is an inexpensive way to start breeding and is often more available than specialized fingerlings.
   • If you choose to breed store-bought fish, keep in mind that you may not be able to buy or adopt the fry, as most aquarium stores will not buy them. Because you are uncertain about the genetic origins of the fish you mate, you may have to accept sick fry and no one likes.
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Part 2 of 5: Establishing Conditions for Breeding

1. 

   
   
   Let the fish settle in the tank. It is best to let the Siamese fighters stay in the tank for several months before starting to breed so that they can adapt to the aquatic environment. Remember, males are most fertile when their age is no more than 14 months. Plan to breed them when you have a long, uninterrupted time.
   • Once you have introduced males and females to each other, you will need to spend at least a few hours a day for two months or more caring for the pair and their offspring. Make sure you don't have any holidays, business trips, or important events ahead of you.

2. 

   
   
   Set up a breeding tank. The breeding tank should have a capacity of about 19-38 L and be equipped with a detachable divider, some hiding places, an adjustable filter (e.g. a sponge filter with adjustable screw valve), and a heating device set at 27 ° C. Do not add gravel or other substrates to the breeding tank as the eggs will get lost if dropped to the bottom of the tank. Only fill the water about 13-15 cm high, and place the tank in a place where there is little distraction, eg where there are other fish, vibrant environmental colors, and human activity.

3. 

   Start with raw foods when you are ready for the fish to breed. The larvae of marine shrimp or worms are just the best, but worms, crickets, cockroaches, and other bugs (cut out) are also edible. Raising these foods on your own is a good idea or buying them at a fish store or breeder to avoid infections, sandy soil, and chemicals that wild insects can carry on you. If raw foods are not available, you can also try buying frozen raw foods.

4. 

   Start to feed the fry. The juveniles are very small, and only eat raw food, so you will need a very small supply of live food to feed them as they hatch. Start now to make sure you have a steady supply for several weeks when you need it. Worms are probably the best food, but some fish breeders prefer to use grass worms or vinegar worms. Marine shrimp larvae are also edible, but only in small amounts along with other food sources, as overeating can cause fish bubble disease while swimming.

5. 

   Let the pair get acquainted. Once the feeding of the live feed is stable and the fingerling pairs are eaten for a week or two, you are ready to introduce the Siamese pair. Move the tank of male and female up close so they can see each other clearly, but separate. You can place the tanks of two fish side by side, or drop them on either side of the separated breeding tank. Getting to know each other is essential before placing them in the same aquarium to minimize the risk of dangerous injury to each other.
   • Some breeders release the males into the undivided breeding tank and use a clear plastic cup or oil lamp cap to prevent the male from attacking the female. When using this method, the female should only be acquainted for a few hours a day, as it is kept in a space that is too small. Let them look at each other for a few more days to get acquainted.
   • Some breeders continue to separate the fish for a few days before letting them get to know each other for a few more days, then proceed to the next step.

6. 

   Observe the fish's behavior. Observe the Siamese pair to see if they seem to like each other. The male will swim around, exposing his fins, bulging his gills and often expressing himself. The female will appear straight lines on her body and will submit her head submissively. It is okay to show a little bit of aggression, but if they bulge and attack each other even though they are baffled, don't put them in the same tank. Instead, it is best to separate the two fish and try again later, or try another pair of Siamese fighting fish. Occasionally the Siamese fight so it is better to spend some time watching and waiting for the right moment. advertisement

Part 3 of 5: Breeding Siamese fighting fish

1. 

   Remove the baffle. When the male is ready to breed, he will build a large bubble nest within 2-3 days. When this happens, turn off the water filter and place the female in the tank, but keep an eye on the pair. The male will most likely bully the female, poke the fins and chase the female around the tank. This is fine as long as they are not in danger of their life. This study time will last a few hours or a few days. Make sure there are plenty of hiding places in the tank for the female to escape bullying, and regularly check the pair to prevent serious injury.

2. 

   Let everything happen naturally. The male will eventually lure the female into swimming under its bubble nest and they will cling to each other. It may take several times for the eggs to appear. The female then goes into a motionless state, while the white eggs fall from its tiny white egg-laying organ. The male will swim down and pick up the eggs, placing each one in its nest. Some females will help as soon as they recover, but others will eat the whole egg, so watch carefully and separate the female if they eat eggs. The two fish will probably fight each other more times, but gradually the female will stop laying eggs.

3. 

   Separate the female Siamese. When the female stops spawning, the male will continue to bully the female, and the female will hide. Gently scoop out the female and release it into her own tank. Add Maroxy solution to the tank to help heal the fish's fins. It is also a good idea to use the Maroxy solution in the breeding tank to prevent mold from spoiling the fish eggs.

4. 

   Leave the male fish in the aquarium until the fry hatch and swim. It will take about three days after incubation. Some breeders will not feed the males during this time. The purpose of this is to reduce the risk of the male eating eggs and fry. Some other breeders will feed the fish a small amount of food every two days. If you choose to feed the male fish, do not panic if the fish does not eat right away, continue to drop the food in, and gently suck the fish out of the dropper. Don't use a filter to prevent the water flow from disturbing the fry, but be sure to turn on the lights day and night. advertisement

Part 4 of 5: Caring for Juveniles

1. 

   Wait for the fry to hatch. When the fry hatch, they will cling to the bubble nest, and the male will constantly replace the broken ones. After a few days, the fry will be able to "swim freely," they swim horizontally and venture out of the nest. Before leaving the nest, the fry will eat the remains of the egg yolks, and they will not eat on their own.

2. 

   Separate the male from the tank, be very careful not to take the wrong fry. Males can return to their daily life and eating schedule. If the male looks ragged after a courtship, add some Maroxy solution to the tank to help heal the fins.

3. 

   Feed the fry. As soon as you separate the male, feed the fry a small amount of raw worms. Feed them twice a day, and pay close attention to how much they eat. If the worms are still present when it's time to feed them, you can skip the meal as the fry still have food. If you see a lot of dead worms, then you are overfeeding, cutting the ration according to the situation. The fry need to be fed with very small raw foods such as:
   • Grassworm: Feed this in the first week of fry;
   • Worms: You will need to buy a group of worms initially, then they will multiply on their own, you do not need to buy more. Good for baby fish from 3-40 days old;
   • Marine shrimp larvae: This breed is the easiest to hatch and control of feeding amount, but overfeeding will lead to fish bubble disease;

4. 

   Give the fry time to grow. Keep warm at 27 ° C and cover the tank to avoid wind and evaporation. Continue to gradually increase the amount of food placed in the tank. When the fry get too large to accommodate the breeding tank, they will need to be moved to another, larger tank. Not all of the fry will survive the first few weeks, but if you see a large number of dead fry, there is a problem. Check the temperature, the amount of chemicals in the water, and consider disinfecting the tank.
   • When the fry are one week old, turn on the water purifier, but limit the water flow with the control valve so that it does not interfere.
   • When the fry are two weeks old, begin partial water changes (10%) every few days to keep the tank clean and free of food contamination, gently use a syringe or dropper to avoid injury. feed the fry, and add clean water slowly. You can start to turn off the aquarium lights at night.
   • Over the following weeks, gradually increase the strength of the water purifier, watch the fry carefully and make sure they are strong enough to swim upstream.

5. 

   Put the fry in a large tank. When the fry are two weeks old you should move them to a larger tank of at least 75 L capacity. Make sure the temperature and water in the new tank are the same as the old tank where the fry are used to living. Juveniles are fragile - only one small mistake can kill them. If you are using an aquarium that will only fill half the tank, with a 19 or 38 liter capacity you can refill and switch the tank when the fish are 4-5 weeks old. advertisement

Part 5 of 5: Taking Care of Juveniles to Adulthood

1. 

   Weaning raw food for young fish. By the time the fry are about a month old you can gradually begin to switch the fry to frozen food and then to dry food and small pellets. Make sure the food is mashed small enough for tiny fish mouths to eat. Feed a small amount, and gradually wean raw foods. Always remove leftover food from the aquarium.

2. 

   Separate the males. When the males begin to fight (whenever between 5-8 weeks of age), it is time to separate them from the aquarium. Put them in separate tanks side by side, as they can get bored if suddenly quarantined.
   • Males that do not fight may stay with the females until they become aggressive.
   • Some males will stop eating for the first day or two; try offering raw foods to stimulate their appetite.
   • Continue separating all aggressive males and all males. In the days and weeks that follow you will want to begin isolating the males with a translucent baffle, as they will strain each other, inflate the gills and try to attack other nearby males.

3. 

   Decide the future of the fry. If you want to sell the fry, you will need to contact potential buyers. Most fry will begin to show adult traits by 10-11 weeks, and you can start selecting the best fish for future breeding or taking pictures to send to interested people. intend to buy. If you are trying to create a genetic strain, you will just want to pick the best fish out of each group to continue breeding, and sell or give to the rest, otherwise you will be inundated with the fish. Siam that you cannot care for.

4. 

   Sexism of Siamese fighting fish at a young age. This takes time and experience; Occasionally, experienced breeders mistake two males in the same tank.
   • Males have longer fins, but young males have shorter fins.
   • The bulging males bring together. Females usually don't, but females can be just as aggressive as males.
   • Females have egg-laying organs, located below the abdomen; This is where the eggs will spawn at spawning.
   • Males create bubble nests; If you put a siamese fish in a jar and it blows out a bubble nest, it's a male. However, some females are also capable of blowing out the nest with a bubble, so be sure to check it thoroughly.
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Advice

• Never give the fry to the pellet as it is too large and the fry will stop eating. The fry will starve or be killed by bacteria produced by leftovers.
• Be careful not to mistakenly suck fry when changing water, they are very small and may not swim upstream.
• Always discard leftovers from the fry, otherwise they will decompose and infect the entire aquarium.
• Some fish breeders will put something in the tank to make it easier for the male to nest, such as a foam plastic cup, a leaf of lettuce or other floating objects.
• Before you plan to breed anything, be sure to have a plan for the cubs. A pair of Siamese fighting fish can lay 500 fries, so make sure there is room for them to live.
• High quality fry comes from a pair of high quality fish. If you intend to sell the fry, then it is worth investing money in a good pair of Siamese fighting fish.
• Do a lot of research and learning before starting to breed fish. There are many useful resources on the internet, either you can talk to your local fish breeder or an aquarium specialist.
• Always use a racket with a small mesh to collect Siamese fighting fish. Conventional racquets can tear the fish's fins.
• If you create a unique, stable strain of fish, name the breed for future identification.
• You may have to make difficult decisions about fish born with a deformity. If they have to suffer, you might consider giving them a humane euthanasia. Never breed deformed fish such as scoliosis or deformed fins.

Warning

• Breeding Siamese fighting fish requires a lot of time, effort, and money investment. This is not a hobby that you can take lightly.
• The likelihood of an event happening is high from the time you introduced the pair until the fry became an adult. Be ready for failure before you get the hang of it.
• Always use caution when using chemicals or medications in an aquarium. Medicines can save lives if used enough and kill fish if overdose. Always read the package and instructions for use carefully and never exceed the recommended dose.
• Responsible breeders always carefully study the genes and traits of the fish and ensure they have room for the fry to live before starting to breed. Unexpectedly breeding can lead to unsatisfactory fish schooling.
• Do not breed Diamond-eyed Siamese fighting fish under any circumstances. These fish will be born blind.

What you need

• 2 aquariums for adult Siamese fighting fish
• 38 L capacity aquarium with cover and light for breeding
• Tank baffle or oil lamp cap
• The device keeps warm water capable of maintaining a temperature of 27 ° C
• The filter has a slight suction power
• The suction hose is light suction
• Dropper
• Where to hide (trees, pvc pipes, etc.)
• Racket shrimp larvae
• Maroxy, BettaFix, Ampicillin, or other healing medicines
• Raw feed (bloodworms or shrimp larvae)
• Fodder for young fish (worms or fodder)
• Frozen food or pellets
• Tank for males (50-100 females)
• Large tank for "mature fish" (110-190 liters)