by Angela Higbee

Created on: January 16, 2009

Best known through its popularity in vases and fishbowls, the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) is a colorful and easy to care for pet. Assuming you already have a basic knowledge of betta care requirements, breeding bettas can be a rewarding hobby. Please make sure you have the time care for anywhere between 20 and 300 fry (babies), and the space available to house the males in bowls or jars. If you take the time to select quality breeding stock, you may be able to sell the fry to local aquarium stores.

Breeding bettas is not difficult, but it can be time consuming. The fry need to be fed twice daily, and weekly water changes are required. You will also need the following equipment and supplies, available in aquarium hobby shops:
1. 5-10 gallon aquarium
2. Submersible aquarium heater
3. A small lamp
4. Aquarium temperature gauge
5. A medicated water conditioner, such as BettaMax
6. LiquiFry No. 1, or another liquid fish food suitable for betta fry
7. Brine shrimp eggs and a brine shrimp hatchery
8. Styrofoam cup or Indian almond leaves
9. Small air pump, air stone and aquarium tubing
10. Jars or fish bowls to house juvenile males and your breeding stock.

You will also need aged water to fill the tank and perform water changes. This can be accomplished quite easily by filling clean buckets with tap water, covering them and setting them in your garage for a week or two. Aging the water is very important, as it allows the chlorine (poisonous to bettas) to dissipate from the water. Alternately, you can purchase distilled water or an aquarium-safe water conditioner, but this can prove to be costly.

After you have the required basics listed above, it's time to choose a breeding pair. You want to look for young, healthy fish that are appropriately sized to each other. Stay away from fish with visible injuries, ragged fins or any signs of disease. Remember to make sure the fish are of compatible strains, as some betta hybrids do not reproduce well. If you are in doubt about this, your local aquarium supply staff should be able to help you choose a breeding pair.

Once you have selected your bettas, you will need to condition the pair for breeding. Your male and female need to be housed separately before and after breeding, but they also need to be able to see each other. Place the male and female bowls next to each other for at least a week before attempting to breed them. If you attempt to breed the fish too soon the female could be killed. During this familiarization period,

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